Time’s Up

Wk 17 “Choose your Mark”

Revelation 14

Oct 1 2023

Darin Elquist

Message Notes

Revelation 14:1-5

Mt Zion-

Elevation 2510’

Location Jerusalem

Har Yehuda Mountain Range

Mt. Zion is a real place, first it was used to describe the City of David, then the Temple Mount. Now it’s a hill on Ancient Jerusalem’s western side.

Characteristics of the 144,000

Sexually Pure

Follow Jesus Without Hesitation

They are Honest

They are Blameless

Revelation 14:6-13

Three Angels and Four Announcements

First Announcement- The Gospel

Revelation 14:6-7
⁶ 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. ⁷ 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.”

3 Things that Stand Out about The Gospel

1. The Gospel is Eternal (v. 5)
2. The Gospel is Universal (v. 6)
3. The Gospel’s Focus is the Living God (v. 7)

Second Announcement- Judgement

Revelation 14:8
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.”

Third Announcement- Doom (Vs 9-11)

Doom-

Death, destruction, or some other terrible fate.

Revelation 14:9-11
⁹ 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. ¹¹ 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 third angel pronounces judgement on all those who refuse to believe in God. Those who reject Jesus will follow the deception of the beast.

Matthew 12:30
³⁰ “Whoever is not with me is against me, and whoever does not gather with me scatters.

Revelation 3:16
¹⁶ So, because you are lukewarm—neither hot nor cold—I am about to spit you out of my mouth.

Revelation 13:16
¹⁶ It also forced all people, great and small, rich and poor, free and slave, to receive a mark on their right hands or on their foreheads,

There are Two Marks Written About in this Chapter

1. The Mark of God (Good Mark) (Rev 14:1)
2. The Mark of The Beast (Bad Mark) (Rev 14:9, 11)

Fourth Announcement- Blessing

Hope in the Darkness

Revelation 14:12-13
¹² This calls for patient endurance on the part of the people of God who keep his commands and remain faithful to Jesus.
¹³ Then I heard a voice from heaven say, “Write this: Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord from now on.”
“Yes,” says the Spirit, “they will rest from their labor, for their deeds will follow them.”

Questions to Ask Yourself

Is your lifestyle an unspoken testimony of God’s grace in your life?

Do you live your life above reproach? In relationships, in business, when you’re at a restaurant and you get bad service?

Are you obedient to Jesus and the whole of the Bible? Or do you pick and choose when to follow Jesus and what to believe from the Bible?

How do you speak to people? In your home, at your job, at the store… do you treat people with kindness and caring? Or do you treat them with indifference?

Those who are the most effective witnesses for God are those who are not only saved, but sealed, and walking in faith. Those who are willing to be lights in a dark world.

Which mark is on your heart?

1. Recount the events in the book so far with the group:

• Chapter 1-Discuss what the divine outline is in Revelation 1:19.

• Chapter 2&3-Can you name any of the churches and the compliments or issues they were given?

• Chapter 4&5

• Chapter 6-18-Discuss what the 3 sets of judgements are

• Chapter 7-How many witnesses? Who are they?

• Chapter 10-12-How many witnesses? Who are they?

• Chapter 13-Discuss who the two beasts are and what they will do.

2. Read Revelation 14:1-5, who do you think these 144,000 are?  What does it mean that they are blameless?

3. Read Revelation 14:6-13, what does it mean to fear God? What is the mark that is referenced? Will the mark be accidental or chosen by those who accept it?  What will happen to those who take the mark?  Does it sound like people are able to be saved after taking the mark?  What does it mean to “die in the Lord”?

4. What does “gospel” mean?

5. What is meant by “Babylon the Great”? What is the “maddening wine of her adulteries”?

6. If someone told you they believe in God and the Bible, but they don’t believe in the devil, how would you respond to their statement?

7. If you had to summarize this chapter in a sentence or two, how would you summarize it?

8. If you had to summarize the book of Revelation in a sentence or two, how would you summarize it?

9. Darin pointed out that time is running out. Every day is another day closer to the end.  This book highlights what happens at the end and the terrible things that accompany judgment.  Have you been on the fence about your own relationship with God?  Maybe there are some things that you’ve allowed to continue that God is clear He does not approve of?  Would you consider asking God for forgiveness and repenting of those sins today?  Reach out to God directly in prayer and ask for forgiveness.

For extra credit read verses 14-20 on your own to discuss at the next small group meeting