ECHO Student Ministries

Revelation 14:1-20

Continuing his supernatural vision given to him by God, John sees a Lamb (Jesus) on Mount Zion (Jerusalem) with the 144,000 Jewish witnesses (see Revelation 7:3-8) who had been given special protection while they spread the good news about Jesus Christ throughout the earth. John says that these 144,000 can be identified because "they have the Father's name written on their foreheads" (14:1). In contrast to the mark of the beast (13:16-18), these servants will have some evident mark to show God's ownership over them. The apostle John also goes on to describe these witnesses as singing a new song of redemption to God as those who had been kept pure through God's power (14:3-4a). The most identifiable characteristic was that they followed the Lamb wherever He went and were found righteous before God. This righteousness was not through their own works, but a right standing before God through the shed blood of Jesus Christ.

After seeing the 144,000 witnesses, John mentions three angels who appear in the midst of heaven. The first angel has the "everlasting gospel to preach to those who dwell on the earth - to every nation, tribe, tongue, and people - saying with a loud voice 'Fear God and give glory to Him for the hour of judgment has come; and worship Him who made heaven and earth, the sea and springs of water.'" Through this angel, the whole world will hear of the everlasting salvation available to all who will repent and believe in Jesus Christ (14:6- 7). This angel was urging people to turn their loyalty from the Antichrist to the One, Jesus, who had the ability to save them. Many must ignore the declaration of the first angel because John sees another angel declaring that "Babylon is fallen...because she has made all nations to drink of the wine of the wrath of her fornication" (14:8). Babylon is the center of the Antichrist's kingdom on earth and will eventually be destroyed (see Revelation 16:17- 19). A third angel appears proclaiming judgment on any who worship the Antichrist (14:9- 11). The final punishment of those who give their loyalty to him will spend eternity in hell where they will be tormented forever and ever having "no rest day or night" (14:11).

John then looks seeing a white cloud where the Son of Man sat with a sharp sickle in His hand (14:14). An angel cries out to Him saying "Thrust in Your sickle and reap, for the time has come for You to reap, for the harvest of earth is ripe" (14:15). In reaction to the angel's words, Jesus thrusts His sickle into the earth signifying severe judgment. Another angel comes out of the temple in heaven with a sickle and another angel comes from the altar in heaven telling the other angel to also "thrust in your sharp sickle and gather the clusters of the wine of the earth, for the grapes are fully ripe (14:17-18). So, the angel thrusts his sickle into the earth and he "gathered the wine of the earth, and threw it into the great winepress of the wrath of God" (14:19). This angel's actions caused great judgment to come upon the earth. John describes the results of this judgment: "And the winepress was trampled outside the city, and blood came out of the winepress, up to the horses' bridles [about 4 feet], for one thousand six hundred furlongs [184 miles]" (14:20). In these judgments, God's wrath will be unleashed on all who are His enemies and have rejected salvation through His Son, Jesus Christ. This passage is another sobering look at the swift destruction which is to come upon the inhabitants of the earth.

Dear God, I cannot imagine the devastation here on earth when You pour out Your wrath upon those who hate You. I know You love people and do not want them to suffer eternal punishment, so I pray You would send a fresh anointing upon Your people. Give us a passion to share the good news of Jesus Christ and the hope He offers to all who will repent and believe.