SERMON - THE BOOK OF REVELATION IN WORDS OF UNDERSTANDING part 16

The Book of Revelation

In

Words of Understanding

Part 16

 

 

We are now reading John’s words given him by Jesus Christ respecting our future. We have learned of the Pagan Roman Empire being replaced by the RCC and the birth of Protestantism as Martin Luther broke from the RCC. John and Charles Wesley continued Luther’s reformation, but just as Luther’s followers lapse back to the RCC teachings, so did the Protestant movement.

 

All the while there continued to be men and women that continued true Christianity as they worshiped God in accordance with His Word, our Bible.

 

Revelation 14:1 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.

 

The “Lamb” is Jesus Christ and He stands on “ Mount Zion ” which is representative of the church. (Jeremiah 6:2) The mystery is of the 144,000. Jehovah Witnesses teach that they are to be the 144,000. This is highly foolish in teaching as Revelation 7:4 states that they are REDEEMED from the tribes of Israel .

 

The 144,000 are representative of those that accepted Christ and never held any thought of other religions as truthful. They are, in effect, seen as untouched virgins in their sinlessness.   

 

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.

 

A song of praise and worship emanated from these redeemed souls that could not be duplicated by any others.

 

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.

 

Not having “defiled themselves with women” signifies that they have never seen any religion as true other than Christianity. They were “purchased” by the Blood of the slain Lamb, Jesus Christ.

 

 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.

 

“Another angel," a messenger of God, spoke as the”everlasting gospel” is revealed with the news of man being saved by the Blood of Christ and not by any works.  (Ephesians 2:8-9)

 

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."

 

“Fear God,” is to hold Him in awe. His powers are unequaled and certainly worthy of our unquestioned obedience. As Creator of everything He has no equal and for any religion to claim that theirs’ is the only true way is to question God’s Word!  

 

 8 A second angel followed and said, "Fallen! Fallen is Babylon the Great, which made all the nations drink the maddening wine of her adulteries." 

“ Babylon , ( EVIL), has fallen,” is to say that the RCC has fallen. Their false doctrines have been cast out.

 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. 

This is a dire announcement and imparts the knowledge that false worship is a deadly sin and angers God Most High.

.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." 

Condemnation of any that accept any religion or false doctrine as God’s Way is spoken of here. The, “smoke of their torment,” signifies their cries of pain and suffering for their acceptance of a false way of worship.

12 This calls for patient endurance on the part of the saints who obey God's commandments and remain faithful to Jesus.

Hearing the cries of anguish caused true, redeemed, Christians and we must realize that God’s Way is not the way of men. He is the ultimate power and it is His will to be done.  

 13 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"^[a] with a crown of gold on his head and a sharp sickle in his hand.

 

John is instructed to write of any that, “die in the Lord,” will be blessed. (Saved) Their deeds will be counted as in their favor as children of God. Their Christianity will be rewarded.

John then saw Jesus Christ, no longer as a Lamb but as a King with a “crown of gold.” In His hand John saw a “sickle” which is to signify Christ is the Judge of all men. 

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."

 

A messenger of God called out to Christ, “this is the day of judgment.” As you may recall Jesus told His apostles, that neither He nor the angels knew the Day of Judgment. (Matthew 24:36)  John heard God’s message and watched as Jesus was told of the time to act...   

 

16 So he who was seated on the cloud swung his sickle over the earth, and the earth was harvested.

 

Jesus returns to earth and gathers His followers, the true Christians, and gathers them to be with Him.

 

 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. 20They 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.

Another messenger of God appeared and called for the false worshipers that would not accept God, as He truly is, to be cast into the “wine press” which is to signify their spiritual doom.

The Words of this Chapter are teaching us that God, with all of His power and glory, has set forth His Word, the Bible, as His word not any imaginations of men. The doctrines that have been established by the RCC, Protestant churches, and other pretentious religions are not to His liking and anger Him. God established His Sabbath only to see it moved by man. They, men, even went so far as to have laws established to protect their, ‘new day of worship,’ as they disregarded God’s Sabbath. 

I have listed, in previous sermons, doctrines and ‘rules’ established by the RCC and other ‘so-called’ Christian religious groups that sometimes directly oppose God’s Word. Some seem to be innocuous while others are more questionable in their establishment. The bottom line is that they are not what God wants and are doctrines established by men for reasons other that the worship of the One true God.

If you were to advise all of your friends that, ‘I do not eat lemon pie.’ It would be justifiable for you to get angry if a group of what were your ‘friends’ began to bring you thousands of lemon pies day after day! This is but a small example compared to how men are treating God Almighty. His anger is righteous and justified. 

I ask each of you to search your heart and ask yourself, ’Is my church affiliation one that will please God?’ Although you may think that by attending a fellowship service that includes songs of worship and praise to God, you must know in your heart that either it is right by God or man made and not in accordance with God’s Word. You cannot justify attending a service gathering that is not wholly Christian and blessed by God Himself.

(Closing prayer)  

Lord Most High, Creator of all, we come before You and ask that You accept our prayers, our hearts and our worship. You are our Father, our Creator and the Author of Your Word. We reject all man-made doctrines and imaginations that are not Your Commandments, wishes and of Your will. We will do as You tell us as we seek to sow the seed of Your Word and we ask that the Holy Spirit be our Guide.

Lord, we thank You for all You are revealing to us and ask that You help us in understanding Your every thought You choose to convey to us. It is our desire to be with You in Paradise with You choosing to grant us eternal life. You are the Light, the Power and our Hope. We love You.

We ask that You send Your angels to protect our military, our judges, our police forces, our elected officials and those charged with our national security. We ask that You protect Your children throughout the world and ease their spirits. Protect them from hunger and allow no harm to touch them.

Father, we ask that Your will be that we, Your children, are strengthened in the face of adversity and are granted the happiness of knowing that You await us at the time of our earthly demise. Be with us O Lord, now and forever.

We pray this in the name of Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior, who is One with You and the Holy Spirit, One God, forever and ever,

Amen, amen and amen.