November 12, 2020
Central Truth
God constantly shows His love and compassion for us—even in the end times when He will send an angel to proclaim the goodness of God to those who dwell on the earth.
And he said with a loud voice, "Fear God and give him glory, because the hour of his judgment has come, and worship him who made heaven and earth, the sea and the springs of water."
1 Then I looked, and behold, on Mount Zion stood the Lamb, and with him 144,000 who had his name and his Father's name written on their foreheads. 2 And I heard a voice from heaven like the roar of many waters and like the sound of loud thunder. The voice I heard was like the sound of harpists playing on their harps, 3 and they were singing a new song before the throne and before the four living creatures and before the elders. No one could learn that song except the 144,000 who had been redeemed from the earth. 4 It is these who have not defiled themselves with women, for they are virgins. It is these who follow the Lamb wherever he goes. These have been redeemed from mankind as firstfruits for God and the Lamb, 5 and in their mouth no lie was found, for they are blameless.
6 Then I saw another angel flying directly overhead, with an eternal gospel to proclaim to those who dwell on earth, to every nation and tribe and language and people. 7 And he said with a loud voice, “Fear God and give him glory, because the hour of his judgment has come, and worship him who made heaven and earth, the sea and the springs of water.”
8 Another angel, a second, followed, saying, “Fallen, fallen is Babylon the great, she who made all nations drink the wine of the passion 1 14:8 Or wrath of her sexual immorality.”
9 And another angel, a third, followed them, saying with a loud voice, “If anyone worships the beast and its image and receives a mark on his forehead or on his hand, 10 he also will drink the wine of God's wrath, poured full strength into the cup of his anger, and he will be tormented with fire and sulfur in the presence of the holy angels and in the presence of the Lamb. 11 And the smoke of their torment goes up forever and ever, and they have no rest, day or night, these worshipers of the beast and its image, and whoever receives the mark of its name.”
12 Here is a call for the endurance of the saints, those who keep the commandments of God and their faith in Jesus. 2 14:12 Greek and the faith of Jesus
13 And I heard a voice from heaven saying, “Write this: Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord from now on.” “Blessed indeed,” says the Spirit, “that they may rest from their labors, for their deeds follow them!”
14 Then I looked, and behold, a white cloud, and seated on the cloud one like a son of man, with a golden crown on his head, and a sharp sickle in his hand. 15 And another angel came out of the temple, calling with a loud voice to him who sat on the cloud, “Put in your sickle, and reap, for the hour to reap has come, for the harvest of the earth is fully ripe.” 16 So he who sat on the cloud swung his sickle across the earth, and the earth was reaped.
17 Then another angel came out of the temple in heaven, and he too had a sharp sickle. 18 And another angel came out from the altar, the angel who has authority over the fire, and he called with a loud voice to the one who had the sharp sickle, “Put in your sickle and gather the clusters from the vine of the earth, for its grapes are ripe.” 19 So the angel swung his sickle across the earth and gathered the grape harvest of the earth and threw it into the great winepress of the wrath of God. 20 And the winepress was trodden outside the city, and blood flowed from the winepress, as high as a horse's bridle, for 1,600 stadia. 3 14:20 About 184 miles; a stadion was about 607 feet or 185 meters
What really stands out in this passage is the 144,000: the 12,000 members from each of the 12 tribes, the servants of God (Revelation 7:3-8), and those who follow the Lamb wherever He goes. Like the 144,000, we also were "purchased from among mankind" (Revelation 14:4, NIV) as believers, demonstrating a picture of fully trusting and following God.
In the midst of the chaos, God sends an angel to declare the good news! This first angel tells us to do three things:
1) Fear God
2) Give Him glory
3) Worship Him
We fear Him out of reverence and give glory because He is our Father whom we can trust and run to—the all-seeing, all-knowing, all-powerful Creator of everything! We worship Him because while we were still sinners, He sent His Son to die for us (Romans 5:8). When we believe in Him and accept His sacrifice for our salvation, we are declared to be heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ (Romans 8:17).
The third angel (Revelation 14:9) addresses all of the people who have chosen to turn away from Christ. At one point that described me. After being raised by loving Christian parents in a solid church home, I turned away from God when I went to college. Trying the party scene and all its pitfalls, I thought I was having more fun being on my own apart from Christ. I abandoned Christianity, and it took me a few years to find my way back to Him. When I heard the real gospel laid out—Christ died for me, and there's nothing I could do to earn His salvation—I knew I had been believing a gospel of good works and rule-following, not the gospel of true love from God.
Moving forward, I pray that God keeps us faithful in the endurance and patience to which we are called (Revelation 14:12). I pray we follow His commands with the knowledge that living His way is the best way.
1. Like the 144,000, how are you doing with following God's commands and fully trusting Him? Where are you struggling to trust Him?
2. Can you think of a time in your life when you would have been numbered among those who opposed Christ? What changed?
3. How can you use the transformation in your life to encourage others?