Revelation - The Age of the Apocalypse

The Age of the Apocalypse
“Voices From Heaven”
Revelation 14:1-16:21

   In our study of the Book of Revelation, we must keep in mind:

• We are reading material that was written 2000 years ago by the Apostle John while he was on the isle of Patmos.
• Using words, terms, and images that were understandable to him, John described the vision he received from the Lord regarding the events that will occur during the final seven years of this age.
  • Catastrophic events on this earth that God will use to judge those who rejected Jesus as their savior, and bring an end to this earth as we know it today.
  • Glorious events in heaven that God has planned for those who received Jesus Christ as their savior and will live and reign with him forever.
• Our challenge, therefore, is not to get so caught up in discerning the signs that we miss the main point of John’s vision: the soon coming of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.

If now with eyes defiled and dim,
we see the signs, but see not Him.
O may His love the scales displace,
and bid us see Him face to face
Spurgeon

In the last three sermons, we have seen:

• The rise of the Antichrist, who will become the leader of the revived Roman Empire.
• The rise of the False Prophet, who will become the leader of the revived Roman religion.
• Both of these human leaders will get their power from the great dragon, Satan, whose ultimate goal has always been to be equal with God and to thwart God’s plan of redemption.
• These two men will form a coalition that will conquer the world, establish a new world order, a one-world government, and a one-world religion that will eventually require the people to worship the Antichrist as God.
• They will institute a system of accountability that will monitor the activities of every person on the earth.
• Those who do not participate in this system by taking the mark of the beast will not be allowed to buy or sell, and those who assist them will be punished.
• Eventually, things will become so difficult, with major catastrophic events occurring every day all over the world, the Antichrist will turn against the False Prophet, and his actions will bring the earth to the point of total destruction.
• At the same time, thousands of people will receive Jesus Christ as their Savior and Lord, and while the majority of them will be immediately martyred, in due time, they will all be united with all of the other believers in heaven.

John said he heard four types of voices:

1. Voices of Praise — Revelation 14:1-5 – Those 144,000 witnesses will sing a new song of praise unto the Lord for their protection from His wrath.

  In the 7^th chapter of Revelation, John said God selected 12,000 Jewish men from each of the 12 tribes of Israel and sealed them by the Holy Spirit to be His witnesses in the world during the Tribulation.

• In the 14^th chapter of Revelation, John said he saw all 144,000 of them standing with the Lord Jesus on Mount Zion, as examples on display that God’s seal of protection is sure and certain.
  • The fires will not burn them –
  • The floods will not consume them –
  • The firing squads cannot destroy them –
• These 144,000 Jews will preach the gospel throughout the world until He calls them to their eternal home in heaven.
  • This is a picture of what it means to be sealed by the Holy Spirit until the day of our redemption.
  • Every born-again believer is immortal until our work on this earth is finished.
• These 144,000 Jews will also be singing a new song based on their experience with God during the Tribulation. They will be assisted by an orchestra of harps and the voices of the heavenly hosts.

 2.  Voices of Judgment – Revelation 14:6-20 – Six angels declare God’s judgment upon those who worshipped the beast and participated in the mission of the Antichrist.

   In the Old Testament, Babylon was Israel’s greatest enemy, and in the last days, Babylon will serve as the capital for the corrupt political and religious system that will stand against God and terrorize God’s people.

• Verse 8 says Babylon will force the other nations to join in her corruption.
  • The corruption of murder – the government will kill those who will now bow down to the image of the beast or pledge their first loyalty to the New World Order.
  • The corruption of sorcery – the leaders of the New World Order, turn to the paranormal for guidance.
  • The corruption of fornication – sexual immorality will be without restraint or restriction.

   However, in verses 9-11, John said God will destroy Babylon in due time.

• Verses 14-20 describe the return of Jesus Christ to this earth to finish the final phase of the Battle of Armageddon.
• While the battle will be against the largest army ever amassed by any man, it will also be the quickest defeat in the history of mankind.
• In verse 20, John said the blood will flow out in a stream 200 miles long and as high as the horse’s bridle.

3. Voices of Victory — 15:1-4 – These are the voices of those saints who refused the mark of the Beast and were martyred for their expressed faith in Jesus Christ as their Savior and Lord.

• John said he saw those believers from the tribulation who had overcome the beast and his evil system.
• While they could not buy or sell to provide for their needs, they remained faithful unto the Lord.
• Just as the children of Israel sang at the Red Sea, these tribulation saints will sing by the Sea of Glass in heaven, praising God for their deliverance.

4.  Voices of Execution — 15:5-16:21 – This is the voice of God that will issue the command for the seven angels to pour out the contents of their vials upon the earth.

   Seven angels came out of heaven’s temple, each with a bowl of wrath to be poured out upon the earth.

• Loathsome sores.
• The sea turns to blood.
• The water turns to blood.
• Men are scorched by the intense heat of the sun.
• Darkness and severe pain.
• The Euphrates River dries up.
• The whole earth shakes.
  • The day of grace will be over.
  • The door of the entrance into heaven will be closed forever.