Day 21 of Revelation Study: Chapter 14

The Lamb & the 144,000

This chapter begins with the Lord standing on Mount Zion with the 144,000 Israelites who were sealed by God in chapter seven. Opposed to having the mark of the beast like much of mankind left in the world (13:16-18), they were given the very name of God [both the Father and the Son] which had been written on their foreheads (14:1). Is there any significance with branding the forehead? Yes, there is. It is meant to show that He is their Head. Christ is both their authority and God—they are owned by Him. Thus, they submit their lives to Him, as is seen in them remaining spiritually pure from the sexual immorality of the world and being found blameless in all their words (14:4-5).

The Messages of the Three Angels

What John sees next is staggering. An angel flies down to Earth and begins proclaiming the gospel of Christ to every nation, tribe, language and people and declares that God’s judgment is at hand. A second angel follows close behind and announces the fall of Babylon which prophesies the coming destruction of the great city, as will be discussed further in chapters seventeen and eighteen. Parallels between Babylon and this future day are as follows:

Again, a third angel followed behind the first two and stated that those who worship the beast and receive his mark will suffer the eternal wrath of God. Therefore, John saw that the world received the proclamation of the Gospel, the prophetic announcement of the fall of Babylon, and the pronouncement of eternal judgment upon those who have chosen death.

The Submission of the Son of Man

Nevertheless, John sees the Son of Man seated on the cloud with a sickle in His hand. However, notice what He is doing — He is waiting. What is He waiting for? Instructions. He is waiting to receive the go-ahead. Just then, a fourth angel comes out of the Heavenly temple and tells Him [the Son of Man] that the hour of reaping has come. But who on Earth is this angel and why does Jesus wait for him to come? By what authority does he have to tell the God of all creation when to begin reaping the harvest in the world?

To understand this properly, we must acknowledge where the angel has come from — the temple. Which temple? The Heavenly temple (14:17). This angel, in and of himself, has zero authority over the Son of Man. Nevertheless, this angel is one of the angels who stands before the Throne of God in the temple. He is the Father’s messenger to the Son that the time to act is now. Thus, what we see here in this passage is that Jesus, fully God and fully man, is completely submissive to the Father’s will. Even in glory, the Son of Man is fully content with waiting upon the perfect timing of God.

Continue on to read about chapters 15 - 16.

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