THE BOOK OF REVELATION

INTRODUCTION - Again, we remind ourselves that we are not taking a futuristic interpretation of the book of Revelation but that its message is primarily intended for the church of the first century to encourage and support the church as she went through great persecution. This is not to say that the message cannot find application for us today, however, we must always begin with the first century interpretation and then make the applications to ourselves. One of the great themes which we have been noting in this book have been the judgment of first century apostate Israel. Christ would come in 70 AD and destroy Jerusalem and the Temple. As Israel had rejected the Messiah, so the Lord turned away from them in judgment. We have also noted the theme of the persecution of the church, yet Revelation chapters 12 through 14 have particularly pointed out the great triumph of God's people. Here we see the ascended Christ, standing on Mount Zion with His people. Christ is pictured as the King of the Universe, thus, the church has nothing to fear, even in the midst of persecution. The nations might rage against the Lord and His people, but Christ will overthrow them all. This morning we will conclude Revelation 14 by considering another picture of Christ as Judge.

1) THE PRIMARY APPLICATION OF THIS TEXT TO THE FIRST CENTURY JUDGMENT OF APOSTATE ISRAEL - Revelation 14:14-20 - John certainly has the judgment of the city of Jerusalem in mind as he writes for he refers to the city in the judgment (Revelation 14:20). Jerusalem has been the city in view throughout this book and has been constantly called into judgment for its apostasy (Revelation 11:8; 14:8). Why is Jerusalem judged so severely? She had rejected the Messiah and proclaimed allegiance to Caesar. No longer was she the Holy City and no longer was Jehovah worshipped in the Temple. The description which John gives of this judgment would once again be something that the early church would be familiar with. In Isaiah 5:1-7, we read of the Lord's description of Israel and Jerusalem as a vineyard bringing forth grapes. Yet she did not bring forth good grapes, but wild ones. Israel in the Old Testament also had turned away from the Lord. As a result, the God of the Old Testament would destroy the city and its people (just as He was doing in the New Testament). The wild grapes would be crushed under His wrath. In Isaiah 63:1-6, we have the Lord described in His judgment. His garments drip with blood, for He has trampled wicked men in His winepress. This is the same Lord who comes forth in Revelation to bring wrath again against Israel for their apostasy. Like Israel of old, she had once again become the unfaithful vineyard, rejecting the Christ of the Covenant. In God's great anger, He would trample the city and the people. The description of Jerusalem's "blood" in verse 20 fits the eyewitness account of Josephus the historian. Jerusalem's overthrow was a horrible devastation, as the blood of the apostate Jews flowed like a river through the city.

2) THE ONE WHO INITIATES THIS JUDGMENT AGAINST APOSTATE ISRAEL Revelation 14:14 - It is the One who begins this judgment that is the special focus of this passage. Here we see that it is the Lord Jesus Christ who initiates the judgment of God against Israel. He is presented on a cloud for He is the ascended Christ (see Daniel 7) who rules over the universe. Earlier we have seen Christ surveying the souls of those who are cast into hell (Revelation 14:10), now He is pictured as the One who begins the great judgment of God against the wicked. This is not a picture of Christ which we hear too much about. We usually think of Christ in terms of mercy and grace. Yet clearly we see Christ at the very center of God's rage against sinners. Such a picture of Christ is necessary for our day. In our Gospel preaching we are called to use both the terror and the mercy of the Lord, for both are part of the Gospel. What does this passage teach us?

A) GOD IS ANGRY WITH THE SINNER - Those who stand in rebellion against Him are under His wrath, and one day that anger will be brought against wicked men. This has been the nature of God since the fall of man. When man fell into sin, death was pronounced. From that very day, men have been dying. The world is a graveyard and this is due to the judgment of God. Consider the flood in the days of Noah. Here we see God wiping out the entire human race, except for eight people. Consider the judgment of Sodom and Gomorrah. God Himself rained fire and brimstone upon those cities, destroying the inhabitants completely. Consider all of the great judgments of God in the Old Testament - the firstborn of Egypt, the destruction at the Red Sea, the commands of God to Israel to destroy the Canaanites - the wrath of God is everywhere in the Old Testament. It is not that He did not show mercy. We are simply highlighting those places where God is presented in His wrath. Sadly, there are so many in our day who think they can discard the God of the Old Testament in favor of some kinder, more benevolent God of the New Testament. This is impossible, for God has never changed, and Christ is the very incarnation of this God of mercy and justice.

B) THE LORD JESUS CHRIST IS THE VERY INCARNATION OF THE GOD OF THE OLD TESTAMENT - No one speaks more of judgment in the New Testament than the Lord Jesus Christ (Matthew 10:28; 13:49,50; 25:41; 46). When we consider the two pictures of Christ described in Revelation 14, it would be difficult to disassociate Him from the God of the Old Testament. Christ is presented at the judgment of the wicked. He will stand forever at the fires of hell, eternally judging those who have rebelled against His Father's grace. He thrusts His sickle in for the great judgment, for He is righteous and holy, doing the work of Judge of the Universe.

C) WHAT WILL YOU DO WITH THIS PICTURE? - If the picture of the judgment of Christ makes you feel uncomfortable, it is because you know that it is true and one day you will stand before this Judge. Yet you cannot throw out this picture of Christ without throwing away all of Scripture. Believe this picture of Christ and believe what it means if you have not gone to Him for forgiveness and grace. One day you will be crushed under the winepress of God's wrath! As Christians, we respond to this picture of Christ by faithfully proclaiming it in our Gospel message. Men do not like to think of Christ in this way, but it is our duty to bring this Savior and Lord to their attention, calling them to bow before Him in repentance and faith!