Revelation 14
DOYLY— seven angels having the seven last plagues;] As seven angels sounded the seven trumpets, so the same number are appointed to pour out the seven vials; and, in order to shew that these judgments are to fall on the kingdom of the beast, the true worshippers of God and faithful servants of Jesus, who had gotten the victory over the beast, and had never submitted to his tyranny or religion, are described like unto the children of Israel (ver. 2—4.) after their deliverance and escape out of Egypt. For, as the children of Israel, (Exod. xv.) having passed through the Red sea, stood on the shore, and, seeing their enemies overwhelmed with the waters, sang the triumphant song of Moses, so these, having passed through the fiery trials of this world, “stand on the sea of glass mingled with fire,” which was mentioned before, chap. iv. 6, and seeing the vials ready to be poured out on their enemies, sing a song of triumph for the manifestation of the Divine judgments; which is called “the song of Moses, and the song of the Lamb,” the words being in great measure taken from the song of Moses and other parts of the Old Testament, and applied in a Christian sense. Bp. Newton.
Revelation 14:2
2.—as the voice—thunder:] The sound of the united voices of an immense multitude chanting the praises of God, is compared to the noise of the waves and of thunder. Jos. Mede.
Revelation 14:4
- These are they which were not defiled &c.] These faithful disciples are called virgins, being pure from all idol worship, which the Scriptures are wont to brand with the name of fornication, whoredom, and adultery. They follow the doctrines of Christ and His Apostles, both in prosperity and adversity. They are the same with relation to God and His true religion, as the firstfruits under the law, namely, an acceptable earnest and assurance of a fuller harvest of reformation to follow hereafter; a reformation wrought by the preaching, and courageous sufferings of men, who scorn to use the word of God deceitfully, or make a worldly gain by imposing on the understandings of mankind. Pyle.
Revelation 14:5
5.—for they are without fault &c.] This expression seems evidently to allude to that law among the Jews, which ordered a strict search into all the creatures brought for sacrifice, and forbade the offering, in which there was any defect, or superfluity, or notable blemish. Hence we find our Lord called “the Lamb without spot,” and here the saints are said to be without fault, because “in their mouth was found no guile,” that is, on account of their undesigning sincerity, and the uncorrupted probity of their minds. Dean Stanhope.
Revelation 14:6
6, 7. And I saw another angel] The nature and character of the true Christian church having been represented in opposition to the wicked antichristian kingdom,
among men, being the first fruitfruits unto God and to the Lamb.
Revelation 14:8
- And there followed another angel.] As the admonitions of the first angel had not their proper effect on the kingdom of the beast, the second angel is commissioned to proclaim the fall of the capital city. By Babylon is here meant Rome, as all authors of all ages and countries agree. But it was not prudent to denounce the destruction of Rome in open and direct terms; it was, for many wise reasons, done covertly under the name of Babylon, which was the great idolstress of the earth, and the enemy of the people of God in former, as Rome has been in latter, times. Bp. Newton.
—Babylon is fallen,] That is, Babylon now begins to fall, and will assuredly and finally fall. Pyle. In the style of prophecy, things to be afterwards accomplished are represented as already done, in order to shew the certainty of the prediction. Lowman.
—because she made all nations &c.] Because she The punishment of them that worship the beast. Anno DOMINI 96. made all nations drink of the wine of the wrath of her fornication.
Revelation 14:10
- — shall drink of the wine of the wrath &c.] Here is a terrible description of most severe punishment, to which there is scarcely any thing equal in the whole of sacred writ. Wine “without mixture,” or not diluted with water, causes more complete intoxication. Jos. Mede.
Revelation 14:12
- Here is the patience of the saints: &c.] Herein the patience and perseverance of the saints shall be manifested and perfected, that, notwithstanding all the evils of persecution, they continue constant in obedience to the commands of God, as the rule of their religion, and steadfastly maintain the truths of Christ’s revelation, in opposition to all other doctrines and worship, by whatsoever authority imposed. Lowman.
Revelation 14:13
- And I heard a voice &c.] The voices of the angels had pronounced the punishments of those who, for worldly purposes, receiving the antichristian mark, deny their Lord. A voice from heaven, from the throne itself, confirms these denunciations, adding thereto this con-
solation, that, if the fiery trial should proceed to its last stage, even temporal death, this death shall be blessed; shall introduce the martyr to an eternal freedom from pain and trouble, and his sufferings on earth shall be recompensed with everlasting rest and glory. Dean Woodhouse.
— Blessed are the dead—from henceforth: &c.] From this time forward, he says, considering the extremity and cruel circumstances of this last and severe persecution, we may reckon those who are already dead (provided that they died in the Lord) to be very happy; that they did not live to see and suffer those things, which will then befall the faithful servants of God. Thus the particular sense of these words is, to declare the happy estate of those saints and martyrs who were already dead, in and for the faith of Christ, and should not live to see those cruel and fearful sufferings, which should afterwards come upon the Christians. And this is grounded upon the general truth, that “they are happy which die in the Lord.” Abp. Tillotson.
— Yea, saith the Spirit, that they &c.] Here two particulars are given, as reasons and grounds why they that die in the Lord are declared to be in so blessed a condition: for good men, when they are departed this life, “rest from their labours,” are freed from all the labours and pains with which they were exercised in this world; and also they reap the comfort and reward of all the good which they have done in this world, “their works do follow them,” or go along with them, to receive the reward which God hath promised to His obedient servants. Abp. Tillotson.
Revelation 14:14
- — and behold a white cloud, &c.] The sure execution of Divine judgments, denounced against the corrupters of the Christian religion, was further confirmed by another vision; Christ Himself being represented as sitting on a bright cloud which was spread under Him, as a seat of judgment. He appears like the Son of man in the visions of Daniel, Dan. vii. 13, with a golden crown on His head, the ensign of royalty and sovereign power; and to express the meaning and design of His appearance to judgment, He bears in His hand a sharp sickle, as for reaping corn. Lowman.
Revelation 14:15
- — for the harvest of the earth is ripe.] This representation of the judgments of God, under the figures of
The harvest of the world. The seven last plagues. Anno DOMINI 94.
Revelation 14:18
- — another angel — which had power over fire;] Having the office of inflicting Divine vengeance. Grotius.
Revelation 14:20
- And the winepress was trodden without the city,] To tread the winepress is a prophetic description of destruction. See Isai. lxiii. 3. The images in this vision are extremely strong and expressive: the largest wine-presses used generally to be in some places out of the city. Lowman.
— even unto the horse bridles,] This is a strong hyperbolical way of expressing vast slaughter and effusion of blood. Similar expressions occur in other writings. Bp. Newton.
— the space of a thousand and six hundred furlongs.] Mr. Mede ingeniously conjectures, that this is meant as the measure of the estates belonging to the Roman church, called St. Peter’s patrimony, which extended two hundred Italian miles, which is exactly “a thousand and six hundred furlongs.” Bp. Newton.
Chap. XV. ver. 1. And I saw another sign &c.] God’s judgments on the kingdom of the beast, or antichristian empire, are hitherto denounced, and described in general terms under the figures of “harvest” and “vintage.” A more particular account of them follows under the emblem of “seven vials,” which are called “the seven last plagues,” for in them is filled up the wrath of God. These seven last plagues must necessarily fall under the seventh and last trumpet, or the third and last woe trumpet, so that, as the seventh seal contained the seven trumpets, the seventh trumpet comprehends the seven