Bible Commentaries
Revelation 14

Verses 1-6

THE SEVEN FIGURES CONCLUDED
FIGURE FIVE – THE CHURCH TRIUMPHANT

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. Revelation 14:1

Now as the final battle lines are drawn we are re-introduced to the 144,000. This is certainly not a new group but must be identified with the group in chapter seven.^(F1)

We saw the group in chapter seven as they were being sealed against the coming disasters. Now we see them with the Lamb, as they stand together on Mt. Zion. We learned earlier that these believers were sealed in their foreheads. Here we understand more about this seal. The seal is Jesus' name and the Father's name (14:1). We remember in Exodus 28:36 how the High Priest, Aaron, had an engraved seal on his forehead that read, "HOLY TO THE LORD" (cf. Psalm 91:14).

The name of God was so holy and so secret in ancient Israel that even its pronunciation was virtually forbidden and finally lost altogether. Now it is written on the foreheads of the faithful. It is displayed in their most prominent place. This is a picture of ownership; of witness; of complete victory, as the persecuted saints now stand triumphantly with the Lamb on Mount Zion. ^(F2) But how interesting it is that God's people and the Antichrist's people are both sealed in their foreheads. The seals in the forehead obviously have something to do with the way these people are thinking.

As in chapter seven, we see again that the redeemed of God come from the earth (14:3) and "from among mankind" (14:4). This seems to preclude that this group is wholly from the nation of Israel in its natural sense, as many have thought. It is obvious that this group must be associated with the overcoming company we glimpsed earlier in Revelation chapters seven and twelve. These are said here to be virgins. This is likely a symbolic reference to purity regarding God's temple servants.^(F3)

As we said before, it is very possible that this group is a picture of the "new man," or part of the true Israel, made up of believing Jews and believing Gentiles, the remnant of both. It should not surprise us that, just as there is a holy remnant in Israel, there is also a holy remnant in the church. Jesus himself said in Matthew 22:14, "For many are invited, but few are chosen."

Barnes sees this group not as the whole of the redeemed, but as a representation of the redeemed, making up a holy offering to God and picturing the final triumph of the saints. ^(F4) It is amazing how far removed we are today from the interpretations of scholars in recent centuries regarding this passage.

This remnant is totally dedicated to the Lamb and they follow him wherever he goes. It is said of this victorious group that they are "first-fruits" from among mankind (14:4). We remember in Israel that the beginning of the harvest, or first-fruits, was always considered as a holy offering to God (cf. Exodus 23:19).^(F5)

Truly, no group exactly like this has ever appeared before on the earth. These seem to have taken the instruction of James 3:2 very seriously. He says, "Anyone who is never at fault in what they say is perfect…" Along with their other victories, the members of the 144,000 have won the battle of the tongue. As Revelation 14:5 states, "No lie was found in their mouths; they are blameless" (cf. Zephaniah 3:13). Of course, no lying would also include theological lies, false doctrine and even hypocrisy.^(F6)

These soldiers of God are arrayed in truth and stand ready with Christ, having their mighty spiritual weapons. They are ready to bring down earth's strongholds, demolish lying arguments and everything else that stands against the knowledge of God. They are prepared to help make every thought on earth obedient to Christ Jesus (2 Corinthians 10:3-6).

In Ephesians 6:10-11 & 13-18, Paul gives careful instructions to God's soldiers who will stand on this last and evil day. He says:

Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil's schemes – put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the Lord's people.

Verses 7-14

FIGURE SIX – THREE ANGEL INTERLUDE

…Fear God and give him glory, because the hour of his judgment has come. Revelation 14:7

Here we are introduced to three angels. The first of these three angels is said to fly in midair with the eternal gospel for every nation, tribe and language (14:6). Perhaps in these last days a great awakening will come about for many people (Isaiah 26:9b). The prophet Joel does say of these last days that "…everyone who calls on the name of the LORD will be saved; for on Mount Zion and in Jerusalem there will be deliverance, as the LORD has said, even among the survivors whom the LORD calls" (Joel 2:32). Again, the angel warns humanity that he hour of God's judgment is at hand. It is interesting that the Lord speaks once more about last-day "survivors."

The second angel makes the announcement of Babylon's impending fall (14:8). This is the first mention of Babylon in the book of Revelation, but it will not be the last. In fact, the subject of Babylon's fall is a very prominent theme of the last days. The theme is taken up again in chapters sixteen, seventeen and eighteen.

Babylon is one of the deepest mysteries of the Bible. It was certainly more than just the locale of the Hebrew exile. It stands as a spiritual symbol and code word for spiritual bondage and defilement of holy things.

The third angel brings another stern warning about worshipping the beast and receiving his mark (14:9-11). This is an extremely important warning, for those who do these things must drink of the wine of God's fury. Such fallen ones will be tormented forever in the presence of the angels and the Lamb. What a warning for God's holy ones to be strong and endure suffering and death, rather than be marked by this beastly system!

Again, the angel gives us one great characteristic of end-day saints. It is said that these overcomers "…keep his commands and remain faithful to Jesus" (14:12). We saw a similar qualification in Revelation 12:17. How very interesting that these last-day overcomers will maintain such a balance of law and grace in their lives. This groupseems to manifest that which is best in Israel and also that which is best in Gentile Christianity.

The angel announces that from this point on, those who die in the Lord will be greatly blessed (14:13). In Revelation 20:4-6, John tells us that these will be raised in the first resurrection to reign on earth with Christ during the thousand-year Millennium. Like their Master, they will have died for the truth.

Verses 15-20

FIGURE SEVEN – HARVEST TIME ON EARTH

…Take your sickle and reap, because the time to reap has come, for the harvest of the earth is ripe. Revelation 14:15

We see that the angels of God are in charge of carrying out the harvest of the earth, just as Jesus said they would be (Matthew 13:39). Some have felt that the one "like a son of man" is surely Jesus (14:14), but this identification presents major problems.^(F7)

This harvest, although in two distinct phases (14:16 & 18), cannot be interpreted as two distinct harvests, where the righteous will be removed first and taken to heaven, as some suppose. ^(F8) We should note that this final harvest of the world is also reflected in 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!" We should be aware that both the reaping and the vintage clearly speak of wickedness in this passage.

Also, Jesus says in Matthew 24:37-39, "As it was in the days of Noah, so it will be at the coming of the Son of Man. For – they knew nothing about what would happen until the flood came and took them all away. That is how it will be at the coming of the Son of Man." Jesus assures us that the wicked will be removed first.

This harvest probably corresponds to the early grain harvest and the later general harvest of grapes and other produce in Israel. The Lord makes it abundantly clear that the tares will be gathered out first. He says, "Let both grow together until the harvest. At that time I will tell the harvesters: 'First collect the weeds and tie them in bundles to be burned; then gather the wheat and bring it into my barn'" (Matthew 13:30).

In most of our lifetimes we surely have observed an accelerated ripening of the harvest. While some of the heads of wheat are looking much more like wheat, the tares are certainly beginning to look and act like tares. As it is said of the last-day in Malachi 3:18, "And you will again see the distinction between the righteous and the wicked, between those who serve God and those who do not."

Paul talks of these terrible times, or terrible people in the last days. He says in 2 Timothy 3:1-5, "But mark this: There will be terrible times in the last days. People will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, proud, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, without love, unforgiving, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not lovers of the good, treacherous, rash, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God – having a form of godliness but denying its power. Have nothing to do with them" (cf. 1 Timothy 4:1-3; Psalm 37:34).

Obviously, with this last remark, the apostle places the church right in the midst of the last days. The commentator, Farmer, remarks that in these trying times, the password of all true Christians will be, "Resist and stand firm."^(F9)

The wicked are now gathered outside the city, likely Jerusalem, and cast into the great winepress of God's wrath (14:19-20). There is an awesome flow of blood, even to the distance of 180 miles (300 kilometers). All this seems to be connected with the coming world-wide war and battle of Armageddon. This flow of blood sounds incredible, but it is of note that during the destruction of Jerusalem in AD 70, blood ran down the streets in such volume as to actually extinguish the flames. ^(F10)Of course, we must remember that this earlier flow of blood concerned only the judgment of God's people, while this latter flow concerns the judgment of the whole world.

Once again with the figures in this interlude, we are brought to the end of the Great Tribulation with its massive destruction of human life. We can surely say that the end-days there will be a great offering up of sinful flesh. Multiplied millions and even billions of wicked people will die in God's fiery judgment.