The PreacherCast (Episode: October 29, 2021)

 

57. The Revelation: The First-Fourth Bowls (Revelation 16:1-9)

 

THE BOWL JUDGMENTS (Revelation 16:1–21)

Some writers have seen these bowl judgments as repeating the seal and trumpet judgments. There are similarities, but many more differences, especially in the degree of devastation. The bowls are universal, more intense than the previous judgments, and are called “the last” judgments (15:1), showing they do not go back in time to repeat earlier plagues.

The First Bowl

"Then I heard a loud voice from the temple, saying to the seven angels, “Go and pour out on the earth the seven bowls of the wrath of God.” So the first angel went and poured out his bowl on the earth; and it became a loathsome and malignant sore on the people who had the mark of the beast and who worshiped his image." (Rev. 16:1–2)

As judgments began to unfold, John “heard a loud voice from the temple.” The startling impact of loud voices is heard twenty times in Revelation. The Greek word translated “loud” appears six times in this chapter (usually translated “great”), again emphasizing the magnitude of the judgments recorded here. His loud voice is heard again after the seventh bowl is poured out (verse 17).

The seven angels were given the seven bowls containing the final judgments. God commands all seven of them, “Go and pour out on the earth the seven bowls of the wrath of God.” As are all the judgments, the seven bowls will be supernatural acts of God. The text does not accept a natural, scientific explanation, as some commentators propose. The judgments will hit far too rapidly for any explanation other than that they come from God Himself. In fact, there is only a brief pause, just long enough for one of the angels to affirm that the bowl judgments are just and righteous (verses 5–7).

Responding immediately to God’s command, “the first angel went and poured out his bowl on the earth.” As shallow saucers, their contents are not slowly, gradually poured out, but dumped all at once. The sloshing out of the first bowl results in a sore that afflicts people. “Loathsome and malignant” translate two general Greek words for evil. Used together, they stress that the sores will be festering, painful, and incurable. These sores will bring unrelieved physical torment to those who have rejected Jesus Christ.

The sores will not affect believers, whose names have been “written from the foundation of the world in the book of life of the Lamb who has been slain” (13:8). They will come only upon those who chose to follow Antichrist, received his mark to show their allegiance (13:16–17), and worshiped his image (13:12).

The Second Bowl

"The second angel poured out his bowl into the sea, and it became blood like that of a dead man; and every living thing in the sea died." (Rev. 16:3)

One of the reasons the bowl judgments will be so devastating is that their effects are cumulative. Before the sores of the first bowl could heal, “the second angel poured out his bowl into the sea, and it became blood like that of a dead man; and every living thing in the sea died.” This judgment is similar to the first plague in Egypt (Exodus 7:20–24) and the second trumpet judgment (8:8–9), but this time the effects will be much more intense. Since the oceans cover approximately 70 percent of the earth’s surface, the effects of this judgment will be worldwide.

Exactly what supernatural means God will use to destroy the oceans is not revealed, but the effects will resemble those of the phenomenon known as the red tide, concentrated, toxic species of algae kill higher forms of marine life, including shellfish, fish, and marine mammals. The stench from the dead, decaying bodies of every living thing in the sea (only partial death occurred at the second trumpet) will be unimaginable. The transforming of the world’s seas into putrid pools of stinking death will be graphic testimony to the wickedness of man and a reversal to the day when God originally gave life to all sea creatures (Genesis 1:21).

The Third Bowl

"Then the third angel poured out his bowl into the rivers and the springs of waters; and they became blood. And I heard the angel of the waters saying, “Righteous are You, who are and who were, O Holy One, because You judged these things; for they poured out the blood of saints and prophets, and You have given them blood to drink. They deserve it.” And I heard the altar saying, “Yes, O Lord God, the Almighty, true and righteous are Your judgments.” (Rev. 16:4–7)

When the third angel poured out his bowl, the same appalling judgment that affected the oceans was visited on the rivers and the springs, as they too “became blood.” By the time the third bowl is poured out, freshwater will be in critically short supply. The third trumpet judgment (8:10–11) will result in the poisoning of one third of the world’s freshwater. Additionally, the two witnesses will “have the power to shut up the sky, so that rain will not fall during the days of their prophesying [the last three and a half years of the tribulation]; and they have power over the waters to turn them into blood” (11:6). The temporary restraining of the earth’s winds (7:1) will also cause drought. With no wind to move clouds and weather systems, the hydrological cycle will be disrupted and no rain will fall.

The destruction of what is left of the earth’s freshwater will cause unthinkable hardship and suffering. The scene is so unimaginably horrible that people will wonder how a God of compassion, mercy, and grace could send such a judgment. And so there is a brief interlude in the pouring out of the judgments while an angel speaks in God’s defense.

Appropriately, it is the angel of the waters who defends God’s righteous judgment in song in 15:3–4. In contrast to the curses and blasphemies of men (verses 9, 11), the angel declares, “Righteous are You, who are and who were, O Holy One, because You judged these things.” God’s judgment of sinners is unquestionably righteous because He is the Holy One. And although His wrath is terrifying and deadly, it is a just and appropriate response to sinners’ rejection of Him.

Fittingly, those who have spilled so much innocent blood will be given blood to drink. In the angel’s chilling words, “They deserve it.” God is just and holy and will execute vengeance for His people (Romans 12:19; Hebrews 10:30). Having willfully rejected the knowledge of the truth (Hebrews 10:26), there is nothing left for the unbelieving world but to receive what they deserve, “a terrifying expectation of judgment and the fury of a fire which will consume the adversaries” (Hebrews 10:27).

Then the apostle John heard the altar saying, “Yes, O Lord God, the Almighty, true and righteous are Your judgments.” The personified altar echoes the sentiments of the angel with words similar to 15:3. It may be that the very altar under which the saints were earlier seen praying for vengeance (6:9–11) now affirms that God’s true and righteous judgments are the answer to those prayers.

The Fourth Bowl

"The fourth angel poured out his bowl upon the sun, and it was given to it to scorch men with fire. Men were scorched with fierce heat; and they blasphemed the name of God who has the power over these plagues, and they did not repent so as to give Him glory." (Rev. 16:8–9)

In contrast to the first three angels, who poured out their bowls on the earth, the fourth angel poured out his bowl upon the sun. Searing heat exceeding anything in human experience will scorch men so severely that it will seem that the atmosphere is on fire. Those who will be scorched with the sun’s fierce heat are the same “people who had the mark of the beast and who worshiped his image” (verse 2).

Another serious consequence of the sun’s intense heat will be the melting of the polar ice caps. The resulting rise in the oceans’ water level will inundate coastal regions, flooding areas miles inland with the noxious waters of the dead oceans. Widespread damage and loss of life will accompany that flooding, adding further to the unspeakable misery of the devastated planet. Transportation by sea will become impossible.

One would think that the unparalleled disasters of the first four bowl judgments would cause people to repent. Instead “they blasphemed the name of God.” Until this point, only the Antichrist has been described as blaspheming (13:1, 5–6); here the world adopts his evil character. Neither grace nor wrath will move their wicked hearts to repentance (cf. 9:20–21; 16:11). In 11:13 the earthquake brought some to repentance, but not in this series of judgments. Such blind, blasphemous hardness of heart is incredible in the face of the devastating judgments they will be undergoing. But like their evil leader, Antichrist, they will continue to hate God and refuse to repent, which would give glory to God as a just and righteous Judge of sin (cf. Joshua 7:19–25).

Sunday Bible Class: "Growth: Moving Forward in Christlikeness"

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56: The Revelation - The Bowl Judgements (Revelation 15:1-16:21)

 

Revelation 15 and 16 present the specific phenomena of the final outpouring of God’s wrath before Christ’s return. That wrath is expressed by the effects of the seventh trumpet (11:15), which are the seven bowl judgments described in Revelation 16.

Remember, though, that God’s nature encompasses not only righteousness and holiness, but also grace and mercy. Even during the devastating judgments of the tribulation, God will continue to call sinners to salvation. He will do so using the 144,000 Jewish evangelists (7:2–8; 14:1–5), the two witnesses (11:3–13), a host of redeemed Gentiles and Jews (7:9–17), even an angel flying in the sky (14:6–7). This reflects the amazing divine paradox: God is busily working to save sinners from His own wrath. And so, as the outpouring of divine wrath escalates, God’s evangelistic efforts will escalate as well. The result will be the greatest harvest of souls in human history (cf. 7:9).

PREVIEW TO THE BOWL JUDGMENTS: THE OUTPOURING OF GOD’S WRATH (Rev. 15:1–8)

Chapter 15, the shortest in Revelation, forms a preview of these rapid-fire judgments. As this chapter unfolds, three motives for the final outpouring of God’s wrath become evident.

1. The Vengeance of God

"Then I saw another sign in heaven, great and marvelous, seven angels who had seven plagues, which are the last, because in them the wrath of God is finished. And I saw something like a sea of glass mixed with fire, and those who had been victorious over the beast and his image and the number of his name, standing on the sea of glass, holding harps of God." (Rev. 15:1–2)

A scene in heaven anticipates the bowl judgments, as it did in the case of the seal (chapters 4–5) and trumpet (8:2–6) judgments. This is the third heavenly sign that John has seen in Revelation (12:1, 3). The terms “great” and “marvelous” express the enormous importance of this sign as it contains the final outpouring of God’s wrath on the wicked, unrepentant sinners of the earth.

The sign itself consists of seven angels who had seven plagues. The same beings who serve God’s people will bring God’s wrath to the sinful world. The word translated “plague” literally means “a blow,” or “a wound.” Thus the seven plagues are not really diseases or epidemics, but deadly blows that will strike the world with killing impact.

These seven plagues (the seven bowl judgments) are the last and worst plagues, because in them the wrath of God is finished. It is important to note that the fact that they are called the last implies that the preceding trumpet and seal judgments were also plagues expressing the wrath of God. God’s wrath extends throughout the tribulation and is not confined to a brief period at the very end, as some argue. That they are the last also indicates that the bowls come after the seals and trumpets in chronological sequence.

In verse 2, John “saw something like a sea of glass mixed with fire.” The sea was not an actual ocean, because in 21:1 he “saw a new heaven and a new earth; for the first heaven and the first earth passed away, and there is no longer any sea.” What John saw was a transparent crystal platform before God’s throne, shimmering and glistening like a tranquil, sunlit sea (4:6; cf. Exodus 24:10; Ezekiel 1:22).

But the tranquil beauty of the sea was mixed with the fire of God’s judgment, which was about to be poured out on the earth. Those who reject God’s grace and mercy face “a terrifying expectation of judgment and the fury of a fire which will consume the adversaries” (Hebrews 10:27), because “our God is a consuming fire” (Hebrews 12:29). Fire is frequently associated in Scripture with God’s judgment (Numbers 11:1; 16:35; Deuteronomy 9:3; Psalms 50:3; 97:3; Isaiah 66:15; 2 Thessalonians 1:7–9; 2 Peter 3:7).

John saw gathered around the throne of God those who had been victorious over the beast. These are the believers redeemed during the tribulation (6:9–11; 7:9–17; 12:11, 17; 14:1–5, 12–13). They will be victorious over the beast because of their undying faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. Revelation 20:4–6 describes their resurrection and reward. Tribulation saints will also triumph over the beast’s image and the number of his name. The false prophet will perform many lying wonders to deceive people. One of them will be to set up an image of the beast, which he will order everyone to worship on pain of death. The false prophet will also require everyone to receive a mark representing either the beast’s name, or the number of his name. Those without that mark will face execution and will be unable to buy or sell. But tribulation believers will, by God’s power, eternally triumph over the whole enterprise of Satan, the beast, and the false prophet. Even those martyred for their triumphant faith will receive their glorious rewards (20:4).

That the tribulation saints are seen holding harps of God indicates that they are rejoicing and singing praise to God. Harps were also associated with praise earlier in Revelation (5:8; 14:2) and frequently in the Old Testament (2 Samuel 6:5; 1 Chronicles 13:8; Psalms 33:2; 71:22; 144:9; 150:3). These believers rejoice because their prayers for God to take vengeance on their persecutors (6:9–10) are about to be answered.

2. The Character of God

"And they sang the song of Moses, the bond-servant of God, and the song of the Lamb, saying,

    “Great and marvelous are Your works,

    O Lord God, the Almighty;

    Righteous and true are Your ways,

    King of the nations!

    Who will not fear, O Lord, and glorify Your name?

    For You alone are holy;

    For all the nations will come and worship before You,

    For Your righteous acts have been revealed.” (Rev. 15:3–4)

The song sung by the glorified saints before the throne is an anthem of praise to God. The ultimate motive of God’s wrath—to uphold His holy, righteous character—demands that He judge sinners. It is God’s holy nature, soon to be revealed in judgment against their persecutors, that elicits this song from the redeemed. The song of Moses is the first of several songs recorded in the Old Testament. It comes from the time of the Exodus. As the bond-servant of God, Moses was called to lead the people of Israel out of captivity in Egypt. God delivered them from Pharaoh’s pursuing army by parting the Red Sea, stacking the water on either side of a path, thus allowing the Israelites to cross safely on dry land. After they were safely across, the collapsing waters drowned the Egyptian army. On the far side of the Red Sea, the Israelites sang a song of praise to God for their deliverance.

The redeemed saints before God’s throne also will sing the song of the Lamb, who is their eternal Redeemer (5:8–14). Like the song of Moses, the song of the Lamb expresses the themes of God’s faithfulness, deliverance of His people, and judgment of His enemies. The words of the song recorded here do not match exactly either the song of Moses in Exodus 15, or the song of the Lamb in Revelation 5. But the themes and many of the key terms are similar.

The song of these redeemed saints extols God’s character as the omnipotent, immutable, sovereign, perfect, and righteous Creator and Judge. Because He is all that, God must and will judge sinners; if He ignored their sin, He would not be holy, righteous, and true to His nature. The song closes with joyful anticipation of the millennial reign of Christ, when all the nations will come and worship before God. In the words of the psalmist, “All the earth will worship You, and will sing praises to You; they will sing praises to Your name” (Psalm 66:4).

3. The Plan of God

"After these things I looked, and the temple of the tabernacle of testimony in heaven was opened, and the seven angels who had the seven plagues came out of the temple, clothed in linen, clean and bright, and girded around their chests with golden sashes. Then one of the four living creatures gave to the seven angels seven golden bowls full of the wrath of God, who lives forever and ever. And the temple was filled with smoke from the glory of God and from His power; and no one was able to enter the temple until the seven plagues of the seven angels were finished." (Rev. 15:5–8)

Each of the angelic players in this unfolding drama will fulfill his assigned duty according to God’s plan. It has always been God’s purpose to judge sinners and destroy sin. The “eternal fire … has [already] been prepared for the devil and his angels” (Matthew 25:41) and awaits those whom God will one day sentence to eternal punishment there. Here, in a new vision, they are given the instruments of execution.

As it does throughout Revelation, the phrase “after these things I looked” introduces a startling, dramatic new vision. Something is about to draw John’s attention away from the redeemed saints singing their praises before God’s glorious throne. This new vision revealed to him the bowl judgments (16:1–21), but first John saw the angels who will carry out those judgments. As he watched, the “temple of the tabernacle of testimony in heaven was opened.” “Temple” refers to the Holy of Holies, the inner sanctuary where God’s presence dwells, emphasizing that God is the source of the plagues.

As John watched, the seven angels who had the seven plagues came out of the temple. “They were clothed in linen, clean and bright,” their apparel representing their holiness and purity. As befits such glorious and holy beings, the angels were “girded around their chests with golden sashes” that ran across the torso from the shoulder to the waist.

One of the four living creatures, a high-ranking cherubim, gave the seven angels “seven golden bowls full of the wrath of God.” This Greek word for “bowls” refers to shallow saucers. The imagery is not that of a stream being poured gradually out of a pitcher, but of the whole contents of the shallow saucers being hurled down in an instant flood of judgment. Bowls were part of the temple furnishings (1 Kings 7:50; Zechariah 14:20) and were associated with the sacrifices (Exodus 27:3; 38:3). Those who refuse to drink the cup of salvation (Psalm 116:13) will be drowned in the judgments poured from the bowls of wrath. Because God lives forever and ever, He has the power to put an end to sin, so that it cannot exist again forever in His holy presence.

Out of the heavenly temple came not only the angels, but also smoke symbolizing the glory of God and His power. Smoke, an emblem of majesty (Exodus 19:16–18), also symbolized God’s glorious presence in the Old Testament tabernacle or temple (Exodus 40:34–35; 1 Kings 8:10–11; Isaiah 6:1–4). This smoke also symbolizes God’s wrath. No one was able to enter the temple until the seven plagues were finished. The glory cloud will remain in the heavenly temple until the earth is completely purged and prepared for the King and His kingdom.

Sunday Sermon: "Model Spiritual Servants" (Philippians 2:19-30)

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55. The Revelation: Harvest Time - The Grape Harvest (Revelation 14:17-20)

 

HARVEST TIME: THE GRAPE HARVEST (Revelation 14:17–20)

The vision of the grain harvest is followed by the vision of the grape harvest, which speaks of the judgment that takes place at the battle of Armageddon. This judgment is more dramatic because of the imagery of the winepress.

1. The Reaper

"And another angel came out of the temple which is in heaven, and he also had a sharp sickle." (Rev. 14:17)

The reaper in this vision is not the Son of Man, but an angel, the fifth one mentioned in chapter 14. Like the fourth angel (verse 15), he came out of the temple in heaven and “also had a sharp sickle.” That an angel is pictured in this vision as the reaper is not surprising. The Son of Man will be assisted by holy angels in His final judgment (Matthew 13:39, 49; 2 Thessalonians 1:7).

2. The Ripeness

"Then another angel, the one who has power over fire, came out from the altar; and he called with a loud voice to him who had the sharp sickle, saying, “Put in your sharp sickle and gather the clusters from the vine of the earth, because her grapes are ripe.” (Rev. 14:18)

As John watched, another angel appeared, the sixth one in the vision. That title “the one who has power over fire” is closely connected with the fact that he “came out from the altar.” Unlike the angel in verse 17, this angel does not come from the throne of God, but from the altar associated with the prayers of the saints. His appearance means that the time had come for those prayers to be answered.

Leaving the altar, “he called with a loud [and urgent] voice to him who had the sharp sickle, saying, ‘Put in your sharp sickle and gather the clusters from the vine of the earth, because her grapes are ripe.’ ” In answer to the saints’ prayers, the time for the reaping of judgment comes. The word “ripe” is not the same Greek word used in verse 15. This word refers to something fully ripe and in its prime. It pictures earth’s wicked people as bursting with the juice of wickedness and ready for the harvest of righteousness.

3. The Reaping

"So the angel swung his sickle to the earth and gathered the clusters from the vine of the earth, and threw them into the great wine press of the wrath of God. And the wine press was trodden outside the city, and blood came out from the wine press, up to the horses’ bridles, for a distance of two hundred miles." (Rev. 14:19–20)

What resulted when the angel swung his sickle was catastrophic. All the enemies of God who survive the seven bowl judgments will be gathered like grape clusters from the vine of the earth and flung into the great wine press of the wrath of God. A winepress consisted of two stone basins connected by a trough. Grapes would be trampled in the upper basin, and the juice would collect in the lower one. The splattering of the juice as the grapes are stomped vividly pictures the splattered blood of those who will be destroyed (cf. Isaiah 63:3; Lamentation 1:15; Joel 3:13).

The staggering, horrifying bloodbath of the battle of Armageddon will be so widespread that blood will come out from the winepress, up to the horses’ bridles, for a distance of two hundred miles. “The winepress [will be] trodden outside the city,” as the Lord protects Jerusalem from the carnage of the battle of Armageddon (cf. 11:2; Daniel 11:45; Zechariah 14:1–4). There will be millions of people engaged in the battle of Armageddon, as all the nations gather together to fight against Christ.

Still, it is difficult to imagine that they could produce a flow of blood “up to the horses’ bridles [about four feet deep] for a distance of two hundred miles” (literally “1,600 stadia”). A better interpretation, whether there are actual horses involved or not, sees this as hyperbole to suggest the slaughter in which blood will splatter into the air profusely along the whole length of the battle. When the slaughter reaches its peak, blood could flow deeply in troughs and streambeds.

Armageddon, as this passage indicates, will actually be a slaughter rather than a battle. When the Lord Jesus Christ returns, Antichrist, the false prophet, and all their human and demonic forces will be immediately destroyed. Those who refuse to repent, even after repeated warnings, will learn firsthand the sobering truth that “it is a terrifying thing to fall into the hands of the living God” (Hebrews 10:31). They would do well to heed admonition of Psalm 2: “Do homage to the Son, that He not become angry, and you perish in the way, for His wrath may soon be kindled. How blessed are all who take refuge in Him!” (verse 12).

Ministry Update: 10/22/21

 

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54. The Revelation: Harvest Time - The Grain Harvest (Revelation 14:14-16)

HARVEST TIME: THE GRAIN HARVEST (Revelation 14:14–16)

Joel, Isaiah, and the Lord Jesus Christ all spoke of a coming harvest of divine wrath when the Messiah will execute final judgment (Joel 3:12–13, 21; Isaiah 63:1–6; Matthew 13:30, 39–42). That final outpouring of the judgmental fury of the Lamb is the theme of the remaining text of Revelation 14.

This passage pictures the final harvest of divine wrath in two agricultural motifs: the grain harvest (verses 14–16) and the grape harvest (verses 17–20). The grain harvest symbolizes the seven bowl judgments. The grape harvest symbolizes the judgment of Armageddon. Both harvests involve a sickle and reaping.

1. The Reaper

"Then I looked, and behold, a white cloud, and sitting on the cloud was one like a son of man, having a golden crown on His head and a sharp sickle in His hand." (Rev. 14:14)

The familiar phrase “I looked, and behold” often introduces a new and important subject in Revelation (cf. Rev. 4:1; 6:2, 5, 8; 7:9; 14:1). What caught John’s attention was “a white cloud,” an image drawn from Daniel 7:13–14. John saw “sitting on the cloud … one like a son of man.” This is Jesus Christ, coming to establish His kingdom in fulfillment of Daniel’s prophecy. The brilliant, white cloud symbolizes His glory and majesty (Rev. 1:7; Acts 1:9). The reaper is sitting as He waits for the proper time to stand and begin the reaping. That reaping (the seven bowl judgments) will be followed by Christ’s return to establish His kingdom.

The description of Christ as “one like a son of man” also derives from Daniel’s prophecy (Daniel 7:13). It was Christ’s favorite title during His earthly ministry. when He “emptied Himself, taking the form of a bond-servant, and [was] made in the likeness of men … [and was] found in appearance as a man” (Philippians 2:7–8).1 This is the last time Scripture refers to Him by that title, and it presents a marked contrast with the first time the New Testament calls Him the Son of Man. Then He did not even have a place to lay His head (Matthew 8:20). Now He is about to take possession of the entire earth.

The reaper is further described as “having a golden crown on His head.” This crown is not the kind worn by a king (Greek diadēma) but the type of crown (Greek stephanos) worn by victors in war or athletic events. It pictures the Son of Man as the triumphant conqueror over all His enemies (Matthew 24:30).

The reaper also had “a sharp sickle in His hand.” A sickle was a long, curved, razor-sharp iron blade attached to a long, broomstick-like wooden handle. Sickles were used to harvest grain. They were held with both hands spread apart and swept back and forth, their sharp blades would cut off the grain stalks at ground level. The picture is of the Lord Jesus Christ mowing down His enemies like a harvester cutting grain.

2. The Ripeness

"And another angel came out of the temple, crying out with a loud voice to Him who sat on the cloud, “Put in your sickle and reap, for the hour to reap has come, because the harvest of the earth is ripe.” (Rev. 14:15)

Another angel, the fourth one mentioned in this chapter (verses Rev. 14:6, 8–9), appears on the scene. The first three angels proclaimed that judgment was coming. The fourth brings the command to execute it. This angel came out of the heavenly temple before the throne of God. In a loud voice conveying the authority delegated to him from God, the angel cries out, “Put in your sickle and reap, for the hour to reap has come, because the harvest of the earth is ripe.” He delivers the message from God the Father to the Son of Man that it is time for Him to move in judgment. God’s anger has reached its limit, and His wrath is poured out. The verb translated “is ripe” actually means “dried up” or “withered.” The grain pictured here has passed the point of any usefulness and is fit only to be “gathered up and burned with fire” (Matthew 13:40).

3. The Reaping

"Then He who sat on the cloud swung His sickle over the earth, and the earth was reaped." (Rev. 14:16)

Here is one of the most tragic and sobering statements in all of Scripture. Without fanfare, it announces the executing of divine judgment. The frightening details of that judgment are unfolded in Revelation 16. Those seven rapid-fire bowl judgments mark the first phase of the final reaping of the earth.

Wednesday Bible Class: "The Seed of the Imperishable Word"

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53. The Revelation - The Saints of God (Revelation 14:12-13)

 

THE SAINTS OF GOD (Revelation 14:12–13)

The most startling pronouncement of blessing in all of Scripture is found in Rev. 14:13. Amazingly, this second of seven Revelation beatitudes (Rev. 1:3; 16:15; 19:9; 20:6; 22:7, 14) pronounces blessing on the dead. Such a thought is incomprehensible to most people, who view death as something to be avoided.

Why are these dead blessed? The answer the beatitude presents is twofold: The dead in view here are blessed because of how they lived and because of how they died.

How They Lived

"Here is the perseverance of the saints who keep the commandments of God and their faith in Jesus. "(Rev. 14:12)

The phrase “the perseverance of the saints” introduces one of the most important teachings in Scripture. All those God has elected, called, and justified will never lose their faith, but persevere until death. That reality provides assurance to every true believer in Christ. It reveals that believers’ deaths are blessed because death ushers them into the glories of heaven.

The persevering character of saving faith is never more clearly and powerfully seen than in this passage. No group of believers will face stronger assaults on their faith than the tribulation saints. This large group of believers will include both Gentiles (Rev. 7:9) and Jews (Rev. 12:17). They will be saved through the ministries of the two witnesses (Rev. 11:3–13) and the 144,000 (Rev. 7:1–8; Rev. 14:1–5). The tribulation believers will endure the most intense persecution in human history. Yet God will set a limit on the tribulation so that the elect will not suffer more than they can bear (1 Corinthians 10:13). There is no stronger evidence that saving faith perseveres than the reality that the most tested believers in history will maintain their saving faith until the end.

The perseverance of the tribulation saints will be evident because they will “keep the commandments of God.” They also will manifest perseverance through “their faith in Jesus.” Even the threat of execution (13:15) will not cause them to abandon their faith in Christ. Like the heroes of faith listed in Hebrews 11, they will maintain their testimony until the end—even if that end includes martyrdom.

How They Died

"And I heard a voice from heaven, saying, “Write, ‘Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord from now on!’ ” “Yes,” says the Spirit, “so that they may rest from their labors, for their deeds follow with them.” (Rev. 14:13)

Having lived with perseverance, the tribulation saints will die with promise. This is the sixth time in Revelation that John heard a voice from heaven (Rev. 10:4, 8; 11:12; 12:10; 14:2). He will hear such a voice three more times (Rev. 18:4; 19:5; 21:3). The voice commanded John to write. Twelve times in Revelation John is told to write. The apostle was under a divine mandate to record the visions he saw.

The heavenly voice ordered John to write, “Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord.” These martyrs are blessed not only because they lived life to the fullest in obedience, trust, and purpose, but also because they died in the Lord. Even if there were no heaven, that would still be the best way to live. But there is heaven to follow this life for God’s people; therefore the deaths of the tribulation saints will also be eternally blessed. The voice informed John that not only those already dead, but also those who die from now on are blessed. The martyred believers from that point until the end of the tribulation will have nothing to fear. Their deaths, too, will be blessed.

The Holy Spirit is quoted directly in Revelation only here and in 22:17. His emphatic “Yes” shows that He agrees with the heavenly voice that the dead are blessed. As their Comforter, the Holy Spirit longs to see that suffering end. He adds two further reasons for the tribulation martyrs’ blessedness.

First, the Spirit declares them blessed because they may “rest from their labors.” The Greek word translated “labors” describes difficult, exhausting work. Certainly the tribulation saints will experience the whole gamut of that word’s meanings. They will be filled with deep sorrow as they watch those they love suffer torment and death. Their lives will be a hard, difficult, dangerous struggle for survival. Not having the mark of the beast, they will be excluded from society, unable to buy or sell, and live lives on the run as hunted fugitives. Death will come as a welcome relief.

The Holy Spirit also pronounces the tribulation martyrs blessed because “their deeds follow with them.” The Greek word for “deeds” refers to their service to the Lord. When these believers go to heaven, the record of their diligent labor will follow along with them. The Bible teaches that God will reward believers in heaven for their earthly service to Him (Hebrews 6:10).

Sunday Bible Class: "Christian Unity"

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52. The Revelation - The Three Angels (Revelation 14:6-11)

THE THREE ANGELS (14:6–11)

The three angels do not appear in sequential or chronological order. Instead, they address activities that stretch across the tribulation period. Their messages anticipate the judgment of the seventh trumpet (Rev. 11:15; 15; 16), which includes the final judgments at the end of the tribulation. The messages they bring are designed to produce a fear leading to saving faith. God will graciously offer sinners another opportunity to repent before unleashing the terrifying bowl judgments (Rev. 16:1ff.). The first angel preaches the gospel, the second pronounces judgment, and the third promises damnation.

The First Angel: Preaching the Gospel

"And I saw another angel flying in midheaven, having an eternal gospel to preach to those who live on the earth, and to every nation and tribe and tongue and people; and he said with a loud voice, “Fear God, and give Him glory, because the hour of His judgment has come; worship Him who made the heaven and the earth and sea and springs of waters.” (Rev. 14:6–7)

The specific angel that John saw is not revealed. While angels appear in every chapter from chapters 4 through 12, the nearest reference is to Michael and his angels (Rev. 12:7). The verses could also point back to the seventh angel (Rev. 11:15). In any case, another of the countless myriads of angels (Rev. 5:11) is selected for a very special purpose. Dramatically, the angel appears in the sky “flying in midheaven.” “Midheaven” refers to the point in the sky where the sun reaches its high point at noon (Rev. 8:13; 19:17). From that point, the angel would be most visible to those on the earth. There he will also be beyond the reach of Antichrist. This preaching angel will be unreachable and his ministry unhindered.

As he flies through the sky, the angel will have “an eternal gospel to preach.” This is the only occurrence of the noun for “gospel” in John’s writings, though the related verb translated “to preach” also appears in Rev. 10:7. Like a multifaceted jewel, Scripture describes the gospel in various terms, each looking at it from a different viewpoint, including the gospel of the kingdom, the gospel of God, the gospel of the grace of God, the gospel of the glory of Christ, and the gospel of salvation (Matthew 4:23; Mark 1:14; Acts 20:24; 2 Corinthians 4:4; Ephesisans 1:13). Here it is described as “eternal” because it provides the means to eternal life.

The angel’s message is addressed to “those who live on the earth,” a phrase always used in Revelation to refer to unbelievers. The all-inclusive phrase “every nation and tribe and tongue and people” stresses the comprehensive, worldwide nature of the angel’s proclamation. The angel will call out with a loud voice to all unregenerate people everywhere. His loud voice ensures that he will be heard and emphasizes the urgency of his message. The angel’s message to sinners is “Fear God, and give Him glory.” He will call the people of the world to change their allegiance to the Lamb.

Unbelievers will be called to fear and glorify God immediately “because the hour of His judgment has come.” This is the first occurrence of this specific Greek word for “judgment” in Revelation. It will appear again in Rev. 16:7, 18:10, and 19:2. Up to this point in Revelation, the word “wrath” has been used to describe God’s judgment. God’s righteous judgments are the outpouring of His wrath against the stubborn and unrepentant world.

It would seem that the angel’s warnings would be superfluous. After all, by this point people will have experienced the devastating seal and trumpet judgments. The earth will have been devastated by worldwide wars, famines, and earthquakes, eventually they will realize those disasters are God’s judgments (cf. Rev. 6:15–17), yet they will defiantly refuse to repent (Rev. 9:20–21). Still, in His grace and mercy, God will again call sinners to repentance through the preaching of this angel. The angel gives one final reason for sinners to turn from Antichrist to God, proclaiming that people should “worship Him who made the heaven and the earth and sea and springs of waters.” The created universe both offers proof of God’s existence and provides grounds for worshiping Him (Psalm 19:1–4).

The Second Angel: Pronouncing Judgment

"And another angel, a second one, followed, saying, “Fallen, fallen is Babylon the great, she who has made all the nations drink of the wine of the passion of her immorality.” (Rev. 14:8)

Unlike the first one, the second angel does not preach the good news of the gospel, but pronounces the bad news of judgment. Sadly, that implies that the first angel’s message was largely rejected. The second angel’s equally brief and direct message is “Fallen, fallen is Babylon the great.” The repetition underscores the certainty of Babylon’s judgment. Babylon’s future fall is so certain that it can be spoken of as though it has already taken place. Babylon in this passage refers not just to the city, but to Antichrist’s worldwide political, economic, and religious empire.

The final Babylon, personified as a harlot (Rev. 17:1–5), is described as “she who has made all the nations drink of the wine of the passion of her immorality.” The world will be intoxicated and seduced by the Babylonian false religion headed by Antichrist. The Greek word translated “passion” describes strong, consuming desires. As a result of their passion, sinners will engage in great rebellion. Having consumed the wine of the seductive harlot, the nations of the world will continue on their course of spiritual defection.

The Third Angel: Promising Damnation

"Then another angel, a third one, followed them, saying with a loud voice, “If anyone worships the beast and his image, and receives a mark on his forehead or on his hand, he also will drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is mixed in full strength in the cup of His anger; and he will be tormented with fire and brimstone 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; they have no rest day and night, those who worship the beast and his image, and whoever receives the mark of his name.” (Rev. 14:9–11)

The three angels appear in a logical, perhaps chronological, sequence. The third angel will deliver his warning with a loud voice, so that all will hear and understand his message. God, being perfectly holy and righteous, judges people because they reject what they know to be true. That is why everyone sentenced to hell will be without excuse (Romans 1:20; 2:1).

The third angel’s dire warning is addressed to anyone who “worships the beast and his image, and receives a mark on his forehead or on his hand.” The angel warns that a terrible fate awaits those who persist in worshiping Antichrist. Once again, God graciously calls on sinners to repent in the final hour.

Those who drank the wine of the harlot Babylon also will drink of the wine of the wrath of God, “which is mixed in full strength in the cup of His anger.” To drink of the wine of the wrath of God is to experience His wrath (Job 21:20; Psalm 75:8; Isaiah 51:17, 22; Jeremiah 25:15). The full fury of God’s wrath, so long restrained, will be unleashed. John describes that terrifying reality by noting that “God’s wrath will be mixed in full strength in the cup of His anger.” “Mixed in full strength” refers to the ancient practice of diluting wine with water. The wine filling the cup of God’s anger is strong, undiluted wine. God’s wrath will be undiluted vengeance, unmixed with any trace of compassion.

The horrifying fate awaiting the person who drinks the wine of the wrath of God is to “be tormented with fire and brimstone.” The verb translated “be tormented” speaks of the ceaseless infliction of unbearable pain. The noun form of that verb is used in Luke 16:23 to describe the agony of the rich man in Hades. Fire and brimstone are often associated in Scripture with divine judgment (Genesis 19:24–25; Luke 17:29). Hell, the final resting place of the unregenerate, is described as the “lake of fire which burns with brimstone” (Rev. 19:20; 20:10; 21:8).

The third angel concludes his message declaring that “the smoke of their torment goes up forever and ever; they have no rest day and night.” His description of hell as the place where the smoke of the torment of the wicked goes up forever and ever (Rev. 20:10) is consistent with the rest of Scripture (cf. Isaiah 66:24; Daniel 12:2; Matthew 3:12; Luke 3:17; 2 Thessalonians 1:9).

So these three angels deliver God’s last call to repentance before the final judgments fall and the Lord Jesus Christ returns. But God’s gracious warnings will go unheeded by most of the sinful world. There is perhaps no clearer illustration in Scripture of the sad truth that “men loved the darkness rather than the Light, for their deeds were evil” (John 3:19).

Sunday Bible Class: "Joyfully Shining as Lights in the World" (Php. 2:14-18)

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Wednesday Bible Class: 1 Peter 1:10-21

 

51: The Revelation - The 144,000 (Revelation 14:1-5)

 

Revelation 14 introduces the most triumphant group of men the world will ever know. They will emerge from the worst holocaust in history, the tribulation, battle weary but triumphant. The 144,000 will survive both Satan’s wrath and God’s judgments on the sinful world. Nothing will be able to harm them, because God will seal them (7:3–4).

These 144,000 will not be the only ones redeemed during the tribulation. A great host of others, both Jews (Zechariah 12:10–14; 13:1, 9; Romans 11:26–27) and Gentiles (6:9–11; 7:9, 13–14; Matthew 25:31–46) will be saved. Many will die as martyrs during the savage persecution unleashed by Antichrist. Those who will live through the horrors of the tribulation will enter the millennial kingdom. But the 144,000 Jewish evangelists are unique because all of them will survive. When Christ returns and stands on Mount Zion, they will stand with Him in triumph.

THE 144,000

Their Power

"Then I looked, and behold, the Lamb was standing on Mount Zion, and with Him one hundred and forty-four thousand, having His name and the name of His Father written on their foreheads." (Rev. 14:1)

The phrase “I looked, and behold” or its equivalent appears frequently in Revelation to introduce startling, dramatic events (verse 14; 4:1; 6:2, 5, 8; 7:9; 15:5; 19:11). What took John’s attention was the awe-inspiring sight of “the Lamb … standing on Mount Zion.” The appearance of the Lamb on Mount Zion is a monumental moment in redemptive history, foretold in Psalm 2:6–9.

The text also describes the 144,000 as having “His [the Lamb’s] name and the name of His Father written on their foreheads.” Unbelievers will receive the mark of the beast (13:16–17). The 144,000 will have the mark of God placed on their foreheads (7:3) for their protection. Satan will desperately seek to kill these fearless preachers, but God will not permit them to be harmed. They will enter the millennial kingdom as living men. Most likely, the 144,000 will continue their evangelistic work throughout that thousand-year period. While only redeemed people will enter the kingdom, the children born to them (Isaiah 65:23) will not all believe. In fact, there will be enough unregenerate people by the end of the millennium for Satan to lead a worldwide rebellion against Christ’s rule (20:7–10). Therefore, Scripture speaks of salvation during the millennium (Isaiah 60:3; Zechariah 8:23)—a salvation the 144,000 will no doubt proclaim.

Their Praise

"And I heard a voice from heaven, like the sound of many waters and like the sound of loud thunder, and the voice which I heard was like the sound of harpists playing on their harps. And they sang a new song before the throne and before the four living creatures and the elders; and no one could learn the song except the one hundred and forty-four thousand who had been purchased from the earth." (Rev. 14:2–3)

Standing with the Lamb on Mount Zion, the 144,000 will join in the heavenly song of redemption. With all the the trouble they have faced, one might expect them to be too sorrowful to sing. However, they will joyously praise the Lord for their protection and triumph.

This is not the first time John heard a voice from heaven (Rev. 4:1; 10:4, 8; 11:12; 12:10), nor the last (verse 13; 18:4; 19:1). The voice he heard was very loud and continuous, “like the sound of many waters and like the sound of loud thunder” (cf. Ezekiel 43:2; Revelation 1:15; 19:6).

The mighty voice was not mere noise. It had a musical quality, “like the sound of harpists playing on their harps.” The reference to harpists and harps suggests that the voice expressed joy (2 Samuel 6:5; 1 Chronicles 13:8; 15:16, 28; 2 Chronicles 5:12–13; Nehemiah 12:27; Psalms 33:2; 71:22; 144:9; 150:3). Heaven will resound with loud praise when Jesus returns in triumph.

The new song sung in heaven is the song of redemption. The angels will join the Old Testament saints, the raptured church, and the redeemed tribulation martyrs in praising God for salvation. All heaven will overflow with praise because God’s redemptive work culminating in the return of Christ is accomplished.

John notes that “no one could learn the song except the one hundred and forty-four thousand who had been purchased from the earth.” Why the song is restricted to the one hundred and forty-four thousand is not stated. However, it is clear that the focus is upon the praise of Jesus for His redemptive work.

Their Purity

"These are the ones who have not been defiled with women, for they have kept themselves chaste." (Rev. 14:4a)

The worship of Antichrist during the tribulation will be unspeakably vile and perverse. In the midst of that darkness the 144,000 will shine forth like beacons of purity. Despite the rampant sexual sin that surrounds them, they will not be defiled with women, but will keep themselves chaste. That the specific sin that they will avoid involves women indicates that sexual purity is in view here, not detachment from the corrupt world system. What it means is that they will stand apart from the sin of their culture.

Their Partisanship

"These are the ones who follow the Lamb wherever He goes." (Rev. 14:4b)

The 144,000 are further characterized as the ones who “follow the Lamb wherever He goes.” The Oxford English Dictionary defines a partisan as “one who takes part or sides with another … a devoted or zealous supporter.” The triumphant 144,000 will be completely loyal to the Lamb, no matter the cost.

It is such loyal, devoted followers that Jesus seeks. In Matthew 16:24 He said, “If anyone wishes to come after Me, he must deny himself, and take up his cross and follow Me.”

Their Purpose

"These have been purchased from among men as first fruits to God and to the Lamb." (Rev. 14:4c)

John explains that the 144,000 “have been purchased from among men.” But while all believers have been purchased by God, the 144,000 were purchased for a special purpose. In the Old Testament the first fruits were offered to God to be used in His service (Deuteronomy 18:3–5). The 144,000, like the first fruits offering, will be set apart for divine service. The purpose of their lives will be to serve the Lord by proclaiming the gospel to the lost.

Their Precision

"And no lie was found in their mouth..." (Rev. 14:5a)

The 144,000 will not propagate Satan’s lies, but will speak God’s truth. In all generations, triumphant Christians are characterized by “speaking the truth in love” (Ephesians 4:15). Knowing the vital importance of “accurately handling the word of truth,” they will “be diligent to present [themselves] approved to God as [workmen] who [do] not need to be ashamed” (2 Timothy 2:15).

Their Perfection

"...they are blameless." (Rev. 14:5b)

Because they will trust in God’s power and lead lives characterized by purity, the 144,000 will be blameless. That does not, of course, mean that they will be sinless, but they will be above reproach, leading godly lives before all who see them.

50. The Revelation: The False Prophet (Revelation 13:11-18)

 

THE FALSE PROPHET

Just as the false christs who have plagued mankind will culminate in the final Antichrist, so also will the false prophets culminate in a final false prophet (cf. Rev. 16:13; 19:20; 20:10). He will be Satan’s last and most powerful lying deceiver. Along with Satan, the counterfeit of the Father, and Antichrist, the counterfeit of Jesus Christ, the false prophet will form the satanic false trinity. He will be the counterfeit of the Holy Spirit. The false prophet will be Antichrist’s partner in Satan’s massive final deception of the world. John’s vision of the false prophet reveals three key elements essential to his role.

1. His Person

"Then I saw another beast coming up out of the earth; and he had two horns like a lamb and he spoke as a dragon." (Rev. 13:11)

Having seen the terrifying vision of the first beast (Antichrist) in 13:1–10, John then saw another beast. Some view this second beast as an institution or a form of government. However, the use of the Greek word “other,” meaning “another of the same kind,” indicates that he will be a person like the Antichrist (19:20).

In contrast to the first beast, who will come up out of the sea (13:1), the second beast will come up out of the earth. Like Antichrist, the false prophet will be indwelt by a demon out of the abyss (13:1), which is pictured here as the flaming depths of the earth. In the ancient world, the earth was less mysterious and foreboding than the sea. That the false prophet arises from the earth suggests that he will be less overpowering and terrifying than the Antichrist. He will be winsome and persuasive, similar to the wolves in sheep’s clothing Jesus warned of (Matthew 7:15).

The description of the first beast, with its ten horns, seven heads, ten crowns, and seven blasphemous names (13:1), was grotesque and frightening. In contrast, the second beast merely had two horns. That indicates that he is not characterized by the same massive might as Antichrist. Unlike the savage, ferocious, fierce, and deadly Antichrist, who is likened to a leopard, bear, and lion (13:2), the false prophet seems as harmless as a lamb. He does not come as a conquering dictator, but appears as a subtle deceiver, with meekness and gentleness, though not without great authority.

Despite his deceptive appearance, the false prophet is no less a child of hell than the Antichrist. That is evident because he spoke as a dragon—a strange voice indeed for a lamb. The false prophet, like Antichrist (13:2, 5), will be the dragon Satan’s mouthpiece, speaking his words. He will speak winsome, deceiving words of praise about the Antichrist, luring the world to worship the satanic dictator.

2. His Power

"He exercises all the authority of the first beast in his presence. And he makes the earth and those who dwell in it to worship the first beast, whose fatal wound was healed. He performs great signs, so that he even makes fire come down out of heaven to the earth in the presence of men. And he deceives those who dwell on the earth because of the signs which it was given him to perform in the presence of the beast, telling those who dwell on the earth to make an image to the beast who had the wound of the sword and has come to life." (Rev. 13:12–14)

Though primarily a subtle deceiver, the false prophet will still have power. John notes that “he exercises all the authority of the first beast” (Antichrist). That he exercises his authority in Antichrist’s presence implies that Antichrist will have delegated that authority to him. The false prophet’s mission will be to cause the earth and those who dwell in it to worship the first beast. He will lead the worldwide religion of Antichrist worship.

The false prophet’s efforts will receive a tremendous boost from a startling, spectacular event: the apparent healing of the first beast’s (Antichrist’s) fatal wound (verse 3; 17:8). That is a satanic imitation not only of Christ’s resurrection, but also that of the two witnesses (11:11). It is most likely that Antichrist’s death will be staged, and hence his “resurrection” is a ruse. Whether a true resurrection or a faked return from death, the world will accept Antichrist’s resurrection as genuine, thus greatly enhancing both his prestige and that of the false prophet.

The false prophet will also perform great signs of his own. Those signs mimic not only the miracles performed by Jesus Christ, but also those of the two witnesses (11:5–6). Those who reject the saving gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ will eagerly accept the damning false gospel preached by the false prophet since it appears to be verified by spectacular supernatural signs.

Amazingly, the false prophet, imitating the two witnesses (11:5), “even makes fire come down out of heaven to the earth.” The present tense of “makes” suggests that he will repeatedly perform this supernatural act to impress with his power. “Deceives” is from a Greek word that means “to wander.” It forms the root of the English word “planet,” since the planets appear to wander through the heavens. The world will be utterly vulnerable to his deception during the tribulation. Having rejected the true gospel and blasphemed the true God (16:9, 11), the unbelieving world will be eager to believe the deceiving lies propagated by the false prophet.

John defines the people who will be deceived as “those who dwell on the earth,” a technical phrase used to refer to unbelievers. Though persecuted, God’s elect cannot be deceived (Mark 13:22). Because believers know the truth and are protected by their God (John 10:3–5, 14, 27–30), they will recognize the false prophet’s teaching as lies. That the unbelieving world will be deceived is due not only to the wicked deception of Satan, the demons, Antichrist, and the false prophet, but also comes as God’s judgment (2 Thessalonians 2:10–12).

As the power of Antichrist and false prophet grow, Satan will escalate the false world religion of Antichrist worship. Humanity will eventually obey the prophet’s command to make an image to the beast. The world will engage in the most shocking, blatant idolatry ever seen. This blasphemous image will probably be set up on the temple grounds in Jerusalem (2 Thessalonians 2:4) and will be connected with the abomination of desolation (Daniel 9:27; 11:31; 12:11; Matthew 24:15). It will be a tribute to the awesome power of Antichrist, who has come to life to seemingly conquer death.

3. His Program

"And it was given to him to give breath to the image of the beast, so that the image of the beast would even speak and cause as many as do not worship the image of the beast to be killed. And he causes all, the small and the great, and the rich and the poor, and the free men and the slaves, to be given a mark on their right hand or on their forehead, and he provides that no one will be able to buy or to sell, except the one who has the mark, either the name of the beast or the number of his name. Here is wisdom. Let him who has understanding calculate the number of the beast, for the number is that of a man; and his number is six hundred and sixty-six." (Rev. 13:15–18)

The image of the Antichrist will be different from any other idol in human history. In another display of his power to deceive, the false prophet will “give breath to the image of the beast, so that the image of the beast would even speak.” “Breath” translates as “spirit” or “wind.” The false prophet will animate the image of Antichrist so that it gives the appearance of being alive. With today’s amazing special effects technology, that is not out of the realm of possibility. Add to that the world’s desperate need, amid the carnage of the tribulation, to believe in a death conqueror, and the deception becomes very believable.

After his immense worldwide success and after dropping his façade of gentleness, the false prophet will cause as many as do not worship the image of the beast to be killed. The death sentence will be decreed for those who refuse to worship the image of Antichrist. Many of the martyrs mentioned earlier in Revelation (6:9–11; 7:13–14) are those who will be killed during this terrible time of persecution. But though the death sentence will be decreed on all, not all believers will be killed. Some will survive until Christ returns and will enter His millennial kingdom as living people (Isaiah 65:20–23; Matthew 25:31–40), including many Jews (12:6–7, 14).

As part of his plan to enforce the worship of Antichrist, the false prophet will require all people “to be given a mark on their right hand or on their forehead.” “Mark” was the term for images or names of the emperor on Roman coins. In the ancient world, such marks (tattoos or brands) were commonly given to slaves, soldiers, and devotees of religious cults. God sealed, with a mark on the forehead, the 144,000 to preserve them from His wrath against the unbelieving world (7:2–3). The false prophet marks the unsaved to preserve them from Antichrist’s wrath against God’s people. The mark will signify that the person bearing it is a loyal follower of the Antichrist. In much the same way, the Roman emperors required their subjects to prove their loyalty by offering sacrifices to Caesar. Those who refused, like those who refuse to take the Antichrist’s mark, were subject to execution.

Besides the constant threat of death, refusing to take the mark of the beast will have dire practical consequences in daily living: no one will be able to buy or to sell without it. Antichrist’s empire will maintain strict economic control over the world. Food, and the other necessities of life in demand on the devastated earth, will be unobtainable for those without the mark. Currency will probably vanish, to be replaced by controlled credit. Instead of a credit card, people will have a mark of some unspecified type in their forehead or hand.

Further describing the mark, John notes that it will consist of “either the name of the beast or the number of his name.” Antichrist will have a universal designation consisting of his name within a numbering system. The exact identification of that phrase is unclear. What is clear is that everyone will be required to have the identifying mark or suffer the consequences.

The exclamation “Here is wisdom” is a warning to those alive at that time to be wise and discerning. They will need to recognize what is happening and understand the significance of the number connected with Antichrist’s name. Those with understanding will be able to “calculate the number of the beast, for the number is that of a man; and his number is six hundred and sixty-six.” Perhaps no detail in Revelation has intrigued people more than this number. There has been no end to the speculation as to its significance and how to calculate it. In Greek, Hebrew, and Latin, letters had numerical equivalents, and a myriad of schemes to associate the names of historical individuals with the number 666 have been put forth. All such speculation is futile. Since the Antichrist is still to come, the number 666 cannot be associated with any historical individual.

This sobering passage is not intended to be the source of fruitless speculation about its details. Rather, it stands as a warning to the unbelieving world. It challenges believers to lead careful, godly lives (1 Peter 4:7; 2 Peter 3:11) and to evangelize a world headed for destruction.

49. The Revelation: Seven Features of the Antichrist (Revelation 13:1-10)

 

Seven Features of the Antichrist

The opening verses of Revelation chapter 13 reveal seven features of this ultimate dictator, the Antichrist:

1. His Ancestry

And the dragon stood on the sand of the seashore. Then I saw a beast coming up out of the sea, having ten horns and seven heads, and on his horns were ten diadems, and on his heads were blasphemous names. (13:1)

The first sentence of this chapter belongs as the last sentence of chapter 12, since it concludes the account of the dragon. While some Greek manuscripts read “I stood,” the older and more reliable ones read “he stood.”¹ The imagery of the sand of the seashore depicts the nations of the world (20:8). In John’s vision, Satan takes his place dominantly in their midst as if they were his rightful possession. But in reality, he is a usurper who seeks the world’s worship and adoration.

Next the dragon summons the Antichrist, described as “a beast coming up out of the sea.” The word “beast” is also used to describe Antichrist in 11:7. It refers to a wild, vicious monster, describing Antichrist as a ferocious personality. The beast must be understood as representing both a kingdom and a person. The beast must represent a kingdom, because of the complex description of him in the latter half of verse 1. Yet the beast must also represent a person, since he is always described with personal pronouns. Daniel (Daniel 7:25; 8:24–25; 11:36–45) and Paul (2 Thessalonians 2:4) also describe the Antichrist as a person.

There has been much discussion about what the sea symbolizes. Both Revelation 11:7 and 17:8 indicate that the beast comes up out of the abyss, so it is best to equate the sea with the abyss. That interpretation fits the Old Testament, which also uses the metaphor of the sea to picture satanic activity (Job 26:12; Psalms 74:13–14; 89:9–10; Isaiah 27:1). Some of the demons are currently in the abyss (9:1–11; Luke 8:31), and Satan will be imprisoned in that abyss during the millennial kingdom (20:1–3).

The Antichrist will be a man (2 Thessalonians 2:4), but at some point in his life, he will be indwelt by a powerful demon from the abyss. This demon-possessed man will be a gifted orator, an intellectual genius, possess great charm and charisma, and have immense leadership power. Yet no one in human history will be more completely the devil’s child than the Antichrist. His “family likeness” to Satan becomes strikingly apparent from John’s description of him as having ten horns and seven heads, with ten diadems on his horns. That same grotesque description was applied to Satan in 12:3. The description of Antichrist emphasizes the importance of the ten horns by mentioning them first and associating the diadems with them instead of the heads.

“Horns” in Scripture symbolize strength and power, both for attack and defense. Here they represent the power of the kings who will rule under Antichrist’s authority. “Ten” fits the imagery of the fourth beast in Daniel 7:7, 24, and is a symbolic number representing all the world’s political and military might. Antichrist will rise from among these ten (Daniel 7:16–24) and will not rule merely ten nations, but the entire world (Daniel 7:23). Unlike the seven heads, which represent successive world empires, all of the rulers symbolized by the ten horns will rule at the same time (cf. 17:12).

In addition to his ten horns, the beast is described by John as having seven heads. Those seven heads represent seven successive world empires: Egypt, Assyria, Babylon, Medo-Persia, Greece, Rome, and Antichrist’s final world kingdom. The ten diadems indicate the horns’ regal authority and victorious power. John also noted that on the beasts’ heads were blasphemous names. Like many of the Roman emperors and other monarchs before them, these rulers will choose divine names and titles that dishonor the living God.

2. His Authority

And the beast which I saw was like a leopard, and his feet were like those of a bear, and his mouth like the mouth of a lion. And the dragon gave him his power and his throne and great authority. (13:2)

As John looked more closely at the beast, he saw that it incorporated the characteristics of the animals from the vision recorded in Daniel 7:3–7. The leopard, bear, and lion were well-known in Palestine. They dramatically emphasize the characteristics of the nations they represent. The lion was a fitting symbol for the fierce, consuming power of the Babylonian Empire. The ferocity, strength, and stability of the Medo-Persian Empire led to its depiction as a bear. The Greeks’ swift conquests, particularly under Alexander the Great, reflect the speed and viciousness of the leopard. John lists the three animals in reverse order from Daniel, since he was looking backward in time. Daniel, looking forward in time, listed the animals and the kingdoms they represent in chronological order.

Like the indescribable fourth beast of Daniel 7:7, which represents the Roman Empire, Antichrist’s final empire will be a composite of the empires that preceded it. It will incorporate all the ferocity, viciousness, swiftness, and strength of the other world empires. This powerful empire, unparalleled in human history, will be Satan’s last and greatest attempt to stop the reign of Christ. But, like all Satan’s other attempts to thwart God’s purposes, it will ultimately fail.

3. His Acclaim

I saw one of his heads as if it had been slain, and his fatal wound was healed. And the whole earth was amazed and followed after the beast; (13:3)

A startling event will help Antichrist solidify his hold on the world. John “saw one of his heads as if it had been slain, and his fatal wound was healed.” Some argue that the head, whose “fatal wound was healed” was a kingdom that will have been destroyed and restored. They see the death and resurrection miracle as the revival of the Roman Empire. Antichrist, they believe, will unite the countries occupying the territory of the ancient Roman Empire into a new empire. That revival of power will so amaze the rest of the nations that they will also submit to his rule.

The most obvious problem with this view is that while verse 3 speaks of one of the heads being slain, other passages specify that the beast himself is slain (13:12, 14; 17:8, 11). The personal pronoun in the phrase “his fatal wound” also indicates that one of the kings is in view, not the empire as a whole. Granting that it is a person who dies and is restored to life, the question remains as to the identity of that person. Yet the head whose fatal wound will be healed can only be the future Antichrist.

Whether his death is real or fake is not clear. It may be that Antichrist is really killed and God allows him to be resurrected. More likely, Antichrist’s alleged death and resurrection will be a counterfeit of Christ’s death and resurrection, staged, as one of the “lying wonders” perpetrated by the false prophet (13:12–15; 2 Thessalonians 2:9).

Whatever actually happens, people will believe that Antichrist has transcended death. Since the tribulation will be a time when the world will experience death at an unequaled level, Antichrist’s apparent power over death will win him widespread acclaim. As a result, the whole earth will be amazed and follow after the beast (cf. verse 14; 2 Thessalonians 2:8–12).

4. His Adoration

they worshiped the dragon because he gave his authority to the beast; and they worshiped the beast, saying, “Who is like the beast, and who is able to wage war with him?” (13:4)

The world’s fascination with Antichrist will quickly become worship. He will encourage and demand that worship by “exalt[ing] himself above every so-called god or object of worship, so that he takes his seat in the temple of God, displaying himself as being God” (2 Thessalonians 2:4). Not content with acclaim, Antichrist will seek adoration. He will be aided by his associate, the false prophet, who “makes the earth and those who dwell in it to worship the first beast [Antichrist], whose fatal wound was healed” (13:12). Not only will the deceived unbelievers worship Antichrist, but they will also worship the dragon (Satan) because he gave his authority to the beast. By worshiping Antichrist, unbelievers will actually be worshiping Satan, the real power behind him.

As the people of the world worship Antichrist, they will cry out in awe, “Who is like the beast, and who is able to wage war with him?” The implied answer to both rhetorical questions is “No one!” By referring to Antichrist in language reserved for the worship of God, Antichrist’s deluded worshipers will attribute deity to him (2 Thessalonians 2:4). In the political, military, and religious realms, Antichrist will reign supreme and unchallenged by earth and hell.

5. His Arrogance

There was given to him a mouth speaking arrogant words and blasphemies, and authority to act for forty-two months was given to him. And he opened his mouth in blasphemies against God, to blaspheme His name and His tabernacle, that is, those who dwell in heaven. (13:5–6)

Like his master, Antichrist will be an arrogant blasphemer. The phrase “there was given to him” refers to God’s sovereign control of events (6:4, 8; 7:2; 9:5). God will allow Antichrist to blaspheme and so give full expression to the wickedness that will cover the earth at that time. Antichrist’s arrogance, predicted by the prophet Daniel (Daniel 7:8, 11, 25; 11:36) will surpass that of anyone else in human history. He will be Satan’s mouthpiece, voicing his master’s frustrated rage against God, and the supreme blasphemer in a world filled with blasphemers. Yet neither Antichrist’s blasphemies nor his reign of terror will last indefinitely. God will grant Antichrist authority to act for only forty-two months (the last three and a half years of the tribulation, the seventieth week of Daniel’s prophecy (Daniel 9:24). Antichrist and Satan will be allowed to operate only within the time limit set for them by the true Ruler of the universe.

6. His Activity

It was also given to him to make war with the saints and to overcome them, and authority over every tribe and people and tongue and nation was given to him. (13:7)

Once again the text notes that Antichrist can do only what he is given permission to do by God. Because they will refuse to worship him, Antichrist will make war with the saints and overcome them. Believers will bear the brunt of his murderous fury. The result will be a worldwide slaughter of God’s people (6:9–11; 7:9–17; 11:7; 17:6; Daniel 7:25).

Daniel long before predicted this widespread martyrdom of God’s people. He wrote that Antichrist “will … wear down the saints of the Highest One … and they will be given into his hand for a time, times, and half a time [three and a half years; the last half of the tribulation]” (Daniel 7:25). This persecution will begin at the midpoint of the tribulation, when Antichrist breaks his covenant with Israel (Daniel 9:27) and sets up the abomination of desolation (Daniel 9:27; 11:31; 12:11; Matthew 24:15; 2 Thessalonians 2:3–4).

7. His Admirers

All who dwell on the earth will worship him, everyone whose name has not been written from the foundation of the world in the book of life of the Lamb who has been slain. If anyone has an ear, let him hear. If anyone is destined for captivity, to captivity he goes; if anyone kills with the sword, with the sword he must be killed. Here is the perseverance and the faith of the saints. (13:8–10)

The phrase “all who dwell on the earth” is used throughout Revelation to describe unbelievers and does not include everyone who will be alive at that time. Here the limiting factor is specifically stated. It is “everyone whose name has not been written from the foundation of the world in the book of life of the Lamb who has been slain.” Unbelievers, those whose names are not recorded in the Book of Life, will “perish, because they did not receive the love of the truth so as to be saved” (2 Thessalonians 2:10).

Seven times in the New Testament, believers are identified as those whose names are written in the Book of Life (3:5; 17:8; 20:12, 15; 21:27; Philippians 4:3). The Book of Life is the registry in which God inscribed the names of those chosen for salvation before the foundation of the world. Antichrist will not be able to destroy believers’ saving faith, for the Lord Jesus Christ promised, “He who overcomes will thus be clothed in white garments; and I will not erase his name from the book of life, and I will confess his name before My Father and before His angels” (3:5). Believers have been in the keeping power of God since before creation, and they will be there after the destruction of this order and the establishment of the new heaven and the new earth (21:1ff.).

Believers are doubly secure, because the Book of Life belongs to the Lamb who has been slain. Not only the decree of election, but also the atoning work of Christ seals the redemption of the elect forever. Believers “were not redeemed with perishable things like silver or gold … but with precious blood, as of a lamb unblemished and spotless, the blood of Christ” (1 Peter 1:18–19). Antichrist may take their lives, but he cannot destroy their faith.

This astounding vision of the beast from the sea concludes with a call for spiritual understanding. The warning “If anyone has an ear, let him hear” is echoed fifteen times in the New Testament with the phrase “He who has an ear …” to emphasize a particularly important truth. In all its previous uses in Revelation (2:7, 11, 17, 29; 3:6, 13, 22), it is followed by the phrase “what the Spirit says to the churches.” The omission of that phrase suggests that the church is not in view in this passage, having been raptured before the start of the tribulation (cf. 3:10).

Here the phrase introduces a proverb: “If anyone is destined for captivity, to captivity he goes; if anyone kills with the sword, with the sword he must be killed.” This proverb contains important practical truth for those believers alive at the time of Antichrist’s persecution. They are to depend on God’s providence and not take matters into their own hands.