Lesson 13 Images of the End
Lesson 13 Images of the End
(Jonah 3, Revelation 14, Daniel 5)
Copr. 2025, Bruce N. Cameron, J.D. Scripture quotations are
from the ESV Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard
Version ), copyright 2001 by Crossway, a publishing
ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All
rights reserved. Suggested answers are found within
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Introduction: Many believe that the "Three Angels Messages"
of Revelation 14:6-13 are the last message before the Second
Coming of Jesus. Revelation reports that angels shared the
messages while flying overhead. How does that work? Is it
like a slow little plane pulling a banner that has a
message? I have always believed that the "angels" are us -
those sharing the good news about Jesus' Second Coming. But
is that right? If the angels are not literal angels, but
humans, are there several types of humans involved in the
work? And why would we exclude actual angels? What do the
stories of the Old Testament teach us about how God
accomplishes His work of warning on earth? Let's dive into
our study of the Bible and learn more!
I. The Angels Are Humans?
A. Read Galatians 4:12-14. Paul is recalling how the
Galatians first responded to him. Did they
consider him to be an angel? Did they consider him
to be Jesus? (Paul is not calling himself either
Jesus or an angel, but he is comparing his gospel
message to the work of an angel.)
B. Read Revelation 14:6. If you consult Strong's
Dictionary for "angel" he says the Greek means
"messenger" and implies a "pastor." the B.W.
Johnson commentary asserts "any agency that does
God's work or carries His message may be an
angel." What do you think? (I'm certainly not
going to dismiss the literal meaning of the angels
of Revelation 14, especially since other
references to angels in Revelation seem literal.
At the same time, Revelation is filled with
symbolism.)
1. Is there significance to the angel "flying
directly overhead?" Could that be a reference
to using satellite transmissions? The
Internet?
2. Some suggest flying "directly overhead" and
speaking with a "loud voice" (Revelation 14:7)
refer to the urgency of the message. If that
is true, why is the message called the
"eternal gospel?"
II. Imperfect Angels?
A. Read Jonah 3:1-3. Do you recall what Jonah's
attitude has been about going to Nineveh to warn
it about destruction? (We are not going to delve
into the history contained in Jonah 1, but Jonah
was trying his best to avoid sharing the message
with the people of Nineveh.)
B. Read Jonah 3:4-5. Is that a remarkable success?
This stranger shows up, tells them to repent, and
a city that is so big that it takes three days to
walk across repents! Is that the result of Jonah,
or do you think the Holy Spirit was working with
Jonah?
1. What do you think about the statement that
Jonah only walked one day in a city that took
three days to cross? (Perhaps he stopped in
the middle of the city. Perhaps he is still
reluctant.)
C. Read Jonah 3:10. What is God's reaction to the
successful work of Jonah? (He decides not to
destroy the city.)
D. Read Jonah 4:1-3 and Jonah 4:5. Why is Jonah
waiting to see "what would become of the city"
when God has decided not to destroy it? (He is
hoping that God was persuaded by his plea to
destroy the city and vindicate his reputation.)
E. Read Jonah 4:10-11. What kind of a man is Jonah?
What kind of a witness for God is he? (He is
terrible. He wants to see wholesale death.)
1. Let's discuss this. Is Jonah like an angel? Is
he a messenger for God? (Yes.)
a. Why did God choose him?
2. What does this teach us about sharing the
messages of the three angels of Revelation?
(You are qualified!)
III. The Armless Messenger
A. Read Daniel 5:1-2. Why is the king using drinking
cups from the temple in Jerusalem? (Likely trying
to show his superiority to the true God.)
B. Read Daniel 5:4-6. How is trusting in the gods of
gold and silver going for Belshazzar? (He is
frightened, he turns pale, he cannot stand up, and
his knees knock. Other than that, things are
fine.)
C. Read Daniel 5:10-11. Has Daniel lost favor in the
king's court? (Yes. The queen has to remember
Daniel from the days of King Nebuchadnezzar.
"Father" is a general term, Nebucadnezzar was more
likely Belshazzar's grandfather according to most
commentaries that I consulted.)
D. Daniel is called in to read the armless
handwriting on the wall. Read Daniel 5:23-28. How
is the king's future looking? Why has it taken
such a bad turn?
E. Read Daniel 5:30-31. This message of judgment is
brought by fingers! Is this a possibility for the
three angels of Revelation 14? Is this an
indication that the proclamation of the Three
Angels Messages will also be supernatural?
F. Compare Daniel 5:29 with Daniel 6:1-3. How does
Daniel move from a high official in the defeated
kingdom to a high official in the new realm?
(Because "an excellent spirit was in him.")
1. If you are filled with the Holy Spirit can you
come from obscurity to being foremost in a
government position of leadership? (Consider
Daniel's life. He was taken as a slave when he
was a young man, yet he achieved the summit of
status in both the Babylonian and Medo-Persian
kingdoms.)
a. How old was Daniel at the time of his
Daniel 6 promotion? (He is believed to be
over eighty years old. Perhaps even 90.)
IV. Pagan Messengers
A. Let's look at the historical background of the
event we just studied. Read 2 Chronicles 36:18-21.
Is this describing how the temple cups and Daniel
came to Babylon? (Yes. This is the historical
account.)
B. Read Jeremiah 51:57-58 and Isaiah 45:2. Is the
fall of Belshazzar a part of prophecy? (Yes!
Notice the detail.)
C. Read Isaiah 44:28. What is prophesied about Cyrus?
(That he will rebuild the temple in Jerusalem.)
D. In Daniel 5:31 we are told that "Darius the Mede"
defeated Belshazzar. Read Daniel 6:28. Are Darius
and Cyrus the same person? (Some think they might
be, although this text suggests that they are
different people. The point for our discussion is
that the ruler of the new kingdom - the Medes and
Persians - is favorable to Daniel and that he
orders the rebuilding of the Jerusalem temple
destroyed by the Babylonians.)
E. Read 2 Chronicles 36:22-23. Who is God's messenger
here? Who is ordering the rebuilding of God's
house on earth? (This pagan king! He might well
have been influenced by Daniel.)
1. Let's read this back into our understanding of
Revelation 14. Is it reasonable to believe
that the angelic message is carried by a
government official? Or that a government
official aids in spreading the message?
a. Is there a general principle to be
learned from what we have studied about
who God uses as His messengers? (Look
again at 2 Chronicles 36:23. King Cyrus
specifically attributes to God the
"charge" to "build Him [God] a house at
Jerusalem." The principle is that the
Spirit of God uses every way to promote
His message.)
2. What does the story about God inspiring King
Cyrus to rebuild God's temple in Jerusalem say
about the issue of using tax dollars to
promote religion?
F. Friend, God can use many means to share His
message. One way is to use you! Why not ask, right
now, for the Holy Spirit to fill you so that you
can promote God's gospel?
V. Next week we begin a new study on the book of Exodus.