The Great Tribulation - Part 6

Chapter 14 of Revelation shows us things that will happen during the second half of the Great Tribulation. We will learn more about the 144,000 Jewish evangelists, the tribulation saints, the city of Jerusalem, and those who take the mark of the Beast. We will also learn about Babylon and Armageddon.

The Lamb and the 144,000 Jewish Evangelists (Rev. 14:1 - 3)

"Then I looked, and behold, a Lamb standing on Mount Zion, and with Him one hundred and forty-four thousand, having His Father's name written on their foreheads. And I heard a voice from heaven, like the voice of many waters, and like the voice of loud thunder. and I heard the sound of harpists playing their harps. They sang as it were a new song before the throne, before the four living creatures, and elders; and no one could learn that song except the hundred and forty-four thousand who were redeemed from the earth" (Rev. 14:1 - 3).

After having the rise of the Antichrist and the False Prophet revealed to him, John now sees Jesus standing on Mount Zion in Jerusalem, with His 144,000 Jewish preachers (evangelists) gather around Him. These 144,000 are those believers who will have the Name of Jesus' Father written on their foreheads.

Christians are sealed with the Holy Spirit as soon as they accept Jesus as their Savior. This sealing means that believers belong to God, and it is a guarantee that they will be protected throughout eternity. Christians may die a physical death, but not even one will perish. The followers of the Antichrist and the False Prophet will have the mark, name, or number of the Antichrist on their head, but it will be worthless when they stand before Jesus at the judgment. Every one of them will perish.

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

The heavenly multitude will sing a new song before the Throne of God, the four living creatures, and the twenty-four elders. No one will understand their song except the 144,000. Why could nobody else learn this song? Because those paticular evangelists have endured and covercome the severe trials of the first half of the Great Tribulation, and those who have not cannot sing the new song. The next two Verses will give us an idea of the demands placed on the 144,000 that enabled them to understand this new song.


Characteristics of the 144,000 (Rev. 14:4, 5)


"These are the ones who were not defiled with women, for they are virgins. These are the ones who follow th Lamb wherever He goes. These were redeemed from among men, being firstfruits to God and to the Lamb. And in their mouth was found no deceit, for they are without fault before the throne of God" (Rev. 14:4, 5).


These 144,000 Jewish evangelists will be faithful and true to the end. They will not be defiled with women, which mean they will not bow down to the idols. It is spiritual fornication to love the world and worship idols. They are all married faithfully to the Lamb, and they totally obey His guidance. They are the firstfruits of the Jews in the Great Tribulation.


The Proclamations of three Angels (Rev. 14:6 - 10)


1. Proclamation of the the Gospel (Rev. 14:6, 7)


"Then I saw another angel flying in the midst of heaven, having the everlasting gospel to preach to those who dwell on the earth - to every nation, tribe, tongue, and people - saying with a loud voice, 'Fear God and give glory to Him, for the hour of His judgment has come; and worship Him who made heaven and earth, the sea and springs of water'" (Rev. 14:6, 7).


This is the first of several angels that appear in Chapter 14. Just when Satan, the Antichrist and the False Prophet think they are about to take over the world, God will send angels to keep His plan on track.


Today, the Church is responsible for the proclamation of the gospel. But that will change after the Rapture.


Jesus said, "And the gospel of the kingdom will be preached in all the world as a witness to all the nations, and then the end will come" (Matt. 24:14).


Because the Church will be in heaven, God will use the 144,000 Jews, the two witnesses, and even an angel to spread his message. He will go to great lengths to give the world one last chance to be saved.


People will have two choices: (1) Believe the Antichrist, believe his lies, and worship him, or, (2) Fear God alone and give Him all the glory. Choosing to follow the Antichrist can only lead to spiritual death, but choosing to follow God will surely lead to spiritual life.


To fear God does not mean to be afraid of God, but means to have a holy respect for Him, believe He exists, and believe He reigns and will will judge all mankind. In other words, it means reverent fear of God. This kind of fear is the beginning of wisdom (Ps. 111:10; Prov. 9:10), and it pleases God.


2. Proclamation of God's judgment on Babylon the Great (Rev. 14:8)


"And another angel followed, saying, 'Babylon is fallen, is fallen, that great city, because she has made all nations drink of the wine of the wrath of her fornication'" (Rev. 14:8, emphasis added).


Following the first angel's preaching of the gospel, the second angel predicted that Babylon, the great city, which has always rebellied against God, would fall.


Babylon is know as the city of Satan because of its long histroy of idolatry, astrology, witchcraft, and other occult practices. It is the birthplace of many false doctrines and religions such as goddess worship.


In Acts 2:13, the new believes of Christ were accused of being drunk on new wine, but they were actually being filled with the Holy Spirit - wine being a symbol of the Holy Spirit. In Rev. 14, the phrase - "the wine of the wrath of her fornication" is a reference to demon possession. Making the nations drink this maddening wine is a reference to Babylon's forcing her satanic-inspired false religion on the world.


3. Proclamation of the warning of torment by fire (Rev. 14:9 - 12)


"Then a third angel followed them, saying with a loud voice, 'If anyone whrships the beast and his image, and receive his mark on his forhead or on his hand, he himself shall also drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is poured out full strength into the cup of His indignation. He shall be tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of the holy angels and in the presence of the Lamb. And the smoke of their torment ascends forever and ever, and they have no rest day or night, who worship the beast and his image, and whoever receives the mark of his name.' Here is the patience of the saints; here are those who keep the commandments of God and the faith of Jesus" (Rev. 14:9 - 12, emphasis added).


A third angel will fly through the air with a third proclamation concerning those who worship the Antichrist, worship his image, and take his mark. The first angel will preach the gospel and plead with people to worship God. The second angel will announce the fall of Babylon. This angel will warn people not to worship the Antichrist or take the mark of the Beast.


This is one of those "you will reap what you sow" Verses. Babylon will make all the nations "drink of the wine of the wrath of God." Those who drink her wine will then be made to drink the wine of God's wrath, which will be unimaginable torment with burning sulfur. We know that burning suffer increases the temperature of a fire, and therefore, in this case, would raise the level of suffering. Everyone should heed this warning. Following the Antichrist and worshiping him will stir the wrath of God.


Part of the awfulness of this will be their suffering in the presence of the holy angels, who warned them, and their suffering in the presence of the Lamb, who died for the sins of the world. It will be bad enough to suffer, but it will be worse to suffer in front of those who tried to prevent it and were spurned!


There will be no end to suffering. The smoke will roll up like a stinking sulfuric cloud. Anyone who worships the Beast, his image, or who receives the mark will never rest.


God has decreed that the Great Tribulation period will come and the Antichrist will be given power over the world for seven years. When the Antichrist goes on his rampage, there will not be much the believers can do. God cannot go back on his Word. His prophecies must be fulfilled. Believers will have to endure, keep the commandments, and remain faithful.


It is a blessing to die in the Lord (Rev. 14:13)


"Then I heard a voice from heaven saying to me, "Write: 'Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord from now on'" 'Yes,' says the spirit, 'that they may rest from their labor, and their works follow them'" (Rev. 14:13).


This is a message of assurance and hope to those who will be trying to endure the trials of the Great Tribulation period. God does not want believers to be afraid to die. It is a blessing to die in the Lord, but still, most of us do not want to die before our time.


Those who belatedly believe in Jesus Christ will all die as martyrs at the hands of the Antichrist. Even the two witnesses die that way. During that time it will be more blessed to take rest before God and be recognized with the merit of martyrdom that to live - only to be cast eventually into the lake burning with fire and brimstone.


The First Harvest and the Final Harvest (Rev. 14:14 - 20)


The First Harvest (Rev. 14:14 - 16)


"Then I looked, and behold, a white cloud, and on the cloud sat One like the Son of Man, having on His head golden crown, and in His hand a sharp sickle. And another angel came out of the temple, crying with a loud voice to Him who sat on the cloud, 'Thrust in Your sickle and reap, for the time has come for You to reap, for the harvest of the earth is ripe.' So He who sat on the cloud thrust in the sickle on the earth, and the earth wasl reaped" (Rev. 14:14 - 16).


A day is coming, during the second half of the Great Tribulation, when Jesus will take a seat in the clouds. He will wear a golden crown and hold a sharp sickle. The crown will identify Him as a king, and the sickle will signify a coming harvest.


The Scripture teaches that Jesu will come baCk in the clouds as the King of kings and the Lord of lords. Jesus, by means of the Parable of the Tare, said: "... the harvest is the end of the age, and the reapers are the angels. Therefore as the tares are gathered and burned in the fire, so it will be at the end of this age. The Son of Man will send out His angels, and they will gather out of His kingdom all things that offend, and those who practice lawlessness, and will cast them into the furnace of fire. There will be wailing and gnashing of teeth" (Matt. 13:39 - 42).


It will be a terribel day for the lost because not only will it be their last day on earth, but their destiny will be sealed for eternity as will.


As Jesus appears in the clouds, an angel will come forth from the heavenly temple. He will urge Jesus to take His sickle and reap because the time of judgment has arrived and the harvest is ready. When His judgment fall, the Church will have been raptured, most of tribulation saints and Jews will have been killed, and the world will be totally corrupt. No one will be able to truthfully claim that Jesus acted too soon.


The Final Harvest (Rev. 14:17 - 20)


"Then another angel came out of the temple which is in heaven, he also having a sharp sickle. And another angel came out from the altar, who had power over fire, and he cried with a loud cry to him who had the sharp sickle, saying, 'Thrust in your sharp sickle and gather the clusters of the vine of the earth, for her grapes are fully ripe.' So the angel thrust his sickle into the earth and gathered the vine of the earth, and threw it into the great winepress of the wrath of God. And the winepress was trampled outside the city, and blood came out of the winepress, up to the horses' bridles, for one thousand six hundred furlongs" (Rev. 14:17 - 20).


Another angel will come directly from the presence of God with a sharp sickle just like the one Jesus will have. Yet another angel will come forth - this time from the altar in the heavenly temple. This angel will urge the angel with the sharp sickle to gather the clusters of grapes from the earth's vine, because the grapes are fully ripe.


This is the last judgment, which reaps unbelievers. it is followed by the war of Armageddon, which will be dealt with in details in Rev. 19:17 - 21. All we need to understand now is that the war at Armageddon is a war between the saints of Jesus Christ and the armies of the earth. When the second half of the Great Tribulation begins, the Antichrist and the people in the world know that the saints will descend from the air to destroy them. They have already seen the 144,000 evangelists and the two witnesses taken away into heaven alive. The Antichrist, with all the armies of Europe under his command, plus the eastern kings and their armies, will come to Armageddon to fight against Jesus and His hosts. At that time Jesus will tread down the winepress. The mumber of people killed will be so great that blood will reach up to the bridles of the horses for approximately 200 miles or 1,600 furlongs (read Verse 20).


We can easily imagine that John must have seen a nuclear war. Hail and rain will fall down heavily. Many people will be killed - so many, in fact, that their blood, mixed with the rain, will spread over a distance of approximately 200 miles!