Sermon Tone Analysis

INTRODUCTION

Well we are coming to the close of a series we’ve been in for the past few months entitled “Kingdoms in Conflict.”

It’s been an exploration of how the Kingdom of Light advances against the kingdom of Darkness and how Satan has always attempted to oppose God, his people and his redemptive plans for the world.

Review of 12-14

For those of you who are just joining us, the language John uses in Revelation 12-14 is apocalyptic in genre.

That means he uses images and symbols and metaphors to describe very real and literal events.

For example in chapter 12 we saw a cast of characters.

a pregnant woman clothed with the sun, moon under her feet and 12 stars on her head.

that woman gave birth to a male child who would rule the nations with an iron rod and be caught up to heaven to sit on a throne.

Both the woman and the child are preyed upon by a fiery red dragon with seven heads and ten horns/crowns who unsuccessfully sought to devour the child at birth and so he then begins to persecute the woman as well as the rest of her children.

An important thing to remember about apocalyptic is just because you may not take every word literally doesn’t mean it shouldn’t be taken seriously.

Thankfully, like most things in the book of Revelation these symbols are defined for us.

Not all of them but many of them.

We said the woman represented true Israel, the dragon represents Satan and the child represents the Lord Jesus Christ.

The “rest of her offspring” I believe represents all those who came to believe in the Lord Jesus after his death and resurrection.

Chapter 12 ends with Jesus ruling and reigning from heaven, the devil defeated and angry on the earth and God’s people overcoming the devil by the blood of the lamb and the word of their testimony.

Chapter 13 opens with a presentation of another beast.

In fact, in Revelation 13 Satan (the first beast) brings to power 2 more beasts.

The beast the from the sea and the beast from the earth.

Again, the imagery is apocalyptic.

In chapter 13 there is more disagreement between commentators.

Just by way of review we said

the first beast represents an evil, antichristian/antisemitic empire led by a future end times antichrist.

the second beast represents a deceptive but powerful false religion headed up by a future end times false prophet.

In other words, Satan is going to use an unholy mix of politics and religion to crush the people of God who live on the earth during this time.

This, of course, is not surprising!

This has always been Satan’s MO for persecuting the people of God.

The number one source of martyrdom of Christians has always been “the State.”

Jesus also warned his disciples in the first century, Matthew 24:4-5 “4 Jesus replied to them, “Watch out that no one deceives you. 5 For many will come in my name, saying, ‘I am the Messiah,’ and they will deceive many.”

And again in Matthew 24:11-12 “11 Many false prophets will rise up and deceive many.

12 Because lawlessness will multiply, the love of many will grow cold.”

And that’s exactly what we see happen in Revelation 13.

The false prophet leads many people astray to bow down to this false Christ, his false promises, and his oppressive antichristian government.

The delusion is world wide in its impact.

Every Christian who refuses to bow down to the Antichrist is under the threat of death and immediately banned from participation in the system.

To say they “get cancelled” is an understatement.

The Power of Perspective

That brings us to chapter 14 which we began last week.

Today’s message is entitled “A Change in Perspective.”

It’s somewhat tongue in cheek.

On the one hand, there are different perspectives for how one should interpret chapters 12-14.

Preterist: There are those who interpret these things to have already happened in the first century.

Idealist: There are those who say these things are “always happening” in one form or another and John is just using the apocalyptic to paint it in extremes.

Futurist: Then there are those who say, “yeah they might’ve happened back in the first century to some degree and sure they are themes that repeat themselves throughout human history.

But these particular manifestations are real and literal and will happen during the final 3 1/2 years before Jesus returns to the earth.

The Call for Virtue

Wherever it is that you land on that particular question, the point of application is the same.

John calls for certain Christian virtues in chapters 12-14.

This kingdom conflict between good and evil calls for endurance, faithfulness and wisdom from the Saints.

John calls for faithfulness and endurance in Revelation 13:10 “...This calls for endurance and faithfulness from the saints.”

And he makes an appeal for wisdom in Revelation 13:18 “...

This calls for wisdom...”

We need wisdom to be able to identify these forces when they rise to power on the earth and we need faithfulness and endurance to hold fast to our testimony about Jesus no matter the cost.

That kind of wisdom, faithfulness and endurance is exactly what we see when Revelation 14 opens.

The Change in Perspective

Not only does chapter 14 show these virtues of endurance, faithfulness and wisdom.

It also shows us WHY those virtues manifest among the people of God.

These virtues can you be yours regardless your suffering if you learn to see your suffering from a different perspective.

Here’s how I break it down for my own understanding:

Revelation 12 presents the conflict from a historical perspective (from beginning to Jesus’ ascension)

Revelation 13 presents the conflict from a human perspective.

(from the side of those who live ‘on the earth.’)

Revelation 14 presents the conflict from a heavenly perspective.

(from the side of those who trust in Christ and remain faithful)

So, Revelation 14 talks about a similar set of events as chapter 12 & 13 but does so from a different perspective: the perspective of heaven.

This heavenly perspective is necessary and was given by John to encourage faithfulness among the saints.

Even as they suffered great persecution they were to be reminded that God’s kingdom will come and his will shall be done.

They will be delivered from the wrath of the antichrist and their sufferings on the earth.

Ultimate victory belongs to the Lamb and to his people.

READ THE TEXT:

Revelation 14:6–12

6 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.

7 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.”

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.”

9 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, 10 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, 11 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.

12 This calls for endurance from the saints, who keep God’s commands and their faith in Jesus.”

Chapter 14 in a Nutshell

John opens with the words, “Then I saw...”

He does this three times in Revelation 14.

Each time starts a new section.

(Rev 14:1; 6; 14)

It’s as if he’s saying “even though it looks like Satan may be winning, from this perspective the victory belongs to the Lamb!

Revelation 14:1-5 gives us a picture of God’s protection over those who bear his mark throughout the Great Tribulation.

Revelation 14:6-13 gives us a picture of the Gospel proclamation that will take place during this same time.

Revelation 14:14-20 gives us a picture of God’s wrath finally being poured out on the earth.

In other words, Revelation 14 reminds us that even in the face of incredible opposition, God’s people will be protected, his Gospel will be proclaimed and his promised wrath will eventually be poured out on the earth.

It’s a reminder for us that God is working even when it doesn’t feel like he is.

He’s faithful even when we can’t see it in moment.

He’s working all things together for good.

The Preaching of the Gospel

In our passage today we see him working that good through the proclamation of the Gospel.

There are three angels and they speak three different messages.

The first angel promotes the worship of God and Him alone.

The second angel pronounces the futility of idolatry.

Finally the third angel makes a promise about God judgment.

In some ways you could summarize the message as “God is infinitely holy… mankind is universally sinful and the wages of that sin is eternal judgment.