a study by Rev. Paul A. Bartz

Revelation chapters 14 through 16 constitute "Reel Six." "Reel Five" has explained how the Church came to be in need of Reformation. Now "Reel Six" takes us from the time of the Reformation to the end of the world, providing us with more detail about this period in history . You will note that this includes our period of history.

Up to this point, new reels have always started with the Apostolic Church and concluded with the saints in heaven at the end of this creation. Designating "Reel Six" at this point breaks that pattern. Why? A number of things should be kept in mind. The reels we have designated are human devices in order to help us better organize and understand the structure of the book of Revelation. Secondly, it makes sense to designate a new "reel" at this point because of the unprecedented scope and depth of this particular section of Revelation. In addition, the viewpoint or perspective here in chapters 14 through 16 seems to change to less of an overview and more of a concentration on identifying details. If we think of reels as devices for organizing Revelation for systematic study, as well as designators of a change in perspective, a new "reel" designation at this point is in order.

Why didn't "Reel Five" end in heaven as did the others? Because here, finally, we have arrived at the meat of the warning and message of Revelation for those most in need of warning -- the last Christians who live in the most difficult times before the world comes to an end! That's us. This section helps us identify "the times and the seasons" and no other conclusion is possible.

14:1 -- We begin with a very clear description of Christ (the Lamb) surrounded by the saved ("those having His Father's Name written on their foreheads"). This description of the saved validates our understanding of Revelation 7:3 and 22:4. Revelation 22:4 makes even more clear that this phrase is referring to all the saved since all who have believed, including those raised from the dead on the last day (all identified in Rev. 20:11 through 22:3), are so described. This identification then gives us the key to understanding the 144,000 mentioned in verse 3.

What does 144,00 represent? Early on the church understood this, for it is made clear by the context that this is the total number of all believers. This is not to say that only 144,000 will be saved. That is a late interpretation based on a misunderstanding of Grace (that God's Grace is limited to a set number and God does not earnestly call all men to salvation). It is only held by several unChristian cults and some millennialists.

How do we arrive at 144,00 for the total number (much larger) of all the saved?

12 = Old Testament Church
x 12 = New Testament Church
144
x 1000 A great inclusive number to the people of John's times,
144,000 -- such as we would say "a million" without being able to comprehend such a figure.

The significance is that it is a total number of all the saved in the history of world. What they all have in common is their faith in Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior.

This song is the Gospel, the witness in personal faith as Jesus Christ is one's own sin offering before God. "They are Blameless" further identifies this group as the "Holy Christian Church" -- the Universal invisible Church -- the whole number of those who are Holy because of Christ.

14:2 -- Harps are mentioned three times in Revelation, never in the context of someone sitting of a cloud, strumming it. Harps are always mentioned in the context of the praise of God around His throne. Such passages show how wrong those are who teach that it is not God-pleasing to have music accompany our singing and praise of God.

14:3 -- They sing a "new song." You will remember that during the persecution of the saints they had praised Christ and God, but also asked, "How long . . . until You judge the inhabitants of the earth and avenge our blood." (6:10) Their new song now is one of not only joy and gratitude for salvation, but also for deliverance of the church on earth from bondage in a way that still more could be saved (i.e., the Reformation). Their call for an early judgment would have meant that all who have come to believe since the great persecutions (including us) would have been excluded from the kingdom of God.

14:4-5 -- " . . . did not defile themselves with women . . . " -- Notice the plural, "women." In the Roman culture, like the culture today (just watch a few TV programs), it is considered abnormal for a man (or a woman for that matter) to restrict their sexual activity to only their spouse for their entire lives. As the rest of the verse makes clear, their marital fidelity was a reflect of living out the new lives that Christ has won for them. Verse 5 continues this theme.

14:6-7 -- Traditionally, almost all Non-Roman Catholic commentators identified the first angel with Martin Luther because his message was the Eternal Gospel.

But that event of history has already been covered in chapters 10-11. Verse 6 especially points more to a world-wide spread of this Gospel, via missions -- " . . . to every nation, tribe, language and people." One commentator (Adam Clarke) has associated the first angel with the British Bible Society -- the first of the great World-wide Mission agencies. The point is, once the Gospel had been restored by the Reformation, people of faith realized anew the urgency of the Great Commission. The Reformation had made popular the idea that the Bible should be available to people in their own language, and the invention of the printing press, just prior to the Reformation made possible the rapid spread of Bibles that people could read for themselves. While we take this for granted, if you would have told someone a hundred years before Luther about these two developments, they would not have believed it possible.

14:9-16 -- Portrays the downfall and break-up of Papal totalitarianism. With the image of Christ's return and the reaping we are given the impression that never again shall the Gospel be as hidden as it was under the Papacy of pre-Reformation times. The Gospel shall be heard amongst the false teaching until the end of time. As the subsequent text confirms (see verse 13 and the opening of chapter 15), this sickle is not yet the actual portrayal of the final Judgment. Now that the Gospel is again being proclaimed plainly and clearly, and Bibles are available, people again have a choice between truth and error. Such choice is a form of judgment in that, with the truth available, they can reject it. Rejection of the truth brings both eternal judgment and judgment here on earth, as Romans 1:18-32 illustrates.

14:11-13 are of special note. Here it is clear that the condemned are not annihilated. Their suffering is forever. Verse 12 is the usual refrain in Revelation after the suffering of the saints is warned about -- a call for patient endurance, and single-minded faithfulness to Christ, which are the keys to faithfulness unto death. Verse 13 reinforces this by adding the encouragement that believers who endure in the faith will be given more in heaven than they ever lost in this life.

14:14-16 -- In chapter 15 we see the seven angels bringing seven plagues to mankind, providing those on earth with their final warnings before the end. That means that the reaping described here is not the final judgement as many commentators believe. It certainly uses the imagery of the final judgment, but to a different end. As we have noted, the Reformation brought God's Word to light in a way that people could understand it. Millions heard the Gospel for the first time and came to faith. This reaping is the reaping of mankind into the invisible church. This image for the great spread of Christianity as a result of the Reformation is apt since it would add many to those faithful who are reaped at the final judgment.

14:17-20 -- Portrays the judgment of unbelievers who rejected the Word of the Gospel now being clearly proclaimed in the shadow of the Reformation ("clusters from the vine of the earth" as opposed to those branches grafted onto Christ). They are thrown into the "great winepress of God's wrath" which clearly indicates judgment. In the end, the only sin that damns is unbelief. In addition, the unbelievers will be suffering at their own hands.

The last part of 14:20 is very difficult -- but clearly portrays what we term "a blood bath" as a result of judgment. To take this literally would mean having to discuss a lake of human blood 180 miles across and four to five feet deep. To take this literally would lead us to a consideration of some type of giant machine which could do this. Rather, one commentator points to the figure as given in the Greek text: 1600. If four is taken here, as other places, as the number of the world then 4 x 4 x (10 x 10) = the world.

4 x 4 x (10 x 10)

The world times the world again times completeness times completeness intensified equals the Universal Judgment of the Wicked.

The text is once again reminding those who face persecution for faithfulness to Christ that their persecutors shall face judgment for their actions. This is fitting as just a few verses earlier the text had reminded the faithful of their reward for faithfulness.

1. What extra comfort and help would there be for those under persecution in knowing they have their heavenly Father's Name written on their foreheads (14:1)?

2. 14:1 speaks of the total number of the saved using a clearly symbolic number, 144,000. In light of Matthew 13:24-30, what is the wisdom of indicating the total number of the saved in this way?

3. 14:14-20 pictures the earthly rejection of God's Word using imagery of the final judgment of mankind. How is a resolute rejection of God's Word a form of final judgment?

4. What comfort for Christians under persecution is to be found in Revelation 14?

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