Faithful Witnesses: The 144,000 (Revelation 14; Revelation 15)

Faithful Witnesses: The 144,000 (Revelation 14; Revelation 15)

Scripture reading – Revelation 14; Revelation 15

Author’s note – If you have been a follower of Heart of A Shepherd the past two years, you should share my sense of accomplishment as December 31, 2022 marks the conclusion of a two-year daily devotional journey through the Scriptures. What began as a devotional challenge to my church family, is now followed in over 200 nations and territories.

January 1, 2023 will mark a new beginning as Heart of A Shepherd returns to Genesis, and begins anew, a two-year chronological journey through God’s Word. It continues to be my goal to fulfill Paul’s challenge to Timothy when he wrote, “Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth” (2 Timothy 2:15). Heart of A Shepherd will have a new website design as we begin a new year. If all goes as planned, current subscribers should have a seamless transition to the new website. Please email me at HeartofAShepherdInc@gmail.com if you find you are not receiving daily devotional posts.

Today’s Devotion and Scripture Reading

 As we come to Revelation 14 and 15, we are prophetically in the latter half of the Great Tribulation. Christ opened the seventh and final seal of the scroll (Revelation 8:1), and seven angels with trumpets awaited their time to sound the judgment of God that followed (Revelation 8:2, 6). Revelation 8:7 through Revelation 11:14 recorded the first six blasts of the trumpets. The seventh trumpet sounded in Revelation 11:15, and announced the third woe to befall the earth and its inhabitants during the tribulation.

Revelation 12 identified the devil as the “great red dragon” (Revelation 12:3-4). In Revelation 13, two men portrayed as beasts (Revelation 13:1, 11), rose to power. They will be empowered by the devil, possessed by demons, and do great things. The first man, the antichrist, will beguile the nations of the earth, and establish a 7-year peace treaty. The world will believe the antichrist can insure peace and prosperity for all people. Yet, when 3.5 years are past, the antichrist will unleash his fury against God and His people, and demand he be worshipped as god (Revelation 13:5-10).

A second leader, identified as “another beast” (Revelation 13:11-18), will be the devil’s false prophet. He will demand all men worship the antichrist (Revelation 13:12), and take his mark “in their right hand, or in their foreheads” (Revelation 13:16). Those who refuse the mark, will be unable to buy, sell, or trade in the economy of the tribulation (Revelation 13:17). The number of the beast (antichrist) was given as 666 (Revelation 13:18). (Today’s devotion will be taken from Revelation 14.)

Revelation 14

As John looked toward the future tribulation, he beheld “a Lamb” (Revelation 15:1). Who was the Lamb? He was the same Lamb who unsealed the scroll with seven seals…Jesus Christ, the Son of God (Revelation 5:1-2, 5-6). John saw Christ, the Lamb, standing on mount Zion (the site of the Temple in Jerusalem), and with him were 144,000 evangelists (whom we met in Revelation 7, 7:4-8). They had preached the Gospel during the tribulation, and witnessed “a great multitude” from every nation call upon God for salvation (Revelation 7:9-10). John heard what I believe was the voice of God, sounding like “many waters…a great thunder” and accompanied by harps (Revelation 14:2).

The 144,000 and the Song of the Redeemed (Revelation 14:3-5)

John listened as the 144,000 preachers began to sing a “new song before the throne” of God (Revelation 14:3a). It was the song of the redeemed (Revelation 14:3b). While it seemed all the world followed the antichrist, the 144,000 refused to defile themselves. They rejected the mark of the beast, and were counted by the Lord as “the firstfruits unto God and to the Lamb” (Revelation 14:4). The 144,000 were not only the first of many who remained faithful to God and the Lamb (Revelation 14:4), they were also sincere in their witness, for “in their mouth was found no guile: for they are without fault before the throne of God” (Revelation 14:5). 

Three Angelic Messengers (Revelation 14:6-11) 

As John looked on, he observed three angels sent from the throne of God as messengers. Though the 144,000 evangelists had faithfully preached and called men to repent during the tribulation, God was merciful and also sent an angel to preach “the everlasting gospel” to all the world (Revelation 14:6). The voice of that angel was loud, and he admonished sinners to turn to their Creator (Revelation 14:7).

A second angel followed, and his message was one of judgment. He warned, “Babylon is fallen, is fallen, that great city, because she made all nations drink of the wine of the wrath of her fornication” (Revelation 14:8). In the Scriptures, Babylon was a type of the world, and represents here the world government and authority of the antichrist (Revelation 14:8).

A third angel followed, and warned, if any worshipped the beast (antichrist), and accepted his mark in their forehand or hand, they would be condemned to God’s wrath. Their doomed was to be “tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of the holy angels, and in the presence of the Lamb (Jesus Christ)” (Revelation 14:10). Those sinners who received the mark of the beast were warned, they would be condemned to everlasting torment (Revelation 14:11).

Closing thoughts (Revelation 14:12-20) – Revelation 14 concluded with a prophecy of two judgments yet to come in the Tribulation. The first judgment was portrayed as a harvest of grain and described as seven bowls of judgments that would be poured out on the earth (Revelation 14:14-16; Revelation 16:1-21). The second judgment was portrayed as a harvest of grapes, and is a picture of the battle of Armageddon (Revelation 14:17-20; Revelation 19:11-21). The horror of that final battle, when the antichrist and his forces will be defeated, was revealed…for the blood of men who died in the battle will reach the “horse bridles,” and stretch for 200 miles.

Revelation 14:12-13 described those who will be saved, and martyred during the Great Tribulation. In spite of sorrows and persecution, there will be saints who persevere, keeping “the commandments of God” and keeping “the faith of Jesus” (Revelation 14:12). Though many will die, the Lord declared them “Blessed,” for they will have rest, and their works will be commended by Him (Revelation 14:13).

What do your works say about you and your faith?

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