Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 35:17 — 20.6MB)

Revelation #27

            Dear Listeners, have you been at peace in Christ drying the past week? We are truly living in the end times. We are living in a time when people are deluded by archaeological discovery of tomb of Jesus in order to prevent people from believing in the resurrection of Jesus Christ. Regardless of what anyone says, Christ is already resurrected in those who have received Jesus and been born again of the Holy Spirit. What we believe is the Word of God and the evidence within us. The proof is this: it is our Lord Jesus Christ. It is called eternal life within. And this is the mystery, it is Christ in us. Satan still roams around like a roaring lion in order to deceive and destroy those who have not yet been born again and to leave the church. It is easy to lose our minds in these last days if we do not stay vigilant and pray. Therefore, the apostle Peter testified 2,000 years ago that the end of all things is near, and the same Holy Spirit is testifying this word to us now as well. Last time we talked about the Antichrist. When the antichrist makes his appearance, everyone will receive the mark (666) on their right hand or forehead. Now is truly the time to awake and pray. Who then is a faithful and wise servant, whom his lord hath made ruler over his household, to give them meat in due season? (Matthew 24:45 KJV) Breakfast in the morning and lunch around noon. Then Dinner in the evening, for now is the sun is setting. With the day of the Lord’s coming being imminent, we will not be able to overcome the hardships in this world and will be discouraged if we do not know what will happen in the future as recorded in the book of Revelation. You have to be vigilant because you may become discouraged and give up your faith because of physical work. Today we will continue with Revelation 14. Before we enter Chapter 14, I’d first like to take a moment to summarize what we have learned studying the Book of Revelation so far.

            After the saints are raptured, those left behind will face judgments of the tribulation. The standard interpretation of the book of Revelation is that the judgments are given in chronological order. The problem with that approach, however, is that the Tribulation ends several times in the book (6:12-17, 11:14-19, 14:13-20, 10:11-21). Just as Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John give four accounts of the First Advent, Revelation gives four accounts of the Second Advent. They are: the Tribulation through seal judgments (Chapter 6), the Tribulation through the trumpet judgments chapters 7-11), the Tribulation through the activities of the Antichrist (chapters 12-14), and the Tribulation through the vial judgments (chapters 15-19). Each account goes through the Tribulation from start to finish, with some parenthetical material inserted (chapters 7,10,12,13). If we do not divide and study the word of truth, confusion will arise. Therefore, up to chapter 3 is the age of the church, and chapter 4 is about John being raptured. In earnest, the scene that Apostle John saw in heaven is in chapter 4, chapter 5, and from chapter 6 to the middle of chapter 19 is about the 7-year tribulation on earth. Then, at the end of chapter 19, the scene of the Lord’s return appears, and if you go to chapter 20, the millennial kingdom appears, and in chapter 21, chapter 22, the new Jerusalem descends and unfolds the eternal world. Therefore, please remember that whosoever is born again and has the Spirit of God will never fall into tribulation.

            Therefore, If you are not born again now in the dispensation of grace, you’ll miss your chance to receive salvation just by faith. Our Lord said that unless a person is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God. Unless he is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God. He said clearly that what is born of the flesh is flesh, and what is born of the Spirit is spirit (John 3:3, 5,6 KJV). To be born again means that the old man, Adam, dies completely and becoming a new man. It’s becoming a new creation in Christ. It is the disappearing of The “old me”. Apostle Paul said this in  (2 Corinthians 5:17 KJV) Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new. folks! Are you a brand new person? Have the old things passed away? Are you born again of the Holy Spirit? Is Christ living in you? Is Heavenly Father working? Also, does the Holy Spirit dwell within you? If this is the case, you need not worry. Now, our task is to preach the gospel so that many people can receive salvation, from close family members to people far away, so that even one more person will be raptured and not fall into the tribulation. United States of America is a mission field. We must preach the gospel to all nations. Sending few bucks is not a missionary work. True Mission is to give life to people by preaching the gospel. The first man, Adam, was a living soul, but the last Adam, Jesus Christ, is a quickening (life-giving) spirit. Therefore, those who accept and believe in Jesus Christ have the Holy Spirit living in them, so if they testify to the Word by the Holy Spirit, those who accept the gospel through the Word can receive the Holy Spirit and be born again and give life unto others. It’s a special grace. So, knowing this fact, we must not unconditionally fear the Book of Revelation. If you know this word properly, ‘this is a blessing, a blessed word, a word of hope’, and because of that, it is an important word that gives you passion to preach the gospel to more people. In these last days, if you do not know God’s word, you will get drunk with the world, mindlessly go back and forth to church, live out your life only for the sake of the flesh on this earth in darkness, unable to understand God’s will. However, the apostle Paul said this in (1 Thessalonians 5:2 KJV) For yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so cometh as a thief in the night. Therefore, those who are awake know. We may not know the day or hour, but we can know the urgency of the time. So, while awake and praying, evangelize even one more person and seek God’s righteousness, you can live while experiencing these miracles in which God fills everything in your life.

            We need to remember that the situation in chapter 14 is now the latter three and a half years of the 7 year tribulation. During the first three and a half years, the antichrist did not reveal his true nature. However, in the latter three and a half years, we can see that he completely reveals his demonic form. This is very important. We saw earlier in Revelation chapter 7 that 144,000 appeared before the final seal was opened. Twelve thousand male virgins undefiled by women from each tribe were sealed and were not killed by any means. However, they appear again in chapter 14. What kind of beings are they and where are they now? Let’s consider this while studying the words of chapter 14.

            (Revelation 14:1 KJV) ¶ And I looked, and, lo, a Lamb stood on the mount Sion, and with him an hundred forty and four thousand, having his Father’s name written in their foreheads. These are not spiritual Jews, Christians, and definitely not the Jehovah’s Witnesses. You must realize that these are circumcised Jews from the 12 tribes of Israel. We must believe the Bible as it is. You will be confused If you continue to apply it spiritually and make it ambiguous. These groups have already gone up to heaven as in the text. They became the invincible, sealed gospel preachers during the tribulation when they lived on earth. However, we see them already up in heaven in chapter 14. The Lamb stands on Mount Zion, and this Mount Zion is in heaven. Mount Zion on earth is Jerusalem. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven. (Matthew 6:10 KJV) What is in heaven is done on Earth. We can realize that this is what happens in God’s dispensation, where heaven and earth become one.

            Skipping to verse 3: And they sung as it were a new song before the throne, and before the four beasts, and the elders: and no man could learn that song but the hundred and forty and four thousand, which were redeemed from the earth. (Revelation 14:3 KJV) Then going back to (Revelation 7:11 KJV) And all the angels stood round about the throne, and about the elders and the four beasts, and fell before the throne on their faces, and worshipped God,  Where is this scene and where the 144,000 have gone up? Well according to the words, it is not on the ground, but in the third heaven. There are four beasts and elders around the throne. 144,000 sang a new song that No one can learn. Therefore, we know that the 144,000 are not on the ground and have already been raptured. These are the people who were raptured during the Tribulation. Then also in (Revelation 4:10 KJV) The four and twenty elders fall down before him that sat on the throne, and worship him that liveth for ever and ever, and cast their crowns before the throne, saying,  This scene is not on earth. John was raptured and saw the heavenly throne in the third heaven. When the first 144,000 were mentioned in 7:4, they were sealed and were on earth to preach through the tribulation, but in 14:1-3, they are raptured and ascended to heaven. Mount Zion mentioned in 14:1 has nothing to do with the church. Mount Zion here is in heaven. Pertaining to this passage, (Hebrews 12:22 KJV) speaks about Mt. Zion and New Jerusalem But ye are come unto mount Sion, and unto the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to an innumerable company of angels, For this reason, we can see in the Psalms that Mount Zion is originally in the heavens, and that Mount Zion on earth is the tribe of Judah. This refers to the heavenly city northwards and has nothing to do with places on earth. Satan was on the top of this mountain before he first sinned. Through the prophet Ezekiel, the Holy Spirit testifies about where Satan has been. Thou art the anointed cherub that covereth; and I have set thee so: thou wast upon the holy mountain of God; (Mount Zion) thou hast walked up and down in the midst of the stones of fire. (Ezekiel 28:14 KJV) A stone that burns like the sun. Satan walked up and down there. What an incredible being. But now it’s not a cover group. There are now only four cherubim around the throne because he fell and is no longer a covering cherub. So we now know that this covering cherub has fallen, and the covering cherub has an appearance of a bull.

            Again, if we recall what we have learned in Revelation 4 and 5, we can see that Mount Zion is located in the north, way past the outer space in third heaven. We know that it is in the third heaven far above the atmosphere and outer space as the psalmist testified about this as follows: (Psalm 48:2 KJV) Beautiful for situation, the joy of the whole earth, is mount Zion, on the sides of the north, the city of the great King. The heavenly city is the joy of the whole earth. Therefore, we must yearn for heaven. We must yearn for Mount Zion, the city of the great King while living on earth. Perhaps that’s why the North star is stable in the northern sky, making it useful for navigation. Above it is Mount Zion, the city of the great King. It is the joy of all the earth. Therefore, God’s children live with heavenly hope looking forward to that place. This is not the real, literal, physical earthly Jerusalem. This is the very Mount Zion found in the Book of Revelation, Psalm 48 speaks of being in the north, and Isaiah 14:13 speaks of being far beyond the northern planets and constellations. Many people think  God will not hold them accountable if they do not study the Word of God. This is typical of Roman Catholics. Just because you don’t know doesn’t mean you get a free pass on accountability. Since the word of God has already been revealed, it is useless to say, “I couldn’t understand this word because I did not know it.” For example: Let’s say you get pulled over for traffic violation. When the police officer come up and salute you asking to show them your driver’s license and registration, because you drove past over the posted speed limit, even if you make excuses “oh I didn’t know”, the officer will just smile and issue you a ticket. Because it’s the law. Thousands of years have passed since the word of God was published. For that reason, no one can make excuses, “I didn’t know the Bible. I didn’t know God.” The Bible even says we can realize that God is alive even through nature and all things in the world. How can I say that I didn’t know because I didn’t read or study God’s words recorded in the Bible? Even in the world, you can’t say “I didn’t know we had a test, let me get a 100 today”, right? Of course you have to study. Isn’t that why you go to school? Why do you go to church? You go there to study the Word of God, not to play, socialize, or do business. Or to date or find a marriage partner. Church is where we study the Word of God. The Lord said: Search the scriptures; for in them ye think ye have eternal life: and they are they which testify of me. (John 5:39 KJV) You must search the word of God. Otherwise, you’ll never know there is life in the Word. God will hold us accountable for everything in the Scriptures, no matter how ignorant we may be. Jesus said: It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God. (Matthew 4:4 KJV) Now, rather than solely eating perishable foods through our mouths, we must receive the anointing of the Holy Spirit by eating the Word of God, drinking the precious blood of the Lord, and be cleansed. For that reason, we must become doctors about the Word of God. That’s why the Lord told us to search the Scriptures. And (2 Timothy 2:15 KJV) tells us how to study the Bible: Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth. People say the book of Revelation is difficult or scary. Why? There is nothing to be afraid of for those who have been born again of the Holy Spirit. They are afraid due to tremendous phenomena appearing in the Tribulation, such as scenes of devastating judgments, the appearance of the Antichrist, the death of half of mankind, the burning of 1/3 of the forest, and the turning of 1/3 of the sea to blood. However, as those who have studied the Word well will know, these things will happen after the saints are raptured. There is nothing to fear because it will happen when we are raptured and are in heaven. However, God’s word tells us to have a passionate heart to evangelize, praying with tears, and preach the gospel with compassion toward the lost souls. That is why He gives us the passion for evangelism. Because I knew this, I continued to preach the gospel in Central and South America for 21 years. I couldn’t have preached the gospel otherwise. They’re cursed in their homeland, how cruel would it be to have them end up in hell after their death? We went and visited each house door-to door to preach the gospel of Christ with compassionate hearts. Through John 4, we know that our Lord went to Samaria on foot because of one woman, because she longed for her truth, because she longed for the Messiah. The disciples did not know this, so they went to get something to eat. Jesus saith unto them, My meat(food) is to do the will of him that sent me, and to finish his work. (John 4:34 KJV) What is your belly full of? The Lord said: Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled. (Matthew 5:6 KJV) How are you able to scarf down food when you hunger for righteousness and thirst for the Word? Sinners won’t understand. However, God’s children who have been born again by the Holy Spirit and have the Spirit of God understand this word, so they preach the gospel even when they are hungry, read and meditate on the Word even when they are hungry, and shed tears and pray. Are you truly born again? Did you receive eternal life because the Holy Spirit is in you? Have you become the bride of Jesus Christ? If so, your spirit has been quickened. If the spirit is alive in you like this, as evidence you must wait for the coming of Jesus Christ, the living God.  (Titus 2:13 KJV) Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ; Waiting for the groom is the bride’s hope, living on this earth is short, and waiting for the groom to come take her away should be the sole thought and love that dominates the bride’s entire heart.

            Again, there are the 144,000 at Mount Zion. Mount Zion is in heaven and on earth. Currently Jerusalem is the Mount Zion on earth. So, what is above (heaven) is related to the New Jerusalem. (Galatians 4:26 KJV) says But Jerusalem which is above is free, which is the mother of us all. You can see that the heavenly Jerusalem is said to be our mother. What a mystery! But on the contrary, the Bible says earthly Jerusalem is in bondage with her own children. Earthly Jerusalem is still living under the Mosaic law. Israel is living in the age of the law. So, in the main text (Revelation 14), we see Jesus Christ is once again described as a lamb. ¶ And I looked, and, lo, a Lamb stood on the mount Sion (this is the one in heaven), and with him an hundred forty and four thousand, having his Father’s name written in their foreheads. (Revelation 14:1 KJV) Jesus is likened as the Lamb. As the apostle John beheld Him as a Lamb as it had been slain. He was seen as the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world. Through this, we must know that the Lord, in the likeness of the Lamb still supplicates and intercedes with God the Father to save everyone.

            And I heard a voice from heaven, as the voice of many waters, and as the voice of a great thunder: and I heard the voice of harpers harping with their harps: (Revelation 14:2 KJV) In heaven they praise the Lord with their instruments: harps. The harp is a very beautiful instrument. I once prayed for a harpist to come to church. It sounds really beautiful. David played the harp well. There are musical instruments in heaven. Do you ever wonder how beautiful they’d sound up in heaven? And I heard a voice from heaven, as the voice of many waters, and as the voice of a great thunder: and I heard the voice of harpers harping with their harps: (Revelation 14:2 KJV) We truly won’t know what it sounds like until we hear it in person. Apostle Paul wasn’t allowed to tell people what he had seen and heard during his visit to the third heaven, but Apostle John was allowed to tell us the scene of heaven as it is now. What should you believe? Should we trust the archaeologists? Should we listen to the words of Apostle John, who was resurrected and ascended to heaven? We can see that the devil in the last days does everything possible to deny and hide the resurrection in order to pretend that he is Christ.

            Again (Revelation 14:3 KJV) And they sung as it were a new song before the throne, and before the four beasts, and the elders: and no man could learn that song but the hundred and forty and four thousand, which were redeemed from the earth. This group is truly special. These are not Jehovah’s Witnesses. The Jehovah’s Witnesses once said they were the 144,000, but they quickly retracted that once their number went over 144,000. And the new song sung by these 144,000 is found in Revelation 15:3, which is the song of Moses. They are related to the Old Testament Mosaic Law. They also sing the song of the Lamb. They are saved by faith of the grace of the Lamb and the law of Moses. In the age of tribulation, those who believe in Jesus and keep the commandments will be saved. Therefore, if you receive the mark of the beast (666), you will fall into hell. They will be saved only when they endure to the end without receiving the mark of the beast during the time of tribulation.

            For reference, let’s hear (Revelation 15:2-3 KJV) And I saw as it were a sea of glass mingled with fire: and them that had gotten the victory over the beast, and over his image, and over his mark, and over the number of his name, stand on the sea of glass, having the harps of God. And they sing the song of Moses the servant of God, and the song of the Lamb, saying, Great and marvellous are thy works, Lord God Almighty; just and true are thy ways, thou King of saints. Folks, the song of Moses is found in Deuteronomy 32. I’ll read a few passages from it: ¶ Give ear, O ye heavens, and I will speak; and hear, O earth, the words of my mouth. My doctrine shall drop as the rain, my speech shall distil as the dew, as the small rain upon the tender herb, and as the showers upon the grass: Because I will publish the name of the LORD: ascribe ye greatness unto our God. He is the Rock, his work is perfect: for all his ways are judgment: a God of truth and without iniquity, just and right is he. They have corrupted themselves, their spot is not the spot of his children: they are a perverse and crooked generation. Do ye thus requite the LORD, O foolish people and unwise? is not he thy father that hath bought thee? hath he not made thee, and established thee? ¶ Remember the days of old, consider the years of many generations: ask thy father, and he will shew thee; thy elders, and they will tell thee. When the most High divided to the nations their inheritance, when he separated the sons of Adam, he set the bounds of the people according to the number of the children of Israel. For the LORD’S portion is his people; Jacob is the lot of his inheritance. He found him in a desert land, and in the waste howling wilderness; he led him about, he instructed him, he kept him as the apple of his eye. As an eagle stirreth up her nest, fluttereth over her young, spreadeth abroad her wings, taketh them, beareth them on her wings: So the LORD alone did lead him, and there was no strange god with him. He made him ride on the high places of the earth, that he might eat the increase of the fields; and he made him to suck honey out of the rock, and oil out of the flinty rock; Butter of kine, and milk of sheep, with fat of lambs, and rams of the breed of Bashan, and goats, with the fat of kidneys of wheat; and thou didst drink the pure blood of the grape. (Deuteronomy 32:1-14 KJV) I have read up to verse 14, but you will find that this is the song of Moses if you read the entire word of word Deuteronomy 32.

            Let’s move over unto (Revelation 14:12 KJV): Here is the patience of the saints: here are they that keep the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus. As mentioned earlier, the saints must have patience during the Tribulation, and this requires keeping God’s commandments and believing in Jesus. This is the doctrine of the Tribulation Age. As in the song of Moses, we can see that those who are left behind MUST keep the commandments of God and keep the faith of Jesus, the song of the Lamb. Now and today you can be saved when you believe in Jesus Christ only by grace. If you miss the salvation of this current age of grace, could you imagine how hard it will be to receive salvation in times of tribulation? Therefore, many will go through the tribulation and receive the mark and fall into hell. So we must cry in anguish. That is why we must evangelize now. They’ll end up like that because they do not know. That’s what we have to teach them now. That is why the words of Revelation are so important. That is why the church must teach the words of Revelation. If these words are not taught in the church, unregenerate people, who are not born again just attend church will end up in hell. Jesus said that those who just come to church and say, “Lord, Lord,” cannot enter the kingdom of heaven. Not just by words, but whosoever believes with the heart and is justified, and confesses with the mouth. It is useless to confess outwardly without believing in the heart. (Revelation 12:17 KJV) says relating words: And the dragon was wroth with the woman, and went to make war with the remnant of her seed, which keep the commandments of God, and have the testimony of Jesus Christ. The woman’s seed is the Jews. God’s commandments are the Mosaic Laws the Song of Moses. The testimony of Jesus Christ, this is the salvation in the New Testament through grace and the blood of the lamb. If you are not raptured during the Great Tribulation and remain on earth, the devil will do everything to chase you down and devour you. The secret to being saved during tribulation age is the combination of faith and works, as the Bible clearly tells us it is not soley just faith. Therefore, if you are not saved by faith now, you must remember that you will face the tribulation, suffer immensely, endure to the end, and receive salvation only when you do not receive the mark. James also informs us of this truth. James is a letter to the twelve tribes of Israel. ¶ James, a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ, to the twelve tribes which are scattered abroad, greeting. (James 1:1 KJV) For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also. (James 2:26 KJV) You must know that the book of James also spoke of during the dispensation of tribulation. That’s it for today, we’ll pickup from verse 4 again next time. Everyone, blessings to you in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ that you will be at peace in the Lord until this time next week. Amen.