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LESSON 19 - CHAPTER 14:1-20
R E V E L A T I O N
Charles Caldwell Ryrie, p. 121-126
A Reminder
Charles C. Ryrie's [1996]
Book
REVELATION
Everyday Bible Commentary
Moody
Publishers
Chicago
ISBN: 978-0-8024-1825-8
(You Must Own your
own copy)
(Ryrie's book text is
not included in these lessons)
A Reminder
Charles C. Ryrie's [1996]
Book
REVELATION
Everyday Bible Commentary
Moody
Publishers
Chicago
ISBN: 978-0-8024-1825-8
(You Must Own your
own copy)
(Ryrie's book text is
not included in these lessons)
ANNOUNCEMENTS
CHAPTER 14
9.
Various Announcements 14:1—20
a. The 144,000 14:1-5
(1.)
Their Situation 14:1
The Text
Then
I
looked, and behold, the Lamb
was standing on Mount Zion, and
with Him one hundred and forty-four thousand,
having His name and
[having] the name of His Father
written on their foreheads.
Ryrie, Pg. 121
The
144,000, 14:1-5
OUR COMMENT
John Walvoord comments: “Chapter 14 brings to a
conclusion the material found in chapters 12-13. Chapter 13 with the wicked
rulers of the period, and chapter 14 with the ultimate triumph of Christ – with
the climax happening in chapter 15. Chapter 14 begins with the assurance that
the Lamb will ultimately stand in triumph on Mount Zion (in heaven) with His
followers, and it concludes with a series of pronouncements of judgments upon
the wicked.”[1]
(2.)
Their Song 14:2-3
The Text
2 And I heard a voice from heaven,
like the sound of many waters and
like the sound of loud thunder, and
the voice which I heard was like the sound of harpists
playing on their harps.
3 And they sang a new song
before the throne and
before the four living creatures and the elders; and
no one could learn the song except the
one hundred and forty-four thousand
who had been purchased from the earth.
Ryrie, Pg. 122 Top
Their Song, 14:2—3
OUR COMMENT
To me it is
interesting that no one could learn the song the 144,000 sang (a new song). That
would indicate to me that this song is specific to the martyrs of the 12 tribes
of Israel – a special song for the people and tribes promised the Kingdom.
(3.)
Their Separation 14:4a, b
The Text
4 These are the ones who are chaste men,
for they have kept themselves chaste.
Ryrie, Pg. 122
Second Paragraph
OUR COMMENT
There are so many things
to consider in the imagry of this verse, plus the word “virgin” does’t appear
here in the greek text. “they are being not poluted with women.” This could just
mean that the are men who could be, or not be married, who have not entered into
a sinful relationship with a woman (fornication). As Ryrie brings up the
relationship of the 144,000 to Christ is that they are members of the “Bride of
Christ.”
The bottom line is that they are to be
completely dedicated to Jesus, the Christ, the Lamb – and have served Him
through death – as He had to do before His heavenly Father… “Holy Martyrs.”
(4.)
Their Salvation 14:4c
The Text
These are the ones who follow the Lamb
wherever He goes.
These have been purchased
from among men
as first fruits
to God and
to the Lamb.
Ryrie, Pg. 122 third
paragraph
OUR COMMENT
This is a serious moment in time. For here we have 144,000 Jews brought forth in the early years of the tribulation, who completely follow Jesus, as the Lamb of God – as the final stages of the development and completion of The Earthly Kingdom of God on Earth is accomplished. The whole story of the Bible from Abram to the establishment of the Promised Kingdom of God on Earth.
(5.)
Their
Sanctification 14:5
The Text
5 And no
lie was found in their mouth; they are blameless.
Ryrie, Pg. 123 Top of page
OUR COMMENT
This would seem to me as a reminder to all of us who belong to Christ – that our lives should contain no lies. No lies in our daily lives, no lies in our relationships or marriages. Just no lies in us as we have been called to life and service in Christ Jesus. In Christ, our lives are about Him, not about ourselves.
b. The Vision of the Angel
with the everlasting Gospel 14:6—8
(1.)
Its Announcement 14:6
The Text
6 And I saw another angel
flying in midheaven,
having an eternal gospel to preach
Ryrie, Pg. 123 Second Paragraph
OUR COMMENT
In a way… I disagree with Dr. Ryrie about angels and
the Gospel now in our world. As a believer for nearly 60 years now, it seem
amazing to me now how the decisions I have made in my life, and the changing
circumstances before me in that life, could
not have been so effective in my life and
development without my guardian angel and others leading and guiding the way –
let alone the work of God’s Holy Spirit.
(2.)
Its Inclusiveness 14:6
The Text
to those who live on the earth, and
[to every] nation and
[to every] tribe and
[to every] tongue and
[to every] people;
Ryrie, Pg. 124 Third Paragraph
OUR COMMENT
As we consider our
daily calling to witness to our friends, neighbors, and the world around us, let
us not forget that we need to avoid our prejudices of race, color, creed,
religion, or culture as we witness for Christ – and as we just live our lives.
(3.)
Its Message 14:7
7 and he (The Angel with
the Gospel) said with a loud voice,
The Text
“Fear God, and
give Him glory,
because the hour of His judgment has come;
worship Him who made
the heaven and
the earth and
[the] sea and
[the] springs of waters.”
Ryrie, Pg. 123 Fourth
Paragraph
OUR COMMENT
For much of my
Christian life, I have either been taught, or taught others, that the word
“fear” (like in “fear God”) has grand overtones about a different kind of fear.
I was told a story, a long time ago, about fear. A young mother was in her
living room with her husband and a visitor. They were having a good discussion
about some subject. Just then, a baby gave a short cry from another room. The
mom got up and quietly, on her tip-toes, moved slowly across the living room and
on to the baby’s room. When she returned, the visitor asked her if she “feared”
the little baby because of the way she went off into its room. She responded,
“No, it is that I don’t want to bother or scare my child by bursting into her
room. I fear doing the wrong things as I enter her room to visit her. Thus, my
understanding of fearing God changed. I am to go into His presence as His
adopted son or daughter, both delighting to be there and fearful so as to show
Him my deepest respect for Him.
All that to say that then, in the book of Revelation, the kind of fear that is spoken of is the fear for your life. We are talking about a time when evil and violence rules the world. The Lord God Almighty is now in charge and He is not happy. The angel is speaking of fear for our life if you do not have Him as your God and Savior, for He is going to judge mankind and He is the ONE who created all things.
c. Doom of Babylon 14:8
(
The Text
8 And another angel, a second one, followed, saying,
“Fallen, fallen is Babylon the great,…
Ryrie, Pg. 123 Bottom of the Page
OUR COMMENT
Just a quick note about the different Babylon
divisions. First is the religious Babylon, which as a world-wide institution
worships the “Beast” as its God. Then there is the political Babylon, which
controls the 10 governments which control the world. And finally there is the
commercial Babylon which controls the buying and selling of all things – food,
clothing, everything else… to only those who have the mark of the beast. For all
others (believers) and those not willing to submit to the beast, there is no
place for worshiping God, controling the laws, buying food or anything else,
then starvation follows for many.
(2.)
Its Cause 14:8b
…she who has made
all the nations drink
of the wine
of the passion
of her immorality.”
Ryrie, Pg. 124 Second Paragraph
OUR COMMENT
She, Babylon, through the
above three areas (worship, government, and comercialism) has, and I really like
Ryrie’s choice of word – Inflicted – all the nations with her sins!
d. The
Doom of the
Beast Worshipers
14:9—13
(1.)
People Doomed 14:9
9 Then another angel, a third one, followed them, saying with a loud voice,
Ryrie, Pg. 124 Middle of the Page
OUR COMMENT
This is the forecast of another one of those moments when all the things a person has done to be part of the “New Big Movement” (worshiping the Beast) and receiving his visible mark… will face a judgment that is worse than death – wanting to die, but unable to.
(2.) Their Punishment 14:10—11
10 he also will drink of the wine
of the wrath of God,
which is mixed in full strength
in the cup of His anger; and
he will be tormented with fire and brimstone
in the presence of the holy angels and
in
the presence of the Lamb.
11 And the smoke of their torment
goes up forever and ever;
they have no rest day and night,
those who worship the beast and his image, and
whoever receives the mark of his name.”
Ryrie, Pg. 124 Bottom of the Page
OUR COMMENT
“Wanting to die, yet unable to – forever.”
(3.)
The Perseverance of the Saints
14:12—13
The Text
12 Here is the perseverance of the saints who keep
the commandments of God and
their faith in Jesus.
13 And I heard a voice from heaven, saying,
“Write,
‘Blessed are the dead
who die in the Lord from now on!’”
“Yes,” says the Spirit,
“so that they may rest from their labors,
for their deeds follow with them.”
Ryrie, Pg 125 Top of the Page
OUR COMMENT
The reassurance of
the saints’ rewards. A long-term truth comes to visibility here – believers are
called to lives that can be full of blessing and persecution, illness, and
unexpected or tragic death. It’s all part of God’s plan to prepare us and those
around us for possible ministry in eternity – as His Royal Priesthood. We are
His Children, growing up into spiritual (and physical) adulthood – for His
purposes and our benefit and blessing.
e. Harvest of the Earth
14:14—20
(1.)
The Reapers 14:14
14 Then I looked, and behold, a white cloud, and
sitting on the cloud was One like
a son of man,
having
a golden crown on
His head and
a sharp sickle in
His hand.
Ryrie, Pg. 125 Middle of the Page
The
Reapers 14:14-18,
The Lord:
OUR COMMENT
No Comment
Armageddon
(2.)
The Reason 14:15-18
The Text
15 And another angel came out of the temple,
crying out with a loud voice
to Him
who sat on the cloud,
“Put in your sickle and reap,
for the hour to reap has come,
because the harvest of the earth is ripe.”
16 Then He
who sat on the cloud swung His
sickle over the earth, and the earth was reaped.
17 And another angel came out of the temple
which is in heaven, and
he also had a sharp sickle.
18 Then another angel,
the one who has power over fire, came out
from the altar;
and he called with a loud voice
to him who had the sharp sickle, saying,
“Put in your sharp sickle and
gather the clusters from the vine of the
earth,
because her grapes are ripe.”
Ryrie, Pg. 125 The Bottom of the Page
OUR COMMENT
Henry Alford[2] in his study of the Greek New Testament, believes the two harvests mentioned above involve, first – believers, largely because the second harvest is further processed, as you will see in the next section, with crushing, therefore the second harvest must be of the remaining unbelievers and unbelieving systems. It is a possible understanding of these verses. Ryrie will offer a similar understanding next too.
(3.)
The Result 14:19-20
19 So the angel swung his sickle to the earth an
gathered
the clusters from the vine of the earth, and
threw them into the great wine press of the
wrath of God.
20 And the wine press was trodden outside the city, and
blood came out from the wine press,
up to the horses’ bridles,
for a distance of two hundred miles.
Ryrie, Pg. 126 The Middle of the Page
OUR COMMENT
No comment
References:
[1] John Walvoord, “The Revelation of Jesus Christ,” The Moody Bible Institute of Chicago , 1966, pg. 213.
[2] Henry
Alford, The Greek New Testament, IV, p. 690
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