Revelation 14:1-13 Four Lessons from Revelation 14
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Good Morning Bent Tree -
I’m Mike Walter - the Campus Pastor at our Greeley location and I am excited to be bringing you the message this morning.
I love the book of Revelation. The first time I was introduced to the book of was in 6th grade and my youth pastor said, I think you will love the book of Revelation.
I have spent 26 years studying the book of Revelation.
This is what I have learned.
When you are a sixth grade boy the Book of Revelation is amazing did you know there are dragons in the Bible!
Revelation 12:3
Then another sign appeared in heaven: There was a great fiery red dragon having seven heads and ten horns, and on its heads were seven crowns.
When you are 12 years old and there are fiery red dragons man that is cool!
But then you grow up and you start to realize that the book of Revelation is full of symbols, imagery, and visions.
The Book of Revelation is like the Colorado Rockies.
When you first look at the Rockies you see beauty!
You see the mountain range.
You see a beautiful sunrise or a beautiful sunset.
You can admire the Rockies from afar.
Revelation is like that - you can look at the Book of Revelation like you look at the Rockies - it’s part of scripture, its beautiful it points us to Jesus.
Then you start to get interested in the Mountains
There are 58 Peaks that are over 14,0000 feet
The Rocky Mountains are separated into three areas.
1. Montane Zone - this is the mountain zone below 9,000 feet - where life is abundant, elk, deer, and trees.
2. Subalpine Zone - This is an altitude between 9,000-11,500 feet. Beautiful flowers, beautiful landscape, the trees are getting thinner, the higher you go in altitude the trees become more Bent Trees.
3. Alpine Zone - This is above 11,500 feet. Only low grasses grow here. We are above the tree line here.
From there you can really dive in deep into the mountains.
There are trails you can hike, lakes and ponds you can discover, animals you can search for Aspen Groves to enjoy.
You can learn the name of the 58 peaks over 14,000 feet
You can learn about the Mountain Pine Beetle killing all the trees.
You can continue to discover the mountains in new and fun ways.
The Book of Revelation is like the Rocky Mountains
As a new believer it is fascinating to read the book of Revelation, like looking at the mountains from a distance. There is imagery, visions, and symbols. Maybe you are more comfortable keeping the book of Revelation like staying away and enjoying the mountains from a distance.
We can study the book of Revelation even a little bit deeper like learning about the different zones in the mountains.
Who is the author, who was the intended audience, how would they have understood the book of Revelation?
Finally we can get into the details of the book like you can study the details of the mountains. What do the symbols mean, what was John trying to convey to the reader, what should we book looking to as we read this book?
We are going to dig a little deeper today, like learning the names of the 58 - 14’ers.
So let’s pick up from where Pastor Paul left off over the last couple of weeks.
Let’s Pray
Let’s review a few verses:
Revelation 13:1
And I saw a beast coming up out of the sea. It had ten horns and seven heads. On its horns were ten crowns, and on its heads were blasphemous names.
Revelation 13:
Revelation 13:11
Then I saw another beast coming up out of the earth; it had two horns like a lamb, but it spoke like a dragon.
John sees a beast come out of the sea, John sees another beast come out of the earth. Now we pick up this week in
:
Before we get into our scripture let’s pray.
Revelation 14:1-5
Let’s Read Revelation 13:1-5
Then I looked, and there was the Lamb, standing on Mount Zion, and with him were 144,000 who had his name and his Father’s name written on their foreheads. I heard a sound from heaven like the sound of cascading waters and like the rumbling of loud thunder. The sound I heard was like harpists playing on their harps. They sang a new song before the throne and before the four living creatures and the elders, but no one could learn the song except the 144,000 who had been redeemed from the earth. These are the ones who have not defiled themselves with women, since they remained virgins. These are the ones who follow the Lamb wherever he goes. They were redeemed from humanity as the firstfruits for God and the Lamb. No lie was found in their mouths; they are blameless.
Three Observations
Three things you need to recognize:
The Lamb was standing on Mount Zion
Jesus is not coming out of the sea, He is not coming out of the earth, He is standing on the Holy Mountain Zion
144,000 are marked with the name of the Lamb and the name of the Father
This is a clear comparison between the Mark of the Beast and the Mark of the Father
The 144,000 are the firstfruits for God and the the Lamb
From Genesis to Revelation God deserves the first fruits.
Genesis 4:4
And Abel also presented an offering—some of the firstborn of his flock and their fat portions. The Lord had regard for Abel and his offering,
The Lord not only deserves the first fruit, but he has regard for the first fruit. Some Bible translations say, He looks with favor on the first fruit, He accepts the first fruit, He is pleased with the first fruit.
God wants our first fruit.
In the Old Testament God teaches about giving 10% - we call this a tithe. We give the first 10% of our paycheck.
Not after we pay taxes, not after we pay our house payment, car payments, food but the first fruit.
We learn about tithing in
and blessed be God Most High
who has handed over your enemies to you.
And Abram gave him a tenth of everything.
Adah bore Jabal; he was the father of the nomadic herdsmen.
He blessed him and said:
Abram is blessed by God Most High,
Creator of heaven and earth,
and blessed be God Most High
who has handed over your enemies to you.
And Abram gave him a tenth of everything.
Genesis 14:20b
Abram gave Him a tenth of everything.
This is the first example of tithing in scripture.
Able gave of his first fruits - Abram tithed on everything.
As time moved on God required tithes and offerings:
Instead, turn to the place the Lord your God chooses from all your tribes to put his name for his dwelling and go there. You are to bring there your burnt offerings and sacrifices, your tenths and personal contributions, your vow offerings and freewill offerings, and the firstborn of your herds and flocks.
You are to bring there your burnt offerings and sacrifices, your tenths and personal contributions, your vow offerings and freewill offerings, and the firstborn of your herds and flocks.
Deuteronomy
From the firstborn of herds and flocks, to vow offering, freewill offerings and the first 10%
By the end of the Old Testament God says to test him with our offerings. It’s one of the few times in Scripture that God tells us to test Him.
Malachi 3:10
Bring the full tenth into the storehouse so that there may be food in my house. Test me in this way,” says the Lord of Armies. “See if I will not open the floodgates of heaven and pour out a blessing for you without measure.
God tells us to test him with our tithing.
Blessings
“See if I will not open the floodgates of heaven and pour out a blessing for you without measure.”
2 Corinthians 9:6-7
The point is this: The person who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and the person who sows generously will also reap generously. Each person should do as he has decided in his heart—not reluctantly or out of compulsion, since God loves a cheerful giver.
2 Corinthians 9:
God loves a cheerful giver.
At Bent Tree we have provided you the option of giving by cash or check but also through the Bent Tree App.
For those of you that are regularly tithing and giving offerings thank you!
For those of you that are going above and beyond by giving to our Push Against the Gate initiative I want to personally thank you.
By giving to Push Against the Gate you are helping our first Bent Tree multisite in Greeley do ministry.
Cheerful Giver
God loves a cheerful giver.
Throughout scripture we are taught about firstfruits and giving of the firstfruits. We see this theme in
Revelation 14:4-5
These are the ones who have not defiled themselves with women, since they remained virgins. These are the ones who follow the Lamb wherever he goes. They were redeemed from humanity as the firstfruits for God and the Lamb. No lie was found in their mouths; they are blameless.
These are the ones who have not defiled themselves with women, since they remained virgins. These are the ones who follow the Lamb wherever he goes. They were redeemed from humanity as the firstfruits for God and the Lamb.
The firstfruits for God and the Lamb are the 144,000 Jewish Believers, redeemed from humanity and Marked with the name of Jesus and the name of the Father.
The firstfruits for God and the Lamb are the 144,000 Jewish Believers, redeemed from humanity and Marked with the name of Jesus and the name of the Father.
Revelation 14:6-7
Revelation 14:
Then I saw another angel flying high overhead, with the eternal gospel to announce to the inhabitants of the earth—to every nation, tribe, language, and people. He spoke with a loud voice: “Fear God and give him glory, because the hour of his judgment has come. Worship the one who made heaven and earth, the sea and the springs of water.”
This eternal gospel is for every nation, every tribe, every language, and every people.
Jesus death and resurrection is sufficient for every nation, every tribe, every language, and every people.
At Bent Tree we have a very unique opportunity
In Loveland - Thompson Valley School district approximately 70% of the students are white 20% are Hispanic and 10% are not Hispanic or White.
Greeley is very diverse - In Greeley we have 78 languages spoken in our school district.
Think about that - the students in Greeley school are exposed to up to 78 different languages being spoken.
Yet the Gospel of Jesus transcends all languages, and all tribes and all people!
The International Mission Board has a definition
But as Christians we still have work to do.
Let’s look at some statistics from the Southern Baptist International Mission Board.
First we need to define some words.
People Groups
People Groups: A “people group” is an ethnolinguistic group with a common self-identity that is shared by the various members. There are two parts to that word: ethno, and linguistic. Language is a primary and dominant identifying factor of a people group. But there are other factors that determine or are associated with ethnicity.
In plain language - a people group is a group of people who share language and ethnicity.
Statistics
In the world there are 11,760 People Groups -
7,084 people groups have less than 2% Evangelical Christians.
3,174 are Unreached and Unengaged
The International Mission Board has listed 392 Unreached Unengaged People Groups.
People Group
"A people group is unreached when the number of Evangelical Christians is less than 2% of its population. It is further called unengaged when there is no church planting strategy consistent with Evangelical faith and practice under way.” - IMB
392
The International Mission Board has listed 392 Unreached Unengaged People Groups that have over 100,000 people in their people group.
Let that sink in - there are 392 Groups of people were less than 2% of the population is Evangelical and there are zero church planting strategies and have over 100,000 people in their people group.
Let’s put this in context that we can understand - the population of Greeley is just over 100,000 people. There are 392 communities the size of Greeley were there are less than 2% Christian and there are zero church planting strategies.
So when we look at - we can see that the Eternal Gospel is available to every nation, every tribe, every language and every people.
Three Angelic Commands
Three Angelic Commands:
Fear God
Give God Glory
Worship God
What does it mean to Fear God?
Two Fears
Martin Luther defines two types of fear:
Servile fear - is the fear that a prisoner has towards his captor.
Filial fear - is the fear a child has towards a parent and does not want to disappoint them.
When we think of fearing God - we should have the fear of a child towards a parent - not the fear that a prisoner has towards their captor.
Proverbs 1:7
The fear of the Lord
is the beginning of knowledge;
fools despise wisdom and discipline.
The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge.
#1 - we are to Fear God
#2 - Give God Glory
Piper
John Piper said this, “in order for God to get the glory we have to do good as one does it who is depending on God's strength. Not mere good deeds, but good deeds done in a spirit that comes from a joyful dependence on God's help—this is what glorifies God.”
God is glorified when we do good deeds done in a spirit of dependence on God.
We can do good deeds on our own, but how much better they are when we do good deeds depending on God.
#3 - Worship God
But an hour is coming, and is now here, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in Spirit and in truth. Yes, the Father wants such people to worship him.
But an hour is coming, and is now here, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in Spirit and in truth. Yes, the Father wants such people to worship him. God is spirit, and those who worship him must worship in Spirit and in truth.”
Worship is more than just raising hands, and singing songs. Worship is more than hearing the Word of God proclaimed. Worship is more than giving our tithes and offerings. It’s all those things and more as we roll up our worship in Spirit and truth.
https://www.thompsonschools.org/page/6358
https://www.greeleyschools.org/Page/12700
https://grd.imb.org
https://www.ligonier.org/learn/devotionals/fostering-fear-god/
https://www.desiringgod.org/messages/how-to-do-good-so-that-god-gets-the-glory
Revelation 14:8
And another, a second angel, followed, saying, “It has fallen, Babylon the Great has fallen. She made all the nations drink the wine of her sexual immorality, which brings wrath.”
This verse is interesting -
Verse 8 is one of those verses that is easy to stumble on and get caught on - Just who is Babylon the Great?
As Bible scholars and Jesus followers we have to be careful when we read texts like this.
Like the Antichrist who has been ascribed to Nero, Hitler, and Former Presidents, - Babylon the Great has come to represent many groups.
There are questions that we need to ask -
City: Rome, Jerusalem, Babylon
Jerusalem
Babylon
Government: Roman Empire
Who is writing this book - John
Religion: Roman Catholic Church, Traditional Christianity
Traditional Christianity
Who is the audience of this
A culture, a religion, a government known as Babylon the Great - caused all the nations to drink the wine of sexual immorality.
We can’t say what isn’t there.
Who could lead all the nations to turn from God?
We need to be careful that we do not get hung up on things that are not defined by the Bible.
What we do know is that whoever or whatever Babylon the Great is - that group leads all the nations away from God.
Let’s look at the verse and see what is actually in there
We have:
Babylon the Great
It’s fallen
All the nations
Wine
Sexual Immorality
We have symbolism here - we have wine
Revelation 14:9-12
Let’s Read
And another, a third angel, followed them and spoke with a loud voice: “If anyone worships the beast and its image and receives a mark on his forehead or on his hand, he will also drink the wine of God’s wrath, which is poured full strength into the cup of his anger. He will be tormented with fire and sulfur in the sight of the holy angels and in the sight of the Lamb, and the smoke of their torment will go up forever and ever. There is no rest day or night for those who worship the beast and its image, or anyone who receives the mark of its name. This calls for endurance from the saints, who keep God’s commands and their faith in Jesus.”
Let’s break down these verses in three sections:
First
Revelation 14:9-10
And another, a third angel, followed them and spoke with a loud voice: “If anyone worships the beast and its image and receives a mark on his forehead or on his hand, he will also drink the wine of God’s wrath, which is poured full strength into the cup of his anger. He will be tormented with fire and sulfur in the sight of the holy angels and in the sight of the Lamb,
And another, a third angel, followed them and spoke with a loud voice: “If anyone worships the beast and its image and receives a mark on his forehead or on his hand,
and the smoke of their torment will go up forever and ever. There is no rest day or night for those who worship the beast and its image, or anyone who receives the mark of its name.
“If anyone worships the bes
There are consequences for taking the Mark of the Beast.
Pastor Paul taught us a few weeks ago that taking the Mark of the Beast will allow people to buy and to sell and to do business, while the benefit is survival there is also a consequence - they will also drink the wine of God’s wrath - and it will be poured out in full strength.
I love the language that John uses in verse 10
This Friday I will be celebrating 10 years of sobriety and John’s language is fascinating to me - God’s wrath will be poured out in full strength.
he will also drink the wine of God’s wrath, which is poured full strength into the cup of his anger. He will be tormented with fire and sulfur in the sight of the holy angels and in the sight of the Lamb,
My sponsor has often said, it took 15 years to get the water out of the scotch, why would you add water by adding ice!
We are talking full strength alcohol - in the first century you could mix wine with water to decrease the alcohol from full strength or strong drink to wine.
God’s Wrath
John is saying, God’s wrath will not be watered down, his anger will will be full strength.
Look at what that means -
He will be tormented with fire and sulfur in the sight of the holy angels and in the sight of the lamb.
Read
and the smoke of their torment will go up forever and ever. There is no rest day or night for those who worship the beast and its image, or anyone who receives the mark of its name.
We need to talk about the word: Annihilationism
Annihilationism
Annihilationism is a false teaching.
Annihilationism is a false teaching that is being taught in one of our sister churches.
Annihilationism is the idea that after the final judgment the consciousness of the lost will be totally destroyed and extinguished.
Scripture is clear on this -
“He will be tormented with fire and sulfur in the sight of the holy angels and in the sight of the Lamb, and the smoke of their torment will go up forever and ever. There is no rest day or night for those who worship the beast and its image, or anyone who receives the mark of its name.”
Forever and ever, no rest day or night - there is no room for a misunderstanding here.
Annihilationism is a false teaching.
The suffering of the lost is eternal.
Now knowing this - what are we to do?
I want you to right down three names of someone you know that is lost.
Lost Friends
Three Lost Friends or Family
_____________
_____________
_____________
Now look at those names -
Here is where my heart breaks - there are only two marks -
There is the Mark of the Beast which Pastor Paul talked about last week and there is the Mark of the Lord.
Taking the Mark of the Beast means eternal torment -
Taking the Mark of the Lord is eternal life.
When you look at those three names are you okay with them being eternally tormented?
If not - will you invite those three people to church?
If not - will you tell those three people about Jesus?
Revelation 14:12
This calls for endurance from the saints, who keep God’s commands and their faith in Jesus.”
Life will not be easy when the full wrath of God is poured out.
For the unbeliever it will literally be Hell.
For the believer they will be witness to the unleashing of the full anger of God.
When I was in middle school I went on a mission trip to Chicago to a suburb called Lawndale. I was volunteering at a community health clinic. As I walked inside the community clinic I witnessed domestic violence in middle of the street, in the middle of the day. I was 13 years old maybe 120 pounds soaking wet and seeing for the first time the brutality of domestic violence. I ran inside and told the nurse on duty, there is a man beating a woman in the street. She said, “Honey that happens all the time here. There is nothing we can do.” I said, “call the police!” She said, “there is nothing they are going to do.”
When you see injustice it calls for endurance.
While I witnessed the injustice of Domestic Violence, but God’s wrath is just.
As it says in verse 12: this calls for endurance from the saints!
Revelation 14:13
Then 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 they will rest from their labors, since their works follow them.”
John says he heard a voice from heaven -
The first three announcements John heard were Angels - now a voice from heaven says, “Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord from now on.”
This is a turning point in the book of Revelation - those who die from this point in history are blessed.
Blessed because they will rest from their labors, since their works follow them.
Conclusion
Four things you need to know this morning from our scripture.
God deserves our firstfruits.
Throughout scripture God shows favor upon us when we give our firstfruits.
God loves a cheerful giver.
When you give, give cheerfully. This is not just another church asking for money, giving cheerfully is an act of worship.
We are called to do three things:
Fear God
Give God the Glory
Worship God in Spirit and in Truth
Annihilationism is a false doctrine.
1. Fear God
There is an eternal punishment for those who choose the Mark of the Beast.
There are only two sides - You are either with God or you are against God. You are either marked by God, or you are marked by the beast.
When you look at your list of three lost friends or family members are you okay with them being eternally tormented or will you invite them to church? Will you tell them about Jesus?
My heart breaks over the lost - think of it this way
There are 200 people that attend Bent Tree Loveland each Sunday - if each of you invited 3 people to church - the church would balloon to 800 people.
In Greeley, there are 50 people that attend our Greeley location. If we each invited 3 people we would increase to 150 plus the original 50. Now we are at 200 in attendance.
We are talking over 1000 people coming to church if we each invite 3 people.
Will you take that challenge?
Will you invite three people to church?
Will you invite your three lost friends or family?
2. Give God the Glory
Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord from now on.
3. Worship God in Spirit and in Truth
Let’s Pray
Lord we have friends and family that are lost. We pray for the lostness in our community. We pray that they will come to a saving faith in your Son Jesus Christ. We pray for the courage to invite just three friends and families to church. We pray that our church will grow, not just in number but in lives changed, expressed through baptisms. We pray for both locations, that you will bless our first fruits, our tithes and our offerings. Lord may you bless Bent Tree church abundantly, not just financially but through volunteers, leaders, and disciples made. May our fear of you glorify you, may our worship be in spirit and in truth. We pray in Jesus name, Amen.
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