A Study of Revelation 20 and other Related Passages
All the world will be brought to God at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. This reunification has already begun, is taking place now, and will continue until the end of the world. … Jesus Christ has been designated the Lord, not simply of one corner of the world, but of all nations. … Since our Lord Jesus Christ’s kingdom has hardly begun, it is necessary for it to be implemented little by little, until it achieves its full perfection.
John Calvin
Strong and certain was the conviction of the Christians that the church would come forth triumphant out of its conflicts, and, as it was its destination to be a world-transforming principle, would attain to dominion of the world.
J. A. Neander
Revelation 20:4 describes martyrs along with nations reigning with Christ for a thousand years, participating in the blessings of the first resurrection. How can beheaded martyrs be considered victorious or reigning? How can the “souls” of the beheaded be genuine participants of a “resurrection”? I trust the significance of this question to our main question is obvious. As we have looked at Revelation 13:1-18 to explain the opposition the martyrs faced, so also we should look at Revelation 14:1-20 to understand the victory in Jesus all Christians, even martyrs, enjoy.
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. 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 before the throne of God.
Revelation 14:1-5
From the end of Revelation 13 to the beginning of Revelation 14 we observe a sharp contrast. Those who worship the image (the Temple in Old Covenant Jerusalem) marked by the Beast (Roman veneration) are contrasted with those who worship the Lamb in the New Covenant Jerusalem and are marked by God as their Father. The unfaithful Old Covenant Jerusalem alluded to in Revelation 13 is called a great Harlot, Babylon, in Revelation 14, 17 & 18. Those perfectly counted in Christ are pure and undefiled by harlotry.
The Lamb with His people on Mount Zion is a New Covenant blessing (Psalm 2:1-12; Isaiah 2:2-4; Daniel 2:32-45; Micah 4:1-4). The saints in Christ are understood to be located in and consisting of the New Jerusalem (Revelation 21:9-22:5). This heavenly city of righteousness is contrasted with the earthly city under judgment (Galatians 4:21-31; Hebrews 12:18-29). Though many die as martyrs, none of them are discounted. 144,000 is a meaningful number.
In 144,000 we have the number 12 multiplied by 12 (12 squared) and then multiplied by 1,000 (10 cubed, and a measure of blessing Deuteronomy 1:9-11; 7:9-11). What would this indicate? 12 is the number of Israel (tribes). 12 is the number of the apostles. We have 12 gates and 12 foundation stones in the New Jerusalem, another metonym for Mt. Zion. This city is measured with many numbers which echo the numbering of the saints (Revelation 21:12-21). Their number matches their city and the length of their King’s reign. We are meant to see them together.
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 is fallen, is fallen, that great city, because she 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; here [are] those who keep the commandments of God and the faith of Jesus. 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.”
Revelation 14:6-13
The Gospel of the Kingdom is preached far and wide before the fall of Jerusalem (Matthew 24:14; Romans 1:8; 10:18; Colossians 1:5-6, 23). That Jesus Christ is King means that His enemies will be judged. Old Covenant Jerusalem has proven unfaithful in her covenant obligations to the nations, leading them to harlotry rather than holiness. Thus she, derisively renamed “Babylon” is judged. She was filled with those who worshiped the beast (“we have no king but Caesar”) and his image (the temple). Judgment both temporal and eternal are slated for Babylon and all within her. She has drunk the blood of the saints (Revelation 17:6; 18:24). This chief persecutor of the Saints is defeated and thus the patient faith of the saints is vindicated and they are now at ease in death, having received their answer (Revelation 6:9-11). The covenant breaking idolaters in Judea and Jerusalem have sown the wind and the harvest has now come. Babylon, old covenant Jerusalem, is a vineyard (Isaiah 5:1-7) and Jesus, by means of the Roman legions, will harvest and tread down all the grapes in the wine press of judgment (Isaiah 63:1-6).
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. 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 14:14-20
The sign that the Son of Man is reigning in Heaven is His coming in judgment on the clouds of Heaven (Matthew 24:30; 26:64). Those who rejected Him and pierced Him will see His approach and mourn (Revelation 1:7). This last passage in Revelation 14 showcases the famous “Grapes of Wrath.” The judgment upon Jerusalem and all Old Covenant Israel is envisioned as harvest and pigéage. The trampling of the grapes causes an effusion of blood up to horse-halter-height for 1,600 furlongs. The wine press is just outside the city as this was where Christ was crucified and shed His blood as the wine of the New Covenant. Now the wine of the Old Covenant is wasted upon all the land. It flows as blood to horse-halter-height because horses were specifically used for war. Such were used by the two northern legions of Vespasian and the two southern legions of Titus as they began their assault upon the rebellious Jews. 800 miles north and 800 miles south of Jerusalem they began their campaign. War flowed through the whole land, 1,600 furlongs north to south with Jerusalem right in the middle.
Those who took the mark in Revelation 13 did so to save themselves. Revelation 14 shows that in trying to save their lives, these idolaters loose them. Those who bowed to beast and image, those who whored themselves as a new Babylon, all these met with unmitigated disaster. Those who kept themselves pure and were marked by God, these were carefully numbered, named and preserved. They reign with Christ for a thousand years, blessed and holy. We will return to Revelation 20 and think more on this blessing next time.
