A thorough study of the Revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave unto him, to show his servants things which must shortly come to pass. (Rev. 1:1)
Welcome to our study of the Revelation of Jesus Christ given unto Apostle John.
I am Phillip Smith, your host and fellow servant of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.
As we continue our study in the Revelation of Jesus Christ, as given to John, we begin in chapter 14.
We are introduced to the 144,000 ‘Firstfruits’ of heaven. Let us read.
Rev. 14:1-3. 14 And I looked, and, lo, a Lamb stood on the mount Sion, and with him an hundred forty and four thousand, having his Father's name 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 I heard the voice of harpers harping with their harps: 3 And they sung as it were a new song before the throne, and before the four beasts, and the elders: and no man could learn that song but the hundred and forty and four thousand, which were redeemed from the earth.
John sees a representation of Jesus standing on Mt. Sion, or the Holy Mount in Heaven. He is the ruler with all authority in heaven and on earth. With him is a crowd who have the name of God on their foreheads. These are the ones who belong to God; God’s saints gathered as ‘firstfruits’. This represents the first saints before the great harvest. Vs. 4. 4 These are they which were not defiled with women; for they are virgins. These are they which follow the Lamb whithersoever he goeth. These were redeemed from among men, being the firstfruits unto God and to the Lamb.
In the old law of Moses, God required the first of the crops to be sacrificed to God from the children of Israel annually. They were called first fruits. Here these firstfruits are the souls who ‘were not defiled with women; for they are virgins.’ If they are actual physical people, God has gathered them special for this purpose. If this is a symbolic spiritual literature, they are true saints as in the representation of the Israelites first of their harvests. God has gathered his first of the harvest of the souls of earth. They are truly God’s possessions. Vs. 5. 5 And in their mouth was found no guile: for they are without fault before the throne of God.
This gives reference to the number as we saw in chapter 7. The number 12, or quotient of 12 (a number divided by 12) represents belonging to God and the number 1,000 represents a very large number. All of the firstfruits here in heaven are God’s chosen of the firstfruits or souls to enter heaven seeing they are virgins and have not defiled themselves by sin; no guile was found in their mouth and they were without any fault or sin.
This shows God can do anything at any time He choses from His creations. We, as mortal men, should not question the will of God but accept it.
Does this imply these are from the first resurrection? Rev. 20:4-6. 4 And I saw thrones, and they sat upon them, and judgment was given unto them: and I saw the souls of them that were beheaded for the witness of Jesus, and for the word of God, and which had not worshipped the beast, neither his image, neither had received his mark upon their foreheads, or in their hands; and they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years. 5 But the rest of the dead lived not again until the thousand years were finished. This is the first resurrection. 6 Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection: on such the second death hath no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with him a thousand years.
The souls mentioned here are faultless, also. They, too, did not worship the beast. However, it says these were beheaded for witnessing for Jesus Christ. They were raised early and reigned with Jesus Christ a very long time before the rest of the dead were resurrected.
There is a little discrepancy between the two groups. It is hard to justify one opinion over any other in whether these were some of the firstfruits mentioned in chapter 14.
Rev. 14:6-7. 6 And I saw another angel fly in the midst of heaven, having the everlasting gospel to preach unto them that dwell on the earth, and to every nation, and kindred, and tongue, and people, 7 Saying with a loud voice, Fear God, and give glory to him; for the hour of his judgment is come: and worship him that made heaven, and earth, and the sea, and the fountains of waters.
We have another description of the conquest of angelic beings authorized by God to spread the Gospel of Christ to all the souls on earth. Remember the picture given earlier of the spirit realm having been given authority to conquer for righteousness? An angelic figure was the white horse in chapter 6 verse 2. 2 And I saw, and behold a white horse: and he that sat on him had a bow; and a crown was given unto him: and he went forth conquering, and to conquer. The rider had a crown of authority, a prince. The figure could be Jesus or a representative for Jesus.
The gospel was to be preached to all creatures. This power and authorization by God is currently happening with influences of righteous angelic spiritual beings. God controls the spirit realm but gives power and authority to angels to minister and influence the behavior of mankind. Each soul will be given ample opportunity to know and believe in Jesus Christ. There will be no room for any excuses that certain men did not know or hear of Jesus.
“[T]he hour of his judgment is come:” This does not mean the end has happened and judgment is next to occur. The phrase indicates there is no other offer for salvation. God will not create another way to heaven. One must believe in Jesus and obey his commands until death. We are living in the last days–no more offerings for sin. Heb. 10:12-18. 12 But this man, (Jesus) after he had offered one sacrifice for sins for ever, sat down on the right hand of God; 13 From henceforth expecting till his enemies be made his footstool. 14 For by one offering he hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified. 15 Whereof the Holy Ghost also is a witness to us: for after that he had said before, 16 This is the covenant that I will make with them after those days, saith the Lord, I will put my law into their hearts, and in their minds will I write them; 17 And their sins and iniquities will I remember no more. 18 Now where remission of these is, there is no more offering for sin.
If mankind does not accept this offer for salvation, there is no other offer to be given. It is only through Jesus Christ mankind can be saved and live through eternity with God the Father and God the Son. This means the hour of judgment is come when God calls it finished.
[F]or the hour of his judgment is come: and worship him that made heaven, and earth, and the sea, and the fountains of waters. Notice the colon (:) then …worship him that made heaven, and earth, and the sea, and the fountains of waters. All men are to worship God who made the earth and the universe. The time of worship is now and forevermore. That ‘hour’ or ‘time’, has come.
Before the end of time on earth, ‘Babylon’ the great whore, the powerful economic force which tempted and deceived all nations with many riches filled with all kinds of debaucheries will fall. That global economy will fail. The news shall be broadcast all over heaven and the spiritual realm by the ministering angels or witnesses in God’s spirit world.
Rev. 14:8. 8 And there followed another angel, saying, Babylon is fallen, is fallen, that great city, because she made all nations drink of the wine of the wrath of her fornication.
Those who were deceived into idolatry, covetousness (greed) which is idolatry, shall fall having worshiped the Beast of Satan. Col. 3:5. 5 Mortify therefore your members which are upon the earth; fornication, uncleanness, inordinate affection, evil concupiscence, and covetousness, which is idolatry:
In all these things, Babylon, the great whore, caused many souls to ‘drink of the wine of the wrath of her fornication.’ Her very purpose was to cause mankind to fall from the grace of God with all forms of sinful abominations.
Rev. 14:9-11. 9 And the third angel followed them, saying with a loud voice, If any man worship the beast and his image, and receive his mark in his forehead, or in his hand, 10 The same shall drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is poured out without mixture into the cup of his indignation; and he shall be tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of the holy angels, and in the presence of the Lamb: 11 And the smoke of their torment ascendeth up for ever and ever: and they have no rest day nor night, who worship the beast and his image, and whosoever receiveth the mark of his name.
The wrath of God shall be so severe against any who turn to the cup of wine from the great whore of Babylon. In doing so, they will be worshiping the Beast and shall receive the mark of the beast of Satan signifying they are worshipers of Satan, not God. God’s wrath will become so great against those that he will cause them to drink from the cup of His indignation. They shall be punished with overwhelming pain and suffering. As we continue studying this book, it appears this punishment will begin in this life and continue into Hell for those who drink of the wine of the wrath of God. There will be no opportunity to receive redemption for their iniquities.
Rev. 14:12. 12 Here is the patience of the saints: here are they that keep the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus.
Knowing the punishment of God against evil men, the saints chose to live Godly in this world; not allow any appearance of evil to enter their lives to be tempted by it. The saints shall be patient, waiting upon the Lord. they will keep working in the vineyard of the Lord doing His commandments and keeping the faith.
Let us be reminded what faith is. Hebrews 11:1. 11 Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.
Faith is a substance–it is real
It is of things hoped for–salvation from an eternal Hell
It is proven by evidence not visible by the human eye
Example: the wind. Can you see the air? Can you see it move, blow? ANSWER: No! But we can see the evidence: objects seen move from no cause except the movement of the air–wind.
Faith in God, unseen by the human eye, is real by the evidence He created in all of nature. Even the animals know God.
Further evidence this passage is not after the Judgment Day: Rev. 14:13. 13 And I heard a voice from heaven saying unto me, Write, Blessed are the dead which die in the Lord from henceforth: Yea, saith the Spirit, that they may rest from their labours; and their works do follow them.
Jesus comforts his children through the writing of John that the saints who die in the physical life before the end shall rest from their labors. Study 2 Thes. 2. (parallel passage)
We now turn to how it will be at the harvest of the saints of the earth. The beginning of the judgment.
Rev. 14:14-16. 14 And I looked, and behold a white cloud, and upon the cloud one sat like unto the Son of man, having on his head a golden crown, and in his hand a sharp sickle. 15 And another angel came out of the temple, crying with a loud voice to him that sat on the cloud, Thrust in thy sickle, and reap: for the time is come for thee to reap; for the harvest of the earth is ripe. 16 And he that sat on the cloud thrust in his sickle on the earth; and the earth was reaped.
A character in a white (pure, sinless, perfect) cloud with one like unto the Son of man, (Jesus) having a golden crown (sign of royalty, authority) and a sharp sickle is seen ready to gather the ‘vine’, or grapes of the vine–the saints. He is told or given instruction to begin the harvest–’Thrust in thy sickle, and reap: for the time is come for thee to reap; for the harvest of the earth is ripe.’ When the harvest is ripe, the husbandman (God, John 15:1) begins to reap the harvest of good grapes in the vineyard; the ones without blemish. They are the best. The husbandman knows when the harvest will produce no more good fruit. God is the husbandman. He knows when no other will turn from the temptations of the world and repent seeking salvation. ‘The harvest of the earth is ripe’.
In 1 Peter 4:16-18 tells us the Christians shall be where judgment will start first. Let us read. 16 Yet if any man suffer as a Christian, let him not be ashamed; but let him glorify God on this behalf. 17 For the time is come that judgment must begin at the house of God: and if it first begin at us, what shall the end be of them that obey not the gospel of God? 18 And if the righteous scarcely be saved, where shall the ungodly and the sinner appear?
This harvest of the earth is with the authority given unto the one (son of man; Jesus) who is in the cloud. It gathers the righteous first for judgment.
The harvest was done–’the earth was reaped.’ (Vs. 16). These were gathered first which were true saints.
This is how it will be at the end–harvest. The harvest has not, as of now, happened. The things of this book are to shortly come to pass but they have not yet. The time is in God’s time–duration of events. For, in eternity, there is no time nor need for time as we know it. There will be another harvest following the true saints. Let us read.
Rev. 14:17-20. 17 And another angel came out of the temple which is in heaven, he also having a sharp sickle. 18 And another angel came out from the altar, which had power over fire; and cried with a loud cry to him that had the sharp sickle, saying, Thrust in thy sharp sickle, and gather the clusters of the vine of the earth; for her grapes are fully ripe. 19 And the angel thrust in his sickle into the earth, and gathered the vine of the earth, and cast it into the great winepress of the wrath of God. 20 And the winepress was trodden without the city, and blood came out of the winepress, even unto the horse bridles, by the space of a thousand and six hundred furlongs.
The rest of the ‘vine’ was reaped. 17 And another angel came out of the temple which is in heaven, he also having a sharp sickle. Where does this reaper come from? Out of the temple which is in heaven is from whence he comes. What is the ‘vine’? Jesus said, "I am the vine and ye are the branches.” (John 15:5) Those who are still of the ‘vine’ are of the body of Christ (the church). These may not be fully sinless but by the grace of God He wants to salvage part of the fruit. Remember Jesus teachings concerning all who cry, Lord! Lord!. Matthew 7:21-22. 21 Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven. 22 Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works?
NOTICE: first of all the clusters of the vine are fully ripe. (vs. 18) What does a husbandman of a vineyard do with the grape clusters which have small blemishes? He salvages the good and throws the unacceptable parts into the fire. ‘[A]nother angel came out from the altar, which had power over fire;’ (vs. 18) God is saving what He desires, not what man claims to be righteous and just. God 'squeezes’ from the clusters the good and acceptable to Him and saves it. A husbandman uses the juice from the grape clusters to make wine. God is going to use the life–’blood’ of the ones He chooses to have salvation in eternity. The total amount rose to the bridle of a horse and flowed 1,600 furlongs–180 miles.
Why does this act of salvation and the beginning of the judgment begin at this time? “The vine was ‘fully ripe’. (vs. 18)
God will save as He wills. Remember 1 Peter 4:17-18. 17 For the time is come that judgment must begin at the house of God: and if it first begin at us, what shall the end be of them that obey not the gospel of God? 18 And if the righteous scarcely be saved, where shall the ungodly and the sinner appear? If the righteous SCARCELY be saved–winepress–where shall the ungodly and sinner appear? They will be further punished in what appears to be while left here on earth for a period longer until “It is done”. (Rev. 16:17)
