Chapter 10
THIS chapter may be read, in company with the twelfth, as forming a distinct section in the Apocalyptic book. Though the range extends from the birth of the Messiah to His return to tread the winepress of the wrath of God, yet it is principally occupied with the great events of the last half of Daniel’s seventieth week. In the twelfth and thirteenth chapters we have for the most part a record of events in relation to the earth, ―Satan, the beast, and the false prophet being the principal actors in the scene; but in the fourteenth chapter we have God brought in upon the scene, and here it is not as to how things stand in relation to Satan and the beast, but as to how they stand in relation to God. Moreover, we have here several distinct actions, but each giving us God’s mind in relation to things then connected with the earth. 1. We have God and the Lamb in relation to the remnant of Israel. 2. God’s testimony of the everlasting gospel to an apostate world. 3. God’s witness to the fall of Babylon. 4. God’s warning against worshipping the beast. 5. A voice from heaven pronouncing blessing on those who henceforth die in the Lord. 6. The harvest of the earth. 7. The vintage, or treading the winepress of the wrath of God. Let us now look a little more particularly at each of these actions.
1. The Remnant of Israel.
John says, “I looked, and, lo, a Lamb stood on the Mount Sion, and with him an hundred fort) and four thousand, having His Father’s name (or, according to the best copies, His name and His Father’s name), written in their foreheads.” They are presented in blessed rest and companionship with the Lamb. They are servants of God, sealed in their foreheads, and, however much they had been oppressed by the beast nevertheless they are seen as having proved the faithfulness of Jehovah, and the sure abiding of His word of promise, in caring for them and exercising His own power in bringing their through the fire. John, who had before seer them so hotly pursued by Satan, now sees then with the Lamb; and not only so, but on Mount Sion, the place of promised blessing on the earth, the metropolis of past and future national glory―the mountain, not of Sinai blackness and darkness, but the place of royal grace, when David and Solomon were honored by Jehovah, and where again the true Messiah, the greater than Solomon, shall yet manifest His wondrous power and grace, bring glory to His people Israel, and reign before His ancients gloriously. These hundred and forty and four thousand then are blessed in the earth; they have not their Father’s name, but His Father’s name, written in their foreheads. Those who compose the Church of God, the body of Christ, are a heavenly people, ―know their sonship, have received the indwelling Spirit, the Spirit of adoption, and know God as their Father. But these are not the Church; but, like every redeemed company whether heavenly or earthly, they owe all their blessing to the Lamb; for the blood of the Cross is the foundation of all lasting good.
While John is thus beholding this favorer remnant, he heard “a voice from heaven, as the voice of many waters, and as the voice of a great thunder.” He heard also “the voice of harpers harping with their harps.” These, too, were heavenly sounds; for he goes on to tell us that “they sung as it were a new song before the throne, and before the four living creatures, and the elders.” Let the reader notice here, that we have first the company on Mount Zion; secondly the elders in heaven; and, thirdly, harpers harping before the elders. Here are three distinct companies―one on earth, and two in heaven and though all are redeemed and brought into their blessing by the blood of the Lamb, it is impossible to identify them, or to regard them as only different visions of the same company, for reasons assigned when considering the seventh chapter. The question for us now is, Who are he harpers? 1. We are distinctly told they are in heaven, singing as it were a new song before the elders. 2. There seems to be a remarkable sympathy between the “harpers” and the hundred and forty and four thousand on Mount Zion, for no man but these could learn their Song of Solomon 3. We only get one company in the Revelation having harps besides the elders in the fifth chapter, and these are that part of the faithful remnant who are martyred for not worshipping the beast, who get the victory over him by having a place given them in heaven on the sea of glass, and to them is given harps of God. They are described in chapter 15 as singing the song of victory and of the Lamb; but it is Jewish in character, for they sing the song of Moses and the Lamb. But further. In this first action in the chapter before us, the remnant evidently are taken of as on Mount Sion with the Lamb, as redeemed, as learning directly from heaven to sing the new song. They are virgins, have escaped the foul defilement of an adulterous generation; they have been true to God, and are only now engaged in following the Lamb whithersoever He goes. In their mouth is found no guile or lie, and they are without fault. The last words, “before the throne of God,” are omitted by the best critics. My conviction is, that we must place this first scene, in Revelation 14, on earth, as existing at the same time as the harpers seen in heaven in chapter 15.
There are two other points deserving special notice in the description here given of the remnant on Mount Zion. 1St. They are redeemed from the earth, from among men, the first-fruits unto God and the Lamb (verses 3,4); and, secondly, they were faithful to God. The first point is of importance, because it shows us that this company is still on earth, on the mount of earthly favor and blessing, redeemed from the earth―an election from among Israel for the earth. There is no thought here of the Church the body of Christ. It is a sealed remnant of Israel, which will be brought through the great tribulation into the millennial blessing. With regard to their being the “first-fruits,” we are to understand the first fruits from the earth for earthly blessing; the harvest of the earth is to follow.
2. We are told “they are virgins,” i.e., pure and uncorrupted. Living in a time when violence and the foulest corruption fill the earth, when the world is deluged with infidelity, men are under the “strong delusion,” and the only Lord God in every way denied, they stood boldly out for the living and true God, and refused to worship the beast; they were therefore not defiled, and in their mouth was found no guile or lie. The power of the God of Abraham encircled them, and brought them through the time of temptation, and they now are with the Lamb, follow Him whithersoever He goes, and are without fault, or blameless.
2. The Everlasting Gospel.
This is a remarkable testimony. It would seem to be the last before the great and terrible day of the Lord. The faithful had gone out with “the gospel of the kingdom,” and some of them had been put to death. (chapters 6) The two witnesses also testified, as we have seen in the eleventh chapter, until the beast killed them. And now the seer at Patmos says, that he saw “an angel fly in the midst of heaven having the everlasting gospel,” &c. We must not confound the different ways in which gospel is brought before us in the word of God. We have “the gospel preached to Abraham,” promising blessing through his seed. We read also of “the gospel of Christ,” which testifies of Christ’s work, ―redemption through His blood. We have also “the gospel of God,” which enters into the eternal purpose, grace, and glory of God in our salvation in Christ, and through His blood. Then we have what Paul called his gospel― “my gospel;” which unfolds “the mystery” revealed to him of the oneness of believers with Christ the Head in heaven. We read also of “the gospel of the kingdom,” which promises blessing in the earth to the faithful when Messiah shall appear, when it will be seen that those who endure to the end shall be saved. But here we have the “everlasting gospel.” At a time when infidelity and “great delusion” have overspread the world, and God is denied, not only as Redeemer, but also as Creator, when man will set himself up above all that is called God and be worshipped, this testimony, which has been true in all ages, and will be forever, goes forth that God is worthy to be acknowledged and glorified as the Creator. It implies that there will be blessing to those, who, refusing to worship the beast, do homage to the living and true God. The testimony is, “Fear God, and give glory to Him, for the hour of His judgment is come; and worship Him who made heaven and earth, and the sea, and the fountains of waters.” It is proclaimed with “a loud voice” to them that dwell on the earth, and to every nation, and kindred, and tongue, and people” (verses 6, 7). It seems to be God’s last glad tidings, just before the time of actual judgment arrives, and it asks simply that the living God be owned and feared as the Creator. Blessing in the earth has always been connected with the acknowledgment of the Creator.
To what a terrible crisis men are hastening! How lamentable is the fact, that, with all the world’s boast of Christianity and enlightenment, Christ is coming in flaming fire to take vengeance on those who know not God, and obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ, ―who shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of His power. But where will the Church be then? Blessed be God, we shall be vessels of mercy filled with Christ, and bringing glory and admiration to Christ, through what will be seen of Him in us. “When He shall come to be glorified IN―not with, but in―His saints, and to be admired IN all them that believe. Then the world will believe that the Father sent His Son to die for sinners, and that He loves us even as He loves Jesus.
“Jesus, thou art enough
The mind and heart to fill;
Thy life―to calm the anxious soul;
Thy love―its fear dispel.
“O fix our earnest gaze,
So wholly, Lord, on thee,
That, with thy beauty occupied,
We elsewhere none may see.”