Things are Not as They Seem – Eternal Gospel Scripture Reading Revelation 14 This series follows the outline and material provided by Darrell Johnson in his book, Discipleship on the Edge

Things are Not as They Seem – Eternal Gospel You and I live in a world that isn’t comfortable with judgment. For fear of being “judgmental,” it seems that we have stopped judging.

Things are Not as They Seem – Eternal Gospel We hear: Who are you to judge that Jesus’ way is better than Buddha’s way? And then the idea that we will all be judged is dismissed as old scare tactics.

Things are Not as They Seem – Eternal Gospel Maybe it is because we breath this “anti-judgment air” that chapter 14 may be difficult to read and hear.

Things are Not as They Seem – Eternal Gospel But in studying this passage this week I came to discover that Chapter 14 contains some really good news.

Things are Not as They Seem – Eternal Gospel Before we get to that, let’s look at the structure Chiastic structure Greek letter Chi

Things are Not as They Seem – Eternal Gospel Vision of the redeemed [14:1-5] - new song – Three angels [14:6-13] - announcing – The Son of Man reaping [14:14] Three angels [14:15-20] - reaping what was announced – Vision of the redeemed [15:1-4] - song of Moses and of the Lamb Discipleship, p. 254

Vision of the redeemed [14:1-5] - new song – Three angels [14:6-13] - announcing – The Son of Man reaping [14:14] Three angels [14:15-20] - reaping what was announced – Vision of the redeemed [15:1-4] - song of Moses and of the Lamb Next time we will look at the vision of the redeemed that bookends this scene. Today we will focus on the message of the angels in the middle part.

Things are Not as They Seem – Eternal Gospel “Then I saw another angel flying in midair, and he had the eternal gospel to proclaim to those who live on the earth—to every nation, tribe, language and people.” v. 6 Angel – Real angels or symbol? Greek word can be translated “angel” or “messenger” - Referring to the messenger task of the church?

Things are Not as They Seem – Eternal Gospel “Then I saw another angel flying in midair, and he had the eternal gospel to proclaim to those who live on the earth—to every nation, tribe, language and people.” v. 6 N.B. “to every nation, tribe, language and people.” Rev. 13:7: “And he was given authority over every tribe, people, language and nation.”

Things are Not as They Seem – Eternal Gospel “Then I saw another angel flying in midair, and he had the eternal gospel to proclaim to those who live on the earth—to every nation, tribe, language and people.” v. 6 Eternal Gospel v.7: He said in a loud voice, "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."

Things are Not as They Seem – Eternal Gospel He said in a loud voice, "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.” v. 7 Is this gospel? Good News? Saved by grace, by what Jesus did on the cross.

Things are Not as They Seem – Eternal Gospel He said in a loud voice, "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.” v. 7 The angel is calling the people to respond to what God has already done.

Things are Not as They Seem – Eternal Gospel He said in a loud voice, "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.” v. 7 Jesus before his death on the cross: “The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified.” John 12:23 “And what shall I say, ‘Father, save me from this hour’? But for this purpose I came to this hour.” John 12:27 “Now judgment is upon this world; now the ruler of this world shall be cast out.” John 12:31

Things are Not as They Seem – Eternal Gospel The second Angel: "Fallen! Fallen is Babylon the Great, which made all the nations drink the maddening wine of her adulteries.” v. 8 Is this good news?

Things are Not as They Seem – Eternal Gospel "Fallen! Fallen is Babylon the Great, which made all the nations drink the maddening wine of her adulteries.” v. 8 Babylon = code for - humanity living in rebellion against God - any city that rejected God - ancient Rome Discipleship, p. 258

Things are Not as They Seem – Eternal Gospel "Fallen! Fallen is Babylon the Great, which made all the nations drink the maddening wine of her adulteries.” v. 8 Yes, it is good news that God opposes the proud and stands against the forces of evil in the world.

Things are Not as They Seem – Eternal Gospel The third angel: "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.” vv. 9-11

Things are Not as They Seem – Eternal Gospel "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.” 9-11 Good News? God honours our choices. Worshipping God -> Life Worshipping Devil -> Death

Things are Not as They Seem – Eternal Gospel "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.” 9-11 John 3:18: “Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because he has not believed in the name of God's one and only Son.”

Things are Not as They Seem – Eternal Gospel "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.” 9-11 The devil is going around the world deceiving, saying your choices don’t matter. The loving good news is that our choices make an eternal difference. Choose God!

Things are Not as They Seem – Eternal Gospel This is the message of the church until Jesus returns. This is the message for which we may be killed. Encouraged to persevere with these words: "Write: Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord from now on." "Yes," says the Spirit, "they will rest from their labor, for their deeds will follow them.” v. 13

Things are Not as They Seem – Eternal Gospel Vision of the redeemed [14:1-5] - new song – Three angels [14:6-13] - announcing – The Son of Man reaping [14:14] Three angels [14:15-20] - reaping what was announced – Vision of the redeemed [15:1-4] - song of Moses and of the Lamb This brings us to the key to the whole passage, the Son of Man reaping.

Things are Not as They Seem – Eternal Gospel “I looked, and there before me was a white cloud, and seated on the cloud was one "like a son of man with a crown of gold on his head and a sharp sickle in his hand. Then another angel came out of the temple and called in a loud voice to him who was sitting on the cloud, "Take your sickle and reap, because the time to reap has come, for the harvest of the earth is ripe.” So he who was seated on the cloud swung his sickle over the earth, and the earth was harvested.” vv.14-16

Things are Not as They Seem – Eternal Gospel How do we understand the Jesus’ “reaping”? Like the “Grim-Reaper”? A harvest of judgment? or A harvest of salvation?

Things are Not as They Seem – Eternal Gospel There are two harvests: Reaping the grain [14:14-16] and Reaping the grapes [14:17-20

Things are Not as They Seem – Eternal Gospel Why two harvests? Joel 3:13: “Put in the sickle, for the harvest is ripe. Come, tread, for the wine press is full; the vats overflow, for their wickedness if great.”

Things are Not as They Seem – Eternal Gospel Some see this as two different harvests: The first where Jesus harvests what he has sown. The second an angel harvests the unrepentant who have sown judgment for themselves – the wine of God’s wrath.

Things are Not as They Seem – Eternal Gospel Darrell Johnson and others see these 2 reapings as the same thing: Salvation “Never in the Bible is the image of “reaping” used for judgment. It is always used for gathering in what one wants to keep (see Mark 4:29; John 4:35-38).” Discipleship, p. 263

Things are Not as They Seem – Eternal Gospel 2 NT scholars George Caird and F.F. Bruce point to 2 phases to support this interpretation. Discipleship, p.264 “The vine of the earth” [14:18-19] - everywhere else in the Bible used for Israel. - Jer.2:21: “I had planted you like a choice vine of sound and reliable stock.” - Jer. 5:1: “I will sing for the one I love a song about his vineyard: My loved one had a vineyard on a fertile hillside.” - John 15: Jesus calling himself the true vine

Things are Not as They Seem – Eternal Gospel “Another angel came out of the temple in heaven, and he too had a sharp sickle. Still another angel, who had charge of the fire, came from the altar and called in a loud voice to him who had the sharp sickle, "Take your sharp sickle and gather the clusters of grapes from the earth's vine, because its grapes are ripe.” The angel swung his sickle on the earth, 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 of the press, rising as high as the horses' bridles for a distance of 1,600 stadia.” Rev

Things are Not as They Seem – Eternal Gospel “Outside the city” [14:20] -Jesus crucified “outside the city” -Matthew 21:38-39 "But when the tenants saw the son, they said to each other, 'This is the heir. Come, let's kill him and take his inheritance.’ So they took him and threw him out of the vineyard and killed him.

Things are Not as They Seem – Eternal Gospel Hebrews 13:12: “And so Jesus also suffered outside the city gate to make the people holy through his own blood.”

Things are Not as They Seem – Eternal Gospel This would make the winepress outside the city the cross of Calvary. This is where God’s anger against sin is expressed

Things are Not as They Seem – Eternal Gospel This would make the blood “They were trampled in the winepress outside the city, and blood flowed out of the press, rising as high as the horses' bridles for a distance of 1,600 stadia.” v.20 The blood of Jesus that makes the harvest possible.

Things are Not as They Seem – Eternal Gospel 1600 stadia -The length of Palestine = 4 x 4 x 10 x 10 4 = the number of humanity 10 = the number of completeness “ Blood enough to cover the sins of all who repent.” Discipleship, p. 265

Things are Not as They Seem – Eternal Gospel This is good news! Let me end with three implications from this passage: 1. Decisions have consequences - Who are you going to worship and serve determines an eternity of consequences

Things are Not as They Seem – Eternal Gospel 2. There is a remedy for wrong decisions. “There is a ‘blood bath’ where wrong decisions can be forgiven and cleansed and where a new set of habits, leading to new character and a new destiny, can be formed.” Discipleship, p. 265

Things are Not as They Seem – Eternal Gospel 3. Our role is to be the angels [messengers] that proclaim the good news – the gospel. That judgment is coming and that the blood of Jesus was shed to take that punishment.

Things are Not as They Seem – Eternal Gospel Movie “Without Reservation” Car accident – group of young people killed -Wait in line to check into heaven -Give their name at the desk and on the computer screen pops up “reservation secured” or “without reservation”

Things are Not as They Seem – Eternal Gospel The kids in the line see this and they turn to the one they knew was a Christian and said, “You knew that we would be facing this, and you did not tell us? What kind of friend are you?”