The Lamb and the 144,000 on Mount Zion
Study note
In stark contrast to the beast's reign, the Lamb stands victoriously on Mount Zion with 144,000 who bear the Father's name on their foreheads. They sing a new song that only they can learn, identified as those redeemed from the earth who follow the Lamb wherever he goes. They are described as firstfruits to God and the Lamb, blameless and without falsehood.
1 Then I looked, and there stood the Lamb on Mount Zion! Standing with him were 144,000 people who had his name and his Father's name written on their foreheads. 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.
2 From heaven I heard a sound like the crashing of mighty waterfalls and the boom of heavy thunder. It also sounded like many harpists playing their harps together. And I heard a voice from heaven, as the voice of many waters, and as the voice of a great thunder: and I heard the voice of harpers harping with their harps:
3 They sang a new song in front of the throne, in front of the four living creatures, and in front of the elders. Nobody could learn that song except the 144,000 who had been bought back from the earth. 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.
4 These people had kept themselves pure. They follow the Lamb everywhere he goes. They were bought from among the human race as an offering to God and to the Lamb -- the very first and best. 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.
5 No lies were ever found on their lips. They stand before God without any fault. And in their mouth was found no guile: for they are without fault before the throne of God.
The Three Angels' Messages
Study note
Three angels deliver urgent messages. The first proclaims the eternal gospel to every nation, calling all to fear God and worship the Creator. The second announces the fall of Babylon the great. The third warns of eternal torment for anyone who worships the beast and receives its mark. The passage concludes with a call to patient endurance for the saints and a special blessing on those who die in the Lord, whose works follow them.
6 Then I saw an angel flying high across the sky. He carried the eternal good news to announce to every person living on earth -- to every nation, tribe, language, and people group. 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,
7 He called out in a loud voice, "Honor God and praise him, because the time for him to judge has arrived! Bow down before the Creator — the one who designed the sky above, the ground below, the ocean, and every freshwater spring." 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.
8 A second angel followed and announced, "She has fallen! Babylon the great has fallen! She made every nation drink the wine of her terrible sins." 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.
9 A third angel followed them. He called out loudly. "Watch out for anyone who worships the beast and its statue. Watch out if they take its mark on their forehead or hand --" 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,
10 "that person will drink the full-strength wine of God's fury, poured out into the cup of his anger. They will be tormented with fire and burning sulfur in front of the holy angels and the Lamb." 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:
11 "The smoke from their suffering rises forever and ever. Day and night there is no relief for those who worship the beast and its statue and accept the mark of its name." 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.
12 This is where God's people need to stand firm -- the ones who obey God's commands and hold on to their faith in Jesus. Here is the patience of the saints: here are they that keep the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus.
13 Then I heard a voice from heaven say, "Write this down: From now on, how blessed are those who die belonging to the Lord." The Spirit agrees: "Yes! They will rest from their hard work, and everything they did will go with them." 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.
The Two Harvests of the Earth
Study note
One like the Son of Man appears on a white cloud with a golden crown and sharp sickle. An angel calls for the harvest, and the earth is reaped. Then another angel with a sickle gathers the clusters from the vine of the earth and throws them into the great winepress of God's wrath. Blood flows from the winepress as high as horses' bridles for 1,600 furlongs, depicting the overwhelming scale of final judgment.
14 I looked, and floating on a white cloud was someone who looked like the Son of Man. He wore a golden crown on his head and held a sharp sickle in his hand. 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.
15 Another angel came from the temple and shouted to the one sitting on the cloud, "Start cutting! The time to harvest has arrived, because the earth's crop is fully ripe!" 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.
16 So the one on the cloud swung his sickle across the earth, and the earth was harvested. And he that sat on the cloud thrust in his sickle on the earth; and the earth was reaped.
17 Then another angel came out of the temple in heaven. He also carried a sharp sickle. And another angel came out of the temple which is in heaven, he also having a sharp sickle.
18 Yet another angel, the one in charge of the fire, came from the altar. He shouted to the angel with the sharp sickle, "Swing your sharp sickle and cut the clusters of grapes from the vines of the earth, because the grapes are fully ripe!" 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.
19 So the angel swung his sickle over the earth, cut the grapes, and threw them into the giant winepress of God's anger. 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.
20 The grapes were stomped in the winepress outside the city. Blood flowed out of the press, rising as high as a horse's bridle for about 180 miles. 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.