Revelation 14:1-20
Please read your Bible text: Rev 14:1-20
“Then I saw the Son of Man sitting on a white cloud. He had a crown on His head and a sharp sickle in His hand.” 14:14.
John had several visions before the final outpouring of God’s wrath in the Great Tribulation, namely, 1) the vision of the Lamb with 144,000 redeemed saints 2) The vision of the Three Angels’ proclamation 3) the vision of the sickle of harvest and 4) the vision of the sickle of destruction. These visions give us some insights into the things that would be happening in the Great Tribulation, which do have some implications for us:
Seal of the Redeemed—vv1-5
The 144,000 saints were sealed with the Name of Christ Jesus and the Father God (v.1). I believed these 144,000 saints were martyred amid the Great Tribulation but redeemed from the earth, sealed with God’s Name, and appeared to be with Christ (the Lamb of God) standing on Mount Zion (Jerusalem) as seen in this vision. This vision serves to affirm the one and only God and to warn the remaining unbelieving world to believe. The 144,000 were the redeemed ones and sealed with God’s Name. Beloved, you who are redeemed in Christ Jesus – you too would be sealed with God’s Name. Christ Jesus, Himself will write His Name and the Father’s Name on your forehead (Rev 3:12, 22:4). You will be sealed for eternal bliss as against being sealed with the mark of the beast for eternal damnation. Let us today bear up the testimony of His Name because by this same Name we would be sealed for blessed eternity.
Song of the Redeemed—v3
The sight and sound of the many harpists and the excellent choir worshipping before the throne of God (v.2-3) is incredible but what is more intriguing is that no one could sing the song sang by the 144,000 saints. It is what I called, “the song of the Redeemed”. Do you know even angels in heaven long to sing this song of the Redeemed? But they could not because they have never known the experience of those who have been redeemed by the blood of the Lord Jesus Christ.
Only you who have been redeemed by the Lord Jesus Christ and together with the 144,000 saints, redeemed from the Earth could sing this song. One day in heaven we get to sing the song of the redeemed and the angels will only watch in envy. But for the now – may the tune of this song rings in our hearts in gratitude and worship to our great Redeemer, the Lord Jesus Christ.
Supernatural Preaching of the Angels—vv6-13
God is so gracious to want men to be saved, even at the close of the age, right into the days of the Great Tribulation. John saw this in his vision of the three angels. The first angel proclaims the Gospel to the world (v.6) – asking them not to fear but to worship the one and only God. The second angel pronounces the doom of Babylon (v.8), which represents the godless, immoral, and idolatrous system of the world. The third angel predicates the destruction under God’s wrath (v.9) of those who worship the beast (the antichrist) and bear the mark of the beast! This serves as a final warning for people to stand firm against the antichrist and to turn to Jesus Christ. (But sad that people instead of repenting, would rather curse God for all those calamities coming on the Earth). Yes, there is a second chance to be saved in the Great Tribulation, but it would mean to stand firm against the antichrist until death (v.13).
v.13 – is an important pivot. A declaration from heaven and John was explicitly asked to write down. It was a declaration that from this point on—it is blessed to die in the Lord than to face the onslaught of the Great Tribulation. Even the Holy Spirit Himself also affirms: “Yes”.
Sickle of Harvest and Sickle of Destruction—vv14-20
The vision of the two sickles is a very profound thought. The first sickle is carried by one resembling the Son of Man sitting on the cloud (v.14). I believe it is a vision of the Lord Jesus Christ because he wears a crown. The sickle He is carrying is for the final blow of harvest (or the final whistle for salvation). Once He swings the sickle – it is final, and henceforth no one can be saved. The Lord Himself seems reluctant to sway the final blow of salvation. That is why it takes an angel to call forth the last swing of this sickle (v.15).
The second sickle is carried by an angel. It is the sickle of destruction for the world which is ripe for judgment (v.18-19). And it is an angel who has the power to destroy with fire who calls forth the final blow. John’s vision is like that all the nations of the world are loaded into the winepress of God’s wrath and crushed like clusters of grapes in the winepress. But instead of red wine flowing out – John sees red blood flowing out!
That is the picture of the last battle – the battle of Armageddon. In this vast plain before Mount Megiddo – the future battle where the world’s superpowers meet here – in which the King, Jesus Christ would come and intervened to destroy the armies of the antichrist (Rev 16:16, 20:1-3, 7-10). Do you know the humongous, horrid amount of bloodshed? John’s vision tells us that it runs into a stream of 180 miles (289.682 Km). That is about the distance from Singapore to Port Dickson, Seremban (Malaysia)! And the height of the blood bath is up to a horse’s brittle (that is about my height, 1.65m).
In the face of the final destruction of the world – God is gracious to allow a small window for salvation. For a sickle of destruction, thank God there is also a sickle for harvest unto salvation.
Think: We must endure persecution patiently and remain faithful to the end.
Prayer: Lord Jesus in your last priestly prayer for us in John 17 – you promised to come back again to bring us home so that where you are – there, we may also be. Even so, come, Lord Jesus. Meanwhile, enable us to patiently endure the difficult days of the Great Tribulation and remain faithful till the end.
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