In Revelation 12 we saw that Satan went off to scheme for an end-time war of deception against the people of God “which keep the commandments of God, and have the testimony of Jesus Christ” (Revelation 12:17).

In Revelation 13 we saw that this end-time scheme is the enforcement of the mark of the beast on a global scale that would lead to a death decree against those who “would not worship the image of the beast” (Revelation 13:15).

In Revelation 14 we see that despite Satan’s plan to deceive, the church will be faithful to Christ and His word. We also see from this chapter the very message that the church will proclaim to assure that not all on the earth will be deceived.

Revelation 14:1-5 — We begin with a promise from God that there will be people saved, that the church will not be deceived by Satan’s scheme. We have a vision of the 144,000 again, a symbolic group of the redeemed of which it says “they which were not defiled with women; for they are virgins.”

The 144,000, which John earlier said was “a great multitude, which no man could number, of all nations, and kindreds, and people, and tongues, stood before the throne, and before the Lamb, clothed with white robes, and palms in their hands” (Revelation 7:9) did not defile themselves with false religion.

In Bible prophecy a women is symbolic for a church, a religion, a belief system and a pure women is symbolic of a pure church while a harlot is symbolic of an impure church. The 144,000 are said to be virgins because they did not defile themselves with false religion, but stayed true as the bride of Christ.

Revelation 14:6-7 — Here is the first of three angels who proclaim a message to the world prior to the end and the harvest of the earth. The messages of the angels tell us how the church will remain undefiled as the bride of Christ.

The message of the first angel is the gospel and a warning cry to “worship him that made heaven, and earth, and the sea, and the fountains of waters.” It is likely that this message to fear the creator is necessary because of the end-time push to reject the biological fact that humanity is created either male or female in God’s image.

Revelation 14:8-11 — Here we have the second and third angels with a message against spiritual Babylon and receiving the mark of the beast. As this passage explains, avoiding spiritual Babylon and the mark of the beast is to avoid “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.”

Revelation 14:12-20 — We are reminded here that the people of God, those who will be saved and who will avoid the mark of the beast, are they “that keep the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus.”

The remainder of the chapter is earth’s concluding harvest as mentioned in Matthew 13:30 and the return of our Lord Jesus Christ as also seen in 1 Thessalonians 4:16-17. While the global war against God’s people ensues, as we saw described in Revelation 13, our Lord Jesus will have the final word on earth.

At our next meetup at CrossHope Chapel we will open to Revelation 15-16 and see God’s wrath through the seven last plaques.