Three Angels and a Voice - Revelation 14:6-13
INTRODUCTION:
The week before Easter we began looking at Revelation 14, a chapter which begins to bring us to a conclusion of chapters 12-14. The theme of chapter 14 is the ultimate triumph of the Lord Jesus Christ. The material in chapters 12-14 is not presented in chronological order, but by subject, but it prepares us for the climax of the end times which begins in chapter 15.
When we began chapter 14 three weeks ago John vision took him into the future and he saw the Lamb, the Lord Jesus Christ standing in triumph on Mt. Zion surrounded by the 144,000 sealed Israelites that lived through the Tribulation and usher in the millennial kingdom of Jesus Christ with Him on Mt. Zion.
This morning we will look at the middle section of this chapter which is a series of announcements that John sees in his vision. Let’s pray and then get into our passage of Scripture for this morning.
--PRAY--
SCRIPTURE:
Turn in your Bibles this morning to Revelation 14:6-13, in this vision John sees three angels that give announcements and hears a voice from heaven, actually two voices. Please stand if you are able in honor of the reading of the Word of God, follow along as I read.
Revelation 14:6-13,
“And I saw another angel flying in midheaven, having an eternal gospel to preach to those who live on the earth, and to every nation and tribe and tongue and people; and he said with a loud voice, ‘Fear God, and give Him glory, because the hour of His judgment has come; worship Him who made the heaven and the earth and sea and springs of waters.’ And another angel, a second one, followed, saying, ‘Fallen, fallen is Babylon the great, she who has made all the nations drink of the wine of the passion of her immorality.’ Then another angel, a third one, followed them, saying with a loud voice, ‘If anyone worships the beast and his image, and receives a mark on his forehead or on his hand, he also will drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is mixed in full strength in the cup of His anger; and he will be tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of the holy angels and in the presence of the Lamb. And the smoke of their torment goes up forever and ever; they have no rest day and night, those who worship the beast and his image, and whoever receives the mark of his name.’ Here is the perseverance of the saints who keep the commandments of God and their faith in Jesus. And I heard a voice from heaven, saying, ‘Write, Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord from now on!’ ‘Yes,’ says the Spirit, ‘so that they may rest from their labors, for their deeds follow with them.’” (Revelation 14:6–13, NASB95)[1]
A PROCLAMATION (Revelation 14:6-7)
John in his vision says that he sees another angel flying in midheaven. The last angels that John saw were in chapter 12 when he saw Michael and his angels fighting with the dragon (Satan) and his angels (the demons). Remember John had described the innumerable host of holy angels that he saw in heaven and now he sees one of this host flying in midheaven. Midheaven refers to the place where the sun is at mid-day, it highest point, where is gives light everywhere. From the point as the angel encircles the earth, all the living on earth will see him.
John tells us that this angel has an eternal gospel to preach to those who live on the earth. This angel has a proclamation to make to the world, a proclamation to every nation, tribe, tongue (language group) and people. This eternal gospel that he is to preach is for everyone who lives on the earth.
This “eternal gospel” is no different than the gospel that has been proclaimed through the ages. The very fact that it is called eternal shows that it is identical with the gospel proclaimed from the beginning. Scripture describes the gospel in various terms, each looking at it from a different viewpoint. It is the good news of all the ages, that God is sovereign, and man’s contentment consists in recognizing God’s authority and coming into relationship with Him. To this blessed fact is added at this time the full truth of the gospel of the grace of God. The gospel of the kingdom is but another aspect of the same news from heaven, emphasizing particularly the Lordship of Jesus Christ. This angel preaching the eternal gospel is God’s last call upon sinful man to repent.
In a loud voice this angel will proclaim “Fear God, and give Him glory, because the hour of His judgment has come; worship Him who made the heaven and the earth and sea and springs of waters.” (Revelation 14:7b, NASB95)[2] Fear God because the hour of His judgment is come, the unbelievers on the earth are called to give God glory, in view of His coming judgment. God’s righteous judgments are the outpouring of His wrath against the stubborn and unrepentant world. Remember by this point the world will have experienced the devastating seal and trumpet judgments, eventually they will realize that the disasters that they are experiencing are God’s judgment, yet they will defiantly refuse to repent. Still, God in His great mercy and grace will one more time call sinners to repentance through the preaching of this angel. The angel gives one final reason for sinners to turn from the Antichrist to God, by proclaiming to the world, to all people to worship the One who created the heavens and the earth and the sea and the springs of waters. The created universe both offers proof of God’s existence and provides grounds for worshiping Him. David declared in Psalm 19:1, “The heavens are telling of the glory of God; And their expanse is declaring the work of His hands.” (Psalm 19:1, NASB95)[3] Daniel read for us this morning from Romans 1:18-20, “For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men who suppress the truth in unrighteousness, because that which is known about God is evident within them; for God made it evident to them. For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes, His eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly seen, being understood through what has been made, so that they are without excuse.” (Romans 1:18–20, NASB95)[4] God’s wrath is coming because man has suppressed the truth about God that is clearly seen in what has been made. The angel calls sinful man to look at what has been made and know the truth and worship God, the Creator of it all.
A DECLARATION (Revelation 14:8)
John sees another angel, a second one following after the first one who was proclaiming the eternal gospel. As much as the first angel’s announcement was a proclamation of the good news of the gospel, this second angel’s announcement is a declaration of the bad news of judgment. He declares, “Fallen, fallen is Babylon the great, she who has made all the nations drink of the wine of the passion of her immorality.” (Revelation 14:8b, NASB95)[5] The repetition of the word “fallen” is used here to emphasize the certainty of Babylon’s judgment, even though it is yet future it is spoken as if it has already taken place. God sees it as already done.
Understand that Babylon in this verse refers not just to the city, but also to Antichrist’s worldwide political, economic, and religious empire. When we come to chapters 17-18 we will receive a more detailed description of this final Babylon. In chapter 17, Babylon is personified as a harlot and is described as here as she who has made all the nations drink of the wine of the passion of her immorality. The world will be intoxicated and seduced by the Babylonian false religion headed by the Antichrist. As a result of their passion, sinners will engage in a great rebellion, hatred and idolatry toward God. The world will continue on the course of their wickedness having consumed the wine of this seductive harlot. Babylon where idolatry began with the building of the great tower of babel, and where it reached its zenith through out its history with a king building a great monument of gold of himself and commanding his people to worship it, to worship him.
A CONDEMNATION (Revelation 14:9-11)
John informs us in verse 9 that following after these first two angels is a third angel who also has an announcement, his announcement is the condemnation of anyone who worships the beast or his image and receives a mark on his forehead or his hand. His condemnation is delivered in a loud voice so that all will hear and understand his message.
God, who is perfectly holy and righteous, judges people because they reject what they know to be true. Just as we read in our Scripture reading this morning in Romans 1:20, “For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes, His eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly seen, being understood through what has been made, so that they are without excuse.” (Romans 1:20, NASB95)[6]
This third angel’s announcement warns that a terrible fate awaits those who persist in worshiping the Antichrist, once again God in His great grace and mercy calls sinners to repent in the final hour, or they will face the terrible judgment of the Antichrist. Those who drank the harlot’s wine of the passions of her immorality will also drink the wine of the wrath of God. To drink the wine of the wrath of God is to experience His wrath.
This wine of the wrath of God we are told is mixed in full strength, often in John’s day wine was diluted with water, but the wine of the wrath of God is undiluted, it is the full fury of God’s wrath, so long restrained, now to be unleashed on the world. This wine of the wrath of God is full strength poured into the cup of His anger. Understand the God’s wrath is not an impulsive outburst of anger aimed randomly at people God does not like; God’s wrath is the settled, merciless, graceless, and compassionless response of a righteous God against sin. This final outpouring will be undiluted wrath, unmixed with any trace of grace, mercy or compassion.
The terrible and horrifying fate that awaits the person who drinks the wine of God’s wrath is to “be tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of the holy angels and in the presence of the Lamb.” (Revelation 14:10b, NASB95)[7] This word translated “torment” is a word that speaks of an endless infliction of unbearable pain. Fire and brimstone are often associated with divine judgment. Hell, the place where unbelievers will spend eternity is described as the “lake of fire which burns with brimstone.”
We are told that this torment will be in the presence of the holy angels and in the presence of the Lamb. That innumerable host of holy angels will watch the fearful choice of these now doomed humans, humans for whom the Son of God had tasted death. They are there in holy approval of this divine judgment, for their God has done this. But this is also in the presence of the Lamb, mercy is forever gone if the Lamb stands there, and He will.
The third angel concludes his message declaring that “the smoke of their torment goes up forever and ever; they have no rest day and night, those who worship the beast and his image, and whoever receives the mark of his name.” (Revelation 14:11, NASB95)[8] John informs us that the judgment of hell is forever and ever, that the wicked, those who rejected the grace and mercy of Jesus Christ and chose instead to worship the beast and his image and give their loyalty to him by receiving the mark of his name will have no rest day or night from the torment of their judgment.
John MacArthur writes, “So these three angels deliver God’s last call to repentance before the final judgments fall and the Lord Jesus Christ returns. But God’s gracious warnings will go unheeded by most of the sinful world. There is perhaps no clearer illustration in Scripture of the sad truth that “men loved the darkness rather than the Light, for their deeds were evil.” (John 3:19, NASB95)[9]
A CONSOLATION (Revelation 14:12-13)
This section of Scripture ends with a startling announcement of blessing in verse 13. This is the second of seven beatitudes found in Revelation. The first was in Revelation 1:3, this one here in verse 13 pronounces blessing on the dead. Such a blessing is incomprehensible to most people, death is viewed as something to be avoided, not blessed.
How are the dead blessed, what is this consolation given to us by John? The answer to these questions presented by this beatitude is two parts, the dead are blessed because of how they lived and because of how they died.
John first writes how they lived in verse 12, “Here is the perseverance of the saints who keep the commandments of God and their faith in Jesus.” (Revelation 14:12, NASB95)[10] The perseverance of the saints is an important teaching for the church. All those whom God has elected, called and justified in Christ will never lose their faith, they will persevere until death. This truth should provide assurance to those who have put their faith in Jesus Christ by agreeing with God that they are helpless sinners, unable to do anything about their sin, but believing that Jesus Christ paid the penalty for their sin by His death on the cross, believing that He was buried and that three days later rose for the dead proving that His death had conquered sin, Satan, and death. This truth of the perseverance of the saints reveals that the death of believers is blessed because death ushers them into the glories of heaven. For the believer death is the doorway into the presence of God, this is the only way and only time that anyone can go to heaven in our time.
This passage of Scripture shows us powerfully and clearly that the persevering character of saving faith. There will never be another group in all of history that will face stronger assaults on their faith then the tribulation saints. This group will consist of both Jews and Gentiles who will come to faith in Christ after the rapture of the church, they will endure the most intense persecution in human history. There is no stronger evidence that saving faith perseveres then the reality that the most tested believers in history will maintain their faith in Christ to the end.
This perseverance of the tribulation believers will be evident because they will keep the commandments of God, and their perseverance will be seen through their faith in Jesus. Not even the threat of torment and death will cause them to abandon their faith or deny Christ. They will maintain their testimony till the end, even if that end means they will be martyred.
Having written how the tribulation saints lived, John now writes how they died. Having persevered to the end the tribulation saints will die with promise. John says that he heard a voice from heaven that commanded him to write. John was commanded to write, “Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord from now on!” (Revelation 14:13b, NASB95)[11] These saints are not only blessed because they lived lives of obedience, trust, and purpose, but they are also blessed because they died in the Lord, and their death brings them into the eternal blessings of heaven. The martyred believers from that point to the end of the tribulation will have nothing to fear. Their deaths will be blessed.
John also hears the voice of the Holy Spirit and writes His words. His emphatic “yes!” shows that He is in full agreement with the heavenly voice saying the dead are blessed. The Holy Spirit is the comforter and longs to see their suffering end. He goes on to give two further reasons why the tribulation martyrs are blessed.
First, the Holy Spirit says they are blessed because their death means rest from their labors. Their lives during the tribulation will be laborious, they will be filled with deep sorrow as they watch those they love suffer torment and death. Their own lives will be difficult, they will struggle to survive. Because they do not have the mark of the beast they will be excluded from society, unable to buy or sell and they will live their lives on the run as hunted fugitives. Death will come to them as a welcome relief.
Second, the Holy Spirit says these tribulation martyrs are blessed because their deeds follow with them. This word translated “deeds” refers to their service for the Lord. When a believer goes to heaven the record of his labor for the Lord will follow along with him. The Bible teaches that God will reward believers in heaven for their service for Him here on the earth.
CONCLUSION:
As we close this morning, let me pose this question to you: What deeds will follow with you to heaven, what will your reward for your service to the Lord be? Our service to the Lord will be tested by fire we are told in 1 Corinthians 3:10-15 and that which we have done out of our own heart and for our own glory will burn up, but that which we have done in the power of the Spirit for the glory of God will be like silver, gold, and precious stones and it will come through the fire and for this we will receive reward. Understand that this is not a judgment of our sin, that was dealt with at the cross when you put your faith in Jesus Christ. Your salvation is secure, this is the judgment seat of Christ where what we have done for Christ in this life will be tested so that Jesus Christ can reward us for our faithful service to Him.
[1]New American Standard Bible : 1995 Update. La Habra, CA : The Lockman Foundation, 1995
[2]New American Standard Bible : 1995 Update. La Habra, CA : The Lockman Foundation, 1995
[3]New American Standard Bible : 1995 Update. La Habra, CA : The Lockman Foundation, 1995
[4]New American Standard Bible : 1995 Update. La Habra, CA : The Lockman Foundation, 1995
[5]New American Standard Bible : 1995 Update. La Habra, CA : The Lockman Foundation, 1995
[6]New American Standard Bible : 1995 Update. La Habra, CA : The Lockman Foundation, 1995
[7]New American Standard Bible : 1995 Update. La Habra, CA : The Lockman Foundation, 1995
[8]New American Standard Bible : 1995 Update. La Habra, CA : The Lockman Foundation, 1995
[9]MacArthur, John, Because the Time is Near : John MacArthur explains the book of Revelation. Chicago, IL : Moody Publishers, 2007
[10]New American Standard Bible : 1995 Update. La Habra, CA : The Lockman Foundation, 1995
[11]New American Standard Bible : 1995 Update. La Habra, CA : The Lockman Foundation, 1995