CHAPTER 14
Revelation 14:1-3
1 Then I looked, and there before me was the Lamb, standing on Mount Zion, and with Him 144,000 who had His name and His Father's name written on their foreheads.
2 And I heard a sound from heaven like the roar of rushing waters and like a loud peal of thunder. The sound I heard was like that of harpists playing their harps.
3 And they sang a new song before the throne and before the four living creatures and the elders. No one could learn the song except the 144,000 who had been redeemed from the earth.
Once again John's attention is heavenward and once again we are shown that God is in full control. Here John sees the Lamb, Jesus Christ, standing on Mt. Zion receiving the praise of the redeemed. Worship is often expressed through song and the 144,000 sing unto Him a new song, a song reserved for certain of the saints. These are the same 144,000 we read about in chapter 7 and here they are standing with Jesus on Mt. Zion and worshiping Him by singing a new song to Him. The Beast of chapter 13 was terrifying and awesome, he was able to make war against the saints and overcome them but these 144,000 who were sealed by God are here in full strength after miraculously coming through that part of the Great Tribulation. The voice he heard sounding like thunder and the rushing of many waters is the voice of God similar to what is heard in chapter1:15. We also read in chapter 5:8 that the Elders have harps and it looks like they are playing them here accompanying the 144,000 as they sing this new song. It all takes place on Mt. Zion for this is a special place to God, it is His Holy Mountain, the City of the great King and the place were He will gather His redeemed.
Psalm 48:1-2
1 Great is the LORD, and most worthy of praise, in the city of our God, His holy mountain.
2 It is beautiful in its loftiness, the joy of the whole earth. Like the utmost heights of Zaphon is Mount Zion, the city of the Great King.
- - - - - - - - - -Revelation 14:4-5
4 These are the ones who did not defile themselves with women, for they are virgins. These are the ones who follow the Lamb wherever He goes. These were redeemed from among men, and offered as firstfruits to God and to the Lamb.
5 And in their mouth was found no deceit, for they are without fault before the throne of God.
The 144,000 chosen Jewish men.
In this description of the 144,000 many take the virginity as symbolic of general purity and we can recall that the Apostle Paul in 1Cor. 7:25-35 recommended celibacy in distressing times. These men are the firstfruits of a greater harvest and according to Walvoord, a godly nucleus of Israel which is the token of redemption of the nation. These men are all believers by faith in Jesus Christ, for they are standing with Him, and they follow Him wherever He goes and they were found without fault standing before the throne of God.
Revelation 14:6-7
6 Then I saw another angel flying in the midst of heaven, having the everlasting gospel to preach to those who dwell on the earth -- to every nation, tribe, tongue, and people
7 saying with a loud voice, "Fear God and give glory to Him, for the hour of His judgment has come; and we are to worship Him who made heaven and earth, the sea and springs of water.
John sees an Angel, the first of four, who has the Eternal Gospel and is given the task of preaching it to all the inhabitants of earth along with the warning that the judgment of God is coming. This Angel calls on all the people to, "Fear God and give glory to Him". They can do this willingly now or by force later, it is their choice and the irony this is that if they don't fear God and give Him the glory due Him they are damned eternally but they will end up doing it anyway in the end. Fear of God should produce a glorifying of God but the sad truth is for many there is no Fear of God.
Romans 14:11
"As I live, says the LORD, every knee shall bow to Me, and every tongue shall confess to God."
Psalm 55:19
God, who is enthroned forever, will hear them and afflict them-- men who never change their ways and have no Fear of God
Romans 3:18
There is no Fear of God before their eyes."
It is interesting to note that this is the only time Angels are used to preach or propagate the Gospel for previously this responsibility was given to man alone. This also shows us that even during the Great Tribulation the, 'Good News' is proclaimed and no one can say they weren't told or didn't know.
Revelation 14:8
And another angel followed, saying, Babylon is fallen, is fallen, that great city, because she has made all nations drink of the wine of the wrath of her fornication."
The second Angel is here announcing that the evil world system of Babylon is collapsing. Babylon is a representation of the organized rebellion of mankind against God. She has been responsible for leading all nations into fornication, the worshipping of the gods of this world. We will read much more of Babylon further on in chapter 17, for now we will see this as primarily spiritual most likely accompanied by literal immorality.
Jeremiah 51:6-8
6 Flee from the midst of Babylon, and every one save his life! Do not be cut off in her iniquity, for this is the time of the Lord's vengeance; He shall recompense her.
7 Babylon was a golden cup in the LORD's hand, that made all the earth drunk. The nations drank her wine; Therefore the nations are (mentally) deranged (disordered).
8 Babylon has suddenly fallen and been destroyed.
- - - - - - - - - -Revelation 14:9-10
9 Then a third angel followed them, saying with a loud voice, "If anyone worships the beast and his image, and receives his mark on his forehead or on his hand,
10 he himself shall also drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is poured out in its full strength into the cup of His indignation. He shall be tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of the holy angels and in the presence of the Lamb.
The wrath of God shown here is an expression of the mighty power of the Sovereign God and is both a warning to the unrepentant masses and serves as an encouragement to those of God's people who are suffering. We see here that there is a connection between worshipping the Beast and taking his Mark and it is clear that no one accidentally take this Mark, it will be a deliberate act and they will suffer the consequences because of it. They will drink God's wrath from the cup of His indignation and there will be no end to their suffering. We God's children are spared this terrible time because many years ago someone drank that bitter cup for us at a place called Calvary. Jesus Christ willingly took the cup of God's wrath that the human race deserved so that all who would accept His sacrifice and bow down before Him would not have to. No one needs to drink of this cup of God's wrath.
Psalm 75:8
In the hand of the LORD is a cup full of foaming wine mixed with spices; He pours it out, and all the wicked of the earth will drink it down to its very dregs (the most worthless part).
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Revelation 14:11
And the smoke of their torment ascends forever and ever; and they have no rest day or night, who worship the beast and his image, and whoever receives the mark of his name."
Forever and forever, in torment, no rest day or night is the penalty for all those who worship the Antichrist and received his mark. Forever and forever simply means, 'forever and forever', no end to look forward to, eternity in a living hell. It is interesting to note that the Angel says, 'in the presence of the Lamb' this means that Jesus' presence will even be in hell but not his love only His justice and wrath, unmixed and undiluted. Throughout human history God's wrath was always administered with the intent of securing the repentance of mankind, it was always tempered with love and mercy and with a redemptive intent and hope. That is now past and it is seen by man in all its fierceness such as man has never seen before.
Revelation 14:12-13
12 Here is the patience of the saints; here are those who keep the commandments of God and the faith of Jesus.
13 Then I heard a voice from heaven saying to me, "Write: 'Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord from now on.'" "Yes," says the Spirit, "that they may rest from their labors, and their works follow them."
Obedience, keeping God's commandments and our faith in Christ ends in blessings beyond this life and what we have done during our time on earth, our works will follow us to Heaven. Blessed are the dead in Christ for physical death is the avenue that leads to a glorious reunion between believers and their Lord. Then a voice told John to write this down, those who die in Christ have a final resting place in Heaven, a release from all suffering and from their labors and waiting for them will be rewards for their works which have followed them. This patient endurance has been the believer's only course of action when they are under the rule of government authorities who exercise their brutal power over them while they are under Satan's control. God is allowing the evil forces of Satan to exercise this authority and control over them and to inflict pain and death but their time of power has been limited by God long before they ever came into power. God says to all His faithful ones, "Be patient, rest a little while longer, vengeance is mine."
Hebrews 10:30-31
30 "Vengeance is Mine, I will repay," says the Lord.
31 It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.
1 Peter 5:9-10
9 Resist him, steadfast in the faith, knowing that the same sufferings are experienced by your brotherhood in the world.
10 But may the God of all grace, who called us to His eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after you have suffered a while, perfect, establish, strengthen, and settle you.
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Revelation 14:14
14 Then I looked, and behold, a white cloud, and on the cloud sat one like the Son of Man, having on His head a golden crown, and in His hand a sharp sickle.
John beholds someone sitting on a white cloud and he describes Him as looking like the Son of Man, a name synonymous with Jesus throughout the New Testament. He is wearing a golden crown and has a sharp sickle in His hand. This can be construed as the final signal from above that the time is right for the judgment of the earth to begin. We first see the true conqueror, Jesus, the one seated on the white cloud, coming with a sharp sickle in His hand. A sickle represents the special cutting and gathering tool used to bring in a harvest.
Revelation 14:15,16
15 And another angel came out of the temple, crying with a loud voice to Him who sat on the cloud, "Thrust in Your sickle and reap, for the time has come for You to reap, for the harvest of the earth is ripe."
16 So He who sat on the cloud thrust in His sickle on the earth, and the earth was reaped.
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Joel 3:13
Put in the sickle, for the harvest is ripe. Come, go down; for the winepress is full, the vats overflow -- For their wickedness is great."
Jesus said the 'Field is the world' and the 'Harvest is the end of the world'. An Angel comes out of the Temple of God and tells Jesus it is time to use the sickle and reap for the Harvest on earth is ripe and God's winepress is full and overflowing. It is time for Jesus to bring in the harvest, the 'Lamb of God' is doing the harvesting, we read later on that Angels help to bring in the Harvest, but here it is Jesus.
Matthew 13:38-39
38 The field is the world, the good seeds are the sons of the Kingdom, but the tares are the sons of the wicked one.
39 The enemy who sowed them is the devil; the harvest is the end of the age,
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Revelation 14:17-20
17 Another angel came out of the temple in heaven, and he too had a sharp sickle.
18 Still another angel, who had charge of the fire, came from the altar and called in a loud voice to him who had the sharp sickle, "Take your sharp sickle and gather the clusters of grapes from the earth's vine, because its grapes are ripe.
19 The angel swung his sickle on the earth, gathered its grapes and threw them into the great winepress of God's wrath.
20 They were trampled in the winepress outside the city, and blood flowed out of the press, rising as high as the horses' bridles for a distance of 1,600 stadia (Approx. 600')
This is a vivid picture of God's judgment and the conquest is portrayed as the 'Harvest of Grapes'. John sees another Angel come out of the Temple and he to has a sickle such as Jesus had and he was commanded by another Angel (who was in charge of the fire at God's alter) to use his sickle and gather the grapes. In one quick motion the reaper will cut off the grapes from the vine of the earth and will throw them into the winepress of God's wrath. Later on in the 19th chapter we will read of the completion of the Harvest and Jesus, the King of Kings using a sharp knife proceeding from His mouth will, "Tread the winepress of the fury of the wrath of God Almighty". The unbelievable carnage of that coming battle is depicted figuratively as a stream of blood rising as high as a horses bridle and extending the length of 1600 stadia. A stadia is approx. 600feet. This chapter is just a prelude to what is still to come when God unleashes the Bowl Judgments. Make no mistake, God's wrath is real and terrible in its fury but it is also temporary and is always superseded by His love.
Joel 3:13
Swing the sickle, for the harvest is ripe. Come, trample the grapes, for the winepress is full and the vats overflow- so great is their wickedness!'
Isaiah 63:3-4
3 "I have trodden the winepress alone, and from the peoples no one was with Me. For I have trodden them in My anger, and trampled them in My fury; their blood is sprinkled upon My garments, and I have stained all My robes.
4 For the day of vengeance is in My heart, and the year of My redeemed has come.