 Okay, welcome back everybody to our second lecture. On BC 308, our course on Revelation and Daniel. We're going to start reading chapter 14, Revelation. Could somebody please read Revelation 14 verses 1 to 5 please. Revelation 14 verses 1 to 5. I looked and behold a lamp, a lamp standing on Mount Sin, and within 144,000 having his father's name written on their foreheads. And I heard a voice from heaven like the voice of many waters and like the voice of loud thunder. And I heard the sound of harpers playing their harps. They sang as it were a new song before the throne, before the four living creatures and the elders. And no one could learn that song except the 144,000 who were redeemed from the earth. These are the ones who were not defiled with women for they are virgins. These are the ones who follow the Lamb wherever he goes. These were redeemed from among men being first roots to God and to the Lamb. And in their mouth was found no deceit for they are without fault before the throne of God. Alright, so here are these 144,000 Jewish witnesses. And we see them in heaven. It says here they are before the throne along with the living creatures and the elders. And these 144,000 men, they are, they tell us something about their characteristics. They were not defiled with women. They were virgins that never got married. They are followers of Jesus Christ. It was for they follow the Lamb. They were redeemed from among men first fruits to God and to the Lamb was five. They are very righteous people because there was no deceit in their mouth and they are without fault before the throne of God. So suddenly here in chapter 14, the first five verses, suddenly John is seeing heaven. He is seeing Mount Zion. Now we know Mount Zion, you know, on earth. But this is the spiritual Mount Zion, basically the dwelling place of God. So he is seeing heaven, he is seeing the dwelling place of God and he is seeing these 144,000 Jews in heaven. The question is how, I mean, the mystery, I say, mystery is how do these 144,000 Jews get up there? Did they, well, they just raptured life? Or did they die and then go to heaven? And what, how exactly could it have happened? So now the clue is the clue is it says here in verse four, second half of verse four, they were redeemed from among men being first fruits to God and to the Lamb. So we're just using that as a clue. I'm not saying this is 100% correct. We're just taking some clue because the term first fruits is also used in 1 Corinthians chapter 15 in connection with the resurrection of Jesus Christ. Jesus was raised from the dead to see this glorified body. And there it says he was first fruits. The term is used in connection with resurrection, glorified body. So it says they are first fruits to the Lamb of God from the people in the tribulation, from among Israel. Because these 144,000 Jews, Jewish witnesses, they are Jews and they faithfully served God, served the Lord. They faithfully followed the Lamb of God. They have lived godly holy lives. They have done his will. And so here in the second half of the tribulation, they receive glorified bodies and they're in the presence of God. So it is possible. I'm just saying I'm just using the word first fruits as a clue. Right. So I'm not saying this is 100% correct. I'm just using that word because it is found in 1 Corinthians 15 in connection with people receiving resurrected glorified bodies. So we're saying that these 144,000 Jews, they are raptured possibly and they receive glorified bodies and they're taken up into heaven as first fruits. From the people who are going through the tribulation. So the church is already raptured, that has taken place before the start of the tribulation. But from during the tribulation, this is what we see that these 144,000 Jews are raptured and taken up into heaven. Being the first fruits of the people from the tribulation who receive glorified bodies. Okay. So that's just based on the word first fruits. So again, don't take it as 100% sure. No. Because it says they were redeemed from among men being first fruits to God and to the Lamb. We think that these 144,000 Jews were raptured, received resurrected bodies and were taken up. But in any case, what we can say for certain is these 144,000 Jews go to heaven at that point. How they go there, we don't know for sure. We're guessing. But they have been taken by God into heaven. They are in heaven. They are worshipping God. They have the name of God on their lives and they have before the throne worshipping God. Then the next part. God is using angels to make announcements on the earth. Very unusual. Now we say it's unusual because God has always used angels in the past. But these angels went to one person, one individual, or maybe two or three, or maybe a small group. What's unusual here is these are angels making proclamations to people all over the world. That's why it's unusual. Before angels, they visit one person, give the person a message. When Jesus was born, there were angels who gave message, they gave message to the shepherds. But here, these angels are being used by God to proclaim to people all over the world. So let's read that. Revelation 14, 6 through 13, please. Revelation chapter 14 verses 6 through 13, please. Then I saw another angel flying in the midst of heaven, having the everlasting gospel to preach to those who dwell on the earth, to every nation, tribe, town, and people, saying with a loud voice, hear God and give glory to him for the hour of his judgment has come and worship him who made heaven and earth the sea and springs of water. And another angel followed saying, Babylon is fallen, is fallen, that great city, because she has made all nations drink of the wine of the wrath of her fornication. Then a third angel followed them saying with a loud voice, if anyone worships the beast and his image and receives his mark on his forehead or on his hand, he himself shall also drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is poured out full strength into the cup of his indignation. He shall be tormented with fire and burn stone in the presence of the holy angels and in the presence of the Lamb. Should I continue this? Yes, please. Still end of verse 13, please. And the smoke of the torment ascends forever and ever, and they have no rest day or night who worship the beast and his image and whoever receives the mark of his name. Here is the patience of the saints. Here are those who keep the commandments of God and the faith of Jesus. Then I heard a voice from heaven saying to me, Right, blessed are the dead who die in the Lord from now on. Yes, says the Spirit, that they may rest from their labours and their works follow them. Then I'll... Yeah, that's good. Thank you. Alright, so we will read the rest of it later. So, here we have seen, we are seeing three angels. God is using three angels. And these angels, like we said, are proclaiming each angel, each angel is proclaiming a message to the whole world, to the nations. So it's like, it's saying, verse 6, the angel is flying in the midst of heaven is preaching the gospel. To all nations, tribe, tongue and people. So that's the first angel is proclaiming the gospel. Now that is very unusual because, like we said, during the church, the church proclaims the gospel to every creature, which means in the tribulation, the church is not there. That's why God is using an angel. The church is gone. Where is... it's gone to heaven. Of course, there are people who will believe in Jesus, but they're here and, you know, they're here and there. It's not the same as having the church do the work, right? So now God is having an angel going around preaching the gospel and telling people to worship God, right? Now, in the past, some people, you know, have used Revelation 14 verse 6 saying, oh, this must be a satellite going around the world, beaming the gospel to every nation, right? Now there are so many satellites these days, there are beaming news and all kinds of things. I wouldn't do that. I will just say, hey, because if you say the first angel is a satellite, then you have to say the second angel is a satellite, third angel is a satellite, and then fourth and fifth angels are also satellites, which doesn't make sense, right? So I would just leave Revelation 14 verse 6 as an angel, an angelic being, because the rest of what we are reading in chapter 14 applies to angelic beings. The second angel is giving another warning. The second angel is saying Babylon is fallen, the great city Babylon. Now we will be wondering, okay, what is Babylon? But when we come to chapter 17 and 18, we will see what Babylon is. In chapter 17, we will see that Babylon in chapter 17 is used to refer to this religious system that was set up by the false prophet. Chapter 18, Babylon is once again used to refer to the financial system that was set up. And we see in chapter 17 and chapter 18 that both these Babylon's collapse. That means this global religious system, people just reject it. It collapses. And this global financial system, people's wealth is gone. It says in one hour, the wealth will disappear. So that means this religious system and the financial system that was set up by the Antichrist and the false prophet just collapse. We see that in chapter 17 and 18. You'll come there. But this angel in Revelation 14 and 18 is warning people, hey, it's going to collapse. Don't put your trust in what the beast and the false prophet are offering you, the Babylon, the system of the world. Actually it's the system of the Antichrist. It's an attempt to replace God. It is an attempt for man to reach God and babble from the tower of Babylon. It's an attempt for man to reach God, to take God's place. That whole thing collapses. So this angel is telling you, verse 14, chapter 14, verse 8, Babylon has fallen, Babylon has fallen. So it's warning people, this thing is going to come down. God angel, verse 9, onward says, is warning people, don't receive the mark of the beast. So God is sending another angel, telling people all over the world, proclaiming to people, do not receive the mark of the beast. Do not receive. It's better to die than to receive the mark of the beast. Because if you receive the mark of the beast, you're going to end up in that lake of fire. Where you're going to be tormented with the devil and the beast and the false prophet. You're going to be tormented there. So don't receive the mark of the beast. So three angels were proclaiming, one is proclaiming the gospel. One is announcing that Babylon is going to come down. Another is announcing, don't receive the mark of the beast. So very unusual. God is using angels to warn people all over the world during the tribulation. And then there are two, so once again saying, once again talking about patience and endurance of the saints, verse 12. We have to just keep the commandments of God and just hold on to your faith in Jesus. Don't give up your faith in Jesus. And if you have to die, you die in the Lord. That's okay. Just die in the Lord. And that's the best way, the blessed way to die. Now, two more angels. So literally there are five angels God is using during this time. Two more angels. What are they announcing? Let's read. I will read from verse 14 till the end of chapter 14, please. 14 till verse 20. Somebody could read please. And I looked and behold a white cloud on the cloud sat one like a son of man having on his head a golden crown and in his hand a sharp sickle. And another angel came out of the temple crying with a loud voice to him who sat on the clouds. Thrust in your sickle and rib. For the time has come for you to reap for a harvest of the earth is ripe. So he who sat on the cloud first in his sickle on the earth and the earth was ripped. And then another angel came out of the temple which is in heaven. He also having a sharp sickle. Another angel came out from the altar who had power over fire and cried with a loud voice to him who had a sharp sickle saying thrust in your sharp sickle and gather the clusters of wine of the earth for her grapes are fully ripe. So the angel thrust his sickle into the earth and gather the vein of the earth and threw it into a great wipes wine press of the wrath of God. And the wine press was trampled outside the city and the blood came out of the wine press up to the horses brados for a thousand for one thousand six hundred four lungs. Amen. So interesting angels both are talking about a sickle. You know like a sickle is this very curved knife that are used by the farmers to cut their crops and all that. So both these angels are announcing about sickle. So one angel is announcing the first one first angel is talking is telling that the Lord Jesus. So the first angel right the Lord Jesus is going to put the sickle and gather a harvest harvest of the earth. Second the other angel is going to put the sickle in gather the wine and put it into the wine press where the wine press is trampled. So we understand it through the image that is being used. One is an image of harvest like the fields being harvested. So there is going to be a great harvest also the Lord Jesus himself is harvesting souls. So the earth's harvest versus 14 to 16 is telling us there is a harvest of souls because the Lord Jesus is harvesting and we know harvest is a picture of souls. You know you see it in Matthew 9, John 5 Jesus lift up your eyes look on the fields they're white already for harvest. So that sickle and the Lord himself he's the Lord of the harvest. He's harvesting that is the gathering of souls. There's going to be a gathering of souls into God's kingdom. But the second sickle speaking about speaks about judgment. Why? Because the wine is being put into the wine press and what happens in the wine press in those days they would crush the grapes in the wine press. So it was a big wooden like a container like thing and people will walk and with their legs they will crush the grapes. They will crush, crush, crush, crush, crush and they will get the juice. And so that's the wine press. And the wine press is a symbol of God's judgment because somebody is crushing, crushing. So this second sickle which the angel puts and cuts the grapes and puts it into the wine press is talking about judgment, saying hey judgment is coming. And what he's saying is that the wine press is trampled outside the city and blood came out of the wine press up to the horse's bridle. That's usually like five feet up in the air like horse or bridle miss. If you sit on the horse and your feet are put in the saddle, you put your feet in the bridle. That's usually like about five feet from the ground. So it's blood about five feet from the ground will flow for 1,604 long. So it's about 280 miles outside the city of Jerusalem. That means judgment is coming and this judgment is going to be so severe that blood will flow like a river outside of the city of Jerusalem. It's going to flow like this five feet high. We don't know how wide but like a river it's going to flow for 280 miles or so long. It's going to just flow like a river. So much of destruction is going to happen. Now that will happen end of chapter 19. When the Lord returns, we will read it. He's going to strike the nations. He's going to strike the nations with just a word of his mouth. And these armies have gathered against Jerusalem and you can imagine it's a millions of people gathered against Jerusalem. The word of his mouth is going to strike them. And so you can imagine the destruction that's going to take place and here it's saying blood will flow like this. That's going to be so much of destruction. So chapter 14, the second half of chapter 14 is unusual. God is using three angels to warn people on the earth, give them the gospel, tell them Babylon is going to fall and tell them don't receive the mark of the beast. And then two angels are making announcements. One about a great harvest of souls and one about the judgment that is going to happen. Any questions? Yes, Zephina, go ahead. Yeah, just in verse 13 from chapter 15, it says at last that they may rest from their papers and their works follow them. I understand what it means to rest from labor, but I wonder what the works follow actually means here. And also the next question would be about the angel. The last angel, they said in verse 18, it says, the angel had power over fire. So I'm just wondering, we know angel are ministering in spirit state worship, but they are messengers sometimes. But do angels have power over fire or water? I'm just wondering is that applies for every angel? Okay, yeah, thank you. So the end of verse 13, they rest from the labor, that means they die, their works follow them. The works follow them means that their works will not be forgotten. It's another way to say it. The rest from the labor is a very nice way of saying they die. So keeping with that same thought, he's saying their works follow them means their works will not be forgotten. So if you want to restate that last part of verse 13, these people who've kept their faith in Jesus and they will die in the faith, but the works that they have done will not be forgotten. So we can just restate it like that. So verse 18 talks about an angel who came from the altar who had power over fire. And he's the one who says, you know, he's making the announcement, trust in the sickle. And then the angel trust in the sickle into the earth to, you know, and all those things happen. So verse 18, I'm not very sure whether this implies that this angel is responsible for the fire that was burning on the altar. So there is the altar of God, and we have seen it earlier. There is this incense that's burning before God from the altar. So that's happening. It seems like that this angel who's coming from that altar before God is the angel who was responsible for the fire that's burning on the altar in some way. I mean, I don't exactly how it is, but it seems like he is responsible. That's not he, but this angel's job or responsibility to be responsible for that. And this particular angel who's standing before the altar of God is the angel who's making this announcement, saying, hey, put the sickle, gather the wine. In other words, judgment is coming and do this. So that's how we understand it. I think your question was, do angels have power over fire? Oh, okay. I mean, God's angels are mighty. They can do mighty things. So I think depending on what God's assignment is, like if he says, if he tells this angel, go and split the river, then that angel will go and do it. So God empowers that angel to do it, or if he tells the angel, go and stop that person. The angel will go and stop it. He'll be given power to do it. So God's angels are mighty, and they have the strength or the power to do what God sends them to do. So I think they can do things. They can make things happen in the natural world, but it's all based on the assignment God gives them to do. Okay. So we're going to start from chapter 15. We'll go into chapter 15. So chapter 15 is a very short chapter. And here, chapter 15 is, in chapter 15, we just see two things. We see worship happening in heaven, and we see that the angels are getting ready for the last set of judgments, the bowls. That's chapter 15. All right. So two things. There's worship, and then there's preparation for, okay, final judgment. The seven bowls are going to be poured out. So somebody could read chapter 15. It's a very, very short chapter. We'll read the whole chapter. And there are two main things that we see. Then I saw another sign in heaven, great and marvelous, seven angels having the seven last pledges, plagues, for in them the wrath of God is complete. And I saw something like a sea of glass mingled with fire, and those who have the victory over the beast, over his image, and over his mark, and over the number of his name, standing on the sea of glass having heads of God. And they sing the song of Moses, the servant of God, and the song of the Lamb saying, great and marvelous are your works, Lord God Almighty, just and true are your ways, O King of the things who shall never fear you, O Lord, and glory your name. For you alone are holy, for all nations shall come and worship before you, for your judgments have been manifested. After these things I looked and behold, the temple of the tabernacle of the testimony in heaven was opened. And out of the temple came the seven angels having the seven pledges closed in pure, bright linen, and having their chests grinded with golden bands. Then one of the four living creatures gave to the seven angels, seven golden balls, full of the wrath of God, who lives forever and ever. The temple was filled with smoke from the glory of God and from his power, and no one was able to enter the temple till the seven pledges, the seven pledges of the seven angels were completed. Amen. Amen. So two things John is saying in chapter 15. He's saying that the people who have refused the Mark of the Beast, they have refused to receive the Mark of the Beast. They're standing there in heaven worshipping God. That means these are people who refused the Mark of the Beast and they were martyred or they were killed. And the souls of obviously when they die physically, the spirit and soul is coming up in heaven before God, and there they are standing and they are worshipping God, right? And they're declaring great and marvelous are your works of God. They're worshipping God. And John also sees that the seven angels are getting ready for the seven bowl judgments. They're given the seven bowls. With this, the judgment of God, the wrath of God on the earth is completed. This is the last set of seven bowls. So these angels have gotten to place. They're going to start pouring out the seven bowls of judgment on the earth, right? So chapter 16, we just read through these seven judgments. The one by one, these angels start pouring out these last set of God's judgments on the earth, right? So maybe we'll read them in small portions. Let's read the first seven verses, please. Revelation 16, one to seven. Somebody could read it. Revelation 16, one to seven. Then I heard a loud voice from the temple saying to the seven angels, Go and pour out the bowls of the wrath of God on the earth. So the first went and poured out his bowl upon the earth. And a foul and lonesome soul came upon the men who had the mark of the beast and those who worshipped his image. Then the second angel poured out his bowl on the sea and became blood as of a dead man. And every living creature in the sea died. Then the third angel poured out his bowl on the rivers and springs of water and they became blood. And I heard the angel of the water saying, You are righteous, O Lord, the one who is and who was and who is to be, because you have judged these things. For they have shed the blood of saints and prophets and you have given them blood to drink. For it is their just duty. And I heard another from the altar saying, Even so, Lord God almighty, true and righteous are your judgments. So, amen. So one by one, these bowl judgments are being poured out. What are we saying? First, for all those who receive the mark of the beast, their bodies become full of sores. The seas are turned to blood. That means you can't do anything now. You can't live off the sea. You can't. It's blood like a dead man. And then third, even the waters on the land, the springs and the rivers turn to blood. You can't drink up that. You can't eat off the sea. You can't drink up the waters on the land. And the angel is saying, God, in pouring out these judgments, you are just and righteous. So why blood? Why the waters are turned, why the seas turn to blood? Why is the river and water turned to blood? He's saying here, you are avenging the blood of your saints and prophets. Because these people, the people of the Antichrist who have received the mark of the beast, they have killed your people. They shed innocent blood, shed the blood of God is taking judgment. God is saying, vengeance is mine, I will repay. You shed the blood of my people and my prophets. Here it is. Full seas turn to blood. All the water on the land, the springs and rivers that turn to blood. This is what you get. And the angel is saying, God, your judgments and your just and true in all your judgments. So this judgment is God's, you want to call it, recompense for the shedding of the blood of his people. Then let's read the rest of it. Verses 18 to 21. The next six or seven bowls of judgment. Please somebody could read it. Then the fourth angel poured out his bowel on the sun and power was given to him to scorch men with fire. And men were scorched with great heat and they blasphemed in the name of God who has power over these plagues. And they did not repent and give him glory. Then the fifth angel poured out his bowel on the throne of the beast and his kingdom became full of darkness and they ignored their tongues because of pain. And they blasphemed the God of heaven because of their pain because of their pain and their souls and did not repent of their deeds. I continue. Yes, please. To the end. Yes. Then the sixth angel poured out his bowel on the great river Ephrates and its water was dried up so that the way of the kings from the east might be prepared. And I saw three unclean spirits like flogs coming out of the mouth of the dragon, out of the mouth of the beast and out of the mouth of the false prophet. For they are spirits of demons performing signs which go out to the king, to the kings of the earth and the whole world, to gather them to the battle of the great day of God Almighty. Behold, I am coming as a thief. Blessed is he who watches and keeps his gametes. At least he walked naked and they see his shame. And they gathered them together to the place called in Hebrew Armageddon. Then the seventh angel poured out his bowel into the air and a loud voice came out of the temple of heaven from the throne saying it is done. And there was noise and thundering and lightning and there was a great earthquake. Such a mighty and great earthquake has not occurred since many were on the earth. Now the great city was divided into three parts and the series of the nations fell and Great Babylon was remembered before God to give her the cup of wine of the fierceness of his wrath. Then every island fled away and the mountains were not found and a great hail from heaven fell upon men. Every hail storm about the weight of a talent and men blasphemed God because of the plage of the hail since the plague was exceedingly great. Amen. So what do we see happen here? All these are the final set of God's judgment. The fourth pole is that there is so much heat from the sun that men are scorched with great heat. That means heat just coming from the sun, augmenting people on the earth. Now, of course, nowadays this is a side note that people are worried about the environment, climate change, how temperatures are increasing, all of those things are happening, but this is like nothing what people are predicting. It's not like a two degrees increase in temperature. This is like, I don't know how many degrees as I can imagine. People are being scorched with the heat from the sun. This is more than climate change. It is God's judgment affecting people on the earth and people are blaspheming God. They're not repenting. Fifth pole, it's affecting all those people who are following the beast. It's on his throne and his kingdom, meaning wherever he has influence, all the people following him, there is darkness and they're gnawing in pain. So it's almost like going from one end to the other. On one end there is intense heat and then there is darkness and pain. Everything is so confusing. God is just bringing out his judgment on them. The sixth pole is interesting because it is a preparation for the battle of Armageddon. And as a sign for the preparation of the battle of Armageddon, the river Euphrates dries up, making possible the movement of armies of people from the east. And what is happening is, it's saying that Beaman spirits actually go and instigate kings of the east. Kings of the east means, you can think of it as a political leader from the east of Israel. They are actually instigated by demons. It's spirits like frogs, they come out of the mouth of the dragon, out of the beast and the false prophet. So Satan, the Antichrist, the false prophet. They are speaking things and basically demons are being pleased to instigate. They go out to the kings of the earth, to the whole world and they are gathering them to the battle of Armageddon. So suddenly, you can imagine, kings of the east, countries east of Israel, the Arab nations, China, Russia, all other, lots of countries, they are being stirred up saying, we are going to go against Israel. But they are actually being agitated, stirred up by demonic powers. And as a sign that this is the beginning of the end, the battle of Armageddon, the river Euphrates, it rains up. Meaning now these armies can move, they can move their tanks, they can move their armors, whatever, they can move their soldiers, they can just move them all towards Israel. So there is a mobilization of armies towards Israel. In the last one, seventh bowl, there is complete devastation. There is thunderings, lightnings, earthquakes, and cities around the world are shaken and the city of Jerusalem itself is shaken. And there is just, you know, all kinds of confusion. The mountains are falling, hail from heaven is falling, people are blaspheming God. So you can think of earthquakes, they can think of catastrophic, I can't even imagine all this, like the mountains are being shaken and hail is falling from heaven. It's just so much of catastrophic things happening, lightnings and thunderings and so on. So the seventh bowl is basically, the whole heaven and earth is being shaken. It's like, okay, this is the final thing. And in between, it says Babylon is fallen. Great Babylon is remembered before God. So that is what we're going to see in chapter 17 and 18, just before the battle of Armageddon took place. So try to picture this in your mind, the river Euphrates has dried up, armies, nations are being mobilized to go against it. They're all saying, yeah, we're going to go and fight against Israel and while they're all agitated, being stirred up by demons, there is these catastrophic things happening, mountains, earthquakes, lightnings, thunderings, all these things happening. And while they're getting ready, there is the collapse of Babylon. That is chapter 17 and 18. We will look at it next week. The religious system, mystery Babylon, represents the religion. The great city Babylon, chapter 18, represents the economic system. Both of things collapse. There is total chaos. There is chaos in all the things that are happening. There is chaos in the religious system. There is chaos in the economic system. Everything is collapsing. And then nations are moving towards Israel. And that will bring us into chapter 19, which is the battle of Armageddon. So we'll continue this next week. I think we will finish the remaining chapters, 17 to 22. We'll finish that next week. With that, we will close. We'll complete the course. And then we'll just have one assessment to cover Daniel's revelation. And then we'll close. The easy assessment to do. And with that, we will complete the course. The main thing is for us to understand. When we read Daniel, when we read revelation, we should be able to understand what has been written for us. Could somebody close in prayer please? Thank you for this day. Thank you for the class that we had. Thank you for your words. Thank you so much. Thank you for the gift of salvation that we have received Jesus. And what I pray that the things that we have learned will equip us and inspire us to share the gospel. As we are in the church, Jesus, give us the desire that the passion for our house comes through us. So that we can do great things for Jesus. Thank you for that. Thank you for all your blessings. Thank you so much. Thank you everyone. See you again next week. Thank you. God bless.