World warned not to live by the image and mark of the beast and warning of the judgment to come.

Revelation 14

Click for a description of the mark of the beast.
Click for a description of the image of the beast.

This chapter of Revelation gives us a view into Heaven after the new heaven and new earth is created, filled with the faithful few who are redeemed while living on this earth. Then a view is given of this earth and why it is so important to share the Gospel of Jesus Christ and to oppose the image and the mark of the beast. Then a view is given of the final judgment on this earth as quoted, “So the angel thrust his sickle into the earth and gathered the vine of the earth, and threw it into the great winepress of the wrath of God. And the winepress was trampled outside the city, and blood came out of the winepress, up to the horses’ bridles, for one thousand six hundred furlongs.” Revelation 14:19-20. The “144,000” remain faithful to the testimony of the Lord Jesus during that horrendous time.

• An Angel reveals that the faithful of the Lord will be in Heaven.
  • The “144,000” in Heaven with the Lamb.
  • The “144,000” have a new song to sing.
  • Holiness within a hostile anti-Christian world.
• Angels appear to this world.
  • Angel of the Gospel of Christ.
  • An Angel pronounces the fall of Babylon.
  • An Angel warns not to live by the image nor mark of the beast.
  • An Angel calls to Jesus Christ to thrust in the sickle.
  • An Angel also thrusts in a sickle with massive carnage.

An Angel reveals that the faithful of the Lord will be in Heaven.
The “144,000” in Heaven after the new heaven and earth are created. “Then I looked, and behold, a Lamb standing on Mount Zion, and with Him one hundred and forty-four thousand, having His Father’s name written on their foreheads.” Revelation 14:1

Mt. Zion is symbolic of Heaven within the new heaven and earth, after the destruction of this present heaven and earth. The Lamb is Jesus Christ, who will be with all those who enter into the New Jerusalem. In the verse above, He is specifically standing with those who hold faithful to Him after the opening of the Seven Seals and during the time when six of the Seven Trumpets sound and when six of the Seven Plagues are unleashed.

The “144,000” is a symbolic number representing the multitudes of the faithful few. There are Twelve Tribes of Israel so 12,000 from each tribe receive eternal life. That represents every nation across the globe and those who receive Jesus as the Christ and their lord and Savior. When we enter the gates of the New Jerusalem, each person will enter through one of the gates that have the name of one of the tribes, as quoted, “Also she had a great and high wall with twelve gates, and twelve angels at the gates, and names written on them, which are the names of the twelve tribes of the children of Israel…” Revelations 21:12 “For they are not all Israel who are of Israel, nor are they all children because they are the seed of Abraham; but, “In Isaac your seed shall be called.” That is, those who are the children of the flesh, these are not the children of God; but the children of the promise are counted as the seed.” Romans 9:7-8  “And if you are Christ’s, then you are Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise.” Galatians 3:29

The seal of God on the forehead of the faithful few is prophesied about in Ezekiel 9:4, as quoted, “…and the Lord said to him, “Go through the midst of the city, through the midst of Jerusalem, and put a mark on the foreheads of the men who sigh and cry over all the abominations that are done within it.” In Revelation 7:2-4, we see how those on earth are to be sealed with the seal of God on their forehead after the Seven Seals are opened and just before the Seven Trumpets begin to blow and before the Seven Plagues are unleashed, “Then I saw another angel ascending from the east, having the seal of the living God. And he cried with a loud voice to the four angels to whom it was granted to harm the earth and the sea, saying, “Do not harm the earth, the sea, or the trees till we have sealed the servants of our God on their foreheads.” And I heard the number of those who were sealed. One hundred and forty-four thousand of all the tribes of the children of Israel were sealed:” Revelations 7:2-4 This mark is not a physical marking but one that is given in the Spirit.

The “144,000” have a new song to sing. “And I heard a voice from heaven, like the voice of many waters, and like the voice of loud thunder. And I heard the sound of harpists playing their harps. They sang as it were a new song before the throne, before the four living creatures, and the elders; and no one could learn that song except the hundred and forty-four thousand who were redeemed from the earth.” Revelation 14:2-3

The “144,000” are a large multitude of people of the faithful few because the sound of their singing and instruments is like the voice of many waters. Although only the “144,000” who are redeemed from the earth can learn that song, we who are redeemed know in the Spirit what the song is.

The elders are the 24 elders as described in Revelations 4:4, who include the twelve Apostles and a representative from each of the twelve tribes of Israel. Those before the throne, hearing the singing of the “144,000”, would include God, Jesus Christ, the twelve Apostles, a representative from each of the twelve tribes of Israel, and the four living creatures. The song would be in tune to, “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.” John 3:16 The four Living Creatures appeared in Revelation 4, just before the opening of the Seven Seals, so the song would be in tune to overcoming what happened during the sounding of six of the Seven Trumpets and the unleashing of the Seven Plagues [Jesus returns at the sound of the Seventh Trumpet]. Also, we know the song is in tune to the “scarlet cord” of the Old Testament and to Jesus of the New Covenant.

As followers of Jesus Christ in today’s world, we are singing a verse with the same melody and notes of the song of the portion of the “144,000” who will be on this earth in the coming days. Today, the beast that gives people what to speak, do, think, and feel is in the world. This one gives life to the image of the beast to speak and live through people as they are groomed to the mark of the beast by what they are given to say and do. We are living in times where Christianity is marked for extinction, along with the whittling away of Christians. The need for Jesus Christ is discarded, the Holy Spirit is blasphemed, and the reality of God is denied. One thing for sure, those who live for the beast that gives them what to speak and do will never learn the song of those redeemed through Jesus Christ. They deny God, reject Jesus Christ, and oppose the presence of the Holy Spirit.

Holiness within a hostile anti-Christian world.” These are the ones who were not defiled with women, for they are virgins. These are the ones who follow the Lamb wherever He goes. These were redeemed from among men, being firstfruits to God and to the Lamb. And in their mouth was found no deceit, for they are without fault before the throne of God.” Revelation 14:4-5

We know that sexual purity, abstinence, virginity, being a eunuch etc. are not our entry into Heaven. Only serving God by faith in Jesus Christ in the presence of the Holy Spirit will allow us to enter into the New Jerusalem. “Not defiled with women” refers to not being part of the ways of this world and not living for the pleasures of the flesh and not allowing relationships to draw us away from Jesus Christ. The verse says that those “not defiled with women” are those who follow the Lamb, Jesus Christ, wherever He goes. We follow Him through difficulties, afflictions, and persecutions without being defiled by the unbelief of this atheistic world. Wherever we are, wherever Believers are, within the Seven Seals, the events of the Seven Trumpets, and the events of the Seven Plagues, we follow our Lord Jesus Christ.

Nowadays, relationships are formed between people who live for the beast that gives them what to feel do, think, and speak. To remain faithful to Jesus Christ requires not indulging in those relationships, “Do not be unequally yoked together with unbelievers. For what fellowship has righteousness with lawlessness? And what communion has light with darkness? And what accord has Christ with Belial? Or what part has a believer with an unbeliever? And what agreement has the temple of God with idols? For you are the temple of the living God.” 1 Corinthians 6:14-16

The beast that has power over physiology is able to enflame feelings to intensify sensual and sexual desires. This will happen, but through it all, keep declaring belief in the Living God, lifting up the name of Jesus as the Christ and Son of God, and continue to welcome the presence of the Holy Spirit. Lean on the grace and mercy of our Lord, “For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast.” Ephesians 2:8-9 Do not surrender to the beast that wants you to deny God, reject Jesus Christ, and oppose the Holy Spriit.

We who follow the Lamb wherever He goes, the “144,000” thousand”, and every Believer, are redeemed from the population of this earth. Every Believer is redeemed by the blood Jesus Christ shed on the Cross to atone for our sin. Our resurrected Lord Jesus was the first fruits of all who have died Believing in Him and we will be resurrected in His name. “But now Christ is risen from the dead, and has become the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep.” 1 Corinthians 15:20 Each redeemed Believer is the first fruits of the resurrection with our Lord Jesus Christ, “These were redeemed from among men, being firstfruits to God and to the Lamb.”

Now, we know 1] The “144,000” include a timeframe of Believers after the resurrection of Jesus [first fruits to the Lamb]. 2] Are marked with the seal of God on the forehead [Revelation 7:2-4] just before the unleashing of the events of the Seven Trumpets and Seven Plagues [global tribulation]. 3] Believers experience the global tribulation. Believers are still in this world during the events of the Fifth Trumpet, as quoted, “[Scorpions] were commanded not to harm the grass of the earth, or any green thing, or any tree, but only those men who do not have the seal of God on their foreheads.” Revelation 9:4 Also, Christians are here on earth during the events of the Sixth Trumpet, as described in Revelations 11. Jesus Christ returns when the Seventh Trumpet sounds.

Angels appear to this world.
Angel of the Gospel of Christ. “Then I saw another angel flying in the midst of heaven, having 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 His judgment has come; and worship Him who made heaven and earth, the sea and springs of water.” Revelation 14:6-7

The testimony of our Lord Jesus was sent from God, from Heaven to everyone on earth. The Gospel of Jesus Christ is eternal and has already been brought to every nation, tribe, tongue, and people. Everyone will be judged according to whether we accept Him or reject Him, the hour of His judgment has come. We are to worship Him who made heaven and earth, the sea and springs of water. The Gospel is this, “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.” John 3:16

“He that believes on Him is not judged: but he that believes not is judged already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God. And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil” John 3:18-19

An Angel pronounces the fall of Babylon. “And another angel followed, saying, “Babylon is fallen, is fallen, that great city, because she has made all nations drink of the wine of the wrath of her fornication.” Revelation 14:8

We are living in the days of the global falling away from the gospel of Jesus Christ, as described in the post on 2 Thessalonians 2. The global government is “Babylon”, and its foundation was laid when the United Nations was established in 1945, immediately after WW2, as described in Daniel 8:1-14 and Revelations 17. The United Nations brought with it the government of the beast [Babylon}. The global government and its global culture are empowered by the beast that governs by giving them what to speak, do, feel, and think. This beast is the one that gives life to the image of the beast to speak and live through people everywhere. They are groomed to the mark of the beast by what they are given to say and do. Everyone is made to drink of the wine of the wrath of her fornication.

The beast is the father of evil spirits/demons as it causes the global population to fight against the presence of the Holy Spirit, to deny the Living God, and to reject Jesus Christ, as quoted, “Babylon the great is fallen, is fallen, and has become a dwelling place of demons, a prison for every foul spirit, and a cage for every unclean and detestable animal.” Revelations 18:2 Click here for a post on the collapse of “Babylon from Revelations 18”. They have drunk from the cup that brings the wrath of God against them.

Angel warns not to live by the image nor mark of the beast. “Then a third angel followed them, saying with a loud voice, “If anyone worships the beast and his image, and receives his mark on his forehead or on his hand, he himself will also drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is poured out full strength into the cup of His indignation.” Revelation 14:9-10a.

Today, the global government, its global culture, nations and people everywhere live for the beast. This is the beast that discards the Holy Spirit and Jesus Christ to give people what to speak, think, feel, and do. This is the one that gives life to the image of the beast to speak and live through people. People everywhere are groomed to the mark of the beast by what they are given to say and do. Click here for a description of the mark, name, and number of the beast.

Today’s culture is united from city to city around the world by the “6-6-6”, which is unbelief in God [6], the rejection of Jesus Christ [6], and opposition to the presence of the Holy Spirit [6]. We must not make this our way of life but continue in the grace and mercy of God by believing in Him as our Creator, acknowledge Jesus as our Lord, Savior, and giver of eternal life, and to welcome the presence of the Holy Spirit. The full strength of God’s wrath is poured out on everyone who serves the beast as God. The beast sets in the temple of God [our body] as if it is God by giving people what to think, feel, say, and do. This is the one “…who opposes and exalts himself above all that is called God or that is worshiped, so that he sits as God in the temple of God, showing himself that he is God.” 2 Thessalonians 2:3-4 The “he” in this verse is the “man of sin”. Click here for a post on the “man of sin”.

“Come out of her, my people, lest you share in her sins, and lest you receive of her plagues.” Revelations 18:4

“He will be tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of the holy angels and in the presence of the Lamb. And the smoke of their torment ascends forever and ever; and they have no rest day or night, who worship the beast and his image, and whoever receives the mark of his name.” Revelation 14:10b-11

Those who live for the beast will be eternally tormented in hell with “fire and brimstone” in the presence of the holy angels and in the presence of the Lamb of God. Our Lord Jesus and the Holy angels do not respond to sad faces, remorse, sorrow, pleads for help of the wicked who afflict God’s children, persecutes Jesus, and who mock the presence of the Holy Spirit. The time for Salvation is now, in this world, not when the eternal judgment is made. God makes good on His promise, “For thus says the LORD of hosts: “He sent Me after glory, to the nations which plunder you; for he who touches you touches the apple of His eye.” Zachariah 2:8  The smoke of their torment ascends forever and ever; and they have no rest day or night, who worship the beast and his image, and whoever receives the mark of his name.

“Here is the patience of the saints; here are those who keep the commandments of God and the faith of Jesus.” Revelation 14:12

There is one thing which gives the followers of Jesus Christ patience in our time of hardship, affliction, and persecution on this earth at the hands of the culture who serves the beast. That patience comes by knowing our tormenters will fall eternally into the torment of hell. This is also said in this verse, “If anyone has an ear, let him hear. He who leads into captivity will go into captivity; he who kills with the sword must be killed with the sword. Here is the patience and the faith of the saints.” Revelation 13:9-10, as described in the post on revelations 13:10. This patience and comfort is for all of us who keep the commandments of God and the faith of Jesus.

“Then I heard a voice from heaven saying, “Write: ‘Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord from now on.’” “Yes,” says the Spirit, “that they may rest from their labors, and their works follow them.” Revelation 14:13

Every one of us who die as Believers in Jesus Christ are blessed. That’s because eternal life in the New Jerusalem of the new heaven and earth is given to us. Our faith in Jesus Christ is our Salvation, not by doing something to attain it, we rest from trying to work our way into Heaven. We simply believe. What we do in this life through our faith in Christ is what God looks at,

We who die while living for the Lord Jesus are blessed because we will be among the “144,000” who are in Heaven. As we live under the anti-Christian government of the beast, it is a comfort to know that there is nothing we are required to do to prove our loyalty to Jesus Christ. Simply by our faith in Jesus Christ we have Salvation. As we rest from our labors, what we do in this life in the name of Jesus is what matters. “For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast.” Ephesians 2:8-9

“…as many as…have not known the depths of Satan…I will put on you no other burden. But hold fast what you have till I come.” Revelation 2:24-25

An Angel calls to Jesus Christ to thrust in the sickle. “Then I looked, and behold, a white cloud, and on the cloud sat One like 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 who sat on the cloud, “Thrust in Your sickle and reap, for the time has come for You to reap, for the harvest of the earth is ripe.” So He who sat on the cloud thrust in His sickle on the earth, and the earth was reaped.” Revelation 14:14-16

The Apostle John saw a vision of Our Lord Jesus sitting on a white cloud with a golden crown on His head and a sharp sickle in His hand. The sharp sickle is a tool of judgment against this earth. Jesus Christ thrust in His sickle on the earth and the earth was reaped. In the context of the previous verses of Revelations 14, this judgment is directed against the global government and its global culture. They choose to serve the beast that gives them what to speak, do, think, and feel instead of living for God through Jesus Christ in the presence of the Holy Spirit. the beast gives life to the image of the beast to speak and live through them as they are groomed to the mark of the beast by what they are given to say and do.

The crown on the head of Jesus represents Him as being the King of kings and Lord of lords. When He returns, He will be coming from the clouds with victory over the world as the King of kings. When He puts in His sickle to reap the earth, this is just before His return, and when global tribulation is peaking to its highest boiling point.

Daniel 7:11-14 shares light on the interpretation of these verses. Click here for a post on Daniel 7:9-14. The verses of Daniel 7:11-14 describe Jesus coming with the clouds in total victory after bringing judgment and destroying the beast. His victory is not in gaining this earth but creating an eternal New Jerusalem in the new heaven and earth.

We know how much the global government and its global culture value the earth, planet, the “universe”, the environment, etc. as they put their reverence for “Mother Nature” over their reverence for the Creator of all the earth. In this light, it makes sense that judgment would come in a way that takes all of this glory away from them. The sharp sickle of judgment is put into this earth, then in the next verses explains the bloodshed being poured out on the world. In a natural sense, a world with very limited resources causes a lot of conflict and violence from person to person and nation to nation. They fight over available resources that provide daily sustenance.

Even today, water is being fought over, even within the United States between neighboring states. Oil is scarce as nations are in conflict with one another over who has rights to the available oil resources. Trade wars are way too common with countries not being able to agree on the proper balance of buying and selling. When one country has an embargo or shortage of agriculture, it affects countries across the globe. Global warming is making the availability of earth resources scarcer as the earth is being scorched and water droughts are the norm. Global warming is the Fourth Plague of Revelations 16:8-9. As days progress, this will become much worse as “1/3” of the earth is scorched, as quoted, “The first angel sounded: And hail and fire followed, mingled with blood, and they were thrown to the earth. And a third of the trees were burned up, and all green grass was burned up. and there is hail and fire mixed with blood hurled onto the earth.” Revelation 8:7

The next verses speak of the massive bloodshed on the earth.

An Angel also thrusts in a sickle with massive carnage. “Then 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, who had power over fire, and he cried with a loud cry to him who had the sharp sickle, saying, “Thrust in your sharp sickle and gather the clusters of the vine of the earth, for her grapes are fully ripe.” So the angel thrust his sickle into the earth and gathered the vine of the earth, and threw it into the great winepress of the wrath of God. And the winepress was trampled outside the city, and blood came out of the winepress, up to the horses’ bridles, for one thousand six hundred furlongs.” Revelation 14:17-20

The angel in the previous verses came from the temple in Heaven to give the command to thrust the sharp sickle to harvest from the earth. The angel in these verses is coming from the temple in Heaven to command the sharp sickle be thrust to bring about great bloodshed according to the wrath of God.

To “have power over fire” would relate to the Holiness of God’s judgment coming against those who mock the presence of the Holy Spriit. This “fire” would manifest on the earth through unmanageable lawlessness and even military fire. This is like what is described in the events of the Sixth Trumpet of revelations 9:13-21,  “By these three plagues a third of mankind was killed—by the fire and the smoke and the brimstone which came out of their mouths. For their power is in their mouth and in their tails; for their tails are like serpents, having heads; and with them they do harm” Revelation 9:18-19 This also is like what is described concerning the Battle of Armageddon in Revelations 16:12-16.

While the Sixth Trumpet refers to the global slaughter just before the return of Jesus Christ, the Sixth Plague specifically refers to the Battle of Armageddon, which is just before the coming of Jesus.

This is a time of “the clusters of the vine of the earth, for her grapes are fully ripe.” This refers to the world being filled with so much wickedness that the Holy Spirit doesn’t even exist among the population [2 Thessalonians 2:5-8]. The thoughts of their heart are wicked continually, night and day. The global population is ripe with lawlessness and violence, ripe for the sharp sickle of the wrath of God’s judgment.

Being thrown into the “great winepress of the wrath of God” refers to a massive amount of blood spill on the earth. It is the blood of those living outside the will of God who have rejected Jesus Christ and blasphemes the Holy Spirit. They are those who live for the beast that gives them what to speak, do, think, and feel. The global blood spill is described as being “6 feet high and 200 miles long”.

The whole chapter of Joel 3 puts Revelation 14:14-20 into perspective, as quoted, “Put in the sickle, for the harvest is ripe. Come, go down; For the winepress is full, the vats overflow—For their wickedness is great.”.

The verses below are a partial quote from Joel 3,

“Let the nations be wakened, and come up to the Valley of Jehoshaphat; For there I will sit to judge all the surrounding nations. Put in the sickle, for the harvest is ripe. Come, go down; For the winepress is full, the vats overflow—For their wickedness is great.”

Multitudes, multitudes in the valley of decision! For the day of the Lord is near in the valley of decision. The sun and moon will grow dark, And the stars will diminish their brightness. The Lord also will roar from Zion, and utter His voice from Jerusalem;

Joel 3:12-17

How can we know when we are approaching the day of the Battle of Armageddon? Because the Battle of Armageddon happens only after the power center of the beast is destroyed. That happens in the Fifth Plague of Revelations 10-11, and the Battle of Armageddon happens in the Sixth Plague of Revelations 16:12-16.

How can we know when the power center of the beast has been plunged into darkness? That is the day when the global government and its global culture no longer have the beast to empower them by giving them what to speak, do, think, and feel. They are plunged into darkness. They are no longer empowered with uncanny knowledge, heightened intuition, uncanny authority over others, amazing physical abilities, extraordinary skills and talents, fabricated emotional responses, etc.

Global warming happens in the Fourth Plague of Revelations 16:8-9 and is instrumental in destroying the power center of the beast. The more powerful the United Nations become in being the undisputed one world government the more intense the effects of global warming become.

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“….to you who do not hold to her teaching and have not learned Satan’s so-called deep secrets,“
‘I will not impose any other burden on you, except to hold on to what you have until I come.’”
“I am coming soon. Hold on to what you have, so that no one will take your crown.”
Revelation 2:24-25, 3:1