It's such a joy to worship with you all each morning.
For those of you who don't know me, my name is Sean.
I'm one of the pastors of Trinity Kings Church,
and it's my privilege to preach God's word to you this morning.
Please turn with me to Revelation chapter 14, verses 6 to 20.
We've been in this passage.
We've been in the book of Revelation since the winter.
And we are in chapter 14, verses 6 to 20.
I have the grave task this morning of preaching the passage that Pastor and Theologian D.A. Carson calls
the most horrific passage on hell in the whole Bible.
But God's word includes sobering passages like this because God knows that we need to sober up from the wine of sin.
Because God knows that we need a healthy dose of eternal reality check.
Though hell might be an inconvenient truth that we might wish to ignore,
and Jesus spoke of it repeatedly throughout the Gospels.
And it's dangerous for us to ignore.
So in Revelation chapter 14, verses 6 to 20,
we pray for the reading and preaching of God's word.
Heavenly Father,
give me grace this morning
to preach the horrors of hell
that conveys
your love
and justice,
your worthiness
and glory
and your mercy.
As we
humble ourselves before your word,
please, God,
make us sober-minded people
with their eyes set on eternity
so that we might live in this life
in a manner that is pleasing to you.
In Jesus' name,
we pray.
Amen.
If you are able,
please stand and join us for the reading of God's word
from Revelation chapter 14,
6 to 20.
Amen.
Then I saw another angel
flying directly overhead
with an eternal gospel
proclaimed to those who dwell on earth,
to every nation
and tribe
and language
and people.
And he said with a loud voice,
Fear God
and give Him glory
because
the hour of His judgment
has come
and worship Him
who made heaven and earth
the sea
and the springs of wire.
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.
And another angel,
a third,
followed them,
saying with a loud voice,
If anyone worships the beast
and its image
and receives a mark
on his forehead
or on his hand,
he also will drink
the wine
of God's wrath,
pour full strength
into the cup
of his anger,
and he will be tormented
with fire and sulfur
in the presence
of the holy angels
and in the presence
of the Lamb.
And the smoke
of their torment
goes up forever
and ever,
and they have no rest,
day or night,
these worshipers
of the beast
and its image
and whoever receives
the mark of its name.
Here is a call
for the endurance
of the saints,
those who keep
the commandments
of God
and their faith
in Jesus.
And I heard a voice
from heaven
saying,
Write this,
Blessed are the dead
who die in the Lord
from now on.
Blessed indeed,
says the Spirit,
that they may rest
from their labors,
for their deeds
follow them.
then I looked,
and behold,
a white cloud
and seated on the cloud
one like a son of man
with a golden crown
on his head
and a sharp sickle
in his hand.
And another angel
came out of the temple
calling with a loud voice
to him who sat
on the cloud,
Put in your sickle
and reap,
for the hour to reap
has come,
for the harvest
of the earth
is fully ripe.
So he who sat
on the cloud
swung his sickle
across the earth,
and the earth
was reaped.
Then another angel
came out of the temple
in heaven,
and he too
had a sharp sickle.
And another angel
came out from the altar,
the angel who has
authority over the fire,
and he called
with a loud voice
to the one
who had the sharp sickle,
Put in your sickle
and gather the clusters
from the vine of the earth,
for its grapes
are ripe.
So the angel
swung his sickle
across the earth
and gathered
the grape harvest
of the earth,
and threw it
into the great
winepress
of the wrath
of God.
And the winepress
was trodden
outside the city,
and blood
flowed from the winepress,
as high as a horse's bridle,
for 1600 stadia.
This is God's
holy and authoritative word.
Please be seated.
61 million people
are estimated
to have died
last year
in 2023.
That's approximately
5 million deaths
monthly,
167,
123 deaths
daily,
and 6,963
deaths
hourly,
116 deaths
every minute,
and two deaths
every second.
just now,
two people
went to either
heaven or hell.
And two more.
Yesterday,
over 167,000 people
went to either
heaven or hell.
We often forget
that death
is coming
for us all.
We lather on
anti-aging creams
to hide
the appearance
of aging.
I'm not saying
that's wrong
for you to do.
I'm just saying
that's what we tend
to do.
We run on treadmills
and ellipticals
and eat fish oils
and turmeric
to improve our health
and extend
our lives.
Our society
seeks,
at all costs,
to alleviate pain
and avoid death
for as long
as possible
because ultimately
he doesn't want
to reckon
with death
and what lies after.
But it would be
spiritually helpful
for us to think
about the inevitability
of death
and the eternal
destinies of heaven
and hell
more often.
Moses' prayer
is recorded
in Psalm 90.
For all our days
pass away
under your wrath.
we bring our ears
to an end
like a sigh.
The years
of our life
are 70
or even by reason
of strength
80.
So teach us
to number
our days
that we may get
a heart
of wisdom.
By confronting us
with the eternal
and inescapable
realities of heaven
and hell,
Revelation 14,
6 to 20
seeks to give us
that heart
of wisdom.
God,
the inevitable
judgment of God
should make
all of us
fear him
and give him
glory.
I'm going to
first talk about
the contrast
of the call
to repentance
and a call
for endurance
in verses 6
to 13
and I'll talk
about the harvest
of grain
and the harvest
of grapes
in verses 14
to 20.
It says in
verse 6,
Then I saw
another angel
flying directly
overhead
with an eternal
gospel to proclaim
to those who dwell
on earth,
to every nation
and tribe
and language
and people.
This seems
auspicious
at first.
This angel
has an eternal
gospel to proclaim
to all those
people who dwell
on the earth.
And the gospel
means good news
as we talk about
every week.
It's what we
rehearse during
worship every Sunday,
the good news
that Christ Jesus
came into the world
to save sinners,
that he died
on the cross
to atone
for our sins
and to appease
the wrath of God
and that Jesus
was raised
from the dead
so that we might
have everlasting
life and fellowship
with him.
That's the good news.
However,
there are clues
here in this passage
that suggest
that the emphasis
of the angel's
pronouncement
is not actually
salvation
but judgment.
This angel
in chapter 14
is flying
directly overhead
and proclaims
the eternal gospel
in a loud
voice
and begins
a threefold
announcement
of divine judgment.
And these details
are parallel
in chapter 8
verse 13
of the evil
that flies
directly overhead
and proclaims
in a loud voice
the threefold
woes
of divine judgment.
They both
have as their
addressees
those who dwell
on the earth.
And those who dwell
on the earth
is John's way,
the way he
characteristically
refers to those
who do not
have faith
in God,
those who refuse
to repent
of their sins
and therefore
are the object
of the wrath
and judgment
of God.
That's in contrast
with those
who dwell
in heaven
as Revelation
13, 6
and 12, 12
talk about
which is us,
God's people,
those who believe
in Christ.
Even though we
might live here
presently on earth,
even now
our dwelling place,
our citizenship,
and our home
is in heaven.
The focus
on the judgment
of God
is confirmed
by verse 7.
It says,
And he said
with a loud voice,
Fear God
and give him glory
because the hour
of his judgment
has come
and worship him
who made heaven
and earth,
the sea and the
springs of water.
This raises
the question,
how is the
announcement
of the judgment
of God
the eternal gospel?
That's because
there is no gospel
without the judgment
of God.
For example,
when Isaiah 60
prophesies of the
good news
of Jesus Christ
that's to come,
it announces
good news
and the mercy
of God
to the people
of God,
how God
will deliver them
and build them up.
But in that same
exact context,
it also speaks
of the fact
that the nations
and the kingdoms
that opposed God
and oppressed
God's people
will perish
and be utterly
laid waste.
The good news
of deliverance
on the one hand
for God's people
necessarily includes
on the other hand
bad news
of judgment
for God's enemies.
The gospel
is often summarized
with John 3.16
for God so loved
the world
that he gave
his only son
that whoever
believes in him
should not perish
but have eternal life.
But God's judgment
is also implied
by the gospel
because those
who reject the gospel
will be punished.
John 3.16
is followed
by verses 18-19.
Whoever believes
in him
is not condemned
but whoever
does not believe
is condemned
already
because he has
not believed
in the name
of the only
son of God.
And this is
the judgment.
The light
has come into
the world
and people
love the darkness
rather than the light
because their works
were evil.
The eternal gospel
is the message
of God's deliverance
and rescue
but the corollary
is that
those who refuse
God's rescue
and deliverance
will surely perish
and face
God's eternal judgment.
We frequently
observe this pattern
in scripture.
Romans 1.16
I am not ashamed
of the gospel
for it is the power
of God
for salvation
for those who believe.
And then it's
followed immediately
by
for the wrath
of God
is revealed
from heaven
against all
ungodliness
and unrighteousness
of man.
2 Corinthians 2.14-16
says the fragrance
of the knowledge
of Jesus Christ
is a fragrance
from life to life
for those
who are being saved.
But that same
fragrance of Christ
is the fragrance
from death to death
among those
who are perishing.
This eternal gospel
of verse 6
is addressed
to those
who are perishing.
to those
who dwell
on the earth.
And it is
therefore
a fragrance
from death
to death.
That's why
it's described
as an eternal gospel
which matches
verse 11
where it says
that the smoke
of their torment
goes up forever
and ever.
That's literally
eternity
of eternities.
It's the same word
as the eternal gospel.
The gospel
is eternal
because its truth
abides forever
and because
what we do
with that truth
determines
our eternal
destinies.
Not all truths
are made equal.
Not all truths
are equally relevant
or equally important
at all times.
I was looking
for the most
random fact
I could find.
For example,
the 1896
Summer Olympics
held in Athens,
Greece
was the first
international Olympic Games
held in modern history.
Fascinating
but useless.
It's completely
irrelevant now.
But the eternal gospel
is eternally relevant
and it is
eternally important
which is
all the more reason
why we must
proclaim it
to all the nations.
and this gospel
is also universal.
It does not apply
only to a part
of the world
only to a particular
people.
No, he says
it applies to
every nation
and tribe
and language
and people
which is why
we must go
to all the nations.
And the angel
says in a loud voice
in verse 7
Fear God
and give Him glory
because the hour
of His judgment
has come
and worship Him
who made heaven
and earth
the sea
and the springs
of water.
The appropriate
response to this
eternal gospel
and the impending
judgment of God
is for us
to fear God
and give Him glory.
If we know
that God
is the creator
who made
the heaven and earth
and the sea
and the springs
of water
if we know
that God
is the universal
judge
who punish
evil doers
then we ought
to fear God
and give Him glory.
The fear of God
is a prominent theme
in the book
of Proverbs.
Proverbs 9.10
says the fear
of the Lord
is the beginning
of wisdom
and the knowledge
of the Holy One
is insight.
So to fear God
is to know Him rightly.
Similarly,
Proverbs 15.33
says the fear
of the Lord
is instruction
in wisdom
and humility
comes before honor.
So the fear
of the Lord
is not just
being terrified
of Him
but knowing
Him rightly
and relating
to Him
with humility
and submission.
In other words,
if we know
how big God
really is
and how small
we really are,
if we know
how holy God
really is
and how sinful
we really are,
then that produces
fear,
reverence,
awe,
worship.
That's the fear
of the Lord.
In Revelation 16.9
we see unbelievers
who despite
the warnings
and the previews
of God's judgment
refuse to repent
and give Him glory.
But as we saw
in Revelation 11.13
when God's final judgment
comes,
even the most
stubborn unbelievers
will have no choice
but to be terrified,
quote,
terrified
and give glory
to the God of heaven.
That's what it says
in Revelation 11.13.
The day is surely coming
when every knee
will bow before Jesus
and every tongue
will confess
the name of Jesus
and worship Him
to the glory
of God the Father.
That day is coming.
And we then
really only have
two choices.
We can fear God
and give Him glory
now voluntarily
or we will be
terrified of Him
and give Him glory
involuntarily
in the future.
we can worship God
joyfully now
or we can worship God
begrudgingly
in the future.
One way or the other
God will get
the glory
that is due to Him.
But if we wait
until God's final judgment
we will have lost
our chance
to repent
and we will not
escape the fire's path.
So this is a call
for repentance
for all those
who have not yet
put their trust
in Jesus
for salvation.
Fear God.
Please
I plead with you
fear God
and give Him glory.
That is your salvation.
Do it while
you still have time.
After this angelic
pronouncement
of the hour of judgment
the second angel
follows in verse 8
saying
fallen, fallen
is Babylon the great
she who made
all nations
drink the wine
of the passion
of her sexual immorality.
This is a preview
of the more lengthy
section on Babylon
and the fall of Babylon
in chapters 17 and 18.
Prophet Isaiah
prophesied
of the fall of Babylon
in the 8th century BC
using these exact words
in Isaiah 21.9
fallen,
fallen
is Babylon.
That expression
Babylon the great
comes from Daniel 4.30
where the king
of Babylon
Nebuchadnezzar
at the time
boasts
is not this
Babylon the great
which I have built
by my mighty power
as a royal residence
and for the glory
of my majesty.
But that boasting
is short lived
because Isaiah's prophecy
is fulfilled
in an immediate sense
in 539 BC
when the Persian Empire
led by King Cyrus
attacks and conquers
Babylon.
But John
appropriates that prophecy
Isaiah's prophecy
and tells us
that it will be fulfilled
it was already fulfilled
in an immediate sense
but it will be fulfilled
in an ultimate sense
at the end of the age.
Because ancient Babylon
sacked Jerusalem
and destroyed
the temple of God
and led people of Judah
into captivity
and exile
and because King Nebuchadnezzar
tried to assimilate
the Jewish religion
and culture
into Babylonian culture
and religion
the name Babylon
became synonymous
with worldly powers
and influences
that persecuted
God's people
and seduced them
into compromise.
That's what Babylon
represents.
In the first century
Babylon was the
code name for Rome
because in the same way
the Babylonian Empire
destroyed the temple
in Jerusalem
in 586 BC
so the Roman Empire
destroyed the temple
and Jerusalem
in 70 AD.
But Babylon the Great
is not primarily
a reference to
ancient Babylon
or even to
ancient Rome
or even to
modern day Iraq
which is where
Babylon geographically
used to be.
But as John says here
in Revelation 14
because the Babylon
the ultimate Babylon
will fall only
at the end of the age.
So it represents
the center
of the sinful world's
cultural influence
and economic power.
in chapter 17
Babylon is called
the great prostitute
who sits
on the beast
of chapter 13
which has seven heads
and ten homes.
So Babylon and the beast
are intimately related.
They're not identical
but they're related.
The beast represented
the worldly rulers
and governments
and kingdoms
that oppose God
and oppress God's people
and Babylon is carried
by this beast.
meaning Babylon's
sinful influence
and wealth
are given prominence
and propagated
by the beast.
Babylon the great
is described
in 17.5
as the mother
of prostitutes
and of earth's
abominations.
She makes
as we see in our chapter
chapter 14 verse 8
she makes all the nations
drink the wine
of the passion
of her sexual immorality
and in doing so
she is a fertile prostitute
who becomes
the mother of prostitutes
and of all
of earth's abominations.
Babylon's wine
of the passion
of her sexual immorality
is explained later
in chapter 18 verse 3.
For all nations
have drunk the wine
of the passion
of her sexual immorality
and the kings of the earth
have committed
immorality with her
and the merchants
of the earth
have grown rich
from the power
of her luxurious
living.
So this
sexual immorality
I'm sure there's
literal sexual immorality
involved as well
but here
it's also a metaphor
in part
for the commerce
and wealth
that's enabled
by the beast
the worldly kingdoms.
And it's also
a metaphor
for idolatry
because remember
from chapter 13
verse 17
no one can buy
or sell
unless he has
the mark
of the beast
that is the name
of the beast
or the number
of its name
unless you pledge
allegiance
to these worldly
sinful powers
to the beast
you cannot buy
and sell
and prosper
so that these people
who grow rich
through their intercourse
with Babylon
the prostitute
are guilty
of idolatry.
Babylon
has made them
drunk with the wine
of the passion
of her sexual immorality
and seduced them
with prosperity
and pleasure
into committing
spiritual adultery
against the Lord
himself.
To enjoy
the riches
and the pleasures
of Babylon
the prostitute
people have succumbed
to the powers
of the beast.
In what ways
are the pleasures
and the riches
of this world
drawing you
into the grip
of the beast?
This is why
the third angel
announces
in verses 9 to 10
if anyone
worships the beast
and its image
and receives a mark
on his forehead
or on his hand
he also will drink
the wine
of God's wrath
poured full strength
into the cup
of his anger.
Here the wine
of God's wrath
is contrasted
with the wine
of the passion
of the Babylon
sexual immorality.
If you are using
the English standard
version of the Bible
you could look there
in that verse
and you probably
have a footnote
next to the word
passion in verse 8.
That tells you
if you go down
and look at the footnote
that the word
translated passion
can also be translated
wrath.
In fact
outside of
Revelation 14
8
and 18 3
where it's
translated the
passion of
the wine
of the passion
of Babylon
sexual immorality
every single time
that word
is translated
as wrath
anger
or fearing.
And I think
that's a better
translation.
It's the exact
same Greek word
that's translated
wrath in verse 10
the wine
of God's wrath.
So then the
wine of the
wrath
of Babylon
sexual immorality
is being
contrasted
with the
wine
of God's
wrath.
What is
the wine
of the wrath
of Babylon
sexual immorality?
We're told
exactly what's
in that cup
in Revelation
17 6.
It says
that the
Babylon
prostitute
is drunk
with the
blood
of the
saints.
The
blood
of the
martyrs
of Jesus.
So her
wine
is the
blood
of God's
people.
She's
drunk
on
violence
against
the
people
of God
which is
why
it is
fitting
to
describe
as the
wine
of the
wrath
of her
sexual
immorality.
Babylon
and those
who intercourse
with her
rail against
the
people
of God
and they
enrich
themselves
at the
expense
of the
people
of God.
They get
drunk
with the
blood
of the
people
of God
and their
intoxication
leads to
even further
idolatry
and adultery.
But divine
retribution
is coming.
Verse 10
tells us
that those
who worship
the beast
and took
on its
mark,
those who
intercourse
with Babylon
will drink
the wine
of God's
wrath,
pour full
strength
into the
cup of
his
anger.
In the
ancient
world,
most people
diluted
wine,
usually with
two to
three parts
water and
one part
wine,
they dilute
it,
so it
was much
weaker than
the wine
that's
distilled
nowadays for
people to
drink.
And so
that's what
it's referring
to here.
Babylon's
wine of
wrath
is diluted
wine.
No matter
how potent
it seems,
it's only
diluted
wine.
But the
wine of
God's
wrath is
undiluted
poured
full
strength.
The
Lord spoke
of this
wrath in
Isaiah 51
17,
stand up
O Jerusalem,
O you
who have
drunk from
the hand
of the
Lord,
the cup
of his
wrath,
who have
drunk to
the dregs
the bowl,
the cup
of
staggering.
It's a
terrifying
picture.
Imagine
being forced
to down
liquor that
you cannot
handle,
that will
make you
drunk forever,
leaving you
staggering and
completely
helpless.
There's no
sobering up
from the
wine of
God's wrath,
death.
Because it's
the punishment
that lasts
for you.
We see
this in the
rest of
verse 10,
and he
will be
tormented
with fire
and sulfur
in the
presence of
the holy
angels and
in the
presence of
the man.
Can't get
clearer than
this.
When sinners
reject Jesus
Christ and
die,
they do not
simply cease
to exist.
They go to
hell,
where they are
tormented with
fire and
sulfur.
This is the
place that is
called later in
Revelation 19,
20,
and 20,
10,
and 21,
8,
as the
lake that
burns with
fire and
sulfur,
which is the
second death.
fire.
Now,
I do think
these are
metaphorical,
but that does
not make it
less real or
less painful.
To illustrate,
God is
described in
Scripture as a
consuming fire.
He is the
one who dwells
in unapproachable
light, it says
in verse 26,
16.
1 John 1,
5 says that
God is light
and in him
is no darkness
at all.
So God is
light, he is
fire, he dwells
in unapproachable
light.
In contrast,
Jesus describes
hell as the
outer darkness
where there will
be weeping and
gnashing of teeth.
This is Matthew
25, 30.
The expression
gnashing of teeth
refers to your
teeth chattering
because it's
so cold.
But at the
same time,
hell is also
called a place
of eternal
fire.
Obviously,
both of those
two things
cannot literally
coexist because
if there's
fire, there's
warmth and
there's light,
you're burning.
You cannot be
burning and
chattowing and
cold at the
same time.
You cannot be
in outer darkness
and be in
eternal fire
at the same
time.
I think these
are metaphorical.
But these
metaphors reveal
the true nature
of hell.
Christian
philosopher
Henry Stobb
explains it
this way,
hell in the
Bible is very
hot or very
cold,
depending on
whether the
sinner is
perceived as
a rebel or
an alien.
hell is
made by
those who
climb the
holy mountain
and try to
unseat the
holy one
who are
blazed with
glory,
dwells in
the light
unapproachable.
Those who
mount an
attack on
God and
cross the
barrier of
this exclusive
divinity die
like mods in
the flame of
him who will
not and
cannot be
displaced.
And hell is
made by
those who,
turning their
backs on
God,
flee the
light and
move toward
the eternal
blackness that
marks God's
absence.
hell,
then,
is unarrested
sin's natural
and programmatic
end.
Sin is either
rebellion or
flight,
and when
persisted in,
leads either to
the fiery
furnace or to
the cold and
desolate night.
Hell is,
then,
either a place
of outer
darkness and
extreme cold in
the absence of
the light of
God,
or the
place that
burns with
fire and
sulfur with
the wrathful
presence of
God,
who is a
consuming fire.
John,
here in
Revelation 14,
is highlighting
the latter.
The one who
does not put
his faith in
Jesus Christ
will be
tormented with
fire and
sulfur in
the presence
of the
holy angels
and in the
presence of
the Lamb.
This is why
it is not
fully accurate
to describe
hell only
as the
absence of
God.
It is true
in a sense
that hell
is the
absence of
God.
2 Thessalonians
1.9 says
that those
who do not
obey the
gospel of
our Lord
Jesus will
suffer the
punishment of
eternal
destruction away
from the
presence of
the Lord and
from the
glory of
his might.
This
conveys God's
judgment,
God turning
his face
from them.
Instead of
making his
face shine
upon them,
instead of
lifting
up his
gracious
countenance
toward them,
he turns
his face
from them
in judgment.
That's
God's
absence.
But in
another sense,
God cannot
be fully
absent from
hell since
God is
omnipresent,
present
everywhere.
As Psalm
139,
7-8 says,
Where shall
I go from
your spirit?
Or where
shall I flee
from your
presence?
If I ascend
to heaven,
you are there.
If I make
my bed in
Sheol,
you are there.
Revelation 14-10
teaches us
clearly that
the wicked
will be
tormented
with fire
and sulfur
in the
presence of
the holy
angels,
in the
presence of
the Lamb.
This is
not a
contradiction.
God is
present in
hell,
but not
with his
gracious
countenance,
instead with
his wrathful
countenance.
As Pastor
John Piper
puts it,
with,
an everlasting
frown of
disapproving
justice.
The fact
that fire
and sulfur
are metaphorical
does not
decrease the
horrors of
hell.
If you
are a
Christian,
then you
know God
in his
boundless
mercy and
compassion.
But can
you imagine
facing God's
eternal wrath
injustice?
Can you
imagine
spending
eternity
before God's
disapproving
frown of
justice?
Can you
imagine the
eternal
torments of
hell?
This is
why we
Christians
should never
use swear
words like
hell or
damn.
We should
never use
any swear
word,
period.
Ephesians
5, 4
commands us
categorically
that there
be no
filthiness,
no foolish
talk or
crude
joking,
which are
out of
place,
but instead
let there
be
thanksgiving.
Swear
words are
without
exception,
out of
place,
and
unseemly,
because they
profane what
is sacred,
or make
light of
what is
grave.
words are
never just
words.
The words
that we
use shape
our attitudes
and actions
toward the
things that
those words
represent.
Do you
think that
people who
casually throw
around words
like hell
or damn
will take
hell and
damnation
seriously?
do you
speak
casually or
jokingly
about the
Holocaust?
Surely
not.
Why then
would you
speak casually
of the
place of
eternal
torment?
Where the
undiluted
wrath of
God is
poured out
in full
strength.
look at
verse 11.
The smoke
of their
torment
goes up
forever
and ever
and they
have no
rest day
or night.
These
worshippers
of the
beast and
its image
and whoever
receives the
mark of
its name.
In
James Joyce's
novel,
A Portrait of
the Artist
as a Young
Man,
there's a
preacher who
describes hell
vividly in
this manner.
A holy
saint was
once vouchsafed
the vision
of hell.
It seemed
to him
that he
stood in
the midst
of a
great
hole,
dark and
silent,
save for
the ticking
of a
great
clock.
The
ticking
went on
unceasingly.
And it
seemed to
this saint
that the
sound of
the ticking
was the
ceaseless
repetition
of the
words,
ever,
never,
ever,
never,
ever to
be in
hell,
never to
be in
heaven,
ever to
be shut
off from
the presence
of God,
never to
enjoy the
beautiful
vision,
ever to
be eaten
with flames,
gnawed by
vermin,
goaded with
burning
spikes,
never to
be freed
from those
pains,
ever to
have the
conscience
upbraid
one,
the memory
enraged,
the mind
filled with
darkness and
despair,
never to
escape,
ever to
cry out of
the abyss
of fire to
God for
an instant,
a single
instant of
respite from
such awful
agony,
never to
receive,
even for
an instant,
God's
pardon,
ever to
suffer,
never to
enjoy,
ever to
be damned,
never to
be saved,
ever,
never,
ever,
never.
This is
the meaning
of verse
11.
Their
torment goes
up forever
and ever
and they
have no
rest day
or night.
You might
ask,
how can
sins
committed in
this short
temporal life
warrant
eternal
punishment?
How is
that just?
I have
some of
my kids'
beautiful
drawings
hanging up
in my
bedroom
and if
one of
you were
to come
to my
house
and then
go into
my room
and then
scribble
all over
their artwork,
it will
probably leave
my kids
crying and
I will be
very upset
with you.
but I'm
never going
to sue
you
because I'm
not going
to get
anything
because those
paintings are
not worth
that much
money
yet.
But in
Italy,
if you
deface
monuments
or artworks,
even for the
sake of
protests,
you have
to pay
fines up
to $64,000.
Why?
Because that
artwork has
significance.
It has
cultural
cachet
and value.
Or think
of it this
way,
if a man
swats a
fly,
nobody
will bat
an eye.
But if a
man were
to slap
his wife,
he can
go to
jail.
Why?
Because
a human
being is
way more
valuable
than a
fly.
The
gravity
of the
offense
and the
commensurate
punishment
depend not
only on
the nature
of the
act itself,
but on
the dignity
and worth
of the
object of
that offense.
How much
more than
does this
principle apply
when it
comes to
God?
God is
infinitely
worthy of
our faith
and obedience
and worship
for that
reason to
sin against
God merits
infinite
punishment.
That's why
we say in
one of our
confessions of
sins that
we use on
Sundays,
let us
never forget
that we
have an
eternal
duty to
love,
honor,
and obey
you,
that you
are infinitely
worthy of
such,
that if we
fail to
glorify you,
we are
guilty of
infinite
evil that
merits
infinite
punishment,
for sin
is the
violation
of an
infinite
obligation.
Our sins
deserve
eternal
punishment,
not primarily
because of
what we
have done,
but because
of whom
against
whom
we have
sinned.
Sin is an
act of
treason
against the
kingship of
God.
Sin is an
act of
adultery that
betrays the
everlasting love
of God,
and sin
against an
eternal God
merits eternal
punishment.
That's why
they have no
rest day or
night.
And the
restlessness of
the worshippers
of the beast
is contrasted
with the rest
that is prepared
for the
worshippers of
the lamb in
verse 13.
Blessed are
the dead
who die
in the
Lord from
now on.
Blessed
indeed,
says the
spirit,
that they
may rest
from their
labors,
for their
deeds follow
them.
If we are
truly in
Christ,
if we are
Christians,
then it's a
blessing for
us to die.
Do you
believe that?
Paul says
it's better
for him to
die and to
depart to be
with Christ
in Philippians
1.23,
because there
we will have
finally rest
from our
labors.
The Greek
word translated
labors here
is a word
that conveys
a sense of
toil and
hardship and
trouble and
difficulty.
That's what
our life on
earth is like,
isn't it?
Here we are
beset by our
own sinful
flesh.
Here we are
assailed by
the sinful
world.
Here we are
tormented and
pursued by the
devil.
But this
verse assures
us that though
we might be
persecuted and
killed in
this life,
we will
have life
forevermore
with God
in heaven.
Though we
might be
poor and
disenfranchised
here on
earth,
that soon
heavenly
inheritance
will be
ours.
19th
century British
pastor Charles
Spurgeon
describes dying
and going to
heaven in
this beautiful
way.
To come
to thee
is to
come home
from exile,
to come
to land
out of the
raging storm,
to come
to rest
after long
labor,
to come
to the
goal of
my desires
and the
summit of
my wishes.
This should
motivate us
to endure
with faith
and obedience.
Verse 12
says,
here is a
call for
the
endurance
of the
saints,
those who
keep the
commandments
of God
and their
faith in
Jesus.
The
certainty
of hell
should make
us fear
God and
give him
glory.
And the
certainty
of heaven
should make
us keep
God's
commandments
and our
faith in
Jesus.
Christian
author Randy
Alcorn says
this in his
book entitled
Heaven.
Earth is an
in-between
world touched
by both
heaven and
hell.
earth leads
directly into
heaven or
directly into
hell,
affording a
choice between
the two.
The best of
life on
earth is a
glimpse of
heaven.
The worst
of life is a
glimpse of
hell.
For
Christians,
this present
life is the
closest they
will come to
hell.
For
unbelievers,
it is the
closest they
will come
to hell.
What is
earth to
you?
where are
you in
your relation
to Christ?
Is
earth the
closest you'll
get to
heaven?
Or is
this the
closest you'll
get to
hell?
The scene
shifts in
verses 14 to
20 to the
contrast of
the harvest of
grain and
the harvest of
grapes.
The main
point is the
same.
The inevitable
judgment of
God should make
all of us fear
him and give
him glory.
It says in
verses 14 to
16,
And I
looked as
behold a
white cloud
and seated
on the
cloud one
like a
son of
man with
a golden
crown on
his head and
a sharp
sickle in
his hand.
And another
angel came out
of the temple
calling with a
loud voice to
him who said
on the cloud,
Put in your
sickle and
reap, for the
hour to reap
has come, for
the harvest of
the earth is
fully ripe.
So he
sat on the
cloud, swung
his sickle
across the
earth, and
the earth was
reaped.
This figure
here is set
apart from
the angels,
the number of
angels in the
rest of this
chapter, because
he is described
as the one
like a son of
man.
He is seated
on the cloud
and wears a
golden crown on
his head,
indicating his
rule, his
kingship.
This is none
other than
Jesus himself,
Christ the
king.
John has
already referred
to Jesus as
the one like a
son of man in
Revelation 1.13,
and he is
alluding in
both of those
passages to
Daniel 7.13-14,
where in
prophet Daniel's
vision, one
like a son of
man comes with
the clouds of
heaven and
approaches the
engine of
days and
receives from
him everlasting
dominion and
glory and
kingdom, so
that all
peoples and
nations and
languages serve
him and
worship him.
Jesus applied
the prophetic
vision of
Daniel 7 to
himself when
he was on
trial with the
high priest in
Mark 14.62,
the high priest
asked Jesus,
are you the
Christ, the
son of the
blessed?
And then
Jesus replied,
I am.
And you
will see the
son of man
seated at the
right hand of
power and
coming with the
clouds of
heaven.
Some people
object that
Jesus could
not possibly,
this could not
possibly be
Jesus because
he receives a
command from
an angel in
verse 15.
But this
poses no
problem because
the angel is
simply a
messenger.
The word
angel literally
means messenger.
And notice
that this
angel comes
out of the
temple, meaning
the temple in
heaven, the
dwelling place of
God himself,
God the
Father.
The angel in
verse 15 is
simply relaying
the command of
the Father,
put in your
sickle and
reap for the
hour to reap
has come, for
the harvest of
the earth is
fully ripe.
Jesus taught
us in Mark
13, 32,
concerning that
day or the
hour, no one
knows, not even
the angels in
heaven, nor the
Son, but only
the Father.
So it is
natural for
Jesus to
receive the
announcement of
that hour which
only the Father
knows from the
Father's messenger.
I think this
first harvest by
Jesus represents
the harvest of
first fruits that
we saw last
week in
verses 1 to 5.
There I
argued that
the 144,000,
the elect
people of
God, it
represents those
who are sealed
with the name
of the Lamb,
and it
represents all
of God's
people, those
who have, as
verse 4 says,
have been
redeemed from
mankind as
first fruits for
God and the
Lamb.
And I
mentioned last
week that
first fruits is
an allusion to
the Old
Testament feast of
the harvest,
where the
first fruits of
your labor,
like wheat,
first fruits that
come up as
grain, that
are ready for
the harvest,
are taken and
dedicated to God
as a wave
offering.
And in this
sense, this
idea of first
fruits comes to
represent the
portion of the
harvest that
belongs specially
to God, that
is set aside and
set apart for
God.
That's the idea
that's behind
James 1.18 when
it says, concerning
all of God's
people, of his
own will, God
brought us forth
by the word of
truth, that we
should be a kind
of first fruits of
his creatures.
This first
harvest is the
harvest of first
fruits, this
harvest that Jesus
brings about.
It's the harvest of
redemption.
And the second
harvest, which we'll
see shortly, is the
harvest of judgment.
The two-stage and
time harvest is seen
in Matthew 3.12,
where John the
Baptist says,
concerning Jesus,
that a winnowing
fork is in his
hand, and he will
clear his threshing
floor and gather his
wheat into the
barn, but the
chaff he will burn
with unquenchable
fire.
The wheat that
will be gathered
into the barn is
contrasted with the
chaff that will be
burned with fire.
And we see this
same two-stage
harvest in the
parable that Jesus
tells in Matthew
13, where the
kingdom of heaven is
to compare to a
field that is sown
with both wheat and
weeds.
And the master of
the field says,
let them grow
together.
Don't try to
separate them out
now.
Let the weeds and
the wheat grow
together.
And then, when
the harvest comes,
the weeds are
burned, and the
weeds are gathered.
The second harvest,
in verses 17 to
20, is different.
It's from the first
harvest in a number
of ways.
First, it's
harvested by the
angel and not by
Christ himself.
And second, in
verse 18, this
angel came out from
the altar.
The angel who
announces this, the
angel who has
authority over the
fire.
Fire from the
altar.
This is a
reference to
Revelation 8,
1 to 5, where
the prayers of
the saints, crying
out to God to
avenge their
blood on those
who dwell on
the earth, rose
as incense before
God at the altar
before the throne.
And in answer to
those prayers, God
commanded an angel
who then took the
fire from that
altar and cast it
upon the earth, upon
those who dwell on
the earth, which
brought forth the
judgments of God
in the trumpets,
seven trumpets.
So this is, this is
the angel that
announces the
second harvest is
one who has
authority over the
fire from the
altar.
In other words, this
is a harvest of
judgment.
While the first
harvest was a
harvest of grains,
possibly wheat,
second harvest is a
harvest of grapes.
Notice verse 15
says the harvest of
the earth.
And the Greek word
that is used to say
that the harvest of
the earth was fully
ripe is a word that
literally means to
dry up or shrivel
up.
And that's the word
that's used in
Greek to describe
when a harvest of
grains is ready.
Because a grain
harvest is not ready
until the wheat turns
dry.
I don't know much
about farming, so I
did this up online,
and some random
farm online claims
that the wheat grain
has to have less
than 14.5% of
moisture left in
order for it to be
stored safely.
I don't know how
he measures that.
In contrast,
verse 18 says,
put in your sickle
and gather the
clusters from the
vine of the earth,
for its grapes are
ripe.
The Greek word for
ripe here is a
different word than
the one used in
verse 15.
This word here
means to bloom,
to come to the
best time of its
life.
So even here,
there is a stark
contrast.
The people of God,
when harvest time
comes on earth,
are like wheat that's
withered up and
shriveled up,
and that's why
they're ready for
the harvest.
Because they're
oppressed and
persecuted on earth.
But the enemies of
God, the grapes,
are plump and
juicy, full of and
drunk with the
blood of the saints.
But when the
sickle is swung,
their fates are
dramatically reversed.
The wheat are
gathered into the
barn as the
first fruits for God.
And the grapes are
trodden outside the
city.
In this life, the
people of God face
the wrath of the
dragon, 1212, and
the wrath of Babylon,
148.
But in eternity, it's
the enemies of God
who will face the
wrath of God
himself.
It says in verses
19 to 20,
So the angel swung
his circle across the
earth and gathered the
great harvest of the
earth and threw it
into the great wine
press of the wrath of
God.
And the wine
press was trodden
outside the city and
blood flowed from the
wine press as high as
a horse's bridle for
1600 stadia.
It's a gruesome image.
It's great that we have
it in words and not in
pictures.
It's a gruesome image of
people like grapes being
thrown into a wine
press.
and then crushed,
trembled all over so
that the juice squeezes
out of the wine press
like blood.
And the blood that
spills out of the
wine press is such that
it stretches for 1600
stadia, 184 miles, and
mounts up to the height
of a horse's bridle,
which is worn on the
horse's head, so it's
about six feet tall.
Imagine.
It's a tsunami of
blood that pours forth
from this wine press
of God's wrath.
Number 1600 is likely
symbolic like most other
numbers in Revelation.
It can be four times four
times a hundred,
similar to twelve times
twelve times a thousand
to make up the 144,000
people of God.
Number four throughout
Revelation symbolizes
universality.
The earth's four corners,
the four winds of the
earth, the four-fold
formula of every tribe,
tongue, people, and
nation.
And so 1600 stadia
represents the
comprehensive universality
of God's judgment.
No one escapes it.
Even in this, there is
poetic justice because if
you remember from
Revelation 11, 2,
they are the holy city
which represents the
people of God.
It's said we're
trampled by the
unbelieving nations.
But here in 1420,
it's the unbelieving
nations that are
trodden outside the
sea.
The trampled and
tread are the exact
same Greek words.
I think we could use
some good news after
this.
Hebrews 13, 11-12
notes that Jesus
died on the cross as
a sacrifice for
sin.
outside the camp,
outside the city,
where the sacrifices
on the Day of
Atonement were to
be burned.
Jesus went where
sinners deserve to go
to be punished so
that he could die for
our sins as a
sacrifice.
David Wells, a
Christian theologian,
puts it this way in
his book, The
Search for
Salvation.
Man is alienated
from God by
sin.
And God is
alienated from
man by wrath.
It is the
substitutionary death
of Christ,
it is in the
substitutionary death
of Christ,
that sin is
overcome and
wrath averted.
So that God can
look on man
without displeasure,
and man can look
on God without
fear.
Sin is
expiated,
and God is
propitiated.
that's the good
news of the
eternal gospel.
If you refuse to
believe in Jesus
and fail to accept
Christ's sacrifice
for sin outside the
city, then you are
still in your sins,
and you are still
under the wrath of
God, and for this
reason you yourself
will be excluded
from the beloved
city and suffer
eternal torment
outside the city.
sin.
But if, if you
turn from your
sin in repentance,
and you turn
toward Jesus in
faith, if you fear
God and give Him
glory, your sins
will be paid for,
and you will be
destined to bear the
eternal wrath of God
and His frowning
countenance no more.
Do you know,
beloved saints of
God, that when
God looks at you,
He does not see
a failure
and a
disappointment
or an
incorrigible
mess,
but that He sees
a beloved
child?
Do you know that
there's not a
drop of
the wine of
God's wrath
left for you
to drink?
Because Jesus
bore that wrath
on our behalf
on the cross?
Remember, just
before He goes
to the cross,
in the Garden of
Gethsemane, as
He's agonizing
and pouring His
heart before His
Father, He says,
Father, if you
are willing,
remove this
cup from
me.
Nevertheless,
not my will,
but yours
be done.
What is that
cup?
You guessed
it.
That's the
cup that we
see here.
That's the
cup of the
wine of God's
wrath.
The cup of
staggering.
The cup of
eternal torment.
Cup of
alienation and
separation from
God.
That eternal
cup.
Jesus takes
it for us
on the cross
and He drinks
it to the
very last
drop.
Down to the
trace.
so there
is not a
drop of
wrath left
for us.
Oh, that
should give
us great
confidence.
My Christian
brothers and
sisters,
should give
us great
confidence for
both life and
death.
We close
with this
hymn.
It was
written in
the 17th
century by
a pastor
named Richard
Baxter.
Lord,
it belongs
not to
my care,
whether I
die or
live.
To love
and serve
Thee is
my share,
and this
Thy grace
must give.
If life
be long,
I will be
glad that
I may long
obey.
If short,
yet why
should I be
sad?
to soar
to endless
day.
Father,
grant us
by Your
Spirit the
eyes of
faith,
that we
might take
hold of
these eternal
realities and
live them
out daily.
Lord,
save those
who are lost
in this
world,
and grant
endurance and
perseverance
to those
who are
Yours.
In Jesus'
name we
pray.
Amen.
have been
there.