Alpha and Omega

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From the Rapture to the Second Coming

Revelation 14: Grace Before Judgment

Topical Index

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This chapter continues to tell us about peoples, nations, languages, and kings that will exist during the Tribulation Period. We will learn more about the 144,000 Jewish witnesses, the Tribulation Saints, the city of Jerusalem, and those who take the Mark of the Beast. We will also learn about Armageddon and Babylon.

Preserve and Protect

Revelation 14:1 Then I looked, and there before me was the Lamb, standing on Mount Zion, and with him 144,000 who had his name and his Father's name written on their foreheads.

After having the rise of the Antichrist and the False Prophet revealed to him, John now sees Jesus standing on Mount Zion in Jerusalem, with his 144,000 Jewish witnesses gathered around him. These 144,000 are those believers who will have the name of Jesus and his Father written on their foreheads (Revelation 7:3).

What Others are Saying:

Hal Lindsey: This is a first magnitude miracle, since more than half the earth's population, including many thousands of the evangelists' converts will be wiped out during the horrors of the Tribulation Period. ^14-1

Remember This…

• Jesus will seal the 144,000 Jewish witnesses between the opening of the sixth and seventh seal. After this, when the seventh seal is opened and the seven trumpets sound:
• one-third of the earth and trees will burn up
• one-third of the sea will turn to blood
• one-third of all ships will be destroyed
• one-third of the fresh water will be polluted
• one-third of the light of the sun and moon will be diminished and multitudes will die
• The Antichrist and his False Prophet will slaughter even more multitudes, and cause the Jews to flee from Jerusalem, but none of the dead will include the chosen 144,000. Jesus and his 144,000 will not be afraid to stand in the middle of the city, for he knows how to preserve and protect (Proverbs 2:8) himself and his own.
• The 144,000 will have the name of Jesus and the Father on their foreheads. The followers of the False Prophet will have the name of the Antichrist (Revelation 13:16, 17) on their foreheads.
• Mount Zion was the name of an ancient fortified hill controlled by the Jebusites (2 Samuel 5:6, 7). King David captured the hill and took up residence in the fortress at the top. He then built a city around the fortress which was called by two names:
• the city of David
• Jerusalem (1 Chronicles 11:4-8). Today, Jerusalem is the political and religious capital of Israel.

Key Point

• Jesus knows how to preserve and protect his own.

Heavenly Harps

Revelation 14:2 And I heard a sound from heaven like the roar of rushing waters and like a loud peal of thunder. The sound I heard was like that of harpists playing their harps.

Singing will be heard in heaven for the 144,000 who stand unhurt on Mount Zion. They alone have survived the disasters of the Antichrist and False Prophet.

What Others are Saying:

David Hocking: The idea of people playing harps (Psalm 144:9; 147:7; 149:3; 150:3) in heaven is not foreign to the Bible. ^14-2

You Would Have Had to Been There

Revelation 14:3 And they sang a new song before the throne and before the four living creatures and the elders. No one could learn the song except the 144,000 who had been redeemed from the earth.

The heavenly multitude will sing a new song before the throne of God, the four living creatures, and the twenty-four elders. No one will understand their song except the 144,000.

Often we sing songs without really understanding what the writer went through or is trying to convey. We would have needed to be there to understand what inspired them. The next two verses will give us an idea of the demands placed on the 144,000 that enabled them to understand this new song.

What Others are Saying:

David Hocking: They alone, having experienced deliverance through their suffering and death, are able to sing its praise. ^14-3

True to The End

Revelation 14:4 These are those who did not defile themselves with women, for they kept themselves pure. They follow the Lamb wherever he goes. They were purchased from among men and offered as firstfruits to God and the Lamb.

This is a controversial verse. Some say the 144,000 will be celibate, while others claim they will either not break their marriage vows, or will remain unmarried. Still others believe they will not commit spiritual fornication by worshipping idols and teaching false doctrines. It is difficult to say who is right, but we can be sure of some things:

1. during the Tribulation Period, it will be difficult for these men to be married and be good husbands and fathers
2. they will remain pure in spite of living in a world filled with immorality and spiritual fornication.

They follow the Lamb wherever he goes means they will abide in his presence. They will not stray from the will or teachings of Jesus. They were purchased from among men means they have been bought with the blood of Jesus. Offered as firstfruits to God and the Lamb means they will be the first Jews saved during the Tribulation Period with more fruit to follow.

What Others are Saying:

Tim LaHaye: The Bible does not teach celibacy; in fact, no hint of it is found in Scripture. The Bible everywhere advocates that Christians be holy and virtuous, undefiled by the world. Misuse of sex has always been one of man's greatest problems; infidelity and immorality one of man's greatest temptations. ^14-4
Hal Lindsey: Most Bible commentators agree that the celibacy of these men refers not so much to sexual purity (although this is important) but to separation from spiritual fornication and adultery (James 4:4). ^14-5
J. Vernon McGee: Therefore, the comment, These are they which were not defiled with women for they are virgins (kjv), is probably referring to chastity in both the literal sense and the spiritual sense. And this makes good sense, by the way. ^14-6

Faithful and True

Revelation 14:5 No lie was found in their mouths; they are blameless.

Truthfulness will also characterize the 144,000. They will have nothing to do with the lies of the Antichrist, or the counterfeit doctrines of the False Prophet. They will be faithful to God and clothed in the righteousness of Christ.

Remember This…

• The 144,000

stand with Jesus on Mount Zion they are victorious with Jesus marked on their foreheads the names of Jesus and his Father understand the heavenly new song understand because of their trials kept themselves pure avoid immorality and idolatry follow the Lamb wherever he goes abide in his presence purchased from among men bought with the blood of Jesus offered as firstfruits to God and the Lamb first Jews saved during the Tribulation no lie was found in their mouths faithful and true

Proclaim The Gospel

Revelation 14:6 Then I saw another angel flying in midair, and he had the eternal gospel to proclaim to those who live on the earth—to every nation, tribe, language, and people.

Today, the Church is responsible for the proclamation of the gospel. But that will change after the Rapture. Jesus said, This gospel of the kingdom will be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come (Matthew 24:14). Because the Church will be in heaven, God will use the 144,000 Jews, the two witnesses, and even an angel (Galatians 1:8, 9) to spread his message. He will go to great lengths to give the world one last chance to be saved.

What gospel will the angel preach? The fact that it is called the eternal gospel is indication that it is identical to the gospel the Church preached. Some try to separate the gospel into different categories: the gospel of grace, the gospel of the kingdom, the gospel of judgment, the eternal gospel, Paul's gospel, etc. But all of these are part of the same gospel.

Key Point

• There is only one Gospel.

Key Symbols:

• The First Angel
• proclaims the eternal gospel to all people

Death or Life... That Is The Choice

Revelation 14:7 He said in a loud voice, "Fear God and give him glory, because the hour of his judgment has come. Worship him who made the heavens, the earth, the sea, and the springs of water."

People will have two choices:

1. believe the Antichrist, believe his lie, and worship him
2. fear God (Psalm 111:10; 147:11) alone and give him all the glory. Choosing to follow the Antichrist can only lead to spiritual death, but choosing to follow God will surely lead to spiritual life.

What does it mean to fear God? Satan would have us believe it means to be afraid of God, but that is incorrect. To fear God means to have a holy respect for him, believe he exists, and believe he reigns and will judge all mankind. This kind of fear is the beginning of wisdom and it pleases God.

Babylon The Harlot

Revelation 14:8 A second angel followed and said, "Fallen! Fallen is Babylon the Great, which made all the nations drink the maddening wine of her adulteries."

Babylon is known as the city of Satan because of its long history of idolatry, astrology, witchcraft, and other occult practices. It is the birthplace of many false doctrines (Isaiah 47:9-13) and religions such as goddess worship.

In Acts 2:3 the new believers of Christ were accused of being drunk on new wine, but they were actually being filled with the Holy Spirit. In that chapter wine is a symbol of the Holy Spirit. In this chapter, maddening wine is a reference to demon possession (Luke 8:26-36). Making the nations drink this wine is a reference to Babylon forcing her Satanic-inspired false religion on the world.

The ancient city died out many centuries ago, but during the 1980's and 90's Saddam Hussein poured hundreds of millions of dollars into rebuilding it. ^14-7 The Persian Gulf War eventually slowed him down, but the rebuilt city will become a great center of religion and trade during the Tribulation Period. The False Prophet will locate the headquarters of his false religion there.

In verses 6 and 7, we learned that God will send the first angel of Chapter 14 to proclaim the gospel to all people. That angel will also proclaim the arrival of God's judgment. Then a second angel will declare the fall of Babylon. This is a judgment the Old Testament prophets (Isaiah 13:4-6, 19, 20; Jeremiah 51:7, 25, 26) predicted and it must come to pass. Babylon's fascination with the occult and her spread of a one-world harlot religion will bring a world-class fall.

The word Fallen is repeated twice to mean two separate falls or judgments. The false religious system will fall first when the Antichrist turns on it just after the mid-point of the Tribulation Period. The rebuilt city of Babylon will fall again when it is burned to the ground in one hour near the end of the Tribulation Period (more on this later in Chapter 17).

Key Symbols:

• Second Angel
• declares the fall of Babylon

What Others are Saying:

J. Vernon McGee: I believe the ancient city of Babylon will be rebuilt though not at the same location, and that judgment upon it, which is predicted in the Book of Isaiah, is yet to come. ^14-8
J.H. Melton: Many religious leaders of the present day are very enthusiastic about what they call "Christian unity." Millions of professing Christians are being swept by sentimental appeals into the ecumenical monster, the World Council of Churches, the one-world church. Again and again people are heard to exclaim, "Wouldn't it be wonderful if we just had one great big church?" They will have their one great big church, but it will not be so wonderful. It will be a federation of God-defying, Christ-denying, apostate religious leaders. ^14-9