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Revelation 14.Part II
January 7th 2018
Meat
Okay, we left off last week in chapter 14 of Revelation verse 8 where John adds:
8 Another angel, a second, followed, saying, “Fallen, fallen is Babylon the great, she who made all nations drink the wine of the passion of her sexual immorality.”
We asked:
“What is unique about this verse?” And then answered, “It is the FIRST time that Babylon is mentioned in all of the Book.”
We then asked:
What do we know about Babylon from the text?
• She is called, “the great”
• She was “influential” in she made all nations drink the wine,” the wine of what? Our answer gives us another indicator of her, as it tells us that the wine was of
• her sexual immorality (in other words she was lawless.
And then we concluded by asking, “So who or what is Babylon here in Revelation?”
And made note that within the camp of “preterists” there is a division as some say Babylon is Rome and others say it is Jerusalem.
We then promised to get deeper into the answer once we get to chapters 16-18.
At this point John introduces yet another angel. From verse 9 to 12 I believe we are getting somewhat of an important reiteration to the saints of that day, as John says:
9 And another angel, a third, followed them, saying with a loud voice, “If any one worships the beast and its image (which we talked about relative to Nero), and receives a mark on his forehead or on his hand,
10 he also shall drink the wine of God’s wrath, poured unmixed into the cup of his anger, and he shall be tormented with fire and sulphur in the presence of the holy angels and in the presence of the Lamb.
11 And the smoke of their torment goes up for ever and ever; and they have no rest, day or night, these worshipers of the beast and its image, and whoever receives the mark of its name.”
12 Here is a call for the endurance of the saints, those who keep the commandments of God and the faith of Jesus.
What is a Mark?
A Mark (seal, sign, token, frontlet) is placed upon the forehead or hands, either as a sign of a curse or as a sign of redemption.
In Genesis 4:15: God places a mark on the covenant breaking Cain, so nobody would kill him.
In Exodus 28:36-38: Priests of God wore a gold plate upon their forehead, symbolizing the redeemed man.
In Exodus 13:9,16, Deuteronomy 6:6,8; 11:18: A mark upon the forehead and hand was a symbol of total obedience to God’s Law.
In Song of Solomon 8:6: A seal upon the heart and arm is symbolic of a love for someone.
In Isaiah 49:16: God has graven His people on the palms of His hands as a sign that he would not forget them.
In Ezekiel 9:4: A mark upon the forehead was indicative of their allegiance to the Lord in the midst of abomination.
Revelation 13:16-17: The Beast places a mark on the hand or forehead of his followers also. This mark is his name (which represents ones character).
Then in Revelation 14:9-11; 16:2; 19:20: Those who receive the mark of the Beast (worship something other than God) will be tormented. Which means…
Revelation 9:4: Those who do not have the seal of God in their forehead will be tormented. In other words the Beast’s mark is contrasted to God’s mark!
Moving out to Revelation 20:4 we will learn that “Those who do not receive the Beasts’ mark will be the keepers of God’s commandments and have the testimony of Jesus.”
And we will also read in Revelation 15:2: “To keep the Word of God is to overcome and be victorious over the mark, or name, or character, of the Beast.”
Supporting or adding to this Revelation 3:12 says that: “The name of God will be written upon those who overcome.”
Of course as we studied in Revelation 7:3 (which is echoed here in 14:1 and will be repeated in Revelation 22:4) “Where will the name of God be written? It will be sealed in their foreheads!”
Revelation 19:13 tells us exactly the nature of the name of God that’ll be written in their foreheads? It is The Word Of God! (And we could also turn to John 1:1,14 to support this).
In other words, Scripture, God’s Word, will be in their hearts, minds, and souls! And/or we could also equally say that Jesus, the Word of God made flesh, was also written in their foreheads (and I would suggest will also be written in ours)
Now, biblically, a name represents one’s character. This is why God changed the name of his servants (Genesis 17:5,15; 32:28; 35:10, 2 Samuel 12:25, Acts 13:9) in the Old Testament and it is whyHe told parents what to name their unborn children in Genesis 16:11; 17:19, 1 Chronicles 22:9, Isaiah 7:14, Hosea 1:4,6,9, Matthew 1:21,24, Luke 1:13,31).
It is also why men have chosen one name over another for their child (as we see in Judges 6:32, Genesis 35:18, Luke 1:59-60), and why even the name’s of cities have been changed (as in Genesis 28:19) – its all to reflect their character or CHANGE of CHARACTER!
Therefore it makes sense that God wants to seal his name, his character, his Law in us which is why he says in Isaiah 8:16:
“Bind up the testimony, seal the law among my disciples.”
With me on all of that? I think it is very safe to say, based on scripture, that
God’s character is God’s equally represented in God’s Law.
In other words, all that He is is reflected in His Law. He is His Law and His Law is Him. They are not separated any more than He is separated from Love.
Let’s look to the board:
Characteristic
God Is
The Law Is
Good
Luke 18:18-19
“And a certain ruler asked him, saying, Good Master, what shall I do to inherit eternal life? And Jesus said unto him, Why callest thou me good? none is good, save one, that is, God.”
1 Timothy 1:18
“But we know that the law is good, if a man use it lawfully;”
Holy
Isaiah 5:16
“But the LORD of hosts shall be exalted in judgment, and God that is holy shall be sanctified in righteousness.”
Romans 7:12
“Wherefore the law is holy, and the commandment holy, and just, and good.”
Perfect
Matthew 5:48
“Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect.”
Psalm 19:7
“The law of the LORD is perfect, converting the soul: the testimony of the LORD is sure, making wise the simple.”
Pure
1 John 3:2-3
“Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is.
3 And every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself, even as he is pure.”
Psalm 19:8
“The statutes of the LORD are right, rejoicing the heart: the commandment of the LORD is pure, enlightening the eyes.”
Just
Deuteronomy 32:4
“He is the Rock, his work is perfect: for all his ways are judgment: a God of truth and without iniquity, just and right is he.”
Romans 7:12
“Wherefore the law is holy, and the commandment holy, and just, and good.”
True
John 3:33
“He that hath received his testimony hath set to his seal that God is true.”
Psalm 19:9
“The fear of the LORD is clean, enduring for ever: the judgments of the LORD are true and righteous altogether.”
Spiritual
1 Corinthians 10:4
“And did all drink the same spiritual drink: for they drank of that spiritual Rock that followed them: and that Rock was Christ.”
Romans 7:14
“For we know that the law is spiritual: but I am carnal, sold under sin.”
Righteousness
Jeremiah 23:6
“In his days Judah shall be saved, and Israel shall dwell safely: and this is his name whereby he shall be called, THE LORD OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS.”
Psalm 119:172
“My tongue shall speak of thy word: for all thy commandments are righteousness.”
Faithful
1 Corinthians 1:9
“God is faithful, by whom ye were called unto the fellowship of his Son Jesus Christ our Lord.”
Psalm 119:86
“All thy commandments are faithful: they persecute me wrongfully; help thou me.”
Love
1 John 4:8
“He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love.”
Romans 13:10
Owe no man any thing, but to love one another: for he that loveth another hath fulfilled the law.
Unchangeable
James 1:17
“Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning.”
Matthew 5:18
“For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled.”
Eternal
Genesis 21:33
“And Abraham planted a grove in Beersheba, and called there on the name of the LORD, the everlasting God.”
Psalm 111:7-8
“The works of his hands are verity and judgment; all his commandments are sure. They stand fast for ever and ever, and are done in truth and uprightness.”
Seeing this, we know from the Word that at some point God’s Law will be written in the hearts and minds (perhaps this is the forehead being mentioned)
And of course we know this will occur through what Ezekiel 11:19 and 36:26 and then Hebrews 10:16 says.
I would suggest that God’s mark then is His Law, which is Him, written or imprinted on the minds of those who are truly His.
In the end, at the end of the day, perhaps this is what is truly the indication of a Son and Daughter – those who have His law imprinted on their hearts and minds and who therefore do His Works BECAUSE if the Law of God is upon on Hearts and Minds our hands and mouths and behaviors no other response to give?
We talk a lot about being regenerated – born-again. Wonderful event. The receiving of the Word of the Lord in the heart ground of our lives.
But the parable of the Sower takes the planting to a much greater extent and doesn’t stop with the seed taking to the ground.
The parable is all about it taking root downward and then bearing fruit upward – which is only possible if the Word is truly written on the minds and hearts of the believer.
So that is God’s mark.
The Beast wants to put his character in us as well. The Mark of The Beast, like all scripture, is given so that we may understand God and how to serve Him better.
The Mark of The Beast seems to teach that that the Lord demands uncompromising obedience and unswerving dedication.
Therefore we might see the Beast representing the archetype of the tyrannical state, which is opposed to God’s Word and God’s Law.
In scripture, the Beast is defined as “kings” in Daniel 7:17 and Revelation 17:10-12 and as “man-made kingdoms” (Daniel 7:18,23 and Revelation 16:10) which have the power to make war and to kill (Revelation 11:7; 17:14).
The Beast is the government, with rulers and armies, that are against God and his servants (Revelation 19:19). Jesus said, “He that is not with me is against me” (Matthew 12:30, Luke 11:23).
So rulers that enforce laws contrary to God’s Law (written on the heart and mind of those who are His) could be seen as the Beast then . . . and perhaps even today as principles don’t change.
In the end, followers of the Beast receive his mark of ownership (as opposed to the mark of ownership God has on the minds and hearts of His children) and those who bear such a mark submit to ungodly, anti-Christian law.
While we have talked about the literal chargma in existence in the Roman empire we might suppose that the mark that John is talking about cannot be taken literally.
Perhaps it’ just an allusion to the Old Testament symbol of either man’s total obedience to God or all who do not possess such devotion.
Troubling as it may be the language here relative to these marks is “all or nothing”
and it seems to stand as a warning that a person either had God’s mark in the mind and heart or they have the Mark of the beast.
Admittedly I may have taken some liberties with this opinion but there appears to be an either/or tacitly imposed in the description.
And this view tends to concur with the Words of Jesus and other apostles.
Jesus emphatically states:
You are the light of the World.
You are the salt of the earth.
You CANNOT serve God and mammon.
You cannot love father mother more than me.
And on and on. These are His either/or’s.
And the parable are rife with examples of how we either have Him written on our hearts and minds or we don’t.
We are tapped in Him the vine or we are not. We are producing fruit or we fail to produce fruit.
In that age there was zero compromise with the Beast and God as Paul wrote
2nd Corinthians 6:15 And what concord hath Christ with Belial? or what part hath he that believeth with an infidel?
Scripture gives us a mark of God and then here in Revelation it provides us with its demonic opposite – the mark of the beast.
Because we have seen that this mark is called 666 (which we have discussed at length) and that the number “is the number of a man’s name” we can say that those in that age who gave allegiance to that man (Nero) bore relationship with Him instead of a relationship with God.
And we have described in detail the heart mind and ways of Nero the beast in that age.
To align with him was to align with all that was against Christ and Christians and therefore the believers mark of God and His law on their minds and hearts was proven untrue.
A true believer just could not do it. They would be salt and light. Nothing – not even their failing flesh and weakness of soul – would allow them to turn against Christ (listen) BECAUSE HIS LAW WAS WRITTEN ON THEIR HEARTS AND MINDS.
So when people took the mark of the beast and aligned themselves with the beast it was NOT proof of them failing to pass the test, it was proof that God had not written His Laws upon their hearts and minds.
Simple as that.
We tend, especially in the age of futurism, to wonder if we as believers would have the internal strength to resist the mark of the future beast, right?
Nero put tens of thousands of Christians to death by torturous methods and they willingly endured – so would all who have Him written on their hearts and minds – the decision would have been made – it would be out of our hands.
So it was NOT a matter of their ability, it was just a question of weather a believer had Him written on their minds and hearts or not.
The question is how can we tell if we possess Him in us in this manner?
And our answers are plain and apparently within us all – do we do His bidding or our own in this life.
Do we do our will without a care for His or do we do His will without a care for ours?
Are we light and dark, do we love the world and family and other things more than Him.
Do we love as He loved? Of do we love as we love?
9 And another angel, a third, followed them, saying with a loud voice, “If any one worships the beast and its image and receives a mark on his forehead or on his hand,
Revelation 13:16 says the Mark will be placed in the “right hand.” Again, this is a symbolic term used to denote a position of power.
Psalm 16:8; 73:23; 121:5, Isaiah 41:13; 45:1; 63:12, Acts 2:25 all state that the Lord is our right hand so the right hand is symbolic for who our Lord is, who we obey.
The “right hand” also denotes the power of the Lord (Exodus 15:6,12, Psalm 16:11; 17:7; 18:35; 20:6; 48:10; 60:5; 63:8; 77:10; 98:1; 118:15-16; 139:10, Isaiah 41:10; 48:13; 62:8, Eze.21:22, Hab.2:16, Acts 5:31) and then the power of Jesus Christ (Matthew 26:64 and Mark 14:62).
Jesus is at the “right hand” of the Father (Psalm 110:1,5, Mat.22:44, Mark 12:36; 16:19, Luke 20:42; 22:69, Acts 2:33-34; 7:55-56 Rom.8:34, Eph.1:20, Col.3:1,
Hebrews 1:3,13; 8:1; 10:12; 12:2, 1st Peter 3:22)
Thereby showing that Jesus did the work and gave all allegiance to the Father.
Ecclesiastes says that a wise man’s heart is at his right hand (Ecclesiastes 10:2), and whatever you embrace with the “right hand” is where your heart is (Song of Solomon2:6; 8:3).
Finally, the right hand is symbolic of what we value most.
Some might claim that Revelation speaks of the mark being “in” the hand, whereas other books speak of the mark being “on” their hand.
In Revelation 13:16 and here in 14:9, the term “in” is Greek word epi where there is no difference between the word “in” or “on”.
This same Greek word is translated as both “in” and “on” in Revelation 4:2,4; 5:1; 6:5; 7:15; 9:17; 10:2; 13:14; 14:1,6,14-16; 17:8; 18:19, and 20:6.
Notice especially Revelation 5:1 for proof that the phrase “in the right hand” does not mean literally inside the right hand.
Now, those who say that the Mark of the Beast is literal, and that if anyone takes a mark in their hand or forehead they “commit sin,” is saying that a thing, the mark itself, is sin.
This thinking conjures up ideas that say even if this mark is forced upon someone, even if they take this mark unconsciously, or unintentionally, then it is still a sin.
This contradicts the entire teaching of sin in the Bible. Such say, “It does not matter what one does in thought or deed with this mark, because this mark, this thing itself, is sin” and the receiver no matter what the cause is guilty.
This thinking is not the teaching of God nor the teaching of His principles. Intent of the heart and mind is everything so even though I suggest that this age is past, the mark of the beast in that age remained the same. So . . .
“If any one worships the beast and its image and receives a mark on his forehead or on his hand, . . .
10 he also shall drink the wine of God’s wrath, poured unmixed into the cup of his anger, and he shall be tormented with fire and sulphur in the presence of the holy angels and in the presence of the Lamb.
11 And the smoke of their torment goes up for ever and ever; and they have no rest, day or night, these worshipers of the beast and its image, and whoever receives the mark of its name.”
12 Here is a call for the endurance of the saints, those who keep the commandments of God and the faith of Jesus.
So this third angel follows the other two and pronounces woe on those who worship the beast and his image and receive a mark on their foreheads or hands.
The consequences of rejecting God – who
has revealed Himself in creation, conscience, and Christ – are spelled out plainly – the ones who embrace the beast will experience the results.
First, the beast worshiper will “drink the wine of God’s wrath, which is mixed full strength in the cup of His anger”
Now the Greek word for “cup,” poterion, is used 82 times in the New Testament and it can describe a drinking vessel of any sort.
Commonly, a cup is a small bowl
made of pottery, wider and shallower than today’s tea cups.
Figuratively, however, throughout the Bible the word “cup” may describe a measure of blessings or wrath divinely allotted to people or nations.
In Psalm 16:5, David calls the Lord “my portion and my cup of blessing.”
In Psalm 116:12-13, the writer declares, “How can I repay the Lord for all the good He has done for me? I will take the cup of salvation and call on the name of Yahweh.”
But then in Isaiah 51:17, the prophet warns, “Wake yourself, wake yourself up! Stand up, Jerusalem, you have drunk the cup of His fury from the hand of the Lord; you who have drunk the goblet to the dregs – the cup that causes people to stagger.”
In the Garden of Gethsemane, as Jesus agonizes over His impending suffering and death, He prays in Matthew 26:39,
“My Father! If it is possible let this cup pass from Me. Yet not as I will, but as You will.”
And moments later, after Peter cuts of the ear of the high priest’s slave, Jesus tells him,
“Sheathe your sword! Am I not to drink the cup the Father has given Me?”
Of course we know that the cup Jesus
endures is His sacrificial and substitutionary death on the cross to secure our salvation, a most bitter cup as “the One who did not know sin [became] sin for us so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him” (2 Cor. 5:21).
It’s also a cup, as Hebrews 12:2 says, that Jesus endures “for the joy that lay before Him” because it results in our salvation.
But now in Revelation we read of the cup being the container of God’s wrath.
Looking at this imagery, and comparing it to what people suggest about afterlife punishment of either the wicked today or the Beast followers of yesteryear, it is difficult for me to reconcile what we are reading in verses 9-12 with the mercy and longsuffering and justice of God.
Notice that the container is a cup – and not an endless river. In comparison, even Jesus taking the cup the father had for Him was of a limited duration – age-abiding, we might say.
Because of the content of the rest of our verses between 9-12 it admittedly appears that these torments are going to go on forever and ever. So let’s keep reading and see what we discover.
Next we read,
10 he also shall drink the wine of God’s wrath, poured unmixed into the cup of his anger, and he shall be tormented with fire and sulphur in the presence of the holy angels and in the presence of the Lamb.
In context of the place and time we have to remember that it is the “beast worshipers” that we are talking about here and that we read that they will be “tormented with fire and sulfur in the sight of the holy
angels and in the sight of the Lamb, and the smoke of their torment will go up forever and ever”
These passages are used to endorse afterlife punishment for all as the consequence of rejecting God and worshipping the beast.
So where these souls assume the short solution of worshipping the beast and his ways over Christ and his, the end result will be frighteningly bad:
“tormented with fire and sulfur in the sight of the holy angels and in the sight of the Lamb, and the smoke of their torment will go up forever and ever”
So let’s look at what the text actually says…
Contextually Revelation 14:10-11 is about a specific group of people at ‘the end times’.
It is about people who take the mark of the beast during what many call ‘The Great Tribulation.’ John is describing to us the day they meet God – Judgment Day.
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.”
It is also VERY important to notice where they are.
They are “in the presence of the holy angels and in the presence of the Lamb.”
Remember this is the end of age – this is the wrap up and these who refused Christ and embraced the Beast were facing up to it.
It’s obviously that they are standing before the Great White Throne of God on Judgment Day and therefore this has absolutely no connection to hell or sheol.
Recall the parable of the talents that Jesus tells in Luke 19:27. He concludes the tale by saying:
Luke 19:26 For I say unto you, That unto every one which hath shall be given; and from him that hath not, even that he hath shall be taken away from him. (LISTEN CAREFULLY NOW AS HE SAYS)
27 But those mine enemies, which would not that I should reign over them, bring hither, and slay them before me.
Without a doubt there is something very uncomfortable going on here but is it what traditional evangelicals say is happening?
We have to wonder if the torment with fire, brimstone, and eternal smoke takes place in the presence of the Lamb and holy angels, then are believers present too (since they will be with the Lord by that time).
And are these believers happy at the excruciating fire and torture of these lost souls?
Then we have to wonder about the duration of this punishment especially in light of Jesus teachings on mercy justice and love.
Then we have to ask about the word ‘forever” in the text – doesn’t the text say torment will go on forever?
No, it doesn’t. Re-read it very carefully.
It clearly says “the smoke” will rise forever. Smoke rising forever is much different than torment going on forever.
It is not a proper hermeneutic to view the scripture in Revelation 14:10 apart from how the other biblical writers use it.
And they do not use it of eternal torment.
Look how Isaiah uses the exact same wording about the city of Edom being destroyed, “the smoke thereof shall go up forever: from generation to generation it shall lie waste; none shall pass through it for ever and ever.” (Isaiah 34:10).
Edom was destroyed and the smoke rising forever was meant as a remembrance statement.
Obviously, there is no smoke today still rising from the location of Edom. It is figurative language denoting that God’s work of their destruction will ‘never be forgotten’.
We also read in Isaiah 34:10 that while Edom was burning day and night the smoke of the city would ascend up forever and ever. Does that mean that Edom would never stop burning? Of course, not!
The language simply signifies that the burning of Edom will ultimately end in permanent (or irrevocable and eternal) destruction.
We know that Edom doesn’t exist anymore. Similarly, we are to understand the same from the passage in Revelation 14:9-11.
The smoke of their torment arising “forever and ever” in the passage does not mean that the torment of the wicked will never end.
The language simply signifies that the torment of the wicked will lead to the permanent (or irrevocable and eternal) destruction of their wickedness.
This is perhaps the only interpretation of Revelation 14:9-11 that would be consistent with how the rest of Scripture uses such language and with what the rest of the Scripture teaches concerning the final and ultimate end of the wicked relative to God and His love and mercy.
We’ll continue on with our discussion next week.
Q and A
Prayer
