The Lamb and the 144,000
Revelation 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.
This is the same group revealed in Revelation 7, and seems to be symbolic Israel rather than physical Israel. Their identifying mark is the opposite of the mark of the beast, God the Father’s name in their foreheads. Why is the innumerable multitude not mentioned? Perhaps this reveals the 144,000 as holding special positions in eternity.
Revelation 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:
This reminds us of a voice from heaven at Christ’s baptism. But here the voice is echoed by many.
Revelation 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.
This is a new song and exclusively sung by them. Who are they?
Revelation 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.
Using the term firstfruits implies a special group and that others will also be saved but as second fruits. Sexual defilement here is related to the false religion of the whore of Babylon. By contrast, sexual purity marks all true Christians, as does its spiritual application, freedom from idolatry.
Revelation 14:5 And in their mouth was found no guile: for they are without fault before the throne of God.
No guile here refers to no lie. Idolatry is worshiping a lie. These are sincere, worshiping in spirit and truthful reality (John 4:24). Without fault means “blameless” (NIV, ESV, NASB) cleansed by the washing of water with the word (Ephesians 5:26-27). Only Jesus is able to make us stand blameless before the presence of His glory (Jude 24).
Angelic Announcements
Revelation 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,
This is the first of several angels carrying a vital message.
Revelation 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.
Rather than being in terror of the beast and worldly powers, we should fear God, which involves a deep reverence of Him. Judgment day, a topic often avoided by those who love to preach “smooth things,” is here connected with the good news, as the saints glorify God, because in Jesus we can have success on judgment day.
Revelation 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.
The second of these angels brings his assigned message. The descendant of Babylon was pagan Rome, picturing all governments that persecute Christians. All nations have been driven mad, corrupted by a worldly system of greed and oppression inherited from ancient Babylon (Jeremiah 51:7).
Revelation 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,
The third angel’s announcement includes the word “receive” which implies that receiving the sign, badge of servitude, or mark of the beast is voluntary.
Revelation 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:
The wine of God’s anger is not watered down. It pictures God’s intense anger which contrasts with the often casual and accepting attitudes of society towards sin. There is no avoiding the fact that the angels and Jesus will oversee this punishment.
Revelation 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.
In contrast with verse 13 and the eternal rest which the saints experience, there is no rest for the unrepentant worshipers of this world and its ways.
Revelation 14:12 Here is the patience of the saints: here are they that keep the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus.
Christians keep the spiritual application of the commandments of God, not in a legalistic, letter-of-the-law manner as Paul was inspired to correct among the Galatians, but in the Spirit which gives life. This spirit-of-the-law obedience is coupled with faith in Jesus.
Revelation 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.
Contrasted with the unrepentant, these are granted rest as they die in the Lord.
Revelation 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.
Jesus’ ascension and return involve Him on a cloud (Acts 1:9-11; Matthew 24:30). The sickle pictures a hooked knife used in harvesting grapes.
The Time to Reap
Revelation 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.
Now a fourth angel like an announcer, has a word of encouragement supporting our Lord and His next task.
Revelation 14:16 And he that sat on the cloud thrust in his sickle on the earth; and the earth was reaped.
We are reminded that the harvest is plentiful, that wheat and weeds grow together, and that the fields are already ripe for harvest (Matthew 9:37; Matthew 13:30; John 4:35). The one slight difference here is a grape harvest rather than a wheat harvest, though there is some overlap in meaning.
Revelation 14:17 And another angel came out of the temple which is in heaven, he also having a sharp sickle.
Now a fifth angel appears and his role is to join in the harvest with a sickle of his own.
Revelation 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.
Now a sixth angel shouts encouraging the fifth to thrust in his vineyard reaping hook. The harvest is ready and reminds us of Jesus' words during His earthly ministry (Matthew 9:35-38).
Revelation 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.
In winemaking, the first order of duty is to crush the grapes harvested from the vines producing fresh grape juice. This winepress is described as God’s wrath, picturing the final destruction of the wicked.
Revelation 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.
The fresh-squeezed grape juice pictures the blood of the wicked, shed in a great slaughter, a lake of blood 1600 stadia, about 180 miles or 300 kilometers across.
Unlike our society, God takes sin deadly seriously, because He knows that its end result is eternal suffering for all involved. He cannot and will not tolerate that which only destroys.
