Disciples Global Network

Revelation moves inexorably from the death of Jesus to the final day when God judges the wicked and vindicates the righteous .  At the conclusion of his ‘ Olivet Discourse ,’ Jesus gave his parable of the Sheep and the Goats. On the day when the “ Son of Man arrives in glory ,” his angels will gather all nations before him for judgment, and he will divide them into two groups. One will receive “everlasting destruction,” and the other, “ everlasting life .”

The ingathering of the fruit of the vine represents the wrath of God on all men who take the mark of the Beast – Revelation 14:17-20.  Next,  Revelation  presents the ingathering of the “ fruit of the vine , which is then pressed in the “ winepress of God's wrath .” This is the fate of all men who swear fealty to the “ Beast ” and take its “ mark. ” The “ saints ” are gathered to the “ sanctuary of God ,” but the “ inhabitants of the earth ” are “ tread underfoot ” in His winepress.

Whether one follows the Lamb or the Beast, he will reap everlasting consequences as a result in the coming final harvest  - Revelation 14:6-7.  The preceding sections presented two very different groups - the “ inhabitants of the earth ” that render homage to the “ Beast ,” and the  priests of God , the “ first fruits ” of the earth purchased by the blood of the “ Lamb .” Now, an angelic herald issues the final summons to humanity to repent and pay homage to God while time remains and before the “ final hour ” begins.

Philadelphia was located fifty kilometers southeast of Sardis and straddled a major road into the interior, making commerce and trade with the other cities of the province vital to its economy. It was established in 189 B.C. by the king of  Pergamos  and came under Roman rule when the last Pergamene king bequeathed the kingdom to Rome in 133 B.C.

In the third chapter of  Revelation , Jesus promises to “ keep ” overcoming saints in the city of Philadelphia “ from the hour of trial ” that is coming upon the “ whole habitable the earth .” A comparison with similar passages demonstrates that this ominous “ hour ” is nothing less than the time of judgment and condemnation for all those whose names “ are not written in the Lamb’s book of life ” when they will experience the “ second death ” in the “ Lake of Fire .”