Revelation 14
Washington State University
One day many years ago there were three 9 year old boys picking on one seven year old boy. Nothing physical, just a lot of name calling and teasing. This young boy ran into the house very upset. What these nine year old boys didn’t know, was this little seven year old boy had a very big eighteen year old, 6 foot 4 inch (193 cm) brother. Me!
I ran after these boys and chased them up the street, up their driveway, and through the gate going into the backyard. I don’t know what I would have done if I had caught up with them. I hadn’t thought that far along. When I went into the backyard, I very quickly came to a stop. There stood their parents and their friends parents standing by the BBQ grilling. Now what? I did say in front of their parents to stop picking on my little brother.
The point to this is when God has had enough of the world picking on His people, He’s going to do something about it. But with God no one can stop Him. His wrath will be unstoppable.
Revelation 14 is the beginning of God’s wrath. It won’t happen all at once. Just like when He brought judgment against the Pharaoh of Egypt when Moses asked to let the Hebrews go. When God did this, then the Pharaoh did that. Then God did something else, and Pharaoh mocked God some more, and did something else. Pharaoh never repented so finally God killed the Pharaoh’s army. This is basically how the next several chapters will be, until God will finally kill His enemy’s army.
Revelation 14 starts with Jesus standing on Mount Zion with the 144.000 Israelis/Israelites standing with Him. These people have been kept pure, and alone have been purchased from among the people.
Now there is an angel flying through the air telling everyone on earth to turn to and worship God. But why would the angel tell people to repent if God is about to do judgment? Because God really doesn’t want anyone to die.
Then another angel is flying, shouting that the City of Babylon has fallen. I wonder where is this Babylon. Many think that it’s Rome. Maybe. But I wonder; if the Anti-Christ restores a country, (and I believe he will) then could he also rename a city? Again, like I say many times before, I don’t know.
Now there is a third angel saying that anyone who gets the mark of the beast, or worships his images will be tormented forever with fire and burning sulfur. People, this is very scary stuff. Imagine every part of your body burning. Even your sensitive parts. And unlike being burned here on earth, where your nerves burn then became numb, there your nerve endings will never burn. Therefore you will always feel pain.
People, any of God’s people still here by this time must stay true to God. Ezekiel 18:23-24 “Do you think that I like to see wicked people die? says the Sovereign Lord. Of course not! I want them to turn from their wicked ways and live. However, if righteous people turn from their righteous behavior and start doing sinful things and act like other sinners, should they be allowed to live? No, of course not! All their righteous acts will be forgotten, and they will die for their sins.
I wondered about Revelation 14:14 where it says “someone like the Son of Man”. It’s either Jesus or it’s not Jesus. After reading it several times and also reading several commentaries, I think I understand. I believe it’s like seeing several people at a distance and going, “ Hey, isn’t that so-n-so?” Anyway, He is seated on a cloud, has a gold crown and a sickle.
Another angel came from the Temple in Heaven and shouted to the one on the cloud, “Swing the sickle, for the time of harvest has come; the crop on earth is ripe.” and it was done. If the one sitting on the cloud is Jesus, then the angel that came from the Temple might be relaying a command and not giving one.
Old winepress. Once used at Nichelini Winery in California
The rest of the chapter says that another angel came with a sharp sickle, and then still another one came that can destroy with fire. And he shouted to the angel with the sickle that the harvest is ready. The grapes are ripe for judgment. The grapes went into God’s winepress and the outcome was a lot of blood.
The grapes of course are the people of the earth. I believe that these people that are ripe for God’s judgment, are those who have worshiped the beast. This sounds like the end, but it’s not. There are seven plagues coming.
My Thoughts 