Revelation 14:6-13

Last week we compared the parable of the ten virgins to these 144,000 believing Jews who now stand with Jesus. We also talked about how important it is to read Scripture through the lens of the gospel: if we are not fully convinced that our salvation is only in believing the finished work of Jesus, we will easily misinterpret things we read.¶

Then I saw another angel flying directly overhead, with an eternal gospel to proclaim to those who dwell on earth, to every nation and tribe and language and people. And he said with a loud voice, "Fear God and give him glory, because the hour of his judgment has come, and worship him who made heaven and earth, the sea and the springs of water."

Revelation 14:6-7 (ESV)¶

"Those who dwell on the earth"¶

I keep noticing this phrase in Revelation — "those who dwell on the earth." Some do not believe in the rapture of the church, but it is things like this throughout Revelation that keep pointing me to what I believe: that the church will escape these things. Consider one of the only other places the phrase appears, in Luke, where Jesus foretells his second coming: "stay awake at all times, praying that you may have strength to escape all these things that are going to take place" (Luke 21:34-36); and "I will keep you from the hour of trial that is coming on the whole world, to try those who dwell on the earth" (Revelation 3:10). It seems logical that those who, before these days, put their faith in Jesus have been saved from this hour, and "those who dwell on the earth" have not.¶

But all is not lost for those who dwell on the earth — throughout Revelation we have seen continued mercy: God sealing the 144,000, sparing two-thirds of the earth, sending the two witnesses for 3.5 years, and now this angel with an everlasting gospel. One more note on the rapture: if the entire church were still on the earth, why would God need to send an angel to proclaim this gospel? Why isn't the church doing this? That is the church's mission now — to proclaim him until his return (1 Corinthians 11:25-26; Mark 16:15). So it seems the church as we know it is not present; there are those being saved during this time, but likely very few.¶

"Fear God"¶

These two words sum up the gospel perfectly — which doesn't sound very gentle. But fear is a good thing if it is in the right thing. Whatever we fear, we are slave to: fear pain, and I'll do anything to avoid pain; fear rejection, and I'll do anything to avoid rejection; fear death, and I'll do anything to live. Fear in anything other than God leads to walking in the flesh. "Fear of death is slavery" (Hebrews 2:14-15); fear of God is freedom and eternal life. Jesus says, "do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather fear him who can destroy both soul and body in hell" (Matthew 10:28).¶

For those who dwell on the earth: if they fear the beast, starvation, death, or rejection, they will take the mark and follow the beast. But if they fear God, they will suffer here, be rejected and even put to death — yet live forever with God. Fearing God alone frees us from all other fears. The beast can only kill the body; God is the judge with power over body and soul.¶

Here is a call for the endurance of the saints, those who keep the commandments of God and their faith in Jesus. And I heard a voice from heaven saying, "Write this: Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord from now on." "Blessed indeed," says the Spirit, "that they may rest from their labors, for their deeds follow them!"

Revelation 14:12-13 (ESV)¶

Those who die in the Lord are those who choose not to take the mark but to be sealed by the Holy Spirit through faith in Jesus. But what about us? Do we fear rejection, sickness, discomfort, or death more than we fear God? "There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear" (1 John 4:16-18). As God, who is love, perfects us, he washes away the fear of anything that is not God. Let God, whom we fear, cast out all fear from our hearts.¶