Three Angels’ Messages
Revelation 14
Lorraine Day, M.D.
1 And I (John) perceived, and lo! The Lamb (Jesus) standing on mount Zion (the dominion of God) and with IT (the Lamb - Jesus) an hundred forty-four thousand
144,000 is a symbolic number for the redeemed = 12 X 12,000. Twelve is God’s number for “government” = 12 tribes of Israel in the Old Testament and 12 apostles in the New Testament.
having Its name (Christ’s name = nature) and Its Father’s name (God’s nature) written on their foreheads
They have the character of Christ - the mind of Christ in their frontal lobes, the moral judgment center of the brain.
2 And I (John) hear a sound out of heaven as the sound of many waters and as the sound of loud thunder, and the sound which I hear is as lyre singers playing on their lyres.
3 And they are singing a new song before the throne and before the four animals
See Rev. 4:7.
“And the first beast was like a lion, and the second beast like a calf, and the third beast had a face as a man, and the fourth beast was like a flying eagle.”
These animals represent the entire creation on the earth: wild animals, domestic animals, human beings and birds)
and before the elders
Possibly those who were resurrected and went to heaven at the time of Jesus’ resurrection and ascension.
And no one was able to learn the song except the 144,000 who have been bought (by the death of Jesus on the cross) from the earth (from sin: they were earthly, now they are heavenly).
4 These are they who were not polluted with women (the harlot Babylon = false theological doctrines), for they are celibates (virgins)
They have not committed fornication with the harlot of Babylon - Revelation 17:2. They have NOT accepted the false doctrines of the apostate church.
These are those who are following the Lamb wherever it goes.
They are the true FOLLOWERS of Christ, NOT the followers of an organized church that is run by MAN.
These are bought (with the blood of Christ’s crucifixion ) from mankind
They are IN the world but not OF the world,
a firstfruit to God and the Lamb.
They are the relatively small group that will be saved when Jesus comes, as a firstfruit, looking forward to the consummation after the Judgment when God will become ALL in ALL - and ALL the rest will be saved.
Israel’s agricultural law required that the firstfruits of the harvest be dedicated to the Lord in His temple (Lev 23:9-14; Ex 23:19). Later came the FULL harvest!
The terms “adultery” and committing adultery or fornication” are used in both the Old Testament and in Revelation as symbols of idolatry or false worship (Ex 34:15; Judges 2:17; 1 Chron 5:25; Rev 14:8; 17:2,4; 18:3,9; 19:2).
There is no justification for literalizing an isolated apocalyptic symbol and to characterize the 144,000 as celibates (virgins). The apostle Paul already had used the term “virgin” symbolically for the apostolic church that belonged to “one husband, to Christ” “so that I might present you as a pure virgin to Him” (2 Cor 11:2). La Rondelle pg 327
The song of the 144,000 “no one could learn except the 144,000 who had been redeemed from the earth” (Rev 14:3), signifies that they have experienced a deliverance greater than Israel experienced under Moses (Ex 15).
5 And in their mouth falsehood was not found for they are flawless.
They do NOT lie, contrary to the character of the Beast - Jewish Zionism - that lies CONSTANTLY.
Another evidence that the battle is between truth and lies. The earth is now, and will continue to be, filled with lies because it is controlled by the father of lies - Satan! Only Christ’s true followers will be found without deceit (guile).
6 And I perceived another messenger flying in mid-heaven (so ALL the earth gets the message), having an eonian evangel (GOOD NEWS for the eons) to bring to those situated on the earth, and to every nation and tribe and language and people, saying with a loud voice,
First Angel’s Message
7 “Fear God and give glory to Him, for the hour of His judging comes; and worship Him that made heaven, the earth and the sea and the fountains of water.”
This passage hearkens back to Exodus 20, the fourth commandment that says we are to worship on the Seventh-day Sabbath because that is the memorial of God’s creation “of the heaven, the earth, and the sea and the fountains of water.” Since God is our Creator, He has every right to be worshiped - AND on the day HE has chosen!
Ex 20:11 “For in six days the Lord made the heavens and the earth, the sea, and all that is in them, but He rested on the Seventh day. Therefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath day and made it holy.
The answer to the question, “How should people worship God as Creator?” is implied in the continuity of God’s covenant between Israel and the Church: by honoring the seventh-day Sabbath as the “blessed” memorial of the creative and redemptive work of the covenant God of Israel (See Ex. 20:8-11 and Deut 5:12-15).
Celebration of the Sabbath of the Creator-Redeemer identifies the one true God. That Sabbath was NOT made for the Jews alone, but for MANKIND from the beginning till the end of time.
In Mark 2:27, 28 Christ declares: “The Sabbath was made for man (humanity = anthropos in the Greek), not man for the Sabbath. So the Son of Man is Lord even of the Sabbath.”
Clearly, the Seventh-day Sabbath IS the Lord’s Day!
Isa 56:6,7 “And the foreigners who bind themselves to the Lord to serve Him, to love the name of the Lord, and to worship Him, all who keep the Sabbath without desecrating it and who hold fast to My covenant - these I will bring to my holy mountain and give them joy in My house of prayer. Their burnt offerings and sacrifices will be accepted on my altar; for My house will be called a house of prayer for ALL NATIONS!”
“The book of Revelation contrasts heaven’s call to revive true worship, with the worship of the beast imposed by the false prophet (Rev 13:12,15). The call for true worship in Rev 14 becomes a test of loyalty to the Maker of heaven and earth: “Fear God and give Him glory . . . “ (Rev 14:7). This exhortation is borrowed from Moses’ appeal to Israel JUST BEFORE THEY ENTERED THE PROMISED LAND: “Fear the Lord your God, serve Him only . . . Do not follow other gods. . . Be sure to keep the commandments of the Lord your God: (Deut 6:13,14,17; 10:12; 20:13:4)” LaRondelle pg 334.
The First angel’s message seeks to restore the essence of true worship. Elijah’s message was: “If the Lord is God - follow Him. But if Baal is god, follow him!”
The First Angel’s Message tells the world to RETURN to TRUE worship and
to cease their apostate worship.
Second Angel’s Message
8 And another, a second messenger, follows, saying, “It falls! It falls! Babylon the great has made ALL nations drink of the wine of the fury of her prostitution!”
The deception of Babylon (Jewish Zionism which has its roots in the corruption of Babylon), will be exposed to the world - and WILL fall!
Just as ancient Babylon was the persecutor of Israel, so “Babylon” in Revelation is the persecutor of the Israel of God in the time of the end.
“The great prostitute that sits “on a scarlet beast” (17:3) distinguishes Babylon (the woman - a religious power) from the political power (the beast). Babylon’s basic intention is aimed at the position of the HIGH PRIEST in connection with the Judgment. Thus, it is the power to forgive sins and ultimately to decide about salvation that it is striving for.” (Daniel: The vision of the End, pg 66 by Dhoukan).
“The Three Angel’s Messages were symbolized by Israel’s literal captivity by ancient Babylon, Babylon’s sudden fall, followed by Israel’s exodus from Babylon and her return to Zion to restore true worship in a new temple. All this will be repeated in principle on a global scale.” LaRondelle, pg 347.
Third Angel’s Message
9 And another, a third messenger, follows them, saying with a loud voice, “If anyone worships the wild beast and its image, and is receives his mark
The word “mark” comes from the Greek word charagma, which comes from the Greek word Charakter. Thus, the Greek word “mark” refers to the CHARACTER of the individual.
on his forehead
The “forehead” is the decision-making area of the brain. In other words, a “mark” or emblem in the forehead means that the person AGREES with the Beast power - Jewish Zionism - and will follow it. His “character” coincides with the “character” of the Beast Power. He has become like the Beast Power.
or in his hand
This means that the person doesn’t necessarily agree with the Beast Power and its actions, but he will go along with it so he or she can eat and have shelter. A perfect example of “situational ethics.” Many who profess to be Christians will be so afraid that they will rapidly capitulate to the Beast Power.
10 The same shall drink of the wine of the wrath of God, blended undiluted in the cup of His (God’s) indignation
God’s wrath or fury means “giving us up to our own desires to do as we wish and reap the consequences” - see Romans 1:18, 24, 26, 28),
and he shall be tormented with fire and brimstone
Sulphur or brimstone means “divine,” theion in the Greek. This is God’s “divine fire,” His fiery law - Deuteronomy 33:2 - that burns the sin out of our life.
in the presence of the holy messengers and in the presence of the Lamb.
When the wicked start reaping what they have sown, Jesus and the angels will be right there with them, helping them through it all.
“I will NEVER leave you nor forsake you.” Hebrews 13:5
God REALLY means this! This is truly GOOD NEWS!
11 And the smoke (like incense in the Old Testament Sanctuary) of their torment is ascending forever and ever
It impossible to add and “ever” to “forever.” The literal meaning here is “for the eons of the eons” – meaning the last two eons, which begin with the millennial eons – See “Does Forever Really Mean ‘Forever?”)
And they are having no rest
Read about the “Sabbath Rest” in Hebrews, Chapters 3 and 4 and how these people CANNOT yet enter into that “Sabbath Rest.”
day and night, those worshiping the wild beast and its image, and if anyone is getting the mark of its name (the character of the beast).
Just as ancient Babylon was the persecutor of Israel, so “Babylon” in Revelation is the persecutor of the Israel of God (the true followers of Christ) in the time of the end.
12 Here is the endurance (patience) of the saints, who are keeping the Commandments of God (Ten Commandments) and the faith of Jesus.”
The two distinctive characteristics of God’s people at the end of time are: 1) they keep the Ten Commandments – ALL Ten of them, and 2) they have the same faith in God that Jesus had in His Father.
13 And I heard a voice out of heaven saying, “Write: ‘Blessed are the dead who are dying in the Lord henceforth! Yea, the Spirit is saying that they will be resting from their toil, for their acts are following with them.
14 And I looked, and lo! A white cloud, and on the cloud One sitting on it like the Son of Man,
15 having a golden wreath (crown) on His head, and a sharp sickle in His hand. And another messenger came out of the temple, crying with a loud voice to Him Who is sitting on the cloud, “Send in Thy sickle and reap! For the hour is come to reap, for the harvest of the earth is ripe.” (ready for harvest)
16 And He Who is sitting on the cloud casts His sickle on the earth, and the earth is reaped.
17 And another messenger came out of the temple which is in heaven, he, also, having a sharp sickle.
18 And another messenger came out of the altar, having jurisdiction (power) over the fire (the fiery law that changes hearts). And he shouts with a loud voice to him who has the sharp sickle, saying, “Send in your sharp sickle, and pick the clusters of the earth’s grapevine, for its grapes are fully ripe.”
19 And the messenger cast his sickle into the earth, and picked the grapevine of the earth, and he casts them into the great winepress of the wrath of God.
God’s wrath = reaping what one has sown. God brings “destruction” to us by fiery trials and tribulations. He crushes us in the “winepress” of life so we can become “broken bread” and “poured out wine” for Him. He makes us “new creatures in Christ.” This is what it really means to be “born again,” or more appropriate literally, “to be born from above.”
20 And the winepress was trampled outside the city
Jesus was crucified “outside the city”,
and blood came out of the trough up to the bits of the horses, for a thousand six hundred stadia.
1600 stadia is the equivalent of 600 Greek feet. SIX is the number of humanity.
“Revelation 14 concludes with the stunning declaration that the blood that flows out of the winepress “outside the city” will “rise as high as the horses’ bridles for a distance of 1,600 stadia.” Again this is Hebrew pictorial language with a clear message. Wisdom requires a grasp of the basic meaning of apocalyptic numbers. Just as Rev 14 began with a number (144,000), so it ends with a number (1,600). Both passages (verses 1 and 20) form symbolic counterparts, describing opposite destinies for the righteous and the wicked. The true Israel (the true followers of Jesus Christ) stands with the Lamb on Mount Zion inside the city of God, the wicked persecutors are all gathered outside the city of God.
Thus Rev 14:1 and 20 expand the imagery of Joel 2:32; 3:1-16. Just as the number 144,000 for the spiritual Israel reveals its theological significance through its key number 12, so does the symbolic number 1,600 discloses its meaning through its key number 4.
“Four” symbolizes the four corners of the earth (see Rev 7:1; 20:8), the four quarters of the earth (Isa.11:12), or the four winds or directions of the compass (Matt 24:31). The multiplication of the number 4 in Rev 14:20 points comprehensively to the universal territory of the battle field, in harmony with Jeremiah’s prediction: “At that time those slain by the Lord will be everywhere -- from one end of the earth to the other “ (24:33).” End-Time Prophecies of the Bible, by Hans LaRondelle, pg 368
© Lorraine Day, M.D. 2006. All Rights Reserved.
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