Revelation 14

Chapter 14 THE LORD OF THE EARTH THE WAY CHRIST WILL TRIUMPH OVER FALSE WORSHIP CH.14

1. The Harpists playing before the throne. 14:1-5

2. The Heavenly messengers. 14:6-13

3. The Harvesters of the earth. 14:14-20

4. Praise in heaven by the 144.000 earth force messengers. v.1-5

5. Proclamations on the earth by the 3 heavenly air force messengers. v.6-13

I. This chapter is a “ table of context” or a summery to the rest of the book.

II. This chapter answers 2 questions of the readers:

A. What happens to the 144.000 thousands Jews v.1-5 - They are before the Throne of God.

B. What happens to the unbelievers’ v.6-20 - They are judged by God.

III. 2 harvest is connected to the 144.000 thousand Jews.

A. In chapter 7 the 1st of the 144.000 thousand occurs and it is connected to an innumerable harvest of the great tribulation saints.

B. In chapter 14 the 2nd of the 144.000 thousand occurs and it is connected to the harvest of the unbelievers.

Revelation 14:1-5

1. The Harpists playing before the throne. 14:1-5 V.1 a) Sealed Standing with the Lamb -

I. The 144.00 thousands servants now stand on the spiritual mount Zion - The heavenly Jerusalem, Heb.12:22-24 or on the real mount Zion in Israel with Christ. Psalms 2:6 II. Not even one of the 144.000 thousands is missing: The Great Shepherd redeemed them, sealed them and kept them. John 6:39 III. The physical mount Zion was a place where God had His dwelling place in Israel, it was where David raised a tabernacle for God’ s presence and where man came to worship God - The tabernacle of David. IV. The 144.00 thousands servants have the Father’ s name on their foreheads, which is the seal they got in chapter 7

V. In chapter 7 the 144.00 thousand servants where on the earth, now they are in heaven before the throne of God v.3, perhaps some or all of them were killed by the Antichrist. 12:17; 13:15

V.2 b) Sound of harpists -

I. God speaks to the 144.00 thousands servants, but the words is not mentioned.

II. The 144.00 thousand servants begin playing on their harps to God.

III. They are ministering as priests before God. 1.Chron.25:1 V.3 c) Song of the redeemed -

I. They are singing a Song of Symphony instead of a Song of Sympathy.

II. Only the 144.00 thousands servants can learn the new song, not even the 24 elders or the 4 living creatures can sing it, it perhaps means that they alone can appreciate the song.

III. References to new songs. Psalms 33:3; 40:3; 96:1; 98:1; 144:9;149:1; Isaiah 42:10 V.4 d) Selected to God -

I. They didn’ t Commit Fornication - They Remained Sexual clean.

To be married is not defilement, but fornication and adultery is. 2.Cor.11:2; Isaiah 37:22; Jer.18:13; 31:4, 21; Lam.2:13; Amos 5:2 II. They Closely Follow the Lamb - Matt.4:19; John 21:19; 1.Thess.1:6 III. They are Counted as Firstfruits to God - They are Redeemed and Selected.

A. These are the firstfruits of Israel during the great tribulation, the firstfruits of the harvest belongs to God.

B. The firstfruits are the very finest of the harvest.

C. In verses 1-5 the Messianic Jews is harvested. In verses 6-20 the unbelievers is harvested.

V.5 e) Sanctified to God -

Not only were they Sexual pure but also pure in Speech. Psalms 32:2; Zeph.3:13; 1.Pet.2:22

Revelation 14:6-13

2. The Heavenly messengers. 14:6-13 Verses 6-13 contain 4 proclamations.

V.6 a) Preaching of the Gospel by the 1st angel -

I. This is the first angel out of 6 in this chapter. 8, 9, 15, 17, 18

II. During the great tribulation angels will begin to join in preaching the Gospel or at least this angel will preach.

III. It’ s the only place in the Bible that mentions that angels preach the Gospel.

IV. The Gospel he preaches is not the Gospel of Christ but the everlasting Gospel - The Gospel (Good news) of Creation.

V. Every man on the earth hears the preaching of this Gospel.

V.7 b) Praise God -

I. The message of the everlasting Gospel, which is also revealed through natural revelation:

A. Fear, glorify and worship God.

B. Judgment time has come.

II. The angel is actually saying: Give to God what He deserves or God will give to you what you deserve.

III. The 4-fold reason to worship God whom created these 4 things: Heaven, earth, sea and springs of water.

IV. These 4 parts of God’ s creation is impacted by the first 4 bowl judgements. 16:2-9 V.8 c) Proclamation of the judgment of the 2nd angel -

I. The 2nd angel elaborates a part of the judgment the 1st angel preached.

II. The 2nd angel proclaims what God is about to do with Babylon (City in Iraq), this judgment first happens in chapters 17 and 18. Isaiah 21:9; Jer.25:15-26; 51:6-9 III. The angel describes the reason of her judgment: She caused man to fornicate (Spiritually) - Idolatry. 17:1, 2, 5; 18:3, 9; 19:2

IV. Her fornication is called a cup of wrath and she is going to drink it. 18:6

V.9 d) Pronunciation of warning of the 3rd angel -

The 3rd angel warns against following the Antichrist

V.10 e) Pouring of the wrath of God -

I. Whoever worships the Antichrist or his image, takes on the mark of him will receive of the wrath of God like Babylon.

II. The wrath consists of eternal judgment in the lake of fire. 19:20; 20:10-15; 21:8, 27; 22:14-15; Matt.25:41; Mark 9:43; 2.Thess.1:8-9 III. The wrath of God is likened to a full cup. Psalms 75:8; Isaiah 51:22-23; Jer.25:15 IV. Christ and the holy angels will behold them in their suffering, meaning that they will approve and agree with the righteous and fair judgments they receive.

V.11 f) Pain of the worshippers of the beast -

I. The torment is eternal and not even a rest is given them.

II. The smoke speaks of their pain.

V.12 g) Patience of the saints - Their Characteristic Those who go through the tribulation and keep the commandments of God and faith in Jesus have true patience.

V.13 h) Peace of the saints - Their Condition

I. The tribulation saints who die during the bowl judgements receive a special blessing from God.

II. Their blessing consists in a God given Rest and Reward.

III. The unbelievers have eternally no rest in the lake of fire, while these believers have eternally rest with God.

Revelation 14:14-20

3. The Harvesters of the earth. 14:14-20 I. In verses 14-16 the Grain harvest is harvested.

In verses 17-20 the Grape harvest is harvested.

II. The 2 harvests might be the same harvest.

III. These verses describe the battle of Armageddon. 17:12-16; 19:11-21

IV. These verses is another view of 19:11-21

V.14 a) Reaper of the earth -

I. Jesus as the Son of Man is getting ready to harvest the unbelievers. Dan.7:13 II. His Personality (Son of Man), His Purity (white cloud), His Power (golden crown) and His Purpose (sharp sickle).

V.15-16 b) Ripeness and reaping of the earth announced by the 4th angel -

I. Jesus has been sowing but now it is harvest time. Matt.13:24-30, 36-43 II. Jesus said that the harvest would happen at the end. Matt.13:39 III. The word ripe (Gr. Xeraino) means to be withered.

IV. The grain is overripe because these grains are tares and not believers. James 1:11; John 15:6; Luke 3:8-17; Joel 3:13-14 V. The 3 other angels’ v.6, 8, 9 announced upcoming judgments, this angel commands it to be executed. V.17 a) Gatherer of the harvest, the 5th angel -

An angel is now coming forth to harvest the grapes (unbelievers).

V.18 b) Grapes are ready for harvest, the 6th angel - Jer.25:30-31 I. Another angel who cries to the harvesting angel, this angel is the angel over fire - Who watches over the fire in the temple.

II. Perhaps he goes out from the golden altar as an answer of prayer. 8:3; 6:9-10

III. The word for ripe here (Gr. akmazo) means maturity or fully ripe.

In v.15 the word for ripe (Gr. Xeraino) means to be withered. V.19 c) Gathering of the harvest -

I. The reference to the great winepress of God refers to the battle of Armageddon. Isaiah 34:1-3, 6; 63:1-4; Joel 3:1-2, 9-17 II. In John’ s days the grapes were trampled barefooted in the winepress and would get stained garments.

III. The harvesting of the grapes is used in Scripture as a picture of the Day of the Lord.

IV. God will lead them into this battle. 17:12-16; 19:11-21; Joel 3:1-2; Zech.14:1-5 V.20 d) Great winepress trampled -

I. During this judgment by God at the return of Christ, there will be a great measure of blood from the valley of Jezreel to Bozra.

II. 1 furlong is equivalent to 200 meters, 1600 furlongs equivalent to 320 kilometres.

III. There is about 320 kilometres from Megiddo to Bozra.

This is the distance from Bozrah in Edom (south) Isaiah 63:1-6 to the Valley of Jezreel in Jerusalem Joel 3:1-2 , 9-14 to Megiddo in the north Rev.16:16 IV. The blood reaches to the horses’ bridles. (About 4 feet)

V. The judgment happens outside but near Jerusalem. Dan.11:45; Joel 3: 12; Zech.14:4; Rev.16:16