CHAPTER 11

REVELATION 14

HEAVEN'S MOUNT ZION AND THE SICKLE JUDGMENT

Rev 14:1-5

"Then I looked, and behold, [NU changes "a"] the Lamb standing on Mount Zion, and with him one hundred and forty-four thousand, having his [NU adds] name and his Father's name written on their foreheads. 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. 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 [NU omits "before the throne of God"].

14:1-2

For quite a while now, we have been looking at the dark side of the Great Tribulation. But here in chapter 14, you might say that we come to a shaft of light. Down below, John has been observing hell on Earth. Now God takes him back up to Heaven where once again he can see the wondrous glory of God and his Lamb in the midst of his people. Up there, in spite of Satan’s stranglehold on Earth, all is well and God’s program is right on track. This is a new vision. John says, "I looked, and behold, the Lamb standing on Mount Zion". Remember now, this is the real Mount Zion. In the Greek, with its article, it could be translated the Mount Zion. This Mount Zion is the original of which the one that is on Earth is just a shadow. As you have it in Hebrews 12:22-23...

"But you have come to Mount Zion and to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, to an innumerable company of angels, to the general assembly and church of the firstborn who are registered in heaven, to God the judge of all, to the spirits of just men made perfect,"

It is at Heaven's Zion that the scene is set before us. John's saw the Lord Jesus standing on Heaven's Mount Zion. Because Christ is seen standing there and not seated on the throne, implies that he is once again on the move. The 144,000 are now there as well. We recognize them because they have his name and his Father’s name written on their foreheads. You will remember they received that seal (chapter 7) before they were sent out into the storm of the Great Tribulation. The fact we find them in Heaven now tells us they have been martyred. Yet, what a triumphant scene this is! The 144,000, who loved, preached, suffered and died for their Master are now singing to him in Heaven. Their song began at the request of the voice like the voice of many waters. This is the voice of the omnipotent Son of God as described to us back in 1:15. As they began to sing to Jesus, John says he also heard the sound of harpists playing their harps. Who might these accompanists be? They would be the Church. You will remember that from back in 5:8. There, the Church saints were given harps.

14:3-5

The 144,000 sang, as it were, a new song. Truly it will be a great privilege for the Church to accompany the new song of the 144,000 before the throne, before the four living creatures, and before the elders on that future momentous day. Verse 3, says they sing a song that belongs exclusively to the 144,000.

May we step aside again here for a moment? The Lord loves for his people to sing him new songs. Repeatedly in the Psalms, God requests for his people to sing unto the Lord a new song. New songs come from the heart and God loves that. They are far less likely to be merely sung by rote. Make up a song, dear saint! And sing it to him. Any song? Yes, go ahead ... any new song will do. It doesn't even have to rhyme if it comes from your heart. He will love it!

Coming back to the text, here in verse 4 we are given a good deal of information about the 144,000 that we were not told back in chapter 7. We read:

1. "These are the ones who were not defiled with women, for they are virgins". Some people try to explain this statement by saying that it simply means these 144,000 males are pure and single-hearted fellows. However, I see no reason to take it for other than what it says. They are virgins who have not defiled themselves with women. Let me explain what I think this means before I get into trouble for making this seemingly politically incorrect statement. Think about it for a minute. What kind of women do you think will inhabit the earth during the Great Tribulation? Ungodly wicked ones, who would truly defile a righteous man, am I right? Godly women will for the most part be gone, having been removed either by at the Rapture or hunted down and killed by Antichrist. And, a large segment of good eligible Jewish girls will be holed-up at the place of refuge in the wilderness. Furthermore, believe me, these fellows will be far too busy for romance and marriage. Their ministry for Christ will be their dynamic, hectic, dangerous and short-term obsession. These single-minded fellows will only be interested in getting the Word of God out.

It may be well for us to remember the Apostle Paul’s admonition to us believers of today along these lines.

"Are you bound to a wife? Do not seek to be loosed. Are you loosed from a wife? Do not seek a wife. But even if you do marry, you have not sinned; and if a virgin marries, she has not sinned. Nevertheless such will have trouble in the flesh, but I would spare you. But this I say, brethren, the time is short, so that from now on even those who have wives should be as though they had none;" 1 Corinthians 7:27-29

Every one of the 144,000 will carry out that admonition to the letter. They went out to minister for Christ as virgins. They died as virgins. They were single minded in purpose and they didn't allow themselves to become entangled with the wicked women of Antichrist's dark kingdom they preached to. A very wise pastor I once knew, who lived and ministered for Christ well into his nineties, said that over the years of his ministry he had observed that there were three things that remove good men from the ministry, "pride, money, and women". These 144,000 will escape all three. May the Lord multiply their number in his Church today.

2. "These are the ones who follow the Lamb wherever he goes". The devotion of these fellows to Christ is on display in Heaven for all to see. They are enamored with him. They followed him around like puppy dogs. Won't that be wonderful to see, such a congregation of Jews adoring their Lord and Messiah? We will see it one day when we encounter the 144,000.

3. "These were redeemed from among men, being firstfruits to God and to the Lamb". Firstfruits is a word that speaks of a greater harvest to follow. The fact they are designated firstfruits means that a much greater harvest of them is to come. As you have it in Romans 11:26...

"And so all Israel will be saved, as it is written: "The Deliverer will come out of Zion, and he will turn away ungodliness from Jacob..."

4. "And in their mouth was found no deceit". Deceit means to be crafty, sneaky and disingenuine. These fellows are "true blue". They embody God’s original design for his people that they would be a sold-out people for God. Nathaniel was such a Jew. When Jesus saw Nathaniel coming to him, he said to Philip...

"’Behold, an Israelite indeed, in whom is no deceit’" John 1:47b

These men will be a 144,000 Nathaniels. The company that you and I will keep in Heaven, by the way, will be wonderful. What a great delight it will be to make the acquaintance of each one of these men of integrity as we live with them in eternity.

Let's step aside for a moment. How many of these fellows entered the Great Tribulation? How many are singing to their Lamb here in Heaven? Our God is able to keep his own, isn’t he!? 144,000 went into the Great Tribulation and 144,000 are found safe in Heaven. Jesus takes care of his own. Let's take a minute to look at some of our Lord's great promises to keep his people. Job said...

"For he performs what is appointed for me, and many such things are with him." Job 23:14

The Psalmist said...

"The LORD will perfect that which concerns me; your mercy, O LORD, endures forever; do not forsake the works of your hands." Psalm 138:8

Jesus said...

"My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me. And I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; neither shall anyone snatch them out of my hand. My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all; and no one is able to snatch them out of my Father's hand. I and my Father are one." John 10:27-30

The Apostle Paul said...

"In him you also trusted, after you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation; in whom also, having believed, you were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise," Ephesians 1:13

"... being confident of this very thing, that he who has begun a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ;" Philippians 1:6

"For this reason I also suffer these things; nevertheless I am not ashamed, for I know whom I have believed and am persuaded that he is able to keep what I have committed to him until that day." Second Timothy 1:12

The Apostle Peter, speaking of the people of God, said...

"... who are kept by the power of God through faith for salvation ready to be revealed in the last time. 1 Peter 1:5

Jude said...

"Now to him who is able to keep you from stumbling, and to present you faultless before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy, to God our Savior, who alone is wise, be glory and majesty, dominion and power, both now and forever. Amen." Jude 1:24 -25

One hundred forty-four thousand started out and a 144,000 arrived safely home in Heaven and so will you and I, child of God. It is God who does the keeping, you see. He never loses a one of his own. This brings us to the end of the third interlude. It follows the blowing of the seventh Trumpet and has extended from chapter 12 through 14:5. We have been given a good deal of important information here about peoples and times and conditions that will exist during the Great Tribulation. We have learned about:

1. The "woman"(Israel), who gave birth to a "male Child", and how she will be forced to flee from Satan into the wilderness one day.

2. The "great red dragon" (Satan), who will be evicted from Heaven at the middle of the Tribulation and who will go forth on Earth seeking to exterminate all of the remaining Jews who are believing in Christ Jesus.

3. The "beast" out of the sea (Antichrist), and his ten king confederation.

4. A second "beast" out of the earth (the False Prophet), who will promote Antichrist worship in that day.

5. The 144,000 who, having preached, will arrive safely in Heaven and spend all of eternity adoring their Lord.

We return now to the linear action in time of the Great Tribulation.

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Rev 14:6-12

"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. And another angel followed, saying, ‘Babylon [NU adds] the great is fallen, is fallen, [NU omits "that great city, because she"] which has made all nations drink of the wine of the wrath of her fornication.’ 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 shall also drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is poured out full strength into the cup of his indignation. He shall 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. Here is the patience of the saints; [NU omits "here are those"] who keep the commandments of God and the faith of Jesus.’"

14:6-7

No one who lives through the Great Tribulation will ever be able to accuse God of not giving him or her a chance! In addition to the testimony of the 144,000, the world will receive from God the testimony of three angels who God will send to circumvent the globe and preach to every earth-dweller during the closing hours of that age. God will send forth one preaching angel, one proclaiming angel and, finally, one warning angel. Let’s look at them here.

1. The first angel John saw flying through the skies ("heaven" here refers to the skies of Earth), had "the everlasting gospel to preach to those who dwell on the earth". Incredible! In the closing days of the Great Tribulation our gracious and merciful God will send forth his angel to preach the everlasting gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ until every last soul has clearly heard the good news of salvation in him. I believe this is the greatest instance of amazing grace that the world will have ever seen outside of the cross. Truly, as the Psalmist repeatedly exclaims in Psalm 136...

"His mercy endureth forever" 1b,2b,3b,4b,5b,6b,7b,8b,9b,10b,11b,12b, 13b,14b,15b,16b,17b,18b,19b,20b,21b,22b,23b,24b,25b,26b

Now, the Church has been commissioned to, "go into all the earth and preach the gospel to every creature" (Matt 28:19). And, down through the centuries, she has taken a good stab at carrying it out. She has never been completely successful, however, in any age. In fact, during some ages the Church has been a complete flop in getting the Word of God out. She has failed in the past and will fail again. Our generation will fail as well. The 144,000 will take their best shot at it, even giving their lives for it, but they too will come up short. Ultimately, it will take an angel from God to complete the job. I believe it was this very angel with the loud voice that Jesus was thinking of when he said...

"And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in all the world as a witness to all the nations, and then the end will come." Matthew 24:14

It will be impossible for men and women not to listen when God sends forth his angel with the loud voice to preach the everlasting gospel to those who dwell on Earth.

14:8

2. "And another angel followed saying, 'Babylon the great, is fallen, is fallen'". When Antichrist seizes Jerusalem at the beginning of the Great Tribulation, there is a great deal of evidence in Revelation that he will literally change its name to Babylon. The name, Jerusalem, means city of peace. Babylon is a name derived from the Akkandian "babilu" which means gate of God. Since Antichrist will declare that he is God and insist that he be worshipped at the temple at Jerusalem, it makes sense that he would choose the ancient name of Babylon, the "gate of God", for his Capitol City and center of worship. As we have previously noted, Babylon was the first kingdom to introduce counterfeit religion on Earth under King Nebuchadnezzar when he built a statue of himself and insisted that his subjects bow down to it. When Antichrist takes Jerusalem and re-names it Babylon, he too will have his statue and require all to worship it, epitomizing the long tradition of man-worship in the kingdom of darkness that began so long ago in ancient Babylon.

However, before the end comes, earth-dwellers will be graphically warned of the inevitable destruction of Antichrist's Babylon by God's proclaiming angel. Though the city itself doesn't literally fall until the pouring out of the seventh Bowl, this angel will proclaim that it is fallen already. With this bold proclamation, he will be emphasizing the certainty of it, which time wise will be only hours or at most days away. The angel’s ominous and prophetic declaration is designed to put a big question mark in the minds of Antichrist worshipers in that day. I can just hear them thinking, "What's he talking about?" Perhaps the Holy Spirit will answer, "You know what I'm talking about!" The angel will be speaking the Word of God, you see.

14:9-11

3. The third angel went forth proclaiming, "If anyone worships the beast and his image, and receives his mark on their foreheads or on his hand, he himself shall also drink of the wine of the wrath of God". I can't help but think again about how gracious our God is! During these very last hours, he will still be sending out warnings to mankind in hopes of their turning. Truly, as you have it in First Timothy 2:4b, he...

"desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth."

Let's look further at the important elements of this final angel’s warning.

a. He warns, "If anyone worships the beast and his image, and receives his mark on his forehead or on his hand, he himself shall also drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is poured out full strength into the cup of his indignation". That’s telling it like it is, brother, no holds barred. This angel will loudly declare that those who receive the mark of the Beast will be made to drink of the wrath of God full strength. I believe this message at this late hour is an indication that people can still be saved and remove the beast's mark. It's not too late. However, he warns that those caught with it at the appearing of the Lord Jesus Christ will experience God’s wrath undiluted without a drop of mercy and with no way of escape. Psalm 75:8 says...

"For in the hand of the LORD there is a cup, and the wine is red; it is fully mixed, and he pours it out; surely its dregs shall all the wicked of the earth drain and drink down."

b. The angel continued, "and he shall be tormented with fire and brimstone". Jesus told a true story in Luke 16 about a rich man who died and woke up in hell. It is a graphic illustration of what this angel is referring to. The hell that Jesus was referring to is like in nature to the Lake of Fire. It is the temporary holding place today of all of the wicked dead. The lake of fire and brimstone, which this angel will be warning of is the permanent home of the wicked. The Bible describes it as a horrible place, a place to be avoided at all cost. It was originally created, and is reserved for, Satan and his demons. In chapter 20 we read that hell and death will be cast into it.

Click here to see the "Lake of Fire" picture

c. He warns beast worshippers that their punishment will be carried out, "in the presence of the holy angels and in the presence of the Lamb". The visibility of God's Lamb with all of his holy angels as they watch those who are in the Lake of Fire will doubtless greatly increase their suffering. There, in all their naked unrighteousness they will be fully exposed to the gaze of the Holy One and his holy angels. In Proverbs 8, Christ speaking as Wisdom incarnate says...

"Blessed is the man who listens to me, watching daily at my gates, waiting at the posts of my doors. For whoever finds me finds life, and obtains favor from the LORD; but he who sins against me wrongs his own soul; all those who hate me love death." Proverbs 8:34-36

d. The angel concludes, "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". Thus, he warns of the eternal nature of the punishment that Antichrist's worshippers can expect. Eternal, conscious damnation is not a popular concept today. It's not in the mainstream of political or ecclesiastical correctness. Yet, Jesus and his Word speaks of it often and specifically. In Mark 9:43-44 Jesus said...

"If your hand causes you to sin, cut it off. It is better for you to enter into life maimed, rather than having two hands, to go to hell, into the fire that shall never be quenched; where 'Their worm does not die, and the fire is not quenched.'"

14:12

John concludes, "Here is the patience of the saints; who keep the commandments of God and the faith of Jesus". Here is another consolation for those who will be on the receiving-end of Antichrist's hell on Earth because of their faith. These closing words of the third angel are for their encouragement. He is assuring them their tormentors will suffer forever in the fires of hell. That reversal of circumstances will only require a bit of patience.

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Rev 14:13

"Then I heard a voice from heaven saying, [NU omits "to me"] 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.’"

14:13

In the Psalms it is written, "Precious in the eyes of the Lord are the death of his saints" (Psalm 116:15). That is also borne out here in these words that pour out from the heart of God the Father and from the Holy Spirit concerning his people who are paying so great a price for believing in his Son in that future awful days. Had we been able to actually hear these words as they were uttered, I believe we would have heard great empathy and concern in them as he said, "blessed are the dead who die in the Lord from now on". This statement was immediately followed by an Amen from the Holy Spirit. I hope many a suffering Tribulation saint will take comfort in these words as they pour over their Bibles in that day. The Holy Spirit, knowing the good things that await these saints adds, "that they may rest from their labors, and their works follow them". Jesus’ words in Luke 6:21-23 comes to mind here.

"Blessed are you who hunger now, for you shall be filled. Blessed are you who weep now, for you shall laugh. Blessed are you when men hate you, and when they exclude you, and revile you, and cast out your name as evil, for the Son of Man's sake. Rejoice in that day and leap for joy! For indeed your reward is great in heaven, for in like manner their fathers did to the prophets."

Let's step aside for a moment and think a bit about God’s Holy Spirit.

First, the Holy Spirit is a Person, not an "it". He is the third person of the Trinity. All through the scriptures he is referred to by personal pronouns.

He has a will, intellect and emotions. For example, he can be grieved (Ephesians 4:30). There is no room in scripture for the notion that the Holy Spirit is any less a person than the Son or the Father. He is no mere force, as many have erroneously taught. Nor is he a mere quantity, like water that you can get more of. You either have him or you don't (Romans 8:9). His personality is clearly demonstrated here in his comment, "‘Yes,' says the Spirit, ‘that they may rest from their labors, and their works follow them.’". This is a statement of a person who is speaking from his heart. There is a great deal of confusion today about the person, work and ministry of the Holy Spirit.

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Rev. 14:14-16

"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 [NU omits "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."

14:14-16

Here, we come to another a new vision. Before we get into it, let me lay a little ground work. The harvest of the souls of men can be divided into two broad categories. The first category is the harvesting of the righteous and the second is the harvesting of the wicked. These two groups are not harvested together nor will individuals in either group be harvested at the exact same point in time. Here, in the last vision of chapter 14, we come to the first batch of the harvest of the wicked. This will take place just before Christ's Second Coming at the end of the Great Tribulation. Because of the difficulty this passage presents, many commentators interpret it merely as a preview of the great battle of Armageddon, which is found in chapter 19. But Armageddon does not fit here. It would be entirely out of sequence. Everything here points to the fact that this is the harvest of wicked Israel and is put here by way of contrast to the godly 144,000 Jews earlier in the chapter. John the Baptist warned Israel of this impending judgment.

"I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance, but He who is coming after me is mightier than I, whose sandals I am not worthy to carry. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire. His winnowing fan is in His hand, and He will thoroughly clean out His threshing floor, and gather His wheat into the barn; but He will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire." Matthew 3:11-12

When Christ judges ungodly Israel, they will be harvested from one of two realms of existence. They will either be:

Living wicked Jews who will be harvested off the earth, who have refused to respond to the gospel of Christ and are still supporting Antichrist at the end of the Great Tribulation.

Or, they will be:

Dead wicked Jews from all time, all the way back to the beginning of God's dealings them as a people.

I believe this is what is pictured here in its two phases. In the first part of the vision, John saw, One like the Son of Man upon a white cloud. This is the same description of the glorified Christ that John used in 1:13. It is the Old Testament Messianic title for Christ from Daniel 7. No mistake about it ... it is Christ who is sitting on the white cloud. His Messianic title is the first evidence that this vision concerns Israel. Further, he is seen wearing a crown (singular), which points to the fact that he is a king. That would be the King of Israel who will shortly be placed on the throne of his ancestor, King David. The Greek word here for crown is stejonos (stephanos), a word that refers to a victor’s crown. Despite all the mockery that Jesus endured from the Jews because of his claim to be their King, having overcome, he now comes to them in judgment wearing a victor's crown. By way of contrast, when he comes to judge the Earth and to rule all nations, he will be wearing many diadems (plural) (Revelation 19:12).

John says that he had a sharp sickle in his hand. J.B. Smith, an early expositor of Revelation, says that the Greek word sharp is used sixteen times in the New Testament and is always in a negative and uninviting sense. Also, sickles are frequently associated with judgment in the Bible. For example, in Joel 3:13-14 we read...

"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."

What we are observing here in our text then, is the fulfillment of that very prophecy. The word ripe, in verse 15, is a Greek word that literally means dried up or withered. This indicates that the recipients of this judgment are long overdue, as assuredly, the wicked of Israel from all time will be on that day. Now, lets look to see if there is any scriptural basis for a future harvesting of wicked Israelites to judgment. Here, we will need to look at the teachings of Jesus concerning wicked Jews and carefully compare his words from Matthew 13:24-30,36-42, and 24:37-42.

"Another parable he put forth to them, saying: "The kingdom of heaven is like a man who sowed good seed in his field; but while men slept, his enemy came and sowed tares among the wheat and went his way. But when the grain had sprouted and produced a crop, then the tares also appeared. So the servants of the owner came and said to him, 'Sir, did you not sow good seed in your field? How then does it have tares? He said to them, 'An enemy has done this.' The servants said to him, 'Do you want us then to go and gather them up? But he said, 'No, lest while you gather up the tares you also uproot the wheat with them. Let both grow together until the harvest, and at the time of harvest I will say to the reapers, ‘First gather together the tares and bind them in bundles to burn them, but gather the wheat into my barn.’" Matthew 13:24-30

"Then Jesus sent the multitude away and went into the house. And his disciples came to him, saying, "Explain to us the parable of the tares of the field. He answered and said to them: ‘He who sows the good seed is the Son of Man. The field is the world, the good seeds are the sons of the kingdom, but the tares are the sons of the wicked one. The enemy who sowed them is the devil, the harvest is the end of the age, and the reapers are the angels. Therefore as the tares are gathered and burned in the fire, so it will be at the end of this age. The Son of Man will send out his angels, and they will gather out of his kingdom all things that offend, and those who practice lawlessness, and will cast them into the furnace of fire. There will be wailing and gnashing of teeth." Matthew 13:36 -42

"But as the days of Noah were, so also will the coming of the Son of Man be. For as in the days before the flood, they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noah entered the ark, and did not know until the flood came and took them all away, so also will the coming of the Son of Man be. Then two men will be in the field: one will be taken and the other left. Two women will be grinding at the mill: one will be taken and the other left. Watch therefore, for you do not know what hour your Lord is coming." Matthew 24:37-42

The Jews were the people of whom and to whom Jesus was speaking in all three of the passages above. Who did he say would be taken? His teaching is clear. It is the unrighteous Jew who will be taken and gathered out of his Kingdom. They will find themselves suddenly removed (harvested) from off the Earth at his Second Coming ... ultimately to be cast into the furnace of fire. It is the godly Jews who will be left on Earth to meet their Messiah at his coming and enter with him into his kingdom. This is a very important concept to get a hold on.

Now, God has been in a continuous covenant relationship with the Jewish people from the days of Moses at Mount Sinai. His first covenant, the old covenant, contained both blessings and curses in relation to Israel. As you have it in Deuteronomy 11:26-28…

"Behold, I set before you today a blessing and a curse: the blessing, if you obey the commandments of the LORD your God which I command you today; and the curse, if you do not obey the commandments of the LORD your God, but turn aside from the way which I command you today, to go after other gods which you have not known."

At the cross, God instituted a new covenant with the Jew, initiated by the blood of Christ. Contrasting these two covenants, Hebrews 10:28-29 (KJV) says...

"He that despised Moses' law died without mercy under two or three witnesses: of how much sorer punishment, suppose ye, shall he be thought worthy, who hath trodden under foot the Son of God, and hath counted the blood of the covenant wherewith he was sanctified, an unholy thing, and hath done despite unto the Spirit of grace?"

At the end of the Great Tribulation, Christ will judge his Jewish people depending up whether they were wicked or righteous and in accordance with his covenants with them. Those Israelites who lived their lives under the Old Covenant will be judged by the standards of the Old Covenant. Those who lived their lives under the New Covenant will be judged according to the standards of the New Covenant. As you have it in Daniel 12:2-3...

"And many of those who sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, some to shame and everlasting contempt. Those who are wise shall shine like the brightness of the firmament, and those who turn many to righteousness like the stars forever and ever."

This is the subject here of John's vision of the two sickles. In the first step, Jesus, the Judge of Israel, will cut off the withered fruit of his vine, Israel, from down on Earth, differentiating between the ungodly and godly like a gardener hoeing up weeds from his garden. This is pictured here when Christ’s thrusts in his sickle upon the Earth. Notice that there is no product of that reaping mentioned, just the statement that the earth was reaped. I see it happening this way ... all the remaining wicked Jews on Earth who have not responded to the gospel pleading of Jesus Christ will suddenly drop dead when the Son of Man thrusts in his cycle.
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Rev 14:17 -20

"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."

14:17-20

This is the second phase of the judgment of unrighteous Jews. It is the gather by Christ’s angels of the already cut down, dry and rotten clusters that Christ cut off and await his angels to gather them up and take them away to the place of judgment. This second phase of the harvest of wicked Israel will culminate in great carnage. John saw an angel come out of the temple in Heaven carrying a sickle. The fact that he emerges from the temple is a reminder that he has received his orders from within the Holy of Holies itself. All judgment begins with God in accordance with his holy character.

A second angel from the altar of sacrifice and burnt offering called to the one with the sickle saying, "Thrust in your sharp sickle and gather the clusters of the vine of the earth". The fact that the second angel calls from the altar of sacrifice reminds us that those who are being gathered and taken away to judgment have rejected the sacrifice of the Lamb of God that was so repeatedly pictured at this altar under the Old Covenant. Notice that the harvest by the angel with the sickle is said to be a gather of the clusters of the vine of the earth. The phrase, "vine of the earth", adds even further weight to the case that what we are looking at here is the judgment of unrighteous Israel. The picture of Israel being God's vine is a prominent one in the Old Testament. Psalm 80:8 ,14-15 says...

"You have brought a vine out of Egypt; you have cast out the nations, and planted it." "Return, we beseech you, O God of hosts; look down from heaven and see, and visit this vine and the vineyard which your right hand has planted, and the branch that You made strong for yourself."

Jeremiah quotes the Lord's speaking to Israel as follows...

"Yet I had planted you a noble vine, a seed of highest quality. How then have you turned before me into the degenerate plant of an alien vine?" Jeremiah 2:21

I am convinced this is the judgment of that vine. Specifically, the judgment of its over-ripe clusters of rotten fruit at the end of the Great Tribulation. The cleansing away of these withered, rotten clusters will be the final step of the Lord’s purification of his covenant people in preparation for his return and initiation of his kingdom on Earth. As you have it prophesied in Zechariah 13:8-9 (KJV)...

"And it shall come to pass, that in all the land, saith the Lord, two parts therein shall be cut off and die; but the third shall be left therein. And I will bring the third part through the fire, and will refine them as silver is refined, and will try them as gold is tried: they shall call on my name, and I will hear them: I will say, It is my people: and they shall say, The Lord is my God."

Time-wise, I believe this will take place at the beginning of the Lord's Second Coming. What literally will happen, I believe, is that ... first ... all living wicked Jews will drop dead when the Son of Man thrusts in his cycle. Then, moments later, they and all other wicked Jews of all time will be resurrected and find themselves looking up at Jesus Christ descending to Earth at his Second Coming. This would be where Jesus words to Caiaphas would be fulfilled...

"Jesus said to him, 'It is as you said. Nevertheless, I say to you, hereafter you will see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of the Power, and coming on the clouds of heaven.' Then the high priest tore his clothes, saying, 'He has spoken blasphemy! What further need do we have of witnesses? Look, now you have heard His blasphemy!'" Matthew 26:64-65

Then, minutes later, all cut off and resurrected wicked Israelites will be bodily gathered and taken away by the angels to judgment. John says the severed clusters were cast into the great winepress of the wrath of God. In Luke 17, Jesus said that ungodly Jews would one day be snatched away from the Earth. That passage has great bearing here. His disciples asked, "where, Lord"? His answer was unmistakable.

"Two men will be in the field: the one will be taken and the other left. And they answered and said to him, "Where, Lord?" So he said to them, "Wherever the body is, there the eagles (vultures) will be gathered together." Luke 17:36 -37

Jesus’ answer as to where they would be taken is clear. He said that they would be taken to a place of slaughter where vultures are waiting! Spiros Zodhiates, in his work, The Complete Word Study Dictionary, defines the Greek word for eagles used above as, "An eagle or vulture, a species of rapacious birds represented as preying on dead bodies where some species of vulture is probably intended". In the book to the Hebrews, the Jews under the New Covenant are warned over and over again of the severe judgment that they will receive if they turn away from Christ and spurn the blood of his new covenant. As you have it in Hebrews 2:3...

"How shall we (Jews) escape if we neglect so great a salvation, which at the first began to be spoken by the Lord, and was confirmed to us by those who heard him,"

Following Jesus teaching that ungodly Jews will be caught out of his kingdom to be taken away to judgment, it follows that their judgment will take place somewhere else than on Earth. You will recall that this chapter began at the city in Heaven. I take it therefore, because of the greater context, that the city spoken of here in 14:20 is still the Heavenly Jerusalem, not the earthly Jerusalem. Apparently, the judgment of wicked Israel will take place within eyesight of the very city whose gates bear the names of their twelve tribes and should have been their eternal home! What a terrible judgment that will be. The scene before us truly answers the question as to what punishment should be appropriate for those who have trampled the Son of God under foot and counted the blood of the covenant a common thing and insulted the Spirit of grace (Hebrews 10:29). These wicked Jews will all be unceremoniously cut down and resurrected along with all the wicked Jews of all time and then snatched away bodily from Earth to be trampled under foot by the Son of God in the winepress of the wrath of God. I say bodily because ultimately all judgment of all the ungodly will be a bodily judgment. Jesus confirmed this in Matthew 5:29-30 (KJV), when he said...

"And if thy right eye offend thee, pluck ti out, and cast it from thee: for it is profitable for thee that one of thy members should perish, and not that thy whole body should be cast into hell. And if thy right hand offend thee, cut it off, and cast it from thee: for it is profitable for thee that one of thy members should perish, and not that thy whole body should be cast into hell."

Our text says that blood ran up to the horses' bridles for sixteen hundred furlongs. The picture here is of the notch-like gully below winepresses where the wine would run out as the grapes were pressed. Blood however, will run from this one, five or so feet deep, for approximately two hundred miles. To account for that much blood, I did some calculations based on the amount of blood in a human body. This may seem unduly gruesome, but I felt it was necessary to show the possibility and reliability of these statements. A one-foot wide ditch running for two hundred miles at the depth of say, five feet, (the approximate depth of horses' bridles) would equal 5260 feet times 200 times 5 times 1 foot. Such a gully then would contain 5,260,000 cubic feet. Rounded to 5,000,000 cubic feet and then multiplied by approximately eight quarts per cubic foot, such an outlet would hold 40,000,000 quarts of liquid. 40,000,000 divided by 6 (assuming approximately six quarts of blood per human body) means that it would take 6.6 million people to produce that volume of blood. More than likely, there will be more people than that in the winepress of the wrath of God. The words of the Hebrew writer surface again here in my mind...

"It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God" Hebrews 10:31

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