Daily Bible Study

Tweet

Day 27 Revelation 14 Revelation 14:1 And I looked, and, lo, a Lamb stood on the mount Sion, and with him a hundred forty and four thousand, having his Father’s name written in their foreheads. 2 And I heard a voice from heaven, as the voice of many waters, and as the voice of a great thunder: and I heard the voice of harpers harping with their harps: 3 And they sung as it were a new song before the throne, and before the four beasts, and the elders: and no man could learn that song but the hundred and forty and four thousand, which were redeemed from the earth. 4 These are they which were not defiled with women; for they are virgins. These are they which follow the Lamb whithersoever he goes. These were redeemed from among men, being the first fruits unto God and to the Lamb. 5 And in their mouth was found no guile: for they are without fault before the throne of God. 6 And I saw another angel fly in the midst of heaven, having the everlasting gospel to preach unto them who dwell on the earth, and to every nation, and kindred, and tongue, and people, 7 Saying with a loud voice, Fear God, and give glory to him; for the hour of his judgment is come: and worship him who made heaven, and earth, and the sea, and the fountains of waters. 8 And there followed another angel, saying, Babylon is fallen, is fallen, that great city, because she made all nations drink of the wine of the wrath of her fornication. 9 And the third angel followed them, saying with a loud voice, If any man worship the beast and his image, and receive his mark in his forehead, or in his hand, 10 The same shall drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is poured out without mixture into the cup of his indignation; and 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 up forever and ever: and they have no rest day nor night, who worship the beast and his image, and whosoever receives the mark of his name. 12 Here is the patience of the saints: here are they who keep the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus. 13 And I heard a voice from heaven saying unto me, Write, Blessed are the dead which die in the Lord from henceforth: Yea, says the Spirit, that they may rest from their labors; and their works do follow them. 14 And I looked, and behold a white cloud, and upon the cloud one sat like unto the Son of man, having on his head a golden crown, and in his hand a sharp sickle. 15 And another angel came out of the temple, crying with a loud voice to him who sat on the cloud, Thrust in thy sickle, and reap: for the time is come for thee to reap; for the harvest of the earth is ripe. 16 And he who sat on the cloud thrust in his sickle on the earth; and the earth was reaped. 17 And another angel came out of the temple which is in heaven, he also having a sharp sickle. 18 And another angel came out from the altar, which had power over fire; and cried with a loud cry to him who had the sharp sickle, saying, Thrust in thy sharp sickle, and gather the clusters of the vine of the earth; for her grapes are fully ripe. 19 And the angel thrust in his sickle into the earth, and gathered the vine of the earth, and cast it into the great winepress of the wrath of God. 20 And the winepress was trodden without the city, and blood came out of the winepress, even unto the horse bridles, by the space of a thousand and six hundred furlongs. In a sin-filled world, it’s hard to fathom there would be people without fault, and yet, it is possible for every person who accepts Jesus as Savior and Lord to be without fault. 1 John 1:9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. (KJV) Confession brings you faultless before the Father. It wasn’t that those 144,000 men were without sin. They confessed their sin and kept themselves pure from the lusts and hatred of the world. Jesus showed John the righteousness of His chosen people sealed by God. They came through the Tribulation having accepted Jesus as Savior and Lord. As soon as they did, God sealed them, cleansed them, and put robes of righteousness on them. When you accept Jesus as Savior and Lord, God no longer sees your faults. Jesus’ blood covers you so you can go into God’s presence with the new robes of righteousness covering who you were. During the Tribulation, God sealed 144,000 Jews, His chosen people, who accepted His Son, Jesus as Savior and Lord. Before the Tribulation, they were as you and me, sinners with the stain of sin marking them. Before the Tribulation, they had not accepted Jesus as Savior and Lord. Before the Tribulation, they didn’t have any songs to sing about the grace and mercy of God. Since the Tribulation, they acknowledged Jesus, received God’s seal, and have the right to sing a song only they know having gone through the Tribulation. As soon as God sealed the 144,000, He sent His angels to reap the earth. They did not harvest the earth. They reaped those who rejected Jesus as Savior and Lord. They reaped them for God’s final judgment. Jesus gave His disciples a parable concerning the harvest. Matthew 13:24 Another parable put he forth unto them, saying, The kingdom of heaven is likened unto a man which sowed good seed in his field: 25 But while men slept, his enemy came and sowed tares among the wheat, and went his way. 26 But when the blade was sprung up, and brought forth fruit, then appeared the tares also. 27 So the servants of the householder came and said unto him, Sir, didst not thou sow good seed in thy field? From whence then hath it tares? 28 He said unto them, An enemy hath done this. The servants said unto him, Wilt thou then that we go and gather them up? 29 But he said, Nay; lest while ye gather up the tares, ye root up also the wheat with them. 30 Let both grow together until the harvest: and in the time of harvest I will say to the reapers, Gather ye together first the tares, and bind them in bundles to burn them: but gather the wheat into my barn. During the Tribulation, everyone has the opportunity to accept Jesus as Savior and Lord. However, Satan blinds the eyes of his servants. It is those servants who reject Jesus the angels will reap and bring to final judgment in the winepress of God’s wrath. Jeremiah prophesied about this time when God would pour out her wrath on Babylon. Jeremiah 51:1 Thus says the LORD; Behold, I will raise up against Babylon, and against them who dwell in the midst of them that rise up against me, a destroying wind; 2 And will send unto Babylon fanners, that shall fan her, and shall empty her land: for in the day of trouble they shall be against her round about. 3 Against him who bends let the archer bend his bow, and against him who lifts himself up in his brigandine: and spare ye not her young men; destroy ye utterly all her host. 4 Thus the slain shall fall in the land of the Chaldeans, and they who are thrust through in her streets. 5 For Israel hath not been forsaken, nor Judah of his God, of the LORD of hosts; though their land was filled with sin against the Holy One of Israel. 6 Flee out of the midst of Babylon, and deliver every man his soul: be not cut off in her iniquity; for this is the time of the LORD’S vengeance; he will render unto her a recompense. 7 Babylon hath been a golden cup in the LORD’S hand, who made all the earth drunken: the nations have drunken of her wine; therefore, the nations are mad. 8 Babylon is suddenly fallen and destroyed: howl for her; take balm for her pain, if so be she may be healed. 9 We would have healed Babylon, but she is not healed: forsake her, and let us go every one into his own country: for her judgment reaches unto heaven, and is lifted up even to the skies. 10 The LORD hath brought forth our righteousness: come, and let us declare in Zion the work of the LORD our God. The Tribulation is the time of God’s wrath and He will have His vengeance on all those who reject Jesus. Now is the day and hour for you to accept Jesus as Savior and Lord. Now, before God brings tribulation on the earth in His final vengeance against Satan and those who stand with him, rejecting Jesus as Savior and Lord. Have you accepted, have you repented, do you stand with the Lamb? If so, you will not go through the Tribulation but are part of the harvest of the Lamb. The angels will not reap you in the final vengeance of God’s wrath as He will during the Tribulation when He sends His angels to reap the earth of all those who reject His Son as their Savior and Lord. Let’s pray: Father, thank you for Your salvation through Jesus Christ, Your Son, who cleansed me from my sin and washed me in His blood so I can stand before You without fault. Give me a repentant heart when I fall victim to Satan’s schemes. In Jesus’ name, I pray. Amen. Copyright © 25 July 2019 by Valerie Routhieaux Image courtesy of Pixabay