Revelation Ch. 14 and Romans Ch. 13

"And I saw another angel fly in the midst of heaven, having the everlasting gospel to preach unto them that dwell on the earth, and to every nation, and kindred, and tongue, and people, Saying with a loud voice, Fear God, and give glory to him; for the hour of his judgment is come: and worship him that made heaven, and earth, and the sea, and the fountains of waters."

"The night is far spent, the day is at hand: let us therefore cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armour of light. Let us walk honestly, as in the day; not in rioting and drunkenness, not in chambering and wantonness, not in strife and envying.

"But put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make not provision for the flesh, to fulfil the lusts thereof."

1 And I looked, and, lo, a Lamb stood on the mount Zion, and with him an 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 goeth. These were redeemed from among men, being the firstfruits 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 that 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 that 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 ascendeth up for ever and ever: and they have no rest day nor night, who worship the beast and his image, and whosoever receiveth the mark of his name.

12 Here is the patience of the saints: here are they that 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, saith the Spirit, that they may rest from their labours; 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 that 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 that 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 that 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.

1 Let every soul be subject unto the higher powers. For there is no power but of God: the powers that be are ordained of God.

2 Whosoever therefore resisteth the power, resisteth the ordinance of God: and they that resist shall receive to themselves damnation.

3 For rulers are not a terror to good works, but to the evil. Wilt thou then not be afraid of the power? do that which is good, and thou shalt have praise of the same:

4 For he is the minister of God to thee for good. But if thou do that which is evil, be afraid; for he beareth not the sword in vain: for he is the minister of God, a revenger to execute wrath upon him that doeth evil.

5 Wherefore ye must needs be subject, not only for wrath, but also for conscience sake.

6 For for this cause pay ye tribute also: for they are God's ministers, attending continually upon this very thing.

7 Render therefore to all their dues: tribute to whom tribute is due; custom to whom custom; fear to whom fear; honour to whom honour.

8 Owe no man any thing, but to love one another: for he that loveth another hath fulfilled the law.

9 For this, Thou shalt not commit adultery, Thou shalt not kill, Thou shalt not steal, Thou shalt not bear false witness, Thou shalt not covet; and if there be any other commandment, it is briefly comprehended in this saying, namely, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.

10 Love worketh no ill to his neighbour: therefore love is the fulfilling of the law.

11 And that, knowing the time, that now it is high time to awake out of sleep: for now is our salvation nearer than when we believed.

12 The night is far spent, the day is at hand: let us therefore cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armour of light.

13 Let us walk honestly, as in the day; not in rioting and drunkenness, not in chambering and wantonness, not in strife and envying.

14 But put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make not provision for the flesh, to fulfil the lusts thereof.

Revelation 14 is still in the “midst of the [Daniel’s 70th] week” (Dan. 9:27) AKA the 3 1/3-year midpoint in the seven-year tribulation. The midpoint of the seven-year tribulation goes from Revelation 11:15 through Chapter 15 and is an overview of events that take place in this “midst” of Daniel’s 70th Week.

Chapter 14 is an amazing chapter. Three angles fly over the earth the first one preaching the gospel to “them that dwell on the earth, and to every nation, and kindred, and tongue, and people” (vs.6) fulfilling Matthew 24:14. The third angel warns of “the wine of the wrath of God, which is poured out without mixture” (vs. 10). “Without mixture” means there’s no mercy mixed in - none in this group are saved (vs. 11).

There follows two great harvests. Both harvests take place in the middle of the seven-year tribulation.

The first harvest is a harvest of souls to Jesus (Rev. 14:13-16). In this first harvest, the Son of man (Jesus) thrusts his sharp sickle into the earth and reaps (vs. 16). This is a picture of the beast killing (most likely beheading with sharp Islamic swords) believers who refuse the mark of the beast; but they belong to Jesus and immediately go to Heaven forever (Rev. 15:2).

The second harvest is a harvest of souls that are lost forever (Rev. 14:17-20). In this second harvest, the lost are symbolized as grapes that are gathered into “the great winepress of the wrath of God” (vs. 19). These go through the last 3 1/2 years of tribulation of the wrath of God ending in Armageddon, so horrific that blood will run about five feet high for about 200 miles (vs. 20).

Again, do not fear child of God, for Jesus, our Heavenly Noah’s Ark, will have already taken you to Heaven where you are safe and celebrating the seven-year Marriage Supper of the Lamb.

Chapter 14 is an amazing chapter.

Here's the money quote:

14 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:

John really harps on the Point.

Seems unrelated, but:

Most recently, the gun carriage made its first appearance in 43 years for the funeral procession from Westminster Hall to Westminster Abbey for the state funeral of Queen Elizabeth II on 19 September 2022.[7] It was pulled by 142 sailors.
Royal Navy State Funeral Gun Carriage

Here's a picture:

Once many years ago in San Francisco I was at a burger joint and very depressed because I didn’t know that once I had accepted Jesus, God would never condemn me. (I know that now.)

So I was watching the hamburger fry on the grill I asked the Lord, “I’m I going to fry like that burger?”

I’ll never forget what happened next. An audible voice behind me said, “No”. I turned around and nobody was there and no one else heard it as far as I could tell.

But the sound of that voice was like the sound of water falls cascading down a whole bunch of rocks - “like the voice of many waters.” Maybe the most beautiful sound I had ever heard.

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