The Message of the Three Angels
Notes
Transcript
Brief Background
Brief Background
Hag Sukkot Semach! It is a great time to be alive and to see the harvest of Adonai. I firmly believe that the best, and the worst, is yet to come. We have been chosen by Adonai to be alive at this time, and we have been privileged to watch and participate in the events that are surrounding us.
For those who are just joining us, we are working our way through the book of Revelation. John the son of Zebedee was in exile on the isle of Patmos. Yeshua was revealed to him there, and John was commanded to write to seven communities in Asia Minor (modern day Turkey).
Last week we discussed the Lamb and the 144,000 singing a new song from the Mount Zion. We focused on how Mount Zion has been described through the Scriptures, we mentioned the characteristics of the 144,000, and we looked into the New Song of the Redeemed that they sing from experience.
Today we will continue Chapter 14 and the Messages given by three angels.
The Message of the Three Angels
The Message of the Three Angels
Before we read the passage, it would be good to remember that Chapters 12-14 are all of the Second Interlude of the Book of Revelation. Craig Keener describes it this way:
“This Central Section of the book, lodged between the trumpets and bowls, not only reinterprets traditional images that it recounts, but provides a key to interpreting other symbols throughout Revelation. … Ancient writers sometimes employed mythical images in digressions, and Revelation seems to enclose three substantial digressions in this section: the woman and her seed (11:19-12:17, including its own digression for a heavenly perspective in 12:7-12); the beasts of chapter 13; and miscellaneous visions about coming judgements (ch. 14).” (Craig Keener, The NIV Application Commentary: Revelation, 2000, p. 360)
So, with this review we see that Chapter 14 contains a variety of miscellaneous visions that are not necessarily consecutive, but provide us with some of the tools needed to interpret the rest of the book. Let’s now read Revelation 14:6-13
And then I saw another angel flying high in the sky, having a timeless message of good news to proclaim to those who dwell on the earth—to every nation and tribe and tongue and people. He said in a loud voice, “Fear God and give Him glory, because the hour of His judgment has come. Worship the One who made heaven and earth and sea and springs of water.” Another angel, a second one, followed, saying, “Fallen, fallen, is Babylon the great— she who made all nations drink of the wine of the fury of her immorality.” And another angel, a third one, followed them, saying in a loud voice, “If anyone worships the beast and his image and receives a mark on his forehead or on his hand, he shall also drink the wine of God’s fury, poured full strength into the cup of His wrath. And he shall be tormented with fire and brimstone before the holy angels and before the Lamb. The smoke of their torment goes up forever and ever. Those who worship the beast and its image and those who receive the mark of his name have no rest day or night.” Here is the perseverance of the kedoshim—those who keep the commandments of God and the faith of Yeshua. Then I heard a voice from heaven saying, “Write: How fortunate are the dead—those who die in the Lord from now on!” “Yes,” says the Ruach, “that they may rest from their labors, for their deeds follow them.”
The First Message
The First Message
All three angels are flying high in the heavens, and are making prophetic declarations. In Amos 3:7 we see that Adonai chooses to reveal His counsel to the prophets, and through them declare what He is about to do.
It is not that Yahweh cannot act without the help of prophets or that he is obliged to share his knowledge with them. Rather, consistent with other prophetical (Jer 7:25; 23:18, 22; 26:5; 35:15; 44:4) and historical (2 Kgs 17:13, 23; 21:10; 24:2) emphases on Yahweh’s “servants the prophets,” this verse states simply that the prophets carry a message not their own. Yahweh does explain his own actions and does use the prophets as his spokespersons.
Here in Revelation, we see that the angels, which in Hebrew means messenger, are the ones delivering Adonai’s message and are declaring what Adonai is doing and is about to do.
The first angel comes with the “timeless message of good news”. This is a the gospel that Yeshua was talking about in Matt. 24:14
This Good News of the kingdom shall be proclaimed in the whole world as a testimony to all the nations, and then the end will come.
Adonai’s focus and purpose remains the same, He is always seeking to save those who are lost. And we get to participate with Him in this proclamation.
The actual message of the angel seems a warning of coming judgement: Rev. 14:7 “He said in a loud voice, “Fear God and give Him glory, because the hour of His judgment has come. Worship the One who made heaven and earth and sea and springs of water.””
However, one thing that we must recognise is that when there is no understanding of the impending judgement, then there is no understanding for the need of salvation. We certainly live in a time where people are choosing to live in blindness to the reality of the coming Judgement of Adonai.
When Paul spoke to the Pagans in Athens, this is exactly what He did. Acts 17:22-31
So Paul stood in the middle of the Aereopagus and said, “Men of Athens, I see that in all ways you are very religious. For while I was passing through and observing the objects of your worship, I even found an altar with this inscription: ‘To an Unknown God.’ Therefore what you worship without knowing, this I proclaim to you. The God who made the world and all things in it, since He is Lord of heaven and earth, does not live in temples made by hands. Nor is He served by human hands, as if He needed anything, since He Himself gives to everyone life and breath and all things. From one He made every nation of men to live on the face of the earth, having set appointed times and the boundaries of their territory. They were to search for Him, and perhaps grope around for Him and find Him. Yet He is not far from each one of us, for ‘In Him we live and move and have our being.’ As some of your own poets have said, ‘For we also are His offspring.’ Since we are His offspring, we ought not to suppose the Deity is like gold or silver or stone, an engraved image of human art and imagination. Although God overlooked the periods of ignorance, now He commands everyone everywhere to repent. For He has set a day on which He will judge the world in righteousness, through a Man whom He has appointed. He has brought forth evidence of this to all men, by raising Him from the dead.”
This is the message that the Angel is declaring, but much more concisely.
The Second Message
The Second Message
The second angel is bringing a much more specific declaration of judgement. This is the first time that Babylon is mentioned in the Book of Revelation, but as we have discussed before, Babylon represents much more than just the ancient city. Last week we discsussed how the book of Revelation is in some ways a Tale of Two Cities, the capital of the world empire, Babylon, and the capital of the Kingdom of Go, Mount Zion. There are several prophesies that this angel’s declaration is quoting.
The first passage is Isa. 21:1-10:
The burden of the desert by the sea: As windstorms sweep over the South, so it comes from the desert, a terrifying land. A harsh vision has been shown to me: “The traitor betrays, and the plunderer plunders. Go up, Elam! Besiege, Media! I have put an end to all her groaning.” Therefore my body is filled with pain. Pangs have taken hold of me like the pangs of a woman in labor. I am bewildered by what I hear, terrified by what I see. My heart is bewildered, terror overwhelms me. The twilight I longed for has been turned into trembling. Set the table, spread out the cloth! Eat! Drink! “Rise up, you princes, oil the shield!” For Adonai has said to me. “Go, post a watchman— let him declare what he sees! When he sees a chariot with a pair of horsemen, riders on donkeys, riders on camels, let him pay attention— very close attention!” Then he cried out like a lion: “Upon the watch tower, Adonai, I stand continually in the daytime, and stay at my post every night. Look! Here comes a chariot of men, with a pair of horsemen.” Then one answered and said, “Fallen, fallen is Babylon! All the images of her gods are broken on the ground.” O my people, crushed on the threshing floor, what I heard from Adonai Tzva’ot, God of Israel, I have declared to you.
In this passage the prophet Isaiah is distressed with what he sees. He sees that Elam and Media rise up to besiege and plunder Babylon.
ELAM (עֵילַם, eilam). An ancient Near Eastern kingdom located in Iran. A rival to the Mesopotamian kingdoms for over 2,000 years. The Elamite Empire influenced many great empires that shaped the biblical world. Over its long history, Elam interacted with the Sumerians, Akkadians, Babylonians, and the Assyrians. Under the Persians, Susa—one of Elam’s great cities—makes several biblical appearances.
In the near term, this is a prophesy of the kingdom of the Medes and the Persians conquering the Babylonian Kingdom in 539 BC. However, as it has been, so it will be. This Angel is declaring that will fall again, so when we look at this passage, we see several descriptions that should show us how “Babylon the Great” will fall.
The traitor betrays, and the plunderer plunders: based on this text, we see that the fall of Babylon, as with the fall of most empires, will include betrayal from within, and will be plundered;
The fall of Babylon includes the destruction of gods, and the desecration of the images that were set up;
There is also a warning to the people of God who are caught up in the middle of the “threshing floor”. They are crushed as the city of Babylon is judged, because they were in the wrong place at the wrong time.
The second prophesy that refers to the fall of Babylon is Jer. 51:1-14
Thus says Adonai: “Look! Stirring up against Babylon and those living in Leb-kamai, a spirit of destruction. I will send strangers to Babylon to scatter her and empty her land. For in the day of trouble they will be against her all around. Let the archer bend his bow at her. Let him rise up at her in his armor. Do not spare her young men. Destroy her whole army. They will fall down slain in the land of Chaldea, thrust through in her streets. For neither Israel nor Judah will be widowed by his God, Adonai-Tzva’ot, though their land is full of guilt before the Holy One of Israel. Flee from within Babylon! Each one, escape with his soul! Be not silenced in her iniquity! For it is a time of vengeance for Adonai. He will repay her recompense. Babylon has been a golden cup in Adonai’s hand, intoxicating the whole earth. The nations drunk her wine— so the nations are going crazy. Suddenly Babylon is fallen! Shattered! Howl over her! Bring balm for her wound. Perhaps she may be healed? We would have healed Babylon, but she cannot be healed. Abandon her! Let’s go, each one to his own country, for her judgment has reached up to the heavens and has risen beyond the skies. Adonai has brought forth our vindication! Come, let us declare in Zion the work of Adonai Eloheinu! Sharpen the arrows. Fill the quivers! Adonai has roused the spirit of the kings of the Medes. For His plan is against Babylon, to destroy it. For it is Adonai’s vengeance, vengeance for His Temple. Raise a banner at Babylon’s walls! Strengthen the guard. Station watchmen. Prepare ambushes. For Adonai has both planned and accomplished what He spoke about the Babylonians. You dwelling by many waters, rich in treasures, your end has come, the measure of your covetousness. Adonai-Tzva’ot has sworn by Himself: “Surely I will fill you with men like a locust swarm, and they will shout cheers over you.”
Both of these passages had a near term fulfillment, however, just as with the passage in Isaiah, there are end-time parallels. Here are some of the points of interest that relate to our passage in Revelation:
Adonai is bringing a total destruction to Babylon. To this day the ancient city of Babylon has not been rebuilt;
Adonai declares that even though Israel and Judah have sinned, they will not be completely cast off;
There is a warning to those living in Babylon to flee, because Adonai’s vengeance is coming;
Jeremiah speaks of Babylon as a “golden cup in Adonai’s hand”. This is a reference back to Nebuchadnezzar’s dream where Babylon was the head of gold. We know that Nebuchadnezzar repented and turned to Adonai, but afterwards, those who followed (specifically Belshazzar) rebuilt the temples to the idols.
The whole world was made drunk with the wealth and idolatry of Babylon. The surrounding nations would have healed Babylon if they could, but the destruction was so quick and so complete, that there was nothing anyone could do.
Ultimately, it is Adonai who brough about the destruction of Babylon, “For it is ADONAI’s vengeance, vengeance for His Temple” and for His name’s sake.
The Third Message
The Third Message
The third angel now provides a clear warning to all of those who will follow the final empire, worship the image that is set up, and receive the beast’s name on their forehead or hand. This is the same warning that was given in both Isaiah and Jeremiah: (Rev. 14:10-11) “he shall also drink the wine of God’s fury, poured full strength into the cup of His wrath. And he shall be tormented with fire and brimstone before the holy angels and before the Lamb. The smoke of their torment goes up forever and ever. Those who worship the beast and its image and those who receive the mark of his name have no rest day or night.””
The messages of the angels have gone from general to specific, from the timeless good news and the judgement of the world, to the judgement of the capital city Babylon, to the judgement of the individuals who are allied with this final world empire.
Just as Babylon was call a “golden cup” filled with immorality and idolatry, so now Adonai will cause the followers of the Beast to drink from the “cup of His wrath.”
The concept of being “tormented with fire and brimstone” and that “the smoke of their torment goes up forever and ever” is a link to the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah.
Peter would write 2 Pet. 2:6-10
He devastated the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah, reducing them to ashes—making them an example of what is going to happen to the ungodly. He rescued Lot, a righteous man deeply troubled by the shameless immorality of the wicked. (For that righteous man, while living among them, was tormented in his righteous soul day after day by lawless deeds he saw and heard.) Therefore the Lord certainly knows how to rescue the godly from trials, and how to keep the unrighteous being punished until the Day of Judgment— especially those who follow after the flesh in its unclean desires and who despise the Lord’s authority. Brazen and arrogant, these people do not tremble while slandering glorious beings;
Just as with every passage that we have read, Adonai is not just going to bring judgement on the wicked, but he is also going to rescue the righteous out of there. However, unlike Lot coming out of Sodom and Israel and Judah coming out of Babylon, in Revelation are given a different warning.
Rev. 14:12-13 “Here is the perseverance of the kedoshim—those who keep the commandments of God and the faith of Yeshua. Then I heard a voice from heaven saying, “Write: How fortunate are the dead—those who die in the Lord from now on!” “Yes,” says the Ruach, “that they may rest from their labors, for their deeds follow them.””
The believers are encouraged firstly to persevere. Earlier, with the first angel, we focused on how the good news would be proclaimed in the whole world. The verse immediately prior to that verse is Matt. 24:13 “But the one who endures to the end will be saved.” Thankfully Yeshua empowers us through the Ruach HaKodesh to do the things that He commands.
We are also told, “How fortunate are the dead—those who die in the Lord from now on!” Ordinarily this would not be an encouragement, but when persecution gets so bad, we know that we can always look forward to eternity. We can be encouraged that life does not end in death, but for those of us who trust in Yeshua, we will experience eternal life!
All of the labour that we do in the Lord, will become rewards in heaven. Sha’ul writes to the congregation in Corinth, 1 Cor 3:10-15
According to the grace of God which was given to me, like a skilled master builder I laid a foundation, and another builds on it. But let each consider carefully how he builds on it. For no one can lay any other foundation than what is already laid—which is Yeshua the Messiah. Now if anyone builds on the foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw, each one’s work will become clear. For the Day will show it, because it is to be revealed by fire; and the fire itself will test each one’s work—what sort it is. If anyone’s work built on the foundation survives, he will receive a reward. If anyone’s work is burned up, he will suffer loss—he himself will be saved, but as through fire.
Application for Today
Application for Today
How do we apply this to our lives?
From the first angel, we see that we can participate in the work of Adonai, by working with Him to declare the (Rev. 14:6) “timeless message of good news [and] to proclaim to those who dwell on the earth—to every nation and tribe and tongue and people.”
From the second angel there is a warning to not participate in the immorality and idolatry of the world around us.
And from the third angel we are encouraged to persevere until the end, and to remember that our labour in Yeshua will be rewarded!