Revelation Ch14, Lesson 19 God's People and the Harvest in the Earth

Why does God view sin so seriously?We tend to greatly undermine the things God considers with enormous seriousness. We see sin in small size snapshots related to our temporal existence. God sees it in view of sin's longterm, eternal view- when its pernicious size and impact grows and spills over in complex ways into all His good Creation. Sin defies God, and seeks to desecrate, destroy, and distort the image and beauty of God at every opportunity. It damages the humanity that God loves and seeks to rescue. God's love necessitates wrath against the pain, wounds, and violence of sin's pernicious dynamic. Revelation 14 describes the demonic empire of the beast which comes under the judgment of God and the testimony of special witnesses to God's saving grace.I. Saved for Worship (14:1-5)A. Worshipful Rejoicing marks our testimony (14:1-3)B. Worshipful Sanctification marks our witness (14:4-5)Principle: Following the Lamb of God means completely identifying and submitting our lives to the Gospel of the Lamb.II. Saved from Judgment (14:6-20)A. Eternal Future Judgment Proclaimed (14:6-13)B. Eternal Future Judgment Mobilized (14:14-20)Principle: Only those secured by the Lamb will escape the meltdown of the rebellious empire and God’s judgment