Father Mike Schmitz

Chapter 14, The Lamb and the 144,000 Then I looked, and behold, on Mount Zion stood the Lamb, and with him a hundred and forty-four thousand, who had his name and his father's name written on their foreheads.

And I heard a voice from heaven, like the sound of many waters, and like the sound of loud thunder.

The voice I heard was like the sound of harpists playing on their harps, and they sing a new song before the throne and before the four living creatures and before the elders.

No one could learn that song except the 144,000 who had been redeemed from the earth.

It is these who have not defiled themselves with women, for they are chaste.

It is these who follow the lamb wherever he goes.

These have been redeemed from mankind as first fruits for God and the lamb, and in their mouth no lie was found, for they are spotless."

the messages of the three angels.

Then I saw another angel flying in midheaven with an eternal gospel to proclaim to those who dwell on earth, to every nation and tribe and tongue and people.

And he said with a loud voice,

Fear God and give him glory, for the hour of his judgment has come, and worship him who made heaven and earth the sea and the fountains of water.

Another angel, a second, followed, saying, Fallen, fallen is Babylon the great, she who made all nations drink the wine of her impure passion.

And another angel, a third, followed them, saying with a loud voice, If anyone worships the beast and its image and receives a mark on his forehead or on his hand, he also shall drink the wine of God's wrath, poured unmixed into the cup of his anger, and he shall be tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of the holy angels and in the presence of the Lamb.

And the smoke of their torment goes up forever and ever, and they have no rest day or night, these worshipers of the beast and its image, and whoever receives the mark of its name.

Here is a call for the endurance of the saints, those who keep the commandments of God and the faith of Jesus.

Reaping the Earth's Harvest

Then I looked, and behold, a white cloud, and seated on the cloud, one like a son of man, with a golden crown on his head and a sharp sickle in his hand.

And another angel came out of the temple, calling with a loud voice to him who sat upon the cloud, Put in your sickle, and reap, for the hour to reap has come, for the harvest of the earth is fully ripe.

So he who sat upon the cloud swung his sickle on the earth, and the earth was reaped.

And another angel came out of the temple in heaven and he too had a sharp sickle.