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Revelation 14]

14 Then I looked, and behold, a Lamb standing on Mount Zion, and with Him one hundred and forty-four thousand, having His Father’s name written on their foreheads. ² And I heard a voice from heaven, like the voice of many waters, and like the voice of loud thunder. And I heard the sound of harpists playing their harps. ³ They sang as it were a new song before the throne, before the four living creatures, and the elders; and no one could learn that song except the hundred and forty-four thousand who were redeemed from the earth. ⁴ These are the ones who were not defiled with women, for they are virgins. These are the ones who follow the Lamb wherever He goes. These were redeemed from among men, being 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.

It is one of the most powerful metaphors in the whole Bible – a mountain. God chose a mountain for the Israelites to meet with Him. Moses went up the mountain to receive the Law in the presence of the Most High. When the Israelites were slaves they worked in the pits of Egypt making bricks for the Pharaoh’s ambitious architectural projects. In the desert of their journey to the promised land they were led out of the pits to Mount Sinai, the mountain of God.

Images of mountains on earth are mostly majestic and awe-inspiring. Mountains are measured and conquered with incredible passion and devotion. Two examples of mountain-scriptures have been spiritual pillars in my life for many years.

You will go out in joy and be led forth in peace;

the mountains and hills will burst into song before you,

and all the trees of the field will clap their hands. (Isaiah 55:12, NIV)

It is the words of the singing prophet, Isaiah, painting a picture of mountains that burst into song. Praise God in harmony with the mountains! Mountains are often symbolic of problems.  They will burst into song before you.

I learnt about the verse in Habakkuk 3, in my early twenties when I read the spiritual classic, Hind’s Feet on High Places (Hannah Hunnard) the first time. Since then, it was a pillar of strength throughout my life.

The Sovereign Lord is my strength;

    he makes my feet like the feet of a deer,

    he enables me to tread on the heights. (Habakkuk 3:19, NIV)

Many years ago, my brother had a freak accident while horse riding one Sunday afternoon. He died in hospital six days later. Looking back, it was certainly one of the darkest, most heartbreaking times of my life. In spite of all the tears and questions, God “prepared” my mother for his death by “giving” her a Word from the Bible the Saturday night of his passing, just before she received that terrible telephone call. She “heard” about the mountain of heaven.

But you have come to Mount Zion, to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem. You have come to thousands upon thousands of angels in joyful assembly,to the church of the firstborn, whose names are written in heaven. You have come to God, the Judge of all, to the spirits of the righteous made perfect,to Jesus the mediator of a new covenant, and to the sprinkled blood that speaks a better word than the blood of Abel. (Hebrews 12:22-24)

If ever there is an image planted firmly into my mind’s eye, it is the mountain of the new Jerusalem, the joyful assembly of the righteous made perfect. How can death ever have a sting, when this city of the living God is in your mind? John elaborated on this wonderful vision of heaven.

It is the image of the church in glory!

The number, 144 000, is the symbol for all faithful saints (7:1-17). They are sealed and numbered and form the perfect cube (10x10x10=1000 and 12×12=144). The perfect cube is like the Holy of Holies in the Temple and the representation of the Presence of the Most High, accessed through the Cross of Jesus for all who would call on His name. It is once again a symbolic number and not to be interpreted literally. The tribes and the apostles multiplied and then multiplied by a thousand are symbolic of completeness.

Mount Zion is the symbol for communion of the saints with the Father and feasting in His presence while receiving His word. The name of the Father on their foreheads will identify them in contrast to the name of the beast of the previous chapter (13:16,17).

Mount Zion is used 150 times in the OT and refers to the true city of God.  It could also mean God’s dwelling place and as a symbol of his people.  It refers often (19 times) to the remnant that is saved in the midst of judgment.  The prophecies on Mount Zion had begun their fulfillment in the Church Age according to Acts 2:16-21; 13:33; Hebrews 1:1-5;  Revelation 2:26-27; 12:5.  According to Acts 13:33 the promise of the end-time city  is fulfilled in Christ:

God has fulfilled this for us their children, in that He has raised up Jesus. As it is also written in the second Psalm:

‘You are My Son,
Today I have begotten You.’

Christ is reigning over his people to provide and protect at the same time that the beast is raging on the earth. (Galatians 4:25-27; Hebrews 12:22-23)

For these are the two covenants: the one from Mount Sinai which gives birth to bondage, which is Hagar— ²⁵ for this Hagar is Mount Sinai in Arabia, and corresponds to Jerusalem which now is, and is in bondage with her children— ²⁶ but the Jerusalem above is free, which is the mother of us all. 

Zion speaks of God’s presence in the Church age.  The overcomer will be a pillar in the Temple of my God, Jesus says to Philadelphia (3:12) the faithful church.

They praise God with harps with a new song.  This image can be found in 5:8-10 and 15:2-4.  New = kainos = it has never been.  Not one like the old one.  The song of salvation is new every morning, like the mercies of God to the Church. (Lamentations 3:22,23)

The song is an expression of God’s victory over his enemies. 14:1-5 is the ideal description of the Church in the Church Age.

The voice of God with the sound of the roar of rushing waters and like a loud peal of thunder, at the same time sounding like an orchestra of harps. Thunder and sweetness together, an exceptional and unique description of sound, bring peace and calm to the troubled heart.

This description of the voice of God is identical to the one found in 19:2.  The sound is loud as it originates from the multitude that no one could count – 7:9 – from every nation, tribe, language and peoples.

The Lamb’s company can sing about experiences in life and redemption. No other creature like the angels and beings of heaven know what it is about. The redeemed can sing about suffering, strength while being attacked and spiritual growth with Jesus himself as teacher of the deeper things of life. They are virgins; free from spiritual adultery, made pure by the Blood and redeemed by the righteousness of Christ, the acceptable sacrifice.  Their victory is in faithful suffering.

His intent was that now, through the church, the manifold wisdom of God should be made known to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly realms, (Ephesians 3:10)

The words of Jesus to His disciples when He called them were: “follow Me“. (John 1:43, Mark 2:14) He also requested that from the rich young man in Mark 10:21and to the unknown disciple in Luke 9:59.

We should not bother about the excuses mentioned in Luke 9. Our priority is to follow Jesus, without understanding everything.  Things we do not understand is an invitation to seek deeper and pray about.  We do not shape our spiritual growth on what we see in the world, or what happens to other people – we are followers in the footsteps of the Lamb.  Jesus walks with every individual and our paths are comparable but not the same.  That is why we encourage each other with HIS words and not our own.

Jesus answered, “If I want him to remain alive until I return, what is that to you? You must follow me.” (John 21:22)

These words are just as true today. We are His followers (Revelation 14:4); wherever He goes, sometimes into the wilderness. (Song of Solomon 3:6)

Jesus was the sacrifice of Firstfruits, the first fruit of the Church to be accepted by the Father after the crucifixion when He said to Mary not to touch Him. It is the best of the harvest, the symbol of that which is to come – the great revival in the Church-age.  (Romans 16:5; 1 Corinthians 16:15; 2 Thessalonians 2:13)

It is the best for God. Jesus is God’s best for us. (Leviticus 23:9-14)

There will be no falsehood in their mouth, no deceit (Psalm 32:2) to be found in the true church of Jesus. A deceitful tongue cannot be trusted; shocking betrayal hurts deeply. Deception twists the truth on all levels of life – family and friends, politics and business.

Not defiled by women – chaste as in following the commandments of the Lamb.  They have been made righteous and pure by the Blood of the Lamb and had no intercourse with the harlot, symbolic for worshipping idols.  In our modern world it means a lot. Where are we looking for salvation for instance?  Do we seek it in money, status, approval of men, fame?  Virginity was often mentioned with regard to Israel’s faithfulness to God. (2 Kings 19:21, Isaiah 37:22; Jeremiah 14:17;18:13; 31:4,13,21; Lamentations 1:15; 2:13; Amos 5:2)

Jesus is without blemish and perfects His Church. Jesus was the perfect sacrifice (Ephesians 1:4, Colossians 1:22). The Church must be glorious and pure. (Ephesians 5:26,27).

In their mouth no deceit – they have the attributes of the Lamb.  Living in Christ makes us righteous, without fault before the Throne.

Revelation 14:1-5 is a fulfillment of Zephaniah 3:11-14 and Isaiah 53:9. 

The Proclamations of Three Angels

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 worship Him who made heaven and earth, the sea and springs of water.”

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.”

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 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. 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.”

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.”

I saw – the introduction to the fifth visionary segment since 12:1.  The focus shifts from the redeemed to the unredeemed.  There are dire consequences to rejecting the Gospel.  (Romans 1:6-3:21; 2 Corinthians 2:14-16; Acts 17:18-32; also compare 1 Peter 4:17)

The Gospel is immutable and eternally valid.  It is the good news that predicts the downfall of the beast and his ungodly systems.  

Three angels are summoned to worship and proclaim the good news of the perfect Lamb. The second angel foretells the doom of Rome and the judgment and destruction for those who have denied their faith and worship the beast.

The gospel for everybody; no exclusion, all embracing.

And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come. (Matthew 24:14)

The everlasting, age old, unending and unchanging message is like God – no beginning and no end. According to Romans 16:25 it is the eternal purpose of God.

Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will never pass away. (Matthew 24:35)

Fear God and give him glory – the unrighteous will also fear God when there is no alternative.  When worship is mentioned in Revelation (12 times) it is always carried out by angels and true believers.  In 11:3 we read of the ungodly who gives glory to God because they are terrified – a coerced acknowledgement of God’s sovereignty – another example of grace.  God reveals himself even to the unbeliever to give him the chance of salvation.

Nebuchadnezzar in Daniel 4 gave God glory:  Compare Daniel and Revelation.

• The angels commanded him to do so (Daniel 4:34 & Revelation 14:7)
• The king praises the God who made the four-part cosmos (Daniel 4:37 & Revelation 14:7)
• Fourfold formula of universality (Daniel 3:7;4:1 & Revelation 14)
• The use of the phrase: the hour of his judgment has come (Daniel 4:33; 5:5 – some translations use “time” instead of “hour” & Revelation 17:2)
• Babylon the great (Daniel 4:30 & Revelation 14:8)

The Gospel is always double-edged – it saves and judges and spells doom for those who reject it. It is the call to all from the God who created all. Paul’s preaching in Lystra (Acts 14:15) confirms this call through all the ages, through the prophets, all of nature and the earth itself.

Paul said: “Men, why are you doing these things? We also are men with the same nature as you, and preach to you that you should turn from these useless things to the living God, who made the heaven, the earth, the sea, and all things that are in them, 

H.B. Swete called this “an appeal to the conscience of untaught heathenism, incapable as yet of apprehending any other.”

During the time Revelation was written, Babylon was seen as Rome. Rome would fall and made the nations to drink from its immorality and failure. The Romans conquered and ruled with the feet of iron – cruel and unrelenting (14:8).

Babylon is also the symbol of the occult, idolatry and immorality. The city is already judged and therefore the inhabitants drink the wine of the wrath of God. Worship to the beast, Babylon, is a corrupting force luring the nations into insane immorality. It is the image of a prostitute who fills a man with wine so that he will not resist the seduction. On the other hand the fallen will drink from the wrath of God.

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 drink it down to its very dregs. (Psalm 75:8)

Fallen, fallen – Isaiah 21:9 where the idols of Babylon are destroyed.  It is written in the prophetic perfect tense – a future event as if it had already happened.  Repetition is for emphasis.

Babylon will be desolate forever – Jeremiah 51:26.  (See also:  Jeremiah 51:64; 50:39-40; 51:24-26; 62-64 and Isaiah 13:19-22)

The metaphor for drunkenness comes from Jeremiah 51:7-8.  She has made the nations drink of the passion of her immorality.   The Greek for immorality is pornea – also used in (2:14, 20-21; 9:21; 17:2)

Made to drink – pressure of compliance to society’s order in order to prosper.  Babylon’s wine is intoxicating – numbs one from the fear of judgment, blinds one for the destructive influence of idolatry and ultimate insecurity of worldly systems.

The third angel announces that worship to the beast causes torture and no compromise in judgment. The consequences of sin in the presence of the angels and the Lamb present the opportunity for redemption. There is a choice to be made. There is no rest for beast-worshippers. The peace of God is absent in their lives. 

Jeremiah (25:15,16) and Isaiah (51:17) talk about the cup of God’s wrath. God’s judgment is true and righteous. He is the perfect judge and His wrath is never to be feared. It will only come to pass when all the calls for repentance are rejected. Even the judgment and consequences of sin, are invoked to bring people to repentance. The core message of the Gospel never changes throughout all the ages. It is to save, redeem and restore.

The intoxicating wine of Babylon is nothing in comparison to the wine of the wrath of God that brings extreme suffering. (Psalms 60:3; 75:8: Isaiah 51:17; 21-23; 63:6; Jeremiah 25:15-18; 51:57;  Job 21:20; Obadiah 16) 

The divine draught is mixed in full strength in the cup of his anger.

Tormented with fire and brimstone  – judgement often in conjunction with lightning and thunder.  Torment is primarily spiritual and psychological suffering.  Judgment and punishment are in the presence of the Lamb.  Torment refers to lack of rest.

The judgment of Edom (Isaiah 34:9-10) reads like 14:11.

Day and night – the ceaseless nature of the suffering and the ceaseless reign of the saints (7:15)

Forever and ever – long period of uninterrupted restlessness.  This occurs 12 times in the book and refers to eternity.

True saints will persevere through temporary suffering and receive eternal award.  They can only persevere when they do not compromise, avoid deception and discern the character of the beast.

Persevere is keeping the commandments of God. 

“The commandments of God is a holistic reference to the objective revelation of the old and new covenants to which the faithful remain loyal”.  (GK Beale)  It refers to the doctrinal content of the Christian faith.

Philippians 3:10-11 in the Amplified is our walk closer to Jesus daily and the ensuing resurrection while in the body.

Only God can give peace. There is no peace and joy for the wicked. The source of life in its fullness is God and only God.

The doom of the apostate is the worst. The vengeance on betrayal of the Gospel, is described in Isaiah 34:8–10:

For the Lord has a day of vengeance,

    a year of retribution, to uphold Zion’s cause.

Edom’s streams will be turned into pitch,

    her dust into burning sulfur;

    her land will become blazing pitch!

It will not be quenched night or day;

    its smoke will rise forever.

From generation to generation it will lie desolate;

    no one will ever pass through it again.

God’s blessing, promised over generations will be lifted. Our choices are important for our offspring. The wonderful promise of Isaiah 44, 65:23 rings true in our lives, because of our submission to the Gospel of Jesus.

For I will pour water on the thirsty land,

    and streams on the dry ground;

I will pour out my Spirit on your offspring,

    and my blessing on your descendants.

They will spring up like grass in a meadow,

    like poplar trees by flowing streams. (Isaiah 44:3,4,NIV)

There is rest of the faithful soul in death (Revelation 14:13). The promise of rest in death is confirmed in 1 Thessalonians 4:16, 1 Corinthians 15:18 and stands in dramatic contrast to Revelation 14:11: and the smoke of their torment will rise for ever and ever. Even the faithful dead dying before Jesus are safe according to 1 Peter 3:19 and 4:6.

Let us sing with Paul that we have kept the faith. We run the race with all the problems in a world under the beast, BUT we keep the faith. Even in the face of church betrayal and disappointment in our limited vision of God’s work on earth, we take no offense with God. We trust our God, Who is abounding in goodness and truth.

Reaping the Earth’s Harvest

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. 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.

Reaping the Grapes of Wrath

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

¹⁸ And another angel came out from the altar, who had power over fire, and he cried with a loud cry to him who had the sharp sickle, saying, “Thrust in your sharp sickle and gather the clusters of the vine of the earth, for her grapes are fully ripe.” ¹⁹ So the angel thrust his sickle into the earth and gathered the vine of the earth, and threw it into the great winepress of the wrath of God. ²⁰ And the winepress was trampled outside the city, and blood came out of the winepress, up to the horses’ bridles, for one thousand six hundred furlongs.

The challenge is to accept His love as unconditionally as He gives it to us.

Our victory is guaranteed. (Jude 24) We are tried and tested like gold (Revelation 3:18) and purified like silver in fire (Psalm 66).

In the final vision of this chapter we see the Son of man as described in Daniel 7:13,14 and the angels come the temple and altar for the harvest.

“And I saw in the night visions, and, behold with the clouds of heaven, there came one like a son of man and he came to the ancient of days, and was presented before him. And to him was given dominion and glory and kingdom, that all peoples, nations and languages should serve him.”

More angels come with harvest instruments to the temple and altar for the harvest on the earth, written in the metaphor of wheat fields and vineyards (Isaiah 5).

It is two familiar metaphors: Joel 3 describes the harvest and many things Jesus said confirms this metaphor. (Mark 4:29, Matthew 13:24 – 30 and 13:37-43)

The winepress is often a symbol of God’s judgment. (Lamentations 1:15 and Isaiah 63:3) The winepress was outside Jerusalem. It is symbolic of the gentiles to be brought to Jerusalem and judged there. Inside the city would be redemption in the Presence of God. Joel 3:2,12 talks about the nations gathered in the valley of Jehoshaphat to be judged.

On that day his feet will stand on the Mount of Olives, east of Jerusalem, and the Mount of Olives will be split in two from east to west, forming a great valley, with half of the mountain moving north and half moving south. (Zechariah 14:1-4)

The mountain can be seen as a symbol of the Kingdom of God on earth, and its splitting represents the profound changes and deep divide that the Gospel brought to the existing Jewish teachings. The Resurrection and Ascension were the foundation of setting Christianity apart from Judaism. The great symbolic mountain is split.  The Mount of Olives was the place from which Jesus ascended into heaven.  (The mountain of the transfiguration is not known.)  Jesus was on the Mount of Olives when He spoke the words in Matthew 24 – the little Apocalypse.  It is called the Olivet discourse.  We know that everything between the Jews and the followers of Jesus changed on the Day of Pentecost – the great divide.

The angels come out of the Temple – from the dwelling place of God.  The chain of events is controlled by the Father alone.  He directs. No one knows the times except the Father . (Mark 13:32 and Acts 1:7)

The angel has power over fire – corresponds with the angel holding the golden altar with the prayers of the saints (8:3-5) and strewing coals over the earth.

The angels and the Son of man will reap the harvest – not the church. Jesus confirms this in the parable of the tares in Matthew 13. The church is not to judge – wonderful liberty to preach the Gospel with no condemnation. God will judge and do it in His righteous perfection.

The time to reap – some translations say the hour to reap and it always means (nine times in Revelation) a time of judgment.

The description of the blood that runs deep and wide is qualitative and not quantitative. It confirms that the judgment is complete. The measurement, 1600 stadia (about 300 kilometers) was seen as the length of the land of Palestine, in other words the whole country will be full of blood. The judgment of sin is horrible and utterly gruesome.

[A Stadia is a Greek measurement and is about 192 meters long. So this makes 1,600 Stadia about 300km (180 miles) long and horses’ bridle is about 1.5m (4 ft 6 in) high.]

The double narration emphasizes the severity and unqualified nature of the punishment when the blood-letting reaches its climax.

Outside the city – Jesus was crucified outside the city and it is ultimately the Cross that judges the nations.  Joel 3:13 and Isaiah 63:2-3 talk about the judgment of the unbelieving nations.  

Let the church rejoice in the perfection of the Plan of God on this earth.

Now to him who is able to establish you in accordance with my gospel, the message I proclaim about Jesus Christ, in keeping with the revelation of the mystery hidden for long ages past,but now revealed and made known through the prophetic writings by the command of the eternal God, so that all the Gentiles might come to the obedience that comes from faith— to the only wise God be glory forever through Jesus Christ! Amen. (Romans 16:25-27)

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