Bible Commentaries
Revelation 14

Verse 1

Revelation 14:1

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.

After the Apostle John had seen the anti-Christian beast, persecuting the church of God, the woman, and the remnant of her see; he looked what would become of that remnant of God’s sealed ones;

And lo, a Lamb stood on the mount Sion.

Our Lord Jesus Christ is called a Lamb, first, as He was a sacrifice, for the sins of his people. {1 Corinthians 5:7; John 1:29} See the exposition of Revelation 5:6-9. See KNOLLYS: Revelation 5:6" [ff] See KNOLLYS: Revelation 5:7 See KNOLLYS: Revelation 5:8 See KNOLLYS: Revelation 5:9 By his standing on Mount Sion, is meant Christ’s presence with his church, and his kingly power for her protection and preservation, in all generations, {Ephesians 3:21} that God may have glory by Jesus Christ in his church, typed out here by Mount Sion, for strength, {Psalms 125:1-2} and for beauty, {Psalms 48:2}

And with him an hundred forty and four thousand.

These were the sealed ones, {chapter Revelation 7:3-4} so that our Lord Jesus Christ had lost none of all them that the Father had given him. {John 6:39}

Having his Fathers name written in their foreheads.

This doth distinguish the followers of the Lamb from the worshippers and followers of the beast. The worshippers of the beast had the mark of the beast in their foreheads; which is an open and visible profession of their subjection and obedience unto the universal headship, government, dominion, laws, and ordinances of the Pope and Church of Rome. (See exposition on Revelation 13:16-17) See KNOLLYS: Revelation 13:16 The true worshippers of God, that worship him in spirit and truth, and the followers of the Lamb, our blessed Lord Jesus Christ, have his father’s name written in their foreheads; that is an open and visible profession of their subjection and obedience unto the universal headship, rule, authority, government, dominion, laws, and ordinances of God the Father, and of our Lord Jesus Christ. The sealed ones were of the election of God, as 2 Timothy 2:19. And these written ones were also a remnant of the same election of grace, as Romans 11:5 yet we may observe some things wherein they differ, and are distinguished. First, in time; they were sealed at the beginning of the beast’s forty and two months. See Revelation 7:3-4, etc. These were congregated at the ending time of the witnesses’ thousand two hundred and threescore days, when the spirit of life entered into the witnesses. See Revelation 11:11-15, etc. They were sealed a little before the first trumpet sounded; these were congregated upon the sounding of the seventh trumpet, when it began to sound, see the exposition of chapter 7 verse 3, 4, etc. See KNOLLYS: Revelation 7:3 & See KNOLLYS: Revelation 7:4 and chapter 8 verse 7, etc., See KNOLLYS: Revelation 8:6 and chapter 10 verse 7, 11. See KNOLLYS: Revelation 10:5 & See KNOLLYS: Revelation 10:11 Secondly, in condition; the sealed ones were in a wilderness condition of sufferings, {Revelation 12:6} and in a mourning sackcloth state. {Revelation 11:3-7} The congregated ones were in an overcoming, conquering, and rejoicing condition over the beast, and his image, and over mystery Babylon the great. {Revelation 18:20; Revelation 20:4}

Verse 2

Revelation 14:2

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:

The saints being now congregated in a general assembly on Mount Sion, and the Lord Jesus Christ with them, as Hebrews 12:22-24. Their

voice

(that is, their declaration, or testimony) was like the noise of many waters, and a great thunder, loud and terrible; somewhat like the march of Jehosaphat, against the children of Ammon, Moab, and Mount Seir. Compare 2 Chronicles 20:10-30 with Psalms 83:5-18.

And I heard the voice of harpers, harping with their harps.

This was the voice of praises and thanksgivings to God; these harpers were God’s David’s, who were prepared to sing in the spirit, {1 Corinthians 14:15-16} who being filled with the Holy Spirit, and their harps, that is, their hearts, being in a spiritual frame, they were prepared to sing Hosannas and Hallelujah’s, {Ephesians 5:19-20} as David prophesied the congregated churches of saints in the later days shall do, {Psalms 149:1-9}

Verse 3

Revelation 14:3

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.

It is here called

a new song

because the matter of it was renewed praises of God, as Psalms 40:3. And he hath put a new song in my mouth, even praise unto our God.

And no man could learn that song, but the hundred and forty and four thousand.

None but God’s chosen and called ones, his sealed ones, his sanctified ones,

who were redeemed from the earth;

that is, from the world. {John 17:6-16}

Verse 4

Revelation 14:4

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.

By women here, we are to understand mystery Babylon, the great whore, and mother of harlots; that is, the Church of Rome, and some national churches, though some of them may be (as Nineveh was), {Nahum 3:4-19} well favoured harlots; yet false churches, and not the churches of Christ. See Revelation 17:5 to be

defiled with women,

is to be corrupted and polluted with their idolatrous, superstitious, and false worship, {Matthew 15:8; Colossians 2:20-22}

For they are virgins.

With virgins, {Matthew 25:1-3} etc., betrothed to Jesus Christ, {Hosea 2:19; 2 Corinthians 11:2} espoused to the Lord.

These are they which follow the Lamb whithersoever he goeth.

First, to the cross, {Matthew 10:38} and secondly, afterwards to the crown, {Matthew 19:28-29}

These were (bought or) redeemed from among men,

by the precious blood of Jesus Christ, {1 Corinthians 6:19-20; 1 Peter 1:19}

From among men;

that is, out of every kindred, and tongue, and nation, and people. {Revelation 5:9-10}

The first fruits unto God, and to the Lamb;

that is, such as gave or offered up themselves to God by Christ, to oppose the beast, the whore, and the false prophet, and so became the first fruits of Christ’s Davidical Kingdom, {Revelation 5:9-10; Revelation 20:4} on earth.

Verse 5

Revelation 14:5

Revelation 14:5 And in their mouth was found no guile: for they are without fault before the throne of God.

And in their mouth was found no guile.

They will declare plainly that they are for the universal headship of Christ; and he alone may be acknowledged King of Saints, King of Zion, and King of Nations; as the holy scripture of truth doth testify of him. {Revelation 15:3; Psalms 149:1-2; Jeremiah 10:7-10}

And in their mouth was found no guile.

These bare their witness openly, and their testimony plainly, against the universal headship of the Bishop of Rome, and his dominion over kings and emperors: And overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony. And they loved not their lives unto death.

For they are without fault before the throne of God.

By fault here, we may understand dissimulation, pretending one thing, and intending another. They were single hearted saints, who had their conversation in this world, in simplicity and godly sincerity, and not in fleshly wisdom. {2 Corinthians 1:12}

Verse 6

Revelation 14:6

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,

By another angel, we may understand another kind of gospel ministry, and ministers; see Revelation 1:20; Revelation 2:1, not another with respect of Christ’s former institution, for they are to continue until we all come in the unity of faith unto a perfect man. {Ephesians 4:11-13} But another in respect of renewed life, spirit, and spiritual gifts and graces, like the raised witnesses into whom the spirit of life entered, {Revelation 11:11} and they prophesied again Kings, etc. {as Revelation 10:11} having the everlasting gospel to preach, as commissioned by Christ. {Mr 16:15-16}

Verse 7

Revelation 14:7

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.

Saying with a loud voice, fear God, and give glory to him;

as Isaiah 58:1. Lift up thy voice like a trumpet, etc., and with all ministerial boldness, as Acts 4:19. To

Fear God

here, is to worship God, {Isaiah 29:13; Matthew 15:8} as followeth in Revelation 14:7

And worship him that made heaven and earth, etc.

For the hour, that is, the time, the appointed time of his judgement. {Acts 17:31} There was a time when God entered in judgement with the pagan emperors, and destroyed them, their idols, and idol temples, by Constantine the Great. See exposition of Revelation 6:12-17. See KNOLLYS: Revelation 6:12 See KNOLLYS: Revelation 6:13 See KNOLLYS: Revelation 6:14 See KNOLLYS: Revelation 6:15 See KNOLLYS: Revelation 6:16 See KNOLLYS: Revelation 6:17 And by this hour of God’s judgment, we are to understand the day and time of the utter ruin of Papal Rome, the beast of the eighth head, the Pope, the false prophets, the great whore, mystery Babylon, and all her daughters, the national synodal, and parochial false churches; as will appear plainly in the exposition of Revelation 16:1-21; Revelation 17:1-18; Revelation 18:1-24; Revelation 19:1-21 of this Prophecy of the Revelation of Jesus Christ.

Verse 8

Revelation 14:8

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.

Now that the light of the everlasting gospel is broken forth in all the earth, and the ministers of Christ begin to prophesy again before kings, people, and nations, as Revelation 10:10-11. See the exposition. See KNOLLYS: Revelation 10:8 & See KNOLLYS: Revelation 10:11 This next sort of angels, that is, ministers, {Revelation 1:20} proclaim the fall and ruin of mystical Babylon, that great city, the whole Roman papal state.

Babylon is fallen, is fallen.

It is doubled to note the certainty of it, as Revelation 18:2. And the reason of her destruction followeth;

because she made all nations drink of the wine of the wrath of her fornication.

Therefore will God give her the cup of the wine of the fierceness of his wrath. {Revelation 16:19; Revelation 18:3}

Verse 9

Revelation 14:9

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,

This

third angel

was also other ministers of Christ who denounced his righteous judgments against them, that

worship the beast, and his image, and receive his mark in their foreheads or in their hands

See the exposition hereof Revelation 13:15-17. See KNOLLYS: Revelation 13:15 and See KNOLLYS: Revelation 13:16 and see exposition of Revelation 13:17 See KNOLLYS: Revelation 13:16

Verse 10

Revelation 14:10

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 same (that is the worshippers of the beast; the idolatrous and superstitious papists;) shall drink of the wine of the wrath of God,

as Revelation 16:19

which is poured out without mixture into the cup of his indignation

The seven vials of the seven last plagues, {Revelation 15:1} For in them is filled up the wrath of God. By

fire and brimstone

Revelation 14:10 we are to understand the eternal torments of impenitent persons, as {Revelation 19:20} with the devil that deceived them, {Revelation 20:10-14} which is the second death. And as it followeth, {Revelation 14:10-11} before Christ, and his holy angels.

Verse 11

Revelation 14:11

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.

And the smoke of their torment ascendeth up for ever and ever, etc.

which noteth the extremity, and the eternity of their torments in Hell fire. It hath been at all times, a dangerous condition, that the souls of the papists have been in, by

worshipping the beast, and his image,

Revelation 13:8 But now those papists that

worship the beast and his image and whosoever receiveth the mark of his name

are in a damnable state, and shall be tormented for ever and ever, except they repent.

Verse 12

Revelation 14:12

Revelation 14:12 Here is the patience of the saints: here are they that keep the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus.

By the saints here, we are to understand the seed of the woman, {Revelation 12:17} all the suffering saints during the whole forty and two months of the beast, until the rising of the two witnesses, who patiently endured their sufferings, whose blessed state and condition is expressed in Revelation 12:13.

Verse 13

Revelation 14:13

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.

And I heard a voice from heaven, saying unto me, write, blessed are the dead which die (for the Lord, and) in the Lord.

See Revelation 13:10 and the exposition thereof - See KNOLLYS: Revelation 13:9 It is not dying for the Lord (only) that makes a blessed martyr, {1 Corinthians 13:1-3} but dying

in the Lord

and for the Lord.

Yea, saith the spirit, from henceforth,

that is, from the time of their suffering death for the cause, gospel, kingdom, and testimony of Christ against Antichrist: They are blessed, that is eternally happy.

That they may rest from their labours;

Then no more labour, trouble, sorrow, or suffering, tribulation, persecution, etc.

And their works do follow them;

that is, the reward of grace and glory promised. {Romans 8:17; 2 Timothy 2:12; Hebrews 11:26}

Verse 14

Revelation 14:14

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.

By the

white cloud (upon which one sat like the Son of man)

we may understand a glorious appearance of Jesus Christ. {Isaiah 19:1; Matthew 17:5} It was

he that sat on the cloud

as King of Saints, {Revelation 15:3} King of Sion, {Psalms 149:1-2} and King of Nations. {Jeremiah 10:7-10}

Having on his head a golden crown, and in his hand a sharp sickle.

By this

sharp sickle

we may understand the means and instruments that our Lord Jesus Christ will use to cut down mystery Babylon, the beast, the false prophet, the great whore, and the whole Roman papal kingdom. {Joel 3:13; Jeremiah 51:33}

Verse 15

Revelation 14:15

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. {ripe: or, dried}

For the time is come for thee to reap;

that is, Gods appointed time;

for the harvest of the earth is ripe.

Verse 16

Revelation 14:16

Revelation 14:16 And he that sat on the cloud thrust in his sickle on the earth; and the earth was reaped.

And the earth was reaped;

that is, mystery Babylon was destroyed, as. {Revelation 18:8-19}

Verse 17

Revelation 14:17

Revelation 14:17 And another angel came out of the temple which is in heaven, he also having a sharp sickle.

By

the temple in heaven,

we may understand the glorious state and condition of the church of God, prophesied Isaiah 60:1-22

Verse 18

Revelation 14:18

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.

And another angel came out from the altar,

Revelation 14:18. Thus, Christ being upon his march he proceeds with speed to destroy Babylon the great, the mother of harlots, and abominations of the earth; one angel messenger comes speedily after another, prepared with a sharp sickle, his two-edged sword. {Revelation 19:19-21} The sword of the spirit, {Ephesians 6:17} in the hand of his saints. {Psalms 149:1-8; Isaiah 63:2-4} Behold, the third woe cometh quickly, speedily. {Revelation 11:14} By

the altar,

we may understand the inward court of the Temple, where the blood of the martyrs of Jesus Christ lay crying for vengeance against their persecutors. {Revelation 6:9-11}

Which had power over fire;

as Elias, and the two prophetical witnesses of Christ. See the exposition of Revelation 11:5, See KNOLLYS: Revelation 11:5 read Hebrews 1:7

Thrust in thy sharp sickle, and gather the clusters of the vine of the earth, for her grapes are fully ripe.

By

her grapes,

we may understand those abominations, {Revelation 17:5} of the Roman church; like the grapes of Sodom and Gomorrah, {De 32:32-35} such are the vine and grapes of the Church of Rome.

Verse 19

Revelation 14:19

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.

By

the vine of the earth

we are to understand the Church of Rome degenerated. {Isaiah 5:1-7} The church in Rome was a true church in the days of the Apostles, unto whom St. Paul writ an epistle. {Romans 1:1-7} But the Church of Rome is degenerated, and is become the great whore, mystical Babylon, etc.

And the angel thrust in his sickle,

see Revelation 19:15. That wine press was (as this is) the great

wine press of the wrath of God.

Verse 20

Revelation 14:20

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.

And the wine press was trodden without the city, and blood came out of the wine press.

They that trod the wine press was our Lord Jesus Christ, and his saints. {Revelation 18:3-8} The wine press is that place which is called Armageddon. See the exposition of Revelation 16:15-16 -See KNOLLYS: Revelation 16:15 & See KNOLLYS: Revelation 16:16 and Revelation 19:17; Revelation 19:21. See KNOLLYS: Revelation 19:17 & See KNOLLYS: Revelation 19:21

Even unto the horses bridles, by the space of a thousand and six hundred furloughs;

that is, two hundred miles, (eight furloughs to a mile) which sheweth that this judgment of God is very great; therefore called the battle of the great day of God almighty. {Revelation 16:14-16} And also called the supper of the great God. {Revelation 19:17-19} And therefore shall her plagues come in one day -for strong is the Lord God that judgeth her. {Revelation 18:7-10}