Soon!

Here is a link to last week’s series, Soon!

I saw, and behold, the Lamb standing on Mount Zion, and with him a number, one hundred forty-four thousand, having his name and the name of his Father written on their foreheads.

Revelation 14:1 (WEB)

As we open today’s study of Revelation 14, we see John’s vision of Jesus standing on Mount Zion (Jerusalem) surrounded by 144,000 Jewish witnesses.

Here is a quick synopsis of what we know about these witnesses and the work God has given them to do.

• The name of God is upon them, indicating they are Jewish
• God will protect them during their ministry.
• The name of Jesus is written on them, indicating they have been redeemed through faith in Christ.

By the way, the Jews today do not know which tribe they descended from. Most trusted sources believe they will one day know exactly which tribe they belong to.

Here are a few more facts about the evangelists, and the time of the tribulation when they will serve God.

• They represent each of the twelve tribes of Israel.
• 12,000 from each tribe have been chosen to share the Gospel of Christ after the rapture.
• They are unsaved at the time of the rapture.
• There will be a great revival during the tribulation through which many Jews and Gentiles will be saved.

Here are some specific details about the mood of Heaven in this passage.

• The voice of God will sound like thunder.
• There will be harpists and singers which are from the 144,000 witnesses and saints coming out of the tribulation.
• The song they sing will be one that has never been sung before.

These tribulation saints and the witnesses will persevere, and their salvation is sure.

Now, let’s look at the passage.

I heard a sound from heaven like the sound of many waters and like the sound of a great thunder. The sound which I heard was like that of harpists playing on their harps. They sing a new song before the throne and before the four living creatures and the elders. No one could learn the song except the one hundred forty-four thousand, those who had been redeemed out of the earth. These are those who were not defiled with women, for they are virgins. These are those who follow the Lamb wherever he goes. These were redeemed by Jesus from among men, the first fruits to God and to the Lamb. In their mouth was found no lie, for they are blameless.

Revelation 14:2-5 (WEB)

• The witnesses are wholly devoted to accomplishing God’s will.
• They are not necessarily unmarried.
• They have kept themselves from the rampant sexual immorality that will consume the people of earth. Marital sexual relations as God intended does not make one impure.
• These men will not be distracted by any other event or desire in the world.
• First fruits mean these evangelists are the first of the Jews who will follow Christ after the rapture.
• Many gentiles will be born again, too.
• They will share the Gospel throughout the world.
• God will give them supernatural protection until He calls them home.

Look how the Gospel appears in verses 6 & 7.

I saw an angel flying in mid heaven, having an eternal Good News to proclaim to those who dwell on the earth—to every nation, tribe, language, and people. He said with a loud voice, “Fear the Lord, and give him glory, for the hour of his judgment has come. Worship him who made the heaven, the earth, the sea, and the springs of waters!”

Revalation 14:6 & 7 (WEB)

In verse 8, Babylon falls, representing the godless ideology and political control of the antichrist rather than a specific geographical location. This system of world domination is destined to fall.

Another, a second angel, followed, saying, “Babylon the great has fallen, which has made all the nations to drink of the wine of the wrath of her sexual immorality.”

Revalation 14:8 (WEB)

Verses 9-11 reveal the future suffering of those who take the mark of the beast, which will last forever. This passage graphically illustrates the meaning of forever. The deepest sorrow will be separation from God, and the physical suffering will last eternally as well.

Another angel, a third, followed them, saying with a great voice, “If anyone worships the beast and his image, and receives a mark on his forehead or on his hand, he also will drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is prepared unmixed in the cup of his anger.

He will be tormented with fire and sulfur in the presence of the holy angels and in the presence of the Lamb. The smoke of their torment goes up forever and ever. They have no rest day and night, those who worship the beast and his image, and whoever receives the mark of his name.

Revelation 14:9-11 (WEB)

But look at the breathtaking contrast for the martyrs who will persevere to the end.

Here is the perseverance of the saints, those who keep the commandments of God and the faith of Jesus.

“I heard a voice from heaven saying, “Write, ‘Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord from now on.”

“Yes,” says the Spirit, “that they may rest from their labors, for their works follow with them.”

Revelation 14:12 & 13 (WEB)

I looked, and saw a white cloud, and on the cloud one sitting like a son of man, having on his head a golden crown, and in his hand a sharp sickle. Another angel came out of the temple, crying with a loud voice to him who sat on the cloud, “Send your sickle and reap, for the hour to reap has come; for the harvest of the earth is ripe!” He who sat on the cloud thrust his sickle on the earth, and the earth was reaped.

Revelation 14:14-16 (WEB)

These verses are telling us that Jesus is returning to Earth to reign and that He is preparing to reap the wicked for judgement. Only Jesus has the authority to judge the lost. He has warned in His Word of the coming judgment. No lost person will escape. They despised God’s mercy while it lasted. And now they despise His righteous judgement.

Another angel came out of the temple which is in heaven. He also had a sharp sickle. Another angel came out from the altar, he who has power over fire, and he called with a great voice to him who had the sharp sickle, saying, “Send your sharp sickle and gather the clusters of the vine of the earth, for the earth’s grapes are fully ripe!”  The angel thrust his sickle into the earth and gathered the vintage of the earth and threw it into the great wine press of the wrath of God. The wine press was trodden outside of the city, and blood came out of the wine press, up to the bridles of the horses, as far as one thousand six hundred stadia.

Revelation 14:17-20 (WEB)

Be sure your heart belongs to the Savior. Then go and share the Gospel in your world.

World English Bible (WEB)

by Public Domain. The name “World English Bible” is trademarked.