All right, Revelation 14. You
know, as we started the book of Revelation, this is gospel
judgment. Today and next week, I've divided
it into two messages because I want to preface it a little
bit. In fact, hold your finger there,
Revelation 14. Turn back to Romans chapter 12. And talking about the subject
of gospel judgment. This is part one. And As we go
through the scriptures here in Revelation 14, what that is,
that's the final segment of the fourth vision. You know, Revelation
is a series of seven visions given to the Apostle John. And
each of those seven visions are different views of the last days. The last days being the days
between Christ's first coming and Christ's second coming. And
so here in Revelation 14, this is the last part of the fourth
vision and then chapter 15 starts the fifth vision. And that's
the revelation of the 12 vials or bowls of judgment, or 12,
I mean 7 vials or bowls of judgment. And this chapter started off
by a glorious vision of the Lamb of God, the Lord Jesus Christ,
standing on Mount Zion. Here's the victorious Christ.
It's a comfort to the people of God who are being attacked
by Satan, the red dragon, and by anti-Christian governments,
the beasts that come out of the sea, anti-Christian philosophy,
and then anti-Christian religion, the beasts that come out of there,
as we're being attacked and persecuted. by those three, that unholy trinity,
is what some of the writers call it. It's a comfort to know this
vision that Christ is still victorious in all things. He told his disciples,
be of good cheer, for in the world you have tribulation, trouble,
but be of good cheer. I have overcome the world, he
said. And here he is, the Lamb on the Mount, Mount Zion, victorious,
And with him, because this is the key, with him 144,000, which
I believe represents the entire body of God's chosen people,
the elect of God, made up of God's people out of every tribe,
kindred, tongue, and nation. And they have that name written
in their foreheads, it's sealed in their minds and in their hearts.
That's the name of God, the name of the Father, the name of God's
glory, which is sealed by the Holy Spirit through the preaching
of the gospel. That brings us to a saving knowledge
of the person and finished work of the Lord Jesus Christ as forming
our whole salvation. And so you had that vision. Well,
In verse 6, he says in Revelation 14, I'm getting to Romans 12
here in just a minute, but in verse 6 he says, and I saw another
angel fly. This other angel is a messenger
of Christ. Now, I'll say this, when you
read commentators on Revelation, there are some who believe that
these angels are just various representations of Christ himself. And that could be true, but I'm
not going to go into all that. Here's the thing about it. Here's
what you've got to understand about these angels or messengers.
They could be angelic beings or they could just be messengers
of God. That's what the word angel means. And of course, those who believe
that these are just various manifestations of Christ himself, they always
go back to the Old Testament where Christ is called the angel
or the messenger of the covenant, and he is. But here's the point.
The point of this is this. However you look at that, the
message has the authority of the Lamb on the mount. The message
that they're delivering here has the authority and the truth
and the power of Christ. And it's just like a minister,
a preacher. We are ambassadors of Christ.
We don't preach in our own name. We don't preach upon our own
authority. We have the authority of Christ
through the Word of God. That's why it's important and
imperative that you check us out, that you test us with the
Word of God. So he says, this other angel
flying here in Revelation 14, 6, in the midst of heaven, That
is, this is a message from God now. This message doesn't come
from the earth. Having the everlasting gospel
to preach to them that dwell on the earth. And he says, and
to every nation, kindred, and tongue, and people. Now here's
that angel. He's got the everlasting gospel.
Well, the reason I wanted you to turn to Romans chapter 12
is this. I've been studying this for the
message that I'm going to preach at 11 and next week on that,
and this right here. And it's important. Well, it's not just important,
it's vital. That our thoughts and our understanding, our minds,
our vision, our view, and our judgment be based totally, exclusively
on the word of God. Not the word of men, not the
opinions, feelings, experiences of men. And what happens here, you see,
the Lord brings his people into a saving knowledge of Christ. How God can be just and justify
the ungodly, the issues of sin and of righteousness and of judgment,
that we cannot save ourselves, that we cannot justify ourselves
and make ourselves righteous before God. Now we can justify
ourselves before men. You are they which justify yourselves
before men. Remember Christ talked to the
Pharisees like that. And we can get men to agree with
us. But if it's not based on the word of God alone, his word
alone, it means nothing. It's just a false refuge of religion
and morality. So it must be based on the word
of God. And here in Romans chapter 12,
verse 2, it says, be not conformed to this world. Well, there's
not a place that we need to understand that more thoroughly than in
this matter of what I call gospel judgment. Now, the world says,
judge not, which is based on a misinterpretation and a misapplication
of Matthew 7.1. So they discount all judgment,
they say. Now, first of all, they're, again,
misinterpreting, misapplying the scripture. Secondly, they're
lying to themselves because every one of us judge. We make judgments. We have to. We can't help it,
we've got a conscience. Man by nature will make wrong
judgments when it comes to things about how a sinner is made right
with God, a right relationship with God. Man by nature will
judge self-righteously, which is the judgment that Christ forbids
in Matthew 7. He's forbidding not all judgment,
but self-righteous judgment. But when it comes to judgment,
here's what it says, look at Romans 12 too, and be not conformed
to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind
that you may prove or you may evidence what is that good and
acceptable and perfect will of God. Now, God brings his children
to a saving knowledge of Christ. And then we embark upon a continual
process of having our minds renewed by the word of God and the power
of the Holy Spirit. And Paul wrote in 2 Corinthians
10 and verse 5 that every thought must be brought in subjection
to Christ and his righteousness alone. And there's nowhere where
we see that so needed in this matter of gospel judgment. Look
back at Revelation 14. Now here's this angel going out,
having the everlasting gospel to preach to them that dwell
on the earth and to every nation and kindred and tongue and people,
saying with a loud voice, fear God. Now fear God, that means
to respect, reverence, worship God, bow to God. Give glory to
him. That means to acknowledge him
as he reveals himself. I'm going to talk about that
in the main message this morning at 11 o'clock on the two revelations
of God's glory in Psalm 19, the heavens declare the glory of
God. And then he talks about the law, which is the word. But
give God glory to him, for the hour of his judgment has come.
Now remember this angel is preaching, has the everlasting gospel, preaching
the everlasting gospel, and he says the hour of his judgment
has come. Now this is the hour, the time of God's judgment on
those who dwell on the earth. And in the book of Revelation,
and usually throughout the Bible, when it talks about those that
dwell on the earth, what it's talking about is the reprobate,
the non-elect. It's talking about those who
are so connected to the earth that they will not seek the Lord. So I believe now, this is what
I think this is talking about, that he's talking about God's
judgment on the earth through the preaching of the gospel to
those who refuse to believe it. In other words, the gospel is
not the power of God unto salvation to them as it is to God's chosen
people. But it is a judgment. A judgment. Now, this is not new. Back over in Isaiah chapter 42,
it's interesting how this is a prophecy of the Messiah here,
in Isaiah 42. And it's interesting how it's
stated here. The prophet Isaiah prophesying
of the coming of Christ, and he says in verse 1, Behold my
servant, whom I uphold, mine elect, talking about Christ,
the Son of God, who was chosen in eternity past to be the savior
of God's chosen people, in whom my soul delighteth. We know that
has to be Christ. He says, I have put my spirit
upon him. John chapter one talked about
that, how he has the spirit without measure. He shall bring forth
what to the Gentiles? Judgment. Now, what I believe
he's talking about there is the judgment that comes in the conversion
of his chosen people and the Gentiles. You know, when God
brings a sinner to Christ, he brings judgment. He convicts
us of sin and of righteousness and of judgment. In other words,
he brings our hearts and our minds to understand right judgment,
righteous judgment that can only be found against our sins in
the Lord Jesus Christ. And what salvation really is,
before then we didn't really know what salvation is. We thought
it was turning over a new leaf or whatever or giving our hearts
to Jesus, walking in and out, joining a church, trying to be
the best we can be. But salvation is the grace of
God based on the righteousness of Christ and that brings us
to see the glorious judgment of our sins in the person of
Christ as our sins were imputed to Him and as His righteousness
is imputed to us. And that brings judgment to our
minds. We've been judged. We know what saved and lost is.
Go back to Revelation 14. This angel has the everlasting
gospel to preach unto them that dwell on the earth and to every
nation and kindred and tongue and people." You know what a
lot of people think this is? They think this is God's last-ditch
effort to preach the gospel to try to get people saved. All
right, here the end comes. And there's a whole world out
there of unbelievers. And so Christ, He's just trying
to save everybody, so this is His last-ditch effort to try
to do that, to try to get people saved. But let me tell you something.
I believe at this point all the elect of God have been sovereignly
and powerfully brought into the kingdom under the gospel. He's
preaching to them that dwell on the earth in the nations for
the judgment of God's wrath upon all who are spiritually dead
and remain in unbelief when the end comes. And it's God's judgment. Now let me tell you something.
Christ never sends his ministers into the world to try to get
people to get saved. He never does that. He's not
trying to get people saved. He saves his people from their
sins. And the Bible tells us, now this
is where our thoughts must be brought, be transformed, and
brought into submission of Christ. The gospel, the gospel is either
the power of God unto salvation, or it's the power of God unto
damnation. Turn to 2 Corinthians chapter
2. Now we've seen it. In your lesson, incidentally,
this reference there in the second paragraph is listed as 1 Corinthians
2. It should be 2 Corinthians 2.
So change that in your lesson. 2 Corinthians 2. Now think about it this way.
How do evangelist or so-called evangelist today. How do they
measure their success? False in numbers. How many makes
a decision for Christ? That is not scriptural. Now does
that mean we don't rejoice when people truly hear the true gospel
and come to save you? Oh no, we rejoice. There's more
joy in heaven over one sinner that repented than over the 99
that need no repentance. We desire the salvation of sinners. Paul said, I could wish myself
a curse for my brethren in the flesh. But here's what we need to understand.
Look at verse 14 of 2 Corinthians 2. Paul writes, now thanks be unto
God which always causeth us to triumph in Christ and maketh
manifest the savor of his knowledge by us in every place for we are
unto God a sweet savor of Christ. Now listen, in them that are
saved and in them that perish. To the one we're the savor of
death unto death. And to the other, the saver of
life unto life. And who is sufficient for these
things? You know, this, what a responsibility this is. Preaching
the gospel. Witnessing the gospel. I mean,
a responsibility for you all too. Identifying with it. Living
by it, you say. And he says in verse 17, for
we're not as many which corrupt that you've got in your concordance
here, deal deceitfully with. That's what it means. Corrupt
the word of God, but as of sincerity and as of God, in the sight of
God, speak we in or of Christ. Let me show you another passage.
Turn to Hebrews chapter 11. God told Noah, he said, I'm going
to destroy the world. The wickedness of man. Here comes
a manifestation of God's wrath. But he said, Noah, you found
grace in the eyes of the Lord. Noah found grace. That's the
first thing you see about Noah, Genesis 6a. But Noah found grace
in the eyes of the Lord. He tells Noah to go build an
ark. And Noah, by the power of God, began to build that ark.
And for 120 years it was in the making. And you know what Noah
did? He preached. All the while he was building
the ark. In fact, it's interesting that Peter calls him a preacher
of what? Righteousness. He preached the
gospel. Well, look at verse 7 over Hebrews
11. By faith, Noah, being warned
of God of things not seen as yet, moved with fear. Remember
Revelation 14? The command was to fear God.
That's worship. Prepared an ark to the saving
of his house, by which he what? Condemned the world. and became
heir of the righteousness which is by faith." Noah's preaching,
Noah's witness in the building of an ark was not God trying
to save this world, it was a condemnation upon this world. And now that's
what we're seeing over here in Revelation 14. And that's why
we tell people, now is the day of salvation. Don't wait, come
to Christ. That's our message, isn't it?
Flee from the wrath to come. It's coming. And one day the
gospel will be preached after the last, and it'll be for a
short while now. Because when the last one of
God's elect, Christ's sheep is brought into the fold, that's
the end, isn't it? And then that gospel will be a judgment against
the world. And that's what he says there
in verse 7 of Revelation 14. For the hour of his judgment Now, he says in verse 7, saying
with a loud voice, Fear God, give glory to him, for the hour
of his judgment is come. Worship him that made heaven
and earth and the sea and the fountains of waters. Do you think
unbelievers are ever going to do that? And the answer is yes.
Read Philippians chapter 2, I've got that referenced. Every knee
will bow. Every tongue will confess. His
enemies will be his footstool. And what the scripture says?
Everyone's going to bow to the claims of our Lord and Savior
Jesus Christ. The difference is, those who
are dwelling on the earth, connected to the earth, they'll be forced
to bow. It'll be like a conquering an
enemy. And they'll be forced to bow
in the end. and they will be judged and eternally
damned. Now, somebody says, well, what
about God's chosen people? Aren't they forced to bow? No. No. God does not force his people
to come to Christ against their will. You know what God does
to them? He changes our will. He makes us willing in the day
of his power, which is the day of the gospel, in the hands of
the Holy Spirit, the power of God and the salvation. He draws
us with cords of love, the scripture says. I heard a man say one time,
he said, well, he brings us against our will with our full consent.
I don't like that. He changes our will. He gives
us a new heart. He gives us a new spirit. He
gives us a new mind, you see. And yes, we still struggle with
unbelief and all of that. We still struggle with the flesh.
But God makes his people willing because he convicts us of sin
and of righteousness and of judgment. But here, what I believe he's
talking about is that forced conquering of the enemies of
God in the end by which they'll be judged and eternally damned. Now notice he says here in verse
seven, he says, they'll be made to worship him that made heaven
and earth and the sea and the fountains of waters. Now there's
two ways of looking at that, and I don't want to be accused
of over-spiritualizing, but I think there's some merit to this. Why would he mention the fountains
of waters with the creation heavens and earth and the sea well some
people say well the fountains of waters just refers to the
rivers on land in other words you say he made the heavens well
that's that's the the sky the you know the space all that he
made the earth that's this terrestrial ball as that hymn says that we
inhabit And then the sea, that's the oceans. And then the fountains
of waters, that could be the rivers. But normally, fountains
of waters is a term that usually refers to Christ. And he is the
fountain of living water, we know that. And he may be making
the point here is this, that God made the heavens, God made
the earth, God made the sea. That's the glory of God in creation,
and that's what I'm going to talk about in the message at
11. The heavens declare the glory of God. But God also made the
fountains of waters. He also is the author and creator
of salvation. And this is why this non-elect
multitude are going to be judged. They rejected Christ. You see,
without Christ, there is no hope of salvation. There is no hope
of righteousness. There is no hope of eternal life
without Christ. So there may be some merit to
that, but you can apply it that way, even if you don't think
that John had that in mind for that. But anyway, we know that,
listen, listen, Christ is the only hope of salvation. And this gospel judgment, those
that dwell on the earth, who see the earth as their salvation,
who see themselves as their salvation, which is part of the message
of Antichrist, that men can save the world, that men can save
themselves, that this earth is their salvation, they're going
to find out in the end that Christ is the only way of salvation.
He's the fountain of living waters. We'll conclude with verse 8 and
then I'll pick up here next week. But look at verse 8. He says,
And there followed another angel, another messenger from Christ,
saying, Babylon is fallen, is fallen, that great city, because
she made all nations drink of the wine of the wrath of her
fornication. Babylon. Well, you know what
Babylon represents. You know the origins of Babylon,
don't you? Back over in Genesis chapter 11. The nations. Tower of Babel. You know, we
get our word babbling as a derivative. I'm babbling. Our word babbling
as a derivative from Babel, Babel, Babylon. But actually it originally didn't
mean babbling like in confusion, that's what it's come to be.
Because you remember what happened, God brought his judgment down
upon them who were building that tower and he confounded their
language so that they couldn't understand each other, all of
that. The Babel originally, in the
word, I don't know the exact language because it's been so
many years since I preached that I have to go back and look it
up, but it had to do with something about trying to get to God. Trying
to get to God. Man trying to get to God. Well,
how are you going to do it? Well, Cain, he tried to get to
God. He tried to become accepted. And so they built this, usually
in the coloring books and in the pictures, they have a big
tower being built. Most scholars believe that it was just a fortified
city that they were building that they thought was of God. But either way, it doesn't matter.
It represents man's efforts, man's works, man's will, trying
to gain access to the Father, to God, to gain blessing to gain
salvation by their works and so it's come down through the
ages here's this Babylon you know the Babylonian Empire Nebuchadnezzar
the Babylonian Empire how they were used as instruments of God's
judgment upon Judah to destroy Jerusalem to destroy the temple
to take the people off and that Babylon to the north represented
God's judgment and it represented God's wrath against the sin of
man. Well, here's Babylon representing the ungodly, unholy confederacy
between anti-Christian government and anti-Christian religion.
It's culminated... Babylon, I believe, is described
in many places in the scripture, and I've got some references
here. I put here, it culminated in man's hatred and murder of
the Lord Jesus Christ as described in Acts chapter 4 verses 26 through
28. The kings of the earth stood
up against God and his holy child. The Jews, the Gentiles, Pontius
Pilate, that's fallen humanity in that unholy confederacy against
the Lord Jesus Christ. That's why when you look over
here in Revelation 14, and he's talking about the 144,000
who have that name written in their foreheads, he makes the
statement here, he says, in verse four, they are they which were
not defiled with women, talking about spiritual purity in Christ.
We're married to Christ, we look to Christ, they're virgins. He's
not talking about our character and conduct there. We're sinners. but in christ were married to
him he's our only husband he's our only savior he is our righteousness
and these are they which follow the land where whether so ever
he go with my hope is built on nothing less than jesus but in
practice and they were these were redeemed from among me and
we were redeemed from out of that being the first fruits of
the god into the land so we understand this uh... I've got this in your
lesson. When you look at Revelation,
look at the whole Bible. We need to understand that it's
wrong for us to place any spiritual value on any physical land in
this earth. Did you know that? In God's view,
there are only two kingdoms. There's the New Jerusalem, the
spiritual Israel, and then there's Babylon. And you're either a
citizen of the New Jerusalem spiritual Israel, or you're a
citizen of Babylon. And how do you know which? Well,
gospel judgment tells you. Those who are in Christ, those
who are washed in his blood, those who are clothed in his
righteousness, they are the elect of God. They're the people of
God. They're the holy nation. They're the spiritual Israel.
They're the new Jerusalem. Everybody else? Babylon. And she's fallen. And we'll go
into more of that Next week but Babylon is fallen Christ will
conquer his enemy all right