A Study of Revelation 14
Revelation 14:1
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.
In
chapter 7, we read of twelve thousand from each of the twelve tribes of
Israel who will go throughout the world preaching the gospel. Although
they will be targets of Antichrist’s persecution, here in the middle of
the Tribulation, we see not 143,999 witnesses, but 144,000. In other
words, they all make it through.
Revelation 14:2, 3
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.
Why
could no one else sing the song of the 144,000? Because they alone went
through testing and Tribulation—yet maintained their integrity. Thus,
they alone could sing of what they were able to observe the Father do
on their behalf in the time of Tribulation. Every one of us goes
through times of tribulation. God’s intention is that they might
produce in us “as it were, a new song”—a symphony.
There
they were—in a damp, dark dungeon—without even a crust of bread to eat
or the ACLU to plead their case. Yet what were they doing? They were
singing. At midnight—in the darkest hour—Paul and Silas sang. They
weren’t singing to try to get God to do something. They sang simply
because the Lord was with them (Acts 16:25).
“Well,
that hasn’t been my experience,” you might be saying. “My marriage,” or
“my job,” or “my health is a dungeon to me, and I’m not happy.”
Precious
brother, dear sister—God’s intent is to give you a new song. But
there’s one thing that will stand in the way: sympathy. You see, I can
either go through challenges and hard times with a symphony in my heart
because the Lord has promised not only to strengthen me in them (Isaiah
41:10), but to walk with me through them (Matthew 28:20)—or I can
choose to get sympathy from people. If I choose to tap into sympathy,
it will always be at God’s expense because the underlying though
unspoken implication is that what is happening in my life is out of
God’s control.
God
is totally, absolutely, completely faithful to meet us in every trial,
in every difficulty. Don’t let His plan get short-circuited by those
who say, “I feel sorry for you.” Instead, say, “God is good. Sure, what
I’m dealing with right now is a challenge. But I am discovering the
Father is exactly who He claimed to be—a God who comforts me
completely.”
It’s
tempting to let people feel sorry for us, but we mustn’t, because it
puts God in a bad light. Don’t settle for sympathy, gang. Go for the
symphony.
Revelation 14:4, 5
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.
These
144,000 are blessed. They speak with authority They have the Lord on
their minds constantly. They have a song in their heart personally.
They see the Lamb’s directives very clearly. It’s all built and based
on the fact that they are virgins—people of purity.
For topical study of Revelation 14:4, 5 entitled “Purity Pays,” turn to page 1748.
Revelation 14:6 (a)
And I saw another angel fly in the midst of heaven, having the everlasting gospel to preach unto them that dwell on the earth…
The
144,000 have been the infantry. Now here comes the air support: angels.
I believe angels have been itching to get into the fray, to preach.
Why? Because they’ve been going to school for a long time to get ready
for this ministry. Peter says that the angels are studying, earnestly
looking into the things of salvation (1 Peter 1:12).
Paul
goes on to say that when we meet together, we need to be sensitive to
the angels in our midst (1 Corinthians 11:10). I truly believe angels
are studying right along with us. Studying what? The Scriptures? No.
They already know Scripture. They’re studying us. Why? They’re trying
to figure out this thing called grace. Having never fallen into sin,
how are they to learn about grace? By watching us. How could God use
Jon? Why would He put up with Linda? How could Kent be part of His
chosen priesthood? they wonder. But the time is coming when their
schooling will be over, and they’ll be released in the Tribulation to
preach the everlasting gospel.
Revelation 14:6 (b)
…and to every nation, and kindred, and tongue, and people,
Jesus
declared that the end of the world as we know it will come after the
gospel of the kingdom is preached to the entire world. Consequently,
you will hear people say, “We’ve got to get out there and preach to
every nation so the Lord can come to rapture the church.” Not true. The
Lord can rapture the church today, even though there are people groups
who have not heard the gospel directly because the angels will preach
the gospel to every nation, every tongue, every kindred, every people.
Revelation 14:7
Saying
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.
“Worship the One who made everything you see,” the angel will declare—putting a conclusive end to the evolution/creation debate.
Revelation 14:8
And
there followed another angel, saying, Babylon is fallen, is fallen,
that great city, because she made all nations drink of the wine of the
wrath of her fornication.
Two
Babylons are spoken of in Revelation: religious Babylon and commercial
Babylon—the false religious system and the oppressive economic system.
The second angel declares both are powerless.
Revelation 14:9, 10 (a)
And
the third angel followed them, saying with a loud voice, If any man
worship the beast and his image, and receive his 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 cup of his indignation…
The
third angel says, “Don’t take the mark of the beast.” But the world, by
and large, will buy into Antichrist’s diabolical plan.
Revelation 14:10 (b), 11
…and
he shall be tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of the
holy angels, and in the presence of the Lamb: And the smoke of their
torment ascendeth up for ever 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.
Those
who suggest either that hell is not a literal place or that it won’t
last for eternity haven’t read the Bible. In fact, Jesus taught more on
the subject of hell than on the subject of heaven. That is why this
angel cries with a loud voice, warning people to reject the mark of the
Beast. There’s lots of talk about angels these days as cute, cuddly
creatures. But when you read this passage, you realize they are
creatures who plead passionately, proclaim loudly, and preach
vehemently because hell is real. It’s not a game. I think of the
twentieth chapter of Isaiah, where a most amazing thing happens.…
Although
the Assyrians were headed in their direction, the people of Israel
didn’t take the threat seriously. Oh, come on, they thought. Certainly
we won’t be wiped out by the Assyrians.
So
God said to Isaiah—the eloquent orator, the educated, articulate
prophet—“The stakes are high. But the people aren’t listening. So I
want you to take off your sandals, take off your clothes, and walk
naked throughout this region for three years.”
Now,
whether this was three years continually or three years sporadically,
Bible scholars disagree. But the fact remains that stately Isaiah did,
in fact, obey. Why was he told to do this? Because the people had grown
so calloused to the prophets’ words, they weren’t heeding the message.
So God used this bold move to get their attention and to illustrate the
fact that, as captives of the Assyrians, the Israelites would be led
naked across the desert into captivity.
Like
Isaiah, we, too, live in crucial times, gang. You have relatives. I
have friends. We have co-workers who are going to hell because, like
the Israelites, they have become calloused to the threat of hell. But
the stakes are too high for us just to say, “Well, whatever.” No, we
must share the naked truth with them—not baring our bodies, but baring
our souls.
“But they’ll laugh at me,” you say.
What do you think they did to Isaiah?
Here
in Revelation, the angels preach with a loud voice, “Don’t take the
mark. You’ll be tormented forever.” People are in tribulation even
today. Share the everlasting gospel with them, and, like the angels,
you’ll soar in the heavenlies. I guarantee it!
Revelation 14:12
Here is the patience of the saints: here are they that keep the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus.
“Be
patient” is the word given to those who become Christians during the
Tribulation—to those who respond to the evangelism of the 144,000, the
message of the angels, the powerful testimony of the two witnesses in
Jerusalem.
Revelation 14:13
And
I heard a voice from heaven saying unto me, Write, Blessed are the dead
which die in the Lord from henceforth: Yea, saith the Spirit, that they
may rest from their labours; and their works do follow them.
The
voice saying, “Blessed are those who die after they become believers
during the Tribulation, because they will have rest from the hell on
earth surrounding them,” would be unnecessary if the church is to go
through the first part of the Tribulation, as some believe. If that
were the case, the word would not be, “Blessed are you if you die,”
but, “Blessed are you who hang on because the Rapture is about to
occur.”
For topical study of Revelation 14:14 entitled “Rest In Peace,” turn to page 1752.
Revelation 14:14 (a)
And I looked, and behold a white cloud, and upon the cloud one sat like unto the Son of man, having on his head a golden crown…
Clouds are significant throughout Scripture because they represent the visible presence of God.…
- When the law was first given, a cloud covered the mountain (Exodus 19:16).
- When the law was given a second time, a cloud again appeared (Exodus 34:5).
- Upon its completion, a cloud covered the tabernacle (Exodus 40:34).
- Whenever the Israelites were to break camp on their journey to the Promised Land, a cloud led the way (Numbers 9:17).
- When the temple was dedicated, a cloud filled the holy of holies (1 Kings 8:10).
What
a tragic sight it must have been for the Jews to see the glory of God
leave the temple, the city of Jerusalem, the land of Israel because of
their sin (Ezekiel 9:3).
But
wait. God is never through with Israel. The cloud reappears in Israel
when Jesus was on the Mount of Transfiguration (Matthew 17:5) and again
when He ascended to heaven (Acts 1:9).
Revelation 14:14 (b)—16
…and
in his hand a sharp sickle. And another angel came out of the temple,
crying with a loud voice to him that sat 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. And he that sat on the cloud thrust in
his sickle on the earth; and the earth was reaped.
According
to this passage, it would seem that there comes a point in the
Tribulation when salvation is no longer possible. The 144,000 have been
called to heaven. The angels have made their proclamation. And now
there will be a separation between those who become Christians in the
Tribulation and those who don’t.
So,
too, in your own tribulation you need to understand there comes a time
when your own heart—even as a believer—can become hardened. The Bible
speaks of a root of bitterness that can take hold in the soil of a
man’s soul (Hebrews 12:15). I’ve seen believers go through tribulation,
and rather than allow the Lord’s work of grace to take place in their
hearts, they choose, instead, to be bitter and unforgiving. Don’t let
that happen. Don’t be unforgiving. Don’t be cynical. Don’t be bitter.
Don’t play that game because if you let bitterness and unforgiveness
continue, there will come a point in your own tribulation when it will
become an irreversible part of who you are.
Revelation 14:17, 18
And
another angel came out of the temple which is in heaven, he also having
a sharp sickle. And another angel came out from the altar, which had
power over fire; and cried with a loud cry to him that had the sharp
sickle, saying, Thrust in thy sharp sickle, and gather the clusters of
the vine of the earth; for her grapes are fully ripe.
Referring
to the parable of the wheat and tares in Matthew 13, the previous
passage spoke of a harvest of grain. The second harvest here in verse
18 speaks of a harvest of grapes.
Revelation 14:19, 20 (a)
And
the angel thrust in his sickle into the earth, and gathered the vine of
the earth, and cast it into the great winepress of the wrath of God.
And the winepress was trodden without the city…
At
this point, the harvest of separation has begun; the end of the world
is at hand. “The city” in Scripture always referring to Jerusalem, it
is fitting that the grapes are pressed “without the city,” for it was
“without the city” that the True Vine, Jesus Christ, was pressed to the
Cross for our sin (John 19:17).
Revelation 14:20 (b)
…and blood came out of the winepress, even unto the horse bridles, by the space of a thousand and six hundred furlongs.
The
blood resulting from the second—and last—harvest will flow from the
valley of Armageddon down Jordan’s Rift Valley past Jerusalem one
hundred eighty miles to the city of Bozrah.…
Who
is this that cometh from Edom, with dyed garments from Bozrah? this
that is glorious in his apparel, travelling in the greatness of his
strength? I that speak in righteousness, mighty to save. Wherefore art
thou red in thine apparel, and thy garments like him that treadeth in
the winefat? Isaiah 63:1, 2
Who is this One?
None other than Jesus Christ.
And
now I begin to understand that I have two options: I will either drown
in the horrific bloodbath of Armageddon, or I will bathe in the
gracious Blood of the Lamb. Truly, the greatest bloodshed in all of
history took place not in a world war, but when Jesus died on the Cross
in order to wash us in His blood.
A Study of Revelation 7
Revelation 7:1 (a)
And after these things I saw four angels standing…
Who
can stand in the Tribulation? We can because we’ll be in heaven. But
there are two other groups who will also stand—one of which is
comprised of four angels.
Revelation 7:1 (b)
…on the four corners of the earth…
“Aha!”
you say, “The Bible can’t be taken literally because everyone knows the
earth is round. How, then, can it have four corners?” Tell that to the
Pentagon. The U.S. Marines ran an advertising campaign a few years back
that said “Our Marines are stationed on the four corners of the earth.”
Thus, it’s a figure of speech we still use today.
Revelation 7:1 (c)
…holding the four winds of the earth, that the wind should not blow on the earth, nor on the sea, nor on any tree.
In
Bible typology, wind speaks of the judgment of God (Jeremiah 49:36;
51:1, 16). The seals have been opened—and suddenly it is eerily quiet.
Revelation 7:2 (a)
And I saw another angel ascending from the east, having the seal of the living God…
The
idea of sealing refers to the process whereby a builder would seal with
wax the lumber he chose before it was shipped across the Aegean Sea.
Arriving at the port nearest him, the builder would carry away
whichever trees had his seal upon them.
So, too, the Master
Carpenter, Jesus Christ, has chosen us to be the material of His
eternal temple. Therefore, He has sealed us with His Spirit (Ephesians
4:30).
Revelation 7:2 (b)–4
…and he cried with a loud
voice to the four angels, to whom it was given to hurt the earth and
the sea, saying, Hurt not the earth, neither the sea, nor the trees,
till we have sealed the servants of our God in their foreheads. And I
heard the number of them which were sealed: and there were sealed an
hundred and forty and four thousand of all the tribes of the children
of Israel.
One hundred forty-four thousand will be marked by God
as His servants during the Tribulation. And guess what. In chapter 14,
verse 1, we see every single one of them surviving the Tribulation to
stand with the Lord. Who is this second group who will stand in the
Tribulation?
Many groups claim to be the 144,000. Jehovah
Witnesses are one, even though they had to change their stance a bit
when their group grew to number more than 144,000. Historical Mormonism
also claimed to be the 144,000. Ellen G. White and the Seventh Day
Adventists claim to be the 144,000. Garner Ted Armstrong and his
Worldwide Church of God claim to be the 144,000.
Why would such
groups want to be these 144,000, considering that during the
Tribulation, the world will be falling apart around them?
Because in so doing, they conveniently write the Jews out of prophecy.
You
see, throughout history, Christians and cult members alike have
attempted to take Israel out of the eschatological equation. Doctrines
such as “Replacement Theology,” “Reconstructionism,” and “Kingdom Now”
propound that all of God’s promises to Israel were passed on to the
church because the Jews rejected Jesus. This is anything but a new
idea.…
Following Constantine’s conversion in A.D. 312,
Christianity became the official religion of the Roman Empire. At this
point, Christian teachers, thinkers, and theologians said, “Uh-oh.
We’ve been teaching the kingdoms of this world are going to fall—but
now we’ve got a Christian in power in the person of Constantine.”
So,
Origen, a heavyweight Bible teacher and philosopher of the day said, “I
think we’ve been reading the Scriptures wrong. All of the promises
given to Israel are simply allegories and illustrations.” And as a
result, the power and potency, the effectiveness and impact of the
church decreased steadily.
Origen left the scene and was
followed by Augustine, who was such a gifted proponent of the case for
the allegorizing of the Old Testament, that even in some of today’s
King James Bibles, headings of the sections that speak of blessings
upon Israel read “Blessings to the Church,” while sections that speak
of curses upon Israel read “Cursing Upon Israel” (Micah 6–7).
Augustine
was eventually followed by Martin Luther. And Luther, although a giant
of the faith, was terribly wrong on one issue: He hated the Jews.
That’s why many Protestant pastors supported Hitler well into his
regime.
God is not through with His people. His promises to them
are firmly rooted in the five covenants He made with them—four of which
are unconditional.…
In the Abrahamic Covenant, God promised to bless Abraham regardless of what Abraham did or didn’t do (Genesis 12:1–3).
In
the Palestinian Covenant, God gave three hundred thousand square miles
of land—from the Euphrates River to the Nile—to the Jews, even though
at the height of their rule under Solomon, they only possessed thirty
thousand square miles (Genesis 13:14).
In the Mosaic Covenant,
otherwise known as the Law, God promised to bless Israel if they
followed His commandments (Deuteronomy 28). Of the five covenants, only
the Mosaic Covenant is conditional.
In the Davidic Covenant, God
promised that an eternal King would come from David’s
lineage—fulfilled, of course, in Jesus (2 Samuel 7).
In the New Covenant, God promised to give Israel a new heart upon which He would write His will (Jeremiah 31:31–33).
God is not through with the Jew. Because the promises He made to them were unconditional, they cannot be forfeited.
“But Israel failed,” you say.
So do I.
“But Israel was fickle,” you protest.
So are you.
“But Israel faltered,” you whisper.
So do we.
That’s why in Romans 9–11, God says, “Look at Israel. I have not turned My back on them—and I’ll not turn My back on you.”
Revelation 7:5–8 (a)
Of
the tribe of Juda were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Reuben
were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Gad were sealed twelve
thousand. Of the tribe of Aser were sealed twelve thousand. Of the
tribe of Nepthalim were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of
Manasses were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Simeon were
sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Levi were sealed twelve
thousand. Of the tribe of Issachar were sealed twelve thousand. Of the
tribe of Zabulon were sealed twelve thousand.
Listed by tribe, the 144,000 refer to 144,000 Jews who will preach throughout the world during the Tribulation.
Revelation 7:8 (b)
Of the tribe of Joseph were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Benjamin were sealed twelve thousand.
Joseph’s
two sons, Ephraim and Manasseh, step in and take the place of Joseph.
But if Joseph is replaced by two in this list and yet the number of
tribes remains twelve, a tribe must be missing. The missing tribe is
Dan.
Why? The Rabbis have consistently interpreted the ominous
word in Genesis 49:17 to mean that a false Messiah, or Antichrist, will
come from the tribe of Dan. That could indeed be true. But Dan’s
exclusion may also be the result of something else. You see, God
specifically says in Deuteronomy 29 that any tribe involved in idolatry
would be separated from the remaining tribes of Israel. This is exactly
what happened to Dan. When they came into the Promised Land, the people
of Dan were given coastal territory. But they weren’t happy. They soon
migrated north in search of new land, finally settling above the Sea of
Galilee in close proximity to the pagans. Because of their geographic
location, Dan fell into idolatry.
Consequently, just as
Deuteronomy 29:21 prophesied, Dan was blotted out as a tribe. But when
the Lord comes back and establishes His kingdom in Israel, guess who is
the first tribe given their allotment. Dan (Ezekiel 48:1–3). Such is
the incredible grace, mercy, and forgiveness of our God.
Revelation 7:9–11
After
this I beheld, and, lo, a great multitude, which no man could number,
of all nations, and kindreds, and people, and tongues, stood before the
throne, and before the Lamb, clothed with white robes, and palms in
their hands; and cried with a loud voice, saying, Salvation to our God
which sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb. And all the angels
stood round about the throne, and about the elders and the four beasts,
and fell before the throne on their faces, and worshipped God,
This company causes the angels to hold a heavenly hallelujah hoe-down, giving worship and adulation, praise and glory.…
Revelation 7:12
Saying,
Amen: Blessing, and glory, and wisdom, and thanksgiving, and honour,
and power, and might, be unto our God for ever and ever. Amen.
What
would cause these angels, elders, and living creatures to burst forth
in such ecstasy? The company described in verse 9. Who are they? Read
on.
Revelation 7:13
And one of the elders answered, saying unto me, What are these which are arrayed in white robes? and whence came they?
I
find it intriguing that one of the elders answered—even though no one
was asking. That’s exactly what an elder, a mature brother or sister,
is supposed to do: answer even though no one’s asking. If you go to
work or school, saying, “Lord, use me. Bring me someone today who will
ask me about the meaning of life—it’s possible that will happen, but
more than likely you’ll wait a long time for that to occur. An elder is
one who doesn’t wait for someone to ask. Just as this elder did, he
initiates spiritual discussion.
Revelation 7:14 (a)
And I said unto him, Sir, thou knowest.
In
chapters 4 and 5, John recognized the church. Yet he doesn’t recognize
this multitude before the throne. Therefore, they cannot be the church.
Revelation 7:14 (b)—17
And
he said to me, These are they which came out of great tribulation, and
have washed their robes, and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.
Therefore are they before the throne of God, and serve him day and
night in his temple: and he that sitteth on the throne shall dwell
among them. They shall hunger no more, neither thirst any more; neither
shall the sun light on them, nor any heat. For the Lamb which is in the
midst of the throne shall feed them, and shall lead them unto living
fountains of waters: and God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes.
Who
is this company? First of all, keep in mind the angels are thrilled to
see them arrive in heaven. Jesus said that when one lost person is
found, all of heaven breaks out in a fabulous chorus of praise (Luke
15:7, 10). Therefore, these are people who were lost, but who have come
to believe in Jesus during the Tribulation. Be faithful in sharing,
precious people—even if you’re not presently seeing people respond.
Keep proclaiming the Word because the greatest revival in world history
will take place after the Rapture.
As we read through the book,
we’ll see angels flying across the sky, and two witnesses preaching in
Jerusalem. Then suddenly, a “great multitude which no man could number”
will turn to the Lord. But their repentance could very well cost them
their lives, as Antichrist declares war on those who refuse his mark.
“I’ll
wait to get saved until I see the Tribulation really happen,” some say.
“So what if I’m martyred in the process? It will be worth it.”
I
answer, “You must understand that people saved during the Tribulation
are not the church, and therefore are in an entirely different position
than the church.…
- This company stands before the throne (verse 9).
- The bride of Christ sits on the throne (Revelation 3:21).
- This company serves the Lord (verse 15).
- The bride of Christ is served by the Lord (Luke 12:37).
Precious people, today is the day of salvation (2
Corinthians 6:2). Don’t wait until you see everything happen with your
physical eyes. Be a man or woman of faith, and come, be part of the
bride of Christ.
|
