The Good News of the Lamb’s Success Revelation 14 1

The Lamb on Mount Zion (14:1-5) Question 1, “How does chapter 14 differ from chapters 12, 13?” – Lamb’s success – victory of 144,000 – destruction of the wicked 2

14:1 Lamb – Jesus Mount Zion – heavenly Jerusalem – OT Zion was the highest hill in Jerusalem – symbolic of where the Lord was – law came forth (Is. 2:1-4) 3

14:1 Question 2 144,000 – disciples of Christ – same people as mentioned in 7:4 – represents all Christians who lived under the Roman persecution – firstfruits of Christianity – had Father’s name on forehead – denotes ownership being of the true God is something that cannot be hidden in the palm of one’s hand 4

14:2-5 John hears the heavenly chorus resonate with a sound like many waters and loud thunder sang a “new song” before the throne – only 144,000 knew the song – only those who belong to Christ can sing the new song of redemption 5

14:2-5 Literal? – 144,000 did not defile themselves with women (were virgins) – if literal 144,000 & Zion, then why not virgins? If literal virgins: no elders are in this group, “A bishop then must be blameless, the husband of one wife, temperate...” (1 Tim. 3:2). no deacons are in this group (1 Tim. 3:12) no “sisters” are in this group 6

144,000 Virgins designates chastity “For I am jealous for you with godly jealousy. For I have betrothed you to one husband, that I may present you as a chaste virgin to Christ” (2 Cor. 11:2). they were not defiled with Satan’s allurements “followed the Lamb wherever he goes” 7

“Firstfruits to God and to the Lamb” shows that they were early Christians “firstfruits” symbolizes an offering 8

“in their mouth was found no deceit” were without fault in speech without fault before the throne they spoke only the truth – didn’t mix the Spirit’s language with the world’s (1 Jn. 4:5, 6) – compare, “Who committed no sin, nor was deceit found in His mouth” (1 Pet. 2:22). – such language links pure Christians to Christ – true justification is found in Christ (1 Jn. 1:7) 9

Voice of Three Angels (14:6-11) first angel (question 3) – seen with the everlasting gospel gospel is everlasting gospel is for all (cf. Mk. 16:15; Matt. 28:18, 19) 10

1 Peter 1: having been born again, not of corruptible seed but incorruptible, through the word of God which lives and abides forever, 24 because "All flesh is as grass, And all the glory of man as the flower of the grass. The grass withers, And its flower falls away, 25 But the word of the LORD endures forever." Now this is the word which by the gospel was preached to you.

Voice of Three Angels (14:6-11) 1 st angel’s message: fear God and give glory to Him – this ought to be the purpose of every gospel sermon – the world was fearing and glorifying the king rather than the King of kings 12

Why Fear & Worship God (14:7)? the hour of His judgment has come God is Creator – made heaven and earth – made the sea and springs the devil wants us to look at the creation without seeing the power of the Creator Acts 17:

Notable Quote 14 “No folly is worse in man than that of denying creation and thus denying the Creator. Can a house deny its builder? Can a book deny its author? Can a child deny its parents? Yet foolish man denies his Maker!” Howard Winters

Second Angel (14:8) question 4 message: Babylon is fallen, is fallen – borrowed from Isaiah 21:9 – a prophesy of Rome’s fall (elaborated in chapter 17) beast is Roman Empire harlot is the city of Rome (see 17:1-6, 15, 18) 15

Reason for Rome’s Fall (14:8) she has made all nations drink of the wine of the wrath of her fornication Jeremiah 51:6-8, 6 Flee from the midst of Babylon, And every one save his life! Do not be cut off in her iniquity, For this is the time of the LORD’S vengeance; He shall recompense her. 7 Babylon was a golden cup in the LORD’S hand, That made all the earth drunk. The nations drank her wine; Therefore the nations are deranged. 8 Babylon has suddenly fallen and been destroyed. Wail for her! Take balm for her pain; Perhaps she may be healed. 16

Reasons For Rome’s Fall (14:8) If the Lord’s cup is used to make men drunk, then God will pour from it His wrath on all who drink! Compare Belshazzar (Dan. 5:1-5, 22-28, 30) 17

The Third Angel (14:9-11) question 5  chapter 13 exhibited the consequences for not worshiping the beast – loss of life (13:15) – economic hardship (13:16, 17)  this angel balances the other side of the equation—there is a cost to worship the beast! 18

The Scale of Divine Judgment (14:10, 11) drink of the wine of the wrath of God (v. 10) this will be undiluted (v. 10) tormented with fire and brimstone before angels and the Lamb (v. 10) QUESTION 6  the smoke of their torment ascends forever (v. 11)  no rest day or night (v. 11) 19

Annihilation of the Wicked?  no such an idea from Scriptures  if the smoke of their torment ascends forever, then their torment must go on ___________  no rest day or night shows continual existence  hell is not the destruction of being, but of well-being (Heb. 10:28, 29; Matt. 10:28; 22:13; 25:41, 46)  this punishment lasts as long as Satan’s (20:10) 20

The Blessed State of Dead Saints (14:11-12) “Here is a call for the endurance of the saints, those who keep the commandments of God and the faith of Jesus” (RSV) – given to make saints strong and persevere – the need to always remember where we are going – the real important things happen after this life (Mk. 10:29-30) 21

Question 7  does God have any commandments other than the Decalogue (1 Cor. 14:37)? – why not assume commandments mean the “Ten Commandments” in Ephesians 2:14, 15?  should we distinguish between “word of God” and “testimony of Jesus” (Rev. 1:9)? 22

14:13 QUESTION 8 – one of the most beautiful passages in Scripture – the “rest” contrast to “no rest” (v. 11) – the righteous will be given rest from life’s struggles (cf. 2 Thess. 1:7) – “rest” in Revelation 14:13 conveys “refreshed” Mark. 6:31; 1 Corinthians 16:18; Philemon 1:7, 20) 23

Harvesting the World (14:14-20) 14:14-16 –probable harvest of the righteous 14:17-20 – the harvest of the wicked 24

14:14-16 picture of Christ – white cloud – Son of Man – golden crown 25

14:14-16 Christ’s golden crown – Gk. stephanos (crown) – different than Satan’s “diadems” (for rulers) – the stephanos was a wreath given to the victor in public games (Strong’s) signifies of being crowned “victory” “Stephen” comes from this word 26

Judgment on wicked (14:17-20) QUESTION 9 another angel (5 th ) with a sickle (v. 17) another angel (6 th ) from the altar (v. 18) – has power over fire – cried out for the 5 th angel to thrust the sickle into the earth – probably the same angel as 8:3-5; fulfillment of the prayers of the saints (cf. 6:9) 27

Thrusting the Sickle language of judgment borrowed from the prophets: – Isaiah 63:1-6 – Lamentations 1:15 – Joel 3:13 28 “Put in the sickle, for the harvest is ripe. Come, go down; for the winepress is full, the vats overflow—for their wickedness is great."

 symbol of judgment – treading on top of wicked as one treads upon the grapes in a winepress – two vats in winepresses a trough into which the grapes were thrown and trodden upon a trough or vat into which the juice flowed (Hag. 2:16) 29

 the angel gathers the grapes (wicked); but Jesus alone does the trampling – 19:15 (cf. “wrath of the Lamb”) – Isaiah 63:1-6 – Jesus is savior and destroyer 30

1 Corinthians 10:9, nor let us tempt Christ, as some of them also tempted, and were destroyed by serpents; 10 nor complain, as some of them also complained, and were destroyed by the destroyer.

 blood flowed to the height of the horses’ bridles  flowed for 1600 furlongs (question 10) 4 X 4 (16) X 10 X 10 (100) = = earth/man 10 = fullness (Rev. 7:1)(Rev. 2:10) Matthew 7:13 | Galatians 6:7, 8 | Romans 2:6, 7