Revelation 14:7-17

7 and said [saying] with a great voice, Dread ye the Lord, and give ye to him honour, for the hour of his doom cometh; and worship ye him, that made heaven and earth, the sea, and all things that be in them, and the wells of waters.

8 And another angel followed, saying, That great [city] Babylon fell down, fell down, which gave drink to all folks of the wine of [the] wrath of her fornication.

9 And the third angel followed them, and said [saying] with a great voice, If any man worship the beast, and the image of it, and taketh the character in his forehead, either in his hand [and take the character in his forehand, or in his hand],

10 this shall drink of the wine of God's wrath, that is mingled with clear wine in the cup of his wrath, and [he] shall be tormented with fire and brimstone, in the sight of [the] holy angels, and before the sight of the lamb.

11 And the smoke of their torments shall ascend up into the worlds of worlds [And the smoke of their torments shall ascend up into worlds of worlds]; neither they have rest day and night, which worship the beast and his image [that worship the beast, and his image], and if any take the character of his name.

12 Here is the patience of saints, which keep the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus.

13 And I heard a voice from heaven, saying to me, Write thou, Blessed be dead men [Blessed the dead], that die in the Lord; from henceforth now the Spirit saith, that they rest of their travails; for the works of them follow them.

14 And I saw, and lo! a white cloud, and above the cloud a sitter, like [to] the Son of man, having in his head a golden crown, and in his hand a sharp sickle.

15 And another angel went out of the temple, and cried with great voice [crying with great voice] to him that sat on the cloud, Send thy sickle, and reap, for the hour cometh, that it be reaped; for the corn of the earth is ripe.

16 And he that sat on the cloud, sent his sickle into the earth, and reaped the earth.

17 And another angel went out of the temple, that is in heaven, and he also had a sharp sickle. [And another angel went out of the temple, that is in heaven, having and he a sharp sickle.]

Revelation 14:7-17 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO REVALATION 14

This chapter contains three visions; one of the Lamb on Mount Zion, another of the three angels preaching against Babylon, and the third of the harvest and vintage. The vision of the Lamb is in Re 14:1, which is no other than Christ, described by his similitude, as a Lamb; by the place where he was, Mount Zion; by his position there, standing, and by the company that were with him, whose number were 144,000, and their character, his Father's name written on their foreheads; at the same time a voice was heard from heaven, comparable to the sound of many waters, of thunders, and of harps: and a song sung which none learn but the above number with the Lamb, Re 14:2,3, who are described by their purity, chastity, and strict adherence to Christ; by their redemption through him; by their being the firstfruits of God and of the Lamb, and by their integrity and unblemished character, Re 14:4,5; next follows the account of the three angels; the first comes with the everlasting Gospel, to preach it to all men, loudly calling upon all to fear and worship God, and give glory to him, since he is the Creator of all, and the hour of his judgment is come, Re 14:6,7; the second proclaims the fall of Babylon, with the reason of it, Re 14:8; and the third denounces the wrath of God upon the worshippers of the beast in the most public manner, and that for ever, Re 14:9-11; and this vision is closed with some expressions, showing that, till this was done, the patience of the saints would be tried, and the true worshippers of the Lamb be discovered, and comforting them with an assurance of that rest that remains after death for the faithful followers of Christ, Re 14:12,13; after this is the vision of the harvest and vintage of the earth. The reaper is described by his form, like the son of man; by his seat, a white cloud; by a golden crown on his head, and by a sharp sickle in his hand, Re 14:14; who is called upon by an angel out of the temple to make use of his sickle, and reap, because the time of reaping was come, the harvest being ripe, Re 14:15, upon which he thrusts in his sickle, and reaps the earth, Re 14:16; after this, another angel appears out of the temple, with a sharp sickle, to whom another angel from the altar, that had power over fire, calls to make use of his sickle, and gather the clusters of the vine, since the grapes were fully ripe, Re 14:17,18; upon which he thrusts in his sickle, and gathers them, and casts them into the winepress of divine wrath, which being trodden, blood comes out of it to the horses' bridles for the space of a thousand and six hundred furlongs, Re 14:19,20.