By Augustus Henry (PhD)
In the book of Revelation God gave John the apostle a vision of what is to happen over the next two thousand years. Most bible scholars date that vision in 70 AD. However, in chapter 14 of that book, Jesus gave John revelation of the Judgment of God that is soon to come upon this earth. And if you are not ready when it comes, your suffering will be unbearable.
These messages are given in three parts: invitation to accept the Gospel of Jesus, the announcing of the fall of this political system; and the choice between true and false worship.
Rev 14
Message 1 of God’s impending judgment.
(6 – 7): Then I saw another angel flying in midair, and he had the eternal gospel to proclaim to those who live on the earth—to every nation, tribe, language and people. He said in a loud voice, “Fear God and give him glory, because the hour of his judgment has come. Worship him who made the heavens, the earth, the sea and the springs of water.”
The message goes to all. It is a warning that God’s Judgment is coming. Our job as followers of Jesus Christ is to warn the world of the impending Judgment. Our first duty is to present the Gospel of Salvation. It is to let people know that Jesus died for their sins; and if one accepts his atonement by his death on the Cross, one will be saved from the coming judgment of God. If you reject it, the bible says that that day of judgment will be a great and terrible day. So the first angel announces that the Gospel is being preached right now. And we beg you to accept it before it is too late.
Message 2 of God’s impending judgment.
8: A second angel followed and said, “‘Fallen! Fallen is Babylon the Great,’ which made all the nations drink the maddening wine of her adulteries.”
Babylon in the scriptures refers to a system of confusion and corruption. When we look around the world today, we see all types of corruption. We see all types of confusion. Anyone who lived through Covid must admit the magnitude of confusion it exposed among our political leaders. Leaders were totally flustered about how to manage that pandemic. Federal leaders were at odds with state leaders. Internationally, leaders could not even come to an understanding of the best ways to address Covid. Friends became political enemies over Covid. Therapy for that illness became political warfare. That is that system referred to as Babylon.
It is also a system of corruption where fairness, especially for the poor, does not exist. Where the powerful, influential and wealthy take advantage of the system; where judges take bribes, and political leaders give favours only to their rich friends; a system where the rich get help and the poor is left to fend for himself. It is a system that makes no attempt to control mass killings as long the sales of guns benefit the wealthy. It is a system that fools poor people into thinking that the rich people care while the upper-class line the pockets and the poor go hungry and broke. That corrupt system encourages immoral behavior. One political side supports any type of gay rights whether one is born gay or not. The other side rejects any type of gender issues that people might have. The same party that advocates for prayer in school supports holding emigrant babies in cages like dogs.
That is the Babylon that is to fall; that is the political system God wants to reject. If you have given your allegiance to that system, you will fall along with it.
Message 3 of God’s impending judgment
(9 – 12): A third angel followed them and said in a loud voice: “If anyone worships the beast and its image and receives its mark on their forehead or on their hand, 10 they, too, will drink the wine of God’s fury, which has been poured full strength into the cup of his wrath. They will be tormented with burning sulfur in the presence of the holy angels and of the Lamb. And the smoke of their torment will rise for ever and ever. There will be no rest day or night for those who worship the beast and its image, or for anyone who receives the mark of its name.” This calls for patient endurance on the part of the people of God who keep his commands and remain faithful to Jesus.
Many so-called Christians are in cahoots with that beast which is in alliance with the Babylon we have just talked about. Both that beast and Babylon refer to a political system of corruption and confusion – the one mentioned earlier. And some so-called religions are seeking to be part of the system. God calls us to get off that system so that we will not be partakers of her sins. And if we don’t, there will be hell to pay.
God is looking for people who will be loyal to morality; people who will be loyal to love, loyal to kindness. God looking for people who will commit to fairness, equity, equality, and justice. Those are the people who will escape the great and terrible day of the Lord. Your allegiance to your political party or political leader is the same as allegiance to the beast that God will destroy in the end. So, I call you today to take a step towards the kingdom of God.