Revelation 14:6-13 ESV
6 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. 7 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.”
8 Another angel, a second, followed, saying, “Fallen, fallen is Babylon the great, she who made all nations drink the wine of the passion of her sexual immorality.”
9 And another angel, a third, followed them, saying with a loud voice, “If anyone worships the beast and its image and receives a mark on his forehead or on his hand, 10 he also will drink the wine of God's wrath, poured full strength into the cup of his anger, and he will be tormented with fire and sulfur in the presence of the holy angels and in the presence of the Lamb. 11 And the smoke of their torment goes up forever and ever, and they have no rest, day or night, these worshipers of the beast and its image, and whoever receives the mark of its name.”
12 Here is a call for the endurance of the saints, those who keep the commandments of God and their faith in Jesus.
13 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!”
Three messages from heaven are delivered to those on earth. The time has arrived to choose between God and the beast, a last plea for the sake of mankind.
Babylon faces judgement. There is a sharp contrast between the 144,000 and those who drank from the cup of her sexual immorality. This speaks of a rejection of God. Today the flow from her cup continues and grows.
The passage goes on to refer to this misdirected worship, signified by the taking of its name, throwing their lot in with the beast. The consequence and punishment of this decision is bluntly pronounced.
During this time many will believe, persevere, and will die in the Lord. They will give witness, along with the 144,000, to gospel and glory of Christ. Their reward awaits them. Whoever confesses His name as Lord will rest before God.
1 Corinthians 2:14-15
The natural person does not accept the things of the Spirit of God, for they are folly to him, and he is not able to understand them because they are spiritually discerned. 15 The spiritual person judges all things, but is himself to be judged by no one.
The message of the gospel will remain as foolishness to the ones who are foolish. They come by it naturally.
John 12:26
If anyone serves me, he must follow me; and where I am, there will my servant be also. If anyone serves me, the Father will honor him.
Jeremiah 2:3
Israel was holy to the Lord,
the firstfruits of his harvest.
All who ate of it incurred guilt;
disaster came upon them,
declares the Lord.”
Here we see Israel referred to as the "firstfruits of his harvest". It was this people that was first called called by God.
James 1:18
Of his own will he brought us forth by the word of truth, that we should be a kind of firstfruits of his creatures.
The Jews were given the oracles of the living God. That truth revealed and prepared us for the coming Christ. Those that believed in His name are likened to a "kind of firstfruits". This may be compared to Paul's explanation of wild olive branches grafted in a cultivated olive tree.
Jeremiah 25:15-16
15 Thus the Lord, the God of Israel, said to me: “Take from my hand this cup of the wine of wrath, and make all the nations to whom I send you drink it. 16 They shall drink and stagger and be crazed because of the sword that I am sending among them.”
Psalms 2:6-8
“As for me, I have set my King
on Zion, my holy hill.”
7 I will tell of the decree:
The Lord said to me, “You are my Son;
today I have begotten you.
8 Ask of me, and I will make the nations your heritage,
and the ends of the earth your possession.
Psalms 132:13-14
For the Lord has chosen Zion;
he has desired it for his dwelling place:
14 “This is my resting place forever;
here I will dwell, for I have desired it.
Joel 2:32
And it shall come to pass that everyone who calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved. For in Mount Zion and in Jerusalem there shall be those who escape, as the Lord has said, and among the survivors shall be those whom the Lord calls.
It may be construed here that Mount Zion could refer to Israel and Jerusalem to the Church, the Bride of Christ. We are told elsewhere they are both of God.
Hebrews 12:22-24
But you have come to Mount Zion and to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to innumerable angels in festal gathering, 23 and to the assembly of the firstborn who are enrolled in heaven, and to God, the judge of all, and to the spirits of the righteous made perfect, 24 and to Jesus, the mediator of a new covenant, and to the sprinkled blood that speaks a better word than the blood of Abel.
Luke 12:8-10
Acknowledge Christ Before Men
8 “And I tell you, everyone who acknowledges me before men, the Son of Man also will acknowledge before the angels of God, 9 but the one who denies me before men will be denied before the angels of God. 10 And everyone who speaks a word against the Son of Man will be forgiven, but the one who blasphemes against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven.
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