Revelation 14
DODDRevelation 14:1
The vision of the Lamb standing upon mount Sion, surrounded with those whom he had redeemed; and of several mighty angels, proclaiming his vengeance upon the beast, and upon those that worship him. Rev. XIV. throughout.
REVELATION XIV. 1.
AND, while these terrible objects were bexvii. fore me, I looked, and beheld another ob- Rev. ject, which animated my heart under the alarm xiv. 1 and distress they gave me: for behold, the Lamb was standing upon mount Sion, which was represented to me also in my vision, as the place on which the temple, that had been opened in heaven stood; and with him were one hundred forty four thousand, who, in opposition to the name of the beast, which was so rigorously imposed, and by many received with so base a submission, had the name of God his Father written on their foreheads, in token of their inviolable submission, and entire dedication to
him. And I heard a voice out of heaven, which was loud as the sound of many waters, when tossing themselves in the ocean, and like the sound of great thunder; and, loud and awful as it was, it was accompanied with a most delightful harmony; for I heard the voice of harpers playing upon their harps, aiding their instruments with the melody of their voices.
And they sung, as it were, a new song, before the throne, and before the four living creatures, and the twenty four elders, who in this vision still appeared to be present; and none could learn the song, unless the one hundred and forty four thousand, who are redeemed from the earth, and are as representatives of the whole body of the
REV. XIV. 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.
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.
Surrounded with the redeemed.
redeemed. These are pure and unspotted souls, free from the idolatries and other abominations which have been so prevalent in the age in which they live; or, to speak in the prophetic language, these are they who have not been polluted with women: for they are chaste virgins: these are they who follow the Lamb whithersoever he goeth; and, having humbly traced his footsteps upon earth, shall be led by him to the possession of various and ever new delights in the celestial world. These are they, who were redeemed from among men, [as] the first fruits, consecrated to God, and to the Lamb; most excellent in their kind, and separate from every unclean or profane use, to the immediate honour of God, and of their Redeemer. And no deceit, or evil of any kind, was found in their mouth, for they are entirely blameless before the throne of God, and exalted to that world, where he reigns in perfect purity, as well as Divine glory, nor can any thing unclean be admitted in his presence.
And I saw another glorious angel, flying with strength and rapidity, through the midst of heaven, having in his hand the volume of a book, which he displayed, as with an air of complacency and triumph, even the everlasting gospel, to preach to the inhabitants of the earth, even to every nation, and tribe, and tongue, and people, dispersed over the world. And as he passed, I heard him making proclamation of its important contents, and saying with a loud voice, Fear God, and give glory to him, with becoming reverence and submission, for the hour of his judgment is come, when he shall execute vengeance on his enemies, and worship him who made heaven and earth, and sea, and the limpid fountains of waters, which are derived from it, and flow back
a They are virgins.] This probably signifies their freedom from idolatry, which is, in a spiritual sense, fornication; nor can it, with any reason, be urged against marriage.
b First fruits, most excellent in their kind, &c] That the Jewish first fruits had this property, will appear from comparing the following texts relating to them:
Deut xviii. 4; Exod. xxii. 29; Numb. xviii. 12; Micah vii. 1. Compare James i. 18 c Angel flying, &c.] The flight of angel admirably represents the swiftness of that progress by which the gospel disperse itself over the whole world, as Archbishop Tillotson well observes. See his Works, Vol. II. p. 144.
An angel denounces the fall of Baby
into it. And another great angel followed him crying out, as with the voice of exultation and triumph, saying, It is fallen, it is fallen, [even] Babylon, the great city, a city famous as Babylon of old, when it was at the height of its power and glory: God in his righteous vengeance, hath brought it down, because it made all the nations drink of the wine of its raging fornication, till they were stimulated thereby to the most scandalous and furious excesses. And a third angel followed them both, saying with a loud voice, If any one, how strong soever the temptation may have been, worship the beast, and his image, and receive the mark on his forehead, or on his hand; if he subject himself to this wicked and idolatrous form of religion, and obstinately persist in it, notwithstanding the light which God is giving to discover its errors and superstitions; He also shall, himself, drink of the wine of the indignation of God, which is tempered with various ingredients of wrath, without any mixture of mercy, in the cup of his wrath; and he shall be tormented with fire and brimstone, in the day of God’s future vengeance, in the presence of the holy angels, and in the presence of the Lamb; whose religion has so shamefully been perverted and dishonoured, even by those, who pretend entirely to have engrossed it: And the smoke of their torment ascendeth for ever and ever, without any period; and they have no rest day nor night, who worship the beast and his image, and whoever, in contempt of the authority and testimony of God, receive the mark of his name, as
⁴ On his hand.] Compare sect. xvi. note ⁹.
⁵ Presence of the holy angels.] From hence Mr. Reynolds conjectures, that possibly the torments of the damned may, at certain seasons, through eternal ages, become a spectacle to the inhabitants of the blessed world above. See his Queries concerning angels, p. 305.
⁶ Presence of the Lamb.] This signifies, as Dr. Clarke well observes,) that it shall not only be appointed by the infinite Majesty of God, the righteous Judge of all, but approved moreover by men and angels, and by him also, who loved us unto
death, even Christ, that merciful and compassionate High Priest. Clarke’s Posth. Serm. Vol. I p. 341.
⁷ The smoke of their torment—who worship the beast, &c.] When I seriously reflect on this text, and how directly the force of it lies against those, who, contrary to the light of their consciences, continue in the communion of the church of Rome, for secular advantage, or to avoid the terror of persecution, it almost makes me tremble; and I heartily wish, that all others, who connive at those things in the discipline and worship of protestant churches, which they, in their conscience:
They who die in the Lord are blessed.
the badge of their devotedness to him. In the mean time, these deceivers shall have their day, when all the terrors of secular power shall enforce their impious and iniquitous decrees. And here is the patience of the saints; here [are] the triumphs of those who keep the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus, and are determined to maintain the purity of the gospel amidst these formidable efforts to corrupt it. And I heard a voice from heaven saying to me, Write this for the instruction of mankind in the most distant ages: henceforth blessed [are] the dead, that die in the Lord: so numerous, and so various are the calamities which persecuting powers shall bring upon the saints, that there is abundant reason to congratulate those who are taken out of this vexatious, oppressive, and afflictive world, whether by a natural, or by a violent death: yea, saith the Spirit, by whose inspiration and command I recorded it, they are assuredly blessed; for they are removed, that they may for ever rest from their labours, and their sorrows; and their works of piety and goodness, though so ill requited here, shall not be forgotten, but shall follow them into the presence of God, shall be acknowledged there in the most condescending manner, and through the riches of Divine mercy, recompensed with eternal glory. Accordingly, let this remembrance of their faith and patience, in connection with this transcendent reward, encourage and animate their surviving brethren to imitate their examples.
xvii. Rev. xiv. 12
think to be sinful remains of popish superstition and corruption, would seriously attend to this passage, which is one of the most dreadful in the whole book of God, and weigh its awful contents, that they may keep at the greatest possible distance from this horrible curse, which is sufficient to make the ears of every one that hears it, to tingle. Compare Jer. xxv. 15, 16.
h Henceforth.] The learned Witsius understands this to mean, from the time of their death: as if it had been said, (ἀταξί) immediately after their dissolution they re blessed. Wits. Oecon Fed. 3. xiv. 21. And Mr. Baxter observes, their works
are said to follow with them, μετ’ αὐλαι, not to come many thousand years after them. i Die in the Lord.] Archbishop Tillotson interprets this chiefly of those who die martyrs in the cause of Christ; who, no doubt, are included. But I think the phrase more extensive. There is, perhaps, an allusion to the words of Solomon, Eccl iv. 2, I praised the dead already dead, rather than the living, yet alive, in time of extreme degeneracy, and bitter persecution. See his Works, Vol II. page 183. Bishop Burnet, (on the Articles, p 200,) and many other protestant writers, have justly urged this text, as demonstrative against the popish doctrine of purgatory.
And I saw, and behold, another remarkable appearance offered itself to my view; a white cloud, shining with wonderful lustre and beauty; and on the cloud one sitting, who seemed by the majesty of his form, to be like the Son of man, as represented in Daniel; having on his head a golden crown, and in his hand, instead of a sceptre, a sharp sickle: so that he seemed to be going forth, as to some wonderful harvest. And as soon as I had viewed him, another angel came out of the temple of God, crying, with a loud voice, to him that sate upon the cloud, Put forth thy sickle, and reap, for the season of thy reaping is come, because the harvest of the earth is now fully ripe. (Compare Joel iii. 13.) Execute therefore this judgment, O thou mighty Messenger of God, which the wickedness of the world hath righteously deserved. And, accordingly, he that sate upon the cloud, put forth his sickle on the earth, with strength and rapidity; and the harvest of the earth was presently reaped; signifying, that the execution of the threatened vengeance should be very speedy. But it seemed that the vintage yet remained to be gathered in. And, in reference to this, another angel came out of the temple, that was in heaven; and he also was armed as the other, like the Son of man, and had a sharp sickle in his hand. And another angel, just at that instant, came from the altar, having, as it seemed, power over the fire of it; and he called out with a great cry to him who had the sharp sickle, saying, Put forth thy sharp sickle, and lop off the clusters of the vine, which grows upon, and extends itself almost over the earth, for its grapes are ripe; and the persons represented by it have so abused the Divine long suffering, that it is proper the season of their destruction should commence. And accordingly the angel, with celerity and vigour, thrust out his sickle upon the earth, and lopped off the grapes from the vine of the earth; and he threw [them] into the great wine press of the wrath of God, which seemed to stand ready to receive them. And the wine press [which stood] out of the city, was trodden with great violence: and the blood of the
the account here given of Divine vengeance.
grape, which I knew betokened the blood of those who were enemies to God and his people, came out of the wine press in such abundance, that it made a kind of inundation, like a vast river, or sea, and reached up even to the bridles of the horses, which attempted to pass the channel through which it flowed, *at the distance of one thousand six hundred furlongs.*ᵏ In such an amazing extent and quantity was the effusion of blood represented to me in vision. (Compare Isa. lxiii. 3.)
IMPROVEMENT.
characters is the righteous vengeance of God. How quickly do his haughtiest enemies fall before the sickle, or clusters of grapes before wine press shall indeed be trodden, and the blood shall overflow; but, blessed are all they that put and look to him, who trod the wine press alone,ishes himself by the title of him, who is mighty travels in the greatness of his strength. (Isa. 3.) I prayed in terror, he will vanquish all the enemies but, to his faithful followers, will appear as of the Lamb, of the Lamb their Redeemer, to their voices and their harps shall resound. O, how souls, who, by his special love, being redeemed and having humbly traced the steps of his purity earth, shall, in the heavenly world, follow the river he goes! Let us be accordingly engaged to see unspotted from the world, and to walk worthy hope and expectation; to keep our mouths from we may be found blameless in the presence of the Lamb. God hath granted us the everlasting gossan; at we might be taught to fear him, and to give gloom worship him, as the great Creator and righteous universe: and while we are under the conduct of and devoted to his service, let nothing discourage
ᵏ One thousand six hundred furlongs.] As a furlong is one eighth of a mile, this would amount to 200 miles. This representation, like the dimensions of that temple, which Ezekiel saw, may seem extravagantly large, and such as the eye, in vision, could not possibly judge of. I look upon it, therefore, as only an hyperbolical expression, to signify its exceeding greatness; unless possibly it may point out the dimension of that country over which the judgment should extend, which is here prophetically referred to. Though perhaps it may only intimate in general, that after the antichristian powers had long oppressed and persecuted the saints; the power of Christ should humble and destroy them; and therefore they are represented as a harvest ripe, and fit for reaping, &c the measure of their iniquities being full
The vision of seven angels with seven vials;
or dismay us. Though for the present we see that Babylon is triumphant, though its patrons are making themselves drunk with the blood of his saints, a very different cup is prepared for her, and will assuredly be given her to drink; even the cup of the wrath of God, poured forth without mixture; while blessings, inconceivable and eternal, are reserved for those that suffer for righteousness sake. Let the patience, therefore, of those who keep the commandments of God, and the faith of Christ, be invincible; for their fiercest, and most formidable enemies, can only kill the body; and having done that, can neither prevent, nor delay, the blessedness of the dead that die in the Lord. The infallible Spirit has said it, the blessed apostle hath, by Divine command, recorded it, for the instruction and triumph of his people in all ages, that they rest from their labours, and that their works follow them; while those that persecuted and hated them, rest not day nor night; but the smoke of their torment ascendeth up for ever and ever. And, O, that numbers of those who worship the beast, and who receive its image, may be awakened, while the day of their visitation continues; lest they also, after having dealt damnation, in their arrogant censures, upon men of much purer faith, and holier lives, than themselves, be tormented with fire and brimstone, in the presence of the holy angels, and in the presence of the Lamb.