THE SCARLET WOMAN & THE SCARLET COLORED BEAST

The Scarlet Woman and the Scarlet Colored Beast  

17:1-18

"And there came one of the seven angels which had the seven vials, and talked with me, saying unto me, Come hither; I will show unto thee the judgment of the great whore that sitteth upon many waters: With whom the kings of the earth have committed fornication, and the inhabitants of the earth have been made drunk with the wine of her fornication. So he carried me away in the spirit into the wilderness: and I saw a woman sit upon a scarlet colored beast, full of names of blasphemy, having seven heads and ten horns. And the woman was arrayed in purple and scarlet color, and decked with gold and precious stones and pearls, having a golden cup in her hand full of abominations and filthiness of her fornication: And upon her forehead was a name written, MYSTERY, BABYLON THE GREAT, THE MOTHER OF HARLOTS AND ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH. And I saw the woman drunken with the blood of the saints, and with the blood of the martyrs of Jesus: and when I saw her, I wondered with great admiration. And the angel said unto me, Wherefore didst thou marvel? I will tell thee the mystery of the woman, and of the beast that carrieth her, which hath the seven heads and ten horns. The beast that thou sawest was, and is not; and shall ascend out of the bottomless pit, and go into perdition: and they that dwell on the earth shall wonder, whose names were not written in the book of life from the foundation of the world, when they behold the beast that was, and is not, and yet is. And here is the mind which hath wisdom. The seven heads are seven mountains, on which the woman sitteth. And there are seven kings: five are fallen, and one is, and the other is not yet come; and when he cometh, he must continue a short space. And the beast that was, and is not, even he is the eighth, and is of the seven, and goeth into perdition. And the ten horns which thou sawest are ten kings, which have received no kingdom as yet; but receive power as kings one hour with the beast. These have one mind, and shall give their power and strength unto the beast. These shall make war with the Lamb, and the Lamb shall overcome them: for he is Lord of lords, and King of kings: and they that are with him are called, and chosen, and faithful. And he saith unto me, The waters which thou sawest, where the whore sitteth, are peoples, and multitudes, and nations, and tongues. And the ten horns which thou sawest upon the beast, these shall hate the whore, and shall make her desolate and naked, and shall eat her flesh, and burn her with fire. For God hath put in their hearts to fulfil his will, and to agree, and give their kingdom unto the beast, until the words of God shall be fulfilled. And the woman which thou sawest is that great city, which reigneth over the kings of the earth."

This is an Inset

Introduction

The Importance of Cities: Washington, London, Berlin, Paris, Rome, Moscow, Tokyo, etc.

The Origin of Cities: Cain built the first city and called it Enoch after one of his sons (Gen. 4:17). The wicked have always congregated in cities. Misery loves company.

"And Cain knew his wife; and she conceived, and bare Enoch: and he builded a city, and called the name of the city, after the name of his son, Enoch."

The Origin of Babylon: It was built by Nimrod and his ilk for the purpose of defying God (Gen. 10:8-10; 11:1-9). Ancient lore says that Semiramis was the wife of Nimrod. She was the foundress of the Babylonian mysteries and the first high priestess of idolatry. This became the fountainhead of idolatry and the mother of all the pagan system of the world. Its fullest development will come in Babylon of the end time.
"And Cush begat Nimrod: he began to be a mighty one in the earth. He was a mighty hunter before the LORD: wherefore it is said, Even as Nimrod the mighty hunter before the LORD. And the beginning of his kingdom was Babel, and Erech, and Accad, and Calneh, in the land of Shinar."
"And the whole earth was of one language, and of one speech. And it came to pass, as they journeyed from the east, that they found a plain in the land of Shinar; and they dwelt there. And they said one to another, Go to, let us make brick, and burn them thoroughly. And they had brick for stone, and slime had they for mortar. And they said, Go to, let us build us a city and a tower, whose top may reach unto heaven; and let us make us a name, lest we be scattered abroad upon the face of the whole earth. And the LORD came down to see the city and the tower, which the children of men builded. And the LORD said, Behold, the people is one, and they have all one language; and this they begin to do: and now nothing will be restrained from them, which they have imagined to do. Go to, let us go down, and there confound their language, that they may not understand one another's speech. So the LORD scattered them abroad from thence upon the face of all the earth: and they left off to build the city. Therefore is the name of it called Babel; because the LORD did there confound the language of all the earth: and from thence did the LORD scatter them abroad upon the face of all the earth."

Semiramis bore a son whom she declared was miracu­lously conceived. When presented to the people, he was hailed as the promised deliverer. This was Tammuz (Ezek. 8:14). The rites of this worship were secret. Only the initiated were permitted to know its mysteries. It was Satan's effort to delude mankind with an imitation of the truth. Within 1,000 years, this had spread throughout the world. The symbols were all the same, although under different names, such as Isis and Horus; Aphrodite and Eros; Venus and Cupid.

"Then he brought me to the door of the gate of the LORD'S house which was toward the north; and, behold, there sat women weeping for Tammuz."

The Identity of Babylon: Old Babylon may be rebuilt, or Rome may be the end time Babylon (Rev. 17:1 sitteth upon many waters - thus a great system. Cf. v. 15). It is also a great city, the capital of this great system.

This empire is the fourth great empire of Daniel 2. Political greatness has been transferred from Old Babylon to Rome. But whereas this transfer has been made, the capital may be relocated in the end time. Since the religious aspect is transferred with the political, the same will be true in the end time. The importance of the Middle East today is making this a greater possibility.

The Setting of Chapter 17. This in relation to Chapter 18.

The Key Verse: 17:1. It centers attention upon the religious aspect of Babylon. "The judgment of the great whore." For Chapter 18, it is verse 2, "Babylon the great is fallen."

The Chronology of These Two Chapters is Also Clear:

•   The judgment of the great whore comes at the hands of Antichrist in the midst of the week (16-17 cf. with verse 12).
• The fall of Babylon comes at the end of the week and is a direct judgment of God (8).

The Figure of a Woman is used to Symbolize Religion

Here it is false religion. The color marks the powerful attraction, the jewels mark the tremendous riches, and the cup marks the fullness of abomina­tions. Four women: (1) Jezebel Rev. 2:20; (2) Israel Rev. 12:1; (3) Harlot Rev. 17:1; (4) Bride Rev. 19:7.

Chapters 17-18 are an expansion of the 7th vial, while Chapter 19 is an expansion of the 6th vial.

THE PERFECTING OF THE WORLD'S JUDGMENT

The Perfecting of Judgment Upon the World

Vs.17-21

"And the seventh angel poured out his vial into the air; and there came a great voice out of the temple of heaven, from the throne, saying, It is done. And there were voices, and thunders, and lightning; and there was a great earthquake, such as was not since men were upon the earth, so mighty an earthquake, and so great. And the great city was divided into three parts, and the cities of the nations fell: and great Babylon came in remembrance before God, to give unto her the cup of the wine of the fierceness of his wrath. And every island fled away, and the mountains were not found. And there fell upon men a great hail out of heaven, every stone about the weight of a talent: and men blasphemed God because of the plague of the hail; for the plague thereof was exceeding great."

 

The Seventh Bowl of Wrath

The Object of this Vial is the Air vs. 17

"And the seventh angel poured out his vial into the air; and there came a great voice out of the temple of heaven, from the throne, saying, It is done."

This is due to the fact that the air is full of wicked spirits.

The Announcement is Made that Judgment is Done, Finished, Brought to an End. 17

The Results of Judgment are Universal vs. 18-21

"And there were voices, and thunders, and lightning; and there was a great earthquake, such as was not since men were upon the earth, so mighty an earthquake, and so great. And the great city was divided into three parts, and the cities of the nations fell: and great Babylon came in remembrance before God, to give unto her the cup of the wine of the fierceness of his wrath. And every island fled away, and the mountains were not found. And there fell upon men a great hail out of heaven, every stone about the weight of a talent: and men blasphemed God because of the plague of the hail; for the plague thereof was exceeding great."

• There was the greatest earthquake ever to be felt in the earth. 18
• The great city was divided into three parts. This city is Babylon, not Jerusalem. All the other cities also fell.
• The islands and the mountains were affected by the earthquake. 20 Thus readjustment of the earth's surface.
• Hail stones the size of a talent fell upon men. cf. Job. 38:22-23. 50 lbs. each. Isa. 24:20 and context. Men are now suggesting that this may be 100 lbs.

The Response of Men is Evidence of Incorrigibility

They blaspheme God. This is not the absolute end, for men still remain to bewail the destruction of the city of Babylon, and events of 19:11-21 must take place

"......and men blasphemed God because of the plague of the hail; for the plague thereof was exceeding great."

THE PURPOSE OF THE WORLD'S JUDGMENT

The Purpose of the Judgment on the World  

Vs. 8-16

"And the fourth angel poured out his vial upon the sun; and power was given unto him to scorch men with fire. And men were scorched with great heat, and blasphemed the name of God, which hath power over these plagues: and they repented not to give him glory. And the fifth angel poured out his vial upon the seat of the beast; and his kingdom was full of darkness; and they gnawed their tongues for pain, And blasphemed the God of heaven because of their pains and their sores, and repented not of their deeds. And the sixth angel poured out his vial upon the great river Euphrates; and the water thereof was dried up, that the way of the kings of the east might be prepared. And I saw three unclean spirits like frogs come out of the mouth of the dragon, and out of the mouth of the beast, and out of the mouth of the false prophet. For they are the spirits of devils, working miracles, which go forth unto the kings of the earth and of the whole world, to gather them to the battle of that great day of God Almighty. Behold, I come as a thief. Blessed is he that watcheth, and keepeth his garments, lest he walk naked, and they see his shame. And he gathered them together into a place called in the Hebrew tongue Armageddon."

  

The 4th, 5th, 6th vials follow. The response of men show incorrigibility.

The Fourth Vial Vs. 8-9 Global warming at last.

"And the fourth angel poured out his vial upon the sun; and power was given unto him to scorch men with fire. And men were scorched with great heat, and blasphemed the name of God, which hath power over these plagues: and they repented not to give him glory."

This Vial is Poured out Upon the Sun vs. 8a

"And the fourth angel poured out his vial upon the sun........"

 

The Result is that Power is Given to Scorch Men with Fire vs. 8b

"....and power was given unto him to scorch men with fire."

The Response of Men is Proof of their Incorrigi­ble Nature  vs. 9

"And men were scorched with great heat, and blasphemed the name of God, which hath power over these plagues: and they repented not to give him glory."

• They suffered with much physical pain.
• They knew the source of their pain and blasphemed.
• They repented not to give glory to God.

The Fifth Vial vs. 10-11

"And the fifth angel poured out his vial upon the seat of the beast; and his kingdom was full of darkness; and they gnawed their tongues for pain, And blasphemed the God of heaven because of their pains and their sores, and repented not of their deeds."

• The object is the seat of the beast. 10a
• The result is darkness in the kingdom of the beast and pain. The pain may be from the grievous sores. 10b

Ex. 10:21-23: "Even darkness which may be felt." "Three days" (22). "But all the chil­dren of Israel had light in their dwellings" (23).

The Response of Men is the Same

• They blasphemed God for their pain and sores.
• They repented not of their deeds.

The Sixth Vial vs. 12-16

"And the sixth angel poured out his vial upon the great river Euphrates; and the water thereof was dried up, that the way of the kings of the east might be prepared. And I saw three unclean spirits like frogs come out of the mouth of the dragon, and out of the mouth of the beast, and out of the mouth of the false prophet. For they are the spirits of devils, working miracles, which go forth unto the kings of the earth and of the whole world, to gather them to the battle of that great day of God Almighty. Behold, I come as a thief. Blessed is he that watcheth, and keepeth his garments, lest he walk naked, and they see his shame. And he gathered them together into a place called in the Hebrew tongue Armageddon."

The Object is the River Euphrates vs. 12

"And the sixth angel poured out his vial upon the great river Euphrates; and the water thereof was dried up, that the way of the kings of the east might be prepared."

The water is dried up and the way for the Kings of the East is prepared. The Kings of the East are China, Japan, and India (cf. Isa. 11:15-16).

"And the LORD shall utterly destroy the tongue of the Egyptian sea; and with his mighty wind shall he shake his hand over the river, and shall smite it in the seven streams, and make men go over dryshod. And there shall be an highway for the remnant of his people, which shall be left, from Assyria; like as it was to Israel in the day that he came up out of the land of Egypt."

 

The Satanic Trinity now in Operation vs. 13

"And I saw three unclean spirits like frogs come out of the mouth of the dragon, and out of the mouth of the beast, and out of the mouth of the false prophet."

Dragon: Out of his mouth an unclean spirit. Beast: Out of his mouth an unclean spirit. False Prophet: Out of his mouth an unclean spirit.

The Preparations for the Final Battle vs. 14, 16

"For they are the spirits of devils, working miracles, which go forth unto the kings of the earth and of the whole world, to gather them to the battle of that great day of God Almighty. And he gathered them together into a place called in the Hebrew tongue Armageddon."

The demons stir up the nations and by means of miracles gather them to the battle of Armageddon. Cf. 1 Kings 22:15-36.

The Warning to Men Living Then vs. 15

"Behold, I come as a thief. Blessed is he that watcheth, and keepeth his garments, lest he walk naked, and they see his shame."

• The Revelation will be sudden and inescapable.
• A warning to the believer of that period is then in order.

THE POURING OUT OF JUDGMENT ON THE WORLD

The Pouring out of Judgment on the World Vs. 1-7

"And I heard a great voice out of the temple saying to the seven angels, Go your ways, and pour out the vials of the wrath of God upon the earth. And the first went, and poured out his vial upon the earth; and there fell a noisome and grievous sore upon the men which had the mark of the beast, and upon them which worshipped his image. And the second angel poured out his vial upon the sea; and it became as the blood of a dead man; and every living soul died in the sea. And the third angel poured out his vial upon the rivers and fountains of waters; and they became blood. And I heard the angel of the waters say, Thou art righteous, O Lord, which art, and wast, and shalt be, because thou hast judged thus. For they have shed the blood of saints and prophets, and thou hast given them blood to drink; for they are worthy. And I heard another out of the altar say, Even so, Lord God Almighty, true and righteous are thy judgments."

The announcement and command to the seven angels to pour out the wrath upon the earth (16:1). First three vials follow and affect the earth universally. The work of the angels with the seven vials of wrath is all a part of the sounding of the seventh trumpet (Revelation 11:15).

"And the seventh angel sounded; and there were great voices in heaven, saying, The kingdoms of this world are become the kingdoms of our Lord, and of his Christ; and he shall reign for ever and ever."

 

The First Vial Vs. 2

"And the first went, and poured out his vial upon the earth; and there fell a noisome and grievous sore upon the men which had the mark of the beast, and upon them which worshipped his image."

• The earth is the object of the wrath. All the earth is affected.
• The wrath takes the form of an evil and rotten sore. Its hideousness and incurability are meant (cf. Ex. 9:9). "Dust shall be a boil breaking forth with blains upon man, and upon beast, throughout all the land of Egypt."
• This is upon all those who worship the beast, wear his mark, or pay respects to his image. This is clear discrimination.

The Second Vial Vs. 3

"And the second angel poured out his vial upon the sea; and it became as the blood of a dead man; and every living soul died in the sea."

 

• The second is upon the sea and universal in extent.
• It takes the form of changing sea to blood in appearance. It congeals as blood.
• The result is that all life in the sea dies.

The Third Vial vs. 4-7

"And the third angel poured out his vial upon the rivers and fountains of waters; and they became blood. And I heard the angel of the waters say, Thou art righteous, O Lord, which art, and wast, and shalt be, because thou hast judged thus. For they have shed the blood of saints and prophets, and thou hast given them blood to drink; for they are worthy. And I heard another out of the altar say, Even so, Lord God Almighty, true and righteous are thy judgments."

• The third is upon all the fountains of waters. The result is that they become blood.
• Two angels proclaim the righteousness of God in this judgment (5, 7). "And shalt be" is omitted in best mss. and in ASV. Christ's presence has begun.
• The reason lies in the fact that the wicked are now receiving their just due. They wanted blood and slew the righteous. Now the Lord is giving them blood to drink (6).

THE JUDGMENT OF THE WORLD PREPARATIONS

The Preparation for the Judgment upon the World  

Vs. 5-8

"And after that I looked, and, behold, the temple of the tabernacle of the testimony in heaven was opened: And the seven angels came out of the temple, having the seven plagues, clothed in pure and white linen, and having their breasts girded with golden girdles. And one of the four beasts gave unto the seven angels seven golden vials full of the wrath of God, who liveth for ever and ever. And the temple was filled with smoke from the glory of God, and from his power; and no man was able to enter into the temple, till the seven plagues of the seven angels were fulfilled."

The Temple in Heaven is Opened Vs. 5 cf. 11:19

"And after that I looked, and, behold, the temple of the tabernacle of the testimony in heaven was opened."

"And the temple of God was opened in heaven, and there was seen in his temple the ark of his testament: and there were lightnings, and voices, and thunderings, and an earthquake, and great hail."

 

 

The “sign” has now vanished from John’s sight and he looks once more at the heavenly temple which is opened again (or, perhaps, still—note Revelation 11:19). The same angels he had seen in the sign now emerge from the temple, dressed as priests with golden girdles (Leviticus 16:4), ready to administer the seven last plagues on the earth.

 

In the temple is the ark of the testimony signifying the faithfulness of God in keeping promises. The temple is God's dwelling. So out of the temple come all the plagues.

The Angels of Judgment Come from the Temple Vs. 6

"And the seven angels came out of the temple, having the seven plagues, clothed in pure and white linen, and having their breasts girded with golden girdles."

They are seven in number, signifying completeness. They are clothed in white, signifying no mercy. They are girded with golden girdles signifying the righteousness of their task.

The Bowls of Wrath are Given to the Angels Vs. 7

"And one of the four beasts gave unto the seven angels seven golden vials full of the wrath of God, who liveth for ever and ever."

The Greek word here is phiale, from which we get “vial.” Some translators render it “bowl,” others by “censer.” The exact form of the container is unknown, though it might even be thought of as a large urn, overflowing with God’s long restrained wrath.
This phrase “for ever and ever” occurs twenty-one times in the book of Revelation, seventeen of which stress the uniquely eternal nature of God. Three times it refers to the never-ending punishment of the ungodly. Once, in its final occurrence, it refers to the never-ending blessedness of the redeemed. “The Lord God giveth them light: and they shall reign for ever and ever” (Revelation 22:5)
One of the four creatures charges the angels with the execution of wrath. The seven bowls of wrath are full and ready. This wrath is of Him who lives forever and ever.

The Glory of God Filled the Temple with Smoke Vs. 8

"And the temple was filled with smoke from the glory of God, and from his power; and no man was able to enter into the temple, till the seven plagues of the seven angels were fulfilled."

Judgment comes from the presence of God, just as salvation comes from his presence. Judgment is the reverse side of salvation. No one is able to enter into the temple. This is true until judgment is past. There is no salvation until this period is past (Rev. 16:9, 11, 21).

"And men were scorched with great heat, and blasphemed the name of God, which hath power over these plagues: and they repented not to give him glory."
"And blasphemed the God of heaven because of their pains and their sores, and repented not of their deeds."
"And there fell upon men a great hail out of heaven, every stone about the weight of a talent: and men blasphemed God because of the plague of the hail; for the plague thereof was exceeding great."

These men have challenged God like Pharoah. God wants to give them a complete demonstration, so He allows none to enter the temple to receive salvation. These men are hardened by God due to their own sinfulness and refuse to be saved. Instead they blaspheme as evidence of their incorrigibility.

THE JUDGMENT OF THE WORLD DESCRIBED

The Description of Judgment on the World  

15:1-4

"And I saw another sign in heaven, great and marvelous, seven angels having the seven last plagues; for in them is filled up the wrath of God. And I saw as it were a sea of glass mingled with fire: and them that had gotten the victory over the beast, and over his image, and over his mark, and over the number of his name, stand on the sea of glass, having the harps of God. And they sing the song of Moses the servant of God, and the song of the Lamb, saying, Great and marvelous are thy works, Lord God Almighty; just and true are thy ways, thou King of saints. Who shall not fear thee, O Lord, and glorify thy name? for thou only art holy: for all nations shall come and worship before thee; for thy judgments are made manifest."

The Sign in Heaven vs. 1

"And I saw another sign in heaven, great and marvelous, seven angels having the seven last plagues; for in them is filled up the wrath of God."

• Seven angels
• Seven last plagues
• Wrath of God is finished with these

Wrath is come in 6:17 and is finished in 15:1.

"For the great day of his wrath is come; and who shall be able to stand?"

The Sea of Glass vs. 2; cf. 1 Kings 7:23

"And I saw as it were a sea of glass mingled with fire: and them that had gotten the victory over the beast, and over his image, and over his mark, and over the number of his name, stand on the sea of glass, having the harps of God."

"And he made a molten sea, ten cubits from the one brim to the other: it was round all about, and his height was five cubits: and a line of thirty cubits did compass it round about."

• The sea is now mingled with fire, indicating judgment. The symbolism is like the Red Sea. cf. Rev. 4:6.

"And before the throne there was a sea of glass like unto crystal: and in the midst of the throne, and round about the throne, were four beasts full of eyes before and behind."

• The sea is covered with a victorious company. Those who have gotten the victory over the beast, image, mark, numbers of his name. This is also like at the Red Sea.
• Harps are in the hands of this victorious company. Thus they rejoice.

The Song of Moses vs. 3-4

"And they sing the song of Moses the servant of God, and the song of the Lamb, saying, Great and marvelous are thy works, Lord God Almighty; just and true are thy ways, thou King of saints. Who shall not fear thee, O Lord, and glorify thy name? for thou only art holy: for all nations shall come and worship before thee; for thy judgments are made manifest."

 

Cf. Deut. 32:1-43 (31:30; 32:44). As the Israelites sang at the Red Sea, so this victorious company sings.

• This is the song of Moses and the Lamb. Ex. 15, also Deut. 32. cf. Rev. 5:9-14.
• This song acknowledges the greatness of God's works and the justness and truth of God's ways, O King of Ages.
• The song acknowledges the holiness of the Lord and his right to be feared and glorified.
• The song predicts that all nations will worship him because his righteous acts have been mani­fested (RV).

THE SEVEN ANGELS & THE SEVEN VIALS

The Seven Angels and the Seven Vials of Wrath   Chs. 15-16.

Introduction

Introductive Visions to the Three Sets of Seven:

• Chapters 4-5 to seven seals
• Chapter 8:1-6 to seven trumpets
• Chapter 15:1-8 to seven vials

Introductive Vision to Seven Vials is in Heaven

• The portrayal of judgment on the world. 15:1-4
• The preparation for judgment on the world. 15:5-8

Outline of the Seven Vials of Wrath

• The pouring out of judgment upon the world. 16:1-7
• The purpose of judgment on the world. 16:8-16
• The perfecting of judgment on the world. 16:17-21

THE SECOND REAPING & THE OTHER ANGEL

The Other Angel and the Second Reaping   vs. 17-20

"And another angel came out of the temple which is in heaven, he also having a sharp sickle. 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. 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. 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."

The Angelic Reaper from the Temple vs. 17

"And another angel came out of the temple which is in heaven, he also having a sharp sickle."

This one also has a sharp sickle. He merely acts as the agent for the Lord of the harvest (cf. Matt. 13:29-43).

"But he said, Nay; lest while ye gather up the tares, ye root up also the wheat with them. 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. Another parable put he forth unto them, saying, The kingdom of heaven is like to a grain of mustard seed, which a man took, and sowed in his field: Which indeed is the least of all seeds: but when it is grown, it is the greatest among herbs, and becometh a tree, so that the birds of the air come and lodge in the branches thereof. Another parable spake he unto them; The kingdom of heaven is like unto leaven, which a woman took, and hid in three measures of meal, till the whole was leavened. All these things spake Jesus unto the multitude in parables; and without a parable spake he not unto them: That it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet, saying, I will open my mouth in parables; I will utter things which have been kept secret from the foundation of the world. Then Jesus sent the multitude away, and went into the house: and his disciples came unto him, saying, Declare unto us the parable of the tares of the field. He answered and said unto them, He that soweth the good seed is the Son of man; The field is the world; the good seed are the children of the kingdom; but the tares are the children of the wicked one; The enemy that sowed them is the devil; the harvest is the end of the world; and the reapers are the angels. As therefore the tares are gathered and burned in the fire; so shall it be in the end of this world. The Son of man shall send forth his angels, and they shall gather out of his kingdom all things that offend, and them which do iniquity; And shall cast them into a furnace of fire: there shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth. Then shall the righteous shine forth as the sun in the kingdom of their Father. Who hath ears to hear, let him hear."

The Lord doesn't come back until both the good and the bad are at full ripeness. We see evil getting extreme while all the while Jesus is cleansing His bride making her perfect to go into the presence of His and their Father.

The Angelic Announcer from the Altar vs. 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."

This angel is from the altar, the place of judgment, and has power over fire. He commands to gather the clusters of the vine of the earth, those who are attached to Satan and his tribe. These grapes are fully ripe.

The Angel Thrust into the Earth vs. 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."

The wine of the earth was gathered and was cast into the winepress of the wrath of God (Deut. 32:31-39).

"For their rock is not as our Rock, even our enemies themselves being judges. For their vine is of the vine of Sodom, and of the fields of Gomorrah: their grapes are grapes of gall, their clusters are bitter: Their wine is the poison of dragons, and the cruel venom of asps. Is not this laid up in store with me, and sealed up among my treasures? To me belongeth vengeance, and recompense; their foot shall slide in due time: for the day of their calamity is at hand, and the things that shall come upon them make haste. For the LORD shall judge his people, and repent himself for his servants, when he seeth that their power is gone, and there is none shut up, or left. And he shall say, Where are their gods, their rock in whom they trusted, Which did eat the fat of their sacrifices, and drank the wine of their drink offerings? let them rise up and help you, and be your protection. See now that I, even I, am he, and there is no god with me: I kill, and I make alive; I wound, and I heal: neither is there any that can deliver out of my hand."

Evil behavior and thinking is mature and ready for harvest.

The Awful Carnage in the Winepress vs. 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."

This is outside the city. The city is thus saved. This is the Valley of Jehoshaphat, the Vale of Esdraelon, 160 miles in stretch. Armies of the nations gathered here (Zech.14:1-4). Christ is the one who treads the winepress (Isa. 63:1-6; Rev. 19:11-21). The description may be literal. At least, it is terrible (Joel 3:10-14).

"Behold, the day of the LORD cometh, and thy spoil shall be divided in the midst of thee. For I will gather all nations against Jerusalem to battle; and the city shall be taken, and the houses rifled, and the women ravished; and half of the city shall go forth into captivity, and the residue of the people shall not be cut off from the city. Then shall the LORD go forth, and fight against those nations, as when he fought in the day of battle. And his feet shall stand in that day upon the mount of Olives, which is before Jerusalem on the east, and the mount of Olives shall cleave in the midst thereof toward the east and toward the west, and there shall be a very great valley; and half of the mountain shall remove toward the north, and half of it toward the south."
"Who is this that cometh from Edom, with dyed garments from Bozrah? this that is glorious in his apparel, travelling in the greatness of his strength? I that speak in righteousness, mighty to save. Wherefore art thou red in thine apparel, and thy garments like him that treadeth in the winefat? I have trodden the winepress alone; and of the people there was none with me: for I will tread them in mine anger, and trample them in my fury; and their blood shall be sprinkled upon my garments, and I will stain all my raiment. For the day of vengeance is in mine heart, and the year of my redeemed is come. And I looked, and there was none to help; and I wondered that there was none to uphold: therefore mine own arm brought salvation unto me; and my fury, it upheld me. And I will tread down the people in mine anger, and make them drunk in my fury, and I will bring down their strength to the earth."
"And I saw heaven opened, and behold a white horse; and he that sat upon him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he doth judge and make war. His eyes were as a flame of fire, and on his head were many crowns; and he had a name written, that no man knew, but he himself. And he was clothed with a vesture dipped in blood: and his name is called The Word of God. And the armies which were in heaven followed him upon white horses, clothed in fine linen, white and clean. And out of his mouth goeth a sharp sword, that with it he should smite the nations: and he shall rule them with a rod of iron: and he treadeth the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God. And he hath on his vesture and on his thigh a name written, KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS. And I saw an angel standing in the sun; and he cried with a loud voice, saying to all the fowls that fly in the midst of heaven, Come and gather yourselves together unto the supper of the great God; That ye may eat the flesh of kings, and the flesh of captains, and the flesh of mighty men, and the flesh of horses, and of them that sit on them, and the flesh of all men, both free and bond, both small and great. And I saw the beast, and the kings of the earth, and their armies, gathered together to make war against him that sat on the horse, and against his army. And the beast was taken, and with him the false prophet that wrought miracles before him, with which he deceived them that had received the mark of the beast, and them that worshipped his image. These both were cast alive into a lake of fire burning with brimstone. And the remnant were slain with the sword of him that sat upon the horse, which sword proceeded out of his mouth: and all the fowls were filled with their flesh."
"Beat your plowshares into swords, and your pruninghooks into spears: let the weak say, I am strong. Assemble yourselves, and come, all ye heathen, and gather yourselves together round about: thither cause thy mighty ones to come down, O LORD. Let the heathen be wakened, and come up to the valley of Jehoshaphat: for there will I sit to judge all the heathen round about. Put ye in the sickle, for the harvest is ripe: come, get you down; for the press is full, the vats overflow; for their wickedness is great. Multitudes, multitudes in the valley of decision: for the day of the LORD is near in the valley of decision."

SATAN DEFEATED - FINAL ISSUES

The Final Issues in the Defeat of Satan  14:14-20

"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. 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. And he that sat on the cloud thrust in his sickle on the earth; and the earth was reaped. And another angel came out of the temple which is in heaven, he also having a sharp sickle. 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. 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. 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."

Before us now is a Vision of the Harvest, the Harvest which comes at the close of the Tribulation Period.

There appears to be two reapings when in reality they are simply two aspects of the same reaping. This harvest must be interpreted in the light of Matt. 13:36-43. There it is obvious that Christ is the Lord of the harvest, while angels do the actual work. Cf. also Matt. 25:31-46.

"Then Jesus sent the multitude away, and went into the house: and his disciples came unto him, saying, Declare unto us the parable of the tares of the field. He answered and said unto them, He that soweth the good seed is the Son of man; The field is the world; the good seed are the children of the kingdom; but the tares are the children of the wicked one; The enemy that sowed them is the devil; the harvest is the end of the world; and the reapers are the angels. As therefore the tares are gathered and burned in the fire; so shall it be in the end of this world. The Son of man shall send forth his angels, and they shall gather out of his kingdom all things that offend, and them which do iniquity; And shall cast them into a furnace of fire: there shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth. Then shall the righteous shine forth as the sun in the kingdom of their Father. Who hath ears to hear, let him hear."

Outline:

1. The Son of Man and the first reaping. 14-16
2. The Other Angel and the second reaping. 17-20

The Son of Man and the First Reaping vs. 14-16

"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. 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. And he that sat on the cloud thrust in his sickle on the earth; and the earth was reaped."

The Appearance of the Son of Man vs. 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."

1. The white cloud, the symbol of deity and environment of the Son of Man (John 5:22). "For the Father judgeth no man, but hath committed all judgment unto the Son."
2. The golden crown, the symbol of sovereignty and promise of power (Psa. 8:6). "Thou madest him to have dominion over the works of thy hands; thou hast put all things under his feet:"
3. The sharp sickle, the symbol of harvest and approaching judgment (cf. Joel 3:13). "Put ye in the sickle, for the harvest is ripe: come, get you down; for the press is full, the vats overflow; for their wickedness is great."

The Announcement of the Angel vs. 15

• The temple is the place from which the angel came. This indicates the source and surety of judgment.
• The thrust of the sickle is the import of the voice. This is one of announcement and command.
• The time of the harvest is here, for it is ripe, dried. The cup of iniquity is full.

The Accomplishment of the Harvest vs. 16

The one who sat on the cloud, with one fell stroke of the sickle, reaped the earth. (This is Rev. 19:11-21.) cf. with Matt. 13:39-43; 13:47-50; 25:31-46.

"And I saw heaven opened, and behold a white horse; and he that sat upon him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he doth judge and make war. His eyes were as a flame of fire, and on his head were many crowns; and he had a name written, that no man knew, but he himself. And he was clothed with a vesture dipped in blood: and his name is called The Word of God. And the armies which were in heaven followed him upon white horses, clothed in fine linen, white and clean. And out of his mouth goeth a sharp sword, that with it he should smite the nations: and he shall rule them with a rod of iron: and he treadeth the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God. And he hath on his vesture and on his thigh a name written, KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS. And I saw an angel standing in the sun; and he cried with a loud voice, saying to all the fowls that fly in the midst of heaven, Come and gather yourselves together unto the supper of the great God; That ye may eat the flesh of kings, and the flesh of captains, and the flesh of mighty men, and the flesh of horses, and of them that sit on them, and the flesh of all men, both free and bond, both small and great. And I saw the beast, and the kings of the earth, and their armies, gathered together to make war against him that sat on the horse, and against his army. And the beast was taken, and with him the false prophet that wrought miracles before him, with which he deceived them that had received the mark of the beast, and them that worshipped his image. These both were cast alive into a lake of fire burning with brimstone. And the remnant were slain with the sword of him that sat upon the horse, which sword proceeded out of his mouth: and all the fowls were filled with their flesh."

"The enemy that sowed them is the devil; the harvest is the end of the world; and the reapers are the angels. As therefore the tares are gathered and burned in the fire; so shall it be in the end of this world. The Son of man shall send forth his angels, and they shall gather out of his kingdom all things that offend, and them which do iniquity; And shall cast them into a furnace of fire: there shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth. Then shall the righteous shine forth as the sun in the kingdom of their Father. Who hath ears to hear, let him hear."

"Again, the kingdom of heaven is like unto a net, that was cast into the sea, and gathered of every kind: Which, when it was full, they drew to shore, and sat down, and gathered the good into vessels, but cast the bad away. So shall it be at the end of the world: the angels shall come forth, and sever the wicked from among the just, And shall cast them into the furnace of fire: there shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth."

"When the Son of man shall come in his glory, and all the holy angels with him, then shall he sit upon the throne of his glory: And before him shall be gathered all nations: and he shall separate them one from another, as a shepherd divideth his sheep from the goats: And he shall set the sheep on his right hand, but the goats on the left. Then shall the King say unto them on his right hand, Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world: For I was an hungered, and ye gave me meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me in: Naked, and ye clothed me: I was sick, and ye visited me: I was in prison, and ye came unto me. Then shall the righteous answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungered, and fed thee? or thirsty, and gave thee drink? When saw we thee a stranger, and took thee in? or naked, and clothed thee? Or when saw we thee sick, or in prison, and came unto thee? And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me. Then shall he say also unto them on the left hand, Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels: For I was an hungered, and ye gave me no meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me no drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me not in: naked, and ye clothed me not: sick, and in prison, and ye visited me not. Then shall they also answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungered, or athirst, or a stranger, or naked, or sick, or in prison, and did not minister unto thee? Then shall he answer them, saying, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye did it not to one of the least of these, ye did it not to me. And these shall go away into everlasting punishment: but the righteous into life eternal."

SALVATION FOR THE SAINTS PROCLAIMED

The Proclamation of Salvation for the Saints vs.12-13

 

"Here is the patience of the saints: here are they that keep the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus."
"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."

The Persistence of the Saints Vs. 12

"Here is the patience of the saints: here are they that keep the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus."

They persist in following the commandments and professing their faith in Christ. They do all of this in spite of the terrible persecution through which they must pass under the Antichrist. This demonstrates that faith is as powerful as ever.

The Promises of the Future Urge Them Vs. 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."

After the proclamation of all that the wicked must suffer, it is a small thing to suffer a few years under Antichrist or even to die. In fact, it is better to die. If they die, they die in the Lord. If they die, they rest from all their pain. If they die, their works follow them and assure them of reward.

DOOM TO THE BEAST WORSHIPPERS PROCLAIMED

The Proclamation of Doom to Beast Worshippers  vs. 9-11

 

"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, 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: 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."

The Recipients of This Judgment vs. 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,"

• Those who worship the beast: the object.
• Those who worship the image: the idol.
• Those who worship the mark: the identity.

The Execution of This Judgment vs. 10a

"The same shall drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is poured out without mixture into the cup of his indignation......"

They shall drink of the wine of the wrath of God which is prepared unmixed in the cup of his anger. This fits the language of 19:15. At the Revelation is the time when wrath is executed. Beast worshippers die and go to Hades.

"And out of his mouth goeth a sharp sword, that with it he should smite the nations: and he shall rule them with a rod of iron: and he treadeth the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God."

The Nature of This Judgment vs. 10b

"....and he shall be tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of the holy angels, and in the presence of the Lamb:"

Tormented with fire and brimstone in the pres­ence of the holy angels and in the presence of the Lamb. Hades is exactly like the Lake of Fire, except that it is temporary. These will be in the Hades state for 1,000 years.

The Duration of This Judgment vs. 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."

The smoke of their torment goeth up forever and ever. They have no rest day and night. The Hades state lasts 1,000 years. Then resur­rection and white throne judgment (20:11-15). Then cast into the Lake of Fire forever (20:15 and 10; 21:8). cf. Matt. 24:51.

"And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire."

"But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death."

"And the devil that deceived them was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet are, and shall be tormented day and night for ever and ever."

"And shall cut him asunder, and appoint him his portion with the hypocrites: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth."

THE FALL OF BABYLON PROCLAIMED

The Proclamation of the Fall of Babylon vs.  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."

The Time of the Fall of the City

This is a prophetic forecast in its proper chronological order. The Kingdom was announced in 11:15, and the gospel goes out in the preced­ing verse. With the process of the Kingdom, Babylon, against which the Kingdom is arrayed, will fall. It falls immediately under Antichrist. This is the announcement of the judgment that falls upon the religious system in the midst of the week. This is providential judgment that the Antichrist brings upon the religious system (cf. 17:1-2, 16-17).

 

"And the seventh angel sounded; and there were great voices in heaven, saying, The kingdoms of this world are become the kingdoms of our Lord, and of his Christ; and he shall reign for ever and ever.""And there came one of the seven angels which had the seven vials, and talked with me, saying unto me, Come hither; I will show unto thee the judgment of the great whore that sitteth upon many waters:" "With whom the kings of the earth have committed fornication, and the inhabitants of the earth have been made drunk with the wine of her fornication."
"And the ten horns which thou sawest upon the beast, these shall hate the whore, and shall make her desolate and naked, and shall eat her flesh, and burn her with fire." "For God hath put in their hearts to fulfil his will, and to agree, and give their kingdom unto the beast, until the words of God shall be fulfilled."

The City Which Falls Under Judgment

This city is the great system and seat of the beast. The wine of her fornication refers to spiritual harlotry (Jer. 51:7; 50:38; 25:15). This aspect of Babylon is judged in the midst of the 7-year week by Antichrist. From then on, he takes over as the head and leader of the reli­gious system.

 

"Babylon hath been a golden cup in the LORD'S hand, that made all the earth drunken: the nations have drunken of her wine; therefore the nations are mad."
"A drought is upon her waters; and they shall be dried up: for it is the land of graven images, and they are mad upon their idols."
"For thus saith the LORD God of Israel unto me; Take the wine cup of this fury at my hand, and cause all the nations, to whom I send thee, to drink it."

In fact, he is the^-system. His judgment comes at the close of the tribulation period.

THE FURTHER FRUITS UNTO GOD & THE LAMB

The Further Fruits Unto God and the Lamb  14:6-13  

The Proclamation of the Everlasting Gospel vs. 6-7

"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 Messenger of This Message is an Angel

"And I saw another angel ......"

This angel is flying and suggests the need of haste. The message he carries may be only to those who will deliver the message to men. 144,000 may be the immediate preachers. At least, even though angels have been the carriers of messages, they are usually only intermedi­ates. There is an instance in Rev. 1:1. Compare also the case of the law (Deut. 33:2; Acts 7:53; Gal. 3:19; Heb. 2:2).

"The Revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave unto him, to show unto his servants things which must shortly come to pass; and he sent and signified it by his angel unto his servant John:"

"And he said, The LORD came from Sinai, and rose up from Seir unto them; he shined forth from mount Paran, and he came with ten thousands of saints: from his right hand went a fiery law for them."

"Who have received the law by the disposition of angels, and have not kept it."

"Wherefore then serveth the law? It was added because of transgressions, till the seed should come to whom the promise was made; and it was ordained by angels in the hand of a mediator."

"For if the word spoken by angels was stedfast, and every transgression and disobedience received a just recompense of reward;"

 

The Recipients of This Message are Earth Dwell­ers

In fact the measure is universal, to every tribe, nation, people, tongue. This sounds exactly like 7:9-17. In that chapter the 144,000 precede the unnumbered multitude. The same order may be found in Matt. 25, first the virgins (Matt. 25:1-13) and then the nations (Matt. 25:31-46). Matt. 24:14 likewise marks the universal extent of the preaching.

"And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations; and then shall the end come."

The Meaning of the Message is Good News

It is called the everlasting gospel, meaning good news which will last eternally. In Matthew it is the gospel of the Kingdom, that is, the dominion of God is now in force and will continue in absolute supremacy (Matt. 24:14).

"And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations; and then shall the end come."

This is the Gospel that many today think the Church has the responsibility to preach but they lost the context of Matt. 24.

 

This was the announcement of the seventh trumpet when the voices proclaimed _that the kingdom of the world had become the Kingdom of our Lord (Rev. 11:15).

"And the seventh angel sounded; and there were great voices in heaven, saying, The kingdoms of this world are become the kingdoms of our Lord, and of his Christ; and he shall reign for ever and ever."

The Substance of the Message Proclaimed vs. 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." 

• The command to fear and worship.
• This is a command now in order, in view of the movements of God.
• The immediate reason is judgment.
• The hour has arrived for the outpouring of wrath upon the wicked.

The Ultimate Reason is Inherent Power

This is the one who made heaven and earth (Jer. 10:11). He is therefore able to execute his wrath. Creation is the differ­ence between the true and false god.

"Thus shall ye say unto them, The gods that have not made the heavens and the earth, even they shall perish from the earth, and from under these heavens."