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Commentary by Ron Thomas; Questions and Answers by John C. Sewell

Landmark Publications, Inc., P.O. Box 160018, Nashville, TN 37216, U.S.A., John C. Sewell, Ph.D., Editor.

THE LAMB AND THE 144,000

THE THREE ANGELS

THE HARVEST OF THE EARTH

REVELATION 14:1-20




THE LAMB AND THE 144,000 THE THREE ANGELS


Text: Revelation 14:1-20: 1. 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. 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. 5. And in their mouth was found no guile: for they are without fault before the throne of God. 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. 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. 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. 12. Here is the patience of the saints: here are they that keep the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus. 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. 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.




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. (AKJV) Commentary:

The Lamb and the 144,000 Note: In Revelation 13:4 the question is posed, “Who is able to make war with him [the beast]? In chapter 14 the answer is forthcoming. Revelation 14:1-5, 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. 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: 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. 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. And in their mouth was found no guile: for they are without fault before the throne of God. (AKJV) I. The Lamb: Jesus.

A. Revelation 5:6, And I beheld, and, lo, in the midst of the throne and of the four beasts, and in the midst of the elders, stood a Lamb as it had been slain, having seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven Spirits of God sent forth into all the earth. (AKJV)

II. Mount Zion.

A. Jerusalem.

B. Hailey says this is the Zion of the Messiah to which the saints of this dispensation have come.

C. Roper said this is a spiritual location where Christ would be with His people.

III. The 144,000.

A. Their melodious voices sang the praise of God.




B. They sang a new song (a song of redemption) and only the 144,000 could sing it.

1. Revelation 5:9, 10, And they sung a new song, saying, Thou art worthy to take the book, and to open the seals thereof: for thou wast slain, and hast redeemed us to God by thy blood out of every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation; 10 and hast made us unto our God kings and priests: and we shall reign on the earth. (AKJV)

2. Psalm 98:1, O sing unto the Lord a new song; for he hath done marvelous things: his right hand, and his holy arm, hath gotten him the victory. (AKJV)

C. The 144,000 is the great multitude (many waters), loud (thunder) and melodious (sound of harpists). If literalness is forced upon this number, then, coupled with Chapter 7, we have only those saved as being 144,000 Jewish virgin males! D. Musical talent was not the measuring stick, but the mark indicating that one was redeemed.

III. Having their Father’s Name. The seal (protection) in chapter 7 corresponds to the Father’s name (ownership, authority) here.

The Three Angels Revelation 14:6-13, 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, 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. 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. 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, 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: 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. Here is the patience of the saints: here are they that keep the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus. 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. (AKJV) I. The Angels.

A. First angel.

1. An eternal gospel to proclaim to those on the earth.




2. John was to eat the scroll and proclaim to all people. This message has as its foundation the death, burial, and resurrection of the Lord.

a. Revelation 10:11, And he said unto me, Thou must prophesy again before many peoples, and nations, and tongues, and kings. (AKJV)

b. 1 Corinthians 15:1-4, Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you the gospel which I preached unto you, which also ye have received, and wherein ye stand; by which also ye are saved, if ye keep in memory what I preached unto you, unless ye have believed in vain. For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; and that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures: (AKJV)

3. Since the gospel age in which we live is the last age (dispensation), it might be what is in view here. People are not lost because they reject the gospel. They are lost already!

B. Second Angel.

1. Babylon is fallen.




2. In Daniel 4:30 the image of Nebuchadnezzar calling Babylon great is followed by the Lord bringing judgment upon him. Roper cites the words of another about how this event in the Old Testament left a powerful impression upon the Hebrew mind and it became a fit symbol of the final ruin of spiritual Babylon (Roper, 105).

a. Daniel 4:30, The king spake, and said, Is not this great Babylon, that I have built for the house of the kingdom by the might of my power, and for the honour of my majesty? (AKJV)

3. Roper calls this the third agent of the dragon. The beast tries to intimidate Christians. The false prophet tries to deceive Christians, and Babylon tried to seduce Christians.

C. Third Angel.

1. Worships the beast, its image, and receives its mark.

2. He will drink the wine of God’s wrath.

a. Poured full strength (not even a drop of mercy – Roper).

b. Tormented with fire and sulfur.

c. In the presence of the holy angels and the Lamb.




3. The punishment will last forever. “They will never know rest – only pain, indescribable pain.” (Roper, p. 109)

II. Exhortation.

A. Endurance. A call for understanding, obedience, and encouragement.

B. Blessed are those who die in the Lord.

1. One of the seen beatitudes in the Revelation.

2. Scriptures: . . .

a. Revelation 1:3, Blessed is he that readeth, and they that hear the words of this prophecy, and keep those things which are written therein: for the time is at hand. (AKJV)

b. Revelation 14:13, 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. (AKJV)

c. Revelation 16:15, Behold, I come as a thief. Blessed is he that watcheth, and




keepeth his garments, lest he walk naked, and they see his shame. (AKJV)

d. Revelation 19:9, And he saith unto me, Write, Blessed are they which are called unto the marriage supper of the Lamb. And he saith unto me, These are the true sayings of God. (AKJV)

e. Revelation 20:6, 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. (AKJV)

f. Revelation 22:7, Behold, I come quickly: blessed is he that keepeth the sayings of the prophecy of this book. (AKJV)

REAPING WHAT WAS SOWN


Revelation 14:14-17, 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. 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. And he that sat on the cloud thrust in his sickle on the earth; and




the earth was reaped. And another angel came out of the temple which is in heaven, he also having a sharp sickle. (AKJV) I. Him Who Sat on the White Cloud.

A. A white cloud.

1. A son of man. The natural inclination is that it refers to the Lord Jesus.

a. Revelation 1:13, and in the midst of the seven candlesticks one like unto the Son of man, clothed with a garment down to the foot, and girt about the paps with a golden girdle. (AKJV)

b. Daniel 7:13, I saw in the night visions, and, behold, one like the Son of man came with the clouds of heaven, and came to the Ancient of days, and they brought him near before him. (AKJV)

2. A sharp sickle in his hand.

B. Another angel from the temple in heaven.

1. Called out to the one sitting on the white cloud to reap the harvest.

a. The hour has come.




b. This may be a determined time or merely the appropriate time (the difference may be slight).

c. The fourth angel of the chapter.

i. Revelation 14:6, 8, 9, 15, 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, 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. 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, 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. (AKJV)

C. The earth was reaped. There seems to be a difference of opinion over whether this refers to the righteous (grain) or to the wicked (iniquity is full). The former appears probable.

1. Matthew 3:12, whose fan is in his hand, and he will throughly purge his floor, and gather his




wheat into the garner; but he will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire. (AKJV) 2. Luke 2:17, And when they had seen it, they made known abroad the saying which was told them concerning this child. (AKJV) 3. 1 Thessalonians 4:16, 17, For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord. (AKJV) 4. Matthew 13:30, Let both grow together until the harvest: and in the time of harvest I will say to the reapers, Gather ye together first the tares, and bind them in bundles to burn them: but gather the wheat into my barn. (AKJV)

Revelation 14:17-20, And another angel came out of the temple which is in heaven, he also having a sharp sickle. 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. 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. 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. (AKJV) I. An angel.

A. Came from the temple of heaven.

B. He had a sharp sickle. II. Another angel came from the altar.

A. Authority over fire.

1. Revelation 8:3-5, And another angel came and stood at the altar, having a golden censer; and there was given unto him much incense, that he should offer it with the prayers of all saints upon the golden altar which was before the throne. And the smoke of the incense, which came with the prayers of the saints, ascended up before God out of the angel’s hand. And the angel took the censer, and filled it with fire of the altar, and cast it into the earth: and there were voices, and thunderings, and lightnings, and an earthquake. (AKJV)

B. Called to the one with the sickle.

III. The winepress of the wrath of God.

A. The 5th angel swung his sickle.




B. Gathered the grape harvest. C. Threw it into the winepress of the wrath of God.

1. A winepress had two levels.

2. The upper level was where the grapes would be placed.

3. The lower level would receive the juices of the grapes trampled upon in the upper level.

4. “. . . the wine-press where the grapes are crushed, and where the juice, resembling blood, flows out . . .” (Barnes, E-Sword).

D. The winepress was trodden outside the city.

E. Blood flowed from the winepress as high as a horse’s bridle (4-5 feet) for 184 miles. Roper: “. . . imagine a river of blood two hundred miles long and four feet deep. If the stream were a mile wide, it would require the blood from more than 120 billion people – but at present, the entire world population is ‘only’ about seven or eight billion” (p. 121).




Questions

on

Revelation 14:1-20 1. The ________________ was standing on ________________ ________________ and with him ________________ who had his ______________ and his ______________ ______________ ________________ on their ________________. (NIV) 2. A ________________ from ________________ like the ________________ of ________________ ________________ and like a ________________ ________________ of ________________ was heard. The ________________ was like that of _____________ ______________ their ______________. (NIV) 3. They ______________ a ______________ ________________ before the ______________ and before the ________________ ______________ ______________ and the ________________. No one could ________________ the ________________ except the ________________ who had been ________________ from the ________________. (NIV) 4. These did not __________________ themselves with ______________, for they kept themselves ________________. They follow the ________________ wherever he goes. They were ________________ from among ________________ and ______________ as ________________ to ________________ and the ________________. (NIV)




5. No ________________ was found in their ________________; they are ________________. (NIV) 6. Another ________________ was seen ________________ in ________________, and he had the ________________ ________________ to ________________ to those who ________________ on the ________________ - to every ________________, ________________, ________________ and ________________. (NIV) 7. The ________________ said in a ________________ ________________, “________________________________ and give him ________________, because the ________________ of his ________________ has come. ________________ him who made the ________________, the ________________, the ________________ and the ________________ of ________________.” (NIV) 8. A ________________ ________________ followed and said, “________________! ________________ is ________________ the ________________, which made all the ________________ ________________ the ________________ ________________ of her ________________.” (NIV) 9. A ________________ ________________ followed them and said in a ________________ ________________: “If anyone ________________ the ________________ and his ______________ and _______________ his ________________ on the ________________ or on the ________________. (NIV) 10. He, too, will ________________ of the ________________ of ________________ ________________, which has been poured




______________ ______________ into the ________________ of his ________________. He will be ________________ with ______________ ______________ in the ________________ of the ________________ ________________ and of the ________________. (NIV) 11. The ________________ of their ________________ rises ________________ ________________ and ________________. There is no ________________ ________________ or ________________ for those who ________________ the ________________ and his ________________ or for ________________ who receives the ________________ of his ________________. (NIV) 12. This calls for ________________ ________________ on the part of the ________________ who ________________ _____________ _____________ and remain ________________ to _______________. 13. Then John heard a ______________ from _______________ say, “_____________: ______________ are the _____________ who ______________ in the ______________ from now on.” The ________________ agreed saying, “They will ________________ from their ________________, for their ________________ will follow them.” (NIV) 14. There appeared before John a ________________ _____________, and ______________ on the ______________ was “one like a ________________ of ________________” with a ______________ of ______________ on his _______________ and a ________________ ________________ in his hand. (NIV)




15. Another ______________ came out of the ______________ and ______________ in a ______________ ________________ to him who was sitting on the ________________, “Take your ________________ and ________________, because the ________________ to ________________ has come, for the ______________of the ______________ is ________________.” (NIV) 16. He who was ________________ on the ________________ swung his ________________ over the ________________, and the ________________ was ________________. 17. Another ______________ came out of the ______________ in ________________, and he too had a ________________ ________________. 18. Still another ________________, who had charge of the ________________, came from the ________________ and called in a ________________ ________________ to him who had the ________________ ________________, “Take your ______________ ______________ and gather the ______________ of ______________ from the ______________ ________________ because its ________________ are ________________.” (NIV) 19. The ________________ swing his ________________ on the ________________, gathered its ________________ and threw them into the great ________________ of ________________ ________________. (NIV) 20. They were ________________ in the ________________ outside the ________________, and ________________




______________ out of the ________________, rising as high as the ________________ ________________ for a distance of ________________ ________________. 21. Who is able to make war with the beast? ________________ _________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 22. Define the following terms: Lamb: _____________________ __________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Mt. Zion: _____________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 144,000: _____________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________________________________ New Song: ___________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 23. What was the function of the first angel? ________________ _________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 24. What was the function of the second angel? ______________




_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 25. What was the function of the third angel? ________________ _________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 26. There are seven beatitudes in Revelation. Name them. _____ _________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 27. What is God’s winepress?_____________________________ _________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 28. Why do we not hear at church more about “the wrath of God?” _______________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________




__________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 29. When God’s wrath was poured out on the earth, how much blood was shed? _______________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 30. What was God’s attitude toward all this suffering? _________ _________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

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