Recent Posts
Lowell Brueckner

Enter your email address:


Delivered by FeedBurner

Revelation 14

Labels:


Chapter 14



1.  Then I looked, and behold, on Mount Zion stood the Lamb, and with him 144,000 who had his name and his Father’s name written on their foreheads.

2.  And I heard a voice from heaven like the roar of many waters and like the sound of loud thunder. The voice I heard was like the sound of harpists playing on their harps,

3.  and they were singing a new song before the throne and before the four living creatures and before the elders. No one could learn that song except the 144,000 who had been redeemed from the earth.

4.  It is these who have not defiled themselves with women, for they are virgins. It is these who follow the Lamb wherever he goes. These have been redeemed from mankind as firstfruits for God and the Lamb,

5.  and in their mouth no lie was found, for they are blameless.



The Lamb and 144,000



Now, we will learn of several things which will occur during the 3 ½ years of the Great Tribulation and I will simply bring them to your attention. The tribes of Israel, the number of apostles and the 24 elders in heaven, all have to do with the number 12. Of course 144,000 is also a multiple of 12. This chapter begins with a picture of the Lamb on Mount Zion, accompanied by 144,000 disciples. They are in sharp contrast to those in 13:16, who receive the number and name of the beast. We have a great number of faithful, loyal followers of the Lamb, who hung in shame on Golgotha, but now stands triumphant with the choicest people on earth in the eyes of God. They may not be among the governmental rulers, the high ranking military officials, the intellectual giants, or the greatest examples of physical strength, but before heaven’s throne these are the finest of creation, the prime product of the earth.



I have already stated that the contents of this chapter seem to unfold during the Great Tribulation, which is evident by the fall of Babylon in verse 8 and the mark of the beast in verse 9. The Lamb and the 144,000 are positioned on Mount Zion (v.1), but the context seems to indicate that this is not literal Zion on earth, but heavenly Zion. Verse 3 shows that only the 144,000 could sing a new song and that song was sung before the throne, the living creatures and the elders. Zion is the southern hill in the city of Jerusalem and the seat of divine worship on earth. It became emblematic of the dwelling place of God in heaven.


Revelation 13

Labels:


  
Chapter 13

1.  And I saw a beast rising out of the sea, with ten horns and seven heads, with ten diadems on its horns and blasphemous names on its heads.
2.  And the beast that I saw was like a leopard; its feet were like a bear’s, and its mouth was like a lion’s mouth. And to it the dragon gave his power and his throne and great authority.
3.  One of its heads seemed to have a mortal wound, but its mortal wound was healed, and the whole earth marveled as they followed the beast.
4.  And they worshiped the dragon, for he had given his authority to the beast, and they worshiped the beast, saying, “Who is like the beast, and who can fight against it?”
5.  And the beast was given a mouth uttering haughty and blasphemous words, and it was allowed to exercise authority for forty-two months.
6.  It opened its mouth to utter blasphemies against God, blaspheming his name and his dwelling, that is, those who dwell in heaven.
7.  Also it was allowed to make war on the saints and to conquer them. And authority was given it over every tribe and people and language and nation,
8.  and all who dwell on earth will worship it, everyone whose name has not been written before the foundation of the world in the book of life of the Lamb who was slain.
9.  If anyone has an ear, let him hear:
10. If anyone is to be taken captive, to captivity he goes; if anyone is to be slain with the sword, with the sword must he be slain. Here is a call for the endurance and faith of the saints.

The end-time beast

Here we can see that the events of Revelation do not appear strictly in chronological order. Already in chapter 11 we have been introduced to the beast, who is now described to us in this chapter, as he rises out of the ‘sea’. It is essential to study Daniel’s prophecies before attempting to interpret the book of Revelation, especially as they relate to the beast and his kingdom. King Nebuchadnezzar saw this same prophecy in a dream, but in the form of a great image. The final kingdom is seen as the ten toes on the image.