Revelation 14: Final Preparations
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144,000 Stand with the Lamb
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.
2 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: 3
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. 4 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. 5 And in their mouth
was found no guile: for they are without fault before the throne of God.
Who are these 144,000?
They are the same 144,000 which were sealed in chapter 7
Where are they now?
Standing with the Lamb on earth on Mt. Zion.
Why is this vision seen now?
It looks forward to the end of the tribulation and the
beginning of the Millennium. The 144,000
have passed through the Tribulation under God’s protection and now stand as the
first to enter the 1000 year reign of Christ.
Three Proclaiming Angels
Revelation 14: 6 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, and tongue, and people, 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. 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. 9 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, 10
The same shall drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is poured
out without mixture into the cup of his indignation; and he shall be tormented
with fire and brimstone in the presence of the holy angels, and in the presence
of the Lamb: 11 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. 12 Here is the patience of the
saints: here [are] they that keep the commandments of God, and the faith of
Jesus. 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.
What is the time setting of this vision? What does it immediately proceed?
Just before the final judgment of the Seven Bowls.
Why are the angels now preaching the gospel and giving
warning?
There may be no longer a witness for the Lord upon the earth
and it will prove God’s absolute justice in sending one last warning to man to
repent.
What is the contrast between the warning to the worshippers
of the Beast and the patience of the saints?
The worshippers of the Beast are warned or eternal
punishment and damnation. The saints are
comforted by promise of rest from labor yet the reward of work done for God.
The Harvesting Angels and the Winepress of God’s Wrath
14 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, and in his hand a sharp sickle. 15
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. 16 And he that sat on the cloud thrust in his
sickle on the earth; and the earth was reaped.17 And another angel came out of the temple
which is in heaven, he also having a sharp sickle. 18 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. 19
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.
20 And the winepress was trodden without
the city, and blood came out of the winepress, even unto the horse bridles, by
the space of a thousand [and] six hundred furlongs.
How many reapings are there?
Two
Is the one on the cloud and angel or Jesus?
If Jesus, he is describe as like unto the Son of Man; on his
head is a golden crown; and he sits on a white cloud.
If an angel: he takes orders from another angel; the other
angel of vs. 15 has no precedent; the definite article “the” is not in the
Greek for “Son of man”; there are only six angels not seven in this section.
The simplest interpretation would seem to be that this is Jesus and that he acts as one of the seven.
The simplest interpretation would seem to be that this is Jesus and that he acts as one of the seven.
Joel 3:11-17
Assemble yourselves, and come, all ye heathen, and gather
yourselves together round about: thither cause thy mighty ones to come down, O
LORD. Let the heathen be wakened, and come up to the valley of Jehoshaphat: for
there will I sit to judge all the heathen round about. Put ye in the sickle,
for the harvest is ripe: come, get you down; for the press is full, the fats
overflow; for their wickedness is great.
Multitudes, multitudes in the valley of decision: for the day of the
LORD is near in the valley of decision. The sun and the moon shall be darkened,
and the stars shall withdraw their shining. The LORD also shall roar out of
Zion, and utter his voice from Jerusalem; and the heavens and the earth shall
shake: but the LORD will be the hope of his people, and the strength of the
children of Israel. So shall ye know that I am the LORD your God dwelling in
Zion, my holy mountain: then shall Jerusalem be holy, and there shall no
strangers pass through her any more.
Depending on your answer to the previous question, why do
you think there are two reapings?
If Jesus: the first reaping is the final death of the saints
just before the battle of Armageddon.
If an angel: it is the harvest of both unrepentant man and
perhaps the power or “vine” behind that power.
How great does John say the slaughter will be?
1600 hundred furlongs, in the Greek is 1600 stadia
equivalent to 200 miles of blood 4 feet deep.
This is the length of Palestine.
Conclusion
Even at the very end of the earth’s time and man’s continued
unrepentance God still sends an angel through the heavens with a Gospel message
to earth to repent and believe.
How much should we
then in the midst of the evil around us continue to preach the Gospel despite
the evil we see growing around us. God’s ultimate purpose is to save not
condemn and only when man completely refuses does He send judgment and wrath.
Let us follow His example and only let the grave keep us from reaching out to
those who need the “Good News.”
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