Revelation 14:6 – Revelation 15:6

The Close of Mercy and the Seven Last Plagues
_________________________

page l 1 l 2 l 3 l 4 l 5 l 6 l

-3-

Number 35:26   “’But if the accused ever goes outside the limits of the city of refuge to which he has fled

 

Numbers 35:27   and the avenger of blood finds him outside the city, the avenger of blood may kill the accused without being guilty of murder.”

 

The language and imagery used for the cities of refuge represents Jesus. As long as the sinner is in Christ, he is not under the condemnation of the law. If a sinner ventures outside the city (Jesus), he can be killed by the next of kin without guilt because of his sin.

 

>>Dying in our place as a sinner, Jesus was crucified outside the city.

 

>>The wicked will die outside the holy city (8^th city of refuge) at the end of the 1,000 years.

 

>>Thus, the wicked will be trampled “outside the city” after the door of mercy has been closed.

 

Look at this text:

Revelation 14:15   Then another angel came out of the templeand called in a loud voice to him who was sitting on the cloud, “Take your sickle and reap, because the time to reap has come, for the harvest of the earth is ripe.”

 

What does this mean?

 

Do you remember how “Plan A” would have been implemented upon the nations if Israel had been faithful and kept the covenant? (We examined this concept at length in my studies on Ezekiel and the audiotape series, “Shadows of God.”)

 

Notice the use of language in Plan A:

 

Joel 3:12   ‘Let the nations be roused; let them advance into the Valley of Jehoshephat, for there I will sit to judge all the nations on every side.

 

Joel 3:13   Swing the sickle, for the harvest is ripe, come trample the grapes. For the winepress is full and the vats overflow – so great is their wickedness!’

 

Joel 3:14   Multitudes, multitudes in the valley of decision! For the day of the Lord is near in the valley of decision.

 

Joel 3:15   The sun and moon will be darkened, and the stars no longer shine.

 

Joel 3:16   The Lord will roar from Zion and thunder from Jerusalem; the earth and the sky will tremble. But the Lord will be a refuge for his people, a stronghold for the people of Israel.”

 

Look again at verse 13:

 

Joel 3:13   Swing the sickle, for the harvest is ripe. Come, trample the grapes, for the winepress is full and the vats overflow – so great is their wickedness!’

 

Here’s the end-time scenario:

At the end of the 1,260 days, one of the seven angels’ will come out of the temple and he will relay this command to Jesus to swing His sickle over the Earth because the harvest is ripe (ready).

 

The Father sends this command to Jesus through an angel because the Father is totally satisfied that everything that could be done to save mankind has been done.

 

Because the Father gives the command “swing the sickle,” there is no conflict of interest for Jesuswho still mediates on behalf of sinners. In other words, our Mediator does not terminate salvation’s offer. The Father does this.

 

Consider this:

I have wondered if this event could explain where the days of tribulation is “cut short?” In other words, it is possible that during the Great Tribulation the Father could search out the hearts of every person on Earth and He finds that everyone has made a firm decision, so He sends the message to Jesus telling Him to swing the sickle and close the door of mercy before the 1,260^th day is reached? Yes, this is possible.   

 

If this did occur, the martyrdom under the fifth seal would be cut short and the seven bowls could be poured out and this transaction would shorten the Great Tribulation by several days.

 

Of course, I can’t say it will happen this way. We will have to wait and see just how this plays out. The point though is that Jesus swings the sickle when He is instructed to do so and the door of mercy closes.

 

Then, one of the seven angel’s that stands before God is told to gather a sickle and gather up all the grapes and put them in the winepress of God’s wrath. This language is rather easy to understand.

 

The grapes represent the wicked. The winepress represents God’s wrath in the seven last plagues. The amount of grapes gathered up will be so great that the blood of the grapes will flow about 4 feet deep – for 200 miles – a river almost identical in size to the Jordan river.

 

The seven last plagues are called seven bowls or seven vials (cups) because the wicked will be forced to drink and swallow the wrath of God.

 

Now we will come to the last verses of this prophecy:

 

Revelation 15:1   I saw in heaven another great and marvelous sign: seven angels with the seven last plagues – last, because with them God’s wrath is completed.

 

Revelation 15:2   And I saw what looked like a sea of glass mixed with fire [sparkling like diamonds] and, standing beside the sea, those who had been victorious over the beast and his image and over the number of his name. [the 144,000 are in Heaven at this time] They held harps given them by God.

 

Revelation 15:3   and sang the song of Moses the servant of God and the song of the Lamb: “Great and marvelous are your deeds, Lord God Almighty. Just and true are your ways, King of the ages.

 

Revelation 15:4   Who will not fear you, O Lord, and bring glory to your name? For you alone are holy. All the nations will come and worship before you, for your righteous acts have been revealed.” [The 144,000 resurrected martyrs sing this song at the time of the 7th trumpet.  They know the seven bowls are about to be poured out and they sing this song of Moses that declares the wrath of God is justifiable.]

 

Revelation 15:5   After this I looked and in Heaven the temple, that is, the tabernacle [ark] of the Testimony [the ark of the covenant], was opened  [see Revelation 11:19]

 

Revelation 15:6   Out of the temple came the seven angels with the seven plagues. They were dressed in clean, shining linen and wore golden sashes around their chests.” [Dressed according to their exceeding high rank for this royal occasion.]

 

These seven angels’ will now torture the wicked who have been righteously judged and eternally sealed. Time has come for God’s justice to be served.

page l 1 l 2 l 3 l 4 l 5 l 6 l

-3-

[TOP]