Bible Groups - Digests of Bible Commentaries

The Revelation to John - Chapter 14

Revised 2013

So far John’s vision has been about those things that must happen before the end. Now he gives his vision of the end itself. All expected the end to include judgement, when the righteous would be rewarded and the unrighteous punished. With the temptation for the righteous to rejoice in seeing the torments inflicted on those who once tormented them, including the additional pain of seeing the righteous happy in heaven. Not very moral, and John doesn’t gloat, but God’s justice demands that the evildoers must be seen to be punished. Hence God’s wrath & anger must be included, even though we know God is not like that. Within his culture John was not free to write as we might do.
1 Zion, one of the hills on which Jerusalem was built, was a common feature of OT end-time pictures. But having the Lamb standing on it is new. New both in that a wounded and vulnerable Lamb is a new concept for Messiah, but also the Lamb/Messiah was to be king among his own people (Ps 2:6), not the Roman emperor. A tender vision of the Lamb & companions, contrasting with beast & followers (13:1-10). Zion contrasts with sea (13:1). Here nature of seal (7:2-3; 3:12; 22:4) is made clear. Contrasts with mark of beast (13:16). 144,000 appear to be special, not all redeemed: those who follow Christ wherever he goes, to death (14:4). In the Messianic age the remnant of Israel, those who have kept the faith, were expected to gather on Mt Zion, when the Messiah would appear before his final battle with forces of evil (2 Kgs 19:30-31; Joel 2:27; 3:3-5; Ob 17; Mic 4:6-8; Zeph 3:8-20; Isa 53:9).
3 Not the end, but learning a new song (? 5:8-10) to be sung before the Lamb. 12x12 = perfection. The new Israel. They are Christian martyrs from all nations (7:3-4; 22:4). Marked with names of Lamb & Father. They had been redeemed (= ransom in Greek) (5:9) and they alone could learn this new hymn and join in the worship in heaven. Contrast with those marked with beast (13:16-17).
4 Virgins, ie not defiled with idolatrous practices (cf Ezek 16:1-58; 23:1-49). The “first fruits” of the people of God. Still greater harvest is to come (7:9). Later (16:14) all nations will gather. Hint that lives & deaths of the redeemed benefit others. Early Israel believed that for a holy war its armies should be ritually & sexually pure (Deut 23:9-10; 1 Sam 21:5), like virgins.
5 No lie: because did not deny Christ, nor give homage to beast. Unblemished - ritually pure.
6 Before presenting the other side of the judgement picture one last chance is offered to mankind. 3 Woes (8:13) now coming true. Announcement of divine judgement - the eternal “good news” to all on earth means salvation for the faithful, but woe to those who follow the beast.
7 Judgement on pagan world is imminent. All - Jews & Greeks - are called to worship God, the creator. God’s eternal reign is about to begin (10:7; Isa 25:9-10)). A last chance to indicate willingness to hear the eternal gospel.
8 But that was the last chance. This is the end. Babylon = Rome is fallen (Isa 21:9; Jer 51:8, 59:7); its supporters will be tormented for ever. Jewish apocalypses always identify current ruling empire with Babylon. Fall of the evil empire might - even now - help evildoers to realise they are wrong and to change sides. Verse anticipates lengthy dirge later (18:1-19:4) (cf Isa 21:9). “Wine of her seduction”: Rome’s seductive power over peoples of the empire. Perhaps also Christians who compromise, keeping their faith private, going with the crowd, rather than risk persecution.
9 Now the punishments are spelt out. Eternal fiery punishment also reserved for Devil, beast, & false prophet (19:20; 20:10; 21:8).
10 Sinners will drink the cup of divine wrath (Isa 51:17, 22; Jer 25:15; Ps 75:8) undiluted as usually with water. Wine of God’s wrath: eternal punishment in fiery pool of burning sulphur (Isa 51:17; Jer 25:15-16; 49:12; 51:7; Ezek 23:31-34), “fire & brimstone” (Gen 19:24). Good OT language, but sounds shockingly vindictive to us! But God’s justice demands punishment, God must allow it! Therefore God takes responsibility for it.
11 They suffer everlasting torment (Isa 66:24; 34:9f). The godless have no rest (Ps 95:11). Contrasts with peace awaiting the faithful (Isa 57:2, 10).
12 Works, ie keeping the commandments, are required, as well as faith in Christ (2:23; 20:12-13; 22:12). Call to repentance & endurance.
13 The Christians in the 7 churches wanted to hear that their dead would be ok (Cf 1 Cor 15:58). Christians sufferings cannot be lost - “their deeds follow them” after death. Again: deeds show those who die in the Lord, and bear witness to them in the heavenly court. Woes for the ungodly not vengeance, but reassurance for any faithful tempted to give up: God’s salvation is the truth, it really does matter whether one resists the power of the beast.
14 An angel, here called “one like a Son of Man”, starts reaping the harvest of his followers (cf Dan 7:13; Joel 4:13-16; Mk 13:26-27). White => victory. Not clear whether this is Christ, who later treads the winepress (19:15) or an angel. Elect gathered in on one side, rest on the other.
15 The “one like a “Son of Man” is subject to command of another angel, so perhaps not Christ, unless merely waiting for angel to bring God’s message to begin the harvest. Various opinions about wheat harvest: destruction of pagan nations fighting vs Messiah on Mt Zion in last days; or gathering righteous before judging the wicked. Earlier vision of holy ones on Mt Zion (14:1-5) and promise that the Lord is coming in judgement (14:7) suggests harvest with sickle & winepress is the coming judgement on the wicked (cf Joel 4:13-16).
17 2nd image clearer - the ungodly are now reaped.
18 This angel has authority over fire (the fire of punishment), having cast coals down to earth (8:3), so grape harvest clearly symbolises reaping the ungodly, trampling the grapes of wrath into the wine-press of God’s wrath (cf Joel 4:12-13; Isa 63:1-6; Jer 25:30) that is to come (19:11-21). Only one altar in heavenly temple (6:9; 8:3; 11:1), where martyred souls rest awaiting judgement (6:9-10), corresponding to altar of holocausts (6:9) and altar of incense (8:3). So another response to martyrs asking “How long until judgement day”.
19 Not some winepress separate from God, but the instrument of his justice.
20 Literally 1600 stades, approx 1600 furlongs. 16 = 10+4 may have had significance. 1600 = 40 x 40: 4 is universal number, 10 is completion or fullness, so this judgement is wholly transformative, fully comprehensive: God’s power over evil is absolute. Ezek saw water from temple flowing sweetly same distance to Dead sea (Ezek 47:1-12). Vast multitudes of God’s enemies turned into vast sea of blood. Trodden outside the city - the new Jerusalem. Imagined as the Kidron valley, seen by Joel as the valley of Jehoshaphat (= ‘the Lord judges’) (Joel 4:12). Dry in summer, a torrent when it rains, barely fordable by horses, image used by Jews to describe horror of sack of Jerusalem AD70.