Revelation 14 - Spurgeon’s Verse Expositions of the Bible

Bible Comments
  • Revelation 14:1-18 open_in_new

    Revelation 14:1. And I looked, and, lo, a Lamb

    John always writes of Jesus as the «Lamb.» His Lord is to him in his sacrificial character always «the Lamb of God which taketh away the sin of the world» by the shedding of his blood. «I looked, and, lo, a Lamb»

    Revelation 14:1. Stood on the mount Sion, and with him an hundred forty and four thousand, having his Father's name written in their foreheads. The Revised Version has it, «having his name, and the name of his Father, written on their foreheads.» Now they are known to be the Lord's; on earth that fact was questioned, but his name is written on their foreheads now. Sometimes they themselves had to question it, but now it is apparent to all, the distinguishing mark is stamped upon their brow:

    «having his Father's name written in their foreheads.»

    Revelation 14:2. 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:

    It was very loud, but very sweet. It is not easy in earthly music to blend the two: but in heaven, all the energies of living men shall be thrown into the song; and yet it shall be sweet as the touch of a minstrel when he lays his fingers gently among the strings of the harp.

    Revelation 14:3. And they sung as it were a new song before the throne,

    They could not sing any old song there. The songs of earth, sweet as some of them are, are not good enough to be sung in heaven. With a new experience, new delights, and a clearer vision of their Lord, they must have a new song.

    Revelation 14:3. 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.

    Heaven is not the place to learn that song; it must be learned on the earth You must learn here the notes of free grace and dying love; and when you have mastered their melody, you will be able to offer to the Lord the tribute of a grateful heart, even in heaven, and blend it with the harmonies eternal. Suppose, for a moment, that you could go there, and that you were unprepared to sing the new song, you would have to say, «I cannot join in the chorus, for I do not know the tune.» You must learn the song now, the new song of praise unto our God, or you cannot be admitted there. I should not expect, if I went down to the Handel Festival, for the conductor to permit me to take a place in the choir. He would ask me «Can you sing? Have you ever rehearsed the matchless music of Handel?» and when I answered «No,» he would tell me to stand aside; so you must learn the music of Calvary, you must learn the music of the name of Jesus, or you cannot sing in heaven. No man could learn the song but the redeemed from the earth; not redeemed, you see, by a general redemption, of which some so loudly talk; but redeemed from among men by a special redemption, which took them out from the rest of mankind, by a price paid for them, so that they were bought as others were not bought, by the precious blood of Jesus, as of a Lamb without blemish and without spot.

    Revelation 14:4. These are they which were not defiled with women; for they are virgins.

    They were pure and chaste in the sight of God.

    Revelation 14:4. These are they which follow the Lamb whithersoever he goeth.

    His choice attendants, his body-guard.

    Revelation 14:4-5. These were redeemed from among men, being the firstfruits unto God and to the Lamb. And in their mouth was found no guile:

    «No lie.» They were truthful, they were truth-speakers.

    Revelation 14:5. For they are without fault

    Or, blemish.

    Revelation 14:5. Before the throne of God.

    Like him with whom they associated, the Lamb of God, they were without blemish and without spot.

    Revelation 14:6. And I saw

    What wonderful sights John saw! I do not wonder that, he saw them; he had leaned his bead on Christ's bosom, and that qualified him to see what you and I cannot see. Near communion to Christ is the best qualification for a vision of mystery. Get thee into the very heart of Christ, and thou shalt see wonderful things: «I saw»

    Revelation 14:6-7. 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;

    Is this the gospel? It is one version, evidently, of the everlasting gospel. «The fear of God is the beginning of wisdom.» Truly, to worship him as he reveals himself, is true godliness; and in it lies all the gospel: «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.»

    Revelation 14:7-8. 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,

    This will not happen till the gospel is fully preached. Superstition does not come down unless true religion is set up. One angel proclaims the everlasting gospel; the next declares that the great system of error is fallen: «Babylon is fallen.»

    Revelation 14:8. That great city, because she made all nations drink of the wine of the wrath of her fornication.

    You know that gigantic system of error which professes to come from God, and to be the only true church; but it must fall.

    Revelation 14:9-10. 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:

    They sometimes say that we talk very terribly about the world to come. Do we say more than the Scripture says? Do we use more terrific emblems than the Holy Ghost uses when he speaks after this fashion? This is a generation that is not to be pleased, neither do we seek to please it. God's wrath is terrible, and our language cannot be too strong to express the overwhelming power of it.

    Revelation 14:11. 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.

    Keep you true to Christ; wear his name in your forehead. Follow no system of error; do not be deluded either by Ritualism or Rationalism, by superstition or by unbelief. Keep close to the Word of God, and ask to be taught of the Spirit of God.

    Revelation 14:12-13. 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.

    Accursed were they who carried the mark of the beast, and went after falsehood; but blessed are they who follow Christ, even though they die. Dying in the Lord, their works survive them, and they themselves live for ever with him.

    Revelation 14:14. And I looked, and behold a while cloud,

    One of these days, every eye will look and see what is here described. A little time may elapse, but it will soon be past. How quickly years fly away! Think where you will be in the day when you, too, will say, «I looked, and behold a white cloud.»

    Revelation 14:14-16. 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.

    This is the gathering in of the godly, who are Christ's wheat. He himself reaps them; no angel, mark you, but himself, with his own sharp sickle and with his own dear hand. These are his sheaves, he sowed for wheat; he himself was that wheat which fell into the ground and died, and brought forth much fruit. So he, into his own bosom, gathers his own sheaves with his own hand. «May I be among them!» Make that your prayer tonight. May I be one golden ear in Christ's great harvest!»

    Revelation 14:17. And another angel came out of the temple which is in heaven, he also having a sharp sickle.

    Not this time the King, but an angel; not the Son of man that sat on the cloud, but an angel, the servant of God, deputed to execute vengeance.

    Revelation 14:18-19. And another angel came out from the altar, which had power over fire; and cried with, a lend 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,

    This is the gathering together of the ungodly, those wicked clusters that ripen in sin, and that become red with iniquity. Christ does not gather them, you see. That is left to an angel to do; he thrust in his Sickle, and gathered the grapes of the earth.

    Revelation 14:19. And cast it into the great winepress of the wrath of God.

    Can you see the clusters flung into the winepress? Will you be there? God grant that neither you nor I may, in that terrible day, be among the clusters of the wicked!

    Revelation 14:20. 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.

    So terrible will be even the preliminary destruction of the ungodly. Though they grow in clusters, yet shall they perish. «Though hand join in hand, the wicked shall not be unpunished.» «He that hath ears to hear, let him hear what the Spirit saith» unto each one of us. Amen.

  • Revelation 14:1-19 open_in_new

    The Church of God had undergone a very great trial; there had arisen a cruel and wicked persecuting system, described by John in his vision as a beast, a terrible dragon, of which we read that «it was given unto him to make war with the saints, and to overcome them: and power was given him over all kindreds, and tongues, and nations.» This was bad enough; but afterwards there arose another system of evil, which was even more dangerous, because it was an imitation of the truth. Another beast came up out of the earth, having two horns like a lamb, yet he spake as a dragon; and of him John writes, «he causeth all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and bond, to receive a mark in their right hand, or in their foreheads.» I will not go into the symbolic meaning of these two beasts; it is sufficient to observe that they had very terrible power, and one might have thought that under their successive attacks the Church of God would have been destroyed. Yet note how this chapter begins.

    Revelation 14:1. And I looked, and, lo, a Lamb stood on the mount Sion, Jesus is not dead, he still lives. He is not defeated: «a Lamb stood on the mount Sion.» He is not disturbed or troubled, but he stands in the posture of quiet confidence. «A Lamb stood on the mount Sion;» Jesus is not driven out of his Church, but he is still dwelling in the midst of his people.

    That is something, yet unbelief says, «Well, I can understand that John saw the Lord there, but had he any people with him? Had he any Church? Listen: «I looked, and, lo, a Lamb stood on the mount Sion,»

    Revelation 14:1. And with him an hundred forty and four thousand, having his Father's name written in their foreheads.

    They are all there, a vast number, a complete number, the exact number which in the seventh chapter of this Book had been described as sealed. They are all there without exception; not one of them is lost, but they all stand fast as a great army surrounding their glorious Leader. Yes, my brethren, in the darkest times, Christ has his Church still around him; it is with him as it was when the Lord said to Elijah, «Yet I have left me seven thousand in Israel, all the knees which have not bowed unto Baal, and every mouth which hath not kissed him.» Be of good courage; if your eyes are but anointed with the heavenly eye-salve, you may see, as John saw, the Lamb on mount Sion, surrounded by multitudes of faithful followers.

    Revelation 14:2. And I heard a voice from heaven, as the voice of many waters, and so the voice of a great thunder: and I heard the voice of harpers harping with their harps:

    As loud as thunder, and yet as musical as the choicest notes from a band of harps, such is the testimony of the saints, such is the expression of their exultant joy in their Lord.

    Revelation 14:3. And they sung as it were a new song before the throne, and before the four beasts, and the elders:

    See brethren, how little the powers of darkness can do; not only are the saints all there, but they are singing. The devil cannot rob Christ of a single sonnet; the stanzas of our grateful praise shall continue to be poured forth though all the dragons howl as they may: «They sung as it were a new song before the throne, and before the four living creatures, and the elders.»

    Revelation 14:3. And no man could learn that song but the hundred and forty and four thousand, which were redeemed from the earth.

    There is a special redemption, a «redemption from the earth.» For such redeemed men there is a special song, which no others can learn; and that song will be sung by them in the darkest of all days, in the roughest of all weathers. When the dragons seem to triumph, Christ shall still have his praise, blessed be his holy name.

    Revelation 14:4. These are they which were not defiled with women; for they are virgins.

    This is the Scriptural metaphor for those who have not turned aside to idol gods, or to false opinions, or to unholy practices. You remember how Paul longed to present the Corinthian Christians «as a chaste virgin» to Christ; he desired that Christ might have all their love. These servants of God are of this sort, wholly the Lord's.

    Revelation 14:4. 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.

    Let no man deny, then, that there is a special and particular redemption of God's people. All men are not redeemed as these were redeemed, else the expression would be untruthful, or without meaning: «These were redeemed from among men.» There is an elect company for whom Christ especially laid down his life; they are his, and they are made to know that they are his, and to take the position of a blood-bought people who belong not to themselves, but to him who has bought them with his blood. These are the hundred and forty and four thousand who stand on the mount Sion with the Lamb in the midst of them.

    Revelation 14:5. And in their mouth was found no guile: for they are without fault before the throne of God.

    Kept, by divine grace, pure in doctrine, holy in life, devout in heart; these are the body-guard of the Lamb, the chosen companions of the King of kings, whose reward shall be unspeakably great for ever and ever.

    Revelation 14:6-7. 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.

    The old interpreters used to understand these two verses as referring to the great Protestant Reformation. When the old dragon had done his utmost against the Church of God, and the thick darkness of the middle ages rested alike on the Church and the world, then God sent the Reformers, like flying angels, to preach the everlasting gospel, and their special message was, «Worship not saints, and angels, and relics, and crucifixes, but ‘worship him that made heaven, and earth, and the sea, and the fountains of waters.'»

    Revelation 14:8. And there followed another angel, saying, Babylon is fallen, se fallen, that great city, because she made as nations drink of the wine of the wrath of her fornication.

    Babylon always goes down when the gospel is preached; the very flight of the angelic preachers is sufficient to make old Rome totter to her fall. So our fathers used to explain this chapter, for so they understood it. I am not sure whether it refers to that or to any other particular form of anti-Christ; but whatever it may be, whenever the gospel is exalted, down goes the devil, and down goes the whole Babylonian system.

    Revelation 14:9-10. 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 the Lamb:

    How we ought to dread any collusion with deadly error, any fellowship with the hypocrisies and falsehoods of those who would deceive, for if we receive the mark of the beast either in our forehead, so as to have unbelieving thoughts, or in our hand, so as to do evil deeds, we shall have to suffer in company with Babylon, that great system of error which is only an imitation and a counterfeit of Christianity! What tremendously terrible words these are: «He shall be tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of the holy angels, and in the presence of the Lamb»!

    Revelation 14:11-15. 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. 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.

    This is the ingathering of the people of God; you notice that this harvest of God is reaped by the Lord Jesus Christ himself, that Son of man, who sat upon the cloud, «having on his head a golden crown, and in his hand a sharp sickle.»

    Revelation 14:16. And he that sat on the cloud thrust in his sickle on the earth; and the earth was reaped.

    May you and I form a part of the great harvest! May we be found amongst those golden sheaves which are to be the reaping from Christ's great sowing when he gave himself for his people, and was cast into the earth as a grain of wheat to die, that he might not abide alone!

    Revelation 14:17. And another angel came out of the temple which is in heaven, he also having a sharp sickle.

    The reaper this time is an angel.

    Revelation 14:18. 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.

    This is the ingathering of the ungodly, they are not the Lord's harvest, they are the vintage of his wrath. This vintage is not reaped by him who wears the golden crown, the Lord Jesus Christ himself; but by one of his angels, who is bidden to thrust in his sharp sickle, and reap, for the hour of divine judgment has at last come.

    Revelation 14:19. 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. Shall any of us ever be cast into the great winepress of the wrath of god?

    We shall, if we continue growing upon the evil vine, and are not grafted into Christ, the true and living Vine.

    Revelation 14:20. 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.

    By which striking symbol the apostle describes the greatness and the terror of the overthrow which must happen to the ungodly when once God begins to deal with them in judgment. Oh, that the abounding mercy of God would give us a place in his great harvest, and not leave us to be gathered in the vintage of his wrath, for our Lord Jesus Christ's sake! Amen.

  • Revelation 14:1-20 open_in_new

    Revelation 14:1. And I looked, and, lo, a Lamb stood on the mount Zion, and with him an hundred forty and four thousand, having his Father's name written on their foreheads.

    The great question for us is, shall we be among the number? If we have the Father's name engraved upon our hearts, we may conclude that we shall, one day, have it written in our foreheads, and that we shall be amongst that chosen company.

    Revelation 14:2-3. 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.

    Notice how loud their singing was, it was like many waters and great thunder. But notice, also, the sweetness of it, for it was melodious as the music of well-skilled harpers harping with their harps. Note, too, the freshness, the vivacity of it: «they sang as it were a new song.» Shall we be there to sing that new song? If so, we must be «redeemed from the earth,» not with a general, but with a particular redemption, which lifts us up from the rest of our fellow-creatures; and we must also have attended the saved rehearsals, for none can sing in heaven but those who have learnt the song; and none can learn it but those who are «redeemed from the earth.»

    Revelation 14:4-5. These are they which were not defiled with women, for they are virgin. 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.

    Now we have another vision.

    Revelation 14:6-7. 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.

    This vision represents the spread of the gospel. It is generally referred to the Reformation period, when, on a sudden, the truth, which had so long lain hidden in old musty tomes, was proclaimed in every market-place. Beneath many a «gospel oak» the good news was told out, the good news concerning Christ, as if an angel were flying through the midst of heaven. This preaching of the truth led to the commencement of the downfall of Rome, which is here called Babylon, and which is ultimately to fall to utter and everlasting ruin.

    Revelation 14:8. 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.

    That is spiritual fornication, as we understand it in the Old Testament, man's idolatry, the setting up of visible objects of worship, instead of the invisible God. And what is there, in all the world, that is so idolatrous as the so-galled «religion» of Rome? She multiplieth her idol gods to great excess, her crosses and her crucifixes, her saints and her saintesses, her «sacraments» and her relics, her «old cast clouts» and her «old rotten rags.» The Papacy is the most paganish of all the paganisms that have ever existed on the face of the earth; but it is to come to an end, for the mouth of the Lord hath said so.

    Revelation 14:9-10. 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:

    How clear, therefore, we ought to keep of this idolatrous system! For even if we have not the mark of the beast in our foreheads by an open profession of loyalty to it, yet if we have the mark in our hands by being the partakers of Rome's sins, we shall also be partakers of her plagues concerning Romanism in all its forms. The great message to be proclaimed today is, «Come out of her, my people; come away from her, as far as the poles are asunder; that ye be not partakers of her sins, and that ye receive not of her plagues.»

    Revelation 14:11-12. 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.

    Truly, Rome has tried «the patience of the saints.» What country is there in Europe which has not been dyed crimson with the blood of the martyrs? The rack, the stake, the brook, the dungeon, the fires, all sorts of cruelties have been practiced upon those who «keep the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus.» Let the valleys of Piedmont speak; do they not cry aloud to our God for vengeance? Let the St. Bartholomew massacre bear witness before the living God. Let the stakes of Smithfield say, «Here is the patience of the saints: here are they that keep the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus.»

    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.

    It matters not where they die, or under what ignominy they die, whether branded with the name of heretic, or cast out as the offscouring of all things, yet blessed are they, and their works follow them to heaven to bear witness to their faith, and they spiritually, continue to live on earth to propagate the gracious seed for which they laid down their lives.

    Revelation 14:14-18. 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. 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.

    After the glad harvest comes the sad vintage. After the ingathering of the righteous, there will be the ingathering of the wicked.

    Revelation 14:19-20. 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.