God Is Coming, pt. 16

Hello again! Terry finished up his flyover of chapter 14 and took us quickly through chapter 15 of the Book of Revelation last Sunday. To listen to this message, click play on the audio player below. There are also some notes and, as always, links to read the Scriptures he references at Bible Gateway.

God Is Coming, pt 16

Intro: This is what is next on God’s timeline – putting down God’s enemies once & for all and ushering in His kingdom. So much of Scripture is about Israel. They haven’t done anything to be worthy, but He chose them & His covenant with them is unconditional.

Revelation 14

Review: The 144,000 were the firstfruits of Israel redeemed back to God, as part of God’s covenantal plan. Three different angels (ministers of the Lord) bring forth the Gospel, announce Babylon’s fall, and tell of the judgment of those who follow the beast. God is a god of love, grace, mercy, compassion, and justice – He will punish sin.

• v. 14: John Beheld
  • white cloud
    • sitting on the cloud is the Son of Man
      • Jesus Christ
      • golden crown on His head (the victor’s crown)
      • sharp sickle in His hand – used to harvest grain
  • is a picture of Christ harvesting the earth
• v. 15: Another Angel
  • came out of the temple (in heaven)
  • spoke to Jesus
    • told Him the time had come to harvest the fruit of the earth
    • the harvest is described as ripe, but the Greek word xeraino actually means to be dried up, withered, more like overripe
• v. 16: Jesus Harvests
  • swings His sickle over the earth
  • the earth is reaped
• v. 17: Another Angel
  • also comes from the heavenly temple
  • also has a sharp sickle
• v. 18: Yet Another Angel
  • comes from the altar
    • Revelation 6
  • has power over fire
  • speaks to the angel with the sickle
    • gather the ripe (not overripe – Greek word here is akmazo which means to be fully ripe, mature) grapes of the earth
• v. 19: Grapes of Wrath
  • angel with the sickle gathers the grapes
  • throws the grapes into the wine press of the wrath of God
  • this is judgment on the ungodly
• v. 20: The Wine Press
  • as you squish/stomp grapes in a wine press, the juice comes out
  • blood, however, comes out of this wine press
    • the Battles of Jezreel, Megiddo, Jehoshaphat, Armageddon all have taken or will take place in the same area “outside the city”
    • the blood is up to the horses’ bridles (about 4 feet deep)
    • covers about 200 miles
  • God did not create hell for man (Matthew 25:41), but if we reject Him, He has no choice.

Revelation 15

• v. 1: Another Sign
  • seven angels
  • hold seven plagues
    • some translations say they hold “vials,” some say “bowls”
    • the Greek word actually means something like a “shallow bowl”
  • will be the completion of God’s wrath
• v. 2: Sea of Glass
  • John sees a sea of glass
    • mixed with fire
    • those who were martyred for not worshiping the beast gained the victory over:
      • the beast
      • the image of the beast
      • the number of the beast’s name
    • hold harps of gold
• v. 3-4: The Martyrs Sing
  • they sing the Song of Moses & the Song of the Lamb
    • is one of the 14 doxologies in Revelation
    • takes us back to Exodus 15
    • v. 4 will be fulfilled after Christ returns
    • also takes us back to Revelation 5
• v. 5-6: John Sees…
  • the heavenly temple opened
  • 7 angels come out
    • clothed in linen, sashed in gold
  • one of the 4 Living Creatures
    • fills the bowls with the wrath of God
  • the temple fills with the smoke of the glory of God
    • no one is able to enter God’s throne room until the last 7 plagues are finished
• Now is the time to turn to Him – judgment is coming!