[1.] "Shut-to the gates," says the Almighty, "they have been open night and day; shut them to now." He astonishes the world by reviving imperialism; but this is a very different thing and cannot properly be called a sign. Like the first products of harvest, they belong specially to God (4-5; cf. Herbert W. Armstrong seeks to identify himself as the one hundred and forty-four thousand with his followers. Clarke's Commentary Verse Revelation 14:1. The very words which the Revelation uses are echoes of those in which the ancient prophets had foretold that fall. Standing is the posture of triumph. To Matthew--to the rich young ruler--to Peter--"Follow Me" "He left us an example that we should follow in His steps" (1 Peter 2:21). [2.] The Psalmist speaks of the wicked having to drink the dregs of the red cup in the hand of God ( Psalms 75:8). And several groups have sought this identity, but very out of sorts to then follow through and make it possible for Herbert Armstrong.He then embraces the anglo-Israel, British-Israel concept that the supposed lost tribes are actually the European nations. This sermon looks at Revelation 14 and the first angel's message which say. Elsewhere we never hear of such a thing as "King of saints," nor has it any just sense. The Euphrates was the boundary that separated the empire on its oriental frontiers from the vast hordes of uncivilized north-eastern nations destined to come into conflict with the powers of the west in the latter day. He was set up by the devil, and supported by him to do his work and promote his interest; and the devil lent him all the assistance he could. (1) "THE LAMB"--The Christ against Whom the devil and the wild beasts rage savage and subtle war. He, without deigning to give an answer, would simply point to the centre of the sacred circle, and lo, we should see a Lamb in the midst of the throne. He might kill with the sword, but he must be killed himself: indeed, his would be a still more awful doom. "Amidst a thousand harps and songs, Jesus, our God, exalted reigns. It may and will amaze men, but is not a miracle. And another angel came out from the altar, that had authority over the fire; and called with a loud cry to him that had the sharp sickle, saying, Send thy sharp sickle, and gather the clusters of the vine of the earth; for her grapes are fully ripened." I refer to the Jansenists. The Lamb and the 144,000 ( Revelation 14:1-5) "Then I looked, and behold, on Mount Zion stood the Lamb, and with him 144,000 who had his name and his Father's name written on their foreheads. I send you away with this simple question, "Shall you be there to see the conqueror crowned?" The fifth angel poured out his bowl on the throne of the beast. 21 has not yet appeared. That is, they have renounced all unfaithfulness to God and to divine truth which is described in the Old Testament as spiritual adultery. - MSB, Mount Zion . [2] R. C. H. Lenski, The Interpretation of St. John's Revelation (Minneapolis, Minn.: Augsburg Publishing House, 1943), p. 418. The first five verses introduce what will transpire with the 144,000 people (7:4-8) during the Great Tribulation. "They are chaste." And the angel thrust in his sickle into the earth, and gathered the vine of the earth, and cast it into the great winepress of the wrath of God. 14:9-12 And another angel, a third angel, followed them saying with a great voice: "If anyone worships the beast and his image, and receives a mark upon his forehead or upon his hand, he too shall drink of the wine of the wrath of God, mingled undiluted in the cup of his wrath, and he will be tortured with fire and brimstone in the presence of the holy angels and of the Lamb. "And the serpent cast out of his mouth water as a flood after the woman, that he might cause her to be carried away by the flood." Indeed, I believe we can gather a great deal more than those who are to be in the circumstances will be able to reap in their day. They will rest from their labours. We find here the hidden reason. On that memorable day they say, "Nay, take away the robes; I will wear the garment which has been embroidered with the sabre-cut, and garnished with the shot that hath riddled it; I will wear no other garb but that in which I fought and conquered." Revelation 19 describes Jesus' physical return, the second coming. The explanation why it is thus introduced here depends on the truth that Christ and the church are one, and have a common destiny. That is twelve thousand from each of the tribes. Just as we desire friends who are sincere, so does Jesus Christ. Now it could be that the parable of the ten virgins fits in here some place. So precisely in this awful counterpart, the fruit of the energy of satanic craft and power at the close. His second coming does not take place here but in Revelation 19:11-21. The second beast, those worshipping the first beast and his image (Revelation 14:9), shall be tormented with fire and brimstone (Revelation 14:10), forever and ever (Revelation 14:11). The first is purity: they are virgins. To learn certain things a man must be a certain kind of person. In Revelation 13:1-18 this is made plain. Usually the wedding feast would go on for several days, but then the groom would finally take off and get the bride and come for her and then they would put them in this carrier and carry them around town. They are the same as those of chapter 7:4. All this, it is plain, is the fruit of Satan's wiles; but the everlasting gospel presents God as the blesser of man and creation, as it always was in His mind, and as He will certainly bring it to pass; not, of course, for every individual man, because those who despise His mercy in Christ, and those especially who having heard despise the gospel of His grace, must be lost for ever. This is constantly the habit of prophecy: take, for instance, our Lord's prophecy inMatthew 24:1-51; Matthew 24:1-51, where, first of all, we are given the broad outline as far as verse 14 the "gospel of the kingdom" preached in all the world for a testimony to all nations; and then the end comes. When they stand in presence of the King, how astonished they are that He should regard what was done to the messengers of His gospel in the last days as if done to His own. But then you must remember that they are all the same firm. The sound I heard was like that of harpists playing . You may hate it, and gnash and grind your teeth against it; but, remember, we can trace the pedigree of this doctrine, even apart from Scripture, to the time of the apostles. "And I looked, and behold a white cloud, and upon the cloud one sat like unto the Son of man, having on his head a golden crown, and in his hand a sharp sickle." Supposing I treat the second chapter of 2 Thessalonians as giving me all that the Bible tells about the man of sin, I foreclose scripture, and must have an imperfect account. Therefore rejoice, ye heavens, and ye that dwell in them." It was there that patriarch Abraham drew his knife to slay his son; it was there, too, in commemoration of that great triumph of faith, Solomon built a majestic temple, "beautiful for situation and the joy of the whole earth." ." "And the beast which I saw was like a leopardess, and its feet were as of a bear, and its mouth as a lion's." "And the gospel of the kingdom must be preached to all nations and then shall the end come" ( Matthew 24:14 ). Just look around and see. We take this half verse by itself, for it is one of the most difficult sayings in the whole of the Revelation, and it is of the utmost importance to get its meaning clear. Then, when all of them shall be there, then will be the time when the shout shall be louder than many waters, and the song shall begin which will never end. They were without any prevailing guile, any allowed fault; their hearts were right with God, and, as for their human infirmities, they were freely pardoned in Christ. Sweet, sweet beyond sweetness; words can scarcely tell how sweet the melody. When Joel wished to say that judgment was near, he said: "Put in the sickle, for the harvest is ripe" ( Joel 3:13). THE SUMMONS TO THE WORSHIP OF GOD ( Revelation 14:6-7 ), 14:6-7 And I saw another angel flying in the midst of the sky with an everlasting gospel to preach to those who dwell upon the earth and to every race and tribe and tongue and people. "So also is Christ," says the apostle Paul, when speaking of the church; for we must naturally suppose the allusion is to the body rather than to the head. For a time the hills seemed to leap, whilst the vast multitude, turning from the slain, still stained with blood, lifted up their hearts to God. That he shall notice afterwards. No jarring notes there, no discord, but all one glorious harmonious song. He turns therefore all his power to deal with man on the earth. There is not the slightest difficulty in applying this to the man-child, viewed not personally and alone but mystically; and the less, because this very promise is made to the church in Thyatira, or rather to the faithful there. Commentary on Revelation 13 by Matthew Henry - Blue Letter Bible I am inclined to infer that the "gospel of the kingdom" and the "everlasting gospel" are substantially identical; and that it was thus described because it was always in the purpose of God to establish this kingdom over the world, and to bless man himself here below. On these dangerous tracks all that is now energetically leavening the world tends to bring man back to heathenism again; i.e., the apostacy. The announcement of the final judgment and the Second Coming of Christ, "the day of the Lord" (Revelation 14:6,7). . Rome has been like that, like some glittering prostitute seducing the world. There you will find "king of nations," with other words which are cited here. But as to turning to heaven, both as a hope full of joy and as a home for the affections, whenever was it more thoroughly kept out of the minds of men? R.S.V. The declaration of this I believe to be the everlasting gospel. He claims to be the Jehovah God of Israel. "And he worketh great signs, that he should even make fire to come down from heaven on the earth in the sight of men." The fact is, they are, as often remarked with justice, the great counter-trinity the trinity of evil as opposed to the Trinity of the Godhead. You say, "Impossible". Thus all the different departments of nature, whatever may be symbolized by them (and their meaning seems to me neither indeterminate 'nor obscure), were visited by the bowls of God's wrath. Shall the thing formed say to him that formed it, Why hast thou made me thus? There are many varied interpretations. The bride never knew exactly when he was coming during this period of time, so she had to always be ready. It was surely and particularly meant to guard the saints from mistake and wrong. Enduring Word Bible Commentary Revelation Chapter 14 5 And in their mouth was found no guile: for they are without fault before the throne of God. And I looked, and, lo, there was a Lamb standing on the mount Zion, and with him an hundred forty and four thousand, having his Father's name written in their foreheads ( Revelation 14:1 ). The worshipping of the dragon and of the beast seems therefore quite consistent with divine worship paid to the man of sin. So far these divine dealings all go in pairs: as the work among the Jews, and then a final testimony to the Gentiles; then the warning about Babylon, and another about the beast. They are strictly speaking therefore Apocalyptic saints, and the final company of them. That to honour His brethren is virtually to honour Himself, they do not themselves know. Let me say why such a difficulty is felt. What is God doing with His own? Blessed , happy, are the dead which die in the Lord In the faith of the Lord Jesus Christ . Their character and description. The word is amomos ( G299) and is characteristically a sacrificial word. The millennium will be a grand demonstrative testimony to it. So, the people are called Danish or Dan-ish. 1. Accordingly the Lord will refer to this reception, or the kindness that accompanied it, as an evidence of their heeding Himself in the persons of His messengers. That is, there are men, apparently apostates, under the latter designation, as well as the general mass of mere nations, tribes, tongues, and peoples. John is going to enter into the final scenes after this; but before this is done, we have God's counsel shown about Israel. Revelation 14:3 - Bible Verse Meaning and Commentary - Bible Study Tools And I heard a voice from heaven, as the voice of many waters ( Revelation 14:2 ). And he that sat on the cloud thrust his sickle on the earth; and the earth was reaped." If we are to treat it honestly, we cannot avoid the conclusion that it praises celibacy and virginity and belittles marriage. Is there anything despiriting in that? An angel comes forth, saying, "Babylon is fallen, is fallen, the great city, which made all the nations drink of the wine of the wrath of her fornication. 20, The Revelation of St. John (Grand Rapids, Michigan: Wm. See further comment on this interpretation under those verses, above. Not but that he points out what connects itself with them, as for instance, inJohn 13:1-38; John 13:1-38, and again inJohn 14:1-31; John 14:1-31, as well as inJohn 17:1-26; John 17:1-26 and John 20:1-31. For the church is united to Christ. ", And if a single glimpse of him on earth affords you profound delight; it must be, indeed, a very sea of bliss, and an abyss of paradise, without a bottom or a shore, to see him as he is; to be lost in his splendours, as the stars are lost in the sunlight, and to hold fellowship with him, as did John the beloved, when he leaned his head upon his bosom. The first-fruits were the best of the crop; they were a symbol of the harvest to come; and they were a symbolic dedication of the whole harvest to God. But here no Christians are said to be on earth: we have elect Jews; we have nations, along with "those that sit upon the earth." Here is the summons to steadfastness on the part of God's dedicated ones, who keep the commandments of God and maintain their loyalty to him. Many dispensationalists take Mt. What say you of Augustine? Man is never thus complete. the Lord God Omnipotent reigneth." (iii) It was like the sound of many harpers playing on their harps. And I saw another angel fly in the midst of heaven, having the everlasting gospel to preach to those that dwell upon the earth, and to every nation, and kindred, and tongue, and people ( Revelation 14:6 ). . ", And, indeed, there is something very grand in the singing of multitudes. B. Deliberately contrasts the beasts mark in Revelation 13:16-18 (compare Revelation 7:3; Revelation 9:4; Revelation 22:4). The meaning will be made plainer, if I repeat that the seventh trumpet, which was the closing scene before us, brings us down to the end in a general way. It may seem strange that the angel with the gospel is followed immediately by the angels of doom. Now I don't know which tribe is Swede. my beloved brethren, that we might be there! How his people appear: very honourably. The doom of the apostate is thought of in pictures of the most terrible judgment that ever fell on this earth--that of Sodom and Gomorrah. Some of the children of men are, by redeeming mercy, distinguished from others: They were the first-fruits to God, and to the Lamb, his choice ones, eminent in every grace, and the earnest of many more who should be followers of them, as they were of Christ. There are others which give forth sounds more grand and noble, but the harp is the sweetest of all instruments. He left us an example, said Peter, that we should follow in his steps ( 1 Peter 2:21). Clearly, therefore, we are coming to far greater detail in the way of judgments from heaven on the earth. "[3] "The whole church is in view. Rev. And I looked - My attention was drawn to a new vision. THE SCENE of this marvellous and magnificent vision is laid upon Mount Sion; by which we are to understand, not Mount Sion upon earth, but Mount Sion which is above, "Jerusalem, the mother of us all." (3.) 1 And I stood upon the sand of the sea, and saw a beast rise up out of the sea, having seven heads and ten horns, and upon his horns ten crowns, and upon his heads the name of blasphemy. It later came to symbolize the city of God, from which He exercises His reign (Isaiah 24:23; Hebrews 12:22). But the Lord has designs which neither side knows nor regards, and He is no indifferent spectator. Herodotus (2: 113) tells us that there was a temple of Heracles at the Canopic mouth of the Nile which possessed the right of asylum. Consequently the gospel of the grace of God, as we know, is not properly (never in scripture) called the "everlasting gospel." (c) That is another way of saying that the company of the Lamb had made steady progress in spiritual growth. Thus the second scene in the chapter is the proclamation of the everlasting gospel unto those settled down on the earth, and to the nations, etc., as the first section was the separation of a remnant of Jews to the Lamb on mount Zion. "When the grain is ripe," said Jesus, "at once he puts in the sickle, because the harvest has come" ( Mark 4:29); and in the parable of the wheat and the tares he uses the harvest as a picture of judgment ( Matthew 13:24-30; Matthew 13:37-43). This is the happy remnant who attend upon the Lord Jesus as their head and Lord; he is glorified in them, and they are glorified in him. . The wicked earth (its inhabitants) perishes (Revelation 14:17-20).MONO>LINES>. He speaks of the works of the Ephesians--their labour and their patience ( Revelation 2:2); he speaks of the works of the Thyatirans--their charity and their service and their faith ( Revelation 2:19). But even now, John is telling us, the church on earth can learn and be blessed as she joins in the new song sung in heaven. To report dead links, typos, or html errors or suggestions about making these resources more useful use the convenient, Baker Evangelical Dictionary of Biblical Theology, Hastings' Dictionary of the New Testament, The Hawker's Poor Man's Concordance And Dictionary, International Standard Bible Encyclopedia. This is a favourite thought in Scripture.

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