The American Wisdom Series

Presents
Pamphlet #4676
 
 

Wow, could we ever make Dante's Inferno come alive with verse 11.


Revelation 14:1  ķAnd I looked, and, lo, a Lamb stood on the mount Sion, and with him an hundred forty and four thousand, having his Father's name written in their foreheads.
2  And I heard a voice from heaven, as the voice of many waters, and as the voice of a great thunder: and I heard the voice of harpers harping with their harps:
3  And they sung as it were a new song before the throne, and before the four beasts, and the elders: and no man could learn that song but the hundred and forty and four thousand, which were redeemed from the earth.
4  These are they which were not defiled with women; for they are virgins. These are they which follow the Lamb whithersoever he goeth. These were redeemed from among men, being the firstfruits unto God and to the Lamb.
5  And in their mouth was found no guile: for they are without fault before the throne of God.
6  ķAnd I saw another angel fly in the midst of heaven, having the everlasting gospel to preach unto them that dwell on the earth, and to every nation, and kindred, and tongue, and people,
7  Saying with a loud voice, Fear God, and give glory to him; for the hour of his judgment is come: and worship him that made heaven, and earth, and the sea, and the fountains of waters.
8  And there followed another angel, saying, Babylon is fallen, is fallen, that great city, because she made all nations drink of the wine of the wrath of her fornication.
9  And the third angel followed them, saying with a loud voice, If any man worship the beast and his image, and receive his mark in his forehead, or in his hand,
My highlghted verses:10  The same shall drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is poured out without mixture 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:
11  And the smoke of their torment ascendeth up for ever and ever: and they have no rest day nor night, who worship the beast and his image, and whosoever receiveth the mark of his name.

[10] The same shall drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is poured out without mixture 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:
Now I don't know about you, but I sometimes have difficulty with the way they spoke in 1611 England. The revisers help a little bit, but my brain isn't so formal and it has to put verses like these into words I can better relate to:
"And the 3rd angel followed the other 2 angels and said loud enough so everyone could hear him, 'If anyone participates with Satan's activities in any way shape or form, he's really going to 'get it' from our Father according to His Word, who will give it to him with the fire and brimstone paddle, right in front of everyone in total anguishing humiliation!"
Got it? Because if you want to make it more difficult than that, then you don't understand the simplicity of what is being said.

And by the way, the "cup of His indignation" is the same cup that Jesus desired could pass from Him in the garden. It was the cup of wrath to be poured out, not a cup of fear. Christ was never afraid to pay the price! He came for that express purpose.

11] And the smoke of their torment ascendeth up for ever and ever: and they have no rest day nor night, who worship the beast and his image, and whosoever receiveth the mark of his name.
Wow, could we ever make Dante's Inferno come alive with this verse.Go ahead, but let me ask you, are we actually talking about "smoke", which is the by-product of something that has been consumed by fire (which we just read they get from our Father in vs. 10, because He is a consuming fire, Heb. 12:29) and smoke does go up for ever and ever, or is it an analogy, a figure of speech? (Some of you probably get so hot and angry with me that smoke pours out of your ears.)

Anyway, here's verse 11 with some updated figures of speech:

"The aftermath of their punishment will reach to high heaven and they are going work their butts off (during the whole period of the Millennium.)"
Now think about it. This is the return of Jesus at His second advent, not the great white throne judgment and the second death which occurs AFTER the Millennium. We are now only at the very first day of the Millennium! And we just read in Rev. 14:6 that the "everlasting gospel" will be preached unto them that dwell on the earth, and to every nation, and kindred, and tongue, and people.  Well, part of that everlasting gospel is the love of God which entails not only chastisement but discipline as well.Yes, they will work their butts off during the Millennium and we will see when we get to chapter 20 that their judgment will be of their works and not of grace which we are afforded in this dispensation of flesh, which requires it!  They will be in spiritual bodies which don't have the lust and pulls of flesh.

12  Here is the patience of the saints: here are they that keep the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus.
13  ķAnd I heard a voice from heaven saying unto me, Write, Blessed are the dead which die in the Lord from henceforth: Yea, saith the Spirit, that they may rest from their labours; and their works do follow them.
14  And I looked, and behold a white cloud, and upon the cloud one sat like unto the Son of man, having on his head a golden crown, and in his hand a sharp sickle.
15  And another angel came out of the temple, crying with a loud voice to him that sat on the cloud, Thrust in thy sickle, and reap: for the time is come for thee to reap; for the harvest of the earth is ripe.
16  And he that sat on the cloud thrust in his sickle on the earth; and the earth was reaped.
17  And another angel came out of the temple which is in heaven, he also having a sharp sickle.
18  And another angel came out from the altar, which had power over fire; and cried with a loud cry to him that had the sharp sickle, saying, Thrust in thy sharp sickle, and gather the clusters of the vine of the earth; for her grapes are fully ripe.
19  And the angel thrust in his sickle into the earth, and gathered the vine of the earth, and cast it into the great winepress of the wrath of God.
20  And the winepress was trodden without the city, and blood came out of the winepress, even unto the horse bridles, by the space of a thousand and six hundred furlongs.
 
 


To study the Bible is the noblest of all pursuits; to understand it, the highest of all goals.
We pray that with the guidance of the Holy Spirit, you accomplish both.

This "American Wisdom Series" pamphlet

is.

Published by:

Rhine Publishing Co.
E-mail address - americanwisdomseries@verizon.net

If you would like to have your essay published
as part of the American Wisdom Series
submit your manuscript to Rhine Publishing Co
at the address above for consideration.

Click Here to Return to "The American Wisdom Series" home page.