IIT UBF - University Bible Fellowship at IIT

Daily Bread

The Harvest Day

Date: Dec. 16, 2018

Passage

Revelation 14:1-20 (ESV)

Then I looked, and behold, on Mount Zion stood the Lamb, and with him 144,000 who had his name and his Father’s name written on their foreheads. And I heard a voice from heaven like the roar of many waters and like the sound of loud thunder. The voice I heard was like the sound of harpists playing on their harps, and they were singing a new song before the throne and before the four living creatures and before the elders. No one could learn that song except the 144,000 who had been redeemed from the earth. It is these who have not defiled themselves with women, for they are virgins. It is these who follow the Lamb wherever he goes. These have been redeemed from mankind as firstfruits for God and the Lamb, and in their mouth no lie was found, for they are blameless.

Then I saw another angel flying directly overhead, with an eternal gospel to proclaim to those who dwell on earth, to every nation and tribe and language and people. And he said with a loud voice, “Fear God and give him glory, because the hour of his judgment has come, and worship him who made heaven and earth, the sea and the springs of water.”

Another angel, a second, followed, saying, “Fallen, fallen is Babylon the great, she who made all nations drink the wine of the passion of her sexual immorality.”

And another angel, a third, followed them, saying with a loud voice, “If anyone worships the beast and its image and receives a mark on his forehead or on his hand, 10 he also will drink the wine of God’s wrath, poured full strength into the cup of his anger, and he will be tormented with fire and sulfur in the presence of the holy angels and in the presence of the Lamb. 11 And the smoke of their torment goes up forever and ever, and they have no rest, day or night, these worshipers of the beast and its image, and whoever receives the mark of its name.”

12 Here is a call for the endurance of the saints, those who keep the commandments of God and their faith in Jesus.

13 And I heard a voice from heaven saying, “Write this: Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord from now on.” “Blessed indeed,” says the Spirit, “that they may rest from their labors, for their deeds follow them!”

14 Then I looked, and behold, a white cloud, and seated on the cloud one like a son of man, with a golden crown on his head, and a sharp sickle in his hand. 15 And another angel came out of the temple, calling with a loud voice to him who sat on the cloud, “Put in your sickle, and reap, for the hour to reap has come, for the harvest of the earth is fully ripe.” 16 So he who sat on the cloud swung his sickle across the earth, and the earth was reaped.

17 Then another angel came out of the temple in heaven, and he too had a sharp sickle. 18 And another angel came out from the altar, the angel who has authority over the fire, and he called with a loud voice to the one who had the sharp sickle, “Put in your sickle and gather the clusters from the vine of the earth, for its grapes are ripe.” 19 So the angel swung his sickle across the earth and gathered the grape harvest of the earth and threw it into the great winepress of the wrath of God. 20 And the winepress was trodden outside the city, and blood flowed from the winepress, as high as a horse’s bridle, for 1,600 stadia.

Daily Bread

Key Verse: 14:3

and they were singing a new song before the throne and before the four living creatures and before the elders. No one could learn that song except the 144,000 who had been redeemed from the earth.

1. The Lamb and 144,000 (1-13)

Look! How victorious a picture it is! The Lamb, standing on Mount Zion, with 144,000 who have his name and God's name on their foreheads! They sang a new song no one could learn except the redeemed. They did not defile themselves with idols. They followed the Lamb wherever he went. They were purchased by the Lamb. They were the firstfruits to God and the Lamb! Then an angel still proclaimed the eternal gospel to every nation, tribe, language and people in a loud voice to repent and believe in the creator God and be saved from the final judgment. Two other angels proclaimed judgment for those who follow the beast with its mark to the end. They will be tormented eternally in burning sulfur and fire. God showed the victory of believers and the judgment of the ungodly in advance so that the people of God may patiently endure all hardships even to the point of death.

2. The harvest (14-20)

Jesus himself harvested all his followers carefully with a sharp sickle in his hand. But for the judgment of the unbelievers an angel gathered all the grapes to be judged. They were trampled into the great winepress of God's wrath.

Prayer: Prayer: Lord, thank you for showing the glorious final victory in Jesus. Help us have patient endurance until the final judgment with the hope of singing new songs before you with shouts of victory!

One Word: Eternal Salvation or eternal judgment?

Daily Bread

Jacob Becomes Exceedingly Wealthy

Genesis 30:25-43

Key Verse: 30:43

Thus the man increased greatly and had large flocks, female servants and male servants, and camels and donkeys.

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