Revelation 14 – Lesson 19

 

Revelation 14 is a preview of the destruction of unbelievers.  It’s a fast forward of what will happen in the end, which we will see in the following chapters. 

Revelation 14:1-5 – The Faithful Believers

John saw the Lamb standing on Mount Zion.  With Him were the 144,000 who had His name and His Father’s name written on their foreheads.  John heard a roar like rushing waters and a loud peal of thunder.  He also heard a sound like harpists singing a new song before the throne and before the 4 living creatures and elders.  No one could learn the song except the 144,000 who were redeemed from the earth.  They didn’t defile themselves with women but kept themselves pure and followed the Lamb wherever He goes.  No lie was found in them; they are blameless.   (Rev. 14:1-5)

Who are these 144,000?  They are the same as those in chapter 7.  John is describing them in more detail here.  They were sealed with God’s name on their foreheads and in their hearts and minds.  They have victory over the beast and his mark.  They are redeemed from the earth.  They are God’s people who have withstood the attack of Satan.  The church is often referred to as a woman.  Not defiled with women means they did not accept the doctrines of the corrupt church.  God often speaks of the purity of His people in terms of sexual immorality.  These 144,000 have not been compromised by the world, but remain loyal as a virgin bride to the future groom.  They remain pure toward Christ.

Followers of the Lamb have a distinct character in the way they live (1 Corinthians 6:16-20; Ephesians 5:1-11; Philippians 2:1-6; 1 John 1:9-10) …

They realized their body is the temple of the Holy Spirit and were bought with a price and so they honor God.

They imitate God and live a life of love as Christ loves.

They don’t engage in sexual immorality, impurity, or any kind of greed.

They do what pleases the Lord.

They do nothing out of selfishness.

They are humble and consider others better than themselves.

They know they sinned, but have repented and they believe and trust in Jesus as Savior.

Revelation 14:6-13 – The Three Angels

John saw three angels who proclaimed the eternal gospel message to every person, nation, tribe, language and people.  This eternal gospel was that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, that He was buried, that He was raised on the third day, and that He appeared to Peter and the twelve as well as many others.

We’re also told in Matthew 28:18-20 if we are followers of Jesus Christ we are to tell go tell others and teach them to obey the Scriptures and promises He will always be with us.

The 1^st angel was flying and proclaiming the eternal gospel to all the people of the earth.  “Fear God and give him glory, because the hour of his judgment has come.  Worship him who made the heavens, the earth, the sea and the springs of water.” – Rev. 14:7  He is warning people to fear or respect God instead of the Antichrist and to give God the glory, not the antichrist.  This is good news to those who receive and obey it, but bad news to those who reject it.  This seems to be God’s last offer to proclaim Jesus as Lord before the final wrath to come.

The 2^nd angel followed, “Fallen! Fallen is Babylon the Great, which made all the nations drink the maddening wine of her adulteries.” – Rev. 14:8  I think the Babylon here is not a literal city, but a world system that opposes the church and Christians.  Babylon is symbolic of the world and its evil system.

The 3^rd angel followed, “If anyone worships the beast and his image and receives his mark on the forehead or on the hand, he, too, will drink of the wine of God’s fury, which has been poured full strength into the cup of his wrath.  He will be tormented with burning sulfur in the presence of the holy angels and of the Lamb.  And the smoke of their torment rises for ever and ever.  There is no rest day or night for those who worship the beast and his image, or for anyone who receives the mark of his name.” – Rev. 14:9-11  As we studied before those who have the mark on their forehead belong to the beast.  Just as the 144,000 are sealed and belong to God by His name being on their foreheads, these who take to mark are sealed for Satan.  There will be torment that will not last for a short time, but forever.  There will be no end!  This forever is just as heaven is forever for believers.  They will drink God’s wrath undiluted.  His judgment is not going to be watered down.  They will receive the full force of God’s anger.  There will be people who will be deceived and take the mark.  The angel is pointing out the consequences of those who do so.

“This calls for patient endurance on the part of the saints who obey God’s commandments and remain faithful to Jesus.” – Rev. 14:12  He is giving believers another call for endurance.  They are not to give in to the temptation to worship the beast, but to remain faithful even to death.  “Write:  blessed are the dead who die in the Lord from now on.” – Rev. 14:13.  These are the tribulation martyrs- those who die during the tribulation.  God will compensate them for their faithfulness.  John was told to write that those who die during the Tribulation as martyrs will be blessed and reign with Christ during the Millennium (Rev. 20:4)

Revelation 14:14-20 – The Harvest

John saw a white cloud with one like a son of man sitting on it.  He had a golden crown and a sharp sickle. (Rev. 14:14) Then another angel came out of the temple and called out, “Take your sickle and reap, because the time to reap has come, for the harvest of the earth is ripe.” – Rev. 14:15  Coming out of the temple shows he has the authority and is speaking directly from God.  So he swung his sickle over the earth, and the earth was harvested.  The crown on the one like a son of man shows his authority.  I think this is a representative of Jesus.  Also Matt. 13:39 says at the end of the age the reapers are angels.

Another angel came out of the temple with a sickle.  Then another angel called in a loud voice, “Take your sharp sickle and gather the clusters of grapes from the earth’s vine, because its grapes are ripe.” – Rev. 14:18.  Again the angel is speaking directly from God.  The angel swung his sickle and gathered its grapes and threw them into the great winepress of God’s wrath.  They were trampled in the winepress outside the city, and blood flowed out, rising as high as horses’ bridles for 200 miles. 

The sickle is judgment.  The wine press is God’s wrath.  The clusters of the vine or grapes represent the unbelievers of the earth, those who have followed and worshipped the Beast.  It was outside the city that Jesus died so God will punish the people outside the city.  The city was Jerusalem.

Sounds like a horrible sight and place to be.  Only the Lamb can rescue you from God’s wrath.  God has perfect justice.  We all deserve God’s wrath and we all need the gospel.  The Lamb offers escape from His wrath that will last forever.  If you are a believer, thank God for His grace and mercy He has given you that you will not have to endure this.  If you have not yet become a follower of Christ, I hope this wakes you up.  See the bottom of this blog page for the plan of God’s salvation.

Principles:  

When we believe in Jesus as Savior, we will not have to be afraid of God’s judgement.

Only those saved by Jesus will escape God’s wrath.

Next week we will study Revelation 15-16.  – I encourage you to trust in Jesus.

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Revelation – Lesson 18 (Various Scriptures)

 

Suffering

Suffering has been and will be a part of our lives until Jesus returns.  Suffering is a great mystery known only to God.  We know that God is just, wise and powerful.  All people suffer because we live in a fallen sinful world.  Suffering humbles us and benefits us.  Jesus promised that in this world, we would have trouble, but to take heart, because He has overcome the world.  We must trust God in our suffering; He has a plan that is ultimately leading to salvation.

Romans 8:18-25 gives us hope when we suffer.  Our sufferings cannot compare to the glories that will be revealed at some future time to saved believers.  Those endless glories must be incomprehensibly wonderful, satisfying, and meaningful.

Jesus suffered physically and well as great humiliation through betrayal, torture and then death on the cross.  God made Him to be sin; He was treated as sin itself for our sake.  He was sent by God to die for us. (Isaiah 53:10-11; Matthew 16:21; Acts 2:23; Romans 4:25)

Why do we suffer?  We suffer sometimes because we are disobedient to God.  Sometimes it’s a test of our faith.  Sometimes we need to be broken in order for God to build us up.  Sometimes it is to encourage others.  Sometimes it’s simply because we live in this evil world.  Suffering reminds us of our dependence on the Lord.  God allows suffering because He want us to be more like Christ, to fully rely on Him, and to see His glory on display.  We are children of God, His heirs; we share in His inheritance so we must share His suffering if we are to share His glory. 

These passages tell us what suffering does for us:

Psalm 73:26-28 – when we suffer, we’re brought closer to God because we know He is our refuge.

Proverbs 3:11-12 – when we suffer, we know God loves us.

Romans 5:3-4 – we are to rejoice in suffering, because it produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope.

Romans 8:17 – we are heirs with Christ and will share in His glory, so we should share in His suffering.

Romans 8:28-30 – all things, even suffering, work together for good.

Philippians 3:8-9 – nothing else should compare to Christ; like Paul our single goal should be Christ.

Hebrews 5:8-9 – we learn obedience through suffering.

God equips His people for suffering which gives us hope:

Psalm 23 – God gives us great provisions and blessings.

Matthew 11:28-29 – when we are weary and burdened, God will give us rest.

1 Corinthians 10:13 – God is faithful and will not let us be tempted beyond what we can bear.

2 Corinthians 12:6-10 – we should delight in weakness, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties; when we are weak Jesus makes us strong.

Hebrews 4:14-16 – we should have confidence in Jesus, because He can sympathize with our weaknesses.

Revelation 21:4 – one day there will be no more death, mourning, crying, or pain.

Since God equips us in our suffering, we should:

John 15:12 – love one another as Jesus loves us.

1 Peter 4:12-19 – we should not be surprised when we suffer, but rejoice that we are participating in the suffering of Christ.

2 Corinthians 1:3-7 – He comforts us in our suffering and suffering produces patient endurance.

Principles:  

God equips His people for suffering.

God strengthening His people in their suffering.

God allows suffering because He want us to be more like Christ, to fully rely on Him, and to see His glory on display.

Next week we will study Revelation 14.  – I encourage you to trust in Jesus.

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Revelation 13 – Lesson 17

 

Revelation 13:1-10 – The Beast Out of the Sea (The Antichrist)

John saw a beast coming out of the sea.  He had 10 horns, 7 heads, 7 crowns and on each head a blasphemous name.  He looked like a leopard with feet like a bear and a mouth like a lion.  The dragon gave the beast his power, his throne and his authority.  One head seemed to have a fatal wound that had healed.  The world was astonished and followed him.  Men worshiped the dragon because he had given authority to the beast.  They also worshiped the beast.

The beast is a man.  He is the Antichrist rising up out of the sea.  The sea represents the Gentile nations of the world.  The Antichrist is the false messiah we’ve all heard about that will come someday.  He will set himself up as ruler and God.  He will be the final ruler of the world.  He is also known as the little horn in Daniel 7:8.  This will be a time of confusion and uncertainty and people will be looking for a leader.  They will get their wish, but he will be much more than they bargained for.  He will not protect them, but will be a cruel dictator and demand that all worship him.  He will oppose Christ and God’s people.  He is Satan’s answer to Christ, hence the name Antichrist (1 John 2:18).

The sea means large numbers of people.  The heads of the beast show dominion.  The 10 horns show power.  He looks like a leopard, a bear and a lion which refers to the 3 beasts in Daniel 7 representing the empires of Babylon, Medo-Persia, and Greece.  All these empires come out of the Roman Empire.  We see the beast again in Revelation 17.

The beast and the dragon counterfeit or imitate Jesus and the Father.  Satan has his own false trinity.  He acts as a father, the Antichrist as the son, and the False Prophet as the spirit who attempts to bring glory to the Antichrist.  The Antichrist will declare himself as God.  He will have Godlike characteristic, perform miracles, and will deceive many people.  The whole world will be astonished and follow the beast.

John said God will allow the dragon to give the beast authority for 42 months (3 ½ years).  The beast will speak proud words and blasphemies to exercise his authority.  He blasphemes God and slanders His name.  He is granted authority to make war with the saints.  This is the beginning of the Great Tribulation Daniel called the Abomination of Desolation – also in Matthew 24:15.

The last 3 ½ years of the Tribulation is called the Great Tribulation.  During these last years the Antichrist will be a man endowed with demonic powers. During that time he will act as Satan himself.

In Matt. 24:15-21 Jesus warned the Jews.  “So when you see standing in the holy place the abomination that causes desolation spoken of through the prophet Daniel – let the reader understand – then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains.  Let no one on the roof of his house go down to take anything out of the house.  Let no one in the field go back to get his cloak.  How dreadful it will be in those days for pregnant women and nursing mothers!  Pray that your flight will not take place in winter or on the Sabbath.  For then there will be great distress, unequaled from the beginning of the world until now – and never to be equaled again.”

When the Antichrist stands in the holy place (the temple) and proclaims himself to be God, there will be world-wide persecution of the Jews greater than ever before.  Daniel calls this abomination of desolation.  How will God protect them?  It is believed they will flee to a city called Petra, which is about 90 from Jerusalem.  There many Jews will finally believe in Jesus and be saved.

Revelation 13:7-8 – He will make war with the saints and all the people on the earth whose name is not written in the book of life will worship him.  The unbelievers will be deceived in believing he is God.  Only those whose names are written in the book of life will refuse to worship the Beast.  “He will oppose and will exalt himself over everything that is called God or is worshiped, so that he sets himself up in God’s temple, proclaiming himself to be God.” – 2 Thess. 2:4:11.  God’s people must be strong through suffering.  Many will go to prison or be killed.  They must suffer with patience.  God will save them for their eternal home.

The book of life – There are some who believe that there are 2 books – the book of life and the Lamb’s book of life.  There are disagreements about this, but we really don’t know the right answer.  I believe they are the same book.  I believe God registered the names of everyone in this book before the world began.  In this book, He knows who will accept Him.  The book belongs to the Lamb.  Those who are saved never have their names removed from this book.  If you choose not to believe in Jesus during your lifetime, your name will be blotted out of the book of life and you will not go to heaven.  “Whoever has sinned against me I will blot out of my book.” – Exodus 21:33  “He who overcomes will, like them, be dressed in white.  I will never blot out his name from the book of life, but will acknowledge his name before my Father and his angels.” – Revelation 3:5

Some look at this book as having 3 categories of people:

The people – all names are written in the book, but if they die before believing in Jesus their names are blotted out.

The saved or the elect– all names are written in the book and if they believe in Jesus their names are retained in the book.

The beast worshipers in Revelation 13:8 – these people are hardened and are destined to reject Jesus and their names were never written in the book.

Again, we really don’t know since there are scriptures that are used to argue all points.  When it comes down to it, all that should matter to us is that if we believe in Jesus and stand firm in our faith, our names are in the Lamb’s book and we will go to heaven when we die.

The Bible gives us another warning to not let this go in one ear and out the other.  “He who has an ear, let him hear.” Revelation 13:9.  John is saying to pay attention to what he just said.  Obeying the beast will bring serious consequences.  People will be enslaved and even killed if they refuse to bow down to the Antichrist. We are called to have patient endurance and faithfulness.  We are to remain steadfast under trial and we will receive the crown of life. (Revelation 13:10) 

Revelation 13:11-18 – The Beast Out of the Earth (The False Prophet)

John saw another beast coming out of the earth.  He had 10 horns like a lamb, but spoke like a dragon.  He exercised all authority of the first beast on his behalf and made all inhabitants of earth  worship the first beast.  He performed great and miraculous signs, because he, too was given power to deceive people.  He ordered an image of the first beast to be made and caused it to come alive.  He demanded that all people worship the image.  He forced everyone no matter who they are to receive a mark on their right hand or forehead so no one can buy or sell unless they had the mark.  This mark is the name of the beast or the number of his name.

How can Satan give life?  Satan doesn’t have the power to create life.  Only God can create life.  I believe this giving life to the image will probably be done through modern technology like holograms or robotics or it may be another one of his miraculous signs that he was given the power by God to do.  What about the mark of the beast?  How can that be done?  This can probably be done through microchips under the skin, like they do for pets.  These chips can be easily scanned or maybe even traced by satellite.  So you can see we are living in the end times and God’s judgments are not far away.  Are you ready?

This second beast is the False Prophet.  He will speak the words of Satan.  He will cause people to worship the Antichrist.  Now Satan’s false trinity is complete.  Christ received His power from the Father (Matthew 11:27).  The beast (Antichrist) and the (second beast) False Prophet receive their power from Satan.  The Holy Spirit is the agent on behalf of Christ (John 16:14).  The False Prophet is the agent for the Antichrist (Revelation 13:12).

Those who do not worship the Antichrist will be killed – beheaded.  See Revelation 20:4.  Jesus warns us to watch out for false prophets in Matthew 7:15.  Before the Antichrist comes there will be many antichrists.  Some have already come and are working in the world today.  They are people who oppose Christ.  They try to destroy who Christ is and what He has done.  They are enemies of the church and hate all those who belong to Him.

“This calls for wisdom.  If anyone has insight, let him calculate the number of the beast, for it is man’s number.  His number is 666.” – Revelation 13:18.  Sometimes people use numbers instead of letter for a name.  There are many views about this number, but we really don’t know exactly what this mean.  We can find wisdom through prayer and study of God’s Word.

The mark of the beast – DO NOT TAKE THIS MARK!!  People will need food for their families so the pressures at this time will be very strong.  Jesus will help you to stand strong.  If anyone accepts this mark during the Tribulation he is permanently disqualified for heaven.  Give your allegiance to God and not the Antichrist even if it means death.  Remember you will live forever with Christ in heaven.  This earth is not your home. 

Can you take the mark of the beast accidentally?  I don’t think so.  To accept the mark you would have to willing renounce God. 

Summary:

The dragon is Satan.

The 1^st beast from the sea is the Antichrist.

The 2^nd beast from the land is the False Prophet.

The false trinity is Satan, Antichrist and the False Prophet.

The mark of the beast is a mark that is forced upon people during the last 3 ½ years in order to buy or sell.  Those who take this mark are renouncing God and will not enter heaven.

The book of life or Lamb’s book of life is a record of all people written before the foundation of the world.  If you choose not to believe in Jesus during your lifetime, your name will be blotted out and you will not go to heaven.

Satan will mock the Holy Trinity by setting up his unholy trinity in order to deceive the world.

The work of Holy Trinity is defined by peace, wisdom, gratitude in our hearts to God, forgiveness, love, humbleness, faithfulness and thankfulness.  The false trinity is defined by war, threats, fear, dictatorship and authority over people.

Wow!  This study is really scary.  Remember the Bible is telling us all these things so we will be knowledgeable and know what is going to happen.  Then we won’t be surprised; we will know exactly what to do and not to do.  We will be able to recognized false teachings and false prophets and especially be aware of the coming Antichrist and his agenda.  God doesn’t want us to be deceived.  He wants us to be assured that He wins in the end.

Next week we will continue our study of Revelation.  – I encourage you to trust in Jesus.

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