Revelation Chapter 14
Special Announcements
Rev 14:1 And I looked, and, lo, a Lamb stood on the mount Sion, and with him an hundred forty and four thousand, having his Father's name written in their foreheads.
Rev 14:2 And I heard a voice from heaven, as the voice of many waters, and as the voice of a great thunder: and I heard the voice of harpers harping with their harps:
Rev 14:3 And they sung as it were a new song before the throne, and before the four beasts, and the elders: and no man could learn that song but the hundred and forty and four thousand, which were redeemed from the earth.
Rev 14:4 These are they which were not defiled with women; for they are virgins. These are they which follow the Lamb whithersoever he goeth. These were redeemed from among men, being the firstfruits unto God and to the Lamb.
Rev 14:5 And in their mouth was found no guile: for they are without fault before the throne of God.
Rev 14:6 And I saw another angel fly in the midst of heaven, having the everlasting gospel to preach unto them that dwell on the earth, and to every nation, and kindred, and tongue, and people,
Rev 14:7 Saying with a loud voice, Fear God, and give glory to him; for the hour of his judgment is come: and worship him that made heaven, and earth, and the sea, and the fountains of waters.
Rev 14:8 And there followed another angel, saying, Babylon is fallen, is fallen, that great city, because she made all nations drink of the wine of the wrath of her fornication.
Rev 14:9 And the third angel followed them, saying with a loud voice, If any man worship the beast and his image, and receive his mark in his forehead, or in his hand,
Rev 14:10 The same shall drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is poured out without mixture into the cup of his indignation; and he shall be tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of the holy angels, and in the presence of the Lamb:
Rev 14:11 And the smoke of their torment ascendeth up for ever and ever: and they have no rest day nor night, who worship the beast and his image, and whosoever receiveth the mark of his name.
Rev 14:12 Here is the patience of the saints: here are they that keep the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus.
Rev 14:13 And I heard a voice from heaven saying unto me, Write, Blessed are the dead which die in the Lord from henceforth: Yea, saith the Spirit, that they may rest from their labours; and their works do follow them.
Rev 14:14 And I looked, and behold a white cloud, and upon the cloud one sat like unto the Son of man, having on his head a golden crown, and in his hand a sharp sickle.
Rev 14:15 And another angel came out of the temple, crying with a loud voice to him that sat on the cloud, Thrust in thy sickle, and reap: for the time is come for thee to reap; for the harvest of the earth is ripe.
Rev 14:16 And he that sat on the cloud thrust in his sickle on the earth; and the earth was reaped.
Rev 14:17 And another angel came out of the temple which is in heaven, he also having a sharp sickle.
Rev 14:18 And another angel came out from the altar, which had power over fire; and cried with a loud cry to him that had the sharp sickle, saying, Thrust in thy sharp sickle, and gather the clusters of the vine of the earth; for her grapes are fully ripe.
Rev 14:19 And the angel thrust in his sickle into the earth, and gathered the vine of the earth, and cast it into the great winepress of the wrath of God.
Rev 14:20 And the winepress was trodden without the city, and blood came out of the winepress, even unto the horse bridles, by the space of a thousand and six hundred furlongs.
Introduction
Interlude, Chapter 14 is no chronological, but gives a look back to the beginning of the tribulation, and forward to it's end and the reign of Jesus with His saints. It answers two questions.
1. Rev 14:1-5 - What becomes of those who refuse to receive the mark of the beast and are killed.
2. Rev 14:6-20 - What will happen to the beast and his servants.
In the two previous chapters we see clearly that God’s people will be severely persecuted and sacrificed like sheep. But here we see their ultimate triumph via the triumph of the Lamb of God. For instance, in chapter 7 the 144,000 who were sealed and thus promised deliverance are here seen as delivered.
The Announcement Concerning the 144,000
(Rev 14:1-5)
Rev 14:1 And I looked, and, lo, a Lamb stood on the mount Sion, and with him an hundred forty and four thousand, having his Father's name written in their foreheads.
Rev 14:2 And I heard a voice from heaven, as the voice of many waters, and as the voice of a great thunder: and I heard the voice of harpers harping with their harps:
Rev 14:3 And they sung as it were a new song before the throne, and before the four beasts, and the elders: and no man could learn that song but the hundred and forty and four thousand, which were redeemed from the earth.
Rev 14:4 These are they which were not defiled with women; for they are virgins. These are they which follow the Lamb whithersoever he goeth. These were redeemed from among men, being the firstfruits unto God and to the Lamb.
Rev 14:5 And in their mouth was found no guile: for they are without fault before the throne of God.
The Setting (1)
· “And I looked, and behold” is a phrase found seven times (Rev 4:1; Rev 6:2, Rev 6:5; Rev 7:9; Rev 14:1, Rev 14:14) and each time it turns our attention to another important element in the vision given to John. Here it is the vision of the Lamb standing on Mount Zion accompanied by the 144,000. As previously, the word “behold” is designed to arrest our attention to the remarkable things in this scene.
“The Lamb was standing on Mount Zion” is the first important fact that catches John’s eye. That the Lamb is standing on Mount Zion is in contrast to the dragon standing on the shifting sands of the seashore. Here is a contrast between stability and rest, and instability and unrest. The contrast is between the Lamb who wins by the sacrifice of Himself versus the dragon who attempts to gain control by his selfish and bloody outrage against humanity. Note that it is the Lamb portrayed here, not the Lion (Rev 5:5) because it is through His sacrifice that Christ becomes the Victor.
Prophetically in Scripture, Zion came to symbolize the place where Messiah would come as the deliverer of Israel and where He would gather together His people Psa 48:1, Isa 24:23, Joel 2:32, Zephaniah 1:10, Rom 11:26.
Prophetically in Scripture, Zion came to symbolize the place where Messiah would come as the deliverer of Israel and where He would gather together His people Psa 48:1, Isa 24:23, Joel 2:32, Zephaniah 1:10, Rom 11:26.
· “And with Him 144,000, …” These are mentioned because they stand in such beautiful contrast with the worshippers of the beast who have his mark and who have sold themselves out to the idolatrous and cultic system of the beast. In chapter 7 we are told the 144,000 are: (a) sealed in their forehead (7:3), (b) that they are bondservants (7:3), and (c) that they are Jews from the twelve tribes of Israel, 12,000 from each tribe. Now additional information is given regarding these bondservants which heightens the contrast between these and the worshippers of the beast.
These are the same 144,000 Jews of chapter 7. The number is the same, they are sealed in their foreheads as in chapter 7, and there is nothing to indicate they are a different group.
These are the same 144,000 Jews of chapter 7. The number is the same, they are sealed in their foreheads as in chapter 7, and there is nothing to indicate they are a different group.
· “Having His name (the Lamb’s) and the name of His Father written on their foreheads.” This is God’s seal and shows (a) they belong to God and not to the beast, (b) that they have had the guarantee of God’s protection and security through the Tribulation, and (c) they are His servants. As chapter 7 by its context would indicate, they are the great evangelists of the Tribulation who proclaim the Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ.
The Song (2-3)
· In the Old Testament there are a number of references to a “new song” (cf. Psa 33:3, Psa 40:3, Psa 96:1, Psa 144:9, Psa 149:1, Isa 42:10. But what is such a new song? A new song is a consequence of a deeper or clearer grasp of the person and works of God so that it results in a fresh and meaningful impulse of gratitude and joy in the soul as it is expressed in songs of praise and adoration. A new song is not necessarily a song new in time, but one fresh with a new response and understanding so that it is sung as though it were new. This new song is somehow related to the new song of 5:4 and to that in 15:3.
· What about the clause “And no one could learn the song except the 144,000 …”? The verb “learn” is the Greek manqanw which may have several connotations regarding the learning process. One of these is “to learn, appropriate to oneself … through experience or practice.”177 Only the 144,000 because of what they will have experienced throughout the Tribulation from beginning to end (having experienced God’s mighty deliverances and victory over the beast) can truly experience the reality and depth of the meaning of the song. Manqanw can have the idea of “to hear deeply.”178 John in particular seems to use manqanw in the sense of “a deep listening to divine revelation that results in learning”179 (cf. John 6:45).
Next we read that the 144,000 “had been purchased from the earth.” This does not mean “removed” from the earth, but “redeemed,” saved from among the people of the earth and thus sealed accordingly (cf. 5:9 and 7:3). “Purchased” is the Greek agorazw which means “to buy, purchase.” It was used of purchasing slaves in the agora or market place. Believers are those who have been purchased from the slave market of sin by the death of Christ. Note these four things regarding our redemption in Christ:
1. The Agent of redemption is the Lord Jesus Christ (Eph 1:7, Col 1:14, Rom 3:24).
2. The purchase price is the death of Christ (1 Peter 1:18-19).
3. The object of redemption is man’s sin (Eph 1:7, Col 1:14).
4. The result of redemption is forgiveness and freedom but also bond service to Christ (Eph 1:7, Col 1:14, 1 Cor 6:19, Gal 3:13).
The Separation and Salvation of the 144,000 (4-5)
· John is probably using these terms in a spiritual sense to declare their spiritual chastity and devotion to Christ. Such is not an uncommon occurrence in Scripture. In the Old Testament the people of Israel were viewed as the wife of Yahweh and unfaithfulness to Him was spoken of as spiritual prostitution and spiritual adultery (cf. Isa 1:21, Jer 2:20, Jer 3:20, Hos 9:1, Exo 34:15, Deu 31:16).
Similarly in the New Testament the church is viewed as the bride of Christ, as an espoused virgin, and unfaithfulness is viewed as spiritual adultery (cf. Eph 5:22-32, 2 Cor 11:2, Jas 4:4, Rev 2:20-23).
Similarly in the New Testament the church is viewed as the bride of Christ, as an espoused virgin, and unfaithfulness is viewed as spiritual adultery (cf. Eph 5:22-32, 2 Cor 11:2, Jas 4:4, Rev 2:20-23).
These 144,000 escape all spiritual defilement with these religious systems of the Tribulation. They remain pure, i.e., spiritual virgins.
One might compare also a similar use of virgins in the parable of the ten virgins in Mat 25:1-13. The emphasis is not on sex but on spiritual purity.
One might compare also a similar use of virgins in the parable of the ten virgins in Mat 25:1-13. The emphasis is not on sex but on spiritual purity.
· “As first fruits” further defines their redemption. There are two concepts in the first fruits metaphor:
1. It first refers to the initial harvest taken in by the farmer with more to come. It indicates more is to come and is a pledge, a down payment that that is so. The 144,000 are the first converts of the Tribulation who will go into the kingdom, but others, as we saw in Rev 7:9, will follow. However, the first fruits was that which was offered to God as an expression of being totally separated and set apart to Him as an offering and a sacrifice to God. This is the real emphasis and primary thought here in this context and by the words “to God and to the Lamb”; they were a holy and pure sacrifice.
The Announcement of the First Angel:
The Eternal Gospel (14:6-7)
Rev 14:6 And I saw another angel fly in the midst of heaven, having the everlasting gospel to preach unto them that dwell on the earth, and to every nation, and kindred, and tongue, and people,
Rev 14:7 Saying with a loud voice, Fear God, and give glory to him; for the hour of his judgment is come: and worship him that made heaven, and earth, and the sea, and the fountains of waters.
· Mat 24:14 and Mark 13:10 says: “And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in the whole world for a witness to all the nations, and then the end shall come”. While this gospel in Revelation 14 is not called the “gospel of the kingdom” nor “the gospel of grace” (Act 20:24) nor the “gospel of Christ (1 Cor 9:12, 1 Cor 9:18; Gal 1:7) some believe it must include these concepts for this message to be called a gospel (“good news”) and it must also help to fulfill, Mat 24:14 along with the preaching ministry of the 144,000.
remember that this prophecy is not a prophecy of what will be accomplished by the church with the end then coming. The church is commanded to go to the uttermost part of the earth, to all nations, into all the world and to preach the gospel to every creature within those nations (Acts 1:8; Matt. 28:19; Mark 16:15), but the actual accomplishment of the proclamation of the good news to every tongue (language and dialect) tribe and nation with the end following (i.e., the visible return of the Lord Jesus Christ) is better seen as accomplished by the 144,000, their converts, and the two witnesses.
remember that this prophecy is not a prophecy of what will be accomplished by the church with the end then coming. The church is commanded to go to the uttermost part of the earth, to all nations, into all the world and to preach the gospel to every creature within those nations (Acts 1:8; Matt. 28:19; Mark 16:15), but the actual accomplishment of the proclamation of the good news to every tongue (language and dialect) tribe and nation with the end following (i.e., the visible return of the Lord Jesus Christ) is better seen as accomplished by the 144,000, their converts, and the two witnesses.
· Walvoord has a different understanding of this passage. He writes:
The expression “the everlasting gospel,” actually without the article (“everlasting gospel”) is an arresting phrase. It is everlasting in the sense that it is ageless, not for any specific period. Ordinarily, one would expect this to refer to the gospel of salvation. In verse 7, however, the content of the message is quite otherwise, for it is an announcement of the hour of judgment of God and the command to worship Him.
The expression “the everlasting gospel,” actually without the article (“everlasting gospel”) is an arresting phrase. It is everlasting in the sense that it is ageless, not for any specific period. Ordinarily, one would expect this to refer to the gospel of salvation. In verse 7, however, the content of the message is quite otherwise, for it is an announcement of the hour of judgment of God and the command to worship Him.
The Messenger of this Gospel
· This is another angelic being but not one of the seven angels of the seven trumpets. Here we have an angelic being probably in some recognizable form preaching the gospel from the heavens. This should not surprise us. Reasons:
1. Angelos is the Greek word for angel and means “messenger.” Angels are messengers and servants of God. Their very name signifies communication.
2. Throughout the history of redemption God has used various methods to communicate His revelation and the gospel to man (cf. Heb 1:1-3, Heb 2:1-4).
3. In the Old Testament angels were often used by God to communicate doctrine and warn men of doom. In Gen 19:1-15 they warned Lot and rescued him. In Dan 10:10 an angel revealed the meaning of the vision to Daniel, and the Law on Mount Sinai was ministered by angels (Act 7:53, Gal 3:19, Heb 2:2).
4. During this age God has not used angels to preach the gospel, though in the first century he did use angels to reveal certain things as with Peter in Act 10:10-16. In the Tribulation, however, God will use angelic beings, perhaps because of the wickedness and deceit of these days. In our passage there is an angelic being flying in the midst of heaven and speaking with a loud voice. Believers who know God and believe the Scriptures have no trouble believing such statements of Scripture. But in our day, this doesn’t seem so unbelievable to unbelievers because of what is going on in the realm of the occult. Satan’s angels speak in demonic apparitions and in demon possession. Such things are documented fact.
· “Flying in the midst of heaven.” “Flying” is in the present tense and stresses this angel will be constantly on the move. Remember that according to Scripture, there are three heavens:
5. our atmosphere out to about 100 miles
6. the starry heavens
7. the third heaven, the abode of God (2 Cor 12:2, Deu 10:14).
The heaven referred to here is probably the first atmospheric heaven, but it is possible that it could be the second heaven, the heaven of the stars from whence this angelic messenger will be constantly orbiting the earth as a kind of satellite sending down his message to earth. The earth will probably at first claim he is an “E.T.” but not after his message is heard around the earth.
The heaven referred to here is probably the first atmospheric heaven, but it is possible that it could be the second heaven, the heaven of the stars from whence this angelic messenger will be constantly orbiting the earth as a kind of satellite sending down his message to earth. The earth will probably at first claim he is an “E.T.” but not after his message is heard around the earth.
The Message
“Having an eternal gospel to preach …” The gospel as we normally think of it is not stated here though it may be a part of his message. In Scripture, as mentioned previously, we have:
1. the gospel of Christ, i.e., the good news of salvation through the person and work of Jesus Christ from sin’s penalty, power and presence
2. the gospel of grace which emphasizes salvation is on the basis of grace
the gospel of the kingdom, the good news God will establish His kingdom on earth through the two advents of the Lord Jesus Christ.
But the good news this angel proclaims has four key elements, three commands and two causes or reasons:
But the good news this angel proclaims has four key elements, three commands and two causes or reasons:
1. Command #1 — “Fear God” refers to a holy reverence that recognizes the sovereign authority and power of God to deal with man in His holy wrath. It is to recognize the true God who can destroy the soul rather than just the body as with the beast.
2. Command #2 — “Give Him glory” refers to the praise and honor that should accrue to God from man due to man’s knowledge and high estimation of God as the sovereign Creator of the universe.
Command #3 — “And worship Him who made …” The word “worship” means to show reverence or respect. This word emphasizes the external display as seen in obedience, prayer, singing, and formal worship, while the word “fear” emphasizes the mental attitude behind the worship. In the Tribulation men will be forced to fear and formally acknowledge the beast and his image. In this message the angel is demanding that men reject the beast and formally turn to God to worship Him (cf. Rev 14:11).
1. Reason #1 — “The hour of his judgment has come” is a reference to the final judgments of the Tribulation, the bowl judgments which are about to occur. These will conclude with the return of Christ Himself (Rev 19:1-21) and lead to the removal of all unbelievers. The emphasis then is to not delay because the time is short.
2. Reason #2 — This is seen in the reference to God as the Creator in verse Rev 14:7 b. This calls attention to the ageless and universal message of the creation itself. Age after age creation has called man to recognize God’s existence and to seek after Him (cf. Act 17:26-27 with Psa 19:1-6). This means men are without excuse and that the hour of the Creator’s judgment is about to fall (Rom 1:18). Though this is the essential and primary element of the angel’s everlasting gospel, perhaps he will say more than this for from age to age a person’s capacity to reverence, glorify and worship God has come only through believing and knowing Christ (cf. John 14:6 with Act 4:12, John 4:23-24).
The Announcement of the Second Angel:
The Fall of Babylon (14:8)
Rev 14:8 And there followed another angel, saying, Babylon is fallen, is fallen, that great city, because she made all nations drink of the wine of the wrath of her fornication.
· Today we are seeing the rise and formation of international and multinational commerce, not merely commerce between nations but international commercial ties which control the governments and political powers within those nations. This involves a mystery of lawlessness, a spiritual adultery that has existed among the nations since the times of Nimrod to some extent, but which will reach its zenith in the Tribulation. More details will be covered on this subject religiously and politically in chapters 17 and 18 where the fall of Babylonianism will be described in more detail by John.
· Now we are introduced to another angelic being. This is a second announcing angel, one that is different from the angel of verse 6 or from the seven trumpet angels. Literally the Greek has “another angel, a second one.”
· “Followed” is the Greek akolouqew which means “to follow in the path of or behind another.” Evidently this angel will likewise fly about the earth as a kind of satellite proclaiming the doom of Babylon.
· “Saying” is a present tense form (an iterative present) which suggests the repetition of his message all over the earth as a warning to men. Here is the grace of God warning men and comforting believers. It is a warning to unbelievers not to trust in the Babylonian system, religiously, politically, or commercially because it is a doomed system. Can you imagine the comfort and encouragement this will bring to believers who will be living under the persecution of the beast?
· “Fallen, fallen (is) Babylon the Great.” “Fallen” is the Greek piptw meaning “to fall, come to ruin.” This fall is highlighted and emphasized strongly in the following ways:
1. The verb is an aorist indicative and it may be what we call the prophetic or dramatic aorist. It dramatically points to a future event with the certainty of an event which has already been fulfilled. The aorist indicative generally is used of a completed historic event. Here it is used prophetically of what is certain in the sovereign plan of God.
2. Then, the word “fallen” is repeated for emphasis. It is first in the sentence, and there is no finite verb. “Is” is in italics. Literally the text reads “Fallen, fallen, Babylon the Great.”
· All of this is designed to highlight the certainty and fact of the fall of the religious, political, and commercial systems of the world portrayed in the word “Babylon.” “Babylon” is from a Greek word derived from the Hebrew Bab el, the Hebrew form of the Assyrian word Bab-ili, the gate of God. This is a name given to the ancient city of Babylon started by Nimrod of Gen 10:8-10, Gen 11:1-9. The original name given in Scripture was Babel. In Hebrew it means confusion and declares God’s judgment on this first international tyrant and his religious and political system. More on this in chapter 17.
· "she made all nations drink of the wine of the wrath of her fornication", There are three key nouns here: “wine,” “passion,” and “fornication” or “immorality.” Wine is described by the nouns passion and fornication. So the wine consists of two things: passion and fornication.
· “Wine” refers to that which intoxicates and disorients. Here that which intoxicates is the secret mysteries and false and idolatrous doctrines that Satan has used to turn nations further away from God. It includes, as we shall see later, international or multinational commercialism. This is a wine that intoxicates a world seeking its security and happiness in riches and pleasure rather than in God (Rev 18:2-3, Rev 18:9-13, Rev 18:16-19).
· The word, “passion” is qumos, “passion, anger, wrath.” It may refer to “wrath” in the sense of Rom 1:18 and God’s judgment that occurs when men love the creature more than the Creator and turn away from the knowledge of God. Remember there is an emphasis in Revelation on the worship of God as the Creator (cf. Rev 14:7).
The Announcement of the Third Angel:
Judgment on the beast Worshippers (14:9-11)
Rev 14:9 And the third angel followed them, saying with a loud voice, If any man worship the beast and his image, and receive his mark in his forehead, or in his hand,
Rev 14:10 The same shall drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is poured out without mixture into the cup of his indignation; and he shall be tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of the holy angels, and in the presence of the Lamb:
Rev 14:11 And the smoke of their torment ascendeth up for ever and ever: and they have no rest day nor night, who worship the beast and his image, and whosoever receiveth the mark of his name.
· The specific reference in this announcement to the judgment of the beast worshippers ties this section to chapter 13 and the apparent success of the beast. The beast’s system, Babylonianism (vs. 8), is doomed and so are his worshippers (vs. 9-11).
· These verses also bring out some striking comparisons and contrasts with the preceding and following verses.
1. As the beast worshippers drink of the wine of the wrath of Babylon’s immorality, so they will drink of the wine of the wrath of God.
2. The beast worshippers will be unable to rest day or night from their eternal doom and judgment, but the saints of God will rest from their labors forever.
3. While the beast worshippers have rest from the tortures of the beast and the saints are tormented on earth, there is a reversal of roles after death or the Tribulation.
4. Then there is a contrast of loyalties which form the basis for the temporary rest on earth versus the eternal rest in heaven (cf. vs. 9b with vs. 12).
· As one studies and contemplates this passage of Scripture he should also keep in mind Jud 1:21-23 which says: Keep yourselves in the love of God, waiting anxiously for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ to eternal life. And have mercy on some, who are doubting; save others, snatching them out of the fire; and on some have mercy with fear, hating even the garment polluted by the flesh.
The Messenger (9a)
· “Another angel, a third one.” Following the pronouncement of the fall of Babylon by the second angel, John next sees a third angel flying in heaven pronouncing judgment on the followers of the beast.
· “With a loud voice.” This is designed to emphasize that all will hear these announcements. There will be no excuse. Here is another manifestation of God’s grace seeking to get men to respond to the good news by confronting them with the bad news while there is still time. God “desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth,” “not wishing for any to perish but for all to come to repentance” (1 Tim 2:4 and 2 Peter 1:1 b).
The Message (9-11)
· The People Doomed (9b) “If anyone worships.” No one is excluded. As anyone who believes in and receives the Lord Jesus Christ as Savior may be saved (John 1:12, John 3:16), so anyone who rejects Christ and receives the beast, the false messiah, will be lost (an evidence of unbelief and rejection of Jesus Christ) and shall suffer eternal doom.
· The Punishment Described (10-11) “He also shall drink.”
1. Its Degree is seen in the words, “mixed in full strength.” The emphasis of this whole clause is that God’s wrath at this point in time will in no way be diluted with His grace and mercy. At this point all of God’s mercy and grace will be withdrawn. Now the longsuffering of God in His mercy and grace holds back the divine justice and holiness of God, but a time is coming when the man who is without Jesus Christ as his Savior will face the unalterable and absolute wrath of God’s holiness.
2. The Agent or Means of judgment is seen in the words, “And he will be tormented with fire and brimstone …” (vs. 10b) “Fire and brimstone” refer to the ingredients or content of the lake of fire already prepared for Satan and his angels (matt 25:41). These are one and the same. The lake is the place and the fire and brimstone the ingredients (Rev 20:10, Mat 25:41, Mat 25:45, Rom 2:3-9, 2 Thess 1:6-9).
3. The Nature or Character of this judgment is “torment.” “And he will be tormented …” “He will be” is a first person singular verb. This individualizes the doom and emphasizes the individual and personal experience every unbeliever must face.
4. The Witnesses, the Judge, and the Executors of this judgment are described in the words, “in the presence of the holy angels and in the presence of the Lamb” (vs. 10c).
5. The Duration of the Torment (vs. 11a) is forever, unceasing, and without rest. “The smoke” evidently stands for their cries and pain which consume their purpose and meaning for existence. “Goes up” is a progressive present and means the smoke “keeps on ascending.” The torment never lets up. “For ever and ever” is literally “unto ages of ages.”
The Announcement Concerning the Blessing of the Saints
(14:12-13)
Rev 14:12 Here is the patience of the saints: here are they that keep the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus.
Rev 14:13 And I heard a voice from heaven saying unto me, Write, Blessed are the dead which die in the Lord from henceforth: Yea, saith the Spirit, that they may rest from their labours; and their works do follow them.
In contrast to the preceding judgment, and the following judgment of the harvest of the earth, here is word of comfort to Tribulation saints.
The Perseverance (12a)
· “Here is the perseverance of the saints.” “Here” is the Greek word hode, an adverb that means, “in this circumstance” or “in this event.” The awesome warnings of doom in the preceding two announcements (verses 8-10) was by contrast to be a means of encouragement and hope to the saints of the Tribulation who would be undergoing persecution by the beast.
· “Perseverance” is the Greek hupomonh which refers to the capacity to endure regardless of the intensity or the duration. Literally it means “to remain under.” The ability to remain under the horrible conditions of persecution will be aided by the knowledge of the doom of the beast as reemphasized and promised by the announcing angels. By way of application it reminds us that being consistent in personal Bible study and gathering with others where one can hear the Word proclaimed and taught is a strong aid to personal endurance and stability in the trials of life.
The People (12b)
· “Saints who keep the commandments of God, and their faith in Jesus.” “saints.” literally means, “set apart ones.” The Tribulation believers “who keep the commandments of God and their faith in Jesus.” Keeping the commandments is the result of, in this context the encouragement taken from the truth of the preceding announcements. Perhaps the particular obedience in mind is refusal to worship the beast, receive his mark, or become a part of the idolatry of the beast.
The Pronouncement From Heaven (13)
· A fourth voice now comes from heaven (either Christ’s or an angel’s) pronouncing a beatitude and evoking a response from the Spirit of God. Another possibility here is that the voice is that of the Spirit Himself. The last half of the verse would then identify who speaks from heaven. (For the four previous records of a voice from heaven compare Rev 10:4, Rev 4:8; Rev 11:12 and Rev 14:2).
The principle is that here is a direct communication from God from heaven rather than through angelic messengers. Why? Because of the importance of the message, but more so because God is interested in personally bringing comfort to His own.
· What John is told to write is a beatitude, a pronouncement of blessing or divine happiness upon those individuals who comply with certain truths or principles of Scripture, but always on the basis of grace. In Scripture a beatitude is always seen as a reversal of man’s viewpoint by setting forth God’s viewpoint, values, priorities and ideas.
To the earthling, obeying the beast and worshipping him is more blessed than death; even slavery is better than death. To many unbelievers death is feared, viewed as an unknown, or the end. But to believers, God’s viewpoint and the promises of His Word teach the direct opposite. To accept the beast is to forfeit trusting in Jesus Christ and so to forfeit eternal life. But death is never the end, it is only the beginning. This life is a place of preparation because our choices and works follow us into eternity.
To the earthling, obeying the beast and worshipping him is more blessed than death; even slavery is better than death. To many unbelievers death is feared, viewed as an unknown, or the end. But to believers, God’s viewpoint and the promises of His Word teach the direct opposite. To accept the beast is to forfeit trusting in Jesus Christ and so to forfeit eternal life. But death is never the end, it is only the beginning. This life is a place of preparation because our choices and works follow us into eternity.
· The phrase “the dead who die in the Lord” refers to martyred believers.
· The words “from now on”, from the time of this period of intensified persecution by the beast to the end of the Tribulation.
· “They may rest” is the Greek anapauw. It means to “have relief, cease from labor.” “to enjoy rest” or “really experience the blessings of the rest.” By way of application, how many times do people cease from labor but are unable to actually rest, enjoy it and relax? In God’s presence and out of this old world, rest will truly be rest.
· “Labors” is the Greek kopos. It refers to hard work, toil producing a weariness which exhausts. Here it particularly refers to labors endured in persecution from the beast (cf. Jas 1:12 where God offers a special crown or reward for enduring trials).
· “For their deeds follow them.” This is both an explanation and a promise. It is an explanation in that it points out one of the reasons these martyrs will be able to truly enjoy their rest. Their labors will not be in vain. Rewards will follow which will more than compensate for their losses on earth. Heaven’s joys and those of the eternal state will blot out the memory of earth’s painful labors and trials Rev 21:4, Isa 65:17-18).
· “Deeds” is the plural of the Greek ergon, “work, deed, action,” or “employment, task.” The plural points to all the specific service or works of the believer that are done as unto the Lord and in the power of the Holy Spirit. These the Lord will reward. God will remember and reward them all.
· The verb “follow them” is a present tense of continuous action and means “to accompany.” The emphasis is that the works of the believer, if accomplished through the filling of the Holy Spirit, will accompany the believer into heaven and into the eternal state. They will bring special joy because of the glory they bring to God, and the privileges they bring to the believer such as service, and responsibility (Mat 25:19-23).
The Announcement of the Harvesting of the Earth
(14:14-20)
Rev 14:14 And I looked, and behold a white cloud, and upon the cloud one sat like unto the Son of man, having on his head a golden crown, and in his hand a sharp sickle.
Rev 14:15 And another angel came out of the temple, crying with a loud voice to him that sat on the cloud, Thrust in thy sickle, and reap: for the time is come for thee to reap; for the harvest of the earth is ripe.
Rev 14:16 And he that sat on the cloud thrust in his sickle on the earth; and the earth was reaped.
Rev 14:17 And another angel came out of the temple which is in heaven, he also having a sharp sickle.
Rev 14:18 And another angel came out from the altar, which had power over fire; and cried with a loud cry to him that had the sharp sickle, saying, Thrust in thy sharp sickle, and gather the clusters of the vine of the earth; for her grapes are fully ripe.
Rev 14:19 And the angel thrust in his sickle into the earth, and gathered the vine of the earth, and cast it into the great winepress of the wrath of God.
Rev 14:20 And the winepress was trodden without the city, and blood came out of the winepress, even unto the horse bridles, by the space of a thousand and six hundred furlongs.
· After the brief pause to comfort the saints, John returns to the subject of God’s divine wrath poured out upon the earth. This is done by way of the picture of a harvest by which God reaps the earth and by way of the seven last plagues, the seven bowl judgments which are poured out on the earth (chapters 15 and 16).
The Harvesting of the Earth (14-16)
Rev 14:14 And I looked, and behold a white cloud, and upon the cloud one sat like unto the Son of man, having on his head a golden crown, and in his hand a sharp sickle.
Rev 14:15 And another angel came out of the temple, crying with a loud voice to him that sat on the cloud, Thrust in thy sickle, and reap: for the time is come for thee to reap; for the harvest of the earth is ripe.
Rev 14:16 And he that sat on the cloud thrust in his sickle on the earth; and the earth was reaped.
· The First Reaper (14) “One Like the Son of Man” - “White” is a symbol of righteousness or holiness and the “cloud” symbolizes the presence, majesty and glory of God. “Having a golden crown on His head.” This is clearly a picture of the Lord Jesus Christ and emphasizes the humanity of Christ as the One who came to die for man, but who, as the God-Man and King would one day come to judge men as Man.
· The world will be reaped according to its own sowing.
· “And a sharp sickle in His hand.” That the sickle is sharp teaches us this harvesting will be complete, thorough, and effective.
· Newell has some interesting comments here. He says:
Not the glory of His person, or the process of His coming, but the fact that He is ready with a reaping instrument, is here emphasized. Rights over the harvest, (whatever the harvest is to be) are manifest. “Thou shalt not move a sickle unto thy neighbor’s standing grain,” said the law. Therefore, He is to reap a field over which He has authority. Now, it is striking to discover that the “sickle” is mentioned just twelve times in the Bible, and seven of these are in our verses here! Also that the Greek word translated “sharp” (oxus) occurs seven times in The Revelation: four times describing the sickle here, and three times, that two-edged sword which proceeds from the Lord’s mouth for searching judgment.189
Not the glory of His person, or the process of His coming, but the fact that He is ready with a reaping instrument, is here emphasized. Rights over the harvest, (whatever the harvest is to be) are manifest. “Thou shalt not move a sickle unto thy neighbor’s standing grain,” said the law. Therefore, He is to reap a field over which He has authority. Now, it is striking to discover that the “sickle” is mentioned just twelve times in the Bible, and seven of these are in our verses here! Also that the Greek word translated “sharp” (oxus) occurs seven times in The Revelation: four times describing the sickle here, and three times, that two-edged sword which proceeds from the Lord’s mouth for searching judgment.189
· The Second Reaper (15) “Another angel”
· “Came out of the temple” calls our attention to the fact this angel comes from the heavenly temple, from the very presence of the Father (cf. vs. 17).
· “Crying out with a loud voice …” Here an angelic being gives orders to the Son of Man, but Christ Himself said that the Father had set within His own limits “the times and epochs” (Mat 24:36, Act 1:7). This is therefore, the Father giving directions to the Son of Man to execute the final judgments through this angelic messenger. Please note the words, “because the hour to reap has come” (cf. Heb 10:12-13, Psa 2:7-9).
· Reaping is symbolic of death and destruction which will be wrought upon the earth. Does this reaping include both saints and sinners? From the parable of Mat 13:37-43 we learn that “the harvest is the end of the age and the reapers are the angels” and that “the Son of Man will send forth His angels and they will gather out of His kingdom all stumbling blocks, and those who commit lawlessness and will cast them into the furnace of fire” (Mat 13:39-41 A). But in the parable as Christ told it before giving the meaning, he said of the tares (the enemy or unbelievers) and of the wheat (the people of God, believers), “allow both to grow together until the harvest; and I will say to the reapers, ‘first gather up the tares and bind them in bundles to burn them up, but gather the wheat into My barns’” (Mat 13:30).
Note that while the angels gather the tares for judgment, the righteous are left on earth where the kingdom will be established. It seems evident from this and the context of Revelation 14 that the sickle of Revelation 14 is for the judgment of unbelievers only. Believers are not here in view.
Note that while the angels gather the tares for judgment, the righteous are left on earth where the kingdom will be established. It seems evident from this and the context of Revelation 14 that the sickle of Revelation 14 is for the judgment of unbelievers only. Believers are not here in view.
· “Because the harvest of the earth is ripe.” The phrase “is ripe” is the Greek verb xhrainw which means “to dry” or “be dry, be parched, withered” (cf. Mark 11:20 where this verb is used, also Jas 1:11). It refers to a dry or withered harvest. Ryrie says, “The inhabitants of the earth are withered, lifeless and fully ready for judgment.”190 Mankind was to be a productive vine for God’s glory but the nations turned from God. Then God chose and called out the nation Israel who was to be a choice vine, but she too turned away (Isa 5:1-30). So God brought forth the True Vine, the Lord Jesus Christ who alone brings fruit and glory to God and only those who believe in Him and abide in Him can be productive. Everyone else must wither and be gathered for judgment (cf. John 15:1-2).
· The Reaping (16) “… and the earth was reaped”
· The final judgments of the Tribulation which culminate in Christ’s return are referred to in one quick and sweeping statement. Here we have the ultimate source of reaping, the Lord, the act, and the result. The verb “was reaped” is a culminative aorist looking at the final victory of Jesus Christ. This promises and states the fact of victory before the details are given later in Revelation. The details will come in the following chapters.
The Vine of the Earth and the Wine Press of God’s Wrath (17-20)
Rev 14:17 And another angel came out of the temple which is in heaven, he also having a sharp sickle.
Rev 14:18 And another angel came out from the altar, which had power over fire; and cried with a loud cry to him that had the sharp sickle, saying, Thrust in thy sharp sickle, and gather the clusters of the vine of the earth; for her grapes are fully ripe.
Rev 14:19 And the angel thrust in his sickle into the earth, and gathered the vine of the earth, and cast it into the great winepress of the wrath of God.
Rev 14:20 And the winepress was trodden without the city, and blood came out of the winepress, even unto the horse bridles, by the space of a thousand and six hundred furlongs.
· In the pictures portrayed in these verses we have an anticipation of the coming of Jesus Christ at the final battle of Armageddon in the Valley of Megiddo.
· The metaphor changes slightly from the harvest of the dried grain or tares to that of the gathering of grapes and the winepress of God’s anger. The church of Jesus Christ is gone. Christ (the true Vine) has been rejected by the nations and Israel. With the exception of the remnant of believers from every tribe, tongue, and nation, all the earth has given themselves over to Satan and the kingdom of the beast. Thus, the earth has become like a great vine full of clusters of grapes ripe for harvest and the winepress or judgment. Perhaps Moses’ words in Deu 32:32-35 will help us see the picture of how God views the nations.
· This angel thus speaks to the angel with the sharp sickleand commands him to put in his sickle and to harvest the ripe grape clusters from the poisonous vine of the earth. Concerning this picture Ryrie says, “The picture here is that all the false religion of man is fully ripe and ready for harvest. Thus the harvest is ready because man in his own efforts apart from the life of God has fully developed an apostate religious system.”191
· Verses 19 and 20 take us to the result of this condition, the winepress of God. The grapes harvested are to be thrown into the winepress to be trampled. The winepress trodden outside the city with the blood coming out from the press refers to the gathering of the armies of the nations to Megiddo in the north of Jerusalem for the great battle with the Lord Jesus Christ as described in Rev 19:17-19 and Joel 3:1-21.
176 NIV Bible Commentary, Electronic Version.
177 William F. Arndt and F. Wilbur Gingrich, A Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament and Other Early Christian Literature, Electronic Version.
178 Theological Dictionary of N.T. Words, Vol. IV, p. 407.
179 Alan Johnson, The Expositor’s Bible Commentary, Vol. 12, Frank E. Gaebelein, general editor, Zondervan, Grand Rapids, 1981, p. 539.
180 John F. Walvoord, The Revelation of Jesus Christ, Moody Press, Chicago, 1966, p. 217.
181 William R. Newell, The Book of Revelation, Moody Press, Chicago, 1966, p. 283 quoting Seiss from his book “On the Apocalypse” written in 1865.
182 The history and spread of this system is described and documented in The Two Babylons or The Papal Worship Proved to Be The Worship of Nimrod and His Wife, Alexander Hislop, Loizeaux Brothers, Second American Edition, 1959.
183 Hislop, p. 14.
184 All the figures shown here were taken from Hislop’s The Two Babylons, pp. 5-19.
185 Hislop, pp. 19-20.
186 Hislop, p. 20.
187 Fritz Rienecker, Linguistic Key to the Greek New Testament, Vol. II, edited by Cleon L. Rogers, Jr., Zondervan, Grand Rapids, 1980, pp. 499.
188 Bob Wilkin, Grace Evangelical News, June, 1991, pp. 2-3.
189 William H. Newell, The Book of The Revelation, Moody Press, Chicago, 1966, p. 228.
190 Charles C. Ryrie, Revelation, Moody Press, Chicago, 1968, p. 92.
191 Ryrie, Revelation, p. 92.
192 NIV Bible Commentary, electronic version.
References and Credits
· Revelation 14 Study - Stan Feldsine
· Credit to: J. Hampton Keathley III
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