Revelation 14

1. How does chapter 14 fit?
2. Are these the same 144,000 as Chapter 7? Where are they?
3. What does the 1st angel represent?
4. What about the 2nd angel? What does Babylon symbolize?
5. What about the 3rd angel and its message of judgment?
6. Why this special blessing for the dead from this point on?
7. What does the reaping represent?

Futurist-Prophecy yet to be fulfilled
1. Chapter 14 is a distinct section (not chronological) having to do with the closing of the Great Tribulation and beginning of the millennial kingdom
2. Yes, most feel they are here meeting the returned Messiah on a literal Mount Zion to establish the millennial reign. Others feel that Zion represents Heaven
3. The first angel represents mankind (gentiles) sharing the everlasting Gospel (there is much debate as to the content of that Gospel) with the world
4. The second angel represents future judgment against ‘Babylon’ which either represents the apostate church, Rome, or the actual (albeit rebuilt) city of Babylon
5. This is simply a warning to the future world not to worship the beast
6. God has a special blessing for tribulation saints turned martyrs
7. The 2nd sickle is certainly judgment on the wicked. Opinion is mixed as to whether, with the 1st sickle, Christ gathers the righteous or destroys the wicked. The chapter ends with the first insights into the final battle of Armageddon.

Historicist-Prophecy fulfilled throughout the church age
1. Chapter 14 is encouraging news for the faithful after all the bad news in 13
2. Yes, the 144,000 are heavenly representatives of the faithful and true church
3. This represents the missionary era & Great Awakening (Wesley, Edwards, etc)
4. This represents judgment (French Revolution) on the Papal system
5. All those loyal to the R.C. Church instead of God will be judged
6. Martyrs always receive a special blessing from God
7. The end of the world where the righteous and wicked will finally be separated

Preterist-Prophecy fulfilled in distant past
1. Chapter 14 culminates the previous section and introduces the next
2. Yes, these are the Jewish Converts (first-fruits) in the 1st century. This is an echo of chapter 7 to encourage the readers of Revelation
3. This represents the preaching of the Gospel prior to God’s judgment
4. This is God’s judgment on Babylon. Some preterists see this as His judgment on Jerusalem in AD70. Others see it as judgment on Rome in AD476
5. This is the permanent destruction of all ‘Babylonians’ of that time
6. Those preterists that see 4-19 as judgment on Jerusalem see this as representing the covenantal change (based on the cross & the end of Judaism at the destruction of the temple) in what happens to people when they die. Those preterists that see the 2nd half of Revelation as regarding the fall of Rome say martyrs have nothing but good to look forward from the point of death onward.
7. Christ is here seated (He’s not coming bodily), ready to judge (either Jerusalem or Rome). The 1st sickle may represent the gathering of the 144,000 prior to Jerusalem’s destruction OR both sickles may represent judgment on the wicked. The imagery is reminiscent of Jerusalem’s destruction in 586BC (Lamentations 1:15). Preterists see the events of the cross (outside the city) forever linked to the events of AD70…Jerusalem’s fate was sealed during the Passion Week.

Spiritualist-Prophecy provides principles applicable many times
1. It continues to give spiritual principles that will apply to history
2. Yes, this is the same group (notice that not one was lost). This is probably a picture of Christians in heaven.
3. This ‘Gospel’ is the announcement that God’s judgment has come
4. Babylon is a symbol for anti-God society on the earth
5. All who never repent will, one day, taste the full wrath of God in hell
6. Martyrs since the cross go directly to heaven OR after death only good awaits
7. This is the final judgment at Christ’s future coming. The church is gathered and the wicked are judged