Revelation 14, The results of taking the mark

Background: Rev 10-13 have been describing various mid-tribulation events. Rev 14 forms a bridge between these events and the last half of the tribulation.

The first beast is the Antichrist. He will appear as an atheist, or at least someone whose religion is science and human willpower and ability. The second beast, the false prophet, will run a program that will force people to forego their faith, commit themselves to the Antichrist, in order to be able to buy and sell. The Antichrist will legalize anti-Semitism and the killing of Christians and Jews

The passage answers two questions:

1) What becomes of those who refuse the mark of the beast?

2) What happens to the beast and his servant?

Rev 14:1-7 (NIV) Then I looked, and there before me was the Lamb, standing on Mount Zion, and with him 144,000 who had his name and his Father's name written on their foreheads. 2 And I heard a sound from heaven like the roar of rushing waters and like a loud peal of thunder. The sound I heard was like that of harpists playing their harps. 3 And they sang a new song before the throne and before the four living creatures and the elders. No one could learn the song except the 144,000 who had been redeemed from the earth. 4 These are those who did not defile themselves with women, for they kept themselves pure. They follow the Lamb wherever he goes. They were purchased from among men and offered as firstfruits to God and the Lamb. 5 No lie was found in their mouths; they are blameless.

6 Then I saw another angel flying in midair, and he had the eternal gospel to proclaim to those who live on the earth — to every nation, tribe, language and people. 7 He said in a loud voice, "Fear God and give him glory, because the hour of his judgment has come. Worship him who made the heavens, the earth, the sea and the springs of water."

• Understanding Mount Zion is the key here. Now it is quite possible we are looking forward, in which case this would occur when?
• After the second coming
• Would be literal and physical
• It could be the New Jerusalem (21:1-22:5)
• If it is future, after the second coming, then
• 144,000 died during or lived through the second half
• The seal has protected them during the first half
• In this view, the seal could continue or discontinue
• It is not completely clear how firstfruits is explained-- the natural explanation is that they would have to be martyred
• Firstfruits are an offering
• Firstfruits are the best
• If the passage is happening in the mid and second half, then
• Mount Zion would be the heavenly Jerusalem (Heb 12:22)
• Heb 12:22-24 (NIV) But you have come to Mount Zion, to the heavenly Jerusalem, the city of the living God. You have come to thousands upon thousands of angels in joyful assembly, 23 to the church of the firstborn, whose names are written in heaven. You have come to God, the judge of all men, to the spirits of righteous men made perfect, 24 to Jesus the mediator of a new covenant, and to the sprinkled blood that speaks a better word than the blood of Abel.
• If it is in mid term and after, then
• 144K are martyred (God allows)
• They are martyred first fruits (of all of Israel that will be saved)
• In which case the seal protects them from God's wrath in the first 3 1/2 years but not from the Dragon and the Beast's wrath in the last 3 1/2 years
• What are some of the reasons we see songs in scripture, and how might that fit with the description here?
• A new song is sung by Miriam after the Exodus
• David wrote many "songs" after significant events in his life
• Here the new song is specific to the Tribulation saints
• Special calling from God
• Lived for God during the tribulation
• Sealed (protected) by God for at least half of the tribulation
• The passage is in contrast to the previous two chapters
• Satan stands on sand -- God stands on a rock (and mountain)
• People are forced to follow Satan -- The 144K follow Jesus wherever he goes
• Characteristics of the 144K
• Celibacy (advantage during Tribulation)
• Followed after Christ
• No lie (blameless) -- in other words, they did not deceive people
• "And I saw" signals another vision. "Another angel flying" tells us what?
• Initially I thought that the first announcement was also made by an angel, but 14:8 says a second angel, so it is not clear
• Most likely it is a reference to the string of angels in  the previous visions
• What is the point of the second announcement? And what is unusual or unique?
• An angel is preaching the gospel. God reveals himself through two sources (Ps 19)
• His word
• Creation (also called general revelation). Some have speculated that this announcement is some sort of general revelation
• Also, the first four bowl judgments specifically attack four aspects of creation
• It is the last announcement (as most of the evangelists will soon be gone -- assumes 2nd view)
• It is worldwide (assumes miraculous, although it could be done another way)
• LAST POINT: The death of tribulation saints cannot mean all tribulation saints. It would not refer to those hanging out in Petra, who at the very end, believe in Jesus. And we know that some believers continue into the millennial kingdom with their non-resurrection bodies
• APPLICATION:
• Actually, we all have a calling from God, a task that God has placed before us. It might be big or small in our eyes, but in God's eye it is important. We can follow God and pursue that job, or we can follow the world, forcing God to find another person for the task

Rev 14:8-12 (NIV) A second angel followed and said, "Fallen! Fallen is Babylon the Great, which made all the nations drink the maddening wine of her adulteries."

9 A third angel followed them and said in a loud voice: "If anyone worships the beast and his image and receives his mark on the forehead or on the hand, 10 he, too, will drink of the wine of God's fury, which has been poured full strength into the cup of his wrath. He will be tormented with burning sulfur in the presence of the holy angels and of the Lamb. 11 And the smoke of their torment rises for ever and ever. There is no rest day or night for those who worship the beast and his image, or for anyone who receives the mark of his name." 12 This calls for patient endurance on the part of the saints who obey God's commandments and remain faithful to Jesus.

• The third proclamation (second angel) anticipates the fall of Babylon. What do you think John is referring?
• One possibility is literal Babylon. In this case, the city is rebuilt and is the political center of the Antichrist. More will follow in Rev 17 and Rev 18.
• Another possibility is that Babylon is represented by another city, much as we might use Hollywood to describe a way of life. A number of commentators suggest Rome, which is the last of the four beasts that start with Babylon
• It could also refer to the wicked world system, but that would be an allegorical interpretation and that is our last choice (and in this case not necessary)
• The fourth proclamation anticipates the fate of those who take the mark of the beast
• In one sense, their disobedience to God gives them a reprieve from death (by the Antichrist)
• In another sense, the mark seals their own fate
• The description here matches Jesus' description of hell (10b-11a)
• Hell is a place of eternal torment
• Jesus spoke of Hell more than any other person in the bible
• APPLICATION: Today it is very popular to dismiss the idea of Hell. Even Christians use the argument of a "loving" God to squelch the idea. But Hell is a biblical concept and it is necessary to satisfy the idea of a Just God
• Finally, the angel talks about the need for patient endurance (verse 12). Where have we recently heard that and why is it important?
• Rev 13:10 used the same phrase after the discussion of the inevitability of prison and death
• In this case, things may not look good (most believers dying), but God is promising to provide justice
• Additionally, we will see that the very next verse seems to agree (14:13)
• OBSERVATION: In the OC, believers were promised long life and physical blessing for obedience. In the NC, believers are promised spiritual blessings. In the tribulation, believers are promised death (and future rewards as are all groups)

Rev 14:13-20 (NIV) Then I heard a voice from heaven say, "Write: Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord from now on."

"Yes," says the Spirit, "they will rest from their labor, for their deeds will follow them."

14 I looked, and there before me was a white cloud, and seated on the cloud was one "like a son of man" with a crown of gold on his head and a sharp sickle in his hand. 15 Then another angel came out of the temple and called in a loud voice to him who was sitting on the cloud, "Take your sickle and reap, because the time to reap has come, for the harvest of the earth is ripe." 16 So he who was seated on the cloud swung his sickle over the earth, and the earth was harvested.

17 Another angel came out of the temple in heaven, and he too had a sharp sickle. 18 Still another angel, who had charge of the fire, came from the altar and called in a loud voice to him who had the sharp sickle, "Take your sharp sickle and gather the clusters of grapes from the earth's vine, because its grapes are ripe." 19 The angel swung his sickle on the earth, gathered its grapes and threw them into the great winepress of God's wrath. 20 They were trampled in the winepress outside the city, and blood flowed out of the press, rising as high as the horses' bridles for a distance of 1,600 stadia.

• The fifth proclamation is a special blessing for believers who die during the second half of the tribulation. And there is a reward (their works follow them)
• 1 Cor 3:11-20 (NIV) For no one can lay any foundation other than the one already laid, which is Jesus Christ. 12 If any man builds on this foundation using gold, silver, costly stones, wood, hay or straw, 13 his work will be shown for what it is, because the Day will bring it to light. It will be revealed with fire, and the fire will test the quality of each man's work. 14 If what he has built survives, he will receive his reward. 15 If it is burned up, he will suffer loss; he himself will be saved, but only as one escaping through the flames.  // 16 Don't you know that you yourselves are God's temple and that God's Spirit lives in you? 17 If anyone destroys God's temple, God will destroy him; for God's temple is sacred, and you are that temple.  // 18 Do not deceive yourselves. If any one of you thinks he is wise by the standards of this age, he should become a "fool" so that he may become wise. 19 For the wisdom of this world is foolishness in God's sight. As it is written: "He catches the wise in their craftiness";  20 and again, "The Lord knows that the thoughts of the wise are futile."
• This is actually a principle of life. How we live on earth does matter. It does not determine our salvation, but it does determine our rewards
• What is the reward?
• We don't know. It may be position or authority in the millennial kingdom
• It may just allow us to give back to the Lord more or show our thankfulness
• The sixth and seventh proclamation concern reaping and treading in God's harvest
• Reaping is a positive thing, it usually refers to salvation
• Treading, on the other hand, is a negative symbol and usually refers to judgment
• The treading is clearly looking to the end of the tribulation period
• The description is blood 4 1/2 feet high for 200 miles. It doesn't say it is that high for that distance, only that it reached 4 1/2 feet high and then that it continued for 200 miles (this is a peek at the end of tribulation and the return of Christ, Rev 16 & 19)
• APPLICATION:
• Chapter 14 is a reminder that though Satan now completely reigns upon earth, his days and his followers days are short
• He will be judged and God will exercise justice on the earth
• It may seem at times that evil wins, but in the end, God is the only victor