August 25: BEYOND THE PORTALS OF TIME

And I heard a voice from heaven, like the voice of many waters, and like the voice of loud thunder. And I heard the sound of harpists playing their harps. Revelation 14:2

Most of us have heard the phrase “the calm before the storm” – and indeed, God’s people are meant to possess the peace and calm of heaven within their hearts, even before the end-time winds of strife are completely unleashed upon the world, for our citizenship is in heaven, from which we also eagerly wait for the Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ (Philippians 3:20).

But today’s opening verse takes us in vision to “the calm after the storm.” The wording of today’s verse takes our minds back to beautiful words divinely penned by King David: The voice of the LORD is over the waters; The God of glory thunders; The LORD is over many waters. The voice of the LORD is powerful; The voice of the LORD is full of majesty… The LORD will bless His people with peace. (Psalm 29:3,4,11b) Revelation 14:2 portrays the realization, the fulfillment, of David’s heavenly vision in Psalm 29. This Psalm was traditionally sung at the end of the Feast of Tabernacles, the seventh and last of the yearly feasts. It symbolized the end of the final judgement, and was a joyful time of celebration that pointed toward eternal life and peace.

In John’s vision, looking beyond the portals of time—and into heaven, it is as though the LORD is calling an indescribably enormous meeting to order. He is directing attention to the one hundred and forty-four thousand (v.1) standing with Jesus. And I heard the sound of harpists playing their harps. The heavenly musicians are playing introductory instrumental music that leads up to a magnificent concert: the singing of a unique new song by those who experienced “great tribulation, such as has not been since the beginning of the world until this time” according to Jesus (Matthew 24:21). This is the crisis of the beast’s mark and persecution of those who refuse to accept it (the sea beast is supported by the earth beast – see Revelation 13) just before fallen earth’s history closes with the return of Jesus (2 Thessalonians 2:8). Daniel prophesied that the idea behind the mark would come onto earth’s stage during the 1260 years of the Dark Ages through the inten[t] to change times and law (Daniel 7:25). John also spoke of this period (Revelation 13:5,7) as well as the crisis at the end of time when this change is enforced by the laws of men (vv.15-17).

“And unless those days were shortened, no flesh would be saved; but for the elect’s sake those days will be shortened.” Matthew 24:22

For He will finish the work and cut it short in righteousness, Because the LORD will make a short work upon the earth. Romans 9:28