Revelation 13:1 - 18

11 And I beheld another beast (of the same kind) coming up out of the earth; and he had two horns like a lamb, and he spake as a dragon. 12 And he exerciseth all the power of the first beast before him, and causeth the earth and them which dwell therein to worship the first beast, whose deadly wound was healed. 13 And he doeth (acting; influencing) great wonders, so that he maketh fire come down from heaven on the earth in the sight of men, 14 And deceiveth them that dwell on the earth by the means of those miracles which he had power to do in the sight of the beast; saying to them that dwell on the earth, that they should make an image to the beast, which had the wound (stroke) by a sword, and did live. 15 And he had power to give life unto the image of the beast, that the image of the beast should both speak, and cause that as many as would not worship the image of the beast should be killed. 16 And he causeth all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and bond, to receive a mark (engraving) in their right hand, or in their foreheads: 17 And that no man might buy or sell, except [save] he that had the mark, or the name of the beast, or the number of his name. 18 Here is wisdom. Let him that hath understanding count (compute; reckon) the number of the beast: for it is the number of a man; and his number is Six hundred threescore and six.

1 Most manuscripts use the third person singular with the first pronoun in this verse, which would mean "Satan" stood upon the sand of the sea, and "John saw a Beast rise up (anabinon from anabaino - ascend up) out of the sea..." The antecedent of the first pronoun is Satan ( 12:17). This Beast was a monstrosity - it had seven heads and ten horns and upon his horns were ten crowns and upon his heads the names (plural) of blasphemy. Yeager thinks that the two beasts of this chapter verses 1, 11 are the same as the two horsemen (Death and

Hades) of the fourth seal (6:7, 8). The first beast suggests Daniel 7:3, and his heads, horns and names suggest Revelation 17:3, 7 - 12 while his leonine aspect connects him with Daniel 7:4 - 6. The first Beast is the eighth in a series of Gentile dictators who have ruled or will have ruled over the land of Palestine during the "times of the Gentiles." The eight rulers are as follows: (1) Babylon (Daniel 2:38; 7:4), (2) Media-Persia (Daniel 2:39a; 7:5), (3) Greece (Daniel 2:39a; 7:6), (4) Rome (Daniel 2:40; 7:7; Revelation 6:7, 8), (5) the White Horse Rider (Revelation 6:1, 2) who goes into the abyss and is resurrected to become the Beast, (6) the Red Horse Rider (Revelation 6:3, 4), (7) the Black Horse Rider (Revelation 6:5, 6), (8) The Beast (Revelation 13:1 - 10) (pp. 54, 55, 224). The characteristics of the Beast seem to indicate that he is connected in some way with a political organization from which he receives some of his power. Although the kingdoms of Babylon, Media-Persia, Greece and Rome are history, the remainder of the rulers are yet in the future.

2 In this verse John further describes the Beast (the Antichrist) as having some characteristics like a leopard, with feet like a bear and a mouth like a lion. His power, seat (throne) and great authority come directly from the dragon. In the vision of Daniel (7:1 - 8) the beasts representing the four world empires were lion-like, bear-like, leopard-like and the last defied description - dreadful, terrible and strong, having iron teeth, stomping feet and different from the other three. He is superlatively fascinating, and intriguing and bewitching in his personal power and prowess; he will be the most fascinating, the most scintillating, the most magnetic mortal man that has ever walked across the stage of human history. In all time and tide of history, there will never have appeared a human being with the glory, the personality, the intriguing, bewitching, ingratiating manner of this man, a veritable god of wisdom, insight, accomplishment and achievement. He will be received in gladness and the kings of the earth will peaceably yield their authority to him (Criswell, p. 106). Without a doubt the first Beast, who seems to be a political leader, will become the Antichrist and the second Beast the False Prophet who seems to be the religious leader.

3, 4 One of the heads of the Beast had been wounded (esphagmenen from sphazo - slain; murdered) to death but healed over (therapeuthe from therapeuo - cured). All the world wondered (etheumasthe from thaumazo - marveled; admired) the Beast. Many people on the earth worshiped (prosekunesan from pros + kuneo - to prostrate oneself; adore; do homage) the dragon which gave to the Beast power, and they worshiped the Beast saying, Who is like unto the Beast? Who is able to make war (polemesai from polemeo - fight; wage war) with him? The people who worshiped the dragon and the beast are the unsaved masses of the earth. They worshiped them for the same reason that some people worshiped the Lord Jesus Christ during His personal ministry. Matthew 9:8 says, "When the multitudes saw it (the healing of the man sick with the palsy), they marveled, and glorified God, who had given such power unto men." Jesus said (John 5:43), "I am come in my Father's name, and ye receive me not; if another shall come in his own name, him ye will receive." Furthermore, just as Jesus had power to heal and do miracles in His name and in the name of God, so the Beast will have power to do miracles in the name of Satan (the dragon) and his own name; they will be, with Satan's help, real miracle workers. They will, however, do their miracle works for deceptive purposes (II Thessalonians 2:9 - 12; Revelation 13:12 - 15).

5, 6 The Beast was given power to speak great things and blasphemies (blasphemias - evil speakings; railings) and power to continue his work forty and two months. He blasphemed against God, His name, His tabernacle and those that dwell in heaven. Paul writes in II Thessalonians 2:4, "(that man of sin) opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is worshiped, so that he, as God, sitteth in the temple of God, showing himself that he is God;" Satan, the Dragon, and the Beast are all eloquent speakers, braggarts and blasphemers. All these characters are not atheists; they do not deny the existence of God; they just attack Him, His tabernacle and His people.

7, 8 Power was given to the Beast to make war with the saints and an attempt to overcome (nikesai from nikao - conquer; gain the victory over) them. Power was given unto him over every kindred (pulen - tribe), tongue (glossan - language) and nation (ethnos - ethical group) that dwell on the earth. Just like Daniel's beast of 7:23 he "devours the whole earth and treads it down, and breaks it in pieces." In fact, all of the unsaved, those whose names are not written in the book of life of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world, will worship the Beast. The duration of the Beast's activities cover a period of three and one-half years (forty-two months). Only the saved on the earth at this time will be able to withstand the Beast and the Dragon; however, some of the saints may be killed because of their refusal to bow to the Beast and the Dragon. Only the return of the Lord from heaven will stop the slaughter and blood-shed, but God will protect many of His saints. What is meant by the book of life of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world? Did God by His omniscient knowledge place all of the saved in the book of life of the Lamb before He laid down the foundation of the world? It sounds like it. Since God is omniscient He knew who would be saved and who would not be saved. The name of each believer was written in the book of life even before the fall of Satan. These facts were not known to men, so it is incumbent upon the saved to witness to everyone with whom we come in contact. "The dream of world conquest achieved in part by the Babylonians, Medo-Persians, Macedonian and Roman empires is now for the first time realized completely and is the satanic counterfeit of Christ's millennial reign permitted by God in this final display of the evil of Satan and wicked humanity...As this period moves on to its end a gigantic world war is under way continuing to the time of the return of Christ" (Walvoord, pp. 201, 202).

9, 10 Then an admonition is made, that if any one has an ear, let him hear. Whoever leads into captivity shall go into captivity, and whoever kills with the sword must be killed by the sword. Almost the same words were written to the churches and are found in Revelation 2:7, 11, 17, 29; 3:6, 13, 22); similar expressions are given in Matthew 11:15; 13:9, 43; Mark 4:9, 23; 7:16; Luke 8:8; 14:35. Anyone having a open ear and mind will hear what is written herein. The principle of lex talionis is found in other places in scripture (see: Leviticus 24:20; Matthew 5:38; 26:52); that is, it is written into God's law, a man must suffer injury for injury done to others. The weapons man unleashed to destroy others are turned in destruction upon him who unleashes it. Man who uses weapons are inviting others to take up weapons as well. Yeager writes, (p. 238), "The last clause adds that the principle of lex talionis will be the basis upon which Christians in the tribulation, who are killed by the Beast, will be able to endure martyrdom. Their faith will assure them that the days of the Beast are numbered and that divine judgment upon him is certain. Jesus reminded Peter of this principle in Matthew 26:52...God's 'eye for an eye and tooth for a tooth' principle of Exodus 21:33 - 25 is a principle of eternal law, which Jesus came, not to destroy but to fulfill." Here, then, is the patience (hupomone from hupo + meno - endurance; steadfastness) and the faith of the saints. So knowing that the Beast and the Dragon will soon be destroyed is comforting to those who know they will suffer martyrdom at the hands of the enemies of our Lord.

11, 12 Another beast (allo from allos - another of the same kind) is introduced in these verses. This Beast (the vile False Prophet - Revelation 16, 19, 20) comes up out of the earth instead of the sea; this Beast had two horns like a lamb but speaks like a dragon. This Beast exercises all the power of the first Beast and causes (poieo - to do) the world to worship the first Beast who had received the deadly wound which was healed. Since this Beast has horns like a lamb, he is deceiving because his character appears peaceful, however, he comes on talking like the devil and acting (poiei from poieo - doing; influencing) in Satan's power. He is a dictator of the most absolute sort; those who worship the first Beast will be spared; if they fail to bow down and worship the first Beast, they will be killed.

13, 14 This second Beast does great wonders (semea - signs) even to the making of fire come down from heaven in the sight of men. He is a deceiver deluxe; making men believe that he is like Christ. He makes an image to the first Beast that had the healed wound (plegen - stroke) by the sword and induces the people to worship at that image to the first Beast. One is reminded of Elijah who called down fire from heaven to demonstrate that the prophets of Baal were phonies (I Kings 18:30 - 39). "Thus in the tribulation period, ungodly men, unwilling to worship the God-Man, Christ Jesus, will erect a statue to the Devil-Man (Romans 1:23). Paul's analysis is correct" (Yeager, p. 243). These two - the first Beast (the Antichrist) and the second Beast (the False Prophet) are blood-brothers in their co-operation; one gives authority, financial support and military power to the other; and the other takes it and uses it for the tremendous, unbelievable, immeasurable support of the first one (Criswell, p. 117). He is somewhat of a hybrid; he is lamb-like but his gentleness is deceptive, and he is far more dangerous than the first Beast. He produces a counterfeit religion, an idolatrous program to follow and an image to adore. If anyone does not obey the first Beast, he is violently coerced by the financial, political and military authority given to the false Prophet. Deuteronomy 13:1 - 3 states that Israel was to test the prophets, "If there arise among you a prophet, or a dreamer of dreams, and giveth thee a sign or a wonder, and the sign or the wonder come to pass, whereof he spoke unto thee saying, Let us go after other gods, which thou hast not known, and let us serve them, thou shalt not hearken unto the words of that prophet, or that dreamer: for the Lord you God testeth [proveth] you, to know whether ye love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul."

15 - 18 This Second Beast had power to give life to the image of the first Beast making it speak thus decreeing that many should worship the image or die. He caused the small and great, the rich and poor, the free and enslaved (bond), to receive a mark in their right hand, or in their foreheads meaning that only those who had the mark (chragma - an engraving) might buy or sell unless he had the mark or the name of the beast or the number of his name. "In ancient times slaves received a brand, or mark, upon the forehead, hand, or some other part of the body, indicative of the ownership of their masters...In 7:3 we find the servants of God thus receiving a mark in their foreheads" (Smith, p. 192). In Galatians (6:17) Paul states that he bore in his body "the marks (stigmata) of the Lord Jesus. For Paul, however, these were marks of perils, hardships, imprisonments, scourgings and endurances by him for the cause of Christ, and which marked him as Christ's faithful and approved votary, servant, soldier; that is, servile subjection (Thayer, p. 588). The stigmata and the chragma are two different marks and administered for two different reasons. All unregenerates were to receive this mark which is somehow engraved, stamped, printed or burned on the hand and the forehead. Here is wisdom; those who could count (psephisato from psephizo - compute; reckon) the number (arithmon). The number of the Beast was the number of a man the number was six hundred three score and six (666) - (exakosia exekonta ex). A hint is given here to the end time Christians what to look for in the number of Antichrist - 666 - six raised to the third decimal points, six units, six tens and six hundreds accomplishing the ultimate of all human ingenuity and competence, one digit short of 777 which is the divine number. Seven is the number of perfection, six is the human number. Who is the Antichrist or 666? No one knows until the time comes or until the day and the hour arrive. He is Paul's "man of sin" (II Thessalonians 2:3) and John's "Antichrist" (I John 2:18, 22). Walvoord quotes George W. Davis, expressing "the common view that this is a false trinity: This trinity will consist of Satan as God, Antichrist, the counterfeit of Christ, and the false prophet, a travesty on the Holy Spirit" (p. 211). Satan, as a spirit being, will have two persons as his emissaries - the Antichrist and the False Prophet who are real fleshly beings - real men.

Revelation 14:1 - 20

6 And I saw another angel fly in the midst of heaven (mid-heaven), having the everlasting gospel to preach (herald the good tidings) unto them that dwell on the earth, and to every nation, and kindred, and tongue, and people, 7 Saying with a loud voice, Fear (Reverence) God, and give glory to him; for the hour of his judgment (condemnation; discrimination) is come: and worship him that made heaven, and earth, and the sea, and the fountains of waters.

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.

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 (fierceness) of God, which is poured out (mixed; mingled) without mixture (undiluted) into the cup of his indignation; and he shall be tormented (pained; vexed) 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. 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 (slain; suffer) in the Lord from henceforth (hereafter; from now on): Yea, saith the Spirit, that they may rest (pause; are refreshed) from their labors (weariness; troubles); and their works (deeds) do follow them.

14 And I looked, and behold, a white cloud, and upon the cloud one sat like the Son of man, having on his head a golden crown, and in his hand a sharp sickle (reaping instrument; pruning hook). 15 And another angel came out of the temple, crying with a loud voice to him that sat on the cloud, Thrust in (Put forth) thy sickle, and reap (harvest): for the time is come for thee to reap; for the harvest (time of reaping) of the earth is ripe. 16 And he that sat on the cloud thrust in his sickle (swung the scythe) on the earth; and the earth was reaped. 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 (bunches of grapes) of the vine of the earth; for her grapes are fully ripe (ready for harvest; fully matured). 19 And the angel thrust in his sickle into the earth, and gathered the vine of the earth, and cast (thrust; threw) it into the great winepress of the wrath of God. 20 And the winepress (wine vat; trough-shaped receptacle) was trodden (walked upon; crushed) outside [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 (184 English miles).

1 - 3 Those who are familiar with the Revelation know when tragic days are delineated, there will be inserted a vision of the light of the glory and beauty of Jehovah God, so it is in this vision of Revelation 14 which contains the wondrous scene with the Lamb on Mount Zion and the one hundred and forty-four thousand. Chapter 14 may be viewed as the "flip-side" of chapter 13; in chapter 13 is seen the beasts; in chapter 14 is the Lamb, gentle and precious, on Mount Zion. In chapter 13 are the spurious, the counterfeit and the false, in chapter 14 are the true, the genuine and the lovely. In point of time this chapter takes place immediately after the Second Coming of the Messiah. This is the third time that John the Revelator has mentioned the 144,000 (Revelation 7:1 - 8) when they were sealed, and (12:6) when they were protected when they fled into the wilderness. John introduces the reader to a Lamb Who stood on Mount Sion and with him an hundred and forty-four thousand who had His Father's name written on their foreheads. And then a great voice as of many waters and great thunder was heard; he also heard the sound of harpers (kitharodon from kitharodos - those who sing and play their harps) with their harps (Revelation 5:8). This must have been the most beautiful sound - harmony, mighty volume, crashing detonation of heavenly artillery as well as the majestic roar as of the Niagra. The one hundred and forty-four thousand began to sing (aidousin from aido - chant) a new (kainen from kainos - fresh; new as to quality) song (oden from ode - ode) before the throne and the four living beings and the elders (joined in with them). No man could learn that song but the one hundred forty-four thousand which were redeemed (egorasmenoi from agorazo - bought, as it were out of the market place) from the earth. Only those who have been redeemed by God's grace could sing this song.

4, 5 The one hundred and forty-four thousand had not defiled (emolunthesan from moluno - polluted; stained) themselves with women; for they are virgins. They also follow (akoloutheuntes from a + kelouthos - walk the same road as) the Lamb wherever He went. These were redeemed from among men; they were the first fruits (aparche from apo +arche - prime priority) unto God and to the Lamb. In their mouth was found no guile (pseudos - falsehood; lying): for they are without fault (amomoi from a + momos - without blemish; spotless) before the throne of God. Yeager writes, "They are the nucleus for national Israel during the new Kingdom age...a pure bloodstream...In them God will fulfill all of the covenant promises which he made to Abraham, Isaac, Jacob and David. Their children and children's children will be saved in the Kingdom age" (p. 255). This must be the fulfillment of Zephaniah 3:13 which reads, "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." Other passages referring to the remnant are found in Jeremiah 24:7; 31:31 - 34.

6, 7 John saw an angel flying in the midst of heaven (mesouranemati from meso + ouranos - mid-heaven) having the everlasting gospel to preach (euaggelion euaggelisai from eu + aggelizo - bring good tidings) unto them thhat dwell on the earth, and to every nation, and kindred, and tongue and people. The loud voice of the angel said, Fear (Phobethete from Phobeomai - Reverence) God, and give glory to him, for the hour of His judgment (kriseos from krisis - condemnation; discrimination) is come and worship him that made heaven and earth, and the sea and the fountains of waters. This angel, and no doubt others, will preach the gospel to those surviving the last conflicts on the earth and the judgments that fall upon the earth. Those surviving will beget children and children's children in every nation, kindred, tongue and people and some of them will be saved. There will be a Great White Throne Judgment after the tribulation and at the end of the millennium when the unsaved will be judged for their punishment in the lake that burns with fire and brimstone.

8 One angel is followed by another (angel) whose message was that Babylon is fallen (epesen), is fallen (epesen - repeated for emphasis), that great city; in one climactic act the destruction of this evil world system because she made all nations drink of the wine of the wrath of her fornication. In one vast intervention of Jehovah God, the whole vile system that debauches this earth is taken away in order that God may create a new world in which righteousness will prevail. "Fornication is the Old Testament expression - so much followed by John in this book - for idolatry; while under the imagery of this last word is here implied all those antichristian excesses into which the worshipers of the beast, the citizens of 'Babylon,' were drawn" (Smith, p. 201). To what does Babylon refer? The reader of New Testament is introduced to Babylon as early as Matthew 1:10. Originally this was a city (better known for its tower of Babel) built by Nimrod east of the Arabian Desert on the Tigris and Euphrates rivers (Genesis 10:10; 11:1 - 9). Of course this city was built in defiance of God's command to scatter or disperse and replenish the earth; instead they built the tower of Babel (Genesis 11:9). The city has become well-known to Bible readers as the place of idolatry and sensuality; it is a city of Gentile dominion. Unger states, "In the New Testament Babylon prefigures apostate Christendom, that is ecclesiastical Babylon, the great harlot (Revelation 17:15 - 18). It also prefigures political Babylon (Revelation 17:15 - 18), which destroys ecclesiastical Babylon. The power of political Babylon is destroyed by the glorious Second Advent of Christ (Revelation 16:14; 19:17)" (p. 116). Babylon seems to be the commercial capital of the world with the Beast in control of the market through the use of the mark of the Beast. The fact that Babylon is fallen makes for rejoicing on the part of God's people.

9 - 11 A third angel followed the other two 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, the same shall drink of the wine of the wrath (thumou from thumos - indignation; fierceness) of God, which is poured out (kekerasmenou from kerannumi - pour out for drinking; mix; mingle) without mixture (akratou - unmixed; undiluted) into the cup of his indignation, and he shall be tormented (basanisthesetai from basanizo - pained; vexed) with fire and brimstone in the presence of the holy angels, and in the presence of the Lamb. And the smoke of their torment ascended up for ever and ever, and they had no rest day nor night who worship the beast and his image and whosoever receives the mark of his name. Yeager writes, "Just as nations will drink of the wine of Babylon's commercialization, also those who, in order to do business with the Beast in Babylon, take his mark shall drink of a different kind of wine. The wine of passion...is balanced against the wine of God's wrath...Divine retribution will be certain and eternal" (p. 263). For just a moment the Christian will suffer agony (at a physical death), then there is the glory when God gives him the crown of life. But these who worship the beast and his image and give their hearts to the defilement of this earth are tormented forever and ever, with no final reward but damnation...Death is the king of terrors; it is an interloper; it is an intruder. Thank God, however, our Savior has taken the sting out of death and has taken away the victory from the grave (Criswell, p. 151, 152).

12 Here is the patience of the saints; here are they that keep the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus. Those who have been saved and have not taken the mark of the Beast have manifested their faithfulness by keeping God's commandments and continued to place their faith and trust in Jesus; they can take comfort in knowing that they have pleased God and His Son.

13 John heard another voice from heaven saying, Write, Blessed are the dead which die (apothneskontes from apoinesko - are slain; suffer - the physical death as martyrs) in the Lord from henceforth (ap arti - hereafter; from now on): yea, saith the Holy Spirit, that they may rest (anapaesontai from ana + pauo - pause; are refreshed) from their labors (kopon from kopos- weariness; troubles) and their works (erga from ergon - deeds) do follow them. No longer will there be trials and troubles for the Christian, for the unpleasant features of human existence in an unfriendly world are over. In this word rest (anapaesontai) is the magnificent picture of a mariner who spends his life at sea, and after the battle of tempest and wave, he comes into the port of home. It is a picture of the soldier who is scarred with battle strife, and after the miseries of war and carnage and conflict, he turns his face toward home (Criswell, p. 154). Carved on the tomb is the sentiment of Robert Lewis Stevenson; it is put this way:

"Under the wide and starry sky,
Dig the grave and let me lie,
Glad did I live and gladly die,
And I lay me down with a will.

This be the verse ye grave for me:
Here he lies where he longed to be,
Home is the sailor, home from the sea,
And the hunter home from the hill."

14 - 17 And as John looked he saw 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 (drepanon - reaping instrument; pruning hook). Another angel from the temple cried out with a loud voice to the Lord, Thrust in (pempson from pempo - put forth) your sickle and reap (therison from therizo - harvest): for the time is come for you to reap; for the harvest (therismos - the time of reaping) of the earth is ripe (ezeranthe from zeraino - dried up; withered). And he that sat on the cloud thrust in his sickle (swung his scythe - Yeager) on the earth; and the earth was reaped. And another angel came out of the temple which is in heaven he also having a sharp sickle. This passage definitely refers to the Second Coming of our Lord when He comes to harvest the earth (I Thessalonians 4:17; Revelation 1:7). There are parallel passages in Revelation 6:12 - 17; 11:15 - 19; 16:17 - 21). In this time of harvest one is reminded of Matthew 13:30, 39, 40 which read, "Let both (the tares and wheat) grow together until the harvest; and in the time of harvest I will say to the reapers, Gather together first the tares, and bind them in bundles to burn them, but gather the wheat into my barn...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 age [world]; and the reapers are the angels." Herein is a world-wide judgment. Angels are called upon by the Lord to serve as His gleaner-harvesters; at least two angels are mentioned here (verses 15, 17), and two others are mentioned in verses 18,19. Joel (3:13, 14) writes of the judgment of the nations, "Let the nations (heathen) be wakened, and come up to the Valley of Jehoshaphat; for there will I sit to judge all the nations round about. Put in the sickle; for the harvest is ripe; come, get down; for the press is full, the vats (fats) overflow; for their wickedness is great."

18 -20 Another angel is dispatched from the altar; he has power over fire, and he cried out with a loud voice, Thrust in thy sharp sickle, and gather the clusters (botruas from botrus - bunch of grapes) of the vine of the earth; for her grapes are fully ripe (ekmasan from akmazo - ready for harvest; fully matured). And the angel did as commanded and gathered the vine of the earth and cast it (ekbalen from ballo - thrust; threw) into the great winepress (lenon from lenos - wine vat; tub; trough-shaped receptacle) of the wrath of God. And the winepress was trodden (epatethe from pateo - walked upon; crushed) outside [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 (stadion chilion ezakosion - approximately 184 English miles) and four to four and one-half feet deep. This boggles the mind! Walvoord says of this verse, "It seems quite impossible that the blood will flow in depth as high as the horses' bridles, and it is better to understand this simply as a liberal spattering of blood" (p. 223). The battle of Armageddon rages between the forces of God and Satan - the forces of good and evil; on the side of God are His army of angels, and on the side of Satan are the Beast, the Antichrist, the demons and all godless men. Parallel Scriptures may be noted. Isaiah 63:3 reads, "I have trodden the winepress alone, and of the peoples there was none with me; for I will tread them in mine anger, and trample them in my fury; and their blood shall be sprinkled upon my garments, and I will stain all my raiment." Lamentations 1:15 reads, "The Lord hath trampled [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 trampled [trodden] upon the virgin, the daughter of Judah, as in a winepress." Also Revelation 19:15 reads, "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."

Verses 14 - 20 are viewed by some as two different visions - there is a harvest and a vintage. The harvest is superintended by the Son of God Who separates the wheat from the tares. It is a discriminating harvest; God's children (wheat) are separated from the children (tares) of the devil. The wheat is gathered into the garner and the tares are burned with unquenchable fire (Matthew 13:24 - 30). The second is a vintage of the grapes of wickedness which is likened to the winepress of the unmitigated, unadulterated wrath and fury of Almighty God. This vintage has no distinction; all are grapes of wickedness. It is one of carnage distinguished by the fire angel; it is the last day of God's permissive will for wickedness and rejection. "The vine of the earth" is the vine of rejection, of unbelief, of blasphemy and of unrepentance. Smith views verse 19 saying, "this is justice, casting the reaped clusters, ripe in wickedness, into 'the winepress of the wrath of God;' thus symbolizing not a garnering and a preserving, but crushing and final destruction. The two are, therefore, in vivid contrast" (p. 208).

Excursus - D

What can be said about Mount Zion? The words Zion or Mount Zion are found over one hundred fifty times in the Old Testament (many of them in the Psalms and Isaiah). Its Greek equivalent Sion is found seven times in the New Testament (Matthew 21:5; John 12:15; Romans 9:33; 11:20; Hebrews 12:22; I Peter 2:6 and Revelation 14:1). Originally it consisted of a formidable natural fortress which the Jebusites inhabited before Jerusalem was taken by David (II Samuel 5:7). Zion (Sion) was the southwest hill of Jerusalem, the older and higher part of the city; it is often called the city of David. In later times Zion was often applied to the entire city of Jerusalem (Psalm 126:1; Isaiah 1:26, 27). Zion has a threefold significance in the Bible apart from its original historical significance. (1) David's City - In the O. T. Zion refers to Jerusalem, the city that David conquered and made a capital city of the United Kingdom of Israel (I Chronicles 11:5; Psalm 2:6; Isaiah 2:3). (2) The Millennial City - In a prophetic sense, Zion has reference to Jerusalem as the future capital city of the nation Israel in the Kingdom Age (Isaiah 1:27; 2:3; 4:1 - 6; Joel 3:16; Zechariah 1:16; 8:3 - 8 ; Romans 11:26). (3) The Heavenly City - The New Testament also refers Zion to the New Jerusalem (Hebrews 12:22 - 24), the eternal city into which the Church will be received (Revelation 21, 22) (Unger, pp. 1189, 1190).

One of the great Messianic Psalms (2) verse 6 reads, "Yet have I set my king upon my holy hill of Zion." The glorious anthem of Psalm 48, verses 2, 11 read, "Beautiful for situation, the joy of the whole earth is Mount Zion, on the sides of the north, the city of the great King...Let Mount Zion rejoice, let the daughter of Judah be glad, because of thy judgments." Psalm 132: 13 reads, "For the Lord hath chosen Zion; he hath desired it for his habitation." The prophet Isaiah gives the reader a beautiful passage concerning Zion (2:2), "And it shall come to pass in the last days, that the mountain of the Lord's house shall be established in the top of the mountains, and shall be exalted above the hills; and all nations shall flow unto it. And many people shall go and say, Come ye, and let us go up to the mountain of the Lord, to the house of the God of Jacob; and he will teach us of his ways, and we will walk in his paths; for out of Zion shall go forth the law, and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem."

Zion (verse 1) is contrasted with the Babylon (verse 8). "The holy hill, on which stood the fortress and the palace of the king, must here be understood as used in symbol, as Babylon also is below; the two being in contrast, both as to their natures and as to their destiny - Zion, the eternal, safe citadel, standing forever, Babylon doomed to fall, finally, irrecoverably" (Smith, p. 197).