Revelation 14

1 And I saw, and lo! a lamb stood on the mount of Sion, and with him an hundred thousand and four and forty thousand [And I saw, and lo! the lamb stood on the mount Sion, and with him an hundred and four and forty thousand], having his name, and the name of his Father written in their foreheads.

2 And I heard a voice from heaven, as the voice of many waters, and as the voice of a great thunder; and the voice which I heard, was as of many harpers harping in their harps [and the voice which I heard, as of harpers harping in their harps].

3 And they sung as a new song before the seat of God, and before the four beasts, and the elder men [and the seniors]. And no man might say the song, but those hundred thousand and four and forty thousand [no but they an hundred and four and forty thousand], that be bought from the earth.

4 These it be, that be not defouled with women; for they be virgins. These follow the lamb, whither ever he shall go; these be bought of all men, the first fruits to God, and to the lamb;

5 and in the mouth of them lying is not found; for they be without wem before the throne of God.

6 And I saw another angel, flying by the middle of heaven, having an everlasting gospel [having the everlasting gospel], that he should preach to men sitting on the earth, and on each folk [and upon all folk], and lineage, and language, and people;

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.]

18 And another angel went out from the altar, that had power on [upon] fire; and he cried with a great voice to him that had the sharp sickle, and said, Send thy sharp sickle, and cut away [saying, Send thy sharp sickle, and cut off] the clusters of the vineyard of the earth, for the grapes of it be ripe.

19 And the angel sent his sickle into the earth, and gathered grapes of the vineyard of the earth, and sent into the great lake of God's wrath.

20 And the lake was trodden without the city, and the blood went out of the lake till to the horses? bridles [and blood went out of the lake unto the bridles of horses], by furlongs a thousand and six hundred.

Revelation 14 Commentary

Chapter 14

Those faithful to Christ celebrate the praises of God. (1-5) Three angels; one proclaiming the everlasting gospel; another, the downfal of Babylon; and a third, the dreadful wrath of God on the worshippers of the beast. The blessedness of those who die in the Lord. (6-13) A vision of Christ with a sickle, and of a harvest ripe for cutting down. (14-16) The emblem of a vintage fully ripe, trodden in the wine-press of God's wrath. (17-20)

Verses 1-5 Mount Sion is the gospel church. Christ is with his church, and in the midst of her in all her troubles, therefore she is not consumed. His presence secures perseverance. His people appear honourably. They have the name of God written in their foreheads; they make a bold and open profession of their faith in God and Christ, and this is followed by suitable actings. There were persons in the darkest times, who ventured and laid down their lives for the worship and truth of the gospel of Christ. They kept themselves clean from the wicked abominations of the followers of antichrist. Their hearts were right with God; and they were freely pardoned in Christ; he is glorified in them, and they in him. May it be our prayer, our endeavour, our ambition, to be found in this honourable company. Those who are really sanctified and justified are meant here, for no hypocrite, however plausible, can be accounted to be without fault before God.

Verses 6-13 The progress of the Reformation appears to be here set forth. The four proclamations are plain in their meaning; that all Christians may be encouraged, in the time of trial, to be faithful to their Lord. The gospel is the great means whereby men are brought to fear God, and to give glory to him. The preaching of the everlasting gospel shakes the foundations of antichrist in the world, and hastens its downfal. If any persist in being subject to the beast, and in promoting his cause, they must expect to be for ever miserable in soul and body. The believer is to venture or suffer any thing in obeying the commandments of God, and professing the faith of Jesus. May God bestow this patience upon us. Observe the description of those that are and shall be blessed: such as die in the Lord; die in the cause of Christ, in a state of union with Christ; such as are found in Christ when death comes. They rest from all sin, temptation, sorrow, and persecution; for there the wicked cease from troubling, there the weary are at rest. Their works follow them: do not go before as their title, or purchase, but follow them as proofs of their having lived and died in the Lord: the remembrance of them will be pleasant, and the reward far above all their services and sufferings. This is made sure by the testimony of the Spirit, witnessing with their spirits, and the written word.

Verses 14-20 Warnings and judgments not having produced reformation, the sins of the nations are filled up, and they become ripe for judgments, represented by a harvest, an emblem which is used to signify the gathering of the righteous, when ripe for heaven, by the mercy of God. The harvest time is when the corn is ripe; when the believers are ripe for heaven, then the wheat of the earth shall be gathered into Christ's garner. And by a vintage. The enemies of Christ and his church are not destroyed, till by their sin they are ripe for ruin, and then he will spare them no longer. The wine-press is the wrath of God, some terrible calamity, probably the sword, shedding the blood of the wicked. The patience of God towards sinners, is the greatest miracle in the world; but, though lasting, it will not be everlasting; and ripeness in sin is a sure proof of judgment at hand.

Chapter Summary

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.