Revelation chapter 14 shows Christians that the all-out warfare of the beasts, Rome and Israel, against the Church is unsuccessful. The Church, those purchased by Christ, are shown standing on Zion with their Savior singing the New Song of the gospel with him.
Revelation 14:1 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. 2 And I heard a sound from heaven like the roar of rushing waters and like a loud peal of thunder. The sound I heard was like that of harpists playing their harps. 3 And they sang a new song before the throne and before the four living creatures and the elders. No one could learn the song except the 144,000 who had been redeemed from the earth. 4 These are those who did not defile themselves with women, for they remained virgins. They follow the Lamb wherever he goes. They were purchased from among mankind and offered as first-fruits to God and the Lamb. 5 No lie was found in their mouths; they are blameless.
6 Then I saw another angel flying in midair, and he had the eternal gospel to proclaim to those who live on the earth—to every nation, tribe, language and people. 7 He said in a loud voice, “Fear God and give him glory, because the hour of his judgment has come. Worship him who made the heavens, the earth, the sea and the springs of water.”
8 A second angel followed and said, “‘Fallen! Fallen is Babylon the Great,’ which made all the nations drink the maddening wine of her adulteries.”
9 A third angel followed them and said in a loud voice: “If anyone worships the beast and its image and receives its mark on their forehead or on their hand, 10 they, too, will drink the wine of God’s fury, which has been poured full strength into the cup of his wrath. They will be tormented with burning sulfur in the presence of the holy angels and of the Lamb. 11 And the smoke of their torment will rise for ever and ever. There will be no rest day or night for those who worship the beast and its image, or for anyone who receives the mark of its name.” 12 This calls for patient endurance on the part of the people of God who keep his commands and remain faithful to Jesus.
13 Then I heard a voice from heaven say, “Write this: Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord from now on.”
“Yes,” says the Spirit, “they will rest from their labor, for their deeds will follow them.”
14 I looked, and there before me was a white cloud, and seated on the cloud was one like a son of man with a crown of gold on his head and a sharp sickle in his hand. 15 Then another angel came out of the temple and called in a loud voice to him who was sitting on the cloud, “Take your sickle and reap, because the time to reap has come, for the harvest of the earth is ripe.” 16 So he who was seated on the cloud swung his sickle over the earth, and the earth was harvested.
17 Another angel came out of the temple in heaven, and he too had a sharp sickle. 18 Still another angel, who had charge of the fire, came from the altar and called in a loud voice to him who had the sharp sickle, “Take your sharp sickle and gather the clusters of grapes from the earth’s vine, because its grapes are ripe.” 19 The angel swung his sickle on the earth, gathered its grapes and threw them into the great winepress of God’s wrath. 20 They were trampled in the winepress outside the city, and blood flowed out of the press, rising as high as the horses’ bridles for a distance of 1,600 stadia.
John sees Jesus standing on Mt. Zion with his victorious Church.
Revelation 14:1 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.
This is the fulfillment of the prophesy made by King David.
6 “I have installed my king on Zion, my holy mountain.” 7 I will proclaim the Lord’s decree: He said to me, “You are my son; today I have become your father. 8 Ask me, and I will make the nations your inheritance, the ends of the earth your possession. 9 You will break them with a rod of iron; you will dash them to pieces like pottery.” Psalm 2
In obedience to the dragon, that is Satan, the apostate Jews along with Rome, the beasts, conspired to crucify Christ, thinking that would, once and for all, thwart God’s plan to preserve a people for himself. However, with the resurrection, ascension, and enthronement of Christ, from which Christ rules over all nations and peoples, Satan had to go to plan B: destroying the Church, those in the New Covenant community who have placed their faith and trust in the risen Savior.
Here John shows us the Lamb, the risen Savior, enthroned on the heavenly Mt. Zion, the Throne Room of God with the 144,000, (Revelation 3:12, 7:3) the “first fruits” of his salvation, the faithful believing Jews and their Gentile converts. In response to the prayers of the faithful Church, Christ is preparing to send the final judgments against the land and people of Judea and against the most powerful nation on the face of the earth, Rome.
Revelation 14:2 And I heard a sound from heaven like the roar of rushing waters and like a loud peal of thunder. The sound I heard was like that of harpists playing their harps. 3 And they sang a new song before the throne and before the four living creatures and the elders. No one could learn the song except the 144,000 who had been redeemed from the earth. These are those who did not defile themselves with women, for they remained virgins.
Now that the Old Covenant Promise has been fulfilled in Christ, the slain and risen Lamb of God, heaven breaks out into the New Covenant song.
1 Sing to the Lord a new song, for he has done marvelous things; his right hand and his holy arm have worked salvation for him. 2 The Lord has made his salvation known and revealed his righteousness to the nations. 3 He has remembered his love and his faithfulness to Israel; all the ends of the earth have seen the salvation of our God.
4 Shout for joy to the Lord, all the earth, burst into jubilant song with music; 5 make music to the Lord with the harp, with the harp and the sound of singing, 6 with trumpets and the blast of the ram’s horn shout for joy before the Lord, the King.
7 Let the sea resound, and everything in it, the world, and all who live in it. 8 Let the rivers clap their hands, let the mountains sing together for joy; 9 let them sing before the Lord, for he comes to judge the earth. He will judge the world in righteousness and the peoples with equity. Psalm 98
See also: They sang a new song… You are worthy to take the scroll and to open its seals because you were slain, and with your blood you purchased for God persons from every tribe, language, and nation… Revelation 5:9-10
Throughout the Old Testament the word virgin, a symbol of purity, is used to describe the faithful followers of God, 2 Kings 19:21, Isaiah 23:12, Jeremiah 14:17, 18:13, 31:4, while fornication and harlotry are metaphors for apostasy, Isaiah 1:21, Jeremiah 2:20-23, Ezekiel 16:15-43
Revelation 14:4 They follow the Lamb wherever he goes. They were purchased from among mankind and offered as first-fruits to God and the Lamb. 5 No lie was found in their mouths; they are blameless.
Just as Christ had commanded, Make disciples of all nations. Matthew 16:24, 28:19
The remnant of Israel will trust in the name of the Lord. 13 They will do no wrong; they will tell no lies. A deceitful tongue will not be found in their mouths. Zephaniah 3:12-13
Angel #1: Revelation 14:6 Then I saw another angel flying in midair, and he had the eternal gospel to proclaim to those who live on the earth—to every nation, tribe, language and people. 7 He said in a loud voice, “Fear God and give him glory, because the hour of his judgment has come. Worship him who made the heavens, the earth, the sea and the springs of water.”
The apostles went throughout the land announcing the Gospel. Matthew 10:23 Everyone is encouraged to accept the good news Acts 14:15, because God will judge the world with justice. Acts 17:31
Angel #2: Revelation 14:8 A second angel followed and said, “‘Fallen! Fallen is Babylon the Great,’ which made all the nations drink the maddening wine of her adulteries.”
Peter, the pastor of the Church in Jerusalem, referred to the city of Jerusalem as Babylon, I Peter 5:13 She who is in Babylon, chosen together with you, sends you her greetings, and so does my son Mark.
So instead of being a light to the world, Jerusalem, in her apostasy, had become like Babylon of old, blaspheming the name of God.
Angel #3: Revelation 14:9 A third angel followed them and said in a loud voice: “If anyone worships the beast and its image and receives its mark on their forehead or on their hand, 10 they, too, will drink the wine of God’s fury, which has been poured full strength into the cup of his wrath. They will be tormented with burning sulfur in the presence of the holy angels and of the Lamb. 11 And the smoke of their torment will rise for ever and ever. There will be no rest day or night for those who worship the beast and its image, or for anyone who receives the mark of its name.” 12 This calls for patient endurance on the part of the people of God who keep his commands and remain faithful to Jesus.
Throughout the Old Testament God offers the cup of wrath to those he is about to destroy.
17 Awake, awake! Rise up, Jerusalem, you who have drunk from the hand of the Lord the cup of his wrath, you who have drained to its dregs the goblet that makes people stagger. Isaiah 51:17
See also: Lamentations 4:21, Jeremiah 25:15-16, Ezekiel 23:31-34
8 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
Revelation 14:13 Then I heard a voice from heaven say, “Write this: Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord from now on.”
“Yes,” says the Spirit, “they will rest from their labor, for their deeds will follow them.”
Because believers no longer have any fear of death they are free to be faithful and bold witnesses to the undiluted truth of God.
All the disciples of Christ despise death; but they take offensive against it and instead of fearing it, by the sign of the cross and by faith in Christ, trample on it as on something dead… All those who believe in Christ tread it underfoot as nothing, and prefer to die rather than to deny their faith in Christ, knowing full well that when they die they do not perish, but live indeed, and become incorruptible through the resurrection. Athanasius, “On the Incarnation”
We were witnesses to the most admirable ardor of mind and truly divine energy of those that believed in the Christ… They received indeed, their final sentence of death with gladness and exultation, so far as even to sing and send hymns of praise and thanksgiving, until they breathed their last. Eusebius, “Ecclesiastical History” Christian Cruse
I know and am fully persuaded… if we are punished for the sake of our Lord Jesus Christ we hope to be saved… Do what you will. For we are Christians and offer no sacrifice to idols. Justin Martyr, “The Ante-Nicene Fathers”
Two Harvests
Revelation 14:14 I looked, and there before me was a white cloud, and seated on the cloud was one like a Son of Man with a crown of gold on his head and a sharp sickle in his hand. 15 Then another angel came out of the temple and called in a loud voice to him who was sitting on the cloud, “Take your sickle and reap, because the time to reap has come, for the harvest of the earth is ripe.” 16 So he who was seated on the cloud swung his sickle over the earth, and the earth was harvested.
The elect are brought into God’s kingdom. The fields are ready, white unto harvest. John 4:35, Luke 10:2, Matthew 9:37-38
In my vision at night I looked, and there before me was one like a Son of Man, coming with the clouds of heaven. He approached the Ancient of Days and was led into his presence. 14 He was given authority, glory and sovereign power; all nations and peoples of every language worshiped him. His dominion is an everlasting dominion that will not pass away, and his kingdom is one that will never be destroyed. Daniel 7:13-14
All nations, people, and languages are brought into the Kingdom; harvested.
Revelation 14:17 Another angel came out of the temple in heaven, and he too had a sharp sickle. 18 Still another angel, who had charge of the fire, came from the altar and called in a loud voice to him who had the sharp sickle, “Take your sharp sickle and gather the clusters of grapes from the earth’s vine, because its grapes are ripe.” 19 The angel swung his sickle on the earth, gathered its grapes and threw them into the great winepress of God’s wrath. 20 They were trampled in the winepress outside the city, and blood flowed out of the press, rising as high as the horses’ bridles for a distance of 1,600 stadia.
The unfaithful are crushed in God’s judgment. As we have seen throughout the Bible the vineyard is Israel, Isaiah 5:1-7. The judgment is seen in terms of grapes from the vineyard being crushed.
“I have trodden the winepress alone; from the nations no one was with me. I trampled them in my anger and trod them down in my wrath; their blood spattered my garments, and I stained all my clothing. It was for me the day of vengeance; the year for me to redeem had come. I trampled the nations in my anger; in my wrath I made them drunk and poured their blood on the ground.” Isaiah 63:1-6
The harvest of judgment was brutal.
Revelation 14:20 The blood flowed for 1,600 stadia which is the entire length of Judea; the whole land.
In a little while and the wicked will be no more. Psalm 37:1-11