The main news stories this past week focused around weather.  It seems that the whole world is experiencing a most unusual winter.  Europe has been rocked by high winds - yesterday, winds were clocked at nearly 100 miles per hour in London and  the videos of rough seas in Holland were shown.  America's southlands have experienced icy storms with power out for thousands of customers nearly a week after the ice storm of last weekend.  California is freezing with snows recorded yesterday in Malibu - almost unheard of.  Frozen orange juice is being made right on the trees.  And Colorado is still digging out from snows, record levels in some locations, with more predicted for this weekend.  I view all this wackiness in the weather and wonder - could this be another sign that the coming of Jesus is getting closer?  Is this part of creation groaning for its redemption?  I don't know the answers, but I am convinced that the wacky may become the normal in the coming months. 

 

This week our focus is upon Revelation 14, what one writer described as a table of contents for the rest of the book of Revelation.  In this chapter we are given a preview of some of the things that are yet to come.  It gives us a general overview of how God's people fare during the Tribulation.  Let's look at this chapter briefly:

 

I.  The 144,000 with Christ on Mt. Zion - Revelation 14:1-5

 

     A.  The sealing of the 144,000 took place during the first half of the Tribulation; now we see them at the end of the great Tribulation which is the last half of the Tribulation

 

     B.  The first 5 verses not only show how Christ is triumphant in keeping the 144,000 throughout the Tribulation, but they also give us a glimpse of the millennial kingdom - Psalm 2:6

 

     C.  What are the seven traits of these 144,000?

 

         1.  They had written on their foreheads the name of the Lamb and the name of His Father - they are born-again Jews

         2.  They could learn and sing the "new song"

         3.  They had been purchased out of the earth - they will experience Christ's earthly rule and reign during the millennium

         4.  They have not been defiled with women - probably meaning that they had never been married, but more like it is a reference to their being completed separated unto God, not being defiled by their love for the world

         5.  They follow the Lamb wherever He goes

         6.  They are the first fruits unto God - they represent the first of a great spiritual harvest that will come from Israel - Romans 11:25, Isaiah 2:3, Zechariah 8:22

         7.  In their mouth was found no lie - they are without blemish - it is because they are clothed in Christ

 

II.  The Everlasting Gospel - Revelation 14:6-7

 

     A.  The word "everlasting" means that the Gospel never changes. 

 

     B.  Why is there need for this gospel? - it is because idolatry is everywhere

 

     C.  What is this gospel? - it is the good news during the Tribulation that Christ is soon going to return to the earth to establish His kingdom and that all should be prepared to enter this kingdom by accepting Jesus as their Savior

 

     D.  Who is the messenger of this gospel? - it is an angel who proclaims that men need to turn to God because of the impending judgment

 

III.  The Fall of Babylon Announced - Revelation 14:8

 

     A.  This fall will occur when the final bowl is poured out.

 

     B.  Babylon is used in 3 ways in the Bible:

 

           1.  Refers to a literal city on the Euphrates River

           2.  Refers to a religious system - Revelation 17

           3.  Refers to a political, economic system - Revelation 18

 

     C.  Why will Babylon fall?

 

           1.  Because of her own sins

           2.  Because she has infected all the nations with her sins

 

IV.  Announcement of the Doom of the Beast Worshipers - Revelation 14:9-13

 

     A.  These people have deliberately taken the mark of the beast and have shut out all God's warnings and have chosen the Antichrist

 

     B.  What is God's punishment?

 

           1.  He withdraws all His mercy forever

           2.  They will receive the cup of His anger

           3.  God will send fire and brimstone upon them

           4.  The onlookers are the holy angels and the Lamb whom the people have rejected

           5.  Its duration is forever and ever - the phrase used is the strongest expression of eternity that be found anywhere in the Greek language; it denotes a ceaseless continuity

           6.  There will be no rest day or night

 

     C.  What are the marks of God's elect - Revelation 14:12-13

 

           1.  They will keep God's commandments

           2.  They believe that death is better than life

 

V.  A Preview of the Battle of Armageddon - Revelation 14:14-20

 

     A.  The Battle of Armageddon is really a campaign that is composed of many battles - Revelation 16:12-16, Revelation 19:11-19

 

     B.  This coming judgment is a fulfillment of Psalm 2:7-9 and Joel 3:13-14

 

     C.  Christ will tread the winepress - the carnage is almost impossible to comprehend