Judgment Has Come

Rev. 14:7

And he said with a loud voice,  Fear God and give Him glory, because the hour of His judgment has come, and worship Him who made heaven and earth, the sea and the springs of water.

 

John looked and saw Mt. Zion (God's holy hill), and on it stood the Lamb with 144,000 (Rev. 7:4) who had the name of the Lamb and the Father on their foreheads. Then a voice came from heaven, first sounding like the roar of many waters and loud thunder, and then like the sound of harpists playing on their harps. The 144,000, those redeemed (first fruits for God and the Lamb), undefiled (virgins), and blameless (without lies), were singing a new song (triumph through the Lamb) before the throne, a song which no one else could learn except for the 144,000. These follow the Lamb wherever He goes.

 

Next three angels come to proclaim the hour of God's judgment. The first angel proclaimed an eternal gospel to earth dwellers, every nation, tribe, language, and people. He said, Fear God and give Him glory, because the hour of His judgment has come, and worship Him who made heaven and earth, the sea and the springs of water.

 

The second angel, said, Fallen, fallen is Babylon the great, she who made all nations drink the wine of the passion of her sexual immorality. Babylon represents society's penchant for material prosperity and pleasure, seducing the unwary into adultery against the Lord.

 

 The third angel said, If anyone worships the beast and its image and receives a mark on his forehead or on his hand, he also will drink the wine of God's wrath, poured full strength into the cup of His anger, and he will be tormented with fire and sulfur 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, and they have no rest, day or night, these worshipers of the beast and its image, and whoever received the mark of its name. Constant torment! Hell is not annihilation, it is an eternal state of agony. Absolutely no rest!

 

Here is the call for the endurance of the saints, who keep the commandments of God and their faith in Jesus... Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord from now on. Blessed indeed, says the Spirit, that they may rest from their labors, for their deeds follow them. In contrast to hell, the faithful saints (even to death) are blessed with rest from their labors and their persecution.

 

Then a white cloud appeared, seated on the cloud was Son of Man with a golden crown on His head, and a sharp sickle in His hand. He was instructed to put in His sickle and reap, for the harvest of the earth was ripe (believers). Then another angel came out with a sharp sickle. He was told to put in his sickle and gather the grape clusters from the earth. These clusters the angel threw into the great winepress of God's wrath. The winepress was trodden (trampling  the nations who have trampled God's holy City--Is. 63:1-6) outside the city and blood flowed the winepress as high as a horse's bridle, to 1600 stadia (about 184 miles). What a picture! Jesus faithfully reaping His own, keeping them safely as compared to the grape harvest and the winepress of God's wrath trampling the unbelieving nations. Judgment will come swift and sure! The only option is to worship the Creator!

 

Father, 

Your judgment is swift and so final. Give me your grace and strength to endure, to be faithful to the end no matter what the circumstances. Give me eyes to see those who need to hear the message of the gospel so that they might be ready for the reaping.

In His name,

Amen