Blurb on number of beast…
Dave Hunt (RIP)
“In our opinion, nothing else could unite Hindus, Muslims, Jews, Catholics, Protestants, Orthodox, atheists, communists, capitalists and everyone else—except the unspeakable terror caused by the sudden mass disappearance of millions of believers all over the world.
“Where did they go? Who took them? Will I be next?” That hysterical cry will be on everyone’s lips—from cowering individuals to the bewildered United Nations meeting in emergency session. Most terrifying of all will be the question, “How can I escape when whoever took them comes back for more?” Almost no one will believe the biblical Rapture has occurred, because of a “strong delusion” from God (2 Thessalonians 2:10-12).
The pretrib Rapture, uniting the world in a common terror and grief, will offer the perfect opportunity for Satan to put his man into power. With God’s restraint lifted, all of Satan’s power will be unleashed through Antichrist “in signs and lying wonders, and with all deceivableness of unrighteousness” (vv 9-10). Antichrist may claim to be negotiating with an intergalactic council for the return of the missing. Should he promise that those who take his mark in hand or forehead would not be snatched from earth, multitudes would welcome that guarantee.”
Getting us up to speed: We were given an outline of Revelation in chapter one, verse 19, which says,
19 Therefore write the things which you have seen, and the things which are, and the things which will take place after these things.
‘Write the things that you have seen (chapter one), the things that are (chapters 2 and 3) and the things that will occur hereafter (meta taute)’
So we have been in this third division since the beginning of chapter four.
We are also in the last chapter of the long parenthesis of chapters 12 through 14, between the seventh trumpet and the first bowl.
Highlights of Chapter 10 you recall is the little book that was sweet to eat, but bitter in John’s stomach, and the seven thunders
Highlights of Chapter 11 are the measuring of the third temple and the two mysterious witnesses. This finished the gap between the sixth and seventh trumpets and the seventh trumpet was blown. But remember that the presence of God left the temple in Ezekiel 10:3-5, 10:18-19, and 11:23, so building Him a new one doesn’t mean He’ll automatically inhabit it.
[[ *God distanced Himself from that temple in those Ezekiel passages above, though He did so slowly /gradually/ reluctantly. He has never returned. What makes the Jews think He’ll return to a third temple that they build? They had a perfectly beautiful temple back then, so if it was just a matter of having a nice facility for God to show up, then He would have never left. God was far from their hearts though, and He still is. Do they think that just because they slaughter some animals they way it was prescribed in Leviticus and wear the ritual clothing and chant the ritual sayings that God will somehow be obligated to indwell the new temple they build? 1 Samuel 15:22 says, ‘Samuel said, “Does the LORD have as much delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices as in obeying the voice of the LORD? Behold, to obey is better than a sacrifice, And to pay attention is better than the fat of rams.’
I say to believe such is nothing more than the practice of witchcraft. Their efforts are no different than a summoning, an incantation, to receive a powerful, supernatural visitation without a change in their hearts.
This describes the churches of today – often beautiful buildings but God is nowhere near them. Just look across Europe, but in the US as well. God will not indwell a third temple just because they build it for Him because their hearts are far from Him. He never returned to the perfectly fine building they already had in Ezekiel.
But are we any better? 1 Corinthians 6:19 – ‘Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God, and that you are not your own?’
Where are our hearts as His bride? We might look good from the outside, showing up to church, saying the right things, looking righteous but is He really indwelling us? Matthew 23:27 “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you are like whitewashed tombs which on the outside appear beautiful, but inside they are full of dead men’s bones and all uncleanness.
Is Jesus on the outside of our hearts knocking to get in, when He should have been inside all along?
Revelation 3:20 – ‘20 Behold, I stand at the door and knock; if anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and will dine with him, and he with Me.’
Remember from our study on chapter 3 that was a reprimand to the Laodicean church, not an altar call. ‘Is anyone in there? Anyone at all? Come open the door, please. I’m supposed to be communing with you, but you’ve put Me outside.’ (Chuck Missler paraphrase) ]]
Highlights of Chapter 12 are the summary of Israel (the woman in travail) giving birth to a man child who was caught up to God and will rule with a rod of iron, and the red dragon who is there to devour Him.
Highlights of Chapter 13 which we concluded last week are the two beasts – the first from the sea (Antichrist) and one from the land (False Prophet, the third member of the satanic trinity who mimics the Holy Spirit).
Chapter by chapter overview of Revelation – color coded:
Revelation chapter 14 is like a Table of Contents for what is coming later. Again, the tense of ‘prophetic perfect’ is often used that speaks of future events as if they had already taken place, so certain is their prediction.
“The prophetic perfect tense is a literary technique used in the Bible that describes future events that are so certain to happen that they are referred to in the past tense as if they had already happened.” (Wikipedia)
In chapter 14, we will see the Lamb on Mt. Zion with his 144,000 sealed ‘commandos’, then 6 or possibly 7 angels:
- with eternal gospel
- announces the doom of Babylon (ch 17 and 18 and many OT passages)
- announces fury on the Beast worshippers
- A Voice (fourth angel?) that announces to the righteous dead (v.13)
5,6,7 – three other angels that call for the grape harvest. This harvest is for judgement (bloody and climactic – not how we usually think of a harvest of souls) and corresponds with Matthew 24:37-41
37 For the coming of the Son of Man will be just like the days of Noah. 38 For as in those days before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noah entered the ark, 39 and they did not understand until the flood came and took them all away; so will the coming of the Son of Man be. 40 At that time there will be two men in the field; one will be taken (for judgement) and one will be left. 41 Two women will be grinding at the mill; one will be taken (for judgement) and one will be left.
This is not the rapture, but a taking away of people for judgement, just like in the days of Noah (see verse 39). This is critical to our understanding of the Olivet Discourse. Unfortunately, many people get this wrong, even Dave Hunt (who I quoted earlier), and even Chuck Missler. J. Vernon McGee gets it right, so that just illustrates Acts 17:11 that we need to be like the Bereans and ‘search the scriptures’ to see if it is in agreement. And importantly, remember that there will be a whole materially privileged section of society during the Tribulation, just like any socialist ‘utopia’ – the ones at the top live large, while those at the bottom scavenge trash and eat their pets. This is made clear in Revelation 6:5-6
5 When He broke the third seal, I heard the third living creature saying, “Come]!” I looked, and behold, a black horse, and the one who sat on it had a pair of scales in his hand. 6 And I heard something like a voice in the center of the four living creatures saying, “A quart of wheat for a denarius, and three quarts of barley for a denarius; and do not damage the oil and the wine.”
Why spare the oil and the wine, if not for the ruling class, who WILL be living fairly normally if not luxuriously? So Dave Hunt’s contention (in a different article) that no one could possibly be living normally during the Tribulation to make this prophecy accurate about the Tribulation, ignores this fact.
Revelation 14 (NASB) (20 verses)(divide reading into 1-8, 9-16, and 17-20)
The Lamb and the 144,000 on Mount Zion
14 Then I looked, and behold, the Lamb was standing on Mount Zion, and with Him 144,000 who had His name and the name of His Father written on their foreheads. 2 And I heard a voice from heaven, like the sound of many waters and like the sound of loud thunder, and the voice which I heard was like the sound of harpists playing on their harps. 3 And they *sang a new song before the throne and before the four living creatures and the elders; and no one was able to learn the song except the 144,000 who had been purchased from the earth. 4 These are the ones who have not defiled themselves with women, for they are celibate. These are the ones who follow the Lamb wherever He goes. These have been purchased from mankind as first fruits to God and to the Lamb. 5 And no lie was found in their mouths; they are blameless.
Vision of the Angel with the Gospel
6 And I saw another angel flying in midheaven with an eternal gospel to preach to those who live on the earth, and to every nation, tribe, 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; worship Him who made the heaven and the earth, and sea and springs of waters.”
8 And another angel, a second one, followed, saying, “Fallen, fallen is Babylon the great, she who has made all the nations drink of the wine of the passion of her sexual immorality.”
Doom for Worshipers of the Beast
9 Then another angel, a third one, followed them, saying with a loud voice, “If anyone worships the beast and his image, and receives a mark on his forehead or on his hand, 10 he also will drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is mixed in full strength in the cup of His anger; and he will 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; they have no rest day and night, those who worship the beast and his image, and whoever receives the mark of his name.” 12 Here is the perseverance of the saints who keep the commandments of God and their faith in Jesus.
13 And I heard a voice from heaven, saying, “Write: ‘Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord from now on!’” “Yes,” says the Spirit, “so that they may rest from their labors, for their deeds follow with them.”
The Harvest
14 Then I looked, and behold, a white cloud, and sitting on the cloud was 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 out with a loud voice to Him who sat on the cloud, “Put in your sickle and reap, for the hour to reap has come, because the harvest of the earth is ripe.” 16 Then He who sat on the cloud swung His sickle over the earth, and the earth was reaped.
17 And another angel came out of the temple which is in heaven, and he also had a sharp sickle. 18 Then another angel, the one who has power over fire, came out from the altar; and he called with a loud voice to him who had the sharp sickle, saying, “Put in your sharp sickle and gather the clusters from the vine of the earth, because her grapes are ripe.” 19 So the angel swung his sickle to the earth and gathered the clusters from the vine of the earth, and threw them into the great wine press of the wrath of God. 20 And the wine press was trampled outside the city, and blood came out from the wine press, up to the horses’ bridles, for a distance of 1,600 stadia.
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Lots to digest here, as always. Our session today will likely only get us through verse 1, but who knows, we’ll see.
14:1a 14 Then I looked, and behold, the Lamb was standing on Mount Zion,
Where is Mt. Zion, also spelled Sion, in relation to Jerusalem? First, we need to ask, ‘which Mt. Zion?’
(copied from Wikipedia) The three different locations:
The name Mount Zion referred successively to three locations, as Jerusalemites preserved the time-honored name, but shifted the location they venerated as the focal point of biblical Jerusalem to the site considered most appropriate in their own time.
*Lower Eastern Hill (City of David)
At first, Mount Zion was the name given to the Jebusite fortified city on the lower part of ancient Jerusalem’s Eastern Hill, also known as the City of David.
According to the Book of Samuel, Mount Zion was the site of the Jebusite fortress called the “stronghold of Zion” that was conquered by King David, then renamed and partially rebuilt by him as the “City of David”, where he erected his palace.[1]
Upper Eastern Hill (Temple Mount)
Once the First Temple was erected at the top of the Eastern Hill, the name “Mount Zion” migrated there too.
After the conquest of the Jebusite city, its built-up area expanded northward towards the uppermost part of the same, Eastern Hill. This highest part became the site of Solomon’s Temple.
The identification of the pre-Israelite (Jebusite) and Israelite towns on the Eastern Hill is based on the existence of only one perennial water source in the area, the Gihon Spring, and on archaeological excavations revealing sections of the Bronze Age and Iron Age city walls and water systems.
The “Mount Zion” mentioned in the later parts of the Book of Isaiah (Isaiah 60:14), in the Book of Psalms, and the First Book of Maccabees (c. 2nd century BCE; 1 Maccabees 4:36-38) seems to refer to the top of the hill, generally known as the Temple Mount.[1]
Western Hill (today’s Mount Zion)
Natural topography of the old city of Jerusalem and its surroundings
The last shift of the name Mount Zion was to the Western Hill, which is more dominant than the Eastern Hill and seemed to first-century AD Jerusalemites the worthier location for the by-then lost palace of King David. The Western Hill is what today is called Mount Zion.
In the second half of the First Temple period, the city expanded westward and its defensive walls were extended to include the entire Western Hill behind them. Nebuchadnezzar II destroyed the city almost completely around 586 BC, severing the continuity of historical memory. A long period of rebuilding followed, ending with Jerusalem’s second total destruction at the hands of the Romans in 70 AD. Josephus, the first-century AD historian who knew the city as it was before this second catastrophic event, identified Mount Zion as being the Western Hill, separated from the lower, Eastern Hill, by what he calls the “Tyropoeon Valley“. It must however be said that Josephus never used the name “Mount Zion” in any of his writings, but described the “Citadel” of King David as being situated on the higher and longer hill, thus pointing at the Western Hill as what the Bible calls Mount Zion.
*Har Tsiyyon in Hebrew – הַר צִיּוֹ – often synonymous with Jerusalem or all of Israel
Some Biblical references:
2 Kings 19:31 For out of Jerusalem a remnant will go out, and out of Mount Zion those who shall escape. The zeal of Yahweh will perform this.’
Isaiah 4:5 Yahweh will create over the whole habitation of Mount Zion, and over her assemblies, a cloud and smoke by day, and the shining of a flaming fire by night; for over all the glory will be a canopy.
Isaiah 8:18 Behold, I and the children whom Yahweh has given me are for signs and for wonders in Israel from Yahweh of Armies, who dwells in Mount Zion.
Isaiah 10:12 Therefore it will happen that, when the Lord has performed his whole work on Mount Zion and on Jerusalem, I will punish the fruit of the willful proud heart of the king of Assyria, and the insolence of his haughty looks.
Isaiah 18:7 In that time, a present will be brought to Yahweh of Armies from a people tall and smooth, even from a people awesome from their beginning onward, a nation that measures out and treads down, whose land the rivers divide, to the place of the name of Yahweh of Armies, Mount Zion.
Isaiah 24:23 Then the moon shall be confounded, and the sun ashamed; for Yahweh of Armies will reign on Mount Zion, and in Jerusalem; and before his elders will be glory.
Isaiah 29:8 It will be like when a hungry man dreams, and behold, he eats; but he awakes, and his hunger isn’t satisfied; or like when a thirsty man dreams, and behold, he drinks; but he awakes, and behold, he is faint, and he is still thirsty. The multitude of all the nations that fight against Mount Zion will be like that.
Isaiah 31:4 For thus says Yahweh to me, “As the lion and the young lion growling over his prey, if a multitude of shepherds is called together against him, will not be dismayed at their voice, nor abase himself for the noise of them, so Yahweh of Armies will come down to fight on Mount Zion and on its heights. Jeremiah
Isaiah 37:32 For out of Jerusalem a remnant will go forth, and survivors will escape from Mount Zion. The zeal of Yahweh of Armies will perform this.’
Lamentations 5:18 For the mountain of Zion, which is desolate: The foxes walk on it.
Joel 2:32 It will happen that whoever will call on the name of Yahweh shall be saved; for in Mount Zion and in Jerusalem there will be those who escape, as Yahweh has said, and among the remnant, those whom Yahweh calls.
Obadiah 1:17 But in Mount Zion, there will be those who escape, and it will be holy. The house of Jacob will possess their possessions.
Obadiah 1:21 Saviors will go up on Mount Zion to judge the mountains of Esau, and the kingdom will be Yahweh’s.
Micah 4:7 and I will make that which was lame a remnant, and that which was cast far off a strong nation: and Yahweh will reign over them on Mount Zion from then on, even forever.”
Hebrews 12:22 But you have come to Mount Zion, and to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to innumerable multitudes of angels,
Revelation 14:1 I saw, and behold, the Lamb standing on Mount Zion, and with him a number, one hundred forty-four thousand, having his name, and the name of his Father, written on their foreheads.
David captured it from the Jebusites 2 Samuel 5:6-10
6 Now the king and his men went to Jerusalem against the Jebusites, the inhabitants of the land; and they said to David, “You shall not come in here, but even those who are blind and those who limp will turn you away,” thinking, “David cannot enter here.” 7 Nevertheless, David captured the stronghold of Zion, that is, the city of David. 8 And David said on that day, “Whoever strikes the Jebusites is to reach those who limp and those who are blind, who are hated by David’s soul, through the water tunnel.” For that reason they say, “People who are blind and people who limp shall not come into the house.” 9 So David lived in the stronghold, and called it the city of David. And David built all around from the Millo* and inward. 10 David became greater and greater, for the Lord God of armies was with him.
*a terraced structure
Zechariah 12 predicts it to be a cup of trembling and burdensome stone for all the world (as it is today).
Zechariah 12:1-5
12 The pronouncement of the word of the Lord concerning Israel:
The Lord who stretches out the heavens, lays the foundation of the earth, and forms the spirit of a person within him, declares: 2 “Behold, I am going to make Jerusalem a cup that causes staggering to all the peoples around; and when the siege is against Jerusalem, it will also be against Judah. 3 It will come about on that day that I will make Jerusalem a heavy stone for all the peoples; all who lift it will injure themselves severely. And all the nations of the earth will be gathered against it. 4 On that day,” declares the Lord, “I will strike every horse with confusion and its rider with insanity. But I will watch over the house of Judah, while I strike every horse of the peoples with blindness. 5 Then the clans of Judah will say in their hearts, ‘The inhabitants of Jerusalem are a strong support for us through the Lord of armies, their God.’
3b – when did that take place? It hasn’t yet but will three times in the future – first battle of Gog and Magog after the rapture (Ezekiel 38 and 39), battle of Har Megiddo (Armageddon) Revelation 19:15-21, and the second battle of Gog and Magog mentioned in Revelation 20:7-9.
And interestingly, war against God is also prophesied and discussed in Psalm 2:1-6, which is a trialogue among the Trinity:
2 Why are the nations restless
And the peoples plotting in vain?
2 The kings of the earth take their stand
And the rulers conspire together
Against the Lord and against His Anointed, saying,
3 “Let’s tear their shackles apart
And throw their ropes away from us!”
4 He who sits in the heavens laughs,
The Lord scoffs at them.
5 Then He will speak to them in His anger
And terrify them in His fury, saying,
6 “But as for Me, I have installed My King
Upon Zion, My holy mountain.”
*There is a destiny on planet earth for Jesus Christ to rule the entire planet from Mt. Zion (we will delve into OT references when we get to Revelation chapter 20 – FAR more is said about the Millennial Kingdom in the OT than in Revelation 20).
This fact is rarely mentioned from pulpits today, but is emphasized throughout the Psalms –
Psalms 20, 48, 110, 133, 137, 149 and others
Mt. Zion is the focus of Satan’s interest, as Jesus will reign from there, and Satan is jelly. (see Isaiah 14 and Ezekiel 28)
Isaiah 14:13-14
13 But you said in your heart,
‘I will ascend to heaven;
I will raise my throne above the stars of God,
And I will sit on the mount of assembly
In the recesses of the north.
14 I will ascend above the heights of the clouds;
I will make myself like the Most High.’
Dr. Missler states in his commentary on Revelation 14 (from which I borrow heavily for this session), that Islam ignored Mt. Zion for over 1000 years until they realized how important it was to the Jews, THEN it became the 3rd most important site in Islam even though it is not mentioned in the Koran. (see article from ‘American Thinker’ (author is not Missler) below…)
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[[Typically, the Temple Mount is referred to as the “third holiest site” in Islam, behind the holy cities of Mecca and Medina. Sometimes, that formulation is balanced by reference to the Mount’s status as Judaism’s holiest site (and also of immense importance to Christians), sometimes not at all, and sometimes with bogus formulations like CNN’s “one of the holiest sites in Judaism and Islam.”
But just how “holy” is the Temple Mount to Muslims historically? The answer is that its “third holiest” status is more a matter of political calculation and circumstance than an accurate statement of theology.
Today, in the highly charged contest between Arabs and Israelis over the land of Israel, it behooves the Arab/Islamic side to maximize the “historic status” of “Palestine” to the Islamic world. The usual basis asserted by Muslims for the claim of Jerusalem as the religion’s tertiary sacred city is the Quran’s account of Mohammed’s night journey, during which Allah allowed Islam’s prophet to visit heaven. Mohammed’s ascension, according to the Quran, occurred from Islam’s “furthest precinct.” Perhaps that was a location known to Mohammed’s followers nearly 1,500 years ago, but it has been lost to actual history. Today, Muslims claim the reference is to Jerusalem, and specifically to the site of the Dome of the Rock.
In fact, the reference to the “furthest precinct” almost certainly did not mean Jerusalem, which seems not to have figured at all in Mohammed’s limited and provincial knowledge of Jewish and Christian tradition. This limitation is well-known, as any objective reader of the Quran can attest, and a limitation that quickly soured relations between the fledgling Muslim community and established Jewish and Christian populations in Medina (after Mohammed’s flight to that city in 622). It is quite likely, in fact, that Mohammed did not even know of Jerusalem – at least there is no positive historical evidence that he did.
Jerusalem’s actual arrival in Islamic history would have to await the great Arab conquests that occurred after Mohammed’s death under the first caliphs. Jerusalem fell early in the violent and remarkably successful military campaigns that erupted from Arabia, its Byzantine defenders weakened from centuries of conflict with the rival Sassanid Empire of Persia (which was itself enfeebled by the same conflict).
Islam’s second and arguably greatest caliph, Umar, arrived in Jerusalem in 637 at the head of powerful Arab armies, far from the Arab authorities in Mecca and Medina that controlled Islam’s central pilgrimage site, the Ka’aba, and Mohammed’s burial place in Medina. It wasn’t long before Umar found himself in active dispute with the local rulers of Islam’s holiest sites, a dispute that threatened Umar’s hold over the rapidly expanding Muslim-Arab umma (community of the faithful). A shrewd and resourceful leader, Umar quickly saw the value of Jerusalem as a counter-weight to the Muslim authorities in Mecca and Medina. The city was clearly important to local Christians and Jews (to whom according to Islamic tradition Umar was tolerant). Meanwhile, Islam itself was still in an early stage of development, with the Quran not yet in final written form.
The holiest site in Jerusalem, at least according to the city’s Jews, was the Temple Mount, which in this period was mostly a rubble-strewn remnant of Israel’s Second Temple, destroyed by the Romans in the 1st century. Arising from this rubble were both foundation stones from the temple itself and the bedrock upon which it had been originally constructed. According to local legend, one of these stony outcroppings was the very stone upon which Abraham almost sacrificed Isaac, as recounted in the Old Testament.
Abraham is well-represented in the Quran, perhaps the most favorably among the forgoing Jewish and Christian prophets of Allah (e.g., Jesus, Moses, Daniel, and so on, all of whom, according to the Quran, were Muslims) before the arrival of Mohammed (the “Seal of the Prophets”). Umar, scholarly as well as politically and militarily astute, was certainly acquainted with the Old Testament biblical story of Isaac’s near sacrifice and Abraham’s status in Islam.
Umar saw an opportunity to kill several problematic birds with a single well-placed stone, by building an Islamic shrine over the rocky outcrop on the Temple Mount. The Dome of the Rock (which was begun under Umar but finished decades later) became the first example of monumental Islamic architecture (its form borrowed from the Byzantines, but now largely associated with Islam). Its location in Jerusalem, a city holy to Christians and Jews, but until that time essentially meaningless to Muslims, established for all to see the new Islamic suzerainty over the Levant, while also tying to the dynamic new religion to Jewish and Christian roots, thus helping to bolster its legitimacy in the eyes of recently conquered populations.
The new myth of Mohammed’s ascension from the Rock was invented by one of Umar’s close associates (a Jewish rabbi recently converted to Islam). This story neatly closed the questionable theological circle. Finally, the establishment of a shrine containing a “holy rock” was a direct challenge to Umar’s rivals in Mecca, the guardians of the pagan “holy stone” of Islam. That bowling ball-sized rock resides in the Ka’aba, Islam’s holiest shrine, and helped in its own way to legitimize the new religion among Arabia’s pagan Arabs. Now the Dome of the Rock would do the same thing for Islam’s new dominions, and perhaps even supplant the Mecca if the authorities there refused to come to heel.
In this very practical if cynical manner did Jerusalem become “Islam’s third holiest site.” Umar won his contest with the Meccan authorities (though was later murdered by other rivals), and Jerusalem quickly sank back into relative obscurity within Islam. Damascus and then Bagdad became the central cities respectively of the two great Arab dynasties (the Umayyad and Abbasid). In the following centuries there are many accounts extolling the glories of these cities to dar al Islam, while Jerusalem became a backwater. Only with the Crusades did Jerusalem regain status and importance within the Islamic world, again to be discarded as a significant sacred site until the Zionist movement once again centered Arab/Islamic attention on the city.
Thus, Jerusalem is important to Arabs and Islam only in direct proportion to its importance to Christians and Jews. Were it not for Jewish interest in what is legitimately their holiest site, Muslims would hardly notice the city, as was the case for centuries before and after the Crusades. That the mostly Christian West elevates this cynical game of power politics to the level of holy status, co-equal or superior to Jewish (and even Christian) concerns, is but another example of the growing tendency toward subservient dhimmi status regarding Islam in the West. Which is of course is largely what Umar had in mind when he set out to build the Dome of the Rock in the first place.
http://www.americanthinker.com/articles/2014/11/how_jerusalem_became_islams_third_holiest_city.html ]]
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Revelation 14:1b and with Him 144,000 who had His name and the name of His Father written on their foreheads.
Note how many there are – not 143,999. Not one was lost. When were they sealed? Back in chapter 7.
Revelation 7:3-8
3 saying, “Do not harm the earth, or the sea, or the trees until we have sealed the bond-servants of our God on their foreheads.”
4 And I heard the number of those who were sealed: 144,000, sealed from every tribe of the sons of Israel:
5 from the tribe of Judah, twelve thousand were sealed, from the tribe of Reuben twelve thousand, from the tribe of Gad twelve thousand, 6 from the tribe of Asher twelve thousand, from the tribe of Naphtali twelve thousand, from the tribe of Manasseh twelve thousand, 7 from the tribe of Simeon twelve thousand, from the tribe of Levi twelve thousand, from the tribe of Issachar twelve thousand, 8 from the tribe of Zebulun twelve thousand, from the tribe of Joseph twelve thousand, and from the tribe of Benjamin, twelve thousand were sealed.
This echoes what Jesus prayed in John 17:12
12 While I was with them, I was keeping them in Your name, which You have given Me; and I guarded them, and not one of them perished except the son of destruction, so that the Scripture would be fulfilled.
Back in Genesis 7 how many people boarded the ark? (8) How many perished in the flood? (zero)
Back in Daniel 3, how many were thrown into the fire? (3) How many perished? (zero).
Where was Daniel? Not there. Possibly on a mission for the king. Perhaps the people took advantage of his absence to trap his friends.
As a Biblical model, if Nebuchadnezzar is a type or foreshadowing of the AC, the fiery furnace is a type of the Tribulation, the three Jewish men Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego (actually Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah) could represent the 144,000, who might Daniel represent then? Who is not present at this point in the text of Revelation? The Church of course.
Now consider this – John is seeing the 144,000 with Jesus on Mt. Zion (in this overview / Table of Contents that is chapter 14). But isn’t this supposed to take place in heaven? Sure – look at verse 3 –
And they *sang a new song before the throne and before the four living creatures and the elders; and no one was able to learn the song except the 144,000 who had been purchased from the earth.
Okay, so they are BOTH standing on Mt. Zion AND in heaven apparently. So there is an interdimensionality at play here.
*We often think of heaven as being remote, ethereal, but what if it is all around us right now in some sense, but invisible?
This recalls when Elijah asked God to open the eyes of his assistant in 2 Kings 6:14-17
14 So he sent horses and chariots and a substantial army there, and they came by night and surrounded the city.
15 Now when the attendant of the man of God had risen early and gone out, behold, an army with horses and chariots was circling the city. And his servant said to him, “This is hopeless, my master! What are we to do?” 16 And he said, “Do not be afraid, for those who are with us are greater than those who are with them.” 17 Then Elisha prayed and said, “Lord, please, open his eyes so that he may see.” And the Lord opened the servant’s eyes, and he saw; and behold, the mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha.
I do not believe they were killed, as many prophecy writers seem to think. They were sealed but I wonder if they were transported there by angels as described in –
Matthew 24:30-31
30 And then the sign of the Son of Man will appear in the sky, and then all the tribes of the earth will mourn, and they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of the sky with power and great glory. 31 And He will send forth His angels with a great trumpet blast, and they will gather together His elect from the four winds, from one end of the sky to the other.
Again, many people confuse this with the Rapture too. This is not the church here at the end of the Tribulation, which is what clearly Jesus is talking about here.
*These 144,000 have been sent as witnesses throughout the whole earth – not just Israel and now God is calling them back from their various locations to Mt. Zion.
From GotQuestions.org…
These 144,000 Jews are “sealed,” which means they have the special protection of God. They are kept safe from the divine judgments and from the wrath of the Antichrist. They can freely perform their mission during the tribulation. It had been previously prophesied that Israel would repent and turn back to God (Zechariah 12:10; Romans 11:25–27), and the 144,000 Jews seem to be a sort of “first fruits” (Revelation 14:4) of that redeemed Israel. Their mission seems to be to evangelize the post-rapture world and proclaim the gospel during the tribulation period. As a result of their ministry, millions—“a great multitude that no one could count, from every nation, tribe, people and language” (Revelation 7:9)—will come to faith in Christ.
If they were just preaching to Israel it could not be said that their harvest was a ‘great multitude that no one could count, from every nation and people,’ etc. as it says in Revelation 7:9
Clearly they are not just sent to evangelize Israel
Revelation 14:1b cont’d
…They had ‘His name AND the name of His Father on their foreheads’
Phylacteries in the OT – from ‘GotQuestions.org’…
Phylacteries, sometimes called tefillin, are small, square leather boxes containing portions of Scripture worn by Conservative and Orthodox Jews during prayer services. Phylacteries are worn in pairs—one phylactery is strapped on the left arm, and one is strapped to the forehead of Jewish men during weekday morning prayers. The word phylactery comes from a Greek word meaning “safeguard, protection, or amulet.”
The phylactery strapped to the arm is called the shel yad and has only one compartment; the one on the forehead, containing four compartments, is called the shel rosh. The letter shin (ש) is printed on either side of the head phylactery. Various rules govern the length and width of the connecting straps, the tying of the knots to secure the phylacteries, and the color of the boxes (black). Inside each phylactery are four passages from the Old Testament: Exodus 13:1–10, 11–16; Deuteronomy 6:4–9; 11:13–21. The verses must be written in black ink on parchment specially prepared for this purpose, using the skin of a clean animal. Other rules specify the type of writing instrument to be used, the number of printed lines devoted to each verse, the arrangement of the pieces of parchment within each compartment, etc.
The wearing of phylacteries is based on some commands in Deuteronomy. Israel was told to love God and keep His commandments. In fact, they were to “tie [the commandments] as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads” (Deuteronomy 6:8). Later, God tells them, “Fix these words of mine in your hearts and minds; tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads” (Deuteronomy 11:18). We take the wording of these commands to be figurative: whatever we do (with the hand) and whatever we think (with the head) is to be guided by the authority of God’s Word. But, at some point—possibly as early as the fourth century BC—the Jewish rabbis began applying this verse literally, and the practice of tying phylacteries onto their arms and heads commenced.
Revelation 14:2
2 And I heard a voice from heaven, like the sound of many waters and like the sound of loud thunder, and the voice which I heard was like the sound of harpists playing on their harps.
Anyone been to Niagara Falls?
Or the beach and heard the waves coming in and going out?
We’ve all heard loud thunder of course.
Voice that was like harpists playing on their harps. (Electric guitars?)
So the voice is like ocean waves, thunder and harps all at the same time. I know of no worthy analogy.
Revelation 1:15
15 His feet were like burnished bronze when it has been heated to a glow in a furnace, and His voice was like the sound of many waters.
Ezekiel 43:1-2
43 Then he led me to the gate, the gate facing east; 2 and behold, the glory of the God of Israel was coming from the way of the east. And His voice was like the sound of many waters; and the earth shone from His glory.
Revelation 19:5-6
5 And a voice came from the throne, saying,
“Give praise to our God, all you His bond-servants, you who fear Him, the small and the great.” 6 Then I heard something like the voice of a great multitude and like the sound of many waters, and like the sound of mighty peals of thunder, saying,
“Hallelujah! For the Lord our God, the Almighty, reigns.
*(I hope it doesn’t sound like someone gargling – that would be hard to get used to.)
Revelation 14:3
3 And they sang a new song before the throne and before the four living creatures and the elders; and no one was able to learn the song except the 144,000 who had been purchased from the earth.
14:3a *We just touched on this to explain that the 144,000 were seemingly BOTH in heaven and on Mt. Zion simultaneously.
*This verse recalls Revelation chapter 4:2,4-6 which describes a heavenly scene…
2 Immediately I was in the Spirit; and behold, a throne was standing in heaven, and someone was sitting on the throne. (3 And He who was sitting was like a jasper stone and a sardius in appearance; and there was a rainbow around the throne, like an emerald in appearance.) 4 Around the throne were twenty-four thrones; and upon the thrones I saw twenty-four elders sitting, clothed in white garments, and golden crowns on their heads.
5 Out from the throne *came flashes of lightning and sounds and peals of thunder. And there were seven lamps of fire burning before the throne, which are the seven spirits of God; 6 and before the throne there was something like a sea of glass, like crystal; and in the center and around the throne, four living creatures full of eyes in front and behind.
*And also recalls Revelation 7:11
11 And all the angels were standing around the throne and around the elders and the four living creatures; and they fell on their faces before the throne and worshiped God,…
14:3b – (and no one was able to learn the song except the 144,000 who had been purchased from the earth.)
Special song privileges – the Tribulation Saints have a song they sing in 15:2-4 – this is not a song for the church, but for those ‘who were victorious over the beast and his image and the number of his name,’
So the 144,000 have a special song only they know the words to, the Trib martyrs have the song of Moses and the Lamb,
So does the church have a song? Probably, but if we are represented by the 24 elders (review the notes from chapter 4 if you want more info on why it seems the 24 elders represent the Church), then we at least have something we say…
Revelation 4:10-11
10 the twenty-four elders will fall down before Him who sits on the throne, and they will worship Him who lives forever and ever, and will cast their crowns before the throne, saying,
11 “Worthy are You, our Lord and our God, to receive glory and honor and power; for You created all things, and because of Your will they existed, and were created.”
From Bible.org…
‘Chapter 14 completes the drama started in chapter 7. In chapter 7 this whole company of God’s people are sealed (7:1-8), readied for the satanic onslaught, and then a company of those they undoubtedly led to Christ are seen as martyred saints in heaven serving before the throne of God (7:9ff). But here in chapter 14, the whole body of the 144,000 are with the Lamb as victors in the earthly eschatological kingdom. The main emphasis is that here we see these still intact after the days of horrible Tribulation; they are preserved and standing triumphantly with the Lord on Mount Zion in the Millennium.’
Another quick thought on chapter 14 verse 1 – ‘Then I looked, and behold, the Lamb was standing on Mount Zion,…’
This recalls Acts 7:54 -57
54 Now when they heard this, they were infuriated, and they began gnashing their teeth at him. 55 But he, being full of the Holy Spirit, looked intently into heaven and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing at the right hand of God; 56 and he said, “Behold, I see the heavens opened and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God.” 57 But they shouted with loud voices, and covered their ears and rushed at him with one mind.
*These descriptions of Jesus standing are inspiring – they seem to show He is a man/God of action – standing tense and ready for action, not lazily watching the clouds sail by.
I like to think if we get martyred we might have the same experience. Jesus Christ died lonely and alone, but His people may not have to…
Matthew 27:46 (and Psalm 22:1)
‘My God, My God, why have you forsaken Me?’
46 And about the ninth hour Jesus cried out with a loud voice, saying, “Eli, Eli, lema sabaktanei?” that is, “My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?”
Revelation 14:4 -7
4 These are the ones who have not defiled themselves with women, for they are celibate. These are the ones who follow the Lamb wherever He goes. These have been purchased from mankind as first fruits to God and to the Lamb. 5 And no lie was found in their mouths; they are blameless.
Vision of the Angel with the Gospel
6 And I saw another angel flying in midheaven with an eternal gospel to preach to those who live on the earth, and to every nation, tribe, 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; worship Him who made the heaven and the earth, and sea and springs of waters.”
14:4a These are the ones who have not defiled themselves with women, for they are celibate.
Virgins – likely literal (Jeremiah was forbidden to marry and Paul said if you can manage being single, stay single – 1 Corinthians 7:8 – 8 But I say to the unmarried and to the widows: It is good for them if they remain even as I am; 9 but if they cannot exercise self-control, let them marry. For it is better to marry than to burn with passion. )
It would certainly aid in their mobility as missionaries and less leverage for an enemy taking a wife hostage (no wife = no children for these guys either). Jesus never married despite with Dan Brown wrote in The DaVinci Code.
But likely also symbolic – they did not defile themselves with the harlot world religion of Revelation 17 – an amalgamation of faiths that the AC will use to bring the people together, then declare himself the true object of worship, and turning on the harlot leaders. She is depicted in Revelation 17 as a woman riding the beast – we will soon explore the whole chapter and elaborate.
Revelation 17:15 – 16
15 And he *said to me, “The waters which you saw where the prostitute sits are peoples and multitudes, and nations and languages. 16 And the ten horns which you saw, and the beast, these will hate the prostitute and will make her desolate and naked, and will eat her flesh and will burn her up with fire.
14:4b These are the ones who follow the Lamb wherever He goes. These have been purchased from mankind as first fruits to God and to the Lamb.
Concept of first fruits in scripture – class discussion /opinions
Firstfruits [S] (from biblestudytools.com)
(Heb. resit [tyivaer]; Gk. aparche [ajparchv]). The concept of firstfruits derives from God’s creation work. Because God created everything that exists, all of creation belongs to Him ( Psalm 24:1 ). Consequently, that which is first and best belongs to Him and is to be given to Him.
Because of God’s creative power and ownership of all, the Bible instructs believers to give God the best of the animal sacrifices (see Lev. 1-5). The land is also viewed as a gift from God and the best of it, its “firstfruits, ” is to be given to Him — crops ( Exodus 23:16 Exodus 23:19 ), the wheat harvest ( Exod 34:22 ; Lev 2:14 ; 23:20 ), olive oil ( Num 18:12 ; Deut 18:4 ), the finest new wine ( Num 18:12 ; Deut 18:4 ), honey ( 2 Chron 31:5 ), sheep wool ( Deut 18:4 ), and fruit ( Neh 10:35 ). The Old Testament makes it clear that everything that God’s people have is to be viewed as from God and gained through his providence ( Psalm 50:10 ).
Believers are the “firstfruits” of God” a kind of firstfruits of all he created” ( Jas 1:18 ). Spiritual “firstfruits” may be the first converts in an area ( Rom 16:5 ). As “firstfruits” believers are a testimony to God’s power in salvation. They are His first born, redeemed by Christ’s blood. In their holy standing, believers are God’s firstfruits” holy to the Lord, the firstfruits of his harvest” ( Jer 2:3 ). God’s people are therefore to present themselves as holy firstfruits to God, as “living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God” ( Rom 12:1 ). In having the “firstfruits of the Spirit, ” the work of the Spirit in effecting the present redemption of their souls, believers are given the guarantee that they will have the future redemption of their bodies at the second coming of Christ ( Rom 8:23 ).
In 1 Corinthians 15:20, 23, Paul teaches that Christ in his bodily resurrection is the “firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep.” As such, he is the guarantee that all those who belong to Him will be raised from the dead at his second coming. In the natural world, the first sheaf of the crop was to be brought to God ( Leviticus 23:10 Leviticus 23:11 Leviticus 23:17 ) as a guarantee that the rest of the harvest was coming. So it is in God’s redemption harvest. First, Christ the “firstfruits” has triumphed in his resurrection; then, the rest of his “crop, ” the redeemed, will be raised triumphantly at his second coming ( 1 Cor 15:23 ).
In light of this, God’s people, as his “firstfruits, ” are to have a sanctifying effect on others ( 1 Cor 5:6-7 ), just as Abraham and the patriarchs had a sanctifying effect on disobedient Israel ( Rom 11:14-16 ). Believers are to be true followers of the Lamb, just as the saints in the second coming, who are described as holy in life, “purchased from among men and offered as firstfruits to God and to the Lamb” ( Rev 14:4 ).
14:5 And no lie was found in their mouths; they are blameless.
A contrast to the AC (2 Thessalonians 2:9-12 (NKJV)
9 The coming of the lawless one is according to the working of Satan, with all power, signs, and lying wonders, 10 and with all unrighteous deception among those who perish, because they did not receive the love of the truth, that they might be saved. 11 And for this reason God will send them strong delusion, that they should believe the lie, 12 that they all may be condemned who did not believe the truth but had pleasure in unrighteousness.
Romans 1:24-25 (NKJV)
24 Therefore God also gave them up to uncleanness, in the lusts of their hearts, to dishonor their bodies among themselves, 25 who exchanged the truth of God for the lie, and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever. Amen.
We will talk more when we get to Revelation 21:7-9 in which, ‘all liars’ are excluded from the holy city, and examples of liars throughout the Bible (Abraham, Jacob, David, Rahab, Peter, etc.) and what God must mean by ‘liars being excluded’.
7 The one who overcomes will inherit these things, and I will be his God and he will be My son. 8 But for the cowardly, and unbelieving, and abominable, and murderers, and sexually immoral persons, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, their part will be in the lake that burns with fire and brimstone, which is the second death.”
14:6 And I saw another angel flying in midheaven with an eternal gospel to preach to those who live on the earth, and to every nation, tribe, language, and people;
**This is the fulfillment of what Jesus prophesied in Matthew 24:14
14 This gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all the nations, and then the end will come.
3 ways this prophecy by Jesus will be fulfilled after the harpazo;
- The Two Witnesses of Revelation chapter 11,
- The 144,000 sealed virgins of Revelation chapters 7 and 14,
- The angel of chapter 14 preaching the eternal gospel
Some believe that Matthew 24:14 means that Jesus cannot come back until the whole world has been evangelized by humans (pretentious dude from college). They haven’t read the book of Revelation apparently. Now it SHOULD be our goal to take as many with us as we can during the harpazo, but the Rapture is not predicated on our evangelization of the world. The Second Coming is what is in view here in Matthew 24, and the gospel will be preached to the whole world by these three groups prior.
14:7a 7 and he said with a loud voice, “Fear God and give Him glory, because the hour of His judgment has come
Isaiah 61:1-2a
61 The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me,
Because the Lord anointed me
To bring good news to the humble;
He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted,
To proclaim release to captives
And freedom to prisoners;
2 To proclaim the favorable year of the Lord
(And the day of vengeance of our God;)
and Luke 4:16-21
16 And He came to Nazareth, where He had been brought up; and as was His custom, He entered the synagogue on the Sabbath, and stood up to read. 17 And the scroll of Isaiah the prophet was handed to Him. And He unrolled the scroll and found the place where it was written:
18 “The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me,
Because He anointed Me to bring good news to the poor.
He has sent Me to proclaim release to captives,
And recovery of sight to the blind,
To set free those who are oppressed,
19 To proclaim the favorable year of the Lord.”
20 And He rolled up the scroll, gave it back to the attendant, and sat down; and the eyes of all the people in the synagogue were intently directed at Him. 21 Now He began to say to them, “Today this Scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing.”
Note where He stopped in the Luke passage. What did He leave out?
‘He came like a Lamb the first time, but is coming like a Lion the second time’.
14:7a 7 and he said with a loud voice, “Fear God and give Him glory, because the hour of His judgment has come
Some people believe only the bowl judgements are truly God’s wrath and the rest is Satan’s wrath. But all the Tribulation is God’s judgement. Remember, only Jesus could open the seals on the scroll in Revelation chapters 5 then 6 – all of the seal judgements therefore were God’s wrath. In fact, the passage ends in Revelation 6:16 with…
16 and they *said to the mountains and the rocks, “Fall on us and hide us from the sight of Him who sits on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb; 17 for the great day of Their wrath has come, and who is able to stand?”
I say this to counter the ‘pre-wrath’ rapture folks who believe the Rapture will occur before the point they think God’s wrath begins in Revelation chapter 7 (the trumpet judgements). ‘The Church is not appointed to wrath’ (1 Thessalonians 5:9)
(9 For God has not destined us for wrath, but for obtaining salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ,)
From the ‘big notes’ from 2019…
“According to the pre-wrath view, believers go through most of the tribulation but not the time of God’s wrath just before the end of the tribulation (Matthew 24:21). The church will endure Satan’s fury and man’s persecution, but will be spared God’s wrath. Before God pours out His final judgment on the world, the church will be caught up to heaven.
The pre-wrath rapture theory views the trumpet and the bowl judgments (Revelation 7–16) as the wrath of God, from which the church is exempted (1 Thessalonians 5:9).”
14:7b worship Him who made the heaven and the earth, and sea and springs of waters.”
This emphasizes how important it is for us to remember and recognize God as the Creator. In fact, one of Satan’s most effective propaganda techniques has been the religion of evolution via beneficial mutations.
Like that skeleton in anatomy class – it’s just a jumble of bones until you hang it by the skull, then it all falls into place and makes sense. In the same way, our philosophy and theology are just jumbles of half remembered verses, half remembered Sunday School stories and sermons barely recalled until we stop and put the first things first – revisit the foundation of our faith – Genesis 1:1.
Romans 1 again addresses this –
Romans 1:18-23 and 24-32
18 For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of people who suppress the truth in unrighteousness, 19 because that which is known about God is evident within them; for God made it evident to them. 20 For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes, that is, His eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, being understood by what has been made, so that they are without excuse. 21 For even though they knew God, they did not honor Him as God or give thanks, but they became futile in their reasonings, and their senseless hearts were darkened. 22 Claiming to be wise, they became fools, 23 and they exchanged the glory of the incorruptible God for an image in the form of corruptible mankind, of birds, four-footed animals, and crawling creatures.
(That describes the religion of Darwinism today – try to talk bad about Darwin and see if you don’t get marginalized by the scientific community. The scientists see themselves as high priests in the religion that is science and Darwinism is a foundational principle.)
So what is their punishment?
24 Therefore God gave them up to vile impurity in the lusts of their hearts, so that their bodies would be dishonored among them. 25 For they exchanged the truth of God for falsehood, and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever. Amen.
26 For this reason God gave them over to degrading passions; for their women exchanged natural relations for that which is contrary to nature, 27 and likewise the men, too, abandoned natural relations with women and burned in their desire toward one another, males with males committing shameful acts and receiving in their own persons the due penalty of their error.
28 And just as they did not see fit to acknowledge God, God gave them up to a depraved mind, to do those things that are not proper, 29 people having been filled with all unrighteousness, wickedness, greed, and evil; full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, and malice; they are gossips, 30 slanderers, haters of God, insolent, arrogant, boastful, inventors of evil, disobedient to parents, 31 without understanding, untrustworthy, unfeeling, and unmerciful; 32 and although they know the ordinance of God, that those who practice such things are worthy of death, they not only do the same, but also approve of those who practice them.
Look at the list of things that stem from not acknowledging God as the Creator!!
And note that Paul does not appeal to the book of Leviticus to make his argument here – these were not Jews and didn’t care one whit about the Tanakh. He appealed to nature instead. He brought the argument to them, where they were, and didn’t try to make them Jews first. We have to do the same when we talk to unbelievers. Another great example of this technique is when he went the temple of ‘an unknown God’ and argued that YHWH was that God. You may have to use an Islamic based argument to witness to Muslims for instance. Don’t try to use the Bible to convince and atheist for instance.
*Genesis 1:1 is foundational not just for our interpretation of science, but our morality as well.
*Summary of high points of last week:
Babylon is spoken of frequently in scripture as a kind of HQ for the enemy whereas Jerusalem is considered God’s HQ. Babylon represents the world systems led by Satan and immersed in fleshly desires that are opposed to God. We will discuss it in detail when we focus on Revelation 17 and 18.
An early work by Alexander Hislop ‘The Two Babylons: Or the Papal Worship Proved to be the Worship of Nimrod and His Wife’, has been considered doctrine by most theologians, but is poorly researched and very flawed.
Sadly, even the teacher I hold in highest regard took it as gospel, which serves an important lesson – Bible teachers are flawed humans – don’t venerate any of them. I differ with Chuck Missler on several things, including his interpretation of part of the Olivet Discourse and the need for Biblical apologetics, as well as his blind support and acceptance of Alexander Hislop’s work.
I recommend Joel Richardson’s book, ‘Mystery Babylon’ and would like everyone to read it, especially the first 2/3. But even with him, I part ways when he seems certain of Islam’s role in the Tribulation and other end times events, as I think Islam will be decimated after the Ezekiel 38 and 39 war that decimates the Persian (northern Iran) armies and the Jeremiah 49:34-39 judgement on Elam (southern Iran).
So, Bible teachers can be wrong. But beware, if you ever have an arrogant, egotistical Bible teacher who is insistent that he or she is always right and bristles condescendingly when you disagree, I say you don’t have a teacher, you have an aspiring cult leader. (In my opinion, Michael Heiser fit that bill).
Revelation 14:9-11
9 Then another angel, a third one, followed them, saying with a loud voice, “If anyone worships the beast and his image, and receives a mark on his forehead or on his hand, 10 he also will drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is mixed in full strength in the cup of His anger; and he will 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; they have no rest day and night, those who worship the beast and his image, and whoever receives the mark of his name.”
mixed in full strength – undiluted, no mercy unlike other times in the Bible where God’s judgement has been meted out with a splash of mercy – Cain’s punishment for instance.
Again – does the ‘mark’ change one’s DNA to that of transhuman, rendering one ineligible for salvation? Why else would the angel declare that anyone who receives it can not repent of it, like with other sins?
Tormented in the presence of who? Not the Church or the Tribulation Saints, or the 144,000 – in fact, no humans at all other than Jesus. Must be too difficult to watch.
Remember the promise to the human inhabitants of heaven in Revelation 21:4…
4 and He will wipe away every tear from their eyes; and there will no longer be any death; there will no longer be any mourning, or crying, or pain; the first things have passed away.”
I suppose He would not be able to say this if we were to be able to witness our lost friends and family ‘tormented with fire and brimstone… And the smoke of their torment ascends forever and ever; they have no rest day and night’
Their punishment will be a private affair apparently between them and the Trinity who they denied in this life and the angels.
Ignorance is bliss for us.
But I wonder if one of Satan’s tactics when he is released after his 1000 years of imprisonment that he uses to bring much of the whole world against God, will be to bring a report about the suffering of people that we were not allowed to observe, and convince the extant humans of the time how unfair it is.
———————–As far as we got in class last time——————————————-
Revelation 14:12
12 Here is the perseverance of the saints who keep the commandments of God and their faith in Jesus.
Two broad ways people have interpreted this verse.
- 1. Ryrie commentary – “Saints will be able to endure, knowing that God will punish their enemies.” Similar footnote on Revelation 13:10.
Cf 2 Thessalonians 1:6-9
6For after all it is only right for God to repay with affliction those who afflict you, 7 and to give relief to you who are afflicted, along with us, when the Lord Jesus will be revealed from heaven with His mighty angels 8 in flaming fire, dealing out retribution to those who do not know God, and to those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus. 9 These people will pay the penalty of eternal destruction, away from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of His power…
This is also reminiscent of David’s ‘godfather’ moment when handing the reins to Solomon, concerning Shimei, a man who had yelled curses at him once (cf 1 Kings 2:8-9 and 2:36-46)
- 2. As one of the verses that are used to bolster the contention that the Holy Spirit does not interact with people as He did during the church age, that He interacts from the outside in like He did during the OT, not the inside out, like He does during the Church Age.
It certainly means that those who want to be saved DO NOT take the mark – that is given. And then they must strongly and stubbornly continue to resist leading them having to escape and hide, or being martyred.
Other passages that some take to indicate the Holy Spirit does not indwell believers during the Tribulation include Revelation 12:11
11 And they overcame him because of the blood of the Lamb and because of the word of their testimony, and they did not love their life even when faced with death.
And Matthew 25:1-13 where ‘oil’ is representative of the Holy Spirit, as it is elsewhere in scripture:
25 “Then the kingdom of heaven will be comparable to ten virgins, who took their lamps and went out to meet the groom. 2 Five of them were foolish, and five were prudent. 3 For when the foolish took their lamps, they did not take extra oil with them; 4 but the prudent ones took oil in flasks with their lamps. 5 Now while the groom was delaying, they all became drowsy and began to sleep. 6 But at midnight there finally was a shout: ‘Behold, the groom! Come out to meet him.’ 7 Then all those virgins got up and trimmed their lamps. 8 But the foolish virgins said to the prudent ones, ‘Give us some of your oil, because our lamps are going out.’ 9 However, the prudent ones answered, ‘No, there most certainly would not be enough for us and you too; go instead to the merchants and buy some for yourselves.’ 10 But while they were on their way to buy the oil, the groom came, and those who were ready went in with him to the wedding feast; and the door was shut. 11 Yet later, the other virgins also came, saying, ‘Lord, lord, open up for us.’ 12 But he answered, ‘Truly I say to you, I do not know you.’ 13 Be on the alert then, because you do not know the day nor the hour.
And Matthew 24:13
13 But the one who endures to the end is the one who will be saved.
I’m not saying for certain, just that the argument can be made with scriptural support, that during the Tribulation, the Holy Spirit will interact with humans as He did during the OT. But it won’t matter to us, thank God.
J.V.McGee comments on this verse: ‘All that God’s own can do during this period is to be patient and wait for the coming of Christ…All they can do is wait out the storm, and that is what they will do during the Great Tribulation.’
Revelation 14:13
13 And I heard a voice from heaven, saying, “Write: ‘Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord from now on!’” “Yes,” says the Spirit, “so that they may rest from their labors, for their deeds follow with them.”
This is Beatitude #2 in Revelation (#1 was in 1:3)
Why do you think this would be important for those left on earth to know? The same reason Paul wrote 2 Thessalonians.
After receiving 1 Thessalonians, the believers of that day feared they had missed the rapture. Paul reassures them that no, before the Day of the Lord (the Tribulation), the Antichrist will first be revealed and that hasn’t happened yet, so rest easy.
At this point in Revelation, the believers KNOW they missed the rapture, but John wants to give them assurance that heaven still awaits. ‘Don’t fret, you’re still going to heaven.’
Revelation 14:14-16
(Preview of Armageddon)
14 Then I looked, and behold, a white cloud, and sitting on the cloud was 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 out with a loud voice to Him who sat on the cloud, “Put in your sickle and reap, for the hour to reap has come, because the harvest of the earth is ripe*.” 16 Then He who sat on the cloud swung His sickle over the earth, and the earth was reaped.
14 Then I looked, and behold, a white cloud, and sitting on the cloud was one like a son of man, with a golden crown on His head and a sharp sickle in His hand.
Nearly all reputable commentators agree that this figure is Jesus Himself. The Messiah is frequently described in the Bible as ‘like a son of man’ (Daniel 7:13
The Son of Man Presented
13 “I kept looking in the night visions,
And behold, with the clouds of heaven
One like a son of man was coming,
And He came up to the Ancient of Days
And was presented before Him.
And Jesus frequently refers to Himself as ‘the Son of Man’ in the gospels (i.e. Matthew 12:32
32 And whoever speaks a word against the Son of Man, it shall be forgiven him; but whoever speaks against the Holy Spirit, it shall not be forgiven him, either in this age or in the age to come.
And Matthew 13:37
37 And He said, “The one who sows the good seed is the Son of Man,
As well as Luke 12:8
8 “Now I say to you, everyone who confesses Me before people, the Son of Man will also confess him before the angels of God;
and John 1:51
51 And He *said to him, “Truly, truly, I say to you, you will see heaven opened and the angels of God ascending and descending on the Son of Man.”
… And the fact he wears a golden crown (4735) ‘stephanos’ – victor’s crown) certainly communicates authority,
Again, the crown He wears here is a ‘stephanos’ (victor’s crown – ‘wreath of gold’) but the crown He wears in Revelation 19:12 is a diadem (diadima) – a royal (ruling) crown. So that gives weight to those who argue this Figure isn’t Jesus, but most scholars think He is.
15 And another angel came out of the temple, calling out with a loud voice to Him who sat on the cloud, “Put in your sickle and reap, for the hour to reap has come, because the harvest of the earth is ripe*.” 16 Then He who sat on the cloud swung His sickle over the earth, and the earth was reaped.
This recalls Joel 3:13…
Joel 3:13
13 Put in the sickle, for the harvest is ripe.
Come, tread the grapes, for the wine press is full;
The vats overflow, for their wickedness is great.
(again, think of chapter 14 as a table of contents, or a preview of what is coming later in Revelation, it’s not happening at this moment, but will soon) (this is foretelling…
Revelation chapter 19:15-21)
15 From His mouth comes a sharp sword, so that with it He may strike down the nations, and He will rule them with a rod of iron; and He treads the wine press of the fierce wrath of God, the Almighty. 16 And on His robe and on His thigh He has a name written: “KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS.”
17 Then I saw an angel standing in the sun, and he cried out with a loud voice, saying to all the birds that fly in midheaven, “Come, assemble for the great feast of God, 18 so that you may eat the flesh of kings and the flesh of commanders, the flesh of mighty men, the flesh of horses and of those who sit on them, and the flesh of all people, both free and slaves, and small and great.”
19 And I saw the beast and the kings of the earth and their armies, assembled to make war against Him who sat on the horse, and against His army.
Doom of the Beast and False Prophet
20 And the beast was seized, and with him the false prophet who performed the signs in his presence, by which he deceived those who had received the mark of the beast and those who worshiped his image; these two were thrown alive into the lake of fire, which burns with brimstone. 21 And the rest were killed with the sword which came from the mouth of Him who sat on the horse, and all the birds were filled with their flesh.
*The Greek word for ‘ripe’ in this passage (3583 -xeraino – ‘dried, stiffened, withered’) actually means ‘over-ripe’ implying it is past time to remove these grapes. Dry like raisins.
**Some say this figure cannot be Jesus Christ, because the Figure takes an order from an angel. But note where that angel just came from – ‘from out of the temple’ – and who is in the temple? God the Father. So, the angel here is simply relaying an order from God the Father to God the Son. So don’t get your knickers in a twist thinking this can’t be Jesus. Evidence that God the Father is in the temple comes in Revelation 15:8
8 And the temple was filled with smoke from the glory of God and from His power; and no one was able to enter the temple until the seven plagues of the seven angels were finished.
**This concept of God the Father relaying His Word through others in the hierarchy is not new. Jesus said it of the Holy Spirit in John 16:13
13 But when He, the Spirit of truth, comes, He will guide you into all the truth; for He will not speak on His own, but whatever He hears, He will speak; and He will disclose to you what is to come.
So if there is a situation where a member of the Triune Godhead will not speak on His own, but only with the prompting of the Father, then how much more so can it be said of an angel?
Revelation 14:17-19
17 And another angel came out of the temple which is in heaven, and he also had a sharp sickle. 18 Then another angel, the one who has power over fire, came out from the altar; and he called with a loud voice to him who had the sharp sickle, saying, “Put in your sharp sickle and gather the clusters from the vine of the earth, because her grapes are ripe.” 19 So the angel swung his sickle to the earth and gathered the clusters from the vine of the earth, and threw them into the great wine press of the wrath of God.
This recalls two passages from Matthew that we cited earlier:
Matthew 13:24-30 and 13:36-43
24 Jesus presented another parable to them, saying, “The kingdom of heaven is like a man who sowed good seed in his field. 25 But while his men were sleeping, his enemy came and sowed weeds among the wheat, and left. 26 And when the wheat sprouted and produced grain, then the weeds also became evident. 27 And the slaves of the landowner came and said to him, ‘Sir, did you not sow good seed in your field? How then does it have weeds?’ 28 And he said to them, ‘An enemy has done this!’ The slaves *said to him, ‘Do you want us, then, to go and gather them up?’ 29 But he *said, ‘No; while you are gathering up the weeds, you may uproot the wheat with them. 30 Allow both to grow together until the harvest; and at the time of the harvest I will say to the reapers, “First gather up the weeds and bind them in bundles to burn them; but gather the wheat into my barn.”’”
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36 Then He left the crowds and went into the house. And His disciples came to Him and said, “Explain to us the parable of the weeds of the field.” 37 And He said, “The one who sows the good seed is the Son of Man, 38 and the field is the world; and as for the good seed, these are the sons of the kingdom; and the weeds are the sons of the evil one; 39 and the enemy who sowed them is the devil, and the harvest is the end of the age; and the reapers are angels. 40 So just as the weeds are gathered up and burned with fire, so shall it be at the end of the age. 41 The Son of Man will send forth His angels, and they will gather out of His kingdom all stumbling blocks, and those who commit lawlessness, 42 and they will throw them into the furnace of fire; in that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. 43 Then the righteous will shine forth like the sun in the kingdom of their Father. The one who has ears, let him hear.
AS WELL AS
Matthew 24:37-40
37 For the coming of the Son of Man will be just like the days of Noah. 38 For as in those days before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noah entered the ark, 39 and they did not understand until the flood came and took them all away; so will the coming of the Son of Man be. 40 At that time there will be two men in the field; one will be taken and one will be left. 41 Two women will be grinding at the mill; one will be taken and one will be left.
AGAIN, ad nauseum – this is NOT the rapture here. The ones taken are taken for judgement.
And the ones not taken will enter the Millennial kingdom as humans to repopulate the world.
Revelation 14:20
20 And the wine press was trampled outside the city, and blood came out from the wine press, up to the horses’ bridles, for a distance of 1,600 stadia. (some translations say ‘200 miles’.)
The stadion (plural stadia, Greek: στάδιον;[1] latinized as stadium), also anglicized as stade, was an ancient Greek unit of length, consisting of 600 feet.
1600 stadia x 600 feet = 960,000 feet. Divided by 5280 feet per mile = 181.81 miles
Christ’s victory at Armageddon (Revelation 19:15-21) is summarized in Rev. 14:20
20 And the wine press was trodden outside the city, and blood came out from the wine press, up to the horses’ bridles, for a distance of two hundred miles.
361.2 km = 224.4393 miles – distance from Bozrah, Jordan to Jerusalem, Israel according to Google Maps or Mapquest
**(Illustrations did not transfer from my notes to the website)
Remember that Jesus comes first to Petra / Bozrah in Edom (Jordan) to deal with the Antichrist’s armies gathered against His remnant there and drenches His robes in His enemies’ blood, BEFORE going to the Mount of Olives…
Second Coming of Christ (blood on his garments – his enemies’ blood from Petra (Bozrah), not HIS blood
Zechariah 14:3
3 Then the Lord will go forth and fight against those nations, as when He fights on a day of battle.
Isaiah 63:1-6
Who is this who comes from Edom,
With garments of glowing colors from Bozrah,
This One who is majestic in His apparel, Marching in the greatness of His strength?
“It is I, the One who speaks in righteousness, mighty to save.”
2 Why is Your apparel red,
And Your garments like one who treads in the wine press?
3 “I have trodden the wine trough alone,
And from the peoples there was no one with Me.
I also trod them in My anger
And trampled them in My wrath;
And their lifeblood is sprinkled on My garments,
And I stained all My clothes.
4 For the day of vengeance was in My heart,
And My year of redemption has come.
5 I looked, but there was no one to help,
And I was astonished and there was no one to uphold;
So My own arm brought salvation to Me,
And My wrath upheld Me.
6 I trampled down the peoples in My anger
And made them drunk with My wrath,
And I poured out their lifeblood on the earth.”
Shortly after this,…
Jesus stands on Mt. of Olives, splitting it in two (Zechariah 14:4-5)
4 On that day His feet will stand on the Mount of Olives, which is in front of Jerusalem on the east; and the Mount of Olives will be split in its middle from east to west forming a very large valley. Half of the mountain will move toward the north, and the other half toward the south. 5 And you will flee by the valley of My mountains, for the valley of the mountains will reach to Azel; yes, you will flee just as you fled from the earthquake in the days of Uzziah king of Judah. Then the Lord, my God, will come, and all the holy ones with Him!
Charge / Final thoughts:
LIVING BETWEEN HERE AND ETERNITY
by Alice Childs
“For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men, Teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world; Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ; Who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works. These things speak, and exhort, and rebuke with all authority. Let no man despise thee.”
(Titus 2:11-15 KJV)
It’s really hard to live between two worlds, isn’t it? For the believer in Christ, we among all men, live our earthly lives between two worlds and two destinies. On the one hand, we must live in this temporal fallen, increasingly evil world trapped in mortal, failing, sin-cursed bodies, yet on the other hand, our spirits having already been redeemed, long to be clothed in our promised immortal bodies so that our redeemed souls can be united forever with our as-yet-to-be, redeemed bodies. We long to be made fully whole in incorruptible bodies dwelling in eternity with our Lord.
It is hard to be divided: living in this world while longing for the next.
Believers are the only people on earth who have to deal with the ugliness of this world having our sinful flesh constantly at war with our already redeemed souls. The Apostle Paul understood this dilemma very well.
The closer we get to our deliverance from this vile place via the soon coming rapture, the harder it becomes to stay here. Like righteous Lot living trapped in the hedonistic, homosexual abominable cesspool of Sodom, we too are trapped not just in a wicked and debauched city, but in an entire world that has sunk to the very depths of narcissism and depravity. Lot was vexed in his righteous spirit, and so are we. There is NOWHERE in this world to escape from the evil that is entrenched to the core in this fallen, Hell bound world. In truth, the very second one is born again in Christ, we long to be “absent from the body and present with the Lord” dwelling with Him in an eternal place where Sin, Death, and Evil can never exist. For each and every true believer, that day IS coming. But until the day of our deliverance arrives, we still have to live in THIS world – as disappointing and wearying as that fact may be.
Jesus knew exactly what we who are living in these last days would be facing. He understood completely just how evil these last days would be, and how weary, vexed, and yes, lonely we would be living on the cusp of the rapture. He knew we would be hated, marked, abused, lied about, mistreated, vilified, and in many cases tortured and killed. He knew just exactly how bad it was going to get for us so He warned us ahead of time exactly what life would be like here in the last minutes of the last hours of the last days.
What He has called us to do is to “occupy until He comes.” This means that we are to “be instant in season and out of season.” In other words we are to remain faithful to Him and to what He has called and placed us here to do whether it is easy or hard; popular or unpopular; whether our lives are restful or nearly unendurable. Why? Because THIS world is NOT our real home. In THIS world, we are mere pilgrims passing through – strangers in a strange land, and for as long as we are here, we are to be about the business that our Sovereign King has given us to do. We are to spread the gospel everywhere to anyone who will listen. We are to “earnestly contend for the faith” regardless of the political climate we are in, and we are to warn a dying world of coming judgment. You see, we are ambassadors for Christ. This means that in this alien, hostile world that hates God and hates His Word, WE are His representatives to a lost and Hell-bound world that lies on the very brink of God’s wrath and judgment.
We are His “watchmen on the wall” – His sentries who are called to sound the alarm of coming judgment; crying for the lost to repent; to come to salvation NOW.
This is what He means by “occupy” until He comes to rescue us. Only we have the truth of both prophecy fulfilled and prophecy yet to be fulfilled as recorded in His Word. Only we have the truth of salvation because only we believers know the true God as revealed to us in His infallible, inerrant, immutable Word. This is what Jesus has commanded us to do as we await His call for us to “come up hither” to meet Him in the air.
Yes we are tired. We are weary to the bone. We are vexed in our spirits over the depth and breadth of the evil that grows bolder and more blatant day by day. Yes, we LONG to go Home to a place we’ve never been before. We long to lay the weapons of our warfare down, to find those eternal “green pastures” where we can dwell safely for all eternity following behind our Good Shepherd as He leads us beside those “still waters.”
Oh yes, our weary souls long for our eternal Sabbath Rest. Our hearts yearn for eternal peace. It is coming. Jesus is not blind to our plight, neither are His ears deaf to the cries of His suffering bride. It is only His great mercy and love that stays His return just a little while longer because He is “not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance.” But His patience has its limits, and His mercy in extending this Age of Grace, will not continue forever.
The Lord Jesus hears the cries of His bride, and the very minute that the full number of Gentiles has “come in,” then His bride will be complete. When that last Gentile comes into the fold, then the Lord, King Jesus will rise from His seat at the right hand of the Father. He will leave the great throne room of Heaven and step out into the atmosphere above the earth. There, standing in the midst of the celestial heavens, wreathed in clouds of glory, and with the sound of the mighty trumpet blast of the archangel, and a tremendous shout that will reverberate in the halls of Glory, the Lord will cry with a thunderous shout that will be heard by both the living and the dead who are “in Christ.” He will call for us, His bride, to “COME UP HITHER!” He will call us Home – finally and forever HOME!
Oh let’s don’t grow weary in well doing because in due season we will reap the rewards that we will have won. On that day, we will hear the most blessed words ever uttered in human speech. We will hear our risen Lord say to us “Well done, My good and faithful servant; enter thou into the joys of Heaven.”
Oh my fellow believers, even though it is so hard to live between here and eternity, let us not falter this close to the finish line. Let us keep on keeping on, for one day very soon, when we least expect it, our Deliverer will come for us, and we will be set free – forever. Maranatha!
www.authoralicechilds.com
