Outline of Revelation 14 ‘The great shaking of the Church’
‘When we . . . understand what the book of Revelation means to us, there will be seen among us a great revival.’ As the messages including the true gospel are accepted and rejected by people in the church and people of the world there is a great movement in either direction and this is known as the shaking.
As the events of Revelation 13 press the heart and soul of the church it does a refining process as under such circumstances only the genuine remain. Persecution will refine the church at a time when buy and selling will cease except as the world one accepts the mark of the beast.
Which church is shaken? God’s church. Which is God’s church? Revelation tell us ‘Here are they that keep the commandments of God and have the faith of Jesus. The Sabbath- the seventh day is a sign of the true church. Very simple directive of God given to his people.
One of the most important events in history is the shaking of the church which starts with doctrine or teachings separating the church into groups and then the movement of groups to join the world and from the world to join the church at a time of great persecution as described in Revelation 13. Revelation 13 is a testing time for the church of God.
The church may appear as about to fall, but it does not fall. It remains, while the sinners in Zion will be sifted out–the chaff separated from the precious wheat. This is a terrible ordeal, but nevertheless it must take place.–2SM 380 (1886). {LDE 180.5}
As the storm approaches, a large class who have professed faith in the third angel’s message, but have not been sanctified through obedience to the truth, abandon their position and join the ranks of the opposition.–GC 608 (1911). {LDE 180.6}
The conclusion or summary of a glorious outcome is found at the start of the Chapter 14, that is 144,000 redeemed amongst men standing with Christ having been translated from heaven without seeing death.
This special group translated at the end of time are found faithful at the second coming to the commandments of God. They live through the time described in Daniel 12:1-4 in which Michael stands up, his ministry is finished and he come to receive His people. Intercession is finished and Christ takes off His priestly robes and now returns as Lord and King. At the end of the world’s history when Lucifer appears to conquer, the appear to about to triumph, the Lord comes to make an end of sin and the wicked are destroyed with the brightness of His coming.
But how did this privileged group who follows Christ wherever He goes in the King’s court arrive at such a privileged place and status?
The answer lies in the chapter in the verses that follow the summary of Revelation 14.
Three angels are seen flying in the heavens the first carrying the everlasting gospel. The gospel is a relationship with Father as Christ had with the Father- this unity is copying the master pattern.
The unravelling of what the gospel is controversial and has found division amongst Christians from the beginning of the church and again in this time.
The human and divine nature of Christ which we are to receive- the humanity of Christ is everything to us. Perfection of Christ and the perfection of His followers is a matter worth striving for. Many have rejected the humanity of Christ saying that He was someone altogether different from us and we cannot follow Him perfectly. They strive not and they reject the work of character building that is given them to do.
The Godhead- that which was disputed in the Council of Nicaea is again a controverted issue. This is a full circle to the beginning of the Church roots. The key is in the details of Christ’s own words and issue is that which Lucifer himself disputed.
Inspiration and the Holy word of God which is really inspired and which is a product of human tampering.
The gospel is in fact not the same across all churches and when Christ preached it, He ran into opposition quickly
‘Many will get above the simplicity of the work. They will conform to the world, cherish idols, and become spiritually dead. The humble, self-sacrificing followers of Jesus will pass on to perfection, leaving behind the indifferent and lovers of the world.’
The second angel makes a clear distinction between the mark of the God or the gospel of Christ and the gospel of apostate Christianity. One is to declare the marked distinction and fence sitters fall into the camp of the enemy. Come out of Babylon. This is presented particularly at the time when there is a worldwide decree that one should not buy or sell except they receive the mark of the beast. In Revelation 13 as in 14 the conclusion is given at the beginning of the chapter in which the work of two beasts is to bring about a false Christ- the antichrist to be worshiped as the Son of God but it is Lucifer the god of this world mascaraed as the Messiah working miracles to deceive. The test is as the image in the plain of Dura in which Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego refused to bow down and they were thrown into the furnace.
Warning and judgment and punishment follow in the message of the third angel. The three angels actually represent the work of God’s people in cooperation with the angels of heaven as Christ worked when on earth by the assistance of unseen heavenly agencies.
Our people have been regarded as too insignificant to be worthy of notice; but a change will come. The Christian world is now making movements which will necessarily bring commandment-keeping people into prominence. There is a constant supplanting of God’s truth by the theories and false doctrines of human origin. Movements are being set on foot to enslave the consciences of those who would be loyal to God. The law-making powers will be against God’s people. Every soul will be tested.–Testimonies, vol. 5, p. 546. {ChS 155.3}
The effect on the church of God and to the world as they make a decision for or against the truth is a tremendous shaking ‘In vision I saw two armies in terrible conflict. One army was led by banners bearing the world’s insignia; the other was led by the blood-stained banner of Prince Emmanuel. Standard after standard was left to trail in the dust, as company after company from the Lord’s army joined the foe, and tribe after tribe from the ranks of the enemy united with the commandment-keeping people of God. An angel flying in the midst of heaven put the standard of Emmanuel into many hands, while a mighty general cried out with a loud voice: “Come into line. Let those who are loyal to the commandments of God and the testimony of Christ now take their position. Come out from among them, and be ye separate, and touch not the unclean, and I will receive you, and will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be My sons and daughters. Let all who will, come up to the help of the Lord, to the help of the Lord against the mighty.” {CET 228.1}
The battle raged. Victory alternated from side to side.”
Revelation 14:14 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.
14:19 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.
14:20 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.