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I looked, and there in front of me was the Lamb. He was standing on Mount Zion. With him were 144,000 people. Written on their foreheads were his name and his Father's name. 2 I heard a sound from heaven. It was like the roar of rushing waters and loud thunder. The sound I heard was like the music of harps being played. 3 Then everyone sang a new song in front of the throne. They sang it in front of the four living creatures and the elders. No one could learn the song except the 144,000. They had been set free from the evil of the earth. 4 They had not committed sexual sins with women. They had kept themselves pure. They follow the Lamb wherever he goes. They were purchased from among human beings as a first offering to God and the Lamb. 5 They told no lies. They are without blame. 14:1–5 John described the Lamb in ways that Psalm 2 described a certain king. This was the king that God chose to be the son of God. Other kings, nations and rulers on earth tried to be more powerful than God. But God's son ruled from Mount Zion as king over all other rulers. Mount Zion was another name for Mount Moriah. The Lamb that John saw standing on Mount Zion was this king from Psalm 2. The two beasts in Revelation chapter 13 were like the rulers that opposed God in Psalm 2. The Lamb was joined by his faithful followers. They worshipped him with a new song. This was a way to celebrate Jesus' work of rescuing them from evil. Being marked with Jesus' name and the Father's name showed that they belonged to Jesus. John had seen the crowd of 144,000 people before. They were a sign of all the people throughout history who are God's faithful people. That's what it meant that they were a first offering.
6 I saw another angel. He was flying high in the air. He came to tell everyone on earth the good news that will always be true. He told it to every nation, tribe and people, no matter what language they spoke. 7 In a loud voice he said, ‘Have respect for God. Give him glory. The hour has come for God to judge. Worship him who made the heavens and the earth. Worship him who made the sea and the springs of water.’
8 A second angel followed him. He said, ‘ “Fallen! Babylon the Great has fallen!” (Isaiah 21:9) The city of Babylon made all the nations drink the strong wine of her terrible sins.’
9 A third angel followed them. He said in a loud voice, ‘There will be trouble for anyone who worships the beast and its statue! There will be trouble for anyone who has its mark on their forehead or their hand! 10 They, too, will drink the wine of God's great anger. His wine has been poured full strength into the cup of his anger. They will be burned with flaming sulphur. The holy angels and the Lamb will see it happen. 11 The smoke of their terrible suffering will rise for ever and ever. Day and night, there will be no rest for anyone who worships the beast and its statue. There will be no rest for anyone who receives the mark of its name.’ 12 God's people need to be very patient. They are the ones who obey God's commands. And they remain faithful to Jesus.
13 Then I heard a voice from heaven. ‘Write this’, it said. ‘Blessed are the dead who die as believers in the Lord from now on.’
14:6–13 The first angel John saw made an announcement to everyone on earth. God is the Creator and is the only one who should be worshipped. He is going to judge the world. That message was good news for people. The second angel announced that Babylon had fallen. This meant that Babylon had lost all its power. God judged Babylon for not accepting the good news that the first angel announced. He also judged Babylon for causing other nations to sin. The third angel warned about judgement against all who followed and worshipped the beast. This was the beast that came out of the sea in Revelation chapter 13. Both the beast and Babylon were signs for human governments that seek complete power. These governments treat those who are faithful to Jesus badly. In John's time, that government was Rome. John's vision offered comfort to God's people who were being treated unfairly. They would be blessed even if they were put to death. The Holy Spirit would give them rest.
‘Yes’, says the Holy Spirit. ‘They will rest from their labour. What they have done will not be forgotten.’
14 I looked, and there in front of me was a white cloud. Sitting on the cloud was one who looked ‘like a son of man.’ (Daniel 7:13) He wore a gold crown on his head. In his hand was a sharp, curved blade for cutting corn. 15 Then another angel came out of the temple. He called in a loud voice to the one sitting on the cloud. ‘Take your blade,’ he said. ‘Cut the corn. The time has come. The earth is ready to be harvested.’ 16 So the one sitting on the cloud swung his blade over the earth. And the earth was harvested.
17 Another angel came out of the temple in heaven. He too had a sharp, curved blade. 18 Still another angel came from the altar. He was in charge of the fire on the altar. He called out in a loud voice to the angel who had the sharp blade. ‘Take your blade,’ he said, ‘and gather the bunches of grapes from the earth's vine. Its grapes are ripe.’ 19 So the angel swung his blade over the earth. He gathered its grapes. Then he threw them into a huge winepress. The winepress stands for God's anger. 20 In the winepress outside the city, the grapes were trampled on. Blood flowed out of the winepress. It spread over the land for about 180 miles. It rose as high as the horses' heads.
14:14–20 In Matthew 9:37–38 and John 4:35–38 Jesus had talked about the world as a harvest field. This meant that people were ready to believe in him and follow him. In John's vision, John saw Jesus harvest the earth's corn. This was a picture of Jesus saving those who belong to him. John also saw an angel harvest the earth's grapes. This could be a picture of God's anger and judgement against those who do evil. It could also be a picture of God's people who were put to death. Their blood was spilled as they laboured to follow Jesus faithfully.