June 10 2022
Today, Friday June 10
God’s Judgment is Coming
Revelation 14:8-11
“And another angel followed, saying, "Babylon is fallen, is fallen, that great city, because she has made all nations drink of the wine of the wrath of her fornication." Then a third angel followed them, saying with a loud voice, "If anyone worships the beast and his image, and receives his mark on his forehead or on his hand, he himself shall also drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is poured out full strength into the cup of His indignation. 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 ascends forever and ever; and they have no rest day or night, who worship the beast and his image, and whoever receives the mark of his name."
From Revelation 10 through 14, John has been both looking back and looking forward at specific events that are taking place in the Tribulation. Now here in the middle of the Tribulation in Rev. 14, John gets an upward look, and he sees the Lamb on Mount Zion with the 144,000, and they are singing a new song! Next, he sees in heaven at least six angels and they each have a specific message that anticipates the coming judgments that will take place in the next three and half years of the Tribulation, as the seven vials, or bowls, of God’s wrath are pour out on the earth.
The first angel basically is giving a general warning of the judgment that is to come (vv. 6-7). His message to the earth dwellers is telling them to fear God, who made the heavens and the earth, instead of the Antichrist and his false prophet. Remember at this point in the Tribulation, the Antichrist has taken full control of the economic and political systems of the world. He has set up his own image in the temple and is demanding the world to worship him. (Sounds like King Nebuchadnezzar in the Book of Daniel chapter three.) If you don’t take his mark, you can neither buy nor sell! In other words, you better fear him and do what he says, or you will die of starvation or even be killed in a terrible public execution!
This first angel is saying that instead of fearing and worshiping the Antichrist, you should fear and worship the God of heaven who created everything. I couldn’t help but think of the words of Jesus in Luke 12:4-5, "And I say to you, My friends, do not be afraid of those who kill the body, and after that have no more that they can do. But I will show you whom you should fear: Fear Him who, after He has killed, has power to cast into hell; yes, I say to you, fear Him!”
Noah preached his message of the coming judgment of the flood for almost 100 years as he built the ark. No one listened but his own family who entered the ark of safety and salvation. Jesus gave His message of this coming judgment in the Tribulation two thousand years ago (Matthew 24-25), and it appears to be mostly ignored today! Today, we have this book of Revelation that specifically gives details of this coming judgment, but even in this “Day of Grace”, very few want to hear it and repent to be saved.
How tragic that very few people listen and repent, and by faith enter into God’s Ark of salvation, through the Lord Jesus Christ! Jesus is the Door (John 10)! He is the only way in! It appears that it will be the same in the Tribulation, even though an Angel is proclaiming this message from the skies to every nation, tribe, tongue and people of the earth (v. 6)!
Now in Rev. 14:8, we have another angel get even more specific about the judgment during the last three and a half years, with the message, “Babylon is fallen, is fallen.” This proclamation anticipates the events of Revelation 16:18-19 and Rev. 18. We will be looking at this judgment in more detail when we get to those passages. "Babylon" is God's name for the world system of "the beast," the entire economic and political organization by which he rules. "The harlot" in Rev. 17, is the religious system that "the beast" uses to help build his organization. When Antichrist establishes his own religion (Rev. 13:11-15), he will destroy the "harlot"; but it is God who will destroy Babylon.
Today is the time we need to repent and be saved. There will be a day when it will be to late!
God bless!