Revelation 14
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Important messages
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
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Important messages
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.
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