THE EVERLASTING GOSPEL

As we continue on with our trek through the book of Revelation, we now leave chapter 13 discussed in the previous two articles (here) and (here) and arrive at chapter 14. Following the rise of the Antichrist, the Apostle John receives a parenthetical vision laying out major events during the last half of the Tribulation Period. Because the Antichrist requires a mark on the forehead or right hand of every person in the world, John opens the fourteenth chapter with a contrasting view – showing 144,000 Jewish believers with God’s mark in their foreheads …

“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. 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: 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. These are they which were not defiled with women; for they are virgins. These are they which follow the Lamb whithersoever he goeth. These were redeemed from among men, being the firstfruits unto God and to the Lamb. And in their mouth was found no guile: for they are without fault before the throne of God” (Revelation 14:1-5).

The Redeemed

These are the Jewish remnant sealed in chapter 7. Sometime during the last half of the Tribulation Period, just prior to pouring out the vials of wrath, they are seen in Heaven. They stand with the Lamb before God’s throne, in the presence of the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders. How they got there is not clear. Either they died at the hands of the Antichrist, or they were caught up alive when their work was done. In chapter 15, we shall learn that the Tribulation converts, a countless multitude from all nations, will be there as well. Both of these groups are listed in Revelation 7 and appear in glory sometime after the Antichrist takes over the world.

The 144,000 are specifically those who have the “Father’s name written in their foreheads” (verse 1). Though the Textus Receptus does not include the Lamb’s name in verse 1, the NU Greek text does. We are told that the 144,000 have both the Father’s name and the name of the Lamb (Jesus).

The Mark of God

You may remember that in a previous article in this Revelation series, it was suggested that the mark in their foreheads might be an ancienttahv, the last letter of the Hebrew alphabet, which in the days of the Old Testament was drawn as a cross.

The first mention of God’s seal upon the forehead appears in the prophecies of Ezekiel. He tells about those who were saved from the destruction of Jerusalem …

“And the Lord said unto him, Go through the midst of the city, through the midst of Jerusalem, and set a mark upon the foreheads of the men that sigh and that cry for all the abominations that be done in the midst thereof” (Ezekiel 9:4).

Ezekiel sees six men given the task of destroying the city, one of whom was told to place a mark upon the foreheads of all who lament over the sins of the people. Those with the mark were destined to survive the destruction, while others died without mercy …

“And to the others he said in mine hearing, Go ye after him through the city, and smite: let not your eye spare, neither have ye pity: Slay utterly old and young, both maids, and little children, and women: but come not near any man upon whom is the mark; and begin at my sanctuary. Then they began at the ancient men which were before the house” (Ezekiel 9:5-6).

It is remarkable that six men were commissioned for the destruction of the city, one of which was given the task of marking the righteous. The Apostle John tells a similar story in Revelation 14, only here, six angels prepare for the destruction of the empire of the Antichrist, while the Son of Man stands as a Lamb with the 144,000 redeemed, then comes in a cloud with a sickle in his hand.

The Hebrew term for “the mark” is הִתְוִ֨ hatahv, meaning “the tahv.” In other words, the angel with the ink horn was told to inscribe the Hebrew letter on the foreheads of the righteous that they might be spared from destruction. The righteous Jews of Ezekiel’s day were given the sign of the cross as a mark upon their foreheads.

It is entirely possible for the 144,000 righteous Jews who receive Christ during the Tribulation Period after being left behind at the rapture event in Revelation 4:1 to also receive the mark of the cross in their foreheads. Perhaps John was alluding to the ancient mark of Ezekiel as he wrote his seventh and fourteenth chapters.

The tahv, last letter in the Hebrew alphabet, is an important part of a specific attribute given of Jesus when he said, “I am Alpha and Omega” (Revelation 1:8). These are Greek letter equivalents of the first and last letters of the Hebrew alphabet. The heavy Hebrew influence, apparent in the book of Revelation, makes it obvious that Jesus was referring to the aleph and tahv. Therefore, it would not be out of character to consider the sign of the cross to be significant of his name and his Father’s name as recorded in Revelation 14:1.

It is also important to note that throughout history, the was often substituted for the name of a person. It was a common practice for the uneducated individual, who could not write his own name, to be asked to substitute this mark for his name. Is it possible that the origin of this practice, now lost to history, goes back to biblical days – to the scriptural source that the was the sign of his name?

The Lamb

This is the first time John has seen the “Lamb” since Revelation 7:17. We should note that this vision takes John to the concluding days of the Tribulation Period, meaning that the Savior is not viewed as the “Lamb” during most of these seven dreadful years of Earth’s judgment. John uses this endearing term a total of 28 times in the book of Revelation, but his first use of this word “Lamb” takes us back to the Gospel of John, chapter 1. It is here that John the Baptist first introduces Jesus as “… the Lamb of God, which takes away the sin of the world” (John 1:29).

In Israel’s history, the Passover lamb stood for the redemption of the individual. Failure to apply its blood brought about the death of Egypt’s firstborn. Therefore, history pivots at Calvary. Either men receive the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ, or reject the Lamb and face God’s judgment. There is no middle ground. Faith in Christ brings eternal life. But without this faith in Jesus Christ, man is already condemned.

It is not the Lamb that condemns. It is man’s willful rejection of the Lamb that deprives him or her of salvation. How wonderful it would be if all men were to “… follow the Lamb wherever he goes (Revelation 14:4).

The New Song

God has a “new song” written especially for these sealed saints. Only the 144,000 will be able to sing this song. Rabbis have written on the subject of the “new song” for centuries. The Passover Haggadah speaks of two new songs of rejoicing, one in the feminine form called shirah chadashah and one in the masculine form called shir chadash (Wisdom in the Hebrew Alphabet by Michael Munk, page 90). As the world waits for the Messianic era, the feminine form is used, denoting redemption as being incomplete. It is likely that the “new song” in Revelation 5 represents the feminine form, and that the “new song” in Revelation 14:3 refers to the masculine form.

Munk writes …

“Before [Hallel], when we are about to thank God for redeeming us from the Egyptian bondage, we use the feminine form to suggest that the redemption was incomplete, as it was followed by other exiles and sufferings, each more painful than the preceding one. This as yet unended chain of national suffering is similar to labor pangs which ease up for a short period only to be followed by more severe pains. Indeed, the tribulations of Israel are called the birth pangs of the Messiah. After Hallel, we pray for the complete and final redemption of the Messianic era, which will finally bring everlasting peace and complete happiness to the world. In that prayer, which alludes to the period after the Advent of Messiah when the pangs will have stopped, the masculine form is used” (Tosafos Pesachim 116b).

Dr. Henry Morris, in his book, The Revelation Record, writes …

“The scriptures tell of nine ‘new songs,’ and each one speaks of a glorious theme specifically designed for the singer of the song. The first six are in the book of Psalms (33:3;40:3; 96:1;98:1; 144:9; 149:10 and one is in Isaiah 42:10. One of the new songs was that sung by the redeemed host at the throne of the Lamb when he received Earth’s title deed (Revelation 5:9). The last new song is here (Revelation 14:3) on this occasion” (page 260).

This redeemed remnant was singled out for God’s grace and chosen to be the “firstfruits unto God and to the Lamb,” because they refused to submit to the spiritual adultery and harlotry of Mystery Babylon. We are told that in “their mouth was found no guile,” meaning that they did not buy into the lies of the Antichrist. Almost every statement in this chapter is filled with a contrast between the saints and the Antichrist’s so-called “utopia.”

Seven Heavenly Messengers

We should note that this chapter exhibits seven heavenly messengers – six angels with the Son of Man in the center. It is an obvious menorah design.

The first three angels present messages of warning to earth dwellers: the first preaches the “everlasting Gospel;” the second angel announces the fall of “MYSTERY BABYLON;” and the third angel warns against accepting the “mark of the beast.” Christ is the fourth messenger, thus representing the servant lamp (middle) in the menorah design. He is associated with the last three angels who assist in carrying out God’s judgment upon an unbelieving, perverse and wicked generation.

Some menorah designs in Revelation are made up of, first 3, and then 4, while others consist of 4 and 3. That is, it seems that the servant lamp is either associated with the first 3 or the last 3. In the case of the first three of the seven letters written to the seven churches in Revelation 2 & 3, the injunction to “hear what the spirit says…” followed by the promise “To him that overcomes …” sets forth the pattern of 3 and 4. In other words, the last four letters written to these seven churches offer a promise to the overcomer first, followed by the injunction “hear.” However, in the case of the seven seals, the first 4 (horsemen) are associated, followed by the last 3 (which are not horsemen).

It also may depend on whether the item in the servant lamp position is a prophecy or a fulfillment. In the case of the first three angels in Revelation 14, they appear to be prophecies of judgment, whereas the last four (the Son of Man and three angels) appear to show the fulfillment of the prophecy.

The First Angel

“And I saw another angel fly in the midst of heaven, having the everlasting gospel to preach unto them that dwell on the earth, and to every nation, and kindred, and tongue, and people, Saying with a loud voice, Fear God, and give glory to him; for the hour of his judgment is come: and worship him that made heaven, and earth, and the sea, and the fountains of waters” (Revelation 14:6-7).

Given our journey through the book of Revelation thus far, it should be clear by now that salvation from the wrath to come prophetically and after death is not something to be ignored and put off until another day to “wait and see what happens.” Right now in the Age of Grace is when God calls upon all men and women to repent and escape from the wrath to come …

“And the times of this ignorance God winked at; but now commandeth all men every where to repent: Because he hath appointed a day, in the which he will judge the world in righteousness by that man whom he hath ordained; whereof he hath given assurance unto all men, in that he hath raised him from the dead” (Acts 17:30-31).

Repenting and receiving that salvation is not based on good works. God is only going to care about one thing when the time comes for him to rapture the true church from the earth and/or after your death. That one thing will be what you as an individual, made in the image of God, did with his Son. That’s it. What will NOT matter is what race, culture, creed, tone of your skin, that extra arm pit that is growing out of your neck from eating your grandmother’s horrible, nauseating meatloaf dish last Christmas, or personal opinion is. To escape the wrath to come prophetically and after death, the only thing that will matter to God is “did you personally, willfully and consciously receive Jesus Christ as the substitutionary sacrifice for your lost and condemned human condition inherited from the first man Adam? That is it. That is your one way ticket from condemnation.

Many people, saved or still condemned, have probably heard someone somewhere say the words “God is a merciful and loving God.” Scripture and creation itself reveal those words to be absolutely true. He is not willing that any should perish. In this chapter of study, after the 144,000 and their converts are gone, even as the hour of his judgment commences, God sends an angel to preach the Gospel to Earth-dwellers.

The fact that the preacher is an angel tells us that there are no godly ministers available on Earth. At this point in the prophetic timeline, that dispensation will be over. All of those truly saved word expositors to lost humanity will no longer be dwelling on Earth. Those that were here before the 144,000 will have been raptured into Heaven at Revelation 4:1 during the current Church Age (still ongoing at present). However, there will still be an opportunity to repent and believe on Jesus Christ for the salvation of an individual’s soul. Because remember and be aware that …

“He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him” (John 3:36).

The prophet Joel indicated that people can still be saved in the darkest hour of the Tribulation …

“The sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before the great and terrible day of the Lord come. And it shall come to pass, that whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be delivered: for in mount Zion and in Jerusalem shall be deliverance, as the Lord hath said, and in the remnant whom the Lord shall call” (Joel 2:31-32).

Angels were used in the Old Testament to preach to men and women and will again assist God in bringing about the conclusion of this dispensation. But during this present-time age of grace, it is the duty of men and women everywhere to proclaim the Gospel message of salvation through Christ. Christ has chosen us to win people and bring them to repentance. What is repentance? It means to change your mind—to convert from unbelief in Christ to belief in Him for salvation. It is a very simple process not dependent upon good works or religious ritualism. To see and learn of the process involved, see also the section at the end of this article titled “THE RAPTURE AND YOUR ESCAPE FROM THE COMING JUDGMENT: YOUR ONLY WAY TO HEAVEN.”

For those of us who are already born again in Christ, we cannot depend upon a heavenly vision to bring our loved ones to a saving knowledge of Christ. If we do not win them, they may not get saved. God uses our testimony to reach the lost. I am aware that there are many cases in the Muslim world (and perhaps elsewhere) where some have had divinely inspired visions that led them to the saving knowledge of Christ, but that is not the general rule of how God operates. Important to note is that while God uses us to present them the Gospel message in a manner that may or may not get their attention, it is up to the Holy Spirit to blow the wind of belief into their souls. Only the Holy Spirit can blow the wind of belief into the soul and recreate/regenerate the condemned soul from its state of death into a state of life. Man’s responsibility is to present the Gospel message to the Holy Spirit prepared soul. May we be diligent to his calling. Only when we are gone, will the Lord again call upon angels to finish the work.

The Eternal Gospel

The term “everlasting Gospel” might better be referred to as the “eternal Gospel.” The term “everlasting” (KJV) implies that their will always be a human being in need of salvation. But Christ came to “reconcile all things unto himself … whether they be things in earth, or things in heaven” (Colossians 1:20). Once that is done, victory is won and there will be no further need for the Gospel. That does not mean that it isn’t eternal, just no longer needed.

The Greek term αἰώνιον is usually translated “eternal.” We know that the Gospel is always the same. It is not another Gospel or the Gospel of the kingdom as some suggest. It is the simple story of Christ the Creator coming to save all who believe and have personally, willfully and consciously received him as his or her personal savior into their hearts.

The Gospel includes the story of his death, burial and resurrection with all of its many and varied ramifications. There is no other Gospel. In this message, the angel tells all who dwell on the earth during the Tribulation Period that they should worship the Creator. This is the basis upon which worship is commanded. God created all things – proclaimed here in response to either the godless theory of evolution or the fanciful new theory that space aliens seeded planet Earth with DNA. Both theories are being bandied about today and have been for quite some time. It seems that few people want to accept the fact that there is a Creator God before whom we must all stand someday and be judged. Few people want to accept this fact even in spite of the most conclusive scientific proof/evidence that this is the case.

Here in Revelation 14 is the last time that the term “Gospel” is used in the Bible. It is the last opportunity for mankind to repent, because the “hour” of God’s judgment has set in. It is not the era, decade, year, month, week or day, but the very “hour” of judgment. It is the “appointed hour.” This verse likely refers to the vials of wrath that are about to be poured out upon the earth.

The Second Angel

“And there followed another angel, saying, Babylon is fallen, is fallen, that great city, because she made all nations drink of the wine of the wrath of her fornication” (Revelation 14:8).

This is the first time Babylon is mentioned in the book of Revelation. The announcement of her fall is prophesied here, and fulfilled as the seventh vial of God’s wrath is poured out. Chapters 17 & 18 are taken up with the details of her judgment. The Apostle John takes note that the angel repeated the refrain twice, “is fallen, is fallen,” a quote from Isaiah …

“And, behold, here cometh a chariot of men, with a couple of horsemen. And he answered and said, Babylon is fallen, is fallen; and all the graven images of her gods he hath broken unto the ground” (Isaiah 21:9).

According to Dr. John Gill’s commentary on Isaiah (Baptist Standard Bearer, page 320) the pronouncement is repeated to show the certainty of it. The Targum is, “it is fallen, and also it shall be, that Babylon shall fall;” that is, a second time, and hereafter; and so, Jarchi and Kimchi interpret it as two falls, one by the Medes and Persians, and the other by the hand of Heaven, or God himself; literal Babylon fell by the former; mystical Babylon will fall by the latter, even by the breath of Christ’s mouth, and the brightness of his coming.”

Revelation’s account of the fall of Babylon shows that this is its final fall. Babylon shall never rise again. Just as in the case of the first angel, there may yet be those who will repent and believe upon hearing the second angel’s message of judgment. Even then, mercy is available for some to be snatched from the jaws of Hell …

“Come out of her, my people, that ye be not partakers of her sins, and that ye receive not of her plagues” (Revelation 18:4).

God is, indeed, a merciful and loving redeemer of men.

The Third Angel

“And the third angel followed them, saying with a loud voice, If any man worship the beast and his image, and receive his mark in his forehead, or in his hand, The same shall drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is poured out without mixture into the cup of his indignation; and he shall 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 ascendeth up for ever and ever: and they have no rest day nor night, who worship the beast and his image, and whosoever receiveth the mark of his name” (Revelation 14:9-11).

No one should take this warning from the third angel lightly. God intends for the world to feel its full impact. There is no repentance available or allowed for the one who takes the mark of the beast. It matters not that desperation to feed one’s family might be the motivating factor, or that a man might take the mark out of fear of losing his or her head. All excuses are set aside. Taking the mark seals the soul for everlasting judgment. There are no extenuating circumstances.

This involves more than simply participating in some type of monetary exchange, be it a credit card, debit card or national I.D. There is more involved here than a mere closed system of commerce. One must worship the beast. It is impossible to be deceived into receiving the mark. It must be accepted in spite of this heavenly warning delivered by an audible, yet supernatural announcement. A choice between Christ and Antichrist will have to be considered by every individual before submitting to the mark. No one can say they were not warned.

It will be clear to the adherent that his or her loyalty is required. Free will must submit to enslavement. Love must give way to hatred. The mark exhibits a defiance of God as much as it shows a loyalty to Lucifer. No one can mistakenly take the mark. All will know that a certain irrevocable judgment lies ahead.

Millions will refuse the mark because of this heavenly warning. Saying no to the mark of the beast does not leave one in some middle ground of indecision. Refusing will be an act of faith in God. The message of the first angel will be accepted in place of the devil’s diabolical mark, thus bringing salvation to the soul of the individual. This decision will be enough to sustain the Tribulation saints through starvation, persecution and beheading.

The Comfort of the Holy Spirit

John encourages those who refuse to accept the mark by assuring them that glory lies just beyond death …

“Here is the patience of the saints: here are they that keep the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus. And I heard a voice from heaven saying unto me, Write, Blessed are the dead which die in the Lord from henceforth: Yea, saith the Spirit, that they may rest from their labours; and their works do follow them” (Revelation 14:12-13).

It will be better to die than to yield one’s soul to Lucifer. Mental torment day and night will be the plight of those who take the mark. They will continually be guilt-ridden. The devil’s utopia will turn to ashes in their mouths, offering no peace to the unsaved lost individual. But those who refuse will be refreshed day and night with peace of heart and mind. Once the decision is made to reject the Antichrist, God’s power and love will flow like a spring of refreshing water in the soul. Though political torture and death may threaten, it will be gladly welcomed by those who chose God and the salvation offered through his sacrifice Jesus Christ upon the cross.

Duplication of Design Between John 14 and Revelation 14

When one has their spiritual eyes attuned while reading the books of John and Revelation, one will notice a very peculiar pattern and similarity of design that emerges. It becomes obvious to the spiritually attuned and observant believer that the Holy Spirit led John the apostle to follow the same literary design in writing both his Gospel (the book of John) and the book of Revelation. Though neither book originally had chapter divisions, both books follow an outline of subject matter in each chapter that correspond to each other. Both the Gospel of John and Revelation follow an identical outline for each of the chapters of both books. With this thought in mind, we notice a duplication of design between chapter 14 of both books, showing us the divine design and inspiration of both books (see also Recommended Reading section at the end of this article).

In looking at chapter 14 of the book of John and comparing it to chapter 14 of Revelation, we see that in John’s Gospel (book of John) Jesus promised the disciples a comforter – the Holy Spirit; and in Revelation 14, the Spirit offers rest to the laborer. Jesus opens John 14 by saying, “Let not your hearts be troubled …” (John 14:1). In this opening verse, we are told of a scene similar to that in the opening verses of Revelation 14 …

In John’s Gospel (book of John), Jesus told of mansions in the Father’s house; and in Revelation 14, he stands with the redeemed before the throne of God. In John 14, he promised, “I will come again, and receive you unto myself” (John 14:3), and in Revelation 14, he fulfills the promise.

The Cup of Indignation

John tells us that God’s wrath is like undiluted wine in his cup of indignation …

“The same shall drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is poured out without mixture into the cup of his indignation; and he shall be tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of the holy angels, and in the presence of the Lamb” (verse 10).

This is a reference to the fourth cup on the Jewish Passover table. To understand John’s use of this metaphor, we should note that the Gospel of John is written to portray the rituals of the Passover Seder. There are four Passovers in John’s Gospel: John 2:13;5:1; 6:4 and 13:1. In relating the stories connected to these Passovers, John portrays the meanings of the four cups of the Passover table. We should note that normally, they are diluted with water – a contrast to the cup of God’s indignation in this Revelation passage. Moses taught the four cups from a verse in Exodus …

“Wherefore say unto the children of Israel, I am the Lord, and I will bring you out from under the burdens of the Egyptians, and I will rid you out of their bondage, and I will redeem you with a stretched out arm, and with great judgments: And I will take you to me for a people, and I will be to you a God: and ye shall know that I am the Lord your God, which bringeth you out from under the burdens of the Egyptians” (Exodus 6:6-7).

The first cup is called the “cup of Sanctification” (“I will bring you out …”), and hearkens back to God’s covenant with Abraham. The second cup is called the “cup of Thanksgiving” (“I will rid you out of their bondage …”), and hearkens back to God’s covenant with Moses. The third cup is called the “cup of Redemption” (“I will redeem you …”), and presents God’s new covenant through Jesus. The fourth cup is called the “cup of Completion” (“I will take you to me for a people …”), and portrays God’s judgment of the unsaved condemned souls and the kingdom of the saints. Upon taking this cup in the course of the Passover meal, the Jewish father recites …

“Pour your wrath upon the nations that do not recognize you and upon Kingdoms that do not invoke your name. For they have devoured [Jacob] and destroyed his habitation. Pour your anger upon them and let your fiery wrath overtake them. Pursue them with wrath and annihilate them from beneath the heavens of the Lord.”

This is obviously a reference to the cup of indignation mentioned in Revelation 14:10. Revelation fulfills the prophecy given in John’s first book, the Gospel of John.

The Son of Man

“And I looked, and behold a white cloud, and upon the cloud one sat like unto the Son of man, having on his head a golden crown, and in his hand a sharp sickle” (Revelation 14:14).

The first three angels have given their warnings of judgment. We are about to see the implementation of that judgment as the final three angels join the Son of Man for the harvest of the unsaved and condemned multitude of souls. Christ appears in clouds of glory with a sickle in his hand, ready to reap the harvest of Armageddon.

This crop is destined for the crucible of God’s judgment. These are the proverbial “grapes of wrath” to be cast into the wine-press of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God. The unsaved and condemned of the Earth are about to feel the fury of the Creator.

This is the same event that John describes in Revelation 19. It is given here because of the parenthetical nature of this chapter. Basically, in this chapter, we are told that these are events that will occur in the middle of the Tribulation Period and continue until the Second Coming at its close, some three and a half years later. Therefore, this is considered as an introductory chapter. These clouds of glory are a common theme for biblical descriptions of the Second Coming. The prophet Daniel was the first to tell us that the Messiah would come in clouds …

“I saw in the night visions, and, behold, one like the Son of man came with the clouds of heaven, and came to the Ancient of days, and they brought him near before him” (Daniel 7:13).

Jesus refers to Daniel’s prophecy when telling of his return …

“Jesus saith unto him, Thou hast said: nevertheless I say unto you, Hereafter shall ye see the Son of man sitting on the right hand of power, and coming in the clouds of heaven” (Matthew 26:64).

At his ascension, a cloud received him out of the sight of the gazing Apostles. Two men in white apparel suddenly appeared and promised that Christ would return “in like manner” (Acts 1:11). The Apostle Paul, as early as A.D. 52, was already teaching about the return of Christ in clouds …

“For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord” (1 Thessalonians 4:16-17).

John repeats this concept in the very first chapter of the Apocalypse …

“Behold, he cometh with clouds; and every eye shall see him, and they also which pierced him: and all kindreds of the earth shall wail because of him. Even so, Amen” (Revelation 1:7).

Are these clouds simple water vapor floating in the sky? Or is this a primitive description of an advanced technology beyond our comprehension – perhaps a celestial vehicle of some kind. Though the term is not used in Revelation 19, a definite vehicle is described. John tells us that Christ is riding a white horse.

Again, this may be his limited vocabulary attempting to describe something similar to the vehicle the Father uses in chapter 4 – though quite different in design. God’s vehicle is called a “throne” while the Son is seen on a “horse” or “cloud.”

Two Sickles

The tool common to the harvest of grape vineyards is used first by Joel to describe the future final battle of God against the wicked unsaved and condemned …

“Beat your plowshares into swords and your pruninghooks into spears: let the weak say, I am strong. Assemble yourselves, and come, all ye heathen, and gather yourselves together round about: thither cause thy mighty ones to come down, O Lord. Let the heathen be wakened, and come up to the valley of Jehoshaphat: for there will I sit to judge all the heathen round about. Put ye in the sickle, for the harvest is ripe: come, get you down; for the press is full, the fats overflow; for their wickedness is great. Multitudes, multitudes in the valley of decision: for the day of the Lord is near in the valley of decision” (Joel 3:10-14).

This is the battle that John calls “Armageddon” (Revelation 16:16). It is at this battle that Christ will appear to personally judge the condemned wicked. He will defeat the forces of the Antichrist and establish Heaven’s kingdom on Earth – utopia at last.

The Other Three Angels

Our view of Christ is followed by the fourth angel …

“And another angel came out of the temple, crying with a loud voice to him that sat on the cloud, Thrust in thy sickle, and reap: for the time is come for thee to reap; for the harvest of the earth is ripe. And he that sat on the cloud thrust in his sickle on the earth; and the earth was reaped. And another angel came out of the temple which is in heaven, he also having a sharp sickle. And another angel came out from the altar, which had power over fire; and cried with a loud cry to him that had the sharp sickle, saying, Thrust in thy sharp sickle, and gather the clusters of the vine of the earth; for her grapes are fully ripe. And the angel thrust in his sickle into the earth, and gathered the vine of the earth, and cast it into the great winepress of the wrath of God. And the winepress was trodden without the city, and blood came out of the winepress, even unto the horse bridles, by the space of a thousand and six hundred furlongs” (Revelation 14:15-20).

Not only does Christ have a sickle, another angel has one as well.

Why are there two sickles? Could this have something to do with the timing of the judgment? Not knowing the future, we cannot say. But when one looks at the star charts, one can see that there are two sickles. According to THE WITNESS OF THE STARS, by E.W. Bullinger, published in 1893, Taurus begins the story of the Second Coming of Christ. Bullinger writes …

“In this third and last book, we come to the concluding portion of this heavenly revelation. Its subject is redemption completed, and consummated in triumph … the glory that should follow. The sign in Chaldee is Tor; Greek is Tauros; Latin is Taurus. The Hebrew name was shur [שׁוּר], which is from a root meaning both ‘coming’ and ‘ruling.’ It is a prophecy of Christ, the coming Judge, and Ruler, and Lord of all the earth.”

Saturn, the Grim Reaper and Leo’s Sickle

“And God said, Let there be lights in the firmament of the heaven to divide the day from the night; and let them be for signs, and for seasons, and for days, and years” (Genesis 1:14).

Saturn was known in ancient mythologies as the reaper. He carried a sickle. From him emerged legends of the Grim Reaper.

He is connected with prophetic symbols that deal with the harvest of the unsaved and condemned, and in Revelation 14, we are told about the use of the symbolic sickle in the harvesting of the damned.

Will Saturn use Leo’s sickle? It is rather interesting that we recently saw the grand conjunction of Saturn and Jupiter on December 21, 2020 that caught the attention of the entire world. One should consider that Pluto was at the edge of Sagittarius with the Jupiter-Saturn Grand Conjunction. Cosmologically, Pluto is considered the Lord of the Underworld. Sagittarius is cosmologically representative of the Antichrist. As noted in the previous article, Sagittarius depicts a rider on a horse holding a bow who is given a garland, or “corona – crown.” The “Corona Australis” can be seen next to the rider and his horse. The garland, or corona/crown he is given is depicted exactly like the wreath on the flags of the United Nations and World Health Organization. This may very well be a possible connotation to the Corona Virus con job that the globalists have perpetrated upon the world that will serve to eventually usher in the Antichrist who is given a crown, or corona, in Revelation chapter 6. And as noted, it is at this quadrant of the Universe that the Jupiter-Saturn Grand Conjunction occurred near the Golden Gate that is guarded by the representative sentinel constellation Ophiuchus.

It so happens that at the precise day of the Winter Solstice of December 21, 2020, the Sun enters this gate. The planet Mercury was conjoined with the Sun at this time. The Sun is also conjoined with Mercury at the Golden Gate. It was an extremely rare conjunction. This fact seems to suggest that the Grand Conjunction is foreshadowing the advent of the coming Antichrist as though he is coming through the Golden Gate.

It should spark a bit of interest that in the U.S. state of the famous “Golden Gate” bridge, California, the rotunda ceiling at the Griffith Observatory in Los Angeles has a mural of Saturn by Hugo Ballin. It shows Saturn below the sickle in the mouth of Leo the Lion.

Regulus, the king star in Leo, also happens to be in the handle of a sickle in the head of Leo. The point of the sickle protrudes from the lion’s mouth. Could that sickle represent the sword in the mouth of Christ? Revelation 19:15 reads …

“And out of his mouth goes a sharp sword, that with it he should smite the nations” (Revelation 19:15).

Interestingly, the December 21, 2020 conjunction was the closest great conjunction since July 16, 1623. At the great conjunction of 1623, Jupiter and Saturn were slightly less than 0.1 degrees apart. However, this event would have been difficult—although not impossible—to observe since the two planets were near the Sun. Extremely interesting to note is the fact that just 6 days earlier and a week to ten days later during the time of this great conjunction, two 140-ton supply ships named Anne and Little James arrived at the Plymouth Colony of America loaded with 90 passengers sailing from London. The purpose was to provide settlers and other colony support. The Little James had been outfitted for military service. They were financed by Thomas Weston’s investment group, the Merchant Adventurers, also those who financed Mayflower in 1620 and Fortune in 1621. After a three-month voyage, Anne arrived in Plymouth, per Bradford, on July 10, 1623 and Little James a week or ten days later. After this voyage Anne was to return to its regular cargo shipping work and Little James was to remain in the colony for fishing, cargo and military service. The prophetic significance of this sign occurring in the heavens on July 16, 1623 cannot be understated as America seems to clearly fulfill a prophecy that Jesus gave in Matthew 21 concerning the establishment of a nation for a unique and particular purpose. That unique purpose would be to function as the end times vineyard that would produce the fruits of the kingdom as Jesus stated in this peculiar prophecy – as covered in a previous article titled AMERICA AND A PROPHETIC FOUR DIMENSIONAL TRIP THROUGH THE TABERNACLE OF MOSES. Nailing the prophetic significance of this July 16, 1623 Jupiter/Saturn great conjunction down further, the year 1620 was a very important time marker starting point for America to fulfill its prophetic purpose for the end of the Church Age. The year 2020 and the rise of the “Corona” Virus New World Order plan would see the end of that important 400 year biblical prophetic cycle for America as expounded upon in a previous article titled AMERICA THE VINEYARD AND THE YEAR 2020: THE 400 YEAR PROPHETIC CYCLE. During the time of the great 1623 Jupiter/Saturn conjunction is when God seemed to solidify the reinforcements and provisions necessary through the arrival of these two supply ships to the Plymouth Colony to maintain its functionality and continued existence so that America could begin its rise and fulfill its purpose according to the Matthew 21 prophecy. Without these reinforcements, the colony may never have survived and America may never have risen to its global prominence and/or have succeeded in its prophetic purpose according to the Matthew 21 prophecy. In effect, America is an important prophetic time piece in the end times puzzle. We can see that the prophetic occasion was marked by this grand conjunction in the heavens of what God was doing in a critical phase of the biblical prophetic narrative.

The last time that these two planets were in a conjunction before 1623 was roughly 800 years ago during the great conjunction of 1226. This was at a time when Genghis Khan was conquering large swaths of Asia. Europe was still generations away from the Renaissance. The two planets were easily observable by being separated by less than 0.1 degrees – just as in the December 21, 2020 conjunction.

Hopefully by now, we who are looking for the significant signs of Christ’s return can see the utter rarity and prophetic importance that the Grand Conjunction of Jupiter and Saturn displayed in the heavens in deciphering the nearness of Christ’s return and for the judgment of the Tribulation Period to commence. There is no doubt that for this conjunction to have happened again in December of 2020 was telling us of something massively important to occur in the earth as it relates to the end times.

The Hebrew Letter Nun

We should not leave the study of Revelation 14 without reviewing the meaning of the nun, the 14th letter of the Hebrew alphabet. As noted previously, each chapter in the book of Revelation follows the meaning of each corresponding letter in the Hebrew alphabet, and this is no exception.

According to Rabbinical teachings, nun is the symbol of “faithfulness, soul and emergence.” It appears in two forms, the bent nun, used at the beginning or middle of a word, and the elongated nun, used at the end of a word. The bent nun stands for “the reliable and faithful one” (The Wisdom in the Hebrew Alphabet, Michael Munk, page 151), as seen in the 144,000 redeemed in the opening verses of Revelation 14. The elongated nun represents the faithful who will stand before God at the end of days.

There are nine inverted (upside down)nuns ׆ in the Hebrew text of the Old Testament. Munk says that they represent “downfall.” Two are located in the Hebrew text of Numbers 10:35 and 11:1. The other seven are located in Psalms 107:23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, and 40. In each case, God turns his back upon the wicked in judgment. Psalm 107 is reminiscent of the seven vials of Revelation 16. The context of this Psalm sounds like the destruction of Mystery Babylon. In order to understand the full richness of this concept of Psalm 107 and the destruction of Mystery Babylon, one should not only look at the surface level of the text, but also look beneath the surface level.

As shared in a previous article, the psalms seem to have been encoded with allusions to modern events that happened in the specific year according to the number of the psalm. Going back through modern history, one can see that this is the case. In looking at Psalm 107, one can see the clues that allude to the emerging world government Babylonian merchant system (Mystery Babylon) that picked up steam in the year 2007, the year number of the psalm. In Psalm 107 we read …

“They that go down to the sea in ships, that do business in great waters; These see the works of the Lord, and his wonders in the deep. For he commandeth, and raiseth the stormy wind, which lifteth up the waves thereof. They mount up to the heaven, they go down again to the depths: their soul is melted because of trouble. They reel to and fro, and stagger like a drunken man, and are at their wit’s end. Then they cry unto the Lord in their trouble, and he bringeth them out of their distresses” (Psalm 107: 23-28). “He poureth contempt upon princes, and causeth them to wander in the wilderness, where there is no way” (verse 40).

A treaty has been in the process of being ratified. It is called the “United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea” (UNCLOS). Once ratified, it will be able to rule on issues usually reserved for the local governments of each individual nation. It will effect national sovereignty, navigation rights, international taxation, the environment and energy production. The ancient Lex Mercatoria (Merchant Law) is being revised to prepare for the emergence of a world government, swallowing up the sovereignties of small nations and allowing for central control of all nations by an unelected elite. In the hands of a powerful, unelected few, it could threaten the long tradition of freedom on the high seas – A full 70 percent of the earth’s surface.

This brings a familiar Bible theme to mind. It is one of the most familiar prophecies in the Bible, a powerful visual image seen and recorded by the Apostle John, as he wrote the book of Revelation. His vision expands upon the book of Daniel, and brings perspective and detail to Daniel’s “fourth beast,” which represents the final, global world empire. In Daniel, the beast is placed in the context of the three beasts that precede it. In Revelation, it is given a recognizable form and a source of origin:

“And I stood upon the sand of the sea, and saw a beast rise up out of the sea, having seven heads and ten horns, and upon his horns ten crowns, and upon his heads the name of blasphemy. And the beast which I saw was like unto a leopard, and his feet were as the feet of a bear, and his mouth as the mouth of a lion: and the dragon gave him his power, and his seat, and great authority. And I saw one of his heads as it were wounded to death; and his deadly wound was healed: and all the world wondered after the beast. And they worshipped the dragon which gave power unto the beast: and they worshipped the beast, saying, Who is like unto the beast? who is able to make war with him” (Revelation 13:1-4).

Daniel describes four world empires as four beasts – the lion, the bear, the leopard and a fierce, unnamed beast with iron teeth. Clearly, the fourth beast is the great sea beast of Revelation 13. It reaches it’s peak of power during the approaching seven-year judgment upon earth known as the “Tribulation.” Therefore, it is fitting that the inverted (upside down) nun ׆ should correspond to Revelation 14, the chapter that introduces the final destruction of Babylon (verse 8).

How significant it is that from the years 2000 to 2007 we should see Saturn traveling through the constellations that tell the story of the wrath of God being poured out upon an unbelieving world. The following year (2008), we saw the beginning of the rise of an “escape from Egypt” crossing over theme (a prototype of the world) foreshadowing the escape of all who are born again in Christ i.e. the true Church from the earth via the rapture event. Even more significant that we should see the great conjunction of Saturn and Jupiter on December 21, 2020 of all years … and on Christmas day. For more on the significance of the great conjunction of 2020, see the Recommended Reading and Watching section at the end of this article for authors Gary and Jeff’s enlightening video commentaries. You can also visit Gary’s Unsealed website.

In closing, this parenthetical chapter of Revelation is introductory to the following chapters 15-20. The subjects discussed here will come to pass in those chapters. It all begins with the rise of the Antichrist and his world government, and will conclude with the glorious return of Christ to raise those Tribulation saints and establish his kingdom.

THE RAPTURE AND YOUR ESCAPE FROM THE COMING WRATH: YOUR ONLY WAY TO HEAVEN

The demonstrable divinely inspired text that we call the Bible promises a coming horrendous seven-year Tribulation period of judgment upon Earth for all of mankind, no matter what your religion, belief or creed is, and even to those who don’t believe anything spiritual at all. In this approaching time of judgment, it is certain that God’s judgment will indeed be unleashed upon the world and upon the global system of control called Mystery Babylon The Great as Revelation declares it will be. We can now clearly see the signs of this approaching nightmare. However, this same divinely inspired text that we call the Bible promises an escape from this horrendous time of judgment only to a certain category of people …

“For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord. Wherefore comfort one another with these words” (1 Thessalonians 4:16-18).

Behold, I shew you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed” 1 Corinthians 15:51-52).

“But let us, who are of the day, be sober, putting on the breastplate of faith and love; and for an helmet, the hope of salvation. For God hath not appointed us to wrath, but to obtain salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ” (1 Thessalonians 5:8-9).

Put simply, an event is coming that will be so stupendous that it strains the mind to contemplate such an event happening. It is an event that will see millions upon millions of people across the globe suddenly disappear without warning. The millions of disappeared will have literally ascended into Heaven itself after instantaneously receiving a new glorified body fit for Heaven. A body that will be able to withstand the atmosphere and glory of Heaven. This event is known as the “Rapture.” But the promise of escape is only to those who are “born again” in Christ. This is why it is crucial to understand what Christ meant when he declared in no uncertain terms that only those who are “born again” in him will enter the Kingdom of God. For the explanation of this, keep reading below.

In order to accept the offer of God’s grace and his salvation, you must take the crucial three steps of …

1. Agreeing – A belief and agreeing with God in all that he says in his word, the Bible, about the fact that you are separated from God, as every man and woman on the face of the earth are before accepting his salvation. The Bible reveals that all are separated from him in a spiritual state of death, or said another way that the Bible reveals it, in a state of sin, that will result in damnation in the afterlife. Agreeing with God in your heart that you are in need of his salvation. The Bible reveals that God looks upon the heart of a man or woman, and thus, responds accordingly to the person who comes to him for salvation in recognition of his inability to save himself. The Bible makes these facts very clear – “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23). “For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord” (Romans 6:23). The Bible describes these three kinds of death:

physical death (the state experienced when life leaves our bodies).
spiritual death (spiritual separation from God caused by our state of spiritual death inherited from the first man Adam – the state of sin that results in our daily outward acts of sin, whether deliberate or not, whether omissive or not; and finally …
the second death (the fixed state entered into by the individual who dies physically while he or she is dead spiritually). This state is entered into after the death of the body which results in punishment in the afterlife until the event of the Great White Throne Judgment occurs wherein the damned are resurrected from Hades, or Hell, and are judged according to their works and finally destroyed and cease to exist after being cast into the Lake of Fire. Revelation 14 refers to this tragic end of the unsaved as the “Second Death” (verse 14). It is this state of suffering entered into after physical death and then final destruction at the Great White Throne Judgment in particular which is the horrible result of receiving the wages of sin (unforgiven due to unbelief and rejection of Christ). The Lord Jesus Christ frequently described such a death as being irrevocable in a destiny which he called Hell. He described Hell as a literal place of judgment (Matthew 13:42); a place of everlasting fire (Matthew 18:8); a place of torment (Luke 16:24,28); a place of weeping and gnashing of teeth (Matthew 13:50); a place of remorse (Mark 9:44-48); of bitter memory (Luke 16:25), and a place originally prepared for the Devil and his angels (Matthew 25:41). In fact, Jesus more often warned about Hell than he spoke about Heaven.

It is not God’s will or desire that any person should be consigned to perish in Hell (2 Peter 3:9), but rather that all should come to repentance of unbelief toward him and believe on him for the salvation of the individual’s soul. But God’s justice requires that the “soul who sins” (remains in it’s state of death or state of sin) is the one who will die a second time after a long period of torment (Ezekiel 18:4). So, agree with God, admitting that you are unable to save yourself and in a state of sin under God’s just condemnation for that sin and that you are in need of his salvation.

2. Believing – Then, believe that God does not want you to perish eternally in the torment of Hell because of your sin. Believe that God loves you so much that he provided a way whereby he could still be a just, holy and righteous God, and yet pardon you. Believe that God did not just overlook sin, but that he sent his only begotten son, the Lord Jesus Christ, to provide salvation by personally paying the penalty for sin. Believe that Jesus Christ, whose life, death, burial and resurrection is the best-attested fact of antiquity, did come to earth to live, die, rise again and ascend to Heaven in order to provide justification and salvation for all who trust him. Believe that he, and he alone, can save you because he has fully satisfied the just demands of God. Believe that you can’t become righteous in God’s sight by your own effort. Believe that he wants to save you and that he will save you. The Bible provides a solid basis for such belief …

“The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, he is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance (2 Peter 3:9).

“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved” (John 3:16-17).

“But God demonstrates his love toward us in this: while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us (Romans 5:8).

God presented him (Jesus Christ) as a sacrifice of atonement through faith in his blood. He did this to demonstrate his justice because in his forbearance he had left the sins committed beforehand unpunished – he did it to demonstrate his justice at the present time, so as to be just and the one who justifies the man or woman who has faith in Jesus (Romans 3:25-26).

“Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you the gospel which I preached unto you, which also ye have received, and wherein ye stand; By which also ye are saved, if ye keep in memory what I preached unto you, unless ye have believed in vain. For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures … ” (1 Corinthians 15:1-4).

“Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved” (Acts 4:12).

“Jesus answered, “Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me” (John 14:6). “Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest” (Matthew 11:28).

“All that the Father giveth me shall come to me; and him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out [drive away]” (John 6:37).

“Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me” (Revelation 3:20).

3. Calling – It is not enough to agree with God, admit your need, and believe that Christ can and will save you. You must act upon those facts. God’s requirement is that you repent of your unbelief toward him and actively call upon him for the salvation of your soul based on the fact that you cannot save yourself. It is unbelief in particular that damns the soul to its horrible fate …

“He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God” (John 3:18).

You must be willing to completely turn from your own efforts to save yourself or from any other hope. You must come to Christ, calling upon him for salvation and counting on the fact that he will do what he has promised. This means simply taking the gift of pardon and eternal life which he offers. Merely believing about Jesus Christ without coming to him makes as much sense and is as effective as believing that a medication can successfully treat a fatal disease, but failing to take it. Yet again, the Bible emphatically and authoritatively provides the basis for such statements.

The word translated “believe” here means to “rest one’s entire weight and trust on the object or person in which the belief is placed.” It requires action in keeping with the intellectual assent of that belief.

“For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved” (Romans 10:13).

” … but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Romans 6:23).

The logical question you may be asking at this point is: “how do I come to Christ and call upon him?” The answer is that “calling upon the Lord” is just another term for praying, or talking to God. To talk to God is not a complicated process, dependent upon some special rituals. God has invited people to approach him through his Son in simple, straightforward terms. In fact, Jesus approved of the dishonest, despised tax collector who simply prayed, “God be merciful to me, a sinner.” While the exact words of your prayer to God are not of vital importance (since God sees and knows the attitude of your heart), the following is the kind of prayer that you could pray in calling upon God for salvation …

“Dear Lord Jesus: I realize that I need you. I admit that I have sinned and that I deserve your just, eternal punishment for that sin. But I am sorry for my sin and I am turning to you and asking for forgiveness. I believe that you died and rose again to pay sin’s penalty on my behalf. I come to you and open my heart to you. I ask you to come into my life, forgive me for all of my sin and make me your child. I invite you to take control of my life and to cause me to be the kind of person you would have me to be. I thank you for doing this because you have promised that whosoever calls upon you, as I am doing now, shall be saved. I pray this in the name of your Son, the Lord Jesus Christ. Amen.”

If this prayer expresses the desire of your heart, I urge you to sincerely and genuinely express it to God as your prayer. The Bible makes clear that when we believe on the Lord Jesus Christ in our heart, God forgives our sins and counts us righteous, and that when we openly confess with our mouth what we have done in our heart, God gives us assurance of that salvation (Romans 10:9-10).

THE MESSAGE OF THE RESURRECTION: MAKING HEAVEN AND AVOIDING HELL AFTER DEATH

“Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God. Nicodemus saith unto him, How can a man be born when he is old? can he enter the second time into his mother’s womb, and be born? Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God. That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again” (John 3:3-7).

WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO BE BORN AGAIN?

IN THE SCHOOL OF FAITH: A SAVING FAITH