Revelation

Revelation 14: The Lamb and the Good News

Begin in prayer

Before we read about the Lamb on Mount Zion and the Good News for every nation, please pause and ask the Lord to teach you. Ask Him to give you a holy fear of God, and to show you the Lamb who redeemed a people.

You shall fear Yahweh your God; and you shall serve him, and shall swear by his name.

Deuteronomy 6:13

Father in heaven, please open our eyes as we read Your Word. Show us the Lamb who redeemed a people for You, and teach us to fear You and worship You. Turn us from our sin to trust Jesus. Make us more like Jesus. And please bless our family as we worship You together. In Jesus' name, Amen.

See where we're going

The Lamb stands on Mount Zion with one hundred forty-four thousand redeemed people bearing His name and His Father's name. Their new song belongs to the redeemed, who follow the Lamb wherever He goes. Three angels proclaim eternal Good News, announce Babylon's fall and declare the unmixed wrath awaiting those who worship the beast and receive its mark. Saints must persevere, while heaven calls those who die in the Lord blessed because they rest from labor with their works following. The crowned Son of Man reaps the earth, and an angel gathers its grapes into the wine press of God's wrath.

As you read Revelation 14, look for the answers:

Reflect together

Key truth

The Lamb redeemed a people for God, and God calls every nation to worship Him, for judgment comes.

The Lamb's name on His people's foreheads answers the beast's mark, showing who owns the redeemed. Zion is the hill of God's King, so their place beside the Lamb declares His authority and their belonging. Their new song and firstfruits show a people bought and set apart for God, following Him in purity and truth. The eternal Good News calls every nation to honor its Creator because the hour of judgment has come. Babylon's seductive power cannot last, and those who choose the beast's worship face God's unmixed wrath. The smoke rising forever and the absence of rest give that warning its terrible weight. Those who die in the Lord receive the rest denied to the beast's worshipers, with their works following as the fruit of faith. The sickles and wine press recall the prophets' picture of ripe evil meeting God's judgment. The Lamb who redeemed His people is also the crowned Son of Man before whom the earth reaches its harvest.

How does Revelation 14 show us that the Lamb redeemed a people for God, and that God calls every nation to worship Him, for judgment comes?

The Lamb's redeemed people bear His name and follow Him in holiness.

The one hundred forty-four thousand stand with the Lamb, bearing His name and His Father's name (verse 1). Only the redeemed can learn their new song (verse 3). John describes them as virgins, undefiled with women, who follow the Lamb wherever He goes (verse 4). The picture speaks of faithful devotion to Him, with no lie in their mouths and blameless standing (verses 4 and 5). As firstfruits to God and the Lamb, they are a people bought and set apart for Him.

God calls the nations to worship and announces Babylon's fall.

The angel proclaims eternal Good News to every nation, tribe, language and people (verse 6). Its commands are to fear the Lord, give Him glory and worship the Creator because judgment's hour has come (verse 7). The second angel announces Babylon's fall for making every nation drink the wine of her sexual immorality (verse 8).

The beast's worshipers face unending torment while those in the Lord rest.

Anyone worshiping the beast and its image and receiving its mark drinks God's unmixed wrath (verses 9 and 10). Torment with fire and sulfur comes before the holy angels and the Lamb (verse 10). Its smoke rises forever, and beast worshipers have no rest day or night (verse 11). Saints persevere in God's commandments and the faith of Jesus (verse 12). Those who die in the Lord are blessed, resting from labor while their works follow them (verse 13).

The Son of Man reaps the earth and God's wrath reaches its harvest.

The crowned Son of Man reaps the earth when the temple's messenger declares its harvest ripe (verses 14 to 16). Another angel gathers ripe grapes into the great wine press of God's wrath (verses 17 to 19). It is trodden outside the city, and blood reaches the horses' bridles for one thousand six hundred stadia (verse 20). The wine press pictures the terrible judgment that the prophets announced against rebellion.

Memorise

Fear the Lord, and give him glory; for the hour of his judgment has come.

Revelation 14:7

Looking to Jesus in my life

Ask yourself in your heart, where will I take my sin before God judges me?

On Mount Zion stood the Lamb. With Him was a people who had been redeemed, with the name of the Lamb and of His Father on their foreheads. Then an angel flew with an eternal Good News for every nation, tribe, language and people, crying, “Fear the Lord, and give him glory”. The angel said that the hour of God's judgment has come. Those who worship the beast will drink “the wine of the wrath of God”.

God is holy, and sin is serious. No sinner can pay for his own sin. Yet the Lamb stands on Mount Zion with a people He redeemed for God. He gave His life for them and bore the wrath their sins deserved. His blood is enough, and death could not keep Him. He rose, and He lives.

So hear the eternal Good News today. Fear the Lord, and give Him glory. Turn from your sin and put your trust in Jesus. He will welcome each sinner who comes to Him, and He will forgive that one. The Lamb still stands on Mount Zion, and His Good News goes out to every nation.

Parent's note

Tell your children that the Lamb redeemed a people for God, and that the Good News is for every nation. Call each child to turn from sin and trust Jesus, and pray that God would give them a new heart. Please do not tell them they are saved just because they grew up in a Christian home. Verses 9 to 11 and 14 to 20 speak of God's judgment, so please explain them plainly, with their full weight.

Pray together

Now please close your time together in prayer. Thank God for the Lamb who redeemed a people, and for the Good News that goes to every nation, and bring the heart question to Him. Every child can pray, so let each one say a short prayer if they want to.

Here is the perseverance of the saints, those who keep the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus.”

Revelation 14:12

Father, thank You for the Lamb who redeemed a people for You, and for the Good News that goes to every nation. Teach us to fear You and give You glory. Turn each of us from our sin to trust Jesus, and keep us listening to You this week. Amen.