A Closer Look at Section 2 (Chapters 14-19)
"Men's hearts failing them for fear" - Luke 21:26
Chapters 14 through 19 focus on events at the close of the Gospel Age -- THE HARVEST. This is a complex period. In it the world is experiencing troubles it cannot handle, and Christianity is faced with the kind of scrutiny that destroys everything that can be shaken. (Heb 12:26-29)
Perhaps we can summarize the events of this harvest as three works progressing at the same time:
1. The unseen presence of Jesus is actively maneuvering the affairs of the Church and the world in preparation for the peaceable Kingdom. (2 Pet 3:10; Rev 16:15; Rev 14:15)
2. All of what has called itself Christianity is being judged by God and by man based on both doctrine and conduct. (Rev 14:8; Rev 18:1-9)
3. A great increase of understanding of Scripture is being fed to sincere, hungering, Christians. (Rev 14:6; 17:1; 18:4; Dan 12:4, 9, 10)
Five Times through the Harvest Period
(1) Judgment & Harvesting (Rev 14:6-20) this presentation is the first in the series of harvest over-views. Its primary purpose is to show the relationship between Babylon's judgment and the work of harvesting.
(2) Historical Events to Weaken Babylon (Rev 15:1- Rev 16:21) these chapters we usually call The Seven Last Plagues. This account is to show the world's history during the harvest. It is a list of 20th Century events, which successively and cumulatively weaken Babylon until its final collapse. It is written to help us understand the events of OUR CENTURY and to let us know "things" which must shortly come to pass." Chapter 15 specifies the parts played in this plaguing by the saints on both sides of the veil.
(3) Political-Social Developments (Rev 17:1-18) this narrative is to show how events will culminate when both leaders and people turn against the apostate church. It shows the sequence of political turnovers since Brother Russell's day, thus letting us know where we are on the stream of time and what we can next expect.
(4) The Economic Viewpoint (Rev 18 - Rev 19:10) this is the "4th Volume" of Revelation. This chapter shows the reactions of various groups to Babylon's post-1914 inability to provide the kinds of political and economic stability of the past. It concludes with Babylon's total destruction and the ensuing rejoicing throughout heaven and earth.
(5) The Spirit-Begotten Viewpoint (Rev 19:11-21) this picture shows the judgment and destructive power and authority of the returned Lord who, with his saints -- both in the flesh and glorified (beyond the vail), and with the remaining Great Multitude, is victorious in destroying the old order.
A careful examination of Jesus' parable of the Wheat and Tares (Matt 13:24-30, 36-43) will help the reader understand this harvest time and Chapters 14-19 of Revelation which prophesy its details.
The parable first summarizes the Gospel Age by stating that Jesus gave a message which created real Christians (Wheat). Once the Apostles died -- (Verse 25: "while men slept") - - Satan gave a false message which created false Christians (Tares). The tendency toward this mixed-up Christianity was already active in the Apostles’ day. (2 Thess 2:7) Paul calls it the “mystery of iniquity” and the “man of sin.” John calls it “The Antichrist” (1 John 4:3)
Revelation calls it "Babylon" (Rev 14:8). Jesus (Matt 13:30) shows that this combination of true and false Christianity would exist together until the harvest. Jeremiah 51:7-9 explains that God used Christendom (Babylon) and would have healed her, but she would not be healed. Hence Jesus prophesied the harvest separation, the work of destroying the faith and the organization of false Christianity, along with the work of gathering true Christians. These true Christians would FIRST be gathered to the TRUTH as Luke 17:34-37 suggests; SECONDLY, they would be gathered to heaven itself as Matt 13:43 suggests.
Chapters 14-19 deal with the work pictured in this parable. (For a more in-depth look at the parable of the Wheat and the Tares click here.)
Poor Chapter Division (A Parenthetical, but important, Thought)
Chapter 14 should begin with its sixth verse. The first five verses really are an end to Chapter 13. Note that Chapter 13:16, 17 speaks of some who have the mark of the beast on their hands or foreheads. These are false Christians. Note that 14:1 contrasts this with true Christians. The true Christians have "His (the Lamb's) name and the name of His Father written on their foreheads." (NAS Translation) This is one of those places the King James Version omits some words which actually are a part of the Bible).
It seems clear that this contrast of names in foreheads places Rev 14:1-5 as the true ending of Chapter 13. (There are other, more complicated, reasons also.)
In our next post we will take a brief look at Chapters 14-19
"Men's hearts failing them for fear" - Luke 21:26
Chapters 14 through 19 focus on events at the close of the Gospel Age -- THE HARVEST. This is a complex period. In it the world is experiencing troubles it cannot handle, and Christianity is faced with the kind of scrutiny that destroys everything that can be shaken. (Heb 12:26-29)
Perhaps we can summarize the events of this harvest as three works progressing at the same time:
1. The unseen presence of Jesus is actively maneuvering the affairs of the Church and the world in preparation for the peaceable Kingdom. (2 Pet 3:10; Rev 16:15; Rev 14:15)
2. All of what has called itself Christianity is being judged by God and by man based on both doctrine and conduct. (Rev 14:8; Rev 18:1-9)
3. A great increase of understanding of Scripture is being fed to sincere, hungering, Christians. (Rev 14:6; 17:1; 18:4; Dan 12:4, 9, 10)
Five Times through the Harvest Period
(1) Judgment & Harvesting (Rev 14:6-20) this presentation is the first in the series of harvest over-views. Its primary purpose is to show the relationship between Babylon's judgment and the work of harvesting.
(2) Historical Events to Weaken Babylon (Rev 15:1- Rev 16:21) these chapters we usually call The Seven Last Plagues. This account is to show the world's history during the harvest. It is a list of 20th Century events, which successively and cumulatively weaken Babylon until its final collapse. It is written to help us understand the events of OUR CENTURY and to let us know "things" which must shortly come to pass." Chapter 15 specifies the parts played in this plaguing by the saints on both sides of the veil.
(3) Political-Social Developments (Rev 17:1-18) this narrative is to show how events will culminate when both leaders and people turn against the apostate church. It shows the sequence of political turnovers since Brother Russell's day, thus letting us know where we are on the stream of time and what we can next expect.
(4) The Economic Viewpoint (Rev 18 - Rev 19:10) this is the "4th Volume" of Revelation. This chapter shows the reactions of various groups to Babylon's post-1914 inability to provide the kinds of political and economic stability of the past. It concludes with Babylon's total destruction and the ensuing rejoicing throughout heaven and earth.
(5) The Spirit-Begotten Viewpoint (Rev 19:11-21) this picture shows the judgment and destructive power and authority of the returned Lord who, with his saints -- both in the flesh and glorified (beyond the vail), and with the remaining Great Multitude, is victorious in destroying the old order.
A careful examination of Jesus' parable of the Wheat and Tares (Matt 13:24-30, 36-43) will help the reader understand this harvest time and Chapters 14-19 of Revelation which prophesy its details.
The parable first summarizes the Gospel Age by stating that Jesus gave a message which created real Christians (Wheat). Once the Apostles died -- (Verse 25: "while men slept") - - Satan gave a false message which created false Christians (Tares). The tendency toward this mixed-up Christianity was already active in the Apostles’ day. (2 Thess 2:7) Paul calls it the “mystery of iniquity” and the “man of sin.” John calls it “The Antichrist” (1 John 4:3)
Revelation calls it "Babylon" (Rev 14:8). Jesus (Matt 13:30) shows that this combination of true and false Christianity would exist together until the harvest. Jeremiah 51:7-9 explains that God used Christendom (Babylon) and would have healed her, but she would not be healed. Hence Jesus prophesied the harvest separation, the work of destroying the faith and the organization of false Christianity, along with the work of gathering true Christians. These true Christians would FIRST be gathered to the TRUTH as Luke 17:34-37 suggests; SECONDLY, they would be gathered to heaven itself as Matt 13:43 suggests.
Chapters 14-19 deal with the work pictured in this parable. (For a more in-depth look at the parable of the Wheat and the Tares click here.)
Poor Chapter Division (A Parenthetical, but important, Thought)
Chapter 14 should begin with its sixth verse. The first five verses really are an end to Chapter 13. Note that Chapter 13:16, 17 speaks of some who have the mark of the beast on their hands or foreheads. These are false Christians. Note that 14:1 contrasts this with true Christians. The true Christians have "His (the Lamb's) name and the name of His Father written on their foreheads." (NAS Translation) This is one of those places the King James Version omits some words which actually are a part of the Bible).
It seems clear that this contrast of names in foreheads places Rev 14:1-5 as the true ending of Chapter 13. (There are other, more complicated, reasons also.)
In our next post we will take a brief look at Chapters 14-19
