REVELATION

Chapter 14

"From Songs to Sorrow"

INTRODUCTION:

1. "Chapter 14 consists of a series of pronouncements and visions assuring the reader of the ultimate triumph of Christ and the judgment of the wicked. Much of the chapter is of prophetic events that have not yet taken place, but which are now impending. The chapter begins with the assurance that the Lamb will ultimately stand in triumph on Mount Zion with His followers, and it con- cludes with a series of pronouncements of judgment upon the wicked." (Walvoord)

            2. Chapter 14 is like a table of contents.

            3. Chapter 14 is anticipatory of future events, for the most part detailed in later chapters.

            4. Chapter 14 consists of a series of six separate visions.

            5. Chapter 14 is not chronological.

I. THE SONG OF THE FAITHFUL (vs. 1-5)

            A. The Conclave (v.1)

                        1. The Lamb refers to Christ. (cf. Jn. 1:29)

                        2. The place where He stands is Mt. Zion or Jerusalem.

                                    a. It is a millennial scene.

b. It is the place to which Christ will return for the establishment of His Kingdom. (Zech. 14:4; Isa. 52:7; Isa. 2:2-5; Zech. 8:3)

                        3. The throng around the Lamb (v.1)

                                    a. The 144,000 Jewish witnesses (see chapter 7)

                                    b. The ones sealed - "...having His name and the name of His Father"

1) Sealed with both names indicates that they belong both to the Father and the Son.

2) Because they are sealed and secured, not one of them is lost - there are still 144,000!

3) Joseph Seiss points out that having the Father's name indicates they are saved Jews, while the Son's name suggests that they are saved through faith in Christ.

            B. The Canticle (vs.2,3)

                        1. Two groups are represented here: one in heaven and one on the earth.

                        2. The heavenly group

                                    a. Play their harps and sing

                                    b. Play and sing before the angels and the elders (cf. Rev. 4:6-11; 5:8,9)

                                    c. Their song

1) "Out of heaven a voice with tremendous range, like that of many waters, is heard. It rolls and peals and echoes like that of thunder, and, gathering volume, it finally individualizes into the voice of many harpers harping with their harps." (Hoyt)

                                                2) It was a song that only the redeemed 144,000 could understand.

            C. The Consecrated (vs. 4,5)

                        1. The chaste (v.4) - two possible meanings

a. Because of the difficulty of the tribulation times when a normal marital life was impossible; hence, they refrain from marriage. (cf. Jer. 16:1-4)

b. Spiritual adultery - as those not defiled by the world but keep themselves pure in a morally evil climate. (contra. 9:20,21)

                        2. The companions (v.4)

                                    a. Their lives are marked by separation, holiness and godliness.

                                    b. The world "follow" (followers) suggests union, likeness.

                                    c. Refers to "one going in the same way." (Vine's)

                                                1) They are "little Christs." (cf. Acts 11:26)

                                                2) They are "mimics" (Gr.) of Christ. (cf. Eph. 5:1)

                                    d. A difficult position for anyone living in such dreadful times!

                        3. The converted (v.4)

                                    a. Described as being "the firstfruits" which means

                                                1) To make a beginning

                                                2) The earliest ripening of the crop or tree (cf. Ex. 23:19)

3) Applies "to the earliest believers in a country in relation to those of their countrymen subsequently converted." (Vine's)

                                    b. A difference

1) The church is the firstfruits of this age--a heavenly people. (James 1:18)

2) Here he speaks of the 144,000 as the firstfruits of those to be saved out of Israel during the tribulation--an earthly people.

3) Through the meaning of the word it seems that these 144,000 are the very first saved of the Jews, more than likely sealed during the first half of the tribulation.

4) They are the token (the earnest) that a host of other Jews will be saved during that time. (cf. Jer. 31:33,34; Ezek. 36:26-28; Rom. 11:25,26)

                        4. The candid - "no guile" (v.5) (cf. Zeph. 3:13)

a. "The thought is that there is no falsehood or especially no false religion in them." (Walvoord)

b. In a day when the majority of the world will be believing the antichrist's lie (II Thess. 2:11), the truth will cause them to stand out among men.

                        5. The clean - "without fault" (v.5)

                                    a. More correctly "blameless" (Gr.).

b. "The meaning and force of the simple statement, 'they are blameless,' is that they were so in practical ways and conduct generally. They refused to conform to the persecuting and blaspheming edicts of the Beast, they neither wondered after the Beast nor worshipped him. In these respects 'they were blameless'." (Scott)

II. THE SERMON OF FRIGHT (vs. 6,7)

            A. The Angel (v.6)

                        1. One of six "another" angels seen in this chapter. (cf. v.6,8,9,15,17,18)

2. Proclaims a message to men that comes from heaven - called the "everlasting gospel."

3. "God's message must be spoken. If men are silenced, then angels become vocal. If Satan should slay and silence every human witness, then God would see to its proclamation by some other means." (Strauss) cf. 10:1-3

            B. The Announcement (vs.6,7)

1. Called the "everlasting gospel"

a. Different from the "gospel of grace." There is no grace in this message; however, grace is exhibited in that it warns men and gives them time to repent.

b. Different from the "gospel of the kingdom." It does not announce the return of Christ to take His place of rightful rule.

c. The "everlasting gospel" is a warning of judgment upon the antichrist and his followers.

                        2. Its message is four fold. (v.7)

a. "Fear God" - a reverential fear, or awe, of God suggesting a right relationship with Him

                                    b. "Give glory to Him" - to honor God as the One who is in authority

c. Judgment is coming - This is God's final call before Christ returns to judge the world.

                                    d. "Worship Him" - or else.

            C. The Admonition

                        1. God's grace is running out. (cf. Gen. 6:3)

                        2. Believe and be saved before judgment comes. (II Cor. 6:2)

III. THE SURETY OF FINALITY (v.8)

            A. A Religious System Described (Jer. 51:7; 50:38; 25:15)

1. Babylon is shown in Scripture to be a literal city, a political system, a religious system and a commercial system. Here the religious system is in view.

                        2. Reasons for the religious system interpretation

a. The word "city" is not in the most reliable manuscripts and should be omitted.

b. The word fornication ("porneia", Gr.) is used to describe her character. Used "metaphorically, of the association of pagan idolatry." (Vine's)

3. Since this takes place during the tribulation period, the true church is gone (4:1), and the ground has been prepared for the rise of the false, idolatrous, mystery religion of Babylon.

                        4. What will comprise this system?

                                    a. The amalgamation of the world's false religions into one.

                                    b. It will be a Christless, unregenerate religion.

            B. A Ruin Determined

1. The fall of Babylon is caused by her iniquity - "made all the nations drink of the wine of the wrath of her fornication"

                        2. "Is fallen, is fallen"

                                    a. Her doom is yet future; during the first half of the tribulation

b. The verbs in Greek, however, view it as something that has already happened.

C. A Reason Declared --"The Babylon of the Apocalypse has by her seductions, unholy allurements, and incitements to evil enthralled the nations." (Scott) (Babylon will be discussed in greater detail in chapters 17,18.)

IV. THE SENTENCE OF FATALITY (vs.9-12)

            A. The Worship of the Dictator (v.9)

                        1. Absolute subjection to the beast will be the law during this period. (cf. Dan. 3)

                        2. Worship of the beast only will be the mandate of the times. (Rev. 13:15)

                        3. A mark of faithfulness and subjection to the beast will be required. (v.9)

                                    a. The vast majority of the world will receive it.

                                    b. A minority will reject it--note the word "any".

c. The faithful, believing Jewish remnant plus many Gentiles will refuse the mark.

            B. The Wrath of the Divine (vs. 10,11)

                        1. "The wine of God's wrath" - "The nations had drunk out of the harlot's cup (v.8); now in retributive justice they shall drink out of God's cup." (Scott) Heb. 10:31

                        2. "Fire and brimstone" (v.10) cf. Rev. 20:10,13,14

                        3. The duration of their judgment (v.11)

                                    a. "Forever and ever"

b. "Their torment is not a momentary one, for it is described in verse 11 as continuing forever, literally 'into the ages of the ages', the strongest expression of eternity of which the Greek is capable." (Walvoord)

c. There will be no alleviation of their suffering whatsoever (day and night).

4. Anyone who receives this mark of the beast will partake also of the judgment of God - note the contrasts:

                                    a. There is physical death without the mark; spiritual death with it.

                                    b. There is temporary torment without it; eternal torment with it.

                                    c. There is no satisfaction from hunger without it; continual agony with it.

d. There is no quenching of thirst without it; "the same shall drink of the wine of the wrath of God" with it.

C. The Welcome of the Devout (v.12) --In answer to their prayers for vengeance, those who have oppressed them receive their just punishment.

V. THE SERENITY OF THE FALLEN (v.13)

            A. The Rest of the Saints

                        1. They are called blessed.

2. They have patiently endured, even to death, the persecutions and oppressions that have befallen them for their faithfulness to Christ. They have died "in the Lord."

3. "They are blessed because they are absent from the body of suffering in a world where they are despised, and at home with the Lord (II Cor. 5:8), and this latter is 'far better' (Phil. 1:23)." (Strauss)

                        4. Their sufferings have ended forever.

            B. The Reward of the Saints

                        1. Rewarded for the faith (I Cor. 4:5)

                        2. Rewarded for their works

                        3. Rewarded with crowns (cf. James 1:12)

4. Rewarded with eternal rest - "The saved will not need it; the lost may not enjoy it." (cf. Rev. 7:15)

VI. THE SOUND OF FURY (vs. 14-20)

            A. The Tools of War (vs. 14-15a,17,18)

                        1. A sharp sickle

                        2. It is poised in the hands of Christ. (v.14)

                        3. It is a reaping instrument, made to cut down the grain.

                        4. Christ at His return is about to cut down and remove the evil that is in the earth.

                        5. The scene is a preview of the war of Armageddon. (cf. Joel 3:11-16)

            B. The Time of the War (vs.15b,18)

1. "The expression 'the harvest is ripe' seems to imply that judgment is overdue. The verb form 'is ripe' ("exeranthe", Gr.), meaning to become dry or withered, has a bad connotation (cf. Mt. 21:19,20; Mk. 3:1,3; 11:20; Lk. 8:6; Rev. 16:12). The picture here is of a fruit or vegetable that had become so ripe that it has begun to dry up and wither. The rotten moral condition of the world is dealt with now with a sharp sickle." (Walvoord)

2. The full scale of the reaping begins at the last half of the period with the war of Armageddon.

            C. The Thrust of the War (vs.15-19)

                        1. World wide (vs.15,16,18,19)

                        2. It involves the four corners of the earth. (Daniel 11)

                                    a. The King of the South

                                    b. The King of the North

                                    c. The Kings of the East

                                    d. The Prince that shall come

            D. The Terror of the War (v.20) (More to come in a later study.)