An End-time Message For Today

The book of Revelation is one of the most important books in the entire Bible. Its main theme, or central focus, is the return of Jesus Christ.

Revelation unmasks the deceptive plans of Satan, and it unfolds the plans of God for these last days.

In Revelation 14 Jesus Christ is clearly pictured as the Son of man coming on a cloud to reap the harvest of the earth (verses 14-16). Before He returns He sends a special message to prepare a people for His coming. We find this message in verses 6-12. Many people believe Revelation is a closed book. The very name, Revelation, means an "unfolding" or "revealing". The book of Revelation is a special message from Jesus to His end-time church.

01. In Revelation 14:6-12 Jesus reveals His special message to prepare his people for earth's last hour. Who bears this important message to earth?
Revelation 14:6 (first part)
Then I saw another angel flying in the midst of heaven, ...
Note
Throughout the book of Revelation angelic messengers are pictured as bearing a message to earth. The fact that angels are pictured as bearing this message reveals its urgent heavenly importance. Jesus commissioned His angelic messengers to impress the mind of His prophet John with heavenly visions of end-time events. John wrote these messages down in the Bible's last book, Revelation.

02. How universal is this message? Who is to receive it?
Revelation 14:6 (first part)
... to every nation, tribe, tongue, and people--
Note
The apostle John saw an angel flying swiftly in the heavens quickly carrying God's last-day message to the entire world. Noah preached a message of urgent importance for men and women soon to face a universal flood, and God sent a message through Joseph warning of an Egyptian famine. The messages of Noah and Joseph were sent by a loving God to prepare His people for overwhelming events that would profoundly affect millions. Once again in our day God has a special message for His people. It is a message of urgent importance.

03. What is the central feature of God's final loving appeal before He returns? What is the universal message that the angel has for "every nation, tribe, tongue and people"?
Revelation 14:6
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, tongue, and people--
Note
The heart of God's last-day message is the "everlasting gospel." The "Gospel" is the good news about Jesus. It is the story of the cross. It is the story of Jesus love, His forgiveness, His grace, and His mercy. The gospel is "the power of God unto salvation (Romans 1:16). It speaks of a love that transforms our lives and makes us into new persons in Christ.

04. What particular period does this message draw our attention to?
Revelation 14:7
saying with a loud voice, “Fear 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.
Note
Notice the tense of the verb describing the judgment. The text clearly says, "The hour of [God's] judgment HAS come!". Other translations declare, "The hour of [God's] judgment is come." In other words, it is here. It has arrived.

05. What did Jesus and the Apostle Paul declare regarding the timing of the Judgment?
Matthew 12:36 (Jesus)
But I say to you that for every idle word men may speak, they will give account of it in the day of judgment.
Acts 24:25 (Paul)
Now as he reasoned about righteousness, self-control, and the judgment to come, Felix was afraid and answered, “Go away for now; when I have a convenient time I will call for you.”
Note
Jesus speaks of the day of judgment in the future. Paul describes "judgment to come". In the days of both Jesus and Paul the judgment was certainly a future event. Revelation's urgent message for us today is "the hour of [God's] judgment is come." It is here.​

06. Our choices determine our eternal destiny. What two classes of people exist when Jesus comes?
Revelation 22:11–12
11. He who is unjust, let him be unjust still; he who is filthy, let him be filthy still; he who is righteous, let him be righteous still; he who is holy, let him be holy still.”
12. “And behold, I am coming quickly, and My reward is with Me, to give to every one according to his work.
Note
Jesus is coming to give rewards. A judgment must precede His coming to determine who receives what rewards when He comes. Therefore the destiny of all men and women must be decided before He returns. This judgment takes place not because God does not know who is saved or lost. He certainly does know. Remember, a rebel angel has challenged God's character. Lucifer has claimed that God is unfair and unjust. The judgment reveals God's character of fairness and love. It shows that anyone who is lost is lost because of their own choices. When did this judgment begin? How can you and I have assurance in the judgment? These and many other questions will be answered in the next two studies. However, there is more to the message in Revelation 14 to study in this lesson.

07. Who does this message say is to be worshipped?
Revelation 14:7
saying with a loud voice, “Fear 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.”
Note
In an age when the evolutionary hypothesis has captured the scientific world, God invites us to worship Him as the Creator. The basis of all worship is simply this: He is our life-giver. Revelation gives an urgent, last-day call to worship Christ as Creator. In a future lesson we will discover God's end-time sign of last-day allegiance, the symbol of His creative power.

08. What important announcement does the second angel make?
Revelation 14:8
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.”

09. What call does God give to the people in Babylon? And why?
Revelation 18:4
And I heard another voice from heaven saying, “Come out of her, my people, lest you share in her sins, and lest you receive of her plagues.
Note
Who composes Babylon? What does Babylon stand for? The city of Babylon was built on the site of the former tower of Babel, where God confused the languages. In Revelation's prophecies it is a symbol of religious confusion. Revelation's spiritual Babylon represents false religion. It symbolizes a departure from the Bible truth. In a future lesson we will discover just how error has slipped into the Christian church and God's calling back His people to truth.

10. What issue does the third angel deal with?
Revelation 14:9–11
09. 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,
10. 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 brimstone in the presence of the holy angels and in the presence of the Lamb.
11. And the smoke of their 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.”

11. How does Revelation describe God's people just before Jesus' return?
Revelation 14:12
Here is the patience of the saints; here are those who keep the commandments of God and the faith of Jesus.
Note
As a result of the proclaiming of the message of Revelation 14, two classes of people are developed. One receives the mark of the beast. They persecute and oppress the true people of God. Ultimately they receive the seven last plagues. Those in the other group, sensing it is the judgment hour, loyally stand for their Creator. Through faith in Jesus they keep the commandments of God. They flee from the falsehoods of spiritual Babylon and are protected from the plagues.

12. What promise does God give to those who study the prophecies of Revelation?
Revelation 1:3
Blessed is he who reads and those who hear the words of this prophecy, and keep those things which are written in it; for the time is near.
Note
In each of our future lessons we will especially study God's urgent last-day messages for today. Each study in the series is a vital link in a connected chain to prepare us for the coming of Jesus. Why not open your heart to God right now and tell Him that you hunger after the truth of His Word? John the revelator promises that we will receive a triple blessing from reading, understanding, and following Revelation's teachings. God has a special blessing in store for us in the next few lessons.

Concluding Question
Would you like to clearly understand Jesus' truth about future events by opening your mind to His guidance?

FOR FURTHER STUDY
The main theme of Revelation is this: Jesus' mission to save humanity is successful and Satan loses.
• REVELATION 1: Jesus, the eternal Christ, who "was" and "is" and "is to come", guides His people continually.
• REVELATION 2 AND 3: The seven churches - Jesus is with His Church, providing counsel and strength in every age.
• REVELATION 4 AND 5: Jesus is worthy of worship. He created us and redeemed us.
• REVELATION 6, 7, AND 8:1-6: The seven seals - Jesus' truth, opposed and cast down, will triumph at last.
• REVELATION 8:7 To REVELATION 9: The seven trumpets - Jesus' people, opposed and persecuted, will be victorious.
• REVELATION 10 AND I I: Through disappointment and sorrow God's last-day church will rise to fill its eternal destiny.
• REVELATION 12-14: The great controversy, which began in heaven, will climax in earth is final hours. Jesus will be triumphant.
• REVELATION 15 AND 16: The seven last plagues will destroy the wicked oppressors of God's people.
• REVELATION 17 AND 18: Church and state will unite, forming a worldwide religious power bloc, but Jesus will win.
• REVELATION 19-22: Christ will come. Satan will be destroyed. Righteousness will reign and Jesus will create a new heaven and a new earth.