Revelation 14:1-20 - Angels Proclaiming Judgments During the Tribulation
Revelation 14:1-20 - Angels Proclaiming Judgments During the Tribulation
The book of Revelation
Read the Transcript ▾
We are going to turn to Revelation chapter 14, this ministry meeting, and I'm going to read the whole chapter, Revelation chapter 14. I'll begin with verse 1. We're going to read all the way to the end of the chapter, to verse 20. And I'm reading: And I looked, and lo, a lamb stood on the Mount Sion, and with him an hundred and forty and four thousand, having his father's name written in their forehead. And I heard a voice from heaven, as the voice of many waters, and as the voice of a great thunder. And I heard the voice of harpers harping with their harps. And they sung, as it were, a new song, before the throne, and before the four beasts, and the elders.
And no man could learn that song, but the hundred and forty-four thousand, which were redeemed from the earth. These are they which were not defiled with women, for they are virgins. These are they which follow the Lamb, whithersoever he goeth. These were redeemed from among men, being the first fruits unto God and to the Lamb. And in their mouth was not found no guile, for they are without fault before the throne of God. And I saw another angel fly in the midst of heaven, having the everlasting gospel to preach unto them that dwell on the earth. And to every nation and kindred and tongue and people saying with a loud voice, fear God and give glory to him.
For the hour of his judgment is come. And worship him that made heaven and the earth and the sea and the foundation of the waters. And they follow another angel saying with a loud voice. And they follow another angel saying with a loud voice. And the third angel followed them saying with a loud voice, if any man worship the beasts and his image and receive his mark in his forehead or in his hand, the same shall drink. And he shall drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is poured out without mixture into the cup of his indignation. Here is the patience of the saints.
And he shall be tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of the holy angels and in the presence of the Lamb. And the smoke of their torment ascended up forever and ever. And they have no rest day nor night who worship the beast and his image and whosoever receives the mark of his name. Here is the patience of the saints. Here are they that keep the commandments of God and the faith of Yeshua. And I heard the voice from heaven saying unto me, Write, Blessed are the dead which die in the Lord. From henceforth, yea, sayeth the Spirit, that they may rest from their labors and their works do follow them.
And I look and behold, a white cloud, and upon the cloud one set like unto the Son of Man, having on his head a golden crown, and in his hand a sharp sickle. And another angel came out of the temple, crying with a loud voice, To him that sat on that cloud, thrust in thy sickle and reap. For the time is come for thee to reap, for the harvest of the earth is ripe. And he that sat on that cloud, thrust in his sickle on the earth, and the earth was ripped. And another angel came out of the temple which is in heaven, he also having a sharp sickle.
And another angel came out from the altar, which had the power of a fire, and cried with a loud cry to him that had the sharp sickle, saying, Thrust in thy sharp sickle, and gather the clusters of the vine of the earth, for her grapes are fully ripe. And the angel thrust in his sickle, into the earth, and gathered the vine of the earth, and cast it into the great winepress of the wrath of God. And the winepress was trodden without the city, and blood came out of the winepress, even unto the horse bridles, by the space of thousand and six hundred furlongs. Stop here with the 14th chapter of Revelation, where we are today in our ministry.
And we are, as you remember, dear brothers and sisters, we find ourselves in the middle of the tribulation, when we have arrived to those chapters 11, chapter 12, chapter 13, chapter 14. We are in the middle of the tribulation, in the period of time in which some specific events have occurred. We saw in chapter 11, the two witnesses who gave testimony concerning God, who were prophesying to the nations of the world, and speaking to them about the coming judgment, Revelation chapter 11. We talked about Revelation chapter 12, and we saw Satan cast down from heaven in the middle of the tribulation. And he and his angels were persecuted, the woman, namely Israel, who gave birth to the Messiah, Yeshua, to this man-child.
And we can see that he's in the middle of the tribulation, starting the intensitivity in the persecution of Israel, and the descendants of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. In our last ministry meeting, we discussed, and we opened the Word of God, and we looked at chapter 13 of Revelation, and we saw the two beasts, one rise out of the sea, and one rise out of the land, out of the earth, and we have seen the counterfeit Godhead, headed up by counterfeit God, the Father, Satan, counterfeit God, the Son, the first beast from the sea, and counterfeit God, the Spirit, the beast that came out of the earth.
And we saw that here we can see the false Godhead opposing the things of God, and specifically seeking to destroy men and the nation of Israel. And we also have learned in our last ministry meeting that the abomination of desolation have occurred there, in the middle of the tribulation, where not only that the Antichrist stood in the temple claiming to be God, but the false prophet, the second beast, made an image, if you remember, an image unto the first beast, and he forced the world to worship the beast, the Antichrist, the counterfeit Mashiach. And if you remember, each one had to take the number of the name of the first beast, and if anyone did not take that mark on their right hand or on their forehead, they would not going to be able to be active here in this world.
Nor buy, nor sell. In fact, they will be persecuted here, and many will lose their lives in the tribulation period. And we close this session with verse 18. This is in chapter 13. Let him that has wisdom, let him that has an understanding count the number of the beast, for it is the number of men. And his number is 666. It's the number of men. It's the number of the beast, 666. And we have talked about that already in our last session together. Now we are in chapter 14, and in chapter 14 we have additional information in the middle of the tribulation that we have a proclamation of seven angels here who proclaim of some events that are yet going to occur.
They are proclaiming, they are announcing, they are speaking forth and telling the world, if you will, of things that are yet to come. There are warnings here, that they are announcing it publicly for all to know. And they are definitely presenting before us certain things that are going to come. Now the number 7 is very interesting because we find in the whole book of the Revelation, the number 7 mentioned many times. There was the scroll in the hand of God the Father, the Messiah, Yeshua, the Lamb, was to take it, and this scroll had seven seals. And as He opened the seven seals, we noticed that there were also seven trumpets that will be sound.
And then we'll get to it in the next chapter 15 and 16. There will be seven bowls that will be poured. We have seven angels announcing and proclaiming. The number 7 is again and again mentioned in the book of the Revelation, showed to us how complete, how fully, how whole is the ways of the Lord and the plans of God that will surely come to pass. And so we see here now in chapter 14, in the first five verses, what we see is that we see here the 144,000 Hebrews, those who have been sealed by God, we see them with the Messiah, Yeshua, on Mount Zion. You call it in English Zion, in Hebrew we call it Zion.
Now it is interesting, it seemed to be that why is it that these verses are here in chapter 14, but what the Spirit of God is doing here is taking us now beyond the middle of the tribulation at this particular chapter and leading us for a time just to see what's going to happen at the end of the tribulation and to show us the faithfulness of God who is going to bring through those whom he had redeemed. Look what we read here in verse 1. It says here, And I looked, now here John is looking, and you remember John is on the island of Patmos. And this is an ongoing revelation.
It's not many, many, many, many revelations. No, it is one unfolding revelation concerning the person of Yeshua the Messiah. And that one revelation is unfolding and rolling out, and you get additional information, additional prophecies, additional events that are going to occur. So John now, he's looking, and what does he see in verse 1? He says, Lo, a lamb stood on Mount Zion, and with him 144,000, having his father's name written in their forehead. Now, interesting, because now what we see, that the lamb and the 144,000 are right now seen on Mount Zion. Now, I want to say that it will be important for us to understand. Now, there are two views on that verse.
It's because some say, you see, this Mount Zion is really heaven. Because if you read Hebrews 12, verse 22, you can see that when Jewish believers in the first century came to know the Messiah, they were told that we came to Mount Zion, the heavenly Jerusalem. But the thought here that I personally lean to take is the thought here that this is not heaven because we are still in a tribulation period. And those 144,000 are the very 144,000 that we read of them in chapter 7 of this book of the Revelation. And they were chosen out of every tribe of the nation of our people, the nation of Israel, all Hebrews.
In other words, those are Hebrews that they were sealed in the beginning of the tribulation. And they were used by God for the preaching of the gospel during the tribulation. And you can see now that they are seen now at the other end of the tribulation on Har Zion, Mount Zion, there was the Lamb of God. This is a beautiful lesson here. Now, it couldn't be that they have gone to heaven. And I show you in a moment why. Because if they have gone to heaven, that means that they would mean they haven't died. They have to have kind of raptured to heaven in a supernatural way prior to the millennial age, to the millennial kingdom.
So, most Bible teachers would take this to mean that there is a revelation that John received. The 144,000 were sealed in the beginning of the tribulation, the beginning of the seven years. And now we see them, we get the preview. It hasn't happened yet because the rest of the tribulation is still going to be ahead in chapter 15 and chapter 16. But what happened is that they are seen that they are as if they are already finished their course, been standing with Yeshua the Messiah in Mount Zion, Har Zion, in the land of Israel, preserved and protected by the Messiah totally, without no harm that happened to these 144,000.
Now, for a moment, I want you to visualize, dear brothers and sisters, you see, when the Messiah has sealed, when God has sealed these 144,000, very similar to what happened to you and I, we read in Ephesians 1 and verse 13, that we have been sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise. And what it shows us here, the security of every person that came to know God through Yeshua the Messiah. Whether it is for the 144,000 who have been sealed in the beginning of the tribulation and they have been preserved to the end of the tribulation, or whether it is you and I who have accepted the Messiah in this present day of the church age.
Yeshua said, you remember, in John chapter 10, My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me, and I'll give unto them eternal life, and they shall never perish. And no one is able to pluck them out of my hand. The assurance of salvation. And here we see the 144,000, and where they are, they are with the Lamb, this is the Messiah, who stood on Mount Zion, Harzion, with Him you have the 144,000, and they have the sealed or the Father's name written in their forehead. They have been promised to be preserved by God. Now, think about it. They have gone through seven years of hell on earth.
They have gone through seven years of persecution. They have gone through seven years of terrible events that occur here in this world. And God has protected them, and preserved them, and brought them all the way to the city of Yerushalayim, to the place that is called Harzion. Now, here, let's talk for a moment about Mount Zion. You know, you read the Hebrew scriptures, throughout the Hebrew scriptures, including Psalm 48, which we just read. And you will find out that really Zion, or Zion, as we call it in Hebrew, simply means Jerusalem, Yerushalayim. Zion is Israel, is the city of Jerusalem, the land of Israel. You know, the first time that we read of Zion in the scripture has to do with Samuel.
Just turn for a moment to 2 Samuel. I just want to read you a verse or two in 2 Samuel. It was there that David, in chapter 5 of 2 Samuel, have taken over the city of Yerushalayim, the city of Jerusalem. It says in verse 6 of 2 Samuel 5, And the king and his men went to Jerusalem, unto the Jebusites, the inhabitants of the land. And they spec unto David, saying, Except you will take away the blind and the lame, thou shalt not come in thither. Thinking David cannot come in thither. And notice verse 7. Nevertheless, David took the stronghold of Zion, of Zion. The same is the city of David. You see, beloved brothers and sisters, the city of David, the city of Yerushalayim, is the city of Zion.
It's Zion. It is where God set his name there. It is where God promises to his people Israel are there. It's there where the Messiah will reign as king of kings and lord of lords. It is this city of Jerusalem that here we are being presented before us, And we can see now those 144,000 with the lamb there in the city of Jerusalem. Let me just give you, actually, I'm going to look back. If you don't mind to turn to the book of Psalm for a moment. In Psalm 2, look what God says concerning the city of Yerushalayim, the city of Zion. In Psalm 2, where we read about the heathen.
Why do the heathen rage? And the people imagine vain things. The kings of the earth assemble or set themselves and the rulers counsel themselves together against Jehovah, against the Lord and against the Mashiach, his anointed one. And you know what they said? Let us break their bands asunder and cast away their cords from us. Men do not want God, but God said, I have an answer for men. You refuse me? You refuse the Messiah? I want to tell you what I'm going to do. He says here in verse 6 of Psalm 2, Yet I have set my king upon my holy hill of Zion, of Zion, of Jerusalem.
You see, God said, I have set him. Now, obviously, Yeshua is not in Jerusalem. But he will be. And as far as God's concern, he's looking over the ages and he says, Listen, I have set him upon my holy hill of Zion. And I'm going to gather my people, Israel. And they are going to gather, they're going to be around the Messiah upon this holy hill of Zion. Another verse that I think should be read again, even though we read it earlier. Look what it says in Psalm 48. Talking about the city of Jerusalem and talking about the Mount Zion. Great is the Lord, greatly to be praised in the city of our God, in the mountain of his holiness.
Beautiful for situation, the joy of all the earth is Mount Zion. You know, I tell you, what we really see in Revelation chapter 14, in the first few verses, we see a preview of what is going to happen when God will restore his people, Israel, and the Messiah, Yeshua, the Lamb of God, will stand upon Mount Zion. Gathering the nation of Israel, represented by the 144, you will see the 144,000 are only first fruits of the many, many, many more who are going to come later on. And so, here we are, in verse 1 of Revelation chapter 14, I looked and I saw a lamb standing on Mount Zion, Har Zion.
One more thing just to mention about Mount Zion. Isaiah in chapter 2 says, come, we sang that song. Let us go up to the mountain of the Lord, to the house of the God of Jacob. For out of Zion shall come forth the word of the Lord. You see, the world will enjoy to listen to the word of God, which will come in a future day, out of Zion, out of Zion, out of Jerusalem, where God set his name. It is not today, as yet, because Israel as a nation have refused to accept the Messiahship of Yeshua, but it will be in the future. And we see a preview of this in verse 1, where we can see the 144,000.
Now, look what happened in the next verses. In verse 2 and verse 3, we see a song, or we hear a song being sung, from heaven. It is a song that's really being sung by the church, by the assembly, by the ecclesia. In other words, heaven will rejoice, the church will rejoice to see Israel restored. Now, I'm amazed, brothers and sisters, sometimes it is so unfortunate where Christians don't realize how they are linked with the nation of Israel. Many times you hear people say, oh, God finished with the Jews, God asked the church and finished with Israel, and now we are the church, and we are not, in other words, Israel failed, and now God has chosen us.
In a sense, we are replacing the nation of Israel. But it is not what we see in Scripture. The church is a favored heavenly company that belongs to the Lord. Israel is a favored earthly company that belongs to the Lord. And there is a link between these companies, these redeemed assembly and redeemed nation. Look what it says in verse 2 and 3. I heard a voice, now that voice comes from heaven, as the voice of many waters, and as the voice of a great thunder. And I heard the voice of the harpers harping with their harps, and they sang as it were a new song before the throne.
Listen, and before the four beasts and the elders, and no man could learn that song but the 144,000, which were redeemed from the earth. You see, it says in verse 2, I heard a voice from heaven. You notice that? It says, it continues, and as the voice of many waters, as the voice of great thunder. And I heard the voice of harpers harping with their harps, and they sang a new song. I'm repeating the same verse. Before the throne, before the four beasts and the elders, and no man could sing this song but the 144,000, which were redeemed out of the earth. Now, these harpers, where did they come from?
Those who harped on those harps. Now, if you remember, they are singing, and notice they are before the throne. Now, that takes us to chapter 5, and before the four beasts, or living creatures, that takes us back to chapter 5, and the elders. And no man could learn that song. Now, if you just go back to chapter 5 for a moment, look what it says in verse 8 of chapter 5. Revelation chapter 5, and then it says, in verse 8, it says, When he had taken the book, the four beasts and the four and twenty elders fell down before the Lamb, having every one of them harps and golden vials full of orders, which are the prayers of the saints.
Now, you see, who are they that have the harps in their hands? This is the heavenly company. This is the ones that are there, as it says in verse 8, they are the ones that are around the throne. The four and twenty elders that we read, they fell down, and they all have these harps in their hand, and they are singing, they sang a new song, we read in Revelation chapter 5. Well, what we see here, in this chapter 14, that those who are in heaven are singing. And that song is called, in verse 3, a new song. This is what we read in chapter 5, verses 9 and 10. What is that song?
It's a song of redemption. It's a song that only believers can sing. You see, again, I'm in Revelation 5, verse 9. And they sang a new song. What did they say? You are worthy to take the book, to open the seals thereof. For thou was slain, and you have redeemed us to God by your blood. See, only a redeemed person can sing such a song. A person that has received forgiveness from God. A person that has been purchased by the blood of the Messiah. That's what happened to you and I when we have accepted Yeshua the Messiah. And we, are really seen here, have been taken up to heaven to glory, singing this song.
And now, in Revelation chapter 14, seeing a preview of the end of the tribulation, where the heavenly company, singing that song, and the only one that could sing that song, are the 144,000 which were redeemed out of this earth. They were forgiven here. They were forgiven here. They were actually a people that were redeemed. They were sealed by God. The 144,000 Hebrews. They could sing that song, because they were redeemed. They were forgiven. They were purchased by the blood of the Lamb. We read of Him in verse 1, The Lamb who stood on Mount Zion, on Har Zion. Beautiful sight to see. And so, they were singing that song.
So, here we can see that there is a communication between heaven and earth. And that is nothing, because at the eternal order, at the end of the millennial age, the thousand years of the reign of the Messiah, He's going to make a new heaven, and a new earth. And the holy city of Jerusalem, the heavenly Jerusalem, is going to descend from heaven. We're going to get to it. And it's going to be intercommunication between heaven and earth. It's going to be a new order of things. So, it teaches us, you know, here, if it teaches me anything, is that the church should long for the restoration of the nation of Israel.
The church should pray for the salvation of the Jewish people. The church should long to see the culmination where the nation of Israel also received its blessing in a millennial age. That is what we learn here from these verses. Now, in verses 4 and 5, we see the kind of people that were the 144,000. Look, it says, in verse 4 and 5, These, speaking about the 144,000, are they which were not defiled with women, for they are virgins. These are they which follow the Lamb, whithersoever he goeth. These are they which were redeemed out from among men, being the firstfruits unto God and unto the Lamb. And in their mouth was found no guile, for they are without fault before the throne of God.
Now, there are a few things that we learn here about these 144,000 Hebrews. The first thing that we learn, it says that they did not defile themselves with women, and that they were virgins. Now, immediately you read such a text, you say, what is it? Is it defiling if I'm married? If a man is married and he have a physical relationship with his own wife, is it defiling? Well, it's not so. The Bible never teaches us this. It is defiling outside of marriage, but not within the family union. And because, you know, you remember what we read in Genesis chapter 2, where God already said it is not good for men to be alone.
And you remember what he did? He put Adam to sleep, and he performed an operation. And out of his rib, he gave, he brought to Adam Eve. It is not good for men to be alone. So obviously, ladies, dear sisters, it's not that saying that women defile. No, but the point is here, that there is a lesson to learn from those 144,000. We're going to get to it in a moment. You know, it's also said in Proverbs chapter 18, we often use it in a wedding celebration to read the text. In Hebrew, we say, In Proverbs chapter 18 and verse 22, it says, Whosoever foundeth a wife, found a good, not thing, just good.
You know, a woman is not thing, you know. Whosoever foundeth a wife, found good, and obtained the favor of the Lord. See, the scripture does not say that women are defiling the opposite. It says that it is a blessing that the Lord provides for us, a helpmate, a wife. So, obviously, he's not speaking about that. But also, in Hebrews chapter 13, you remember what the apostle said to the Hebrew believers in verse 4? He says in chapter 13 and verse 4, he says, Marriage is honorable in all, and the bed is undefiled. In other words, physical relationship within the marriage union is undefiled. The bed is undefiled. Marriage is honorable in all.
So, no one can say, wow, look at 144,000, they are there, which were not defiled with women. In other words, you see, women are defiling. That is not the thought that we have here at all. The lesson that we learn here, beloved brothers and sisters, here from this text, is that these 144,000 Hebrews were called to be similar to what we would call from the Gospels, eunuchs. People who were called to live for God, not to entangle with the things of this world, they were sealed for God. They were eunuchs that they were devoting their lives to the Messiah, Yeshua. You remember what Yeshua said in Matthew chapter 19?
You remember what he says? He says in verse 11, He said unto them, All men cannot receive this saying except they to whom it was given. There are some eunuchs which were so born from their mother's womb. And there are some eunuchs which were made eunuchs by men. And there are some eunuchs which have made themselves eunuchs for the kingdom of heaven's sake. He that is able to receive it, let him receive it. You know the word eunuch in Hebrew is the word saris. We call the word eunuch saris. It's a man that was serving in the king palaces. That the kings were making them eunuchs, unable to have physical relationship.
So they will be totally devoted to the service of the king. Any king in the past kingdoms of the Babylonian and the Persian and the Middle Persian and the Grecian and so on, they would have servants in their palaces, but they made them eunuchs. But here, beloved brothers and sisters, we see the 144,000 who made themselves eunuchs for the kingdom of God. They were so devoted to Yeshua the Messiah. They were sealed by God. So really, what happened to those, those were the ones that were really called by God to serve Him and to focus their life and their mind and their heart totally on God and not to entangle themselves with anything else.
So the lesson that we learn here, that these 144,000 were devoted to God. They made themselves eunuchs for the kingdom of God. Now, that's the first thing we learn about them. Secondly, we see in verse 4b, that they followed the lamb whithersoever he goes. Now, obviously, the lamb, Yeshua the Messiah, was in glory in heaven when they were sealed. And he came at the end of the tribulation, which we're going to see in more details later on. But they followed him. They lived for him. They devoted their lives for him. In a sense, it's almost like the apostle Paul, like Shaul, who devoted his life for Yeshua the Messiah.
That's what we see here in these 144,000. Thirdly, it says that these were redeemed from among men. You know, it shows us that they were not sinless. Otherwise, they don't need redemption. Only a person who is a sinner need forgiveness and need to be brought back. So they were redeemed. They were saved. There were people who were saved. The 144,000, we saw them in Revelation chapter 7. We see them in Revelation chapter 14 now. They have been redeemed. They have been saved out of this earth. And finally, and that is also very beautiful in verse 4, that they are being the first fruits unto God and unto the lamb. You know, the first fruits mean that there are many more to come.
And those 144 apparently were sealed in the beginning. Well, what about the rest of the nation of Israel? Remember, Israel as a nation will have to go through Jacob's trouble. Jeremiah says that. So those 144,000, though they are Hebrews, but they are not the whole nation as yet. The nation goes through tribulation. And the nation, as you remember, they will be fleeing to what is known as Petra, Bozra, and they will be preserved by God for the second half of the tribulation. So those are only the first fruits. There were many, many more of the Hebrews who will come to know the Messiah. Jewish people will come to know the Messiah during the tribulation.
And the rest of the nation of Israel who will say to the Messiah, Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord. They will say it at the end of the tribulation. When they will look upon him whom they have pierced. And they will mourn as one mourns for his only son. That is the rest of the nation of Israel. So they are the first fruits. They are just the beginning, just the start of the many, many, many more of the Hebrews who will come to faith of the Messiah. Not only Israeli, not only Hebrews, because they will preach the gospel. And many from the Gentile world, from the nations of the world, will come to faith in our Lord Yeshua, the Messiah.
So in verses 1 to 5, we see this beautiful description. A preview of the end of the tribulation. Mount Zion, the Messiah there. The redeemed people, specifically the 144,000, are with him on Mount Zion. Surely gone through the whole tribulation. Safe and secure on the other side of the seven years of troubled time. And you, brothers and sisters, remember that. You might fail the Lord. I might fail the Lord. We might wick and stumble many times in our life. But if you belong to Yeshua, the Messiah, you are sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise. Nothing will separate you from the one who paid the price for your sin and for my sin.
He will take us all the way through. And he will bring us to the promised glory that he had promised to every believer in this present dispensation. Well, now, in verses 6 to the end of the chapter, we have proclamation after proclamation. We have seven announcements or seven proclamations by seven angels. Amazing to see that. Proclamation after proclamation telling us of what is ready to happen. And look at that. First of all, in verse 6 and 7, there is a proclamation of coming judgment. And here we read in verse 6. And I saw another angel flying in the midst of heaven, having the everlasting gospel to preach to them that dwell on the earth.
And to every nation and kindred and tongue and people saying with a loud voice, Fear God. Give glory to him. For the hour of his judgment is coming. And worship him that made the heaven and the earth and the sea and the fountains of the water. Here we see an angel now proclaiming. And what is he carrying with him? Notice it says here that he have with him the everlasting gospel. The Hebrew word for gospel is Besorah. Means good news. And it is not a different gospel that we are preaching today. It's not a different gospel that the Hebrew believers will be preached during the tribulation.
It is the same gospel. But this gospel is an everlasting gospel. Dear brothers and sisters, it is the glad tidings. It is the gospel that will be continuing and now throughout the ages of God's love for man. God paid a price through the Messiah Yeshua. That's the good news. That there is a Redeemer. He came to this world. He died on a tree. He was buried in a tomb. He rose on the third day for our justification. That's what they are having with this angel that is flying in the midst of heaven. He had with him that everlasting gospel to preach unto them that dwell upon the earth.
You see, you and I, according to Acts chapter 20, we are preaching today the gospel of the grace of God. What does that mean? That God is reaching out in grace to everyone who will come to faith in Yeshua the Messiah. And he will bring him or her to himself. And they will be part of the heavenly, the church, the heavenly company. The Hebrew brethren, according to Matthew chapter 24, they will preach the gospel of the kingdom. It is the same message. But it is in view of entering into the kingdom. The gospel will be preached. And they will say, a sinner, turn to God. The Messiah came and he died for your sins.
Turn to God and enter into the messianic kingdom. But whichever way you look at this, it is the gospel, the everlasting gospel. What a privilege today to preach the gospel to friends, to family members, to others that we know. And even if we don't know, to share with them the love of God, the grace of God, and what he provided for us. That's the glad tidings, the only news that can bring a person peace in his or her heart. But you know, brothers and sisters, there is also what is called another gospel. The apostle Paul warned us in the scripture, in 2 Corinthians chapter 11, and in verse 4, he was warning against another gospel.
In Galatians chapter 1, verse 6, he also warning about another gospel, which is really not the true gospel. It's a false message. It's that which is not biblically correct. It is called another gospel. It's of men and not of God. It's of Satan and not of God. This is the other gospel, which the Bible calls it, in Galatians 1 and 2 Corinthians chapter 11, it's called another gospel. And we are privileged to preach the gospel, the true and living gospel today, the gospel of the grace of God, according to Acts chapter 20 and verse 24. So here, this everlasting gospel is being proclaimed, and he says here, to whom? To every nation, every kindred, every tongue, and every people.
No one will be limited in hearing that message, but the question is, will they accept it? Look what it says in verse 7. He will say with a loud voice, fear God, give glory to God, for the hour of his judgment is coming. He is going to judge and worship him who made heaven and earth and the sea and the fountains of the water. He says, listen, God is coming in judgment. Accept him. Fear God. Give him the glory. Now again, we are in the middle of the tribulation. Who wants glory in the middle of the tribulation except that the antichrist desiring glory? The false prophet is directing worship to this first beast.
And the whole nations of the world, we just read it in chapter 13, they're following the beast and they're worshiping him. But the angel announcing, he says, listen, man, listen, human race. He says, listen, you don't follow that one. You follow the God who created the universe, the God who made heaven and earth. You give him glory, not glory, to the counterfeit Messiah. And that is a warning of coming judgment. What the angel here in verse 6 and 7 is proclaiming to this world. Look what it says in verse 8. See, the first time we read of Babel, in Hebrew we call it Babel, Babylon, is in Genesis chapter 11.
Where men, instead of obeying God, they said, let us make a city with a great tower that reached to heaven. And they built that great city and great tower. And God, in judgment, confound their languages. And in Hebrew we call it the word confound, means lebalbel. It's come from the root word Babel, to confound, confusion. And this is exactly what's going to happen during the tribulation period. The Antichrist, the false prophet, led by Satan himself, will seek to revive the city of Babylon. To rebuild that city that have left God and left the ways of God. And to lead that world in confusion. And here we read in verse 8, and by the way, that verse 8, later on, we're going to read about it again in chapter 16 and in chapter 18 of the fall of Babylon.
But Babylon will ultimately, as it says here, is falling, is falling, that great city. Why? Because she made all the nations to drink of the wine of the wrath of her fornication. You know, we were talking earlier about not defiling themselves with women. Oftentimes, the negative aspect in scripture is given to us in a feminine way. When we talk about when sin is being done and being committed. When the evil teaching is oftentimes is being looked at in a feminine way. And here the city is spoken of her fornication. Spiritual and practical fornication with the city of Babylon have been allowing and causing the world to be influenced by this.
She made all the nations drink of the wine of the wrath of her fornication. Notice, takes it in a feminine way. Because oftentimes, when we sin, and anything that is looked at in a feminine way because of the way that is counterfeit, it's not real. And so, here in verse 8, we see the second announcement of the angel. Look at the next announcement here in verses 9 on to verse 12. Here's the third announcement, and this time, it's a proclamation of doom that will fall of all those who will worship the beast. Look, verse 9. And the third angel followed them, saying with a loud voice, If any man worship the beast and his image, and receive his mark in his forehead or in his hand, the same shall drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is poured out without mixture into the cup of his indignation.
And he shall be tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of the holy angels, and in the presence of the land. And the smoke of their torment ascended up forever and ever. And they shall have no rest, nor day, night, who worship the beast and his image, and whosoever receiveth the mark of his name. Here is the patience of the saints. Here are they that keep the commandments of God and the faith of Yeshua, of Jesus. You notice here that now this third angel now, in verses 9 to 12, is proclaiming the coming doom of those that took the mark of the beast. And if you notice, twice it used this expression, the beast and his image.
Notice verse 9, the beast and his image. Verse 11, who worship the beast and his image. Why is that? Because you remember, when we studied chapter 13, we found out that in addition to the fact that the beast will situate himself in the temple in Jerusalem, he will not be staying there all the time. So the second beast, the false prophet, will make an image, like the beast. And everyone will worship the beast and his image. Now, this is a point where they could never change their mind anymore. The moment a person will take the mark of the beast in his forehead, on his hand, that is the time that they will never be able to turn back anymore.
And that is the warning that the angel giving there. He's speaking and he says, if anybody will worship the beast and his image, or receive the mark in his forehead or his hand, this one will drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is poured out with mixture into a cup of his indignation. You see, God has that cup. And the cup of God's righteous indignation against sin is mounting. He poured out this cup of indignation against sin when he judged the Messiah on the tree. But when one refused to accept the Messiah and going in a different direction, then there is only left for God is to pour his righteous indignation against sin upon that person.
And that person, as it says here in verse 9 and 10, he will definitely will be judged by God. But notice that it says here that God will pour upon him, as it says in verse 10b, he shall be tormented with fire and brimstone, in the presence of the holy angels and in the presence of the Lamb. And not only temporary, it's going to be eternal. Because in the next verse it says, the smoke of their torment ascended up forever and ever. And they have no rest day nor night, who worship the beast and his image, and whosoever receiveth the mark of his name. You see, when he says they will be tormented forever and ever, and then he said that they will have no rest, no day, no night.
You know what does that tell us? Some tells us that when a person dies, he is totally finished. Annihilation. This tells us that when a person dies without the Messiah, he is only going to continue eternity after the judgment of great white throne of judgment in the lake of fire. He is going to be eternally judged and eternally have no rest. They will be tormented forever and ever. They have no rest, nor day, nor night, who worship the beast and his image. Now, this is sad to see what the announcement and the proclamation of this third angel concerning the coming judgment of God. And that is a great lesson to the believers because the next verse tells us in verse 12, the patience of the saints is the assurance that they will not be judged because they have already accepted the Messiah.
Notice verse 12. Here is the patience of the saints. These are the saints who will live during the tribulation, who are going to be suffering from the hand of men, who are going to be rejected, who are going to be despised, who are going to be run after. What is their patience? It says here in verse 12, they keep the commandments of God and the faith of Jesus, the faith of Yeshua. They continue to follow the Lord. They continue to love Yeshua and to follow him. And that is their patience. They know what's going to happen to the unbelievers, but they also know that they follow the Messiah and they're going to continue to live for him.
And he ultimately will give them the needed patience through the trials that they are facing. Well, look now in the next one. The next proclamation is in verse 13. Again, a voice from heaven. And look what it says in verse 13. This time is a proclamation of those martyrs who died in the Lord. You see, it says, And I heard a voice from heaven saying unto me, Write, Blessed are the dead which die in the Lord. From henceforth, Yea, saith the Spirit, that they may rest from their labor and their works do follow them. You know, to die in the Lord means that a person is a believer.
There will be those during the tribulation who will die in Yeshua, in the Messiah. They belong to him. You know, when we have accepted the Messiah, we are a new creation. 2 Corinthians 5.17 says, Those that are in the Messiah, Yeshua, are a new creation. All things have passed away. All become new. And some of those believers during the tribulation, they will die. And here what we see, an announcement, a proclamation concerning them that died in Yeshua. It says that they died in the Lord. It says that the Spirit is saying that they will rest. They will rest from all their labor. They must have been laboring during the tribulation, serving the Lord in the midst of a chaos, following the Messiah in the midst of storms and challenges and opposition.
God says, yes, you're going to rest. And what's going to happen? Their works will follow them. Everything that they have done for the Messiah will follow them ultimately for the time of the millennial age. That's the same thing, by the way, brothers and sisters, what's going to happen with you and I, the church saints. We're going to also be for the judgment seat of the Messiah. That everything that we have done in the body will be evaluated. That which is done for self, for sin, going to be burned completely. But that which we have done for the Messiah, for Christ, will remain and will be used for the time of the millennial age where we're going to reign and rule with the Messiah.
So their works follow them. God remembers what they have done for Him. He knows their faithfulness. He knows what they have experienced in suffering and tribulation. They died in the Lord. They died in Messiah. There are many verses in the scriptures that talks about in the Lord. In the Lord. And this is so beautiful. In the Lord meaning in the Messiah Yeshua. In that which link us with the Lord Yeshua the Messiah. Dying in the Lord. And so verse 13 gives us the next announcement and the next proclamation that the angels had given to us. Now quickly look at the next. Verses 14, 15, and 16. We have another announcement here.
Another proclamation. And that is the proclamation concerning the Son of Man, the Messiah, who will reap that which belongs to Him. Look, I'm reading verse 14. And I looked, and behold a white cloud. And upon the cloud one that set like unto the Son of Man. And he have 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 unto him that set on the cloud. And he said, Thrust the sickle and reap for the time is come for thee to reap for the harvest of the earth is ripe. Then verse 16. And he that set on the cloud thrust his sickle on the earth and the earth was ripped.
Now these verses 14, 15, and 16, some take it to mean a judgment, others take it to mean that it's simply reaping that which belongs to Him. Like we have it in various passages in the Scripture. And the title, Son of Man, is a Messianic title taken from Daniel chapter 7. In Hebrew, we call it Ben Adam, Son of Man. It's a Messianic title that was given to Yeshua the Messiah. He often times used this expression, Ben Adam, Son of Man. And he expressed this many times in the Gospels. And so here we see the Messiah upon a cloud, the Son of Man upon a cloud, having on his hand golden crown, and in his hand he had a sharp sickle.
And he's now coming down in order to take the harvest, to reap the harvest. And so, it's interesting because he's reaping the harvest. Now, in this passage, it seemed to be that he's speaking about he's taking those that belong to him. He's reaping those that belong to him in verses 14, 15, and 16. I think this is good to connect this with John chapter 4 where we read in verse 34 4 on. John 4, verse 34 where we read, And Jesus, Yeshua said unto them, My meat is to do the will of him that sent me and to finish his work. Say ye not, there is yet four months, and then cometh the harvest.
Behold, I say unto you, lift up your eyes and look on the fields, for they are ready to harvest. And he that reapeth receiveth wages. He that gathereth fruit unto life eternal, that both he that soweth and he that reapeth may rejoice together. And herein is the saying, True, one soweth and another reapeth. I send you to reap that whereon ye bestoweth no labor, other men labored, and ye have entered into their labor. In John chapter 4, verse 34 to 38, we have the thought of reaping those and the things that belong to Yeshua the Messiah. So, the thought here, in these verses, we have the son of man is with a sickle in his hand, reaping that which belong to him.
Now, I know others might take it in a different way. Others say reaping in judgment, but I'm going to show you that the next verses has to do with reaping in judgment. In the next, the unbelievers will have to be judged. Look, this is now the next proclamation and that takes us to the end of chapter 14 in verses 17 to 20. Here's a proclamation of the casting of the grapes representing those unbelievers, those who did not come to know the Messiah. Look at this now in verses 17 to the end of the chapter. And another angel came out of the temple which is in heaven. He also having a sharp sickle.
See, it's not the Lord now, it's another angel now. He has a sickle in his hand. And another angel came out from the altar which had the power of a fire and he cried with a loud cry to him that had the sharp sickle saying, thrust in thy sharp sickle and gather, listen, gather the clusters of the vine of the earth for her grapes are fully ripe. And the angel thrust his sickle unto the earth and he gathered the vine of the earth and what did he do with it? We don't read it earlier but here we read it. He cast it into the great winepress of the wrath of God.
You see, in verses 14, 15, and 16 we also see a sickle and the harvesting but it's inclining to lead us to see these are those who have accepted God, accepted the Messiah, that he brings them to himself and he harvest them and bring them to himself. But when it's come to verse 17 to verse 20, this is a proclamation concerning the unbelieving world whom the Lord will end up harvesting but ultimately is casting them into the great winepress of the wrath of God. Now, brothers and sisters, look at this, look what it says at the end of the chapter, verse 20. Verse 20 is very interesting because verse 20 takes us all the way to what is known today as the War of Har Megiddo, the Armageddon, the War of Armageddon that takes us to the coming of the Messiah in judgment and Har Megiddo, we're going to read about it in chapter 16, is a mountain, is a hill that is situated right above the Valley of Jezreel and in the Valley of Jezreel is where will be the gathering of the nations of the world against Israel, the gathering of the armies of the anti-Messiah against the nation of Israel.
So, it is taking us now, notice verse 20, and the winepress was trodden without the city, this is outside of the city of Jerusalem, and the blood came out of the winepress even unto the horses bridled by the space of 1,600 furlongs. This is about 175 miles long. You see, what Revelation chapter 14 does, giving us an announcement, a proclamation concerning things that are going to happen in a future day, it takes us to the 144,000 standing on Mount Sion with the Messiah, with the Lamb. It's announcing and coming judgment upon the nations of the world who will not accept Yeshua the Messiah. It's announcing judgment that's going to come upon those that will take the mark of the beast.
It's announcing all sort of judgment. It's announcing the reaping of the believers and being brought into God, but it's also announcing and proclaiming the casting away of the unbelievers into that what is called here the winepress of the wrath of God. This expression, the wrath of God, speaks about the final period of time of the tribulation period. And you know what's going to happen? The Messiah will end up coming at the end of the tribulation and he's going to judge the armies of the Antichrist and the same expression, the winepress and the blood that is mentioned here is also has been already predicted by the prophet Isaiah in Isaiah chapter 63.
And I'm going to read the text in Isaiah 63 in closing of our chapter of the study of Revelation chapter 14. Just turn with me please to Isaiah chapter 63 and the first six verses are these. Someone asked a question and he says in chapter 63 in verse 1 he says, Who is he that cometh from Edom with dyed garments from Bozrah? That's the question. And then the answer is coming in verse 1b he says, This is the one that is glorious. The one that is glorious in an apparel travailing in his greatness of his strengths. This is the one that comes from Edom. The answer he's saying in verse 1 at the end he said, I that speak in righteousness mighty to save.
That's the answer. When they ask who is the one who came, the Lord, the Messiah says, I'm the one. Then in verse 2 there's another question. Verse 2 he says, Why you are red in your apparel and your garment like him that treadeth the winepress? Why is your garment red? Why is it like you are the one who's working in a winepress and pressing the grapes and making wine? Why is it that your garment is red? So here's the answer of the Messiah. I've trodden down the winepress alone and of the people there was none with me for I will tread them in my anger and I will trample them in my fury and their blood shall be sprinkled upon my garment and I will stain all my raiment.
Then he says in verse 4 for the day of vengeance is in my heart and the year of my redeemed has come and I looked and there was none to help and I wondered that were some but none uphold wherefore mine own arm brought salvation unto me and my fury is upheld me and I will tread down the people in mine anger and I will make them drink of my fury and I will bring down their strength to the earth.
You see we see the Messiah now in verse 1 that he is coming from Edom and Edom beloved brothers and sisters in Isaiah 63 the word here in Edom there a bozra that he mentioned is exactly where the remnant of Israel will flee in the middle of the tribulation to bozra to Petra his present day Jordan it's Edom and they will be preserved for the three and a half years of the second half of the tribulation now here in Revelation chapter 14 we see that there is blood because of God's judgment upon the armies of the Antichrist that notice how long it will be 1,600 furlongs I look in a measurement to find out how
long is this and some writers said around 175 miles long of that blood that will remain there and you know that length 175 miles it's the length from Armageddon from the present day valley of Jezreel all the way down beyond the city of Jerusalem into the area that is called Bozra Petra present day Edom and if you put this all together you can see when God is going to come in judgment upon the armies of the Antichrist who will gather against Israel he will judge them and there and there will be as it says here blood came up unto the horse bridle it's about four feet high by 175 miles long now it is amazing
when you just think of what is going to happen when the Lord is going to come in judgment upon the armies of the Antichrist and those that oppose the Messiah during the tribulation well there's much to be said and it's so heavy when you think about what the events are going to happen here and so we need to be so thankful that we can sing that song of the redeemed company and our sins are forgiven and we belong to the Messiah and we will not need at all to stay here during the tribulation time we are going to be taken out of here into the presence of the Messiah the presence of the Lord never
to go through these experiences that the saints will go through and the world will go through who are not part of the church of Yeshua the Messiah doing the tribulation period may the Lord help us to appreciate what Yeshua the Messiah have done for us