Day 88: Revelation 13-15. More Worship, More Warnings

In Chapter 13, there are two beasts -- one from the sea, and one from the land.  The first beast leads many astray, and the second beast persecutes many.  From the second beast comes the famous mark -- "666".

It's worth mentioning that number "666", since so many people refer to it.  Some people try to read it as a code, and think that it might refer to a specific evil person.  Other point out that in Hebrew, numbers have meaning (for example 7 is the number of perfection, 3 represents completeness, and four is the number of the earth).  So 6 is one short of a perfect 7, and 666 might just mean "perfect evil."

Again, in Chapter 14, John sees visions of the saints (the 144,000) worshipping around the throne of the Lamb.  I love the detail about the name of the Lamb and his father written on their foreheads.  They sing a "new song" in front to the throne (and here's something I'm going to remember too) no one can learn the song except the 144,000).  It's not that I'm eager to exclude people who can't learn the song, it's just that lately I've become so aware of the power of music, and how God uses music to imprint the truth of his love on our hearts.

Three angels bring warnings to the earth about the coming judgment.  They warn people to worship God, to turn from following "The Beast," to watch out for Babylon.

(and do you notice this line?  "Favored are the dead who died in the Lord from now on.)  "Yes, says the Spirit, so they can rest from their labors, because their deeds follow them."  -- this is where we get the hymn, "For all the saints, who from their Labors rest.") (Lutherans sing this one on All Saints Sunday.)

Then there is the judgment, the two harvest.  the Human one has a sharp sickle in his hand, for the harvest is ready.  There is Another angel as well, also reaping a harvest, but this is a harvest of judgment.  The images is clusters of grapes, "cutting the vineyard of the eartH' -- again, here's a song with which you may be familiar, "Mine eyes have seen the glory of the coming of the Lord/he is trampling out the vineyard where the grapes of wrath are stored".  This hymn was written during the civil war, a bloody conflict that must have seemed like the end of the world to those who were fighting.  Both sides felt that God was on their side, and that truth was on their side.  But this hymn was written by an abolitionists, and she used words from Revelation to express God's judgment on the country for the sin of slavery.

After this there are seven bowls with plagues that will come over the earth......

What will happen next?  What more can be said?

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