Living in the Last Days (18)

“Future Scenes of Heaven and Earth”

Revelation 14:1-20 “And I looked, and, lo, a Lamb stood on the mount Sion, and with him an hundred forty and four thousand, having his Father’s name written in their foreheads. And I heard a voice from heaven, as the voice of many waters, and as the voice of a great thunder: and I heard the voice of harpers harping with their harps: And they sung as it were a new song before the throne, and before the four beasts, and the elders: and no man could learn that song but the hundred and forty and four thousand, which were redeemed from the earth. These are they which were not defiled with women; for they are virgins. These are they which follow the Lamb whithersoever he goeth. These were redeemed from among men, being the firstfruits unto God and to the Lamb. And in their mouth was found no guile: for they are without fault before the throne of God. And I saw another angel fly in the midst of heaven, having the everlasting gospel to preach unto them that dwell on the earth, and to every nation, and kindred, an…”

I. Intro

This chapter answers two questions raised in the two previous chapters: “what happens to those who refuse to receive the mark of the beast?” and “what happens to the beast, his false prophet, and his followers?” John now sees scenes yet future at the end of the Great Tribulation when Christ returns in judgment.

II. The Lamb and the 144,000 (14:1-5)

John looks and sees standing on Mt. Sion or in Heaven (Hebrews 12:22 “But ye are come unto mount Sion, and unto the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to an innumerable company of angels,” the Lamb and the 144,000 who have his Father’s name written in their foreheads. These 144,000 seem to be the same group mentioned in (7:4-8). Apparently, the name, or seal in their foreheads protects them from God’s wrath but not from the wrath of the dragon, Satan, and the beasts. They evidently die as martyrs during the latter part of the Great Tribulation. Since they are in heaven, their work on earth is finished. They are singing a song no one can learn, except the 144,000 redeemed from the earth. These 144,000 are further described as not defiled with women; for they are virgins. This indicates they are sexually pure, obeying the command in (1 Corinthians 6:18 “Flee fornication. Every sin that a man doeth is without the body; but he that committeth fornication sinneth against his own body.” They are morally pure and have not given in to sexual immorality, which is so prevelant today and will grow much worse during the Great Tribulation. The 144,000 follow the Lamb whithersoever He goeth. This indicates they followed Jesus exclusively, no matter how difficult. Also, these were redeemed from among men, being the firstfruits unto God and unto the Lamb. In the OT, firstfruits are the first and best part of a harvest and are offered to God. (Exodus 34:22 “And thou shalt observe the feast of weeks, of the firstfruits of wheat harvest, and the feast of ingathering at the year’s end.” The Greek word translated “firstfruits” (aparche) [ap-ar-kay] is found several times in the NT. It pictures faithful beleivers who are the first to be converted or have victory over death (1 Corinthians 15:20) “But now is Christ risen from the dead, and become the firstfruits of them that slept.” The 144,000 are a choice offering to God, representing the best in the world during the Great Tribulation. In the passage, the term ‘firstfruits’ seems to refer to quality rather than chronology, because in their mouth was found no guile: for they are without fault before the throne of God.

III. The Messages of the First Three Angels (14:6-13)

John sees an angel flying in the midst of heaven, having the everlasting gospel to preach unto everyone on the earth. This appears to be the fulfillment of what Jesus said must happen before the end comes. Matthew 24:14 “And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations; and then shall the end come.” The message of this angel is called the everlasting gospel as a reminder of the never-changing Gospel that has been proclaimed since the time of Christ. The angel says with a loud voice, “Fear God, and give glory to Him; for the hour of His judgment is come: and worship Him that made heaven and earth, and the sea, and the fountains of waters. The angel is calling on people to forsake allegience to the beast and worship the Lamb. Even as God’s final judgment nears, He will give people the opportunity to repent. (2 Peter 3:9) “The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.” However, time is running out because the bowls of wrath will soon be poured out on the unbeleiving world. Verses 8-14 are like a table of contents for the remainder of the book of Revelation. John sees another angel following the first and shouting, “Babylon is fallen, is fallen, that great city, because she made all nations drink of the wine of the wrath of her fornication.” This is called a “proleptic” message-it anticipates the event before it happens , though expressed in past tense. The term ‘Babylon’ represents the evil world system at the end of the age that will kill those who refuse to worship the beast. A third angel follows the second, shouting, “If any man worship the beast and his image, and receive the mark in his forehead, or in his hand, the same shall drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is poured out without mixture into the cups of His indignation.”In NT times, people added three parts water to one part wine to dilute it. However, God will pour out His wrath without mixture, stressing the severity of His judgment. Therefore, the third angel announces, “And the smoke of their torment ascendeth up forever and ever: and they have no rest day nor night, who worship the beast and his image, and whosoever receiveth the mark of his name. The trail of ascending smoke is an eternal reminder of the doom of the beast and his worshippers. Following the promise of God’s coming wrath, John has words of encouragement to beleivers who must go through the Great Tribulation. He writes, “Here is the patience of the saints: here are they that keep the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus.” The message is that it is for better to experience the beast’s temporary punishment, even martyrdom, than God’s eternal punishment. Next, John hears a voice from heaven saying, “Write, Blessed are the dead which die in the Lord from henceforth.” This doesn’t mean we will rest in a big, easy chair throughout eternity. The term ‘rest’ refers to the end of persecution and suffering. The word ‘works’ refers to their service to the Lord. In heaven, God will reward us for everything we have ever done ion service to Him. (Hebrews 6:10) “ For God is not unrighteous to forget your work and glabour of love, which ye have shewed toward his name, in that ye have ministered to the saints, and do minister.” Our works don’t save us, but they do result in eternal rewards.

IV. The Harvest of the Earth (14:14-20)

John now sees a white cloud, and upon the cloud one sat like unto the Son of Man, having on his head a golden crown, [stephanos-victor’s crown], and in his hand a sharp sickle. The Lord Jesus has a sickle in His hand, which means He is ready to begin judgment upon unbelievers. A fourth angel comes out of the temple, shouting to Him on the cloud, “Thrust in thy sickle, and reap: for the time is come for thee to reap; for the harvest of the earth is ripe.” In the parable of the tares, Jesus describes the harvest, or judgment, in the end times. Without details, John writes, “And he that sat on the cloud thrust in His sickle on the earth; and the earth was reaped.” As in Jesus’ parable of the tares, this is a picture of believers being taken to heaven and unbelievers being sent to eternal punishment. The details of this judgment are recorded in chapter 16. Next, a fifth angel comes out of the temple which is in heaven with a sharp sickle, meaning he is a reaper. This scene also connects with Jesus’ parable of the tares. (Matthew 13:39) “The enemy that sowed them is the devil; the harvest is the end of the world; and the reapers are the angels.” Out of the altar comes a sixth angel, who has power over fire. He shouts to the angel with the sharp sickle, Thrust in thy sharp sickle, and gather the clusters of the vine of the earth; for her grapes are fully ripe. The grapes are trampled in the winepress outside the city, and blood flows in a stream as high as the horse bridles (four feet) for a distance of 1,600 furlongs, or about 180 miles. This symbolically pictures the Battle of Armageddon, which will be a slaughter beyond anything the world has ever seen. Like Paul, we should never compromise or dilute the Gospel. However, we should be willing to go to great lengths not to offend people, so we can reach them where they are.