REVELATION 14
Firstfruits First and a Short Chronology

The Tribulation ends as chapter 13 concludes, and then the first five verses of chapter 14 begin to show the Rapture of the Church once again. There is no talk about clouds and trumpets or being caught up to meet Jesus in the air in these verses; instead we are seeing the concluding moments of the Rapture as the first group of believers are brought before the Throne of God for the very first time.We only catch a glimpse of the first group of believers in these five verses; the second and final group does not arrive in heaven until Revelation 15. In verse 1, the first arrivals are identified as the same 144,000 that were sealed in their foreheads just before they were raptured in Revelation 7. In the same verse, the seal in their foreheads is identified as the name of God, which could be Jehovah, Yahweh, El Shaddai, I Am or any of the other names of God. In Verse 4, the 144,000 are called the firstfruits unto God, and as such, they are delivered up to heaven before anyone els Finally, in verse 1 their location is identified as on Mount Zion, and in verse 5, it is narrowed down to a very special area on Mount Zion—before the Throne of God.

In Hebrews 12:18-22, we are told in regards to our salvation and the New Covenant that we are come “unto Mount Zion and unto the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to an innumerable company of angels,” as opposed to the Old Covenant where the earthly mountain burned with fire and produced only a law that was impossible for man to keep. In other words, the Old Covenant is based in earthly practices and the New Covenant is based in heaven in the very city of God where grace flows from Mount Zion to the heirs of the promise. There is no reason why the Mount Zion in verse 1 should be taken as anything other than the heavenly Mount Zion of Hebrews 12:22, which is the location of the city of God in heaven. The 144,000 have just gone through forty-two months of Great Tribulation in chapter 13, and now they are before the Throne of God as the “firstfruits” of God. The beasts and elders that were before the Throne in Revelation 4 and 7 are stationed before the Throne here also, which gives further proof that these saints are indeed in heaven and not just part of some elaborate imagery designed to relay a point other than what we are actually seeing. The 144,000 are not firstfruits in name only. They are raptured about two steps ahead of everyone else, or at least, they are the first ones who are allowed into the presence of God. They are delivered out of the Tribulation of chapter 13 just before God’s wrath begins in chapter 16. If you’ll recall from Revelation 6:12, the sixth seal of the Book of Revelation was opened and the Rapture was revealed. The first thing that happened was that the 144,000 from all the tribes of Israel were sealed, and then we saw the redeemed of every tribe, tongue and nation gathered into heaven before the throne of God. There is something special about the 144,000, and God makes that clear by allowing them into the throne room first with a song that only they can learn and then He drops fifteen verses of chronological commentary into the passage that follows to separate the 144,000 and the rest of the Church which is raptured in Revelation 15.

Just as Moses heeded the advice of his father-in-law Jethro in Exodus 18:13-27 and appointed a functional chain of command, so will the new earth have a system that works, makes sense and has a chain of command. For instance, although we may all freely approach God at times in heaven, when it comes to making things work in an orderly fashion, the twelve apostles and the twelve Jewish patriarchs will likely answer directly to Jesus with the 144,000 answering to the twenty-four elders, and the rest of us taking orders from the 144,000. God has chosen them for His own special purposes, not because they are more righteous than anyone else, but solely by His election and because of His promises to Abraham and His natural seed. A secondary purpose for rapturing the 144,000 first could be to put terror into the heart of the Antichrist and his closest followers who seem to have an affection for the city of Jerusalem and the temple of God.

Revelation 14:1-5

1 And I looked, and, lo, a Lamb stood on the mount Zion, and with Him an hundred forty and four thousand, having His Father's name written in their foreheads.

2 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 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 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 first fruits unto God and to the Lamb.

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

These verses suggest to us that Jesus will make his first stop of the Rapture in the mountains of Israel to take the 144,000 who are being protected by God during the Tribulation. Jesus does not set foot on the Mount of Olives or any other part of the earth during His first return visit. The sole purpose of His first trip will be to remove all of those who belong to Him from the earth so that sinners may be punished.

A Biblical Timeline

The 144,000 are called the firstfruits but never the only fruits. The rest of the redeemed follow immediately after the 144,000, but as far as putting it all down on paper, God chose this place to insert a quick chronological rundown of the end-times in verses 6-20. This rundown begins with the final preaching of the gospel, which is exactly what Jesus said would have to happen before the events of the end-times would ever begin. The final event recorded in these fifteen verses is the Battle of Armageddon. In just fifteen verses, God shows us again the entire end-times in the order things will transpire. If we were to remove verses 6-20 of Revelation 14, then the first five verses of that chapter—where the 144,000 of Israel have been gathered into heaven before anyone else—would flow perfectly and logically right into chapter 15 where the rest of the Church is finally united with the firstfruits before the throne of God.

This short section of Scripture is the only significant break in the flow of events from Revelation 12 to the end of the Revelation. However, it does repeat and reinforce the same theme and sequence of events we saw in chapters 6-11, and those we are currently studying in chapter 12 through the end of the book, but in a condensed form. God makes five main points in these verses that serve to further enlighten us concerning things which will come to pass, but they also serve as a written timeline of the end-times that cannot be ignored.

The first point comes as a reminder to all the earth that they must heed the gospel.Why? Because the day of wrath is fast approaching. Anyone who has not acted upon the gospel of salvation will soon find themselves reacting to the Wrath of God. Jesus is coming for those who have accepted His loving substitution at Calvary and who embrace Him as the Son of God. The failure of any one person to heed God’s word is going to affect everyone else around them in a negative way. Someone has to be the strong one who steps up to the plate regardless of what others think. Needless to say, there will be many evil people who are not going to repent of their evil, but there are also a lot of frightened people who need help in being brave. Those who hold back because of fear will be a negative influence on all those around them who want to get saved, while those who are brave will be like towers of strength to those who are scared. The following warning precedes the Rapture because afterwards, as the Bible repeatedly states, there will be no more repentance nor any desire by those remaining on the earth to do so.

Revelation 14:6-7

6 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 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.

When verse 6 refers to “another angel,” it is simply referring back to all the other angels John has already seen during the unfolding of the entire Revelation. No connection is made between them other than the fact that this is just one more angel bringing enlightenment to him from God. However, this is the first of three angels in this setting that is going to fly across the skies and proclaim a message. The second angel is referred to as “another angel“ and the third one is referred to “the third angel,” making these three a unique group in a unique setting. Two other angels complete this chronology as each comes out of the temple of God in heaven to deliver their messages.

Verse 8 declares the fall of Babylon, but this is not the fall of a worldly Babylon. If this verse was talking about the earthly city of Babylon that is destroyed in Revelation 18, then it would have been placed near the end of these fifteen verses where the time of God’s wrath is drawing to a close with the Battle of Armageddon. In fact, verse 8 relates back to Revelation 12 where Satan and his angels fought against Michael and his angels, and Satan was cast out of heaven. Thisis “MYSTERY, BABYLON,”which we will look at in further detail when we get to Revelation 17 and 18. In a nutshell, Isaiah 14 calls Satan “the king of Babylon” and declares that he will be brought down to the pit of hell. If you thought he was already there, think again. The Bible doesn’t say that. There is a literal spiritual city which God refers to as Babylon that is located in heaven itself just like the literal spiritual city of God. Satan rules the earth from there by dispatching his angels to do his dirty work. Satan has a throne of his own, and it doesn’t just float through outer space or sit at the bottom of the pit of hell. It is in the spiritual city of Babylon,which God calls the great whore in Revelation 17. Satan is also called the prince of the power of the air and the supreme ruler of spiritual wickedness in high places (Ephesians 2:2, 6:12). Jesus called him the prince and the god of this world (John 12:31; 14:30; 2 Corinthians 4:4). In chapter 12, Satan and his angels were cast out, and their place was found no more in heaven. The destruction of “their place” in heaven is what’s being described in verse 8. Afterwards, their place will be found on the earth after they are cast out of heaven, and it will be in the midst of the kingdom of the beast. They will cause Great Tribulation from there.

Revelation 14:8

8 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.

Verses 9-13 are a reminder to all during the Tribulation, which occurs before the Rapture, not to follow after the beast and not to take his mark. If you will recall, Revelation 12:12 said that after Satan is cast out of heaven, he is come down to the earth having great wrath because he sees that his time is short, and then the Tribulation begins, which is what we see here. He is cast out of heaven in verse 8, and then we immediately see the Antichrist in verse 9 demanding that all people take his mark. As we have seen everywhere else, the beast will come bringing Great Tribulation before the Wrath of God is poured out on those who receive the Mark of the Beast. Verses 9- 13 clearly tell us that if we are faced with a choice between serving the beast and taking his mark, or serving Jesus Christ even if it means death, death is the proper choice to make. It needs to be pointed out that the Antichrist will be prominent on the earth for three-and-onehalf years before the Tribulation, three-and-one-half years during the Tribulation and for about four to seven years after the Tribulation during the time of wrath. Therefore, it must be assumed that he will more than likely still be requiring people to take the mark after the Church is gone. If you should find yourself on the earth during the time of wrath, don’t take the mark. It is clear from the verses below, and from the first and fifth vials, that those who follow the beast and have his mark will be targeted above all others for wrath. Some people are going to survive the Wrath of God, but those with the Mark of the Beast have a bull’s-eye right in the middle of their foreheads.

Revelation 14:9-11

9 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 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 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.

From everything we read in the Scriptures, there appears to be no need to witness to those who sport the Mark of the Beast because it is a final submission to Satan from which there is no repentance. God declares that all who receive the mark will drink of His wrath. He doesn’t leave any leeway for those who might want to try it out and get saved later or for those Christians who take the mark to keep from being killed, thinking that God will understand that their hearts are right towards Him and that they will serve Him once the heat dies down. There is no wiggle room. Anyone who takes the mark seals their fate at the same time. There is never any indication of any of these people ever repenting or being in heaven afterwards. They all end up in hell.

On the other hand, there will be great pressure and even fervor on the part of those who wear the mark to “convert,” persecute or even kill those who do not wear the mark.As mentioned elsewhere in this book, this phenomenon will take place in the Middle East and may spread beyond the ten-nation kingdom of the Antichrist, but it is by no means clear as to how far it may go around the globe. It is very unlikely that the mark will be a legally required mandate beyond the borders of the Beast Empire and the nations that are conquered by the beast. However, a few nations that have the same kind of heart and mentality as the beast nations may be included, but much of the rest of the world will resist the beast through war.

In the end-time Tribulation, you have a right to trust the Lord for deliverance, and you have the right to die for Him. But you do not have a right to fight back and defend yourself from persecution for your faith in Jesus Christ. This does not void the right of nations to defend their citizens from persecution for their faith through police or military actions. God says in Luke 21:15, “I will give you a mouth and wisdom, which all your adversaries shall not be able to gainsay nor resist,” but that does not mean they will repent and get saved. They are adversaries after all; they are there to cause trouble. Revelation 13:10 states, “He that leadeth into captivity shall go into captivity: he that killeth with the sword must be killed with the sword.”However, the following verses inform us that those who keep the commandments and faith of Jesus Christ might possibly die in the Lord. We need to be trusting God for supernatural deliverance and at the same time be prepared for martyrdom. Above all else, we need to do what the Lord tells us to do by His Holy Spirit. The next two verses are a continuation of the previous scriptures concerning the Mark of the Beast. They are all a part of the Tribulation.

Revelation 14:12-13

12 Here is the patience of the saints: here are they that keep the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus.

13 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 third angel has completed his message. So far, the first three angels have shown us a consecutive flow of events that map out the end-times. The gospel must be preached first before the end-times begin. Satan will be violently defeated in heaven, his place of abode will be destroyed and he and his angels will be cast out of heaven and down to the earth. And then the Tribulation begins with wars, persecution and the Mark of the Beast. The remaining two angels will proclaim their messages in the chronological order in which they occur.

One thing that needs to be clearly understood as we read the rest of this chapter is that Jesus is going to return twice in the end-times. The first time will be in the clouds to gather His elect after the Tribulation, and the second time will be years later to tread the winepress of the Wrath of God and to take charge of the earth forever. There is only one reaping of believers,which is the Rapture.After that comes the reaping of sinners in the Wrath of God. When Jesus returns the second time,He will be on a white horse prepared for battle. His purpose then will be to complete God’s wrath and to bring in everlasting righteousness. Verses 14-16 give us a different description of the Rapture, and once again, it is positioned between the Tribulation, which occurred in the preceding verses, and the Wrath of God in verses 17-20, which complete Revelation 14.

Revelation 14:14-16

14 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 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 And He that sat on the cloud thrust in His sickle on the earth; and the earth was reaped.

If the one who is sitting on the cloud is not the Son of man, it is meant to represent Him as He reaps the saints from the earth in the Rapture. Jesus explains in the Gospels that He will be returning in the clouds with His angels to reap the earth of His elect. Daniel 7:13 also shows Him coming in the clouds. The three verses we just read are definitely depicting the Rapture. Verses 17-20 give another view of the time of God’s wrath with the symbolic reaping of the sinners of the earth during the final Battle of Armageddon. Again, these are two different reapings. The first one is the reaping of the saints from the earth for deliverance from God’s wrath, and the second one is the reaping of the wicked for destruction in God’s wrath. The final verse explains that the blood flow of that final Battle at Armageddon will be about two hundred miles long and five to six feet deep. This could be a literal flow of blood at Armageddon, or it could be descriptive of the total amount of blood that will be shed around the globe as Jesus puts down all rebellion. After verse 20, we are going to be done with this short timeline of the end-times and back into the chronology that began in Revelation 12. When we get to Revelation 19, we will again see this same scene, and it will be made very clear that Jesus is the one who returns at the end of the Wrath of God to tread out the winepress of wrath, smite the nations and rule with a rod of iron.

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

18 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 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 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.

Think about it!

­Does Jesus come back only once, or does He return twice?

­If twice, what does He come for on each return?

­Has this chapter confused you in the past?

­Does it make sense to remove Verses 6-20 and allow Verses 1-5 to flow into Chapter 15?

~Selah~Israel was holiness unto the LORD, and the firstfruits of His increase: all that devour him shall offend; evil shall come upon them, saith the LORD. Jeremiah 2:3

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