064 - Revelation 14

REVELATION 14

 

Introduction

 

While those who dwell on the earth and the sea will suffer pains because of the beasts that will raise them, those who dwell in heaven will rejoice (Rev 12.12).

Here is the work of the eternal through and in them:

 

1.     They will be purchased (Titus 3.5; 1Pet 1.18,19; Rev 5.9.10; 7.14; 14.3); 

2.     They will be generated (Rev 14.2) and purchased for being the first fruits (James 1.18);

3.     They will be sealed.

 

The seal mark them as:

 

1.     Belonging to the Eternal;

2.     The object of the care of the Eternal. The seal is a constant assurance of loyalty and faithfulness to Him;

3.     Taking on their foreheads, the badge of service.

 

The sealing of the redeemed contrasts them with those who were appointed by the beast from the sea (Rev 14.9-11). So much so that they, because of this seal will gain victory over:

 

1.     Ha-Satan;

2.     The mondaine pomp promised by the beast from the sea;

3.     The ecclesiastical show promoted by the second beast;

4.     The filth of the flesh and the Spirit (they are virgins);

 

As they follow the Lamb wherever He goes, they did not commit an error.

The seven angels can thus be characterized:

 

1.     The angel of the good news (Rev 14.6-7);

2.     The angel proclaimer of the curse that will fall on Babylon the Great (Rev 14.8);

3.     The angel who warns about the danger of receiving the mark of the beast (Rev 14.9-12);

4.     The Angel of comfort to believers (Rev 14.13). Although it isn’t said that it is an angelic being, as it is a message, then this voice was that of a messenger (that is the meaning of the word angel). While in Rev 8.13 an angel flying through the midst of heaven announces curse, here a voice from heaven announces blessing;

5.     The angel of the wheat harvest (Rev 14.14-16);

6.     The angel of vintage (Rev 14.17-20);

7.     The angel of fire (Rev 14.18).

 

These angels are manifested in the half of the 70^th week

Each angel announces a section, being that the fourth section is the central and most important. These seven sections are such that a summary of the book of Revelation.

The first angel announces the importance of worshipping the true God. The third angel shows the consequences of worshiping the beast from the sea. The second angel prophesied the fall of the great Babylon that tells the world to worship the beast as if he was worshipping the true Messiah.

 

·        "And I looked, and, lo, a Lamb stood on the mount Sion, and with him an hundred forty and four thousand, having his Father's name written in their foreheads." (Rev 14.1).

 

"I looked": this is a usual formula in Revelation which introduces a new vision. 

In Revelation 13 a false lamb is seen. Here in Revelation 14 is the legitimate lamb of the Eternal, which is talked about in Revelation 5.

Why Jesus is called the Lamb? Because of his innocence or His sacrificial character? Both. Jesus, shows everyone what it should be our attitude to seek the Father's will for our lives. We should be resting and waiting for Him, willingly accepting what He wants to do in us and through us. It is useless to do the will of Him anxious, scared, nervous, revolted, desperate. We need to show all the pleasure and joy that we have in the sacrifice of the Eternal in us (Romans 12.1) in virtue of the glory of the Eternal which can manifest through it (John 4.34; Luke 12.50; Romans 8.18).

These 144,000 are the same as Rev 7.4. There they are sealed on the forehead (Rev 7.2,3) and here, on their foreheads, they appear with the name of Jesus and the Father's name written on their foreheads. So, this is the seal of the Eternal.

The inscription on the forehead of 144,000 remembers what was written on the forehead of the high priest:

 

·        "And thou shalt make a plate of pure gold, and grave upon it, like the engravings of a signet, HOLINESS TO THE LORD." (Exodus 28.36).

·        "And they made the plate of the holy crown of pure gold, and wrote upon it a writing, like to the engravings of a signet, HOLINESS TO THE LORD." (Exodus 39.30).

 

Remember what is written on the bell of the horse from Jerusalem during the millennium: 

 

·        "In that day shall there be upon the bells of the horses, HOLINESS UNTO THE LORD; and the pots in the LORD'S house shall be like the bowls before the altar." (Zechariah 14.20). 

 

Also remember the Scripture that must be put in front between the eyes:

 

·        "And these words, which I command thee this day, shall be in thine heart:” (Deut 6.6).

·        “And thou shalt bind them for a sign upon thine hand, and they shall be as frontlets between thine eyes." (Deut 6.8). 

 

Have the name of the Eternal manifest in our lives (written on our foreheads):

 

·        It is the most beautiful distinction. The beauty of the face is not in facial features, but in terms of purity, intelligence, kindness and tenderness that it is possible to be seen, especially when it is the result of what the Eternal is in our lives.

·        It is the most remarkable distinction, as happened with Moses, whose face shone when he down from Mount Sinai with the tablets of the law (Exodus 34.29);

·        It is the most honorable distinction. How many people feel honored to be considered similar to some famous personality. Imagine what an honor to be like Jesus.

 

To be with the Lamb on Mount Zion is the culmination of the blessing, even more so considering that all others are wandering after the beast. That is to say, this implies in redemption, victory, security and glory. This also responds to the question of the Psalm 15:

 

·        "LORD, who shall abide in thy tabernacle? who shall dwell in thy holy hill? He that walketh uprightly, and worketh righteousness, and speaketh the truth in his heart." (Psalm 15.1,2).

 

This act of seal is promised by Jesus: 

 

·        "Him that overcometh will I make a pillar in the temple of my God, and he shall go no more out: and I will write upon him the name of my God, and the name of the city of my God, which is new Jerusalem, which cometh down out of heaven from my God: and I will write upon him my new name." (Rev 3.12).

 

And in the time of Ezekiel, the Eternal promised to make a distinction between those who really cared for Him, to the point of moan because of all their abominations which come about in Jerusalem:

 

·        "And the LORD said unto him, Go through the midst of the city, through the midst of Jerusalem, and set a mark upon the foreheads of the men that sigh and that cry for all the abominations that be done in the midst thereof." (Ezek 9:4).

 

In the heaven there are different levels of glory: there is first and last (see Luke 13.30), the smallest and the largest (see Luke 9.48), as Jesus taught.

As to Mount Zion, physically it refers to the set of mountains are round about Jerusalem: 

 

·        “As the mountains are round about Jerusalem, so the LORD is round about his people from henceforth even for ever." (Psalm 125.2).

 

It is there that Jesus will reign in the millennium:

 

·        "Then the moon shall be confounded, and the sun ashamed, when the LORD of hosts shall reign in mount Zion, and in Jerusalem, and before his ancients gloriously." (Isa 24.23).

·        "And it shall come to pass, that whosoever shall call on the name of the LORD shall be delivered: for in mount Zion and in Jerusalem shall be deliverance, as the LORD hath said, and in the remnant whom the LORD shall call." (Joel 2.32).

·        "But upon mount Zion shall be deliverance, and there shall be holiness; and the house of Jacob shall possess their possessions." (Obadiah 1.17);

·        "And saviours shall come up on mount Zion to judge the mount of Esau; and the kingdom shall be the LORD'S." (Hosea 1.21).

·        "But in the last days it shall come to pass, that the mountain of the house of the LORD shall be established in the top of the mountains, and it shall be exalted above the hills; and people shall flow unto it." (Micah 4.1).

·        "And I will make her that halted a remnant, and her that was cast far off a strong nation: and the LORD shall reign over them in mount Zion from henceforth, even for ever. " (Micah 4.7).

 

However, here in Rev 14.1, the Mount Zion is a reference to the New Jerusalem that descend from heaven. The opposite extreme of Babylon.

 

·        "The LORD loveth the gates of Zion more than all the dwellings of Jacob." (Psalm 87.2).

 

After all, in Rev 14.3, the 144,000 sang the song before the throne, the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders. Considering that they are in the third heaven, therefore what John saw is what Jesus promised:

 

·        "And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also." (John 14.3);

·        "And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus:" (Eph 2.6); 

·        "If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God. Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth." (Col 3.1,2).

 

In other words, what is being said is that the 144,000 are not mere carnal followers of the Lamb. They are with their minds and hearts placed in the heavenlies, seeing and hearing what is happening in the Council of the Eternal:

 

·        "For who hath stood in the counsel of the LORD, and hath perceived and heard his word? who hath marked his word, and heard it?" (Jeremiah 23.18)

·        "But if they had stood in my counsel, and had caused my people to hear my words, then they should have turned them from their evil way, and from the evil of their doings." (Jer 23.22).

 

·        "And I looked, and, lo, a Lamb stood on the mount Sion, and with him an hundred forty and four thousand, having his Father's name written in their foreheads.” (Rev 14.2).

 

Characteristics of the voice:

 

·        Voice from heaven - Considering that, in the next verse, it is said, "and they sang (in the plural)", therefore it is many celestial voices, i.e., the voices of angels who sang the same hymn;

·        As the voice of many waters - i.e., myriads of angels each with its peculiar sound;

·        As the voice of a great thunder - i.e., voices full of power, authority, proffering a message of judgment;

·        As the voice of harpers who touched their harps - although the sounds were multiple and stormy, however were harmonic and melodious.

 

Soon, these voices from heaven were a mix of terror and sweetness at the same time.

This type of voice is heard in Rev 19.6:

 

·        "And I heard as it were the voice of a great multitude, and as the voice of many waters, and as the voice of mighty thunderings, saying, Alleluia: for the Lord God omnipotent reigneth." (Rev 19.6).

 

The big thunderous voice remembers the voice of the Eternal and the voice of many waters, the voice of Christ (Rev 1.15), which shows us that the theme of this hymn is not negligible or trivial, but something that awakens hearts.

It is the voice of Jesus Himself singing along with 144,000 in the midst of the congregation of angels, after having announced on the foreheads of the 144,000 the name of the Eternal to all that He considers as brothers (any who does the will of the Father (Matthew 12.50):

 

·        "I will declare thy name unto my brethren: in the midst of the congregation will I praise thee." (Psalms 22.22). 

·        "My praise shall be of thee in the great congregation: I will pay my vows before them that fear him" (Psalm 22.25).

·        “Saying, I will declare thy name unto my brethren, in the midst of the church will I sing praise unto thee." (Heb 2.12).

 

·        "And they sung as it were a new song before the throne, and before the four beasts, and the elders: and no man could learn that song but the hundred and forty and four thousand, which were redeemed from the earth." (Rev 14.3). 

 

Each deliverance experienced by the saints inspired a new song in the Testament of the Law. Here, however, these 144,000 sing something before they experience the greatest deliverance of all times in their lives.

Although the 144,000 are not so connected to the throne as the four living creatures, nor crowned and sitting as the 24 elders, they have a foundation of joy and praise which none of them had.

The joy of the Eternal in them was wonderful:

 

·        My soul shall make her boast in the LORD: the humble shall hear thereof, and be glad." (Psalm 34.2);

·        "And the meek also shall increase their joy in the LORD, and the poor among men shall rejoice in the Holy One of Israel." (Isaiah 29.19).

 

This confirms that before honor is humility (Prov 15.33; 18.12).

When it is said new song does not necessarily mean that it was invented at that moment, even because the essence of the songs is the same: to make the Holy Scripture abound in every heart (Col 3.16). What is new is the motivation to sing the song. After all, this group of 144,000 Israelites chosen are unprecedented in the entire history of Israel. Are the first Jews to recognize Jesus in the 70^th week (hence being firstfruits to the Eternal and to the Lamb).

Hence nobody will be able to learn the song. Even if somebody could sing the melody and know the letter, will never be able to express (life) to the message that he brings. It was impossible to any other communicate with accuracy the real message. 

For example: how can someone who has never been at sea know the joy of being saved from a shipwreck? Who, except the son can know the love of his mother?

And the fact that they are singing before the four living creatures and the 24 elders means that the praise of them was in accordance with the ministry of both.

 

·        "These are they which were not defiled with women; for they are virgins. These are they which follow the Lamb whithersoever he goeth. These were redeemed from among men, being the firstfruits unto God and to the Lamb. And in their mouth was found no guile: for they are without fault before the throne of God." (Rev 14.4,5).

 

They are "redeemed of the earth" (Rev 14.3): this points to what they were;

They are with the Lamb on Mount Zion: this shows us where they are;

They are "redeemed": this tells us how they became what they are and came to reach where they are.

Let's look at the characteristics of 144,000:

Having his Father's name written in their foreheads

They were identified by what the Creator is, as well as His willingness to them, namely, getting in them the life of the Lamb, which always gave Himself so that our sins were forgiven.

These are they which follow the Lamb whithersoever he goeth

They will be loyal and deeply attached to Christ. They follow the Lamb wherever He goes, always allowing themselves to be guided by His Word, Spirit, divine providence, as well as obligations and difficulties.

They retain the first love, mercy, even in the desert, in a place where it isn’t possible to sow (Jer 2.2). They are not bound to the religious system, nor conform to stay away from the pastor, as the 99 sheep in the parable (Lk 15.4). The 144,000 followed Jesus to the cross, resurrection, and ascension (compare John 21.22).

Here it is appropriate to difference between master and teacher: the student acquires the teachings of professor and applies them as well it seems, may come to be superior to the teacher. The disciple, however, cannot be greater than the master (Matt 10.24); rather, they should receive the Master's teachings in order to apply them in their life, so as to follow in the footsteps of the master, as does an individual who want to leave unharmed in a minefield.

This is not the behavior adopted by the individual in order to be accepted as a disciple of Christ, but the individual who was accepted by Christ does not hinder the action of Him in his life.

These were redeemed from among men, being the firstfruits unto God and to the Lamb

The first fruits were always dedicated to the Eternal (Num 18.12). These saints are set apart and dedicated to the Eternal and the Lamb.

However, the fact of not find deceit in the mouth of them does not imply that they will be nice, but that the Eternal will not impute iniquity in the heart of them. Instead, He will  justify them:

 

·        "The remnant of Israel shall not do iniquity, nor speak lies; neither shall a deceitful tongue be found in their mouth: for they shall feed and lie down, and none shall make them afraid." (Zephaniah 3.13).

·        "That he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish." (Ephesians 5.27);

·        "Now unto him that is able to keep you from falling, and to present you faultless before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy," (Jude 24).

·        “Blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered. Blessed is the man unto whom the LORD imputeth not iniquity, and in whose spirit there is no guile." (Psalm 32.1,2). 

·        "Saying, Blessed are they whose iniquities are forgiven, and whose sins are covered. Blessed is the man to whom the Lord will not impute sin." (Romans 4.7,8).

 

They once sold themselves to sin, but were bought back by life (blood) of Jesus and generated again by the Word of the Eternal according to His will (James 1.18):

 

·        "Of his own will begat he us with the word of truth, that we should be a kind of firstfruits of his creatures." (James 1.18).

 

Note that they are without fault before the throne of the Eternal. It is good to remember that the place where the character of Jesus it is possible to be seen in us it is in the heart, when we make of it the throne of Eternal (the ark of the covenant with Jesus), the place where He can sit in the seat of mercy

There are eminence implicated in being the first fruits of the heavenly harvest:

 

·        In time: they have part in the first resurrection;

·        In honor: remember that one star differs from another star in glory (1 Corinthians 15.41);

·        In service: they were intimate with the Lamb as the apostles;

·        In character: they are virgins, devoted, purchased (separated) of the world, have no blemish, nor is there lie in their mouth.

·        In approval of the Eternal.

 

In other words, they will be the first Israelites to be converted in the 70^th week by word of truth:

 

·        For the Eternal, i.e., to have fellowship with Him;

·        For the Lamb, i.e., to live His life style as lights in the world (Phil 2.14,15).

And in their mouth was found no guile: for they are without fault before the throne of God

The assertion that they are "without fail" is of great expressiveness, because it was made by the Eternal. 

Do not preach lies thinking in pleasing men (Gal 1.10; 1Tess 2.3-6). Remain on the throne of the Eternal (Jer 23.18,22) listening to His voice and preaching the true word of Him, without need to be reprimanded for any leader. 

The term "no fault" (or "have no blemish”) reminds us of Jesus, "the Lamb without blemish":

 

·        "But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot:" (1 Peter 1.19).

·        “How much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God, purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?" (Heb 9.14).

 

Those who were saints here, will be counted as saints in heaven:

 

·        "LORD, who shall abide in thy tabernacle? who shall dwell in thy holy hill? He that walketh uprightly, and worketh righteousness, and speaketh the truth in his heart. He that backbiteth not with his tongue, nor doeth evil to his neighbour, nor taketh up a reproach against his neighbour." (Psalms 15.1-3).

These are they which were not defiled with women 

Much has been discussed if this is literal or figurative. I believe that both. Analyze what is written in Rev 17.5:

 

·        "And upon her forehead was a name written, MYSTERY, BABYLON THE GREAT, THE MOTHER OF HARLOTS AND ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH." (Rev 17.5).

 

If Babylon the Great is a mother, does this mean that she has daughters, and all are prostitutes. Babylon the Great, as previously stated, it is Jerusalem. The proof of this can be seen in these passages:

 

·        "Thou hast built thy high place at every head of the way, and hast made thy beauty to be abhorred, and hast opened thy feet to every one that passed by, and multiplied thy whoredoms. Thou hast also committed fornication with the Egyptians thy neighbours, great of flesh; and hast increased thy whoredoms, to provoke me to anger. Thou hast played the whore also with the Assyrians, because thou wast unsatiable; yea, thou hast played the harlot with them, and yet couldest not be satisfied. Thou hast moreover multiplied thy fornication in the land of Canaan unto Chaldea; and yet thou wast not satisfied herewith. How weak is thine heart, saith the Lord GOD, seeing thou doest all these things, the work of an imperious whorish woman;" (Ezek 16.25,26,28-30).

·        "I will do these things unto thee, because thou hast gone a whoring after the heathen, and because thou art polluted with their idols." (Ezekiel 23.30).

·        "Thus saith the LORD; For three transgressions of Judah, and for four, I will not turn away the punishment thereof; because they have despised the law of the LORD, and have not kept his commandments, and their lies caused them to err, after the which their fathers have walked:" (Amos 2.4).

·        "I have seen also in the prophets of Jerusalem an horrible thing: they commit adultery, and walk in lies: they strengthen also the hands of evildoers, that none doth return from his wickedness: they are all of them unto me as Sodom, and the inhabitants thereof as Gomorrah. Therefore thus saith the LORD of hosts concerning the prophets; Behold, I will feed them with wormwood, and make them drink the water of gall: for from the prophets of Jerusalem is profaneness gone forth into all the land." (Jer 23.14,15).

·        "And when her sister Aholibah saw this, she was more corrupt in her inordinate love than she, and in her whoredoms more than her sister in her whoredoms. She doted upon the Assyrians her neighbours, captains and rulers clothed most gorgeously, horsemen riding upon horses, all of them desirable young men. Then I saw that she was defiled, that they took both one way, and that she increased her whoredoms: for when she saw men pourtrayed upon the wall, the images of the Chaldeans pourtrayed with vermilion,  girded with girdles upon their loins, exceeding in dyed attire upon their heads, all of them princes to look to, after the manner of the Babylonians of Chaldea, the land of their nativity:  and as soon as she saw them with her eyes, she doted upon them, and sent messengers unto them into Chaldea. And the Babylonians came to her into the bed of love, and they defiled her with their whoredom, and she was polluted with them, and her mind was alienated from them. So she discovered her whoredoms, and discovered her nakedness: then my mind was alienated from her, like as my mind was alienated from her sister. Yet she multiplied her whoredoms, in calling to remembrance the days of her youth, wherein she had played the harlot in the land of Egypt. For she doted upon their paramours, whose flesh is as the flesh of asses, and whose issue is like the issue of horses. Thus thou calledst to remembrance the lewdness of thy youth, in bruising thy teats by the Egyptians for the paps of thy youth." (Ezek 23.11-21).

·        "Hear the word of the LORD, ye rulers of Sodom; give ear unto the law of our God, ye people of Gomorrah." (Isaiah 1.10).

·        "How is the faithful city become an harlot! it was full of judgment; righteousness lodged in it; but now murderers." (Isaiah 1.21).

 

Note how Jerusalem is explicitly called Sodom and Gomorrah (as quoted in Rev 11.8). Without counting that Jerusalem was married with the Egyptians, as well as with other Gentiles.

And it is no wonder: Solomon, the more prosperous king of Israel, was master in marrying and whoring to make political alliances:

 

·        “But king Solomon loved many strange women, together with the daughter of Pharaoh, women of the Moabites, Ammonites, Edomites, Zidonians, and Hittites;  of the nations concerning which the LORD said unto the children of Israel, Ye shall not go in to them, neither shall they come in unto you: for surely they will turn away your heart after their gods: Solomon clave unto these in love. And he had seven hundred wives, princesses, and three hundred concubines: and his wives turned away his heart. For it came to pass, when Solomon was old, that his wives turned away his heart after other gods: and his heart was not perfect with the LORD his God, as was the heart of David his father. For Solomon went after Ashtoreth the goddess of the Zidonians, and after Milcom the abomination of the Ammonites. And Solomon did evil in the sight of the LORD, and went not fully after the LORD, as did David his father. Then did Solomon build an high place for Chemosh, the abomination of Moab, in the hill that is before Jerusalem, and for Molech, the abomination of the children of Ammon. And likewise did he for all his strange wives, which burnt incense and sacrificed unto their gods." (1Rs 11.1-8).

 

Exactly as Daniel prophesied that happen on the occasion of the coming of Christ:

 

·        "And whereas thou sawest iron mixed with miry clay, they shall mingle themselves with the seed of men: but they shall not cleave one to another, even as iron is not mixed with clay." (Dn 2.43).

 

The marriage between Israelites  men (clay) and Roman women (catholics iron) and vice-versa, it will appear the ten fingers part of iron and part of clay of the statue of Nebuchadnezzar.

This type of conduct was always done by the Israelites:

 

·        "Have we not all one father? hath not one God created us? why do we deal treacherously every man against his brother, by profaning the covenant of our fathers?" (Mal 2.10,11).

 

Repair the connection existing between the expression "prostitution with other gods" and the whore with a woman who worships other gods:

 

·        “Know ye not that your bodies are the members of Christ? shall I then take the members of Christ, and make them the members of an harlot? God forbid. What? know ye not that he which is joined to an harlot is one body? for two, saith he, shall be one flesh. But he that is joined unto the Lord is one spirit." (1 Cor 6.15-17).

 

It isn’t in vain that the mixed marriage was disgusting in the eyes of the Eternal:

 

·        "And it came to pass, when men began to multiply on the face of the earth, and daughters were born unto them, that the sons of God saw the daughters of men that they were fair; and they took them wives of all which they chose. And the LORD said, my spirit shall not always strive with man, for that he also is flesh: yet his days shall be an hundred and twenty years." (Gn 6:1-3).

 

Hence the virginity be exalted in Holy Scripture. For example, when referring to the faithful of Israel, is used the term virgin daughter of Zion:

 

·        "This is the word that the LORD hath spoken concerning him; The virgin the daughter of Zion hath despised thee, and laughed thee to scorn; the daughter of Jerusalem hath shaken her head at thee." (2kings 19.21);

·        "This is the word which the LORD hath spoken concerning him; The virgin, the daughter of Zion, hath despised thee, and laughed thee to scorn; the daughter of Jerusalem hath shaken her head at thee.” (Isaiah 37.22);

·        "That testimony will bring thee? I liken to thee, O daughter of Jerusalem? Assemelharei thee, for thou comfort, O virgin daughter of Zion? As great as the sea is thy wound; who will heal thee?" (Lam 2.13).

·        "Therefore thus saith the LORD; Ask ye now among the heathen, who hath heard such things: the virgin of Israel hath done a very horrible thing." (Jeremiah 18.13);

·        "Set thee up waymarks, make thee high heaps: set thine heart toward the highway, even the way which thou wentest: turn again, O virgin of Israel, turn again to these thy cities." (Jer 31.21).

·        "And they shall teach no more every man his neighbour, and every man his brother, saying, Know the LORD: for they shall all know me, from the least of them unto the greatest of them, saith the LORD: for I will forgive their iniquity, and I will remember their sin no more." (Jeremiah 31.34).

·        "The virgin of Israel is fallen; she shall no more rise: she is forsaken upon her land; there is none to raise her up." (Amos 5.2).

 

It is good to remember that, throughout Holy Scripture, the physical virginity was only exalted in regard to women. The man, in the Testament of Law, could have several women, since that:

 

·        None of them belonged to another man;

·        None of them worship other gods.

 

However, nowadays it is difficult to find a woman who loves Jesus true (unfortunately, many worship a Jesus shaped by the Religious System). In the time of king Lemuel, it was difficult to find a virtuous woman (Prov 31.10). Today it is a miracle. Women have not been submitted to their husbands. The vast majority works separated from her husband, lives of their own livelihood, does what best suits them. So only act in partnership with the husband.

When Jesus comes, unfortunately there will be no virtuous woman enough to form a family. For those who want to follow the Lamb wherever He goes (as ordains John 3.8), will have to stay single.

It is what happens with these 144,000 Israelites. Because they want to be intimate with the Lamb (earning the privilege to follow Him wherever He goes), such individuals may not accept any kind of distraction (see 1Corinthians 7.35). Do not think that this is for anyone. Many thought in following Jesus, but they could not:

 

·        "And a certain scribe came, and said unto him, Master, I will follow thee whithersoever thou goest. And Jesus saith unto him, The foxes have holes, and the birds of the air have nests; but the Son of man hath not where to lay his head." (Matt 8.19,20) - The scribe could not follow because he was very attached to comfort and security that the world offers;

·        "And another of his disciples said unto him, Lord, suffer me first to go and bury my father.  But Jesus said unto him, Follow me; and let the dead bury their dead." (Matt 8.21,22) - the disciple could not follow Jesus because he wanted to deal with individuals dead in their trespasses and sins;

·        "And another also said, Lord, I will follow thee; but let me first go bid them farewell, which are at home at my house. And Jesus said unto him, No man, having put his hand to the plough, and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God." (Luke 9.61,62) – this one could not follow Jesus for being indecisive. Could not compromise with anything, nor with anyone else. He had no thirst for truth, much less love for it, to the point of wanting to walk along with them toward the truth.

·        "And when he was come into the ship, he that had been possessed with the devil prayed him that he might be with him. Howbeit Jesus suffered him not, but saith unto him, Go home to thy friends, and tell them how great things the Lord hath done for thee, and hath had compassion on thee." (Mark 5.18,19).

 

Only can follow Jesus who has nothing, nor anyone to disrupt (see 1 Cor 7.32-35):

 

·        "But this I say, brethren, the time is short; what remains is that even those who have wives be as though they had not;" (1 Corinthians 7.29).

 

Paul recommended celibacy in times of sadness (1 Cor 7.25-35) and Jesus spoke of pain on those who have children in those days (Matthew 24.19-21).

It is so hard to find men in such conditions that they had to be purchased from among men, i.e., a price had to be paid. But wait: the price for our salvation has not been paid by Jesus on the cross (1 Corinthians 6.20)? Therefore, one more price will have to be paid by them.

Because they are virgins is the reason for the 144,000 not be defiled with women. Therefore, "be a virgin" and "do not defile themselves with woman" are two different things:

 

·        It is possible to "do not defile oneself with woman" and not be a virgin: simply marry and be faithful to your wife;

·        It is possible to be "virgin" and "defile himself with woman": "whosoever looketh on a woman to lust after her has already committed adultery with her in his heart" (Matt 5.28).

 

That is to say, the 144,000 will not defile themselves with women because they seek, above all, a pure heart, directed only to the heavenly things.

But after all, not defile themselves with women is literal or figurative? 

This recalls the prophecy of the seven women:

 

·        "And in that day seven women shall take hold of one man, saying, We will eat our own bread, and wear our own apparel: only let us be called by thy name, to take away our reproach." (Isaiah 4.1).

 

To better understand this verse, it is necessary to know how things worked in the Old Testament:

 

·        "And if he have betrothed her unto his son, he shall deal with her after the manner of daughters. If he take him another wife; her food, her raiment, and her duty of marriage, shall he not diminish." (Exodus 21.9,10).

 

Note how the man had an obligation to give sustenance to wife (give her the bread) and garments. These women, to encourage the man to give them your name and take out of them a reproach, try to make things easier for him getting rid of the financial obligations.

But, really what they were looking for?

 

·        His name, i.e., wanted to be counted as their wives, instead of being taken as prostitutes;

·        Have the reproaches of them removed.

 

Comes the question: what was considered as a shame for women in Old Testament times? 

See, for example, these two passages:

 

·        "And when he hath made her to drink the water, then it shall come to pass, that, if she be defiled, and have done trespass against her husband, that the water that causeth the curse shall enter into her, and become bitter, and her belly shall swell, and her thigh shall rot: and the woman shall be a curse among her people. And if the woman be not defiled, but be clean; then she shall be free, and shall conceive seed." (Num 5.27,28);

·        "And she said unto her father, Let this thing be done for me: let me alone two months, that I may go up and down upon the mountains, and bewail my virginity, I and my fellows." (Judges 11.37);

Obs.: 

o   A reproach to the man was let your hair grow. But this shame before men was, on the other hand, a sign that he was a nazarite (dedicated for the exclusive use of the Creator, to belong to him).

o   A reproach to the woman was not to have children. Therefore, the vote of narizeu, for her, it would retain its vingindade.

·        "Thus hath the Lord dealt with me in the days wherein he looked on me, to take away my reproach among men." (Luke 1.25).

 

Note how was a synonym of cursing and shame not to have children (especially considering that they expected the Messiah - Isa 4:2; Isa 54:1.4; Micah 5.2; Luke 1:25). That is to say, what these women, physically wanted was to have children, without being taxed by a prostitute. Unfortunately, wherein Adam changed the name of his wife from "woman" to "Eva" (which means "mother" of all living - Gen 3.20), the most important thing for the woman came to be the generation of children, to the point of Ana does not settle in being the favorite of Elkanah (1Sam 1.8) and Rachel, of Jacob (Gen 30.1).

Although the mission of mother is very important (1Tim 2.15), this mission outside the role of wife loses all purpose (to keep alive the memory of the husband - Deut 25.5-9) and, even if she is married to a one man, she nothing is different from a prostitute. They thought that it was enough carry the name of the husband with them lest to be considered as such.

Today, history repeats itself. Think that gathering under the same roof is sufficient to be considered married. The wife has not been imported to be "woman" of her husband, much less to be the mother of his children (has employed others to do her work). Assume that the important thing is to simply provide food, drink and clothing for her home.

It isn’t in vain that the chastity of soul of 144,000 led them not to have contact with women. After all, when a woman chooses to eat and dress of their own livelihood, instead of receiving in herself that which belongs to the husband (see Ezek 16.14), she no longer charges in itself the identity of her husband. In this case, which will be passed to the children is a portion of two separate identities (husband and wife), instead of the full identity of a couple in Christ who lives His love and truth constantly. This, when children do not receive the identity of strangers (teachers from nursery school, TV, etc.).

But these women also represent religious institutions which, to be free from the shame of being small and little frequented, seek the false prophet to receive his name, as well as his seed (powers and signs of falsehood - 2Tess 2.11,12) In order to grow in number and, thus, increase in popularity and income (see 2Pet 2.1-3).

Each religious institution will feed on his own doctrine and dress of their own righteousness (meditate at Rm 10.3). Note that these women were not interested in submitting to her husband (false prophet). Hence, inclusive, the hatred of the beast from the sea, false prophet and ten horns against Babylon the Great (Rev 17.16.17).

 They nor cared if the husband had other women (supporting other religious institutions). All they wanted was to live in the way that best suited them, but without being taxed as spiritual prostitutes.

 

·        "And I saw another angel fly in the midst of heaven, having the everlasting gospel to preach unto them that dwell on the earth, and to every nation, and kindred, and tongue, and people," (Rev 14.6).

 

Now comes the message of the three angels. This angel had “the” everlasting gospel to preach. In version ESV, says "a" the everlasting gospel. If you think that gospel means "good news", so the more correct would be "an eternal message of the Gospel", since from the Gospel, we can get multiple everlasting messages. Furthermore, if the angel had "the" everlasting gospel to proclaim, then implicitly it is saying that nobody else has this message (and, as we well know, the two witnesses and 144,000 are in possession also of the everlasting gospel).

The fact that an angel be seen preaching the gospel is a proof that the dispensation of grace ended (i.e., with the death of two witnesses, the door of grace will close three days before the Church be raptured). Instead of a small pleading voice begging the men to be reconciled with the Eternal, now there is a great thunder requiring that the nations fear Him, as alerting about the curse of continuing worshipping a false god.

The gospel is here called Eternal:

 

(a)   Because its truth has always existed;

(b)   Because it is immutable, not depending on the opinion or approval of men;

(c)   Because it remains alive and effective eternally, no matter the changes that occur in the world.

 

Here is a proof that the gospel is eternal: When Jesus was here He proclaim the acceptable year of the Eternal (Luke 4.18,19):

 

·        "The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised,  to preach the acceptable year of the Lord." (Lk 4.18,19).

 

At His coming he will preach the day of vengeance:

 

·        "The Spirit of the Lord GOD is upon me; because the LORD hath anointed me to preach good tidings unto the meek; he hath sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to them that are bound;  to proclaim the acceptable year of the LORD, and the day of vengeance of our God; to comfort all that mourn; to appoint unto them that mourn in Zion, to give unto them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; that they might be called trees of righteousness, the planting of the LORD, that he might be glorified." (Isaiah 61.1-3).

 

As you can see, the gospel has not changed. Its message is always urgent, since time is short and the life is uncertain. 

The message is eternal because it was always in validity. Unfortunately, many do not see until today. Hence the angel remind them all.

The gospel is characterized in several ways:

 

(a)   The gospel of God (Rom 1.1) because it creates in His love;

(b)   Gospel of Christ (2Cor 10.14) because it flows from His sacrifice and because Jesus is the essence of the faith of the gospel;

(c)   The gospel of the grace of God (Acts 20.24) because it saves those who the law curse;

(d)   Gospel of glory (1Tim 1.11; 2Cor 4.4) because it has to do with the One who is in glory and that is bringing many sons to glory (Heb 2.10);

(e)   Gospel of our salvation (Eph 1.13) because it is the power of the eternal salvation to every one that believes (Rom 1.16);

(f)     Gospel of the uncircumcision (Gal 2.7) because it saves completely, regardless of the ordinances of the law. Through Christ, the gospel promotes peace between the sinner and the Eternal and imputes this peace inside.

 

The gospel is good:

 

1.     in itself: it is the mirror which reflects the divine character (serving for the man to see how they are with respect to the Creator); it is also the means by which the eternal good reaches us, leads and saves;

2.     in its ministry: it comes from heaven and is communicated by messengers full of heavenly light; 

3.     in its universality: it surpasses any barrier that may exist between humans, either nationality, genealogy, language, race, etc.;

4.     in its proposal: the aim of the gospel is to show us who we ought to praise.

 

Note, here, that the angel was flying through the sky, and this does not as not as an ordinary bird as came about in the three “woes" (Rev 8.13).

Note the separation between the existing recipients:

 

·        Those who dwell on the earth -> i.e., to all the people of Israel; 

·        To every nation and tribe and tongue and people - all the people that composes the "sea" of people, that is, the non-Israelites.

 

Everything looks right. But why fear the Eternal? To ensure that His judgment does not come? Is it not a egotistic reason? Or this call is only for those who believe? Perhaps this call is to show that, even fully aware of the truth (even knowing that nobody can frustrate the plans of the Creator - Job 42.2) yet the individuals did not repent (Rev 9.21, 16.11).

Also in order to be able to pass by all without astray in the faith.

Even more: why an angel is the bearer of this message, and not the Church?

If you well repair, you can see that the seven trumpets and the seven bowls are ministered by angels. Without the ministry of this message for this angel, the seven trumpets and bowls could be seen as mere coincidences of nature, as it is today. Although there are two months ago (10/2015), for example, has been an accident in Mariana, we all feel that the blame is simply of the mining company. Nobody can see the hand of the Eternal behind all this.

However, how the angel will preach the message, nobody had doubts that it was the hand of the Creator who made all this. So much so that, when the bowls come, the individuals openly will blaspheme Him (Rev 16.11,21). and repair as the message of the angel had everything to do with the trumpets and bowls.

In addition, it is good to remember that this message will be announced in the half of the 70^th week, when Jesus will be to reap the harvest of the earth (Church - Rapture), start His trial (grape harvesting the vine of the earth, i.e., launch the seven bowls) and the antichrist is about to destroy Jerusalem and install his brand. On this occasion, the Church will be receiving the final preparations to be snatched.

 

·        "Saying with a loud voice, Fear God, and give glory to him; for the hour of his judgment is come: and worship him that made heaven, and earth, and the sea, and the fountains of waters." (Rev 14.7).

 

That is to say, worship the Eternal and not the technology. Worship the right  individual  and by right reason.

The hour of judgment of the Eternal had finally arrived. It will be wounded heaven (Rev 16.8,9), earth (Rev 16.2), sea (Rev 16.3) and the fountains of waters (Rev 16.4). The Eternal should be worshiped as the Creator of all things, instead of staying extolling the science whose intent is to attempt to modify or control everything He  has created.

Instead of stay in sin, but arrogantly thinking that through technology can remove the consequences of same, the correct is fear of the Creator (be afraid to grieve Him) abandoning once everything that pleases not Him and give Him the opportunity to use their lives to manifest His glory.

In other words, instead of trying to solve the problems with the goods and powers of this world, the correct is rest and wait on the Eternal (Psalm 37.7) until He quit His place (Isaiah 26.20,21) to show His strength (2Chr 16.9; Zec 4.6).

The Eternal should be loved dearly (worshipped) because it is He who has made:

 

·        The Earth -> (Rev 8.7 - first trumpet; Rev 16.2 - first vial);

·        The sea -> (Rev 8.8,9 - second trumpet; Rev 16.3 - second vial);

·        The fountains of waters -> (Rev 8.10,11 - third trumpet; Rev 16.4 - third vial);

·        The sky -> (Rev 8.12 - fourth trumpet; Rev 16.8,9 - fourth vial).

 

As it will be the hour of judgment of the Eternal and this will involve land, sea, sources of water and sky, nothing more indicated that worship who made them. That is, instead of worship these elements, to the point of wanting to obtain total control over them (as attempts to science), each one should approach with love of the One who created all things.

But why is it emphasized the role of the Eternal as Creator? What happens is that, whereas the mark of the beast has to do with buying and selling (Rev 13.17,18), then all jobs will be marked by the beast, so that those who work will be glorifying the Ha-Satan. As stealing is sin, therefore there is only one alternative: to live by faith, as it is up to all righteous one (Hab 2.4; Rom 1.17; Gal 3.11; Heb 10.38). We have to live the supernatural provision of Eternal, as occurred with the Hebrews when they came out of Egypt: they had to eat of the manna that fell from heaven.

Hence worship the Eternal as Creator: as one who provides for us something that goes beyond this world. Note how there is a similarity between the message of this angel and the fourth commandment (Êxo 20.11), which teaches us the importance of rest and wait in the Eternal and His provision constantly (Ps 37.7), enjoying the pleasure of your company (Ps 37.4) (hence say to worship Him).

It is also said to fear the Creator and give Him glory. Instead of wanting to receive glory, what each one should do is give all glory to the Eternal. After all, more important than to be well seen before men (Jn 5.44), is to be afraid to grieve the heart of the Eternal (Eph 4.30). And, if you do not embrace the posture of simplicity before the wolves, seeking in the knowledge of the Eternal what you need (Matthew 10.16; Prov 9.10), you will be devoured by them (since they eat lots of meat - see 1Pet 5.8,9).

As soon as the first angel finishes his message, it comes the second one:

 

·        "And there followed another angel, saying, Babylon is fallen, is fallen, that great city, because she made all nations drink of the wine of the wrath of her fornication." (Rev 14.8).

 

It is clear that there can’t be the literal Babylon on the Euphrates, given that this prophecy is the future and the literal Babylon had long ago disappeared, without any possibility of rising again (Isaiah 13.20). 

You can be certain: this message is for those who will convert to Christ, mainly the Israelites, because they are so attached to Jerusalem (Great Babylon - Micah 1.5). To ensure that the chosen ones won’t be misled with regard to the rituals performed in the temple to be built in Jerusalem, as well as the universal religion that part there (which is the image of the beast instead of being the image of Christ) and, with this, decide to receive his mark in his forehead, or in his hand, the Eternal will permit the destruction of Jerusalem (Great Babylon). When Jerusalem is destroyed the Israelites will see that the Messiah that they elected is false and, with this, do not receive the mark of the beast. 

To show everyone that they should not seek the places where supposedly Jesus is worshiped (as happened in Hosea 4.15), Jerusalem is destroyed. Hence the order to exit the Great Babylon (Rev 18.4). After all, if any man worship the beast or his image, this will be severely tormented eternally and without rest (Rev 14.11,12).

Note how all nations are lead to give worship to the Creator, only that the wrong way. Notice how the religious system has sought to attract the largest possible number of people for religious institutions. Thus, we have all the nations worshiping the Creator, but in a corrupted way (as came about at the time of Noah (Genesis 6.12) and Lot (Gen 18.20,21)).

To differentiate the true worship of the adoration promoted by Babylon, note that the correct worship is in spirit and in truth (John 4.23,24). The worship of the Great Babylon, besides fleshly (see Gal 5.19-21), is an expression of revolt against the Eternal and that leads individuals to become stumbling in true love (2Tim 3.5; 1Pet 2.6-8). After all, when people build these mega-temples or make pompous works (such as gospel shows, sending "missionaries" to strange countries, charitable works, etc.), they are, in essence, angry because, apparently, the Eternal does nothing, and for this reason, want to do everything by Jesus, as if He were a distant god, disinterested, weak, etc.

In addition, note the fury of these leaders in wanting to pluck people's money at all costs and lead people to think they are better than the others, as well as to be fighting for their convictions, speaking of which they do not understand (as in Job 42.3 , Sl 131.1; Jude 10).

Although Babylon was already laid (one of the reasons for the emphasis "fell, fell" (twice)) and full of demons (Rev 18.2), many until this moment had not seen that the countless miracles occurred in the religious institutions were of demonic origin (Matt 18.25; 2Thes 2.9-12; Rev 13.13). So much so that the Eternal had expressly instruct His disciples that leave the Great Babylon (Rev 18.4), because that type of worship was wrong (many were misled, as the workers of iniquity (Matthew 7.21-23; Luke 13.23-28) and the ten virgins (Matt 25.12)).

When the first angel said to worship the Creator (something, by the way, very emphasized in Holy Scripture - for example, in Nehemiah 9.6; Psalms 33.6; 124.8; 146.6; At 14.15; 17.24), this is implicitly saying that they were not worshipping Him. It was exactly this that the two witnesses will try to show (Rev 11.1-3). However, they will feel that, how they are worshipping in the temple, everything is right.

The second angel then reinforces the message of the two witnesses, saying that Jerusalem with its temple, Babylon the Great, was already doomed to ruin. That is, instead of staying worshiping Jerusalem and its entire religious formalism, who really belongs to Jesus must leave the Religious System and seek direct relationship with the Eternal.

And the fact that the fall of the Great Babylon be said twice ("fell, fell") indicates also that the Eternal will make Jerusalem fall quickly (see Genesis 41.32), a little after the Angel say His message (message similar in Jer 51.7,8; Isa 21.9).

Summarizing: exit the religious system in order to worship the Creator of the correct mode.

 

·        "For thus saith the LORD God of Israel unto me; Take the wine cup of this fury at my hand, and cause all the nations, to whom I send thee, to drink it. And they shall drink, and be moved, and be mad, because of the sword that I will send among them." (Jer 25.15,16). 

·        "Babylon hath been a golden cup in the LORD'S hand, that made all the earth drunken: the nations have drunken of her wine; therefore the nations are mad." (Jeremiah 51.7).

 

In contrast with wine of the wrath of the Eternal, we have the wine of the wrath of the prostitution of the Great Babylon. The wine of the wrath of the Eternal aimed to lead individuals to see, by means of the plagues of the seven angels, that He was angry with the way of worship that they were offering to Him. 

Whereas Ha-Satan conceals the things of the Eternal, therefore the wine of the wrath of her fornication (note how the nations get angry - Rev 11.18) will do the worshipers of the beast to promote the intimacy between individuals and the pleasures of sin. 

The wine of prostitution is so strong that it leads individuals from all over the world to mobilize against Jesus, because it is He who, supposedly, is guilty of being the "party pooper" (see Rev 16.11). As they loved their evil deeds (John 3.19-21) and they couldn't convince Jesus to support the misconduct of them, then they wanted revenge of Jesus and, if was possible, destroy Him.

Indeed, the proof of which Joel 3 is related with Rev 14 is that Joel 3.13,15.16 shows the harvest ripe and the winepress full, the sun and the moon shall be dark and Jesus roaring in Zion, as occurs in Revelation 14.14-20, Rev 6.12,13 and Rev 14.1, respectively.

To be clear: the source of all sin is in the soul. When a pleasure this is not supplied, it get unhappy and, at this time, only two postures it is possible to be seen: if the spirit does not submit to the Eternal, this revolt against Him, coming to go over everything and everyone in the hope of achieving what the Eternal does not want to give them. Hence the reason for each one wanting to stand on the other: each one wants to be the god of others to, with this, to achieve what will satisfy their rebel ego.

 

·        "And the third angel followed them, saying with a loud voice, If any man worship the beast and his image, and receive his mark in his forehead, or in his hand," (Rev 14.9).

 

After the first angel pointing to true worship, the second show that Jerusalem with his Jewish system of worship to the Eternal was a fallen prostitution, now comes the third angel showing what happens with those who adopts this type of worship.

It is condemned who loves:

 

·        The beast from the sea -> accepts your orders and ideas in order to win the right to make use of the political, legal and police system established by him , and thus ensure their interests;

·        The image of the beast from the sea-> i.e. those who cling to the satanic community, as if it were truth, the path of salvation. Those who, today, idolize their pastors, as well as the religious institution frequented by them;

·        Receives the signal on the forehead or on the hand -> tries to get goods in this world (including food, drink or dress) conniving with those who violate the principles of Holy Scripture, instead of living by the faith (Hab 2.4; Rom 1.17; Gal 3.11; Heb 10.38).

 

Comes the question: what makes the worship the beast and his image to be something so serious, if compared with all other forms of idolatry that existed or that exists? After all, in the past, the emperors also demanded to be worshipped as gods. No other form of idolatry was so severely condemned. 

The problem is that, here, all will be worshipping Jesus in a bestial manner. They won’t worshipping other god, but the beast from the Sea using the name of Jesus.

Also note the connection between worship the beast and his image and receive his mark. Nobody will receive the mark without being fully aware of what it means. Indeed, it is precisely by worship the beast from the sea and are disgusted with Jesus that they are asking the beast from the sea that give them his brand: to exclude from social life all who are of Jesus.

But after all, what is the condemnation?

 

·        “The same shall drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is poured out without mixture into the cup of his indignation; and 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 ascendeth up for ever and ever: and they have no rest day nor night, who worship the beast and his image, and whosoever receiveth the mark of his name.” (Rev 14.10,11).

 

Behold the punishment to suffer all those who worship the beast, though well-intentioned, thinking that they are worshiping the Creator. Many thinks that because they are in total fidelity to the religious institution, obeying what says the religious leader, are exempt from judgment, which is not true (see Isa 9.16,17; 31.1-3; Ezek 14.9-11; Matt 15.14).

 

• The same shall drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is poured out without mixture into the cup of his indignation -> the wine to be drunk is no mixing (i.e., without being diluted in water). This refers also to the practice of forcing the prisoners to drink something poisoned.

Such individual will be stumbling and falling due to be sentenced to food, within himself, the hatred  of the Eternal for sin which houses the hearts of the people and the worst: still suffering the full impact of the plagues contained in the bowls. The individual, in addition to suffer the judgment, still suffer with the wickedness of the people, with the hatred for them and for the consequences of solving everything so evil.

See the Eternal operating this type of judgment:

o   "Every man is brutish by his knowledge; every founder is confounded by the graven image: for his molten image is falsehood, and there is no breath in them." (Isaiah 51.17);

o   "For thus saith the LORD God of Israel unto me; Take the wine cup of this fury at my hand, and cause all the nations, to whom I send thee, to drink it." (Jer 25.15).

Those who do not submit to Christ and His piety (2Tim 3.5), will be condemned, as a vessel of wrath, to drink of the wrath of the Eternal without mixing, i.e., without being diluted with blessings (different from what happened in Psalms 75.8). Such individual will be condemned to live eternally tormented with fury of everything and everyone;

Here we have an awareness of the divine antagonism. How can a God who is love (1John 4.8,16) have a wine of wrath? However, wherein someone remains continually rejecting the offers of the love of Jesus, such individual will accumulate hatred in the hearts of individuals. Finally, the Eternal ends up giving the individual what they wanted to find in the life of individuals with whom they had contact;

• he shall be tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of the holy angels, and in the presence of the Lamb -> This type of punishment is the default for the wicked (see Gen 19.24; Ps 11.6; Ezek 38.21,22). 

The individual will be tormented:

o   With the fire of struggles and persecutions because of the sins of others;

o   With the stench of their ideas (2Cor 2.14-16) and feelings.

Note how they are tormented in the presence of the angels and of the Lamb, which for them is a stumbling stone (2Pet 2.5-8) and bad smell.

From the hell the wicked shall contemplate the result of all the kindness expressed by Jesus when He shed His blood to save people who did not deserve. This will haunt them.

Here we have a sense of intense agony. Sulfur adds intensity to heat and fury of the flames of the fire. A guilty conscience has the hell inside them. Let us remember of Cain: "And Cain said unto the LORD, My punishment is greater than I can bear." (Gen 4.13).

• the smoke of their torment ascendeth up for ever and ever -> (Compare Isaiah 34:9,10 with Genesis 19.28), the fire springing from within, from the interior of the person (Ezek 28.18), burn the wickedness in his own heart. However, as this never ends, the torment lasts forever, since there is no consolation that is large enough to placate the traumas resulting from justice centered on the ego itself.

The fire lit by the wine of false joys, they wanted to keep alight, now will remain lit throughout eternity. However, with such joy was substantiated in the misfortune of others, each one will be moved by pleasure in seeing the other tormented. The result: they will harass each other by centuries of centuries.

As well as the altar of burned offering, the altar of incense and golden candlestick should stay lit constantly, exhaling smoke of sweet smell pleasing to the Eternal, now they will burn themselves and exhale the smoke of their bad smell for all eternity.

• they have no rest day nor night -> In contrast with the four living creatures that do not rest day and night proclaiming the holiness and the activity of Jesus in our past, present and future, they won’t have rest from sin and the consequences of it (Isaiah 57.21) (sin, sorrow, boring, weakness, regret, torment, remorse and temptations).On the other hand, such rest is granted to those who die in Jesus.

As the wicked ones annihilated his mercies, the wrath of them did tear perpetually, they will keep his wrath forever.

Here we have a constant state of unrest. There is no rest in sin (Isaiah 57.21). All live tormenting themselves and each other without stopping.

 

Thus we can summarize the punishment of the wicked:

 

1.     It is the direct expression of divine displeasure: the worshipers of the beast from the sea shall drink of the wine of the wrath of the Eternal;

2.     Be inflicted direct personal suffering: "And he shall be tormented with fire and brimstone";

3.     There is a worsening of suffering: "in the presence of the holy angels, and in the presence of the Lamb";

4.     It is a ceaseless disturbance: "and they have no rest day nor night";

5.     Is infinite: "the smoke of their torment ascendeth up for ever and ever".

 

In summary, the worshipers of the beast will drink the cup which will be given to the great Babylon (Rev 16.19) and will be tormented with Ha-Satan and the Beast (Rev 19.20; 20.10).

What it can teach us? Among other lessons we can learn that:

 

1. The retribution of the Eternal over the infidels and wicked is a terrible reality;

2. In the midst of temptation, the remembrance of this will be of great help;

3. The love of the Eternal is real and always shows us the truth;

4. Do not go to Christ to obtain eternal life is self-destruction.

 

And to testify to the truthfulness of all this, in the millennium, all who leave Jerusalem after worship there the Eternal (Isaiah 66.23), will be able to see the dead bodies of the men that offenders against the Eternal in the battle of Armageddon burning and being eaten of worms without pause:

 

·        "And it shall come to pass, that from one new moon to another, and from one sabbath to another, shall all flesh come to worship before me, saith the LORD. And they shall go forth, and look upon the carcases of the men that have transgressed against me: for their worm shall not die, neither shall their fire be quenched; and they shall be an abhorring unto all flesh." (Isaiah 66.23,24).

 

·        "Here is the patience of the saints: here are they that keep the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus." (Rev 14.12).

 

Here you can see how precious is the patience of the saints: who is not patient will be condemned to live tormented. Patience is not conformism, but stay in the fight waiting for Jesus:

 

·        "He that is slow to anger is better than the mighty; and he that ruleth his spirit than he that taketh a city.”  (Proverbs 16.32).

 

Who are the saints?

Those who keep the commandments of the Eternal and the faith in Jesus. But what does it mean to keep the commandments of the Eternal? To understand this, let us consider the main passage that has to do with commandments:

 

·        “He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me: and he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father, and I will love him, and will manifest myself to him. Jesus answered and said unto him, If a man love me, he will keep my words: and my Father will love him, and we will come unto him, and make our abode with him." (John 14.21,23).

 

The first thing that needs to happen is to have the commandments of the Eternal (Prov 23.23). It is not enough to know them. You need to understand what they mean (Eph 5.14-17) and let them to do part of our routine. After all, what is important is not the works of the law (Eph 2.8,9), but the purpose that exists behind these works. To be more accurate: the important thing is how the Love can and wants to act through each one of them.

To illustrate this, let us consider the purpose behind the ten commandments:

 

·        1^St commandment + Love -> have the Eternal in His presence, i.e., not to do as lovers who use the body of one another, without worrying about what the other is feeling. We have to belong to Him and He belong to us (see Ct 6.3; Ps 16.5; 73.26; 119.57; 142.5). We need to have intimacy with Him, instead of seeking only His blessings;

·        2^Nd commandment + Love -> Be, live the image and likeness of the Eternal in our life. There is nothing that we can make, acquire or seek to make that our life has meaning. The  correct is love your neighbor as Jesus loved us (John 13.34,35); 

·        3^Rd commandment + Love -> Use the name of Jesus for His will to be done in heaven and on earth;

·        4^Th commandment + Love -> Rest and wait in Jesus, taking pleasure in His company (Ps 37.4,7) daily and continuously. We should to leave our work to do only what pleases Him (see Isa 58.13,14);

·        5^Th commandment + Love -> All times that we eat, drink or do anything else, we must do everything for the glory of the name of the Eternal (1 Corinthians 10.31), so that everything that Jesus was and is remains in memory of all (Lk 22.19; 1 Corinthians 11.24,25) and, in this way, the memory of His Church be perpetuated in the heavens and on the earth;

·        6^Th commandment + Love -> to give our lives for the brethren (John 15.12,13);

·        7^Th commandment + Love -> Live the purpose of the Eternal in the marriage. That is, it is not simply for the man to be faithful to the purpose of the Eternal for his life, but to do this through the life of his wife, just as Jesus to do with His Church. After all, although the Eternal show Himself to everyone, His main work is to show through His church (Ephesians 3.8-10). Through the wife, the husband will generate children and seek to live the Holy Scripture within the weakness and limitation of them (not just obliging the wife and children to be faithful, but allowing the Eternal use him as a member of the body of them in order that His fidelity fulfill in them).

·        8^Th commandment + Love -> Share so that the individual may have everything they need to ensure that all the will of the Eternal fulfillment in their life (Prov 3.27).

·        9^Th commandment + Love -> have the testimony of the Eternal within themselves (Acts 1.8; 1John 5.9-12), so as to be column and bulwark of the truth" (1 Tim 3.15). 

·        10^Th commandment + Love -> want what is ours so that the neighbor may have in us what they needs to be what the Eternal want to them.

 

Keep the commandments implies, first of all, hold the purpose for which they were established. It is not mere rules to be complied with, but to live in the image and likeness of the Eternal within themselves. But for this we must stay trusting in Jesus, even to the point of never wanting to settle something in our life waiving this that constitutes the essence of walking with Jesus (see Rev 13.10; 12.17). And it is clear that, for this, it is need a lot of patience, that is, wait for the moment when everything that the Eternal planned is to fulfill itself and, in this way, we can be able to experience the fullness of good, pleasing and perfect will of the Eternal (Rm 12.2), and not just part of it.

Also, the use of the word "here" in verse shows in what sense the followers of Jesus must have patience, keep the commandments of the Eternal and the faith of Jesus.That is to say, they should not seek to resolve conflicts by making use of the justice of the world (Isa 30.1-3, 31.1-3), nor seek to worship the Eternal in the same way that the religious and impious worship their gods, nor seek the necessary for life through the mercantile system of the beast.

 

·        "And I heard a voice from heaven saying unto me, Write, Blessed are the dead which die in the Lord from henceforth: Yea, saith the Spirit, that they may rest from their labours; and their works do follow them." (Rev 14.13).

 

"And I heard a voice from heaven": if we think that it was a voice from heaven that said the sonship of Jesus (Mark 1.11; 9.7), soon see how important is this voice.

Who dies in Christ will rest of their physical, mental and emotional fatigue, but not of their activities, because these will accompany them. And the fact that the works of them follow, although it has to do with the reward at the judgment seat of Christ (Romans 14.10; 2Cor 5.10), also has a relationship with the work that we perform in the millennium and in eternity.

After all, eternity is no place for idleness, but the highest form of spiritual work.

Remember the Eden: Adam and Eve, although they had to work in paradise, the strength and joy inside them was greater than the effort necessary for the success of the job. The sweat of the face is that it was the consequence of sin (Genesis 3.19), i.e., the ability to get tired and ill.

Detail: The story of a man (Adam) ended up being the history of all men.

It is true that Solomon interpreted physically this tiredness, as if it were for the rest of the problems or the persecution of the beast:

 

·        "So I returned, and considered all the oppressions that are done under the sun: and behold the tears of such as were oppressed, and they had no comforter; and on the side of their oppressors there was power; but they had no comforter. Wherefore I praised the dead which are already dead more than the living which are yet alive." (Ecc 4.1,2).

 

However, what makes the followers of the Eternal tired and tormented is to see the injustice and sin of others (see Isa 43.23,24; 2Pet 2.7,8).

Thus, with regard to the rest of the tedious work, here is how it will be the same as regards our:

 

·        Physic nature: here our willingness to do something good is limited by fatigue and illness, as well as the effort to obtain and retain our skills;

·        Mental nature: how much effort is needed to grow in knowledge and wisdom. Just think that "...much study is a weariness of the flesh." (Ecc 12.12).

·        Sentimental nature: How many times we limit our willingness to help others because we do not know whether we are helping the right individual, on time and in a right way. After all, in addition to our resources are limited, there is still the possibility we are helping someone ungrateful, which will end up doing evil use what we are giving them (giving that which is holy to the dogs and casting their pearls before swine - Matt 7.6);

·        Spiritual nature: Fight against our spiritual enemies, including our ego (Rom 7.24).

 

The blessing is: 

 

(1)   Ensured by the heavenly proclamation: "And I heard a voice from heaven";

(2)   Confirmed by the witness of the Spirit: "Yea, saith the Spirit";

(3)   Promised to who are spiritual: "who die in the Lord from henceforth";

(4)   The reward of fidelity is maintained until the end of his life: "who die in the Lord from henceforth."

 

The reward is:

 

(1)   A state of happiness: they are blessed;

(2)   A state of rest of the tedious work, danger and suffering: they will rest from their labors;

(3)   It is displayed as a consequence and recognition of his diligence and effective work: their works accompanying them;

(4)   Jesus will give grace and glory to the winners (1Pet 5:10; 2Cor 5:4; Ps 84:11).

 

Therefore, here is encouragement for:

 

(1)   Self-denial;

(2)   Patient work;

(3)   Immortal devotion.

 

For more serious that is the Great Tribulation, for the greater the deception, it won’t be allowed any excuse to worship the Eternal in the wrong way, nor even to get rid of the problems (whether relying on the resources of this world or using of malice against persons).

It is clear that the wickedness, deceit, injustice and suffering will be so intense that the Holy Spirit Himself says be blessed those who died in the Lord. 

Blessed are those who die in Jesus for three reasons:

 

·        By not having to see the evil that will befall the world;

·        Because they are exempt from the greatest evils which will come upon the world;

·        They will enjoy a state of blessing and happiness indescribable.

 

Life will no longer be a joy, but of disturbance and agony. And since the good works accompany the righteous, it is better to die. When a workman dies, his sculpture stay; when the individual sculpts in his soul the character and works of Christ, that accompanies them.

So terrible is the suffering that Jesus said that if those days should be shortened, there should no flesh be saved (Mt 24.22). This reminds the following verse:

 

·        "The righteous perisheth, and no man layeth it to heart: and merciful men are taken away, none considering that the righteous is taken away from the evil to come." (Isaiah 57.1).

 

 The truth is that life is a constant struggle: think, for example, as a small bud has to fight to stay alive, how many dangers it is exposed.

The works follow implies that:

 

1.     Everything that the righteous does and suffers here will be properly rewarded there;

2.     What will accompany the righteous will be their character and the results of their conduct here. In this aspect, the eternity will be an extension of the present life;

3.     Our present may affect the future as well. Our conduct here can lay the foundation for happiness millions of years from here.

 

Obs.: when we give something to someone as if we were giving to Christ, we are justifying Him.

It is clear that the physical result of our works won’t follow us: 

 

·        "As he came forth of his mother's womb, naked shall he return to go as he came, and shall take nothing of his labour, which he may carry away in his hand." (Ec 5:15) 

 

It is also good to note that the works will not go before the believers (as if they were the passport to enter heaven), neither side (as if through them we buy our salvation), but "follow" those who believe, as a confirmation that they are of Jesus.

As to the beatitudes of revelation, see:

 

·        Blessed is he that reads, hear and keep the Revelation -> "Blessed is he that readeth, and they that hear the words of this prophecy, and keep those things which are written therein: for the time is at hand." (Revelation 1.3).

·        Blessed is he that keepeth the Revelation -> "Behold, I come quickly: blessed is he that keepeth the sayings of the prophecy of this book." (Revelation 22.7).

·        Blessed those who die in Jesus ->" And I heard a voice from heaven saying unto me, Write, Blessed are the dead which die in the Lord from henceforth: Yea, saith the Spirit, that they may rest from their labours; and their works do follow them." (Revelation 14.13).

·        Blessed who watches and keeps your clothes -> "Behold, I come as a thief. Blessed is he that watcheth, and keepeth his garments, lest he walk naked, and they see his shame." (Revelation 16.15).

·        Blessed those who are called to the marriage supper of the Lamb -> "And he saith unto me, Write, Blessed are they which are called unto the marriage supper of the Lamb. And he saith unto me, These are the true sayings of God." (Revelation 19.9).

·        Blessed is he who has part in the first resurrection -> "Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection: on such the second death hath no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with him a thousand years." (Revelation 20.6).

·        Blessed is he that keepeth the commandments of the Eternal -> "Blessed are they that do his commandments, that they may have right to the tree of life, and may enter in through the gates into the city." (Revelation 22.14).

 

Finally, blessed those who now sleep in the Eternal, because they were called to the marriage supper of the Lamb, what motivated them to read, listen to, and keep the Sacred Scripture (in particular, the prophecies of the Revelation), to the point of watch, and keepeth his garments of righteousness, coming to take part in the first resurrection.

And one of the reasons for such an individual be blessed is the fact of being accompanied by their works. After all, while here on earth, the individual, many times, does not have the privilege of seeing their works being effectual.

But after all: why are those who die blessed from the moment that John had this vision? This is something so serious that the voice from heaven says that these words were recorded. Note, however, that the one who gave clarification of the reason for the blessedness is the Holy Spirit. Therefore, only has understanding of the real message of the Eternal who has the Spirit of the Eternal ministering within oneself.

The truth is that the term "now" in "die in the Lord from henceforth" is referring to the time after the message of the three angels, i.e., after the rapture. After all, in the midst of so much suffering, such as never was since the antiquity, neither shall there be after (Dan 12.1; Matt 24.21), it is better to die in Jesus than stay alive worshipping the beast to try to circumvent the judgment on sin.

 

·        "And I looked, and behold a white cloud, and upon the cloud one sat like unto the Son of man, having on his head a golden crown, and in his hand a sharp sickle." (Rev 14.14).

 

That Jesus is the Son of man here, just look at the following passages:

 

·        In Matthew 17.5, in the Transfiguration, we see the "white cloud".

·        In Luke 21.27 is said "Then shall they see the Son of man coming in a cloud with power and great glory". 

·        In Revelation 1.7 it is said that Jesus is coming with the clouds.

 

·        "For the Father judgeth no man, but hath committed all judgment unto the Son:" (John 5.22);

·        "And hath given him authority to execute judgment also, because he is the Son of man." (John 5.27); 

·        "Because he hath appointed a day, in the which he will judge the world in righteousness by that man whom he hath ordained; whereof he hath given assurance unto all men, in that he hath raised him from the dead." (Acts 17.31).

 

An important detail to be observed is that this being like unto the Son of man is preceded by four angels and followed by three angels. It comes the question: why "similar" to the Son of man, instead of saying that "it is", the Son of man (also in Dan 7.13; Rev 1.13)? Athough it is referring to Jesus, however his body was no longer equal to the physical body of any man, but the body that we will have after we ressurrect.

Jesus was resting on a white cloud. It was common the Eternal manifest in cloud when He had something to communicate (see Êxo 16.10; 19.9,16; 24.15,16; 33.9; 34.5; 40.34-38; Lev 16.2; Num 11.25; 12.5; 16.42; Deut 5.22; 31.15; 1Kings 8.10; 2Chr 5.13,14; Ps 99.7; Ezek 10.3.4) or to guide the people (Êxo 13.21,22; 14.19,20.24; Num 9.15-22; 10.11,12; Deut 14.14; 1.33; Nehemiah 9.12,19; Ps 78.14; 105.39). Thus, at His coming, He undertook to come in the cloud (Mark 13.26; Lk 21.27; Acts 1.9-11), since this is to be a message and a direction for all those that remain. It isn’t in vain that the two witnesses ascended up to heaven in a cloud (Rev 11.12).

It is interesting that, here, Jesus has only a crown of gold, while those in Rev 19.12, Jesus appears with many diadems (crowns). The reason is that, here, His crown is a winner who has won the right to gather their disciples and execute judgment upon the wicked. There, the crowns indicate that He is the King of each one of the kings that exists on this earth, who reigns over everything and everyone.

Regarding the sickle, this indicates that the fruits are already ripe (Mark 4.29), i.e., the Church of Jesus has already reached full maturity. The whole purpose that had been established for it will have been fulfilled.

 

·        "And another angel came out of the temple, crying with a loud voice to him that sat on the cloud, Thrust in thy sickle, and reap: for the time is come for thee to reap; for the harvest of the earth is ripe. And he that sat on the cloud thrust in his sickle on the earth; and the earth was reaped." (Rv 14.15,16). 

 

This angel is said to exit the temple, i.e., the Holy of Holies. This is important, because it shows that it comes from the intimate presence of the Eternal, being a messenger from Him. This alone is reason enough for Jesus to obey it. However, remember that only the Father knows the hour of Jesus come (Matthew 13.32; Acts 1.7). Therefore, how could this angel know the exact time, unless he had heard it straight from the Father? Hence this angel cry out with a loud voice (with total boldness), as did the first and third angels (Rev 14.7).

Until the Father give the signal, the time of Jesus will not arrival. Jesus Himself said:

 

·        “Then answered Jesus and said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, The Son can do nothing of himself, but what he seeth the Father do: for what things soever he doeth, these also doeth the Son likewise." (John 5.19).

·        "But of that day and hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels of heaven, but my Father only." (Mt 24:36).

 

Besides, do you remember what Jesus said?

 

·        "And he answered them, saying, Who is my mother, or my brethren? And he looked round about on them which sat about him, and said, Behold my mother and my brethren! For whosoever shall do the will of God, the same is my brother, and my sister, and mother" (Mark 3.33-35).

 

And this is not the first time that the Eternal orders something to Himself through His messengers. See in Ezekiel 37.1-11.

Note how the time of harvest was not appropriate (Jesus comes in the day that nobody expects and in time that nobody knows - Matt 24.41,42), but as a whole the harvest of the earth (the Church) was mature, then the time of reaping was coming. When the corn is at its best stage, it is reaped.

It is good to remember that, without harvesting, there isn’t food here on earth. As the Church, in this prophecy, is the harvest, therefore it is the angels' food. The bread of angels can only be eaten for whom the Father grants (see Ps 78.25; John 6.32). 

Comes the question: this wheat is being assembled in the barn of the Eternal for whom? To serve as food also for all others who believed or who will believe in the Eternal. 

Also remember that the harvest is a symbol of blessing for those who are harvested and judgment to those that remain:

 

·        "For thus saith the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel; The daughter of Babylon is like a threshingfloor, it is time to thresh her: yet a little while, and the time of her harvest shall come." (Jer 51.33).

·        "I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance: but he that cometh after me is mightier than I, whose shoes I am not worthy to bear: he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost, and with fire: whose fan is in his hand, and he will throughly purge his floor, and gather his wheat into the garner; but he will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire." (Matthew 3.11-12).

 

The Eternal exercise judgment on this world snatching his Church. Such removal will imply the end of the preaching of the Gospel and the revelations of the Eternal.

A description of this is made in the book of Joel:

 

·        "Assemble yourselves, and come, all ye heathen, and gather yourselves together round about: thither cause thy mighty ones to come down, O LORD. Let the heathen be wakened, and come up to the valley of Jehoshaphat: for there will I sit to judge all the heathen round about. Put ye in the sickle, for the harvest is ripe: come, get you down; for the press is full, the fats 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. The sun and the moon shall be darkened, and the stars shall withdraw their shining. The LORD also shall roar out of Zion, and utter his voice from Jerusalem; and the heavens and the earth shall shake: but the LORD will be the hope of his people, and the strength of the children of Israel." (Joel 3.11-16).

 

Note how the first harvest is reaped, i.e., the Church is raptured. After the winepress is trodden under foot, i.e., comes the judgment of the seven bowls. You may ask: but, and regard to the parable of the tares?

 

·        "Another parable put he forth unto them, saying, The kingdom of heaven is likened unto a man which 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 blade was sprung up, and brought forth fruit, then appeared the tares also. So the servants of the householder came and said unto him, Sir, didst not thou sow good seed in thy field? from whence then hath it tares? He said unto them, An enemy hath done this. The servants said unto him, Wilt thou then that we go and gather them up? But he said, Nay; lest while ye gather up the tares, ye root up also the wheat with them. Let both grow together until the harvest: and in the time of harvest I will say to the reapers, Gather ye together first the tares, and bind them in bundles to burn them: but gather the wheat into my barn." (Matthew 13.24-30).

·        “He answered and said unto them, He that soweth the good seed is the Son of man; the field is the world; the good seed are the children of the kingdom; but the tares are the children of the wicked one;  the enemy that sowed them is the devil; the harvest is the end of the world; and the reapers are the angels. As therefore the tares are gathered and burned in the fire; so shall it be in the end of this world. The Son of man shall send forth his angels, and they shall gather out of his kingdom all things that offend, and them which do iniquity; and shall cast them into a furnace of fire: there shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth." (Matthew 13.37-42).

 

This passage refers to the occasion when Jesus comes. First of all the wicked will be gathered by Ha-Satan and his angels (which are also angels of the Eternal, since everything belongs to Him) for the battle of Armageddon (Rev 16.13,14). After this battle is that the angels joined the who profess the name of the Eternal, separating the goats from the sheep.

 

·        "And another angel came out of the temple which is in heaven, he also having a sharp sickle." (Rev 14.17).

 

This angel also came out of the temple. Only that, instead of bringing a message, he brought a sharp sickle, as Jesus. That is to say, this indicates that, after the rapture of the Church, now is the time determined by the Eternal for the grapes of evil being mown down.

As Jesus is the reaper and an angel, the vintager, therefore these are two different works. And that will be an angel who will gather the wicked to be thrown into the fire, this can be seen in the parables of the tares (Matthew 13.24-30) and the network launched at sea (Matthew 13.47-50).

 

·        "And another angel came out from the altar, which had power over fire; and cried with a loud cry to him that had the sharp sickle, saying, Thrust in thy sharp sickle, and gather the clusters of the vine of the earth; for her grapes are fully ripe. And the angel thrust in his sickle into the earth, and gathered the vine of the earth, and cast it into the great winepress of the wrath of God." (Rev 14.18,19).

 

We do not know which altar that the angel came out. If the angel came out of the altar of burned offering, then what you have in mind is the cry of the martyrs; if he left the altar of incense, which has in mind is the prayers of all the saints.

But the angel who came out of the temple could only reap after receiving the order of the angel who had power over fire. It is very likely that this angel is the same that received the fourth bowl:

 

·        "And the fourth angel poured out his vial upon the sun; and power was given unto him to scorch men with fire." (Revelation 16.8).

 

However, the more likely it is that this angel has left the altar of incense. Probably this angel is the same in Revelation 8:

 

·        "And another angel came and stood at the altar, having a golden censer; and there was given unto him much incense, that he should offer it with the prayers of all saints upon the golden altar which was before the throne. And the smoke of the incense, which came with the prayers of the saints, ascended up before God out of the angel's hand. And the angel took the censer, and filled it with fire of the altar, and cast it into the earth: and there were voices, and thunderings, and lightnings, and an earthquake." (Rev 8.3-5).

 

As this angel had power over fire, and this was necessary to burn the incense that was used at all times that the prayers of the saints should be offered, therefore this angel was responsible for giving conditions so that the prayers of the righteous could be perceived by all in heaven and on earth. Without this, nobody would be able to associate the events of the day-to-day with the prayers made, as if things happen by chance, regardless of our relationship with the Eternal.

Note that worked, because everyone turned against the followers of the Eternal, blaming them for the plagues that were coming upon the world (hence fighting against the army of the Eternal - Rev 19.19).

Comes the question: who is the vine of the earth? Jesus is the true vine and we the branches (John 15.1). Based on Isaiah 5.5,7 and Ezekiel 17.6, Israel is the vine of the earth and the other nations, their branches. After all, remember that:

 

·        Is from the earth, i.e., from Israel that raises the false prophet (Hosea 1.11; Rev 13.11);

·        It from the prophets of Jerusalem who exits the contamination of the whole earth (Jeremiah 23.15);

·        Jerusalem, Babylon the Great is drunken with the blood of the righteous (Rev 17.5,6) and of all who dwell on the earth (Matt 23.34,35; Rev 18.24).

·        Israel was responsible for condemning Jesus, which is the life in person (John 11.25; 14.6).

 

The grapes from the vine of the earth were ripe, i.e., the Israelites and its branches (spiritual daughters) had already exploited to the maximum of each one of the ways of evil possible. Each grape contains prostituitions and abominations produced by Israel (Babylon) (whose wine was consumed by all the nations (Rev 17.4; 18.3)), as well as the blood of saints and prophets, and of all who dwell on the earth. After all, they will tolerate nothing and nobody that prevented them to get what they wanted.

Hence Hosea prophesy:

 

·        "When they shall go, I will spread my net upon them; I will bring them down as the fowls of the heaven; I will chastise them, as their congregation hath heard." (Hosea 7.12).

 

Beyond the literal spill, the main shedding of blood is related to kill Christ of the life of the individuals with false doctrines, leading individuals to be miserable, i.e., to seek in Christ based on the comfort of this life (1 Corinthians 15.19), thus denying the power of godliness (see Genesis 6.13; 11.4,5; 18.20,21; 2Tim 3.5).

Although here in Revelation 14 is described only the harvest, at the end all the vine of the earth will be uprooted.

 

·        "But he answered and said, Every plant, which my heavenly Father hath not planted, shall be rooted up." (Matt 15.13).

 

In short: 

 

1^st - the angel will vintage the clusters of the vine of the earth, and throw them in the great winepress of the wrath of the Eternal (Rev 14.19);

2^nd - Jesus treading the winepress of the wrath of the Eternal:

 

·        "And out of his mouth goeth a sharp sword, that with it he should smite the nations: and he shall rule them with a rod of iron: and he treadeth the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God." (Rev 19.15).

 

3^rd - the wine made with these grapes will be concentrated lest lost no drop, but will be divided into seven bowls of the wrath of the Eternal:

 

·        "The same shall drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is poured out without mixture into the cup of his indignation; and he shall be tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of the holy angels, and in the presence of the Lamb:" (Revelation 14.10).

 

Comes the question: what is treading the winepress?

 

·        "The Lord hath trodden under foot all my mighty men in the midst of me: he hath called an assembly against me to crush my young men: the Lord hath trodden the virgin, the daughter of Judah, as in a winepress." (Lam 1.15).

 

The Eternal will do everybody to stay immersed in all wickedness that exists in the heart of their and of all that with them worship the beast of the sea (this in form of blood in the sea, in the rivers and in the fountain of waters).

 

·        "And the winepress was trodden without the city, and blood came out of the winepress, even unto the horse bridles, by the space of a thousand and six hundred furlongs." (Rev 14.20).

 

One furlong = 182,88 meters.

1600 furlongs = 292,608 Km.

Many interpret this physically and attach this to the valley of Jehoshaphat.

 

·        "Assemble yourselves, and come, all ye heathen, and gather yourselves together round about: thither cause thy mighty ones to come down, O LORD. Let the heathen be wakened, and come up to the valley of Jehoshaphat: for there will I sit to judge all the heathen round about. Put ye in the sickle, for the harvest is ripe: come, get you down; for the press is full, the fats 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. The sun and the moon shall be darkened, and the stars shall withdraw their shining. The LORD also shall roar out of Zion, and utter his voice from Jerusalem; and the heavens and the earth shall shake: but the LORD will be the hope of his people, and the strength of the children of Israel." (Joel 3.11-16).

·        "For I will gather all nations against Jerusalem to battle; and the city shall be taken, and the houses rifled, and the women ravished; and half of the city shall go forth into captivity, and the residue of the people shall not be cut off from the city. Then shall the LORD go forth, and fight against those nations, as when he fought in the day of battle. And his feet shall stand in that day upon the mount of Olives, which is before Jerusalem on the east, and the mount of Olives shall cleave in the midst thereof toward the east and toward the west, and there shall be a very great valley; and half of the mountain shall remove toward the north, and half of it toward the south. And ye shall flee to the valley of the mountains; for the valley of the mountains shall reach unto Azal: yea, ye shall flee, like as ye fled from before the earthquake in the days of Uzziah king of Judah: and the LORD my God shall come, and all the saints with thee." (Zechariah 14.2-5).

 

At this time (a few days after the half of the 70^th week), the clusters of the vine of the earth (Israel), i.e., all the evil that exists in the world will be squeezed out of the city of Jerusalem (in the valley of Jehoshaphat), so that fall upon Jerusalem (Great Babylon) all the blood shed upon the earth (Matt 23.35; Rev 18.24).

And all the wickedness of the earth squeezed through all peoples around Jerusalem, which will be gathered in the valley of Jehoshaphat, will be sufficient to fill it, so symbolic, until the bridle of the horses. 

In other words, the number of horses and riders gathered in the valley of Jehoshaphat is enough to occupy the distance of 1600 stadiums and they will be carrying an evil greater (higher, if you prefer) that they (the own wickedness added to evil throughout the world implanted in them by means of the media that cames inescrupulously manipulating the public opinion). It is so much evil, it is such a thirst to see blood being shed that, if it were to measure all this wickedness in blood, would fill the whole valley to reach the mouth of the horses.

Finally, the blood being streamed to the bridle of the horses serves to show us the extent and depth of human malice, as well as how great will be the quantity of individuals gathered in the valley of decision (Joel 3.14).

Part of this evil will fall upon Jerusalem and the remainder will be condensed, coming to be distributed among the seven bowls of the wrath of the Eternal.

Now, just as Jesus gave His blood to save us "out of town" of Jerusalem (Heb 13.12), it is also there that all the evil of the apostate Israel will be trodden down (see here the scene of destruction of the enemies of Israel - Ps 110.6; Jer 25.30-33; Isa 63.1-6; 66.15-17; Rev 19.25).

The fact that the blood of grapes have been placed in the bowls of the wrath of the Eternal indicates that the plagues of the seven bowls will, in fact, consequences of human acts (the nature will be disturbed as cemae about in the rebellion of Ha-Satan, when the earth was without form, and void - Gen 1.1,2).