Revelation 14:1-20
Q.1. What will happen to the 144,000 witnesses of Jesus? How is their devotion to Christ described? Does martyrdom put an end to their rejoicing? – (Rev.14:1-5)
Satan, the dragon, is a vicious murderer (c.f. Jn.8:44). The 144,000 witnesses from the twelve tribes of Israel become martyrs, in their efforts to bring the Gospel to the world. They join the Lamb in the heavenly Mount Zion, as a heavenly choir – like the sound of many waters and like the sound of loud thunder, and … like the sound of harpists playing on harps. And they sang a new song before the throne … and no one could learn the song except the hundred and forty-four thousand who had been purchased from the earth (Rev.14:2-3 c.f. Rev.7:4-8). This will be the greatest human choir ever. What makes them so special? Their utter devotion to the Lord Jesus, and their passion for the Gospel, are unequalled in the midst of a society that is consumed by lust – 4 These are the ones who have not been defiled with women, for they have kept themselves chaste. These are the ones who follow the Lamb wherever He goes. These have been purchased from among men as first fruits to God and to the Lamb. 5 And no lie was found in their mouth; they are blameless (Rev.14:4-5). Far from being defeated or feeling sorry for themselves, they join the four living creatures and elders in praise to the Saviour. John’s reference to first fruits seems to point to a supernatural work of God, as a ‘down-payment’ during the tribulation. The surviving remnant will be saved as a harvest at the second coming of Christ (Rev.14:4 c.f. Zech.12:10-13:1; Rom.11:25-27; Rev.1:7; 7:4).
Q.2. Does God forget mercy in the midst of endtime judgment? What mission is given to these angels? Can people mistakenly worship the beast? Will the faithful avoid death? – (Rev.14:6-13)
People complain about events, and during these times they question the love of God. The first coming of Christ as our sin-bearer and substitute, negated all such criticisms (Jn.3:16). We observe in the climax of the ages, when the wrath of God is to be poured out, that God is still full of compassion, and not willing that any should perish – 6 And I saw another angel flying in mid-heaven, having an eternal gospel to preach to those who live on the earth, and to every nation and tribe and tongue and people; 7 and he said with a loud voice, “Fear God, and give Him glory, because the hour of His judgment has come; worship Him who made the heaven and the earth and sea and springs of waters.” (Rev.14:6-7). All who worship the beast and his image, will drink the full strength of the wine of the wrath of God forever (Rev.14:9-11). Those who keep their faith in Jesus will persevere – Here is the perseverance of the saints who keep the commandments of God and their faith in Jesus (Rev.14:12). However, this does not mean that the saints will be kept from death. In fact – …`Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord from now on!'” “Yes,” says the Spirit, “so that they may rest from their labours, for their deeds follow with them.” (Rev.14:13).
Q.3. What follows the vision of the sickle? What will the earth reap? How complete is the carnage? How can the son of man participate in such terror? – (Rev.14:14-20 c.f. Mt.13:36-43; Jn.5:27)
Above the events on earth sits the Lion – the Son of Man, having a golden crown on His head and a sharp sickle in His hand (Rev.14:14). This signals the command for His angels to reap the harvest from those who remain on the earth, as Jesus predicted during His earthly ministry (Rev.14:14-16 c.f. Mt.13:36-43). The carnage will be terrible – 19 So the angel swung his sickle to the earth and gathered the clusters from the vine of the earth and threw them into the great wine press of the wrath of God. 20 And the wine press was trodden outside the city, and blood came out from the wine press, up to the horses’ bridles, for a distance of two hundred miles (Rev.14:19-20). God has given Jesus authority to judge the earth, because He is the Son of Man (Jn.5:27). God gave Him as the Saviour first – 17 For God did not send the Son into the world to judge the world, but that the world might be saved through Him. 18 He who believes in Him is not judged; he who does not believe has been judged already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God. 19 This is the judgment, that the Light has come into the world, and men loved the darkness rather than the Light, for their deeds were evil (Jn.3:17-19). Heaven would not be Heaven, with Christ rejecters in it. It will be inhabited only by those who are eternally grateful to God, for His kind provision.