A Study Of The Book Of Revelation
Lesson No. 17: Chapter 14
Date: December 31st, January 7th,
14th,21st, 2003, Wednesday
Speaker: John Phillis
Note: Much
of the information for this Study of Revelation was taken from the
book “Revelation Through First Century Glasses” by W. B. West. Other sources: “The Living Word, Study
of Revelation, Parts I & II” by Dr. Frank
Pack; “Revelation” by Jim McGuiggan; “Commentary
on Revelation” by Homer Hailey; “Commentary on
Revelation” by Burton Coffman; “The Book of Revelation
– Spiritual Sword Lectureship, October 18 – 22,
1998”; “Commentary on Revelation” by Howard
Winters; “Revelation for Christians Today” by Lonnie
Woodruff; “Unlocking Revelation” by J. Stafford
North.
Objectives in Studying this
Chapter:
1) To
examine the series of scenes depicted in this chapter
2) To
appreciate how they would have provided comfort to the Christians
of John’s day
A
Brief Introduction
In
chapter 14, the view is going to change once
again. Of course Revelation is a book of
contrasts, and we see here a significant contrast,
a stark contrast, as we go from where we have
been, dealing with a dragon, beginning in chapter
12, that dragon being Satan, the devil. And then in
chapter 13, two of Satan’s allies, two of
his cohorts are introduced, a beast from the sea, a beast from the
earth, both having seven heads, and so on—both being the very
personification of evil, of being against God and everything that
is sacred, everything that is holy.
And
then…the vision changes. The view changes from this
scene of evil to the Lamb and His Own, those who belong to
Him. They are standing in a…well, if you
will…they are standing in a sacred place, a
place that represented something special to these
people who would have read this. So we go from this picture
of evil, immorality, being against God, blasphemy, and so on, to
this picture of tranquility and peace and safety and perfection and
Oh, by the way, victory! That is the view,
then, that John has.
We will see
that there are three visions—three separate
visions—that John will have here in chapter
14. We see that it starts out in verse 1
where John says, “Then I looked, and
behold, a Lamb standing on Mount Zion….”
And then in verse 6, “Then I
saw another angel flying in the midst of
heaven….” And then over in verse
14, “Then I looked, and behold,
a white cloud….”
So, there are
several different ways to divide this chapter. There are a
number of different angels that we are going to be introduced to,
and we will listen and examine what it is that
they have to say. You could sort of divide
the chapter that way, but looking and seeing what John is seeing,
and the fact that he is going to see, or that his
vision is going be of, these three things that are recorded for us
here in this chapter, this is a better way to divide
chapter 14.
A
Reading of Revelation, Chapter 14
“Then
I looked, and behold, a Lamb standing on Mount Zion, and with Him
one hundred and forty-four thousand, having His Father’s Name
written on their foreheads. 2 And I heard a voice from heaven, like
the voice of many waters, and like the voice of loud thunder. And I
heard the sound of harpists playing their harps. 3 They sang as it
were a new song before the throne, before the four living
creatures, and the elders; and no one could learn that song except
the hundred and forty-four thousand who were redeemed from the
earth. 4 These are the ones who were not defiled with women, for
they are virgins. These are the ones who follow the Lamb wherever
He goes. These were redeemed from among men, being firstfruits to
God and to the Lamb. 5 And in their mouth was found no deceit, for
they are without fault before the throne of
God.
6 Then I
saw another angel flying in the midst of heaven, having the
everlasting Gospel to preach to those who dwell on the earth
— to every nation, tribe, tongue, and people — 7
saying with a loud voice, ‘Fear God and give glory to Him,
for the hour of His judgment has come; and worship Him Who made
heaven and earth, the sea and springs of
water.’
8 And
another angel followed, saying, ‘Babylon is fallen, is
fallen, that great city, because she has made all nations drink of
the wine of the wrath of her fornication.’
9 Then a
third angel followed them, saying with a loud voice, ‘If
anyone worships the beast and his image, and receives his mark on
his forehead or on his hand, 10 he himself shall also drink of the
wine of the wrath of God, which is poured out full strength into
the cup of His indignation. He shall be tormented with fire and
brimstone in the presence of the holy angels and in the presence of
the Lamb. 11 And the smoke of their torment ascends forever and
ever; and they have no rest day or night, who worship the beast and
his image, and whoever receives the mark of his
name.’
12 Here is
the patience of the saints; here are those who keep the
commandments of God and the faith of Jesus.
13 Then I
heard a voice from heaven saying to me, ‘Write:
“Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord from now
on.”’
‘Yes,’ says the Spirit, ‘that
they may rest from their labors, and their works follow
them.’
14 Then I
looked, and behold, a white cloud, and on the cloud sat One like
the Son of Man, having on His head a golden crown, and in His hand
a sharp sickle. 15 And another angel came out of the temple, crying
with a loud voice to Him Who sat on the cloud, ‘Thrust in
Your sickle and reap, for the time has come for You to reap, for
the harvest of the earth is ripe.’ 16 So He Who sat on the
cloud thrust in His sickle on the earth, and the earth was
reaped.
17 Then
another angel came out of the temple which is in heaven, he also
having a sharp sickle.
18 And
another angel came out from the altar, who had power over fire, and
he cried with a loud cry to him who had the sharp sickle, saying,
‘Thrust in your sharp sickle and gather the clusters of the
vine of the earth, for her grapes are fully ripe.’ 19 So the
angel thrust his sickle into the earth and gathered the vine of the
earth, and threw it into the great winepress of the wrath of God.
20 And the winepress was trampled outside the city, and blood came
out of the winepress, up to the horses’ bridles, for one
thousand six hundred furlongs.”
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