SEVEN SIGNS (6): THREE ANGELIC MESSENGERS (REVELATION 14:6-13)

(Message by Tanny Keng)

1. Revelation  

a) John wrote Revelation while a prisoner on the Island of Patmos, approximately 85-95 A.D. Its purpose is to give encouragement and hope for all Christians to continue watching for the return and triumph of the Lord Jesus Christ. It also is to warn of the Final Judgment that nonbelievers will endure on that Last Day.

b) John wrote that Revelation is special because,“Blessed is he who reads and those who hear the words of the prophecy, and heed the things which are written in it; for the time is near” (Revelation 1:3).

c) A brief view of the Book of Revelation. It gives you some basic understanding of the book of Revelation. 

2. Three Angelic Messengers 

Revelation 14:6-13 
6 And I saw another angel flying in mid-heaven, having an eternal gospel to preach to those who live on the earth, and to every nation and tribe and tongue 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 immorality.”

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 goes up 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.”

3. The Eternal Gospel

Revelation 14:6-7

a) Eternal gospel 

i) The first angel had "the eternal gospel" (Revelation 14:6). The book of Revelation is a presentation of the gospel of Christ. The visions came from God through Christ and his angel to John (Revelation 1:12). The book of Revelation teaches by an extraordinary method, namely heavenly visions. However it teaches exactly the same gospel as in the other books of the Bible. This gospel is called "the eternal gospel" because it is able to give eternal life to "those who live on the earth, to every nation, tribe, tongue, and people" (Revelation 14:6).

b) Hour of his judgment 

i) One of the key teachings in the gospel is that people should "fear God and give him the glory, because the hour of his judgment is come" (Revelation 14:7). In the vision the hour had come for the reapers to harvest (Revelation 14:15). In the real world we might say that the hour is yet to come. However, it is dangerous to say that the hour of judgment has not yet come. Jesus said, "Nobody knows that day and hour... you do not know what hour your Lord is coming " (Matthew 24:36,42). So how do we know the hour has not yet come, and what reason do we have for believing that hour is far in the future?

c) Who made the heavens and the earth 

i) Another key teaching in the gospel is that in the beginning Jesus Christ created the heavens and the earth and all that is in them (John 1:1-3, Colossians 1:13-17). This is part of the "was" in Jesus’s statement, "I am the Alpha and the Omega, who is and who was and who is to come" (Revelation 1:8).

4. Fallen Is Babylon

Revelation 14:8

a) Babylon 

i) The second angel has a short message, "Fallen, fallen, is Babylon the great, she who has made all the nations drink the wine of the wrath of her immorality" (Revelation 14:8). In a later vision, the atrocious woman has "on her forehead a name written, a mystery, BABYLON THE GREAT, THE MOTHER OF HARLOTS AND OF THE ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH" (Revelation 17:5). This name Babylon is a “type” or symbol. The name of the ancient capital of the Chaldean world empire is used to stand for the antichristian kingdom of darkness —the kingdom of the Dragon, the Beast, and the False Prophet. In Revelation chapters 17 and 18, much more is said about the fall and doom of this “Babylon” .

b) Wrath of her immorality

i) Later, in the vision of the Reapers, John sees "the winepress of God’s wrath" (Revelation 14:19). So here when it says "Babylon... made all nations drink of the wine of the wrath of her immorality" (Revelation 14:8), the meaning is that she brought God’s judgment and wrath upon the multitudes whom she deceived, who shared in her abominations and wore her mark and name.

5. The Wrath Of God

Revelation 14:9-11

a) Fire and brimstone 

i) The third angel warns that anyone who worships the beast and receives his mark will "also drink of the wine of God’s wrath" (Revelation 14:9-10). The angel goes on to speak of torment with "fire and brimstone" (Revelation 14:10-11). This is a reference to upcoming visions in which John sees "the lake of fire and brimstone" into which the beasts are cast (Revelation 19:20, Revelation 20:10).

b) Mark of his name

i) In a previous vision, all those who worshiped the image received a mark or name on their right hand or forehead (Revelation 13:16). Jesus has promised to write his new and heavenly name upon every one of his followers (Revelation 3:12 cf Revelation 14:1). Not to be outdone, the beast marks his own name upon those who follow him. We must choose our mark —either the name of God and his kingdom, or the name of the beast and his kingdom. We are citizens in one or the other.

6. Perseverance Of The Saints

Revelation 14:12-13

a) Patience of the saints 

i) A key idea in Revelation is that all who are made holy by Christ persevere under much tribulation. Two things stand out in this verse (Revelation 14:12). First there is keeping the commandments of God. Second, there is having have faith in Jesus. Some people say that we are saved and persevere by faith alone. But this verse (Revelation 14:12) shows that we are saved and persevere by obedience together with faith (Romans 1:5).

b) Blessed are the dead 

i) The vision ends with the beatitude, "Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord from now on!" This does not mean that those who died in the Lord previously are not blessed. It means that all who die in the Lord will be blessed and safe on judgment day and beyond. They rest from their labors of their perseverance on earth amid tribulation. They are destined for everlasting heavenly peace and joy.

c) Their deeds follow them 

i) Again the importance of obedience is stated. The earthly labors of the saints are not left behind when the earth is destroyed. The deeds follow the saints into heaven and become eternal. When we arrive at the airport of heaven, so to speak, our luggage will be come through on the carousel. It won't have been lost, left behind, or sent to the wrong place. That luggage is our righteous deeds and our patient work for the Lord when times were tough.

The End ...