Revelation 14:14–– 16:21 Judgment of the Beast

Woodland Hills Church of Christ

Judgment of the Beast!

Revelation 14:14 – 16:21

Introduction: 2 Thessalonians 1:4-10 The Thessalonian Christians apparently suffered greatly in the years following Paul’s departure. In Paul’s final letter to them he offered encouragement in a way that we might not have thought of, especially in today’s culture.

Their faithfulness in the midst of severe trials was evidence that they were worthy of the kingdom of God. This would be evident when God would repay with affliction those who inflicted them. Paul calls this the righteous judgment of God.

God would inflict “vengeance” on those who do not know him and who do not obey the gospel. They would suffer the punishment of eternal destruction “away from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of his might.”

Christians in Thessalonica suffered as a result of the idolatry practiced by the Roman Empire. At the time that Paul wrote, such persecution was local, but it would soon spread throughout the empire.

What should this do for us? Most of us try not to spend too much energy talking about the present condition of our country with gross immorality being touted and pushed by powerful entities – and that is as it should be. But deep in our hearts we are like Habakkuk – how long O Lord do we have to look on this wickedness!

1. Harvesting the Earth (14:14-20)
   1. Judgment has already been decreed by three angels: (1) warning to hear the eternal gospel, (2) Babylon the great is fallen, (3) worshipers of the beast will drink the wine of God’s wrath.
   2. Now the Lord gives us a picture of the judgment scene. Please remember, that though there is a clear parallel to God’s final judgment when Jesus returns, this text and that which follows in chapters 16-18, is specifically referring to Rome. In other words, just as throughout the OT, there are judgment pictures of the fall of nations even though the descriptions appear to be “end of time.” But context demands end of time for that nation.
   3. To understand the concept given in these verses, consider Matthew 13:39-43 “The harvest is the end of the age, and the reapers are angels. Just as the weeds are gathered and burned with fire, so will it be at the end of the age. The Son of Man will send his angels, and they will gather out of his kingdom all causes of sin and all law-breakers, and throw them into the fiery furnace. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. Then the righteous will shine like the sun in the kingdom of their Father. He who has ears, let him hear.”
   4. The first reaping is done by “one like the son of man.” This is the same description of Jesus in Daniel 7:13-14 when he ascends into heaven and is crowned as king over his kingdom. Since the second reaping is described as judgment on the wicked, this reaping by Jesus is that gathering of the righteous.
   5. The next reaping is done by an angel “with the authority over fire.” He gathers clusters from the vine of the earth and “threw them into the great winepress of the wrath of God.” This picture is borrowed from Isaiah 63:1-6 and the judgment on Edom, which is also a nation representing the dragon.
   6. You will notice that whether it is the description given in Isaiah or in Revelation, nothing is held back in the gruesome picture of judgment on the wicked. The river of blood created by God’s judgment is equivalent to about 184 miles and as high as 3-4 feet. What a reminder for us: the patience and mercy of God has a limit!
2. Seven Angels with the Seven Last Plagues (15:1-8)
   1. The main thing to notice in the following section which extends through chapter 16 is that is has an “echo” of the original Exodus from Egypt.
      1. Just as in Egypt, God’s people are being afflicted and crying out for the blood to be avenged.
      2. The “beast” (Egypt/Rome) and those who worship it, refuse to repent of their evil and stop their persecutions of God’s people.
      3. Therefore, God brings plagues that lead to the final great confrontation at the edge of the Red Sea when the power of Egypt, and now Rome, is destroyed.
      4. Following the victory, God’s people with all the victorious before the throne, sing the “song of Moses,” and now the “song of the Lamb.”
   2. Thus, we read in 15:1 that this is the final battle against the Roman Beast, after which the wrath of God on the empire will be finished. “Rome, you are just like Belshazzar of Babylon. The handwriting is on the wall!”
   3. Pay attention specifically to the end of verse 4: “for your righteous acts have been revealed.” If God did not bring justice against the wicked and avenge the blood and persecution against his people, he would not be a righteous God. He has promised to “save us,” and that salvation must include the punishment of the wicked.
   4. Finally, visualize the picture of God’s sanctuary in heaven being opened and watch the seven angels being handed bowls full of the wrath of God. Look out! Here they come!
3. Pouring Out the Bowls of Wrath on the Earth
   1. The first thing to consider in these final judgments is that God is withdrawing his blessings that he has given to both good and bad alike. Since the people who worship the beast reject and blaspheme God, their final judgment is pictured as a removal of the blessings of God’s reign. But even as these blessings are removed, the people blaspheme God and refuse to repent.
   2. First Bowl: harmful and painful sores like the boils in the plague of Egypt. Human misery
   3. Second Bowl: the sea becomes blood and everything in it dies. Economic destruction
   4. Third Bowl: rivers and springs become blood. Famine and starvation
   5. Quick Interlude: the angel in charge praises God for his righteous judgments
   6. Fourth Bowl: the sun scorches people with fierce heat. And yet they would not repent and give God glory! The sun should be a blessing; now it is their curse.
   7. Fifth Bowl: On the throne of the beast so that the whole empire is plunged into darkness. The power of the beast is destroyed so that Rome no long gives light. Darkness prevails over those who put their hope in the beast.
   8. Sixth Bowl: the water of the Euphrates is dried up. This opens the way for the kings of the east to destroy what is left of the empire. The beast and all its followers will be devoured.
      1. Verse 14: the dragon and the beast will not give up. Three unclean spirits are sent out (demons represent idolatry, 1 Cor. 10). With one last gasp the dragon tries to hold on to his power as he assembles all the world to do battle with the Lamb.
      2. Verse 15: quick interlude warning to the saints to be ready! Don’t fall for the deception of the dragon and his beasts. Keep yourself dressed in righteousness so that you are not naked and exposed before God.
      3. Verse 16: Armageddon (literally Mount of Megiddo). In the OT, Megiddo is always referred to as the valley of Megiddo. Megiddo was a “strategic point in the protection of Israel and Judah, since it guarded the northern entrance to Israel” (Hailey). There were many decisive battles at this site:
         1. Deborah and Barak against Jabin and Sisera
         2. Gideon’s 300 men against the Midianites
         3. Saul and Jonathan killed in battle
         4. King Josiah died battling Pharaoh Neco
      4. Therefore, the vision treats Armageddon as a site the symbolizes the decisive battle of God against the beast and false prophet. The battle will be described in chapter 19.
   9. Seventh Bowl: Poured out into the air. The Lord hits the dragon right where he lives: Paul refers to Satan as “the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience” (Ephesians 2:2).
      1. You will notice that there was no interlude between the sixth and seventh plague as there were in the previous series of plagues.
      2. “It is done!” Tells us that this is the final judgment on the beast. An earthquake beyond anything that has ever been on the earth brings the great empire down.
      3. The city splitting into three parts is just another indication of how devastating the earthquake is (Cf. Ezekiel 5:2ff). Note also, it is not just “Babylon” that falls, but all the cities of the nations. As we will see in the next two chapters, these nations committed adultery with Rome, exchanging their allegiance to her immoral rule for what the empire could provide them.
      4. If that were not enough, the Lord makes the nation drain the cup of the wine of the fury of his wrath and then adds to that 100 pound hailstones that fall on people.
      5. Consider the strong reaction the Lord has to the nations and people of the world who worshiped the beast and participated in her rebellion and immorality. The “fury of his wrath” should tell us how horrible the sins are.
         1. Romans 1:18, “The wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who by their unrighteousness suppress the truth.” The reason for God’s wrath is because their sins are destructive to God’s creation, especially people he made to reflect his image.
         2. We hear worldly people talk about victimless crimes practiced by “consenting” adults. God knows that there is no such thing as as a victimless sin. These sins not only destroy people’s lives now but dooms them to eternal punishment. It is so easy for us to get callous to this wickedness, when we should have the same anger as the Lord.

Conclusions: 16:15

• “Behold, I am coming like a thief!” This little parenthetical is given in the midst of God pouring out his judgments. It is a warning, not to the wicked, but to the righteous. Consider the fact that five of the seven churches to whom Jesus wrote letters at the beginning, were in danger of being lost. Jesus is concerned that we will compromise as we live in the midst of the wickedness around us. Lukewarm Laodicea, Sleeping Sardis, Jezebel in Thyatira, Compromising Pergamum, and Ephesus who had lost its first love. How quickly we fall into a rut!
• 16:15 “Keep your garments on!” In 19:8, we are told that “it was granted to her to clothe herself with fine linen, bright and pure – for the fine linen is the righteous deeds of the saints.” Live in righteousness!

Berry Kercheville

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