612. REVELATION: CHAPTER 14
1. Then I looked, and behold, a Lamb standing on Mount Zion, and with Him one hundred and forty-four thousand, having His Father's name written on their foreheads.
2. And I heard a voice from heaven, like the voice of many waters, and like the voice of loud thunder. And I heard the sound of harpists playing their harps.
3. They sang as it were a new song before the throne, before the four living creatures, and before the elders; and no one could learn that song except the hundred and forty-four thousand who were redeemed from the earth.
4. These are the ones who were not defiled with women, for they are virgins. These are the ones who follow the Lamb wherever He goes. These were redeemed from among men, being firstfruits to God and to the Lamb.
5. And in their mouth was found no deceit, for they are without fault before the throne of God.
6. Then I saw another angel flying in the midst of heaven, having the everlasting gospel to preach to those who dwell on the earth - to every nation, tribe, tongue, and people -
7. saying with a loud voice, "Fear God and give glory to Him, for the hour of His judgment has come; and worship Him who made heaven and earth, the sea and springs of water."
8. And another angel followed, saying, "Babylon is fallen, is fallen, that great city, because she has made all nations drink of the wine of the wrath of her licentiousness."
9. Then a third angel followed them, saying with a loud voice, "If anyone worships the beast and its image, and receives its mark on his forehead or on his hand,
10. he himself shall also drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is mixed with pure wine in the cup of His indignation. He shall be tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of the holy angels and in the presence of the Lamb.
11. And the smoke of their torment will ascend forever and ever; and they will have no rest day or night, who worship the beast and its image, and whoever receives the mark of its name."
12. Here is the patience of the saints; here are those who keep the commandments of God and the faith of Jesus (Christ.)
13. Then I heard a voice from heaven saying to me, "Write: 'Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord from now on.' " "Yes," says the Spirit, "that they may rest from their labors, for their works follow them."
14. Then I looked, and behold, a white cloud, and on the cloud sat One like the Son of Man, having on His head a golden crown, and in His hand a sharp sickle.
15. And another angel came out of the temple, crying with a loud voice to Him who sat on the cloud, "Thrust in Your sickle and reap, for the hour has come for You to reap, for the harvest of the earth has dried."
16. So He who 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 which is in heaven, he also having a sharp sickle.
18. And another angel came out from the altar, who had power over fire, and he cried with a loud cry to him who had the sharp sickle, saying, "Thrust in your sharp sickle and gather the clusters of grapes of the vine of the earth, for her grapes are ripe."
19. So the angel thrust his sickle into the earth and gathered the vintage of the vine of the earth, and threw it into the great winepress of the wrath of God.
20. And the winepress was trampled outside the city, and blood came out of the winepress, up to the horses' bridles, for one thousand six hundred furlongs.
THE SPIRITUAL MEANING
The Contents of the Whole Chapter
The New Christian Heaven, described in verses 1-5. The gospel concerning the Lord's advent preached, and a new church then, verses 6, 7, 13. An exhortation for people to forsake the faith divorced from charity that grips today's church, verses 9-12. An examination and exposure of those people, revealing that their works are evil, verses 14-20.
The Contents of the Individual Verses:
| Verse Contents | Spiritual Meaning |
|---|
| 1. Then I looked, and behold, a Lamb standing on Mount Zion, and with Him one hundred and forty-four thousand, | The Lord now present in a new heaven formed of Christians who acknowledged Him as God of heaven and earth, and had doctrinal truths received from Him through the Word. |
| having His Father's name written on their foreheads. | The acknowledgment among them of the Lord's Divinity and of His Divine humanity. |
| 2. And I heard a voice from heaven, like the voice of many waters, | The Lord speaking through the new heaven with Divine truths, |
| and like the voice of loud thunder. | and out of Divine love. |
| And I heard the sound of harpists playing their harps. | A confession of the Lord from a glad heart by spiritual angels in the lower heavens. |
| 3. They sang as it were a new song before the throne, before the four living creatures, and before the elders; | A celebration and glorification of the Lord in His presence and in the presence of the angels of the higher heavens. |
| and no one could learn that song except the hundred and forty-four thousand | No other Christians could understand and so acknowledge out of love and faith that the Lord alone is God of heaven and earth but those received by the Lord into this new heaven. |
| who were redeemed from the earth. | They are people who could be regenerated by the Lord and so be redeemed in the world. |
| 4. These are the ones who were not defiled with women, for they are virgins. | They did not adulterate the church's truths or defile them with the falsities of their faith, but loved the truths because they are true. |
| These are the ones who follow the Lamb wherever He goes. | They are conjoined with the Lord through love and through faith in Him, because they lived in accordance with His commandments. |
| These were redeemed from among men, | The same here as before [verse 3] . |
| being firstfruits to God and to the Lamb. | The commencement of a Christian heaven that acknowledges one God in whom is the Trinity, and acknowledges that the Lord is that God. |
| 5. And in their mouth was found no deceit, | They do not speak with cunning or with a purpose to persuade people of falsity and evil, |
| for they are without blemish before the throne of God. | because they are governed by truths springing from goodness from the Lord. |
| 6. Then I saw another angel flying in the midst of heaven, having the everlasting gospel to preach to those who dwell on the earth | An announcement of the Lord's advent, and of a new church to descend from Him out of heaven, |
| - to every nation, tribe, tongue, and people - | to all people who, owing to religion, are prompted by goods, and owing to doctrine are guided by truths. |
| 7. saying with a loud voice, "Fear God | An admonition not to do evil, because it is to act against the Lord. |
| and give glory to Him, for the hour of His judgment has come; | An acknowledgment and confession that all the Word's truth comes from the Lord, and that everyone will be judged in accordance with it, |
| and worship Him who made heaven and earth, the sea and springs of water." | and that the Lord alone is to be worshiped, because He alone is the Creator, Savior, and Redeemer, and because the angelic heaven and the church and everything in them originate from Him alone. |
| 8. And another angel followed, saying, "Babylon is fallen, is fallen, that great city, | The Roman Catholic religion has now been dispelled with respect to its dogmas and doctrines, |
| because she has made all nations drink of the wine of the wrath of her licentiousness." | because by profanations of the Word and adulterations of the church's goodness and truth, it has led astray all the people it was able to bring under its dominion. |
| 9. Then a third angel followed them, saying with a loud voice, | Still more from the Lord concerning people caught up in faith divorced from charity. |
| "If anyone worships the beast and its image, and receives its mark on his forehead or on his hand, | People who acknowledge and accept the doctrine of justification and salvation by faith alone, affirm it, and live in accordance with it, |
| 10. he himself shall also drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is mixed with pure wine in the cup of His indignation. | falsify the Word's goods and truths and steep themselves in a life in accordance with their falsification of them. |
| 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 will ascend forever and ever; | Their love of self and the world and the ensuing lusts, and stemming from these a conceit in their own intelligence, and torment in hell because of them. |
| and they will have no rest day or night, who worship the beast and its image, and whoever receives the mark of its name." | The continuing state of vexations in people who acknowledge and accept that faith, affirm it, and live in accordance with it. |
| 12. Here is the patience of the saints; here are those who keep the commandments of God and the faith of Jesus. | By temptations or trials induced by vexations, a person belonging to the Lord's church is explored as to his character in respect to his life in accordance with the Word's commandments and to his faith in the Lord. |
| 13. Then I heard a voice from heaven saying to me, "Write: 'Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord from now on.'�" | A prediction by the Lord concerning the state of people after death who will belong to His New Church, that they will have eternal life and happiness. |
| "Yes," says the Spirit, "that they may rest from their labors, | The Word's Divine truth teaches that people who afflict their soul therefore and crucify their flesh will have peace in the Lord, |
| for their works follow them." | according as they have loved and believed and so have done and spoken. |
| 14. Then I looked, and behold, a white cloud, and on the cloud sat One like the Son of Man, | The Lord in relation to the Word. |
| having on His head a golden crown, and in His hand a sharp sickle. | The Divine wisdom emanating from His Divine love, and the Divine truth in the Word. |
| 15. And another angel came out of the temple, | The angelic heaven. |
| crying with a loud voice to Him who sat on the cloud, "Thrust in Your sickle and reap, for the hour has come for You to reap, for the harvest of the earth has dried." | A supplication by angels in heaven to the Lord to bring things to an end and execute judgment, because the church had now reached its last state. |
| 16. So He who sat on the cloud thrust in His sickle on the earth, and the earth was reaped. | The end of the church, because it no longer had any Divine truth in it. |
| 17. Then another angel came out of the temple which is in heaven, he also having a sharp sickle. | The heavens of the Lord's spiritual kingdom, and the Word's Divine truth in them. |
| 18. And another angel came out from the altar, who had power over fire, | The heavens of the Lord's celestial kingdom, which are prompted by the goodness of love received from the Lord. |
| and he cried with a loud cry to him who had the sharp sickle, saying, "Thrust in your sharp sickle and gather the clusters of grapes of the vine of the earth, | The Lord's operation from the goodness of His love through the Word's Divine truth into the works of charity and faith among people belonging to the Christian Church, |
| for her grapes are ripe." | because the Christian Church has reached its last state. |
| 19. So the angel thrust his sickle into the earth and gathered the vintage of the vine of the earth, | The end of the present Christian Church. |
| and threw it into the great winepress of the wrath of God. | An examination of the character of the people's works, revealing that their works were evil. |
| 20. And the winepress was trampled outside the city, | The examination was made in accordance with Divine truths in the Word, to discover the character of the works that flowed from their church's doctrine regarding faith. |
| and blood came out of the winepress, up to the horses' bridles, | The violence done to the Word by their dreadful falsifications of truth, and the consequent understanding of it so closed up that it was scarcely possible for anyone any longer to be taught by it, and so to be led by the Lord through Divine truths, |
| for one thousand six hundred furlongs. | being nothing but the falsities accompanying evil. |
THE EXPOSITION
14:1 Then I looked, and behold, a Lamb standing on Mount Zion, and with Him one hundred and forty-four thousand. This symbolizes the Lord now present in a new heaven composed of people in the Christian churches who acknowledged the Lord alone as God of heaven and earth, and had doctrinal truths springing from the goodness of love received from Him through the Word.
This and the rest of what is said in this chapter is symbolically meant by "I saw." The Lamb means the Lord in respect to His Divine humanity (no. 269). Mount Zion symbolizes a heaven where the inhabitants are people impelled by love toward the Lord, as described below. One hundred and forty-four thousand symbolizes all those people who acknowledge the Lord alone as God of heaven and earth and have doctrinal truths springing from the goodness of love received from Him through the Word (nos. 348ff.).
We described these people in chapter 7, but there we were told that they were sealed on their foreheads, being thus distinguished and separated from the rest. Here we are now told that they were gathered together and a new heaven formed of them.
[2] The heaven that is the subject here is a heaven composed of Christians from the time the Lord was in the world, and formed of those who approached the Lord alone and lived in accordance with His commandments in the Word by shunning evils as sins against God.
This heaven is the new heaven from which the holy Jerusalem, or New Church, will descend on earth (Revelation 21:1-2). The heavens that existed before the Lord's advent are above it and are called the ancient heavens. The people in them also all acknowledge the Lord alone as God of heaven and earth. Those heavens communicate with this new heaven through influx.
[3] People know that the land of Canaan symbolizes the church, because the Word existed there, and by it the Lord was known. Moreover, in the middle of it was the city of Zion, and below it the city of Jerusalem, both situated on the mountain. Zion and Jerusalem symbolized, therefore, the innermost elements of the church. And because the church in the heavens goes hand in hand with the church on earth, therefore the church in both places is meant by Zion and Jerusalem - Zion meaning the church as to love, and Jerusalem the church as to its accompanying doctrine.
The mountain is called Zion, because a mountain symbolizes love (no. 336).
[4] That Mount Zion symbolizes heaven and the church where the Lord is worshiped can be seen from the following passages:
I have anointed My King on... Zion. I will declare the decree: ..."You are My Son, today I have begotten You. ...I will give You the nations for Your inheritance...." ...Kiss the Son, lest He be angry, and you perish... Blessed are all those who put their trust in Him. (Psalms 2:6-8, 12).
Get up into the high mountain, O Zion, you who bring good tidings... Say..., "Behold, the Lord Jehovih is coming with might...." (Isaiah 40:9-10)
Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion! ...Behold, your King is coming to you, just and having salvation... (Zechariah 9:9, cf. Matthew 21:2, 4-5)
Cry out and exult, O inhabitant of Zion, for great is the Holy One of Israel in your midst! (Isaiah 12:6)
The redeemed of Jehovah shall return... to Zion with singing... (Isaiah 35:10)
Sing and rejoice, O daughter of Zion! ...behold, I am coming to dwell in your midst... (Zechariah 2:10-11)
Who shall give in Zion the salvation of Israel? (Psalms 14:7; 53:6)
(The Lord Jehovih will) lay in Zion a testing stone... And (then) your covenant with death will be annulled... (Isaiah 28:16-18)
My salvation shall not linger. I will give salvation in Zion... (Isaiah 46:13)
He will come to Zion, a Redeemer... (Isaiah 59:20)
...Jehovah Zebaoth will reign on Mount Zion... (Isaiah 24:23)
Jehovah loves the gates of Zion more than all the dwellings of Jacob. Glorious things shall be proclaimed in you, O city of God! ..."This one was born there." ..."All my springs are in you." (Psalms 87:2-3, 6-7)
...Jehovah has chosen Zion; He has desired it for His dwelling place. "This is My resting place forever; there I will dwell...." (Psalms 132:13-14)
Let the children of Zion exult in their King. (Psalms 149:2-3)
(Arise, O Jehovah) and have mercy on Zion; ...the set time has come... (Declared shall be) the name of Jehovah in Zion..., when the peoples are gathered together, and the kingdoms, to serve Jehovah. (Psalms 102:13-16, 22-23)
Out of Zion... God will shine forth. Our God shall come, and... He shall call to heaven above, and to the earth...: "Gather My saints together to Me...." (Psalms 50:2-5)
And so on elsewhere, as Isaiah 1:27; 4:3-5; 31:4, 9; 33:5, 20; 37:22; 52:1; 64:10; Jeremiah 6:2; Lamentations 4:2; Amos 1:2; Micah 3:10, 12; 4:1-3, 7-8.
Many passages mention the daughter, or virgin, of Zion, which does not mean some daughter or virgin there, but the church in respect to its affection for goodness and truth, like the bride of the Lamb (Revelation 21:2, 9; 22:17).
The daughter, or virgin, of Zion symbolizes the Lord's church in the following places: Isaiah 1:8; 3:16-26; 4:4; 10:32; 16:1; 37:22; 52:2; 62:11; Psalms 9:14; and elsewhere.
