Revelation 14:18

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.”

·        “What strength have grapes against the weight and power of a man when he comes to set his feet upon them? And the riper they are, the more helpless . . . The heel of Omnipotence is upon them, and they can only break and sink beneath it.” (Seiss)

 Joel 3:13  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.”

Isaiah 13:15  Everyone who is found will be thrust through, and everyone who is captured will fall by the sword.

 

Revelation 14:17

 Then another angel came out of the temple which is in heaven, he also having a sharp sickle.

·        These allusions seem to indicate that the angel is acting in response to the prayers of the saints for divine judgment on wickedness.” (Walvoord)

Jeremiah 51:33  For thus says the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel:  “The daughter of Babylon is like a threshing floor when it is time to thresh her; yet a little while and the time of her harvest will come.”

Joel 3:13  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.”

Revelation 14:16

 So He who sat on the cloud thrust in His sickle on the earth, and the earth was reaped.

·        This means that God will judge the earth only when it is over-ripe for judgment. He doesn’t rush into judgment. (DG)

·        “It must be remembered that evil has its harvest as well as good. There is a harvest of misery and woe, - a harvest for the gathering, binding, and burning of the tares, - as well as for the gathering of the wheat into the garner of heaven.” (Seiss)

 Numbers 9:16 So it was always:  the cloud covered it by day, and the appearance of fire by night.

Jeremiah 50:16  Cut off the sower from Babylon, and him who handles the sickle at harvest time.  For fear of the oppressing sword everyone shall turn to his own people, and everyone shall flee to his own land.

Revelation 14:15

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.

·        The harvest-time; when the corn is ripe, when the measure of the sin of men is filled up (MH)

·        Then He will spare them no longer (MH)

Jeremiah 51:33  For thus says the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel:  “The daughter of Babylon is like a threshing floor when it is time to thresh her; yet a little while and the time of her harvest will come.”

Joel 3:13  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.”

Revelation 14:14

 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.

·        The chariot in which He sat – a white cloud, a cloud that had a bright side turned to the church, how dark soever it might be to the wicked (MH)

·        Crown – He has authority to do whatsoever He would do.  (MH)

Ezekiel 1:26  And above the firmament over their heads was the likeness of a throne, in appearance like a sapphire stone; on the likeness of the throne was a likeness with the appearance of a man high above it.

Daniel 7:13  I was watching in the night visions, and behold, One like the Son of Man, coming with the clouds of heaven!  He came to the Ancient of Days, and they brought Him near before Him.

Revelation 14:13

 Then I heard a voice from heaven saying 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.”

·        This prophecy came down from heaven, and not from men, and therefore it is of certain truth (MH)

·        It was to be preserved and published – by writing; it was to be matter of record, that the people of God might have recourse to it for their comfort upon all occasions  (MH)

Ecclesiastes 4:1, 2 …..Therefore I praised the dead who were already dead, more than the living who are still alive.

Psalm 55:6  So I said, “Oh, that I had wings like a dove!  I would fly away and be at rest.

Revelation 14:12

 Here is the patience of the saints; here are those who keep the commandments of God and the faith of Jesus.

·        You have before seen their patience exercised, now you see it rewarded. (MH)

·        We can only imagine what courage and comfort this passage will give embattled, persecuted saints during the Great Tribulation. Clearly, God wants to encourage His people to be steadfast in times of trial, focused on what blessed rest and reward awaits them in eternity. (DG)

Psalm 78:7  That they may set their hope in God, and not forget the works of God, but keep His commandments

Psalm 89:5  And the heavens will praise Your wonders, O LORD: Your faithfulness also in the assembly of the saints.

Revelation 14:11

 “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.”

·        Those who worship the Antichrist and receive his mark will endure this wrath and indignation for eternity in hell.  (DG)

·        If the only consequences for sin are in this life, or if the only penalty for sin is temporary, then clever sinners have won out over God. Walvoord says of the phrase forever and ever: “Literally ‘into the ages of ages,’ the strongest expression of eternity of which the Greek is capable.”  (DG)

Isaiah 34:10  It shall not be quenched night or day; its smoke shall ascend forever.  From generation to generation it shall lie waste; no one shall pass through it forever and ever.

Isaiah 66:24  And they shall go forth and look upon the corpses of the men who have transgressed against Me.  For their worm does not die, and their fire is not quenched.  They shall be an abhorrence to all flesh.

Revelation 14:9-10

 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.

·        Those who refuse to come out of Babylon must receive of her plagues (MH)

·        This reminds us that there is a connection between worshipping the beast and his image and receiving his mark on his forehead or on his hand. No one will “casually” or “accidentally” take the mark. The connection between worshipping the beast and taking the mark will be clear enough. (DG)

Genesis 19:24  Then the LORD rained brimstone and fire on Sodom and Gomorrah, from the LORD out of the heavens.

Isaiah 51:17  Awake, awake!  Stand up, O Jerusalem, you who have drunk at the hand of the LORD the cup of His fury; you have drunk the dregs of the cup of trembling, and drained it out.

Revelation 14:8

 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.”

·        The wickedness of Babylon will make her fall just (MH)

·        “Prophetically, ‘Babylon’ sometimes refers to a literal city, sometimes to a religious system, sometimes to a political system, all stemming from the evil character of historic Babylon.” (Walvoord)

Isaiah 21:9  And look, here comes a chariot of men with a pair of horsemen!”  Then he answered and said, ‘Babylon is fallen, is fallen!  And all the carved images of her gods He has broken to the ground.”

Jeremiah 51:7  Babylon was a golden cup in the LORD’S hand, that made all the earth drunk.  The nations drank her wine; therefore the nations are deranged.

Revelation 14:6-7

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.”

·        The gospel is an everlasting gospel.  It is a work fit for an angel to preach this everlasting gospel (MH)

·        The everlasting gospel is the great means whereby men are brought to fear God, and to give glory to Him. (MH)

Exodus 20:11  For in six days the LORD made the heavens and the earth, the sea, and all that is in them, and rested on the seventh day.  Therefore the LORD blessed the Sabbath day and hallowed it.

Psalm 33:6  By the word of the LORD the heavens were made, and all the host of them by the breath of His mouth.