 God's Wrath.
Revelation 14:17-20 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. The picture displayed in this revelation of the future is the defeat of the Anti-Christ and his armies. Revelation 19:11-21 gives us the time frame of this event, the time of Christ’s coming to defeat the Anti-Christ with the sword of His mouth. The revealed harvest of the wicked to be thrown into God’s wrath is just before the one thousand righteous years reign of Jesus is to begin. The final judgment is yet to come. The people of this harvest will wait for the final judgment in Hades, a place of torment (see Luke 16:22b-28). It is important to realize this is going to happen. We live in an age of disbelief and the sufficiency of mankind apart from the Lord. The resurrection of Jesus from the dead on the third day has validated the Word of God (see John 2:18-22). Let us go forth boldly and lovingly to rescue people from this experience of God’s wrath. Three key questions to ask as we prayerfully read the scriptures:
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 The Harvest.
Revelation 14:14-16 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. This passage refers to the harvest of believers. How do we know? Revelation 14:17-20 is the harvest of unbelievers, those destined to experience the wrath of God, eternal torment in the Lake of Fire. The believers are harvested first after the seventh trumpet sounds (1 Corinthians 15:51-52). We are given a picture of the future of all believers. Knowing our future helps us live boldly now, even in the midst of persecution. 2 Corinthians 5:10 speaks of the future judgment of believers. All the believer’s deeds will be judged. The sinful deeds are pardoned by the blood of Christ shed on the cross. The deeds done in obedience to the Lord are rewarded. We have a very temporary assignment upon sinful earth and an eternal assignment on the new heavens and earth. Knowing this, let each of us who believe, boldly complete our assigned work on sinful earth, the work of reaching the lost with the gospel of Christ (Matthew 28:19-20) and the work of building up the Body of Christ using the grace we have been given (1 Peter 4:10; Ephesians 4:15-16). Three key questions to ask as we prayerfully read the scriptures:
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Revelation 14:9-13 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. 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!" The third angel announces to all the people of the earth during the final days under the Anti-Christ that all who worship the Anti-Christ and receive his mark will experience eternal torment (Revelation 14:9-11). The Anti-Christ will be persecuting and killing those who are believers in Jesus Christ. The Lord has a message for the saints living during this time (and any time of persecution), “Endure!” Please notice that real believers in Jesus Christ obey the commands of God (Revelation 14:12). The believers that die for their faith in Jesus Christ are blessed. Why? They enter rest from their labors. What are their labors? The believers are proclaiming the good news of Jesus Christ (Matthew 28:19-20) and walking in the good works God prepared beforehand for them to walk in (Ephesians 2:10). We endure in doing the assignments God has given us knowing we will enter His rest and be rewarded for what we have done. Are you prepared to endure persecution and continue to complete your God-given assignments? You prepare by daily learning and living God’s word by faith in Jesus. Three key questions to ask as we prayerfully read the scriptures:
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Revelation 14:8 Another angel, a second, followed, saying, "Fallen, fallen is Babylon the great, she who made all nations drink the wine of the passion of her sexual immorality." Babylon is the world center for economic activity and is a very wealthy place, a trade center of the world. It is not the geographical Babylon (see Jeremiah 50:39). Babylon is also a world center for godlessness, exporting spiritual and physical immoralities that are abominations to God. The exports would include abominations such as homosexuality, alternative marriage forms, worship of man’s wisdom and creations. The Babylon spoken of is ruled by demonic forces and known for their greatness of sins (amount and kind). This Angel is announcing the fall of Babylon, which occurs by the hand of God as He judges the ungodly people whose names are not written in the Lamb’s book of life. Revelation 18:4 gives the saints of 95 AD to this present day a word of admonition, “Come out of her My people, lest you take part in her sins, lest you share in her plagues.” The Babylon spoken of is a world system ruled by the god of this age, Satan. The Apostle Paul called the church to not be conformed by the ways of the world, but to be transformed by the renewing of the mind by the word of God (Romans 12:2). He also states as a fact that the only thing that counts is “obeying the commands of God” (1 Corinthians 7:19b). The believers in Jesus Christ obey the command of Revelation 18:4, “Come out of her (Babylon)…,” by living according to the Word of God. We believers are in great need to heed this command. We need to learn the Word of God and live it daily by faith in the Son of God. Are you living according to the Word of God? How do you know? Three key questions to ask as we prayerfully read the scriptures:
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Revelation 14:6-7 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." The time period for Revelation 14:1-11 is the time period when the Anti-Christ reigns over the entire earth, which is at least the three and one half years before Christ begins His one thousand year righteous reign on earth. The text before us describes the action of the first of three angels. This angel is sent by God to proclaim the eternal gospel to all people groups on the earth and to warn them of eternal judgment. The angel calls people to fear God and give Him glory because the hour of His eternal judgment has come. The angel calls people to worship God and not the beast. Please note that the angel gives God the credit for creating all things, which the people of the earth at that time have disregarded deliberately (2 Peter 3:5). The Lord proves here that everyone gets an opportunity to hear the gospel. We as carriers of the Good News (Mark 1:15; 1 Corinthians 15:3-4; Romans 10:9) are to be actively engaged in helping all those around us to hear the call to repent and believe the gospel. An eternal judgment is coming (Revelation 20:11-15). Are you fulfilling your God-given assignment to seek and save the lost (Luke 19:10)? Three key questions to ask as we prayerfully read the scriptures:
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Revelation 14:1 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. We have a picture of the redeemed Church with the Lamb of God (Jesus). The Church is made up of Jews and Gentiles. Ephesians 2:11-22 instructs us that the Jew and the Gentile become one in Christ. Romans 11:13-18 instructs us that the Gentiles were grafted into the Jewish People of God through Christ. The 144,000 is a picture of the entire Jewish and Gentile Church. At the time of this picture given in our Scripture passage, the Jewish people have come to recognize Jesus is their Savior (Romans 11:25-32). The redeemed Church is the virgin Bride of Christ (2 Corinthians 11:2). Jesus cleansed the Church from all sin, including the sin of idolatry, which is spiritual immorality or adultery. The redeemed Church is also the firstfruits of all creation as taught here and in James 1:18. Paul instructs us in Romans 8:20-21 that all creation is in bondage to sin and will be set free one day from its bondage to corruption and obtain the freedom of the glory of the children of God. The Church will sing a new song before God’s throne that only the redeemed Church can sing. What a glorious choir that will be! This passage of Scripture is a glimpse into the future of the Church that has existed on earth from the beginning of the Church until the Church is caught up to be with Jesus when He returns (John 14:1-3). The persecuted Church is encouraged to endure by knowing the final outcome of their faith. All believers in Christ are encouraged to be bold knowing their future with Jesus. Revelation is given to all believers so they will be bold in making disciples, baptizing them in the name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit and teaching them to obey everything that Jesus commanded (Matthew 28:19-20). May every believer be fulfilling their assigned task of making disciples among all in their sphere of influence. Three key questions to ask as we prayerfully read the scriptures:
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Revelation 13:11-18 Then I saw another beast rising out of the earth. It had two horns like a lamb and it spoke like a dragon. 12 It exercises all the authority of the first beast in its presence, and makes the earth and its inhabitants worship the first beast, whose mortal wound was healed. 13 It performs great signs, even making fire come down from heaven to earth in front of people, 14 and by the signs that it is allowed to work in the presence of the beast it deceives those who dwell on earth, telling them to make an image for the beast that was wounded by the sword and yet lived. 15 And it was allowed to give breath to the image of the beast, so that the image of the beast might even speak and might cause those who would not worship the image of the beast to be slain. 16 Also it causes all, both small and great, both rich and poor, both free and slave, to be marked on the right hand or the forehead, 17 so that no one can buy or sell unless he has the mark, that is, the name of the beast or the number of its name. 18 This calls for wisdom: let the one who has understanding calculate the number of the beast, for it is the number of a man, and his number is 666. The beast described in this passage can be called the False Prophet. This prophet promotes the worship of the Anti-Christ by great signs. The supernatural signs deceive the unbelieving population of the earth. Moses and the Apostle Paul warned God’s people of following those doing great signs, yet speaking against the truth of the Word of God (Deuteronomy 13:1-3; 2 Thessalonians 2:3-12). During the time of the Anti-Christ and False Prophet people will be physically forced to worship the Anti-Christ and Satan. Those who don’t will be physically killed. All people will need to get a mark that shows allegiance to the Anti-Christ in order to participate in the world’s economic system. God will give believers the wisdom they need at that time so they will not get the mark that shows allegiance to the Anti-Christ. We, as believers, need to prepare for living during this time by trusting in God alone for all our material needs. We may receive money from an employer or government agency, but we must never think man is the one supplying our material needs. God may supply our needs through the agency of people or government, but it all comes from Him. How can we know if we are trusting God for our provision? If we compromise our godly standards to get material provision, then we are trusting man. Daniel and his three godly friends would never go against God to gain man’s provision (Read the book of Daniel). Trusting God alone means that we obey God rather than man when man commands us to do what God says not to do or when man says we are not to do what God says to do. Three key questions to ask as we prayerfully read the scriptures:
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Revelation 13:1-10 And I saw a beast rising out of the sea, with ten horns and seven heads, with ten diadems on its horns and blasphemous names on its heads. 2 And the beast that I saw was like a leopard; its feet were like a bear's, and its mouth was like a lion's mouth. And to it the dragon gave his power and his throne and great authority. 3 One of its heads seemed to have a mortal wound, but its mortal wound was healed, and the whole earth marveled as they followed the beast. 4 And they worshiped the dragon, for he had given his authority to the beast, and they worshiped the beast, saying, "Who is like the beast, and who can fight against it?" 5 And the beast was given a mouth uttering haughty and blasphemous words, and it was allowed to exercise authority for forty-two months. 6 It opened its mouth to utter blasphemies against God, blaspheming his name and his dwelling, that is, those who dwell in heaven. 7 Also it was allowed to make war on the saints and to conquer them. And authority was given it over every tribe and people and language and nation, 8 and all who dwell on earth will worship it, everyone whose name has not been written before the foundation of the world in the book of life of the Lamb that was slain. 9 If anyone has an ear, let him hear: 10 If anyone is to be taken captive, to captivity he goes; if anyone is to be slain with the sword, with the sword must he be slain. Here is a call for the endurance and faith of the saints. We have in this part of the revelation, a beast (an evil world ruler), who is given power over the entire world by Satan, the god of this age (2 Corinthians 4:4). Satan sought to give this rule to Jesus if He would worship him, but Jesus would not take it from Satan and would not worship Satan (Matthew 4:8-10). The beast will take the rule offered by Satan and give him the worship he desires (Revelation 13:4, 8a). The Christians will not worship the beast or Satan during this time (Revelation 13:8b). There will be no denominations, no pretend Christians, only Christians who are willing to die for Jesus’ sake. The beast makes war on the believers in Jesus Christ and defeats them taking some captive and killing others (Revelation 13:7, 10). This world ruler is called the Anti-Christ because he seemed to have been healed of a mortal wound, lives and blasphemes the living God. The Anti-Christ rules for three and one half years, a time when all the world hates Christians (Matthew 24:9). It is possible that believers alive today or their children could live during this time. As believers we need to prepare ourselves, our children and all around us with a knowledge of the scriptures and a commitment to endure standing firm in the faith even unto death. Are you getting prepared and preparing those around you? Three key questions to ask as we prayerfully read the scriptures:
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Revelation 12:1-17 And a great sign appeared in heaven: a woman clothed with the sun, with the moon under her feet, and on her head a crown of twelve stars. 2 She was pregnant and was crying out in birth pains and the agony of giving birth. 3 And another sign appeared in heaven: behold, a great red dragon, with seven heads and ten horns, and on his heads seven diadems. 4 His tail swept down a third of the stars of heaven and cast them to the earth. And the dragon stood before the woman who was about to give birth, so that when she bore her child he might devour it. 5 She gave birth to a male child, one who is to rule all the nations with a rod of iron, but her child was caught up to God and to his throne, 6 and the woman fled into the wilderness, where she has a place prepared by God, in which she is to be nourished for 1,260 days. 7 Now war arose in heaven, Michael and his angels fighting against the dragon. And the dragon and his angels fought back, 8 but he was defeated and there was no longer any place for them in heaven. 9 And the great dragon was thrown down, that ancient serpent, who is called the devil and Satan, the deceiver of the whole world- he was thrown down to the earth, and his angels were thrown down with him. 10 And I heard a loud voice in heaven, saying, "Now the salvation and the power and the kingdom of our God and the authority of his Christ have come, for the accuser of our brothers has been thrown down, who accuses them day and night before our God. 11 And they have conquered him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony, for they loved not their lives even unto death. 12 Therefore, rejoice, O heavens and you who dwell in them! But woe to you, O earth and sea, for the devil has come down to you in great wrath, because he knows that his time is short!" 13 And when the dragon saw that he had been thrown down to the earth, he pursued the woman who had given birth to the male child. 14 But the woman was given the two wings of the great eagle so that she might fly from the serpent into the wilderness, to the place where she is to be nourished for a time, and times, and half a time. 15 The serpent poured water like a river out of his mouth after the woman, to sweep her away with a flood. 16 But the earth came to the help of the woman, and the earth opened its mouth and swallowed the river that the dragon had poured from his mouth. 17 Then the dragon became furious with the woman and went off to make war on the rest of her offspring, on those who keep the commandments of God and hold to the testimony of Jesus. And he stood on the sand of the sea. Jesus gave through John a revealed history to the Church of 95 A.D. and to all the Church until the return of Christ. We have the nation Israel introduced as giving birth to Jesus (verses 1-2). We have Satan and his angels, now called demons and numbering one third of all the angels God created during the six days of creation, seeking to devour the Christ child (verses 3-4). We have the picture of the Christ child as the future world Ruler of righteousness who was born and later ascended into heaven to sit on the throne of God (verse 5). We have a picture of God protecting the nation of Israel for three and one half years (verse 6). We have the war that took place in heaven when Satan and his angels rebelled against God. Michael and his angels, numbering two thirds of all the created angels, defeated Satan and his angels. Satan was cast out of heaven to the earth. Satan is the deceiver of the whole world (verses 7-9). We have the revealed history of salvation and power and kingdom (definition: “the sovereign rule of a king”) of God and the authority of Christ coming into the sinful world deceived by Satan, the Satan who accuses the people of God day and night before God (verse 10). We have the picture of the empowered, but persecuted and martyred Church, which is defeating Satan by the blood of the Lamb and by their testimony (verse 11, 17). We have the picture of the devil venting his wrath upon the nation of Israel and the church because his time is short. The nation of Israel is protected by God as a people and the church is protected from Satan’s accusations by the blood of the Lamb, but is still at war with him and his angels to the point of physical death (verses 12-16). We can see a victorious people of God. Knowing this history gives us, who believe in Jesus, hope and courage to make known the gospel to as many people as we can for as long as we have breath. We are more than conquerors through Christ who defeated Satan and all his demons on the cross (Hebrews 2:14-15). We are entrusted with the good news and must prove faithful to complete the assignments we are given by our Lord (1 Corinthians 4:1-2). Three key questions to ask as we prayerfully read the scriptures:
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Revelation 11:15-19 Then the seventh angel blew his trumpet, and there were loud voices in heaven, saying, "The kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord and of his Christ, and he shall reign forever and ever." 16 And the twenty-four elders who sit on their thrones before God fell on their faces and worshiped God, 17 saying, "We give thanks to you, Lord God Almighty, who is and who was, for you have taken your great power and begun to reign. 18 The nations raged, but your wrath came, and the time for the dead to be judged, and for rewarding your servants, the prophets and saints, and those who fear your name, both small and great, and for destroying the destroyers of the earth." 19 Then God's temple in heaven was opened, and the ark of his covenant was seen within his temple. There were flashes of lightning, rumblings, peals of thunder, an earthquake, and heavy hail. The seventh trumpet judgment brings us to the end, the coming of Christ to rule for one thousand years on a renewed heavens and earth. Since the seventh trumpet is the last trumpet, the Church is caught up in the clouds to be with Jesus in the air (1 Corinthians 15:51, 52; 1 Thessalonians 4:16-17). However, the seventh trumpet also releases the last seven bowl judgments that pour out the wrath of God on earth (Revelation 16:1). The Lord reveals to John the judgments that will come upon the earth just before Christ establishes His one thousand year righteous rule. The Church will be spared living through these judgments. Jesus also reveals to John there will be a final judgment of believers and unbelievers. The believers will receive pardon and reward (Revelation 11:18; 2 Corinthians 5:10 note: the believers will be pardoned for evil they have done), but the unbelievers will receive eternal torment (Revelation 11:18; 21:8). All believers need to know these truths to pass on to all the unbelievers that are totally unprepared for enduring the wrath of God and His final judgment. Are you letting the unbelievers in your life know what is in store for them and how they can be spared God’s wrath and receive His pardon by repenting of their sins and believing the gospel? Three key questions to ask as we prayerfully read the scriptures:
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