Revelation: The Terrible and the Good - Pt 7
Revelation: The Terrible and the Good - Pt 7
By Stephen Bennett
(Rev: Chapter 14) Feb 1 / 2022
I John, lay on my back in the throne room looking up at the constellations and billions of stars. My thoughts race… I’m nearly 100 years old and I’m in heaven writing a book, with a pen that seems to have its own mind; how beautiful, how crazy. The throne room was quiet for a while, since we saw the ugly beasts and all the mayhem on earth, with people forced into an evil system to live, survive, and not be killed. It all seems so far removed from home in Israel and the beautiful shores of Patmos. But here I am… and I just realised, I’m really hungry. It feels like I’ve been here for weeks, but it may be a moment, I don’t know… but… I am now super hungry.
Suddenly, I hear a loud clunk and a flap of giant feathers; I turn my head and there it is. Food; a whole table full. I stand, and walk over to the aromas of freshness. Bowls of square coloured flakes, like bread, but not, maybe angel food, hmm… the munchies growl within me… I eat and eat, thanking the Lord. I drink from a gold chalice in a basin, overflowing with blue misty liquid, so delicious! I feel restored.
The evils I’ve seen, are far away now; it is wearying, but my state of mind is a lot better. I feel comfort, cared for, goodness and love, and the deep desire to stay here forever. Then, from some distance, I hear the marching feet of thousands singing a song. I leave the table, grab the writing stick and parchments from the floor, and get ready. Heaven is on the move again…
The Pure Ones
‘Then I looked, and behold a Lamb standing on Mt Zion, and with Him one hundred and forty-four thousand, having His Father’s name written on their foreheads.’ (Rev 14:1). It is the same 144,000 I had seen previously (Rev 7:4). This time the vision seems further in the future on earth, in our city Jerusalem on Mt Zion. They were safe and very cared for by the Lord. Again, another super loud voice, like waterfalls and thunder rolled into one, made a big music pronouncement. Thousands of harps and voices were singing a song, so different to what I’ve heard; tap-your-toe-happy, youthful, and brand new, that only this 144,000 sang. It was on earth, but also now echoing in the throne room all at once. They’d written a joyful end-time proclamation song of redemption, victory and praise. The creatures and the elders didn’t know it, they preferred hymns, and just listened with happy grace at the salvation of so many (Rev 14:2-3).
Collectively, this 144,000 company is the virgin of Israel, part of the Lord’s chaste bride (2 Corinthians 11:2), redeemed for now. Incredibly, they are all virgins, how is that even possible. They follow Jesus everywhere, separated to Him; without guile or fault ‘before the throne of God,’ redeemed from the earth ‘among men, being first fruits to God and to the Lamb’ (Rev 14:4-5). They represent the testimony of believers in Jesus, who live with no compromise; in purity, without blame, blemish, spot or wrinkle in God’s love (Eph 1:4, 5:27, 1 Peter 1:19). Holy without reproach (Col 1:22), faultless, with a clear conscience (Heb 9:14, Jude 24).
It is said these are the redeemed of Israel from the great troubles at the end, and from all accounts no doubt, there are thousands that will be. But I looked at the 144,000 singing free, making my heart melt. I see them as grown-ups, but… they all shine an innocence with the youth of children, never tainted by the evil’s of the world. It is also rumoured, they’re Jesus’s best kept secret; a surprise celebration breaker for the end-times, that He’d personally curated for over 2000 years. The resurrected children who were killed by king Herod when Jesus was a baby (Matt 2:13-18). His own redeemed first-fruits, who now ‘declare His generation,’ who were ‘cut off from the land of the living’ (Isaiah 53:8), killed because of Him.
Like a loving Lord and Father, He now honours their deaths, bringing them all back to life in the tribulation (Jeremiah 31:17). The slain children, who ‘come from the four winds,’ ‘cut off’ as kids, now ‘an exceedingly great army,’ of 144,000 in these end days; ‘the whole house of Israel’ (Ezekiel 37:9-11). They are held in the four winds by the angels, waiting to be sealed (Rev 7:1), a beautiful story. I know my Jesus would do something wonderful like that, and I John want to believe it’s all true.
The Proclaiming Angels
The proclamation song was super loud, truly uplifting, memorable and joyous. ‘Then I saw another angel flying in the midst of heaven, having the everlasting gospel to preach’ (Rev 14:6). I was excited to see a real preacher angel with a loud voice (no quiet ones to date). It was the first proclamation after the 144,000 song service. He declared, “Fear God and give glory to Him, for the hour of His judgment has come, and worship Him who made heaven and earth, the sea and springs of water” (Rev 14:7). This is ageless prophecy for the whole earth, before Jesus returns; there is an end, He will judge, and He actually did create everything. All who are listening to my words; you must get ready.
No sooner had I wrote this down, I looked up and ‘another angel followed, saying, “Babylon is fallen, is fallen, that great city, because she had made all nations drink of the wine of the wrath of her fornication.” (Rev 14:8, 17:5). These angels were flying in mid-heaven and their proclamation’s had intense urgency. This second declaration is against spiritual corruption and apostasy that exists in the world, especially through the tribulation, and God will judge it in His own wrath (Rev 14:10, 17:2). As Babylon of old falls in Iraq, so also the world system as we know it will finish. ‘Oh I hear those voices again… “God doesn’t judge!” Sorry… you are wrong!’
Then in quick succession a third angel flew in, with a loud piercing eagle like voice, shouting, “If anyone worships the beast and his image, and receives his mark on his forehead or on his hand, he himself shall also drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is poured out full strength into the cup of His indignation. And he shall be tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of the holy angels and in the presence of the Lamb” (Rev 14:9-10, 13:17). The wrath-wine of God isn’t mixed with grace and mercy; it is too late. I know Jesus is very sad at this pain…
Contemplating these things, I realised how imperative it was, that all peoples understand the severity of what the world system is becoming, and its ultimate end. We know the prophets Isaiah, Jeremiah and Ezekiel spoke of the Lord’s indignation down through history against His enemies, and also Daniel of the end-times. “For the indignation of the Lord is against all nations” (Isa 34:2). “The Lord has opened His armory, and has brought out the weapons of His indignation” (Jer 50:25) “Therefore I have poured out My indignation on them” (Ez 22:31). “I am making known to you what shall happen in the latter time of the indignation; for at the appointed time the end shall be.” (Dan 8:19).
I’m a love guy; it’s hard to think of God this way…but, I’ve now actually witnessed this full strength indignation… It’s that side of Him where His total anger, and annoyance of everything that is unfair and unjust is unleashed at the end of days. This time is for complete judgement; everything will change, evil is no longer allowed or tolerated, and the Lord Jesus takes His full reign with us, as we transition into our eternal future with Him. Taking the easy way out, by worshipping the beast, receiving the trading mark in your body, and living continually in compliance to the world’s ways, is full-strength-heavy; not good! This outcome will only take people to hell (gehenna), an eternity without God forever!
Imagine all the people… living without peace in eternity; there’s a hell and also a heaven, as I am here right now. But, imagine living with a burning torment so intense, it produces ascending smoke day and night ‘forever and ever,’ and worst of all there is never any rest, ever (Rev 14:11)! We cannot be glib. It seems inconceivable, but the truth of the theatre script narrative of this unfolding Bible story cannot be brushed aside by popular opinions like, “I don’t think God is like that.” Know this, Jesus ‘desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth’ (1 Tim 2:4).
The third proclamation angel finished his damning message; as he flew off I put down my writing stick, and the warm firm voice of Holy Spirit, spoke to me directly from heaven. It’s an important tribulation message from God, for the believers that are still on earth at the end; to be patient, ‘who keep the commandments of God and the faith of Jesus.’ Who are not embroiled in the world’s stresses and end-time anxieties, which requires great enduring strength (Matt 24:13). His voice said to me, “Write… (I picked up my writing stick and dictated the following), “Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord from now on.” “Yes,” says the Spirit, “that they may rest from their labor, and their works follow them.” (Rev 14:12-13).
I John, paused my scribing, and reflected on the contrast of this moment, how great a suffering will come to those that go against God. But for the believer, whether they lived or died as martyrs, or went into hiding in the tribulation, rest will be theirs; a reward for their faith and work in Jesus, will one day find them. I sat there thinking, that an eternity without rest and peace would be awful. “For we who have believed do enter that rest” (Hebrews 4:3). Sadly, not for those who yield to the world.
The Good Harvest from the Puffy White Cloud
In the massive throne room, left of the universe landscape doorway, is a gigantic area where things appear or are set up, that convey to me part of the narrative of this wondrous journey in space. I guess you could say I am now ‘Spaceman John’ haha …whatever that means. Anyway… a huge puffy white cloud floated into the set up space. I couldn’t see the Lamb covered in blood on the throne anymore, as He now sat on top of the cloud, as I knew Him on earth; Jesus, Son of Man. I’d seen these clouds with Him before (Mark 9:7) and the Lord on a donkey ride in Jerusalem (John 12:14), but this cloud ride was next level eccentric and wonderfully creative (Psalm 104:3, Mark 14:62). In the details I saw ‘on His head a golden crown, and in His hand a sharp sickle’ (Rev 14:14).
As with King Jesus’s crown, the sickle gleamed gold and is slice sharp, like ready for wheat fields of harvest by the sea of Galilee, near where I used to fish. I wondered what He was going to do with it. I then heard a noise behind me and a large angel came out of heaven’s temple; he opened his mouth, and again his voice is crazy loud and boomy, making things shake. This angel had a prophetic command for the Son of Man, for the urgency of judgement, as everything is dripping ripe, and the harvest timing is now perfect. ’Crying with a loud voice to Him who sat on the cloud, “Thrust in Your sickle and reap, for the time has come for You to reap, for the harvest of the earth is ripe” (Rev 14:15).
Jesus as the Son of Man, had the ‘first action honour’ of harvesting the end-time souls of His saints in the earth, to ‘gather the wheat into my barns.’ (Matt 13:30). The honour was like a builder, turning the first sod of dirt on his property before the big build. Jesus already had the authority given to Him by the Father, ‘who committed all judgement to the Son,’ ‘to execute judgment also, because He is the Son of Man.’ (John 5:22,27). The Lord had much help from the angel reapers on earth (Matt 13:30), but what I saw had incredible drama in this theatre of visions.
I watched Him stand up on the cloud like He was on a large puffy boat, lean over the edge, and thrust the sickle downward through the universe gateway. The sickle seemed to expand all the way down to the earth. It was bright gold and now tens of thousands of miles long. Gliding at great speed, dancing over the earth, slicing, reaping, and releasing the reaper angels to gather His people. The ‘vintage of righteousness,’ ‘the righteous will shine forth as the sun in the kingdom of their Father,’ (Matt 13:43).
(Now click this link, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uPxZtBxMUhY for the song Look Out by Stephen Bennett, blog author). Sons of Thunder.
Reaping the Grapes of Wrath
The moment was followed by an angel from heaven’s temple, with his own sharp sickle of judgement; then another angel came from the altar, who had power over fire. This second angel had the response to believers prayers for judgment; for the final purge of wickedness, corruption and apostasy on earth. He cried out very loudly this command; for the first angel to thrust his sickle down to earth and gather the clusters of the vine of the earth, for her grapes are fully ripe” (Rev 14:17-18). The angel did this and threw the grapes into the fierceness of ‘the great winepress of the wrath of God.’ (Rev 14:19, 19:15). These are the ‘vintage of wrath,’ the tares on earth,“The enemy who sowed them is the devil, the harvest is the end of the age, and the reapers are the angels” (Matt 13:39).
The Terrible Winepress Trample
Jesus said, ‘I am the true vine… If anyone does not abide in Me, he is cast out as a branch and is withered; and they gather them and throw them into the fire, and they are burned.’ (John 15:1,6). “Therefore as the tares are gathered and burned in the fire, so it will be at the end of this age. The Son of Man will send out His angels, and they will gather out of the kingdom all things that offend, and those that practice lawlessness, and will cast them into the furnace of fire. There will be wailing and gnashing of teeth” (Matt 13:40-42).
‘And the winepress was trampled out-side the city, and blood came out of the winepress, up to the horse bridles, for one thousand six hundred furlongs.’ (Rev 14:20, 19:15). This is the ultimate judgement of King Jesus Christ of the wicked on earth, before His second coming. He is actually the great winepress, where the grapes are thrown, trodden, and He ‘trampled them in My fury’ (Isaiah 63:3). The human devastation is so great, blood spurts out from millions of bodies, to make a sea of red around ten feet high in a 200 mile area outside and around the city of Jerusalem. Under that judgement press, and in the valley of Armageddon, are the many armies also gathered for battle against the Lord Jesus Christ; where much blood is shed at the end of the tribulation, just prior to the time of His return to earth when he judge’s the nations (Rev 16:16).
The scene of the puffy white cloud left of the universe landscape doorway faded away. The Son of Man was again the Lamb on His throne but He was now shining with the full brightness of His glory. On his lap was a well used leather bound book of notes and music; He apparently had been writing a song…
I John, want to say to all of you in the future. You live in an hour of grace and mercy, but the time of the Gentiles has a definite end, and time is very short (Luke 21:24). Now, whether you understand, or like it or not, the God who created and owns us all, will ultimately judge all of mankind on earth. It is your greatest human dilemma; not the climate, the oceans or all of nature, or trying to escape to live on another planet. The urgency is this: God still invites you to trust in His Son Jesus Christ, to receive the grace of God and be saved from all the troubles, sorrows, anguish, and pestilence facing this generation. If you want to yield your heart to Jesus, I encourage you to sincerely pray the prayer below. I’m praying for you, love John…
(Now click this link, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UAZhzpNiJbg for the song The Blood by Stephen Bennett, blog author).
‘For He is kind to the unthankful and evil. Therefore be merciful, just as your Father also is merciful’ Luke 6:35-36.“But the end of all things is at hand; therefore be serious and watchful in your prayers” 1 Peter 4:7.
‘He (Jesus) who testifies to these things says,“Surely I am coming quickly.” Amen. Even so, come, Lord Jesus.”’ Rev 22:20.
‘And He (Jesus) said to them, “He who has ears to hear, let him hear!” Mark 4:9.
By Stephen Bennett 01/02/2022
Author - Prophet Musician - As I have Called You
https://store.bookbaby.com/book/Prophet-Musician
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https://store.bookbaby.com/book/The-Poetry-Packages.
https://store.bookbaby.com/book/Prepare-and-Arise
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Photo by Lasseter Winery on Unsplash
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NOTE: Now go to Revelation - The Terrible and the Good Pt 8. This series of blogs on the book of Revelation, will continue up to 15 parts, soon to be released - Pt 8, the prelude song to the final wrath bowl judgements, ‘Great and Marvellous.’ endtimewriters.com
PRAYER OF FAITH: The Call to give your life to Jesus Christ.
No matter where you are in your Christian walk, Jesus is with you; in your triumphs and trials, to the end! If you have never known God; know this;
“Lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the world (ages)” Amen’ Matthew 28:20. ’But he who endures to the end shall be saved. And the gospel of the kingdom will be preached in all the world as a witness to all the nations, and then the end will come’ Matthew 24:13-14.
Pray this prayer from your heart and your spirit will come alive to God, for with him there is hope and a future (Jeremiah 29:11).
“My Father in heaven, I give you my life, I repent of all my sin, recreate me brand new. I give you my heart. Fill me Lord Jesus Christ with Your Holy Spirit. I believe You died for me on the cross, and by Your shed blood, you washed away my sins once and for all. Raise me from my deadness of my life to live a new life, just like you Jesus, when you were raised from the dead; I believe you did that. Make my spirit reborn, and let me come alive as well, filled with Your Holy Spirit.”
“I believe I belong to you Lord. Help me to know you well, teach me Your ways, that I become all that I am meant to be. Help me to love and find love. I thank you Lord that you will always be with me.”
If you have genuinely prayed this prayer to Jesus Christ, in your seeking of God, or you’re coming back to Him, DM instagram or FB or email. Talk to other Christians you may know, and seek to find a Church where you can grow.
(Click-link, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qHZiIah2glY for the song 23 by Stephen Bennett, blog author. (From Psalm 23 to minister peace and hope to you).
Best and Blessings - ETW
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