The American Wisdom Series

Presents

 Revelation chapter 14

In Revelation chapter 14 we get to see what is happening on earth when Jesus Christ returns. Good old John is still in heaven and once again he looks on.
Rev. 14:1
And I looked, and, lo, a Lamb stood on the mount Sion, and with him an hundred forty and four thousand, having his Father's name written in their foreheads.
John looked and saw Jesus standing on Mount Zion. He has returned! And there are 144,000 with Him.  Hey, we saw that number before in Rev. 7:2-4. Remember there were 12,000 out of each of the tribes of Israel who were "sealed" with the Word of God in their foreheads just before the 4 Winds were let loose and the final events of this earth age commenced.

The qualifier in this verse, "having His and His Father's name (as the texts read) written in their foreheads", lets us know that these are the same 144,000.

Let's review from chapter 7:

Rev. 7:2
And I saw another angel ascending from the east, having the seal of the living God: and he cried with a loud voice to the four angels, to whom it was given to hurt the earth and the sea, [3] Saying, Hurt not the earth, neither the sea, nor the trees, till we have sealed the servants of our God in their foreheads. [4] And I heard the number of them which were sealed: and there were sealed an hundred and forty and four thousand of all the tribes of the children of Israel.
So the 144,000 obviously made it through the great tribulation and now John sees them with Christ on Mount Zion after He has returned.
Rev. 14:2 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:
The one in charge of the proceedings in heaven told the Royal Celestial Orchestra to begin to playing. A one... and a two... and a three.
[3] 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 and four thousand, which were redeemed from the earth.
And the great choir of 144,000 Overjoyous Overcomers sang the Song of Moses to those assembled in the great hall of the brilliant flashing throne of God, with the floor that looked like a sparkling sea of glass and the Zoon, the four awesome guards at the throne, standing at attention, and the 24 Elders in formal attire all seated with their crowns on their heads.

Yes, they made a joyful noise before the LORD.  (We'll document that it was the Song of Moses when we get to chapter 15.)

Please notice that these are only the 144,000, redeemed from the earth, redeemed from this earth age, singing at this time and not God's elect.  God's elect were chosen before the foundation of the world, before this earth age. Of course the 144,000 were redeemed from the earth by the Blood of the Lamb but it was His elect that help to seal them.

So did you get the PICTURE of the ceremony going on? The return of Christ is a momentous occasion to say the least. So this is not a difficult thing to understand. It is simply a special presentation of the firstfruits unto God. Of course there will be millions more who attend the wedding, from the great multitude out of all the nations in Rev. 7:9, which no man could number.
[4] 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 firstfruits unto God and to the Lamb.
Virgins? They're virgins? Do you think there's 144,000 virgins left in this society?

Flesh, flesh. Our minds seem to always go there first, don't they? But we know this doesn't mean they never had sex. These folks were not "spiritually seduced" by Satan and his angels into believing the Great Lie! Which was what? That the one sitting in the temple was Jesus Christ as Paul so warned in 2 Thes. 2. Remember Satan deceives the whole world with his miracles and his great and prosperous "Peace on Earth" society, which means they all got screwed!

Note: It is written that at the time Satan appears in person, when he is cast to this earth (Rev. 12:7-9), that only the 7,000 very elect will not bow a knee to Baal. Therefore, the 144,000 will at first fall for him, i.e. engage in his foreplay, but they ultimately do not go all the way, and jump out of his bed when they see God's elect delivered up and give testimony, i.e. witness to the world at which time the gospel goes forth in all languages, direct from the Holy Spirit, through His elect. Pretty cool that it's called a "Witness Stand", isn't it?
[5] And in their mouth was found no guile: for they are without fault before the throne of God.
You can look up the word "guile" if you so desire, but this verse pretty much speaks for itself.
[6] 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,
The Word of God is eternal, it is forever. And yes, there will be preaching and teaching during the Millennium. It is also documented in the closing chapters of Ezekiel. Begin with chapter 44 and read on.
[7] 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 earth, and the sea, and the fountains of waters.
The sand has run out of the hour glass. It is time to pay up! There will be judgment when Christ returns, both good and bad, so give glory and honor and reverence to God. We will read of some of this judgment in this chapter.
[8] And there followed another angel, saying, Babylon is fallen, is fallen, that great city, because she made all nations drink of the wine of the wrath of her fornication.
It ALL GONE!
The walls have come tumbling down!

And if you know the history of that first great city, Babylon, founded by the "seed" (offspring  of the serpent), who was Cain sent forth into the land of Nod, who is also known as Sargon the Magnificent in secular history, then you know how perverse and idolatrous the first world empire was at the beginning. So shall it be at the end.

Do you recall in Daniel chapter 2 the image that Nebuchadnezzar saw, with Babylon as the first "one world political system", the head of gold? Well, the last "one world political system", is the "beast" we just studied in Rev. 13:1, the one with the 10 "crowns", i.e. kings, remember? It is the same as the fourth kingdom of iron in Nebuchadnezzar's image, the one with the 10 "toes" identified as "kings" in verse 44 of Dan. 2, and it is smashed by Jesus Christ at his return. Then the angel of Rev. 14:8 will say "Babylon is fallen, is fallen."

Isn't it amazing how we've seen all of this before in the Word of God?  The scripture so rings true as it is recorded in Eccles. 1:9 "... there is no new thing under the sun."  

Here's the account in Daniel:

Daniel 2:40
And the fourth kingdom shall be strong as iron: forasmuch as iron breaketh in pieces and subdueth all things: and as iron that breaketh all these, shall it break in pieces and bruise.

[42] And as the toes of the feet were part of iron, and part of clay, so the kingdom shall be partly strong, and partly broken.

[43] And whereas thou sawest iron mixed with miry clay, they shall mingle themselves with the seed of men: but they shall not cleave one to another, even as iron is not mixed with clay.

[44] And in the days of these kings shall the God of heaven set up a kingdom, which shall never be destroyed: and the kingdom shall not be left to other people, but it shall break in pieces and consume all these kingdoms, and it shall stand for ever.

The whole Babylonian system is GONE, smashed to pieces, when Christ returns! Including that great city, the Babylon of the end times, which spiritually is called Sodom and Egypt (Rev. 11:8), where also our Lord was crucified, where the son of perdition sat with his angels and deceived the whole world. It's gone! Remember its portion was measured in Rev. 11:1? Did Christ not tell His disciples concerning the temple, which was included in the measuring, that not one stone would be left standing upon another? He meant smashed!
[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,
[10] 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 Lamb:
Now I don't know about you, but I sometimes have difficulty with the way they spoke in 1611 England. The revisers help a little bit, but my brain isn't so formal and it has to put verses like these into words I can better relate to:
"And the 3rd angel followed the other 2 angels and said loud enough so everyone could hear him, 'If anyone participates with Satan's activities in any way shape or form, he's really going to 'get it' from our Father according to His Word, who will give it to him with the fire and brimstone paddle, right in front of everyone in total anguishing humiliation!"
Got it? Because if you want to make it more difficult than that, then you don't understand the simplicity of what is being said.

And by the way, the "cup of His indignation" is the same cup that Jesus desired could pass from Him in the garden. It was the cup of wrath to be poured out, not a cup of fear. Christ was never afraid to pay the price! He came for that express purpose.

11] And the smoke of their torment ascendeth up for ever 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.
Wow, could we ever make Dante's Inferno come alive with this verse. Go ahead, but let me ask you, are we not actually talking about the "smoke", which is the by-product of something that has been consumed by fire (which we just read they get from our Father in vs. 10, because He is a consuming fire, Heb. 12:29) and smoke does go up for ever and ever, or is it an analogy, a figure of speech? (Some of you probably get so hot and angry with me that smoke pours out of your ears.)

Anyway, here's verse 11 with some updated figures of speech:

"The aftermath of their punishment will reach to high heaven and they are going work their butts off (during the whole period of the Millennium.)"
Now think about it. This is the return of Jesus at His second advent, not the great white throne judgment and the second death which occurs AFTER the Millennium. We are at the very first day of the Millennium! And we just read in Rev. 14:6 that the "everlasting gospel" will be preached unto them that dwell on the earth, and to every nation, and kindred, and tongue, and people.  Well, part of that everlasting gospel is the love of God which entails not only chastisement but discipline as well. Yes they will work their butts off during the Millennium and we will see when we get to chapter 20 that their judgment will be of their works during the millennium, and not of grace which we are afforded in this dispensation of flesh.  But, also note: They will no longer be in flesh and blood (animal bodies); But rather in spiritual bodies which don't have the lust and pulls of flesh.
Rev. 20:12
And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works.
Judged according to their works!
Note: Those who do not partake of the first resurrection, who enter the Millennium with spiritual bodies (which everyone, the good, the bad and the ugly, will have (1 Cor. 15) but still have mortal souls, meaning they may still perish in the lake of fire at the end of the Millennium, are referred to as "the dead", not dead as corpses but spiritually dead.

You'll need to understand the Greek words translated "dead" in the Bible in order to rightly divide the subjects of resurrections and judgments. If you don't want to take the time to do it then you can simply remain confused. Appendix 139 in the Companion Bible titled "DEAD" AND "THE DEAD" will assist you with this study. If you don't have one, then at least get a Strong's Concordance and do some work now "whilst thou still havest time." (Hey, I can speak 1611 English!)

IF you don't have a Companion Bible you can Download a Companion Bible free at: http://www.companionbiblecondensed.com/  When you open site click unto and download one book at a time unto your disk or hard drive.
and the appendix at: http://www.markfoster.net/rn/companion_bible_appendices.pdf

Rev. 14:12 Here is the patience of the saints: here are they that keep the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus.
Though we keep the commandments and the faith of Jesus because we deeply love Him, knowing the rewards of the first resurrection inspires our patience to wait on Him.
Rev. 14:13
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 labours; and their works do follow them.
Again, if you are not familiar with the Greek words translated "dead" in the New Testament (see appendix 139 in the Companion Bible), then just read "those" for "the dead", i.e. "Blessed are those which die in the Lord from henceforth".

Why? Yea, saith the spirit, they get to rest during the Millennium, the day of rest, instead of working their butts off day and night while awaiting the great white throne judgment and the hope of the second resurrection! So you see, your works do follow you, don't they?

It's the Day of the Lord, the first day of Millennium here on earth. Jesus Christ has returned to reap the harvest of that good seed which He has sown (Mat. 13) and to exercise judgment and pour out "the cup of wrath" on the wicked.

In the first few verses of this chapter 14 we saw the "Happy Time" of the Day of the Lord when the overcomers were singing and the heavenly orchestra was playing and the saints were with Jesus on Mount Zion.

Now, in the remaining verses of this chapter 14 we are going to SEE a very graphic PICTURE of what the "No-So-Happy Time" looks like for those who are not standing on Mount Zion. 

We continue with John's description:

Rev. 14:14
And I looked, and behold a white cloud, and upon the cloud one sat like unto the Son of man, having on his head a golden crown, and in his hand a sharp sickle.
Jesus Christ returns with a Golden Crown upon His head, for He returns as King of kings and Lord of lords. No longer does He have a crown of thorns, a crown of humiliation on His head. And now it's harvest time and He will do the reaping and the threshing.
[15] And another angel came out of the temple, crying with a loud voice to him that sat on the cloud, Thrust in thy sickle, and reap: for the time is come for thee to reap; for the harvest of the earth is ripe.
The Father knows and determines the exact times, for no man knows precisely. Now here comes word from a messenger who was in the temple, where He sits, and the word is "The time has come", "The harvest of the earth is ripe", which simply means it's judgment time!
[16] And He that sat on the cloud thrust in His sickle on the earth; and the earth was reaped.
The Firstfruits have been gathered. You see, you do reap "golden wheat" with a sickle.
[17] And another angel came out of the temple which is in heaven, he also having a sharp sickle.
Here comes another messenger out from the temple he also has a sharp sickle to do some reaping. But...
[18] And another angel came out from the altar, which had power over 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.
Uh oh! Here comes an angel from the "altar" this time to give instructions to the one with the sharp sickle! You remember what comes from the altar, don't you? Fire! Remember what we read in our last study in Rev. 14:10 "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 Lamb:" Well, here it comes!

But it would seem that there's somewhat of a problem here. The problem is that you don't harvest "grapes" with a sickle! It gets real messy!

[19] 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.

[20] And the winepress was trodden without the city, and blood came out of the winepress, even unto the horse bridles, by the space of a thousand and six hundred furlongs.

Yes, God is going to "Put the Squeeze on Them" for their wickedness is great.

What does it mean "without the city? Without or outside the city simply means the wrath of God is not poured out on His children who love Him, because do you remember where they are?  They are with Him on Mount Zion, which is where John saw Jesus standing in verse 1, which is "within in the city".

Is all this something brand new that we are reading in the Book of Revelation? Hardly. Remember we have said repeatedly that if you are familiar with the Word of God then by the time you get to the Book of the Revelation you'll have seen and read it all before?

Well, the prophet Joel told us EXACTLY the same thing about the judgment we just read of on the Day of the Lord.  Have you read it? 

Let's do it now.

Joel 3:12-15
Let the heathen be wakened, and come up to the valley of Jehoshaphat: for there will I sit to judge all the heathen round about.
Joel writes the words of the Lord who says "Wake Up" for I will bring Judgment to the Valley of Decision, to those heathen "round about", i.e. "without the city" as we just read in Rev. 14:20.
[13] Put ye in the sickle, for the harvest is ripe: come, get you down; for the press is full, the fats overflow; for their wickedness is great.
There's the same sickle of Revelation! And it's the harvest time! Thrust it in and cast those wicked grapes into the winepress!

Here's the definition of "fats" word for word from Strong's Concordance:

yeqeb, yeh'-keb, Hebrew 3342; from an unused root meaning to excavate; a trough (as dug out); specifically a wine-vat (whether the lower one, into which the juice drains; or the upper, in which the grapes are crushed) :- fats, presses, press-fat, wine (-press).
There will be so much juice draining from this press it will produce a river as high as a horse's bridle and farther than the eye can see! Squish! SEE THE PICTURE!

And when does all this occur? Joel tells us!

Joel 3:14 Multitudes, multitudes in the valley of decision: for the day of the LORD is near in the valley of decision.
Oh, the Day of the Lord! Is God's Word consistent and accurate from beginning to end or what?

And when the "multitudes, multitudes" are squeezed in the winepress (figuratively of course) there will be more than a few drops of blood (figuratively of course). There will be river of blood! Yeeccchhh! I think I'd rather be standing on Mount Zion.

By the way, here's the definition of "blood" used in the last verse of Revelation 14:

haima, hah'ee-mah, Greek 129; of uncertain derivative; blood, literal (of men or animals), figurative (the juice of grapes) or special (the atoning blood of Christ); by implication bloodshed, also kindred :- blood.
So here's a question. Have you ever read the Book of Joel, whose name means "Yah is God"? Has your pastor or minister ever taught it to you? All Christians should know it thoroughly. Peter knew it and because he did, he KNEW what was happening on that first Pentecost Day when he stood up and quoted directly from it. Joel describes the locusts of the locust army we read about in Revelation chapter 9. And it contains much information about the Day of the Lord and the judgment which we just read of.
Live Link to- Joel

As a final thought, in the next chapter of Revelation, chapter 15, we will see the overcomers singing the Song of Moses, which is the 32nd chapter of Deuteronomy (Deut. 31:30 And Moses spake in the ears of all the congregation of Israel the words of this song, until they were ended.)

You see, we know who the true vine is. Jesus said in John 15:1 "I am the true vine, and my Father is the husbandman." But just as their rock is not our Rock, their vine is not our Vine:

Deut. 32:32-43
For their vine is of the vine of Sodom, and of the fields of Gomorrah: their grapes are grapes of gall, their clusters are bitter:
And they are going to get their grapes smashed! Ouch!
[33] Their wine is the poison of dragons, and the cruel venom of asps.
Their "truth" comes from the dragon himself, that old serpent, Satan! They'll also get squashed!
[34] Is not this laid up in store with me, and sealed up among my treasures? [35] To me belongeth vengeance, and recompence; their foot shall slide in due time: for the day of their calamity is at hand, and the things that shall come upon them make haste.
That's right, vengeance belongs to Him! But we ask and pray "How long, O Lord, do we have to put up with this wickedness?" And we know from His Word that His answer is "Not much longer, but be patient my children and be diligent, for there is much work yet to be done to bring your brothers and sisters whom you and I also love, into my fold."
To study the Bible is the noblest of all pursuits; to understand it, the highest of all goals.We pray that with the guidance of the Holy Spirit, you accomplish both.

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