Good evening and welcome to EBible Fellowship's Bible study in the Book of Revelation. Tonight is study #27 of Revelation, chapter 14, and we are going to read Revelation14:11-12:
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. Here is the patience of the saints: here are they that keep the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus.
We have been spending the last few studies looking at verse 11 and I just want to look at one more thing in this verse before we move on to verse 12: Again, it says in Revelation 14:11:
“And the smoke of their torment ascendeth up for ever and ever:”
We learned that this can be translated, “And the smoke of their torment ascendeth up to ever and ever.” Then it goes on to say:
…. and they have no rest day nor night,
This is speaking of all those that worship the beast and the Bible says that all those whose names are not written in the Lamb’s Book of Life will worship the beast during that time of the Great Tribulation when Satan was given unprecedented rule in the world and in the churches. He reigned supreme during that “little season,” which turned out be an exact 23 years. All who did not worship God, which can only be realized in salvation, and whose names were not recorded in the Lamb’s Book of Life ended up worshipping Satan as the beast. As a result, in the Day of Judgment, they are under the wrath of God and they are the ones that are being tormented with “fire and brimstone,” in the presence of the saints and of the Lamb. They are the ones that are said to “have no rest day nor night.” We looked at the language of “day and night,” and in our last study we went to Genesis 8:22:
While the earth remaineth, seedtime and harvest, and cold and heat, and summer and winter, and day and night shall not cease.
That let us know that since “day and night” is something that relates to “time” and the normal course of this world’s affairs and since there is no “day and night” when this world passes away at the end, therefore the punishment that God is meting out upon the unsaved people of the earth must be given to them while the “sun, moon and stars,” the celestial time keepers, are still in their orbits in the heavens above. Of course, the things we have been reading in the Bible agree with that conclusion; God has been pouring out His wrath, since May 21, 2011, upon the unsaved people of the earth while time continues in its periods of “day and night.” There was May 21, 2011, then May 22 and there was a night and then May 23, and so forth, as well as the years of the remainder of 2011, 2012, 2013 and now 2014. The Bible points to time continuing until 1,600 days have elapsed (from May 21, 2011) and then on the 1,600th day, October 7, 2015, there is a strong likelihood that “day and night” will come to an end, as well as the end of this world.
Now let us look at rest of Revelation 14:11:
…and they have no rest day nor night, who worship the beast and his image, and whosoever receiveth the mark of his name.
We are familiar with the last part of this verse, as God has already used this type of language in chapter 13. It is similar to Revelation 14:9:
…if any man worship the beast and his image, and receive his mark in his forehead, or in his hand,
We saw that this points to someone’s mind and soul and will being turned over to Satan. They are unsaved and they are not a servant of God. They are completely taken over by sin and they go after their sins. This is the “mark” of his name and they are part of the “two thirds” figure which God uses to indicate the unsaved people of the earth and “they have no rest day nor night.” Does that mean they are going to be physically active all night and unable to sleep? What does it mean when it says, “they have no rest day nor night”?
We know that in the Bible we are not permitted to have our own “private interpretation.” As we read the words “no rest day nor night” we might have ideas that pop into our heads like this: they cannot get comfortable or they cannot sleep. But that is our own reasoning. In order to understand what “rest” means, we have to allow God to define it. Probably the best passage to define what is in view is in Matthew 11, where we find two Greek words: one is Strong’s #372 and the other is Strong’s #373. Those same two Greek words are found in Revelation 14 in our verse 11, where it says, “and they have no rest,” and that is Strong’s #372. Then in Revelation 14:13, it says “Yea, saith the Spirit, that they may rest from their labours,” and that is Strong’s #373. In Matthew 11, we also have the same two words used in just the last three verses of the chapter. It says in Matthew 11:28:
Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.
This word “rest” is Strong’s #373. Then it says in Matthew 11:29-30:
Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.
This word rest is Strong’s #372. Now the only way a sinner can find “rest unto your souls” is through salvation. There is no “rest” for the wicked (or “peace,” as the Book of Isaiah says) unless they experience the mercy and grace of God through salvation. When Jesus was encouraging sinners to come unto Him (those that are heavy laden), He said, “Ye shall find rest unto your souls,” and it has to do with the salvation of God. Therefore, when God says in Revelation 14:11, concerning those that worship the beast, that they “have no rest day nor night,” what is that telling us? It tells us they will not experience the rest that was (potentially) available throughout the history of the world during the day of salvation. Of course, salvation was available even then only to God’s elect, but the door of heaven was open at that time and God saved His people and they found “rest unto their souls.”
But on May 21, 2011, Judgment Day began and “fire and brimstone” began to be poured out from the Word of God, which is a form of “torment” to all the wicked, unsaved people of the earth. During the period of this time of the wrath of God which happens as the earth continues in its normal course of day and night, none of the wicked that worshipped the beast will find “rest for their souls” once the door had shut. There is no rest and “they have no rest day nor night,” until this period of time is finally finished. In other words, there will be no salvation. Again, we are coming back to the important teaching that God has stressed repeatedly for this time period. Judgment Day is a time in which God has ceased to perform the work of salvation. As the Lord Jesus said in John 9:4: “I must work the works of him that sent me, while it is day.” That was a reference to the “day of salvation.” Then He adds: “the night cometh, when no man can work.”
No “man” can perform the work of salvation and that man is Christ – the work of salvation will no longer be done in any sinner ever again. It is finished. God’s elect have already been found and all have become saved. This is another emphasis upon the same teaching, where it says, “And they have no rest day nor night.”
Moving on, it says in Revelation 14:12:
Here is the patience of the saints: here are they that keep the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus.
Someone brought up this verse to Mr. Camping on the Open Forum and he said he was not sure why this verse was placed where it is placed. We can see why he was not sure, because at that time we lacked knowledge and understanding concerning the fact that God’s purpose and intention was to leave His people upon the earth in the Day of Judgment, and to live through it. That is why 1Thessalonians 4 speaks of the day of the resurrection and rapture and says that the dead in Christ will rise first and then those “that are alive and remain” will be caught up. This is because God’s elect that are alive on the earth were left on the earth to go through the period of Judgment Day and we are now finding numerous Bible verses that teach that and this is a big one in Revelation 14:12. We are forced to ask the question because it says, “Here is the patience of the saints.” The Greek word translated as “here” is Strong’s #5602, “hode,” and it means exactly what this translation says it means – it means “here,” as in right here in this spot or location. For instance, it is the word that is used in Matthew 12:41-42:
The men of Nineveh shall rise in judgment with this generation, and shall condemn it: because they repented at the preaching of Jonas; and, behold, a greater than Jonas is here. The queen of the south shall rise up in the judgment with this generation, and shall condemn it: for she came from the uttermost parts of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon; and, behold, a greater than Solomon is here.
Jesus was referring to Himself and He was “here” as He made that statement.
We read in Matthew 14:8:
And she, being before instructed of her mother, said, Give me here John Baptist's head in a charger.
Then the king sent the executioner and they brought back John’s head in the charger to give to her and she gave it to her mother. But the instruction was “Give me here,” or in other words, “Bring it here to me.” It is just like we use the word today. We might say to one of our children, “Come here, I want to talk to you,” and they come to us, where we are. That is the exact idea this word conveys. In Revelation 14:12, it says, “Here is the patience of the saints: here are they that keep the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus.” In other words, we are “right here,” and we just cannot miss the placement that God has assigned for this statement to be made. Where has He placed this statement? Is it in one of the Epistles that refers to the churches or one of the Epistles that has to do with the fruits of the spirit? God, of course, is the potter and all of His creatures are His pottery, especially mankind, but He is also the one that put together and formed the Word of God, the Bible. Is it an accident that Revelation 22, the last chapter of the last Book of the Bible, and very nearly the last words of the Book, that God says there, “If any man shall add unto these things, God shall add unto him the plagues that are written in this book”? Is that placement just a coincidence? Did that Scripture just happen to fall together in that chapter and in that Book and then the Bible closed? No – we know it was no coincidence. We know God is the one that preserves and watches out for His Word. He is the one that compiled His Word and put it in the form that we have it. Remember in the New Testament we have the second Psalm quoted and that tells us that the Psalms are in a particular order that God established. So the Word of God has taken the shape He desired. The churches were used by God to do certain things, but it was God Himself that very, very carefully watched over His Word and He has put the Bible together in the way it is. Certainly, God is the one who moved the Apostle John to write at the end of Revelation 22 the directive not to add to the words of the Book. God is the also the one that moved the Apostle John to write in this context in Revelation, chapter 14. So let us go back and read some of the context to see what comes before our verse. It says in Revelation 14:8:
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.
Babylon’s fall identifies with Judgment Day.
It says in Revelation 14:9-10:
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, The same shall drink of the wine of the wrath of God…
What is the context continuing to be? It is Judgment Day. Then it goes on to say in Revelation 14:10:
… 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:
What is in view? It is the wrath of God, Judgment Day.
And, it says in Revelation 14:11:
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.
Again, it is Judgment Day and the wrath of God is being poured out on the unsaved people of the earth. Then we have our verse in Revelation 14:12:
Here is the patience of the saints: here are they that keep the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus.
Oh, but maybe this is a transition verse and God is going to talk about “other matters.” Now He is going to change the topic and discuss other matters and this might be a verse that will lead into discussion of other things and not Judgment Day. No – because look at what comes after this, in Revelation 14:13-15:
And 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. 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. 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.
Remember that parable in Matthew, chapter 13, where it says the “harvest” is the end of the world. Now we find that the picture is of the Lord Jesus seated upon a cloud and He has in His hand a sharp sickle to reap the earth and judge the people of the world. It is the same context. If we were to read the entire thing, it says in Revelation 14:16:
And he that sat on the cloud thrust in his sickle on the earth; and the earth was reaped.
Verse 17 speaks of the same thing and then it says in Revelation 14:18:
… Thrust in thy sharp sickle, and gather the clusters of the vine of the earth; for her grapes are fully ripe.
It says in Revelation 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.
It is the same context of the wrath of God and then Revelation 14:20 speaks of the winepress being trodden without the city and the blood came out of the winepress, and so forth. So in all the verses following our verse in Revelation 14:12, the context is the same: the wrath of God. All the verses preceding it, from verse 8 through 11, are also speaking of the wrath of God, so we just have to ask the question because it is why God placed our verse here so that it could not be missed: “Here is the patience of the saints.” It is the same saints that the Bible says come with the Lord Jesus Christ “and ten thousands of his saints.” And it is the saints that are in view when we read other Bible passages that speak of Judgment Day.
But our verse indicates that the saints are not in heaven – they have not been raptured yet, but they are still living and they “have need of patience.” Again, how can that be that they are still on the earth? This is Judgment Day and the time of the wrath of God. This is what Revelation 14 is driving home from verse 8 to the end of the chapter, in verse, after verse, after verse.
Well, you see, God is letting something be known (and this verse is illuminating a great truth) that was never before understood in all the history of the world. There were none who thought that God would bring judgment while the world was still continuing and still experiencing a 24-hour “day and night.” But, at the same time, God is indicating that while “torment” is being distributed to all those that worship the image of the beast throughout the remaining periods of “day and night,” here (right here, in this place and time) is “the patience of the saints.”