And I looked, and, lo, a Lamb
stood on the mount Sion, 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 firstfruits 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.
There is no difficulty in identifying
this company on Mount Sion as the true people of God
in marked contrast with the worshipers of all corrupt
and false religion. As to the chronology of the
event, it is evident that we have here a continuation
of the same series of prophecy beginning with the
apostolic period in chapter XII, describing alternately
the true church and the false church.
At the beginning of this series the
true church, symbolized by the star-crowned woman,
fled into the wilderness and was there lost to view;
while the leopard beast and the two-horned beast of
chapter XIII, symbolizing the two leading forms of
organized Christianity, were brought into prominent
view. It is therefore fitting that the true church
should again appear and be given her proper position
and work in the world before the end of all earthly
things.
That the company here brought to view
represents the true church is shown by its agreement
with the church of God before the apostasy began.
In the seventh chapter we have seen that before the
political calamities befell the Western Roman Empire
the work of sealing God’s servants was accomplished,
twelve thousand from each of the twelve tribes of Israel
being sealed, thus representing symbolically the fact
that God’s church, comprising the true Israel,
was perfect and complete, no part being omitted.
In the chapter under consideration we have this divine
sealing process again after the apostasy, and once
more the definite number 144,000 occurs, showing that
the church before the end is to be perfect and complete.
The contrast of this company with
the ecclesiastical powers in the preceding chapter
proclaims in an unmistakeable manner the fact that
we have here described a true reformation and work
of God before the end of time. In the morning-time
of the dispensation the redeemed of earth were represented
as singing praises to Christ; so also the company here
brought to view unite in singing a song which only
the redeemed can know. This company is on Mount
Sion, not in the darkness of the wilderness, they
are with the Lamb, not wandering after the beast; they
are not even following the beast that was “like
a lamb,” but they are with the true Lamb, the
Savior of the world; they have the “Father’s
name written in their foreheads,” not the mark
or the name of the beast. It is said of them
that “these are they which were not defiled with
women, for they are virgins.” Fornication
and adultery, as will be explained later, is a symbol
of spiritual idolatry; and the chastity of this redeemed
company shows that they were free from the abominations
of the apostasy. They “follow the Lamb
whithersoever he goeth.” Their names are
in the book of life, and they do not worship the beast.
Chap 13:8.
Here, then, we have a symbol of the
church of God in the latter days standing distinct
from the great apostasy.
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.
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 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.
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 labors; and
their works do follow them.
Another phase of the last reformation
is here brought to view its communicative
genius. It not only stands clear from the apostasy,
but it sounds the warnings of God and proclaims his
message. The first messenger had a very important
message to deliver, even “the everlasting gospel.”
His message was not limited to the inhabitants of “the
earth” the Apocalyptic earth only,
but included “every nation, and kindred, and
tongue, and people,” showing that it was of universal
importance. It was not a new gospel, but the everlasting
gospel, the same gospel preached before the long period
of apostasy. There is one phase different, however,
and that is that the nearness of the second
coming of Christ is a leading feature; the messenger
with loud voice warns the people to prepare for the
awful judgment just at hand by turning to “worship
him that made heaven, and earth, and the sea, and
the fountains of waters.” The apostle Paul
cautioned the Thessalonian brethren not to entertain
the idea that the advent of Christ was then near at
hand, for it could not come until after the great period
of apostasy that he predicted; but here is a messenger
now claiming that the “hour of his judgment
is come” an event just at hand.
He carries his special message to all people; for
Jesus declared, “This gospel of the kingdom
shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto
all nations; and then shall the end come.”
Matt 24:14. This represents the restoration
of gospel truth in the reformation that was begun about
the year A.D 1880 and that is now being carried to
all nations by a holy ministry.
The nature of this restoration work
is clearly shown. Its leading feature is its
missionary character, the proclamation of the pure
gospel to “every nation, and kindred, and tongue,
and people.” Since the days of the apostles
the whole gospel has not been boldly declared and
carried forward with burning missionary zeal.
Romanism and Protestantism have conducted their missionary
work and, according to Chap 16:14, their sphere of
influence will extend throughout “the whole world”;
but here is clearly set forth the fact that God has
authorized another universal message and world-wide
work wholly distinguished from all others. The
contrast between the worshipers of the beast and his
image and those composing the redeemed company on
Mount Sion is so clear, also the nature of the work
done by each, that we can not possibly identify them
as being one.
This work of conducting a world-wide
missionary enterprise may appear to be a gigantic
task, but the seeming impossibility vanishes when we
consider the fact (to be more fully developed hereafter)
that God calls into this service all his people who
are yet under the sectarian yoke. With this great
host already dispersed over the world, the work of
making known this last message can and will be accomplished.
The positive statement that the hour
of his judgment is come shows that the end is exceedingly
near; hence the second and third angels must follow
the first in the closest proximity possible in order
to introduce their messages before the wrath of God
is poured out upon apostate Christendom. The
time is so short that these three messengers can not
possibly refer to three distinct reformations in the
world; hence they must signify three important phases
in the one last reformation that carries the gospel
to all nations in the short period of an “hour,”
which time also includes the final judgment.
A careful study of these three messages
will show that they are inseparably connected.
The second cry was against Babylon, that she had fallen.
Rev 18:1, 2 proves this fall of Babylon to be a moral
one a giving away to ungodliness, iniquity
and all manner of deception. According to chapter
16:19 the great city of Babylon is composed of three
parts, being a confederation of the dragon (heathenism),
the beast (Catholicism), and the false prophet (Protestantism).
Chap 16:13, 14. It is evidently to this latter
division of Babylon that this second message applies;
for Paganism was always a false religion, and Catholicism
was always a corrupt one, during whose reign the church
of God, as already shown, was separate. Protestantism,
then, was the only part of the great city that could
fall morally or spiritually. During the space
of three hundred and fifty years, from the formation
of the first Protestant creed, she held reign and
authority over the people of God, who were scattered
among her hundreds of opposing sects.
In this condition the faithful children
of God, although bearing the mark and name of the
beast, longed for restoration of the divine, primitive
standard; but in the cloudy atmosphere of that period
they could not clearly discern the whole truth.
Later, when the full tidings of the everlasting gospel
came, there came also a revelation that Babylon is
fallen and that God is calling his people out of confusion
just before the end of time.
I call to witness every child of God
who has been with the present reformation from its
beginning, if there were not three special phases
of the development of the truth, as follows: 1.
A wonderful revival of spirituality among a few of
God’s chosen ones, caused by the “everlasting
gospel” being revealed to them as never befor. The knowledge of the truth and deep experience
thus obtained prepared the way for the next step,
which was the discovery that the “churches”
were a part of the great Babylon of Revelation and
were in a fallen condition, “a hold of every
foul spirit, and a cage of every unclean and hateful
bird.” Chap 18:2, 3. Hence the cry
went up, “Babylon is fallen, is fallen.”
3. Then followed immediately the message to God’s
people to “flee out of the midst of Babylon
and deliver every man his soul,” warning them
that no one could any longer bear the mark of the beast
or worship his image without forfeiting eternal salvation
and that the fearful judgments of heaven would soon
descend upon every one who refused to obey the message
and to walk in the light. The last two phases,
which apply to Babylon, are the same and in the same
order as the description given in chapter 18:1-4.
First, an angel from heaven cries mightily with a
strong voice, “Babylon the great is fallen, is
fallen”; and then “another voice”
from heaven says, “COME OUT OF HER, MY PEOPLE.”
The three successive phases of the message are now
all combined in one, and God is gathering his holy
remnant “out of all places where they have been
scattered in the cloudy and dark day” (Ezek
34:12) into the one body of Jesus Christ. Halleluiah!
John, also, saw this glorious result of the three
messages “And I saw as it were a sea
of glass mingled with fire: and them that had
gotten the victory over the beast, and over his image,
and over his mark, and over the number of his name,
stand on the sea of glass, having the harps of God.
And they sung the song of Moses the servant of God
[a song of deliverance], and the song of the Lamb
[the song of redemption], saying, Great and marvelous
are thy works, Lord God Almighty; just and true are
thy ways, thou king of saints.” Chap 15:2,
3. Let all the people of God rejoice!
“Hail the day so long expected,
Hail the year of full release;
Zion’s walls are now erected,
And the watchmen publish peace.
“Now on Shiloh’s wide dominion,
Hear the trumpets loudly roar:
Babylon’s fallen, is fallen, is
fallen,
Babylon’s fallen to
rise no more.”
Those of the Lord’s people who
through lack of sufficient light were yoked up with
unbelievers in Protestantism, labored faithfully to
upbuild the very sectarian institutions that God was
against and that were destined to be destroyed, though
they themselves were saved as by fire; but from the
time this reformation began the redeemed die in the
triumphs of a living faith, and their labors in upbuilding
the true cause and kingdom of God are still blessed
and fruitful, being perpetuated in the works that
follow them.
“Here is the patience of the
saints; here are they that keep the commandments of
God, and the faith of Jesus.” As before
mentioned, God’s people during the reign of
Romanism expected her universal supremacy to come
to an end, and their patience was greatly exercised
in waiting for the appointed time to arrive.
It came with a great spiritual reformation. Then
followed another period of apostasy, during which time
God’s people again looked forward to something
better in the future. Many remarkable predictions
of this present holiness reformation were uttered
by some of the most spiritual saints during the Protestant
era, and I can not refrain from mentioning a few of
them in this connection.
D’Aubigne: The nineteenth century is called to resume
the work which the sixteenth century was unable to accomplish.
Fletcher: “Only He will
come with more mercy, and will increase the light
that shall be at eventide, according to his promise
in Zech 14:7. I should rather think that the visions are not yet plainly
disclosed; and that the day and hour in which the Lord will begin to make bare
his arm openly are still concealed from us. Oh, when will the communion of
saints be complete? Lord, hasten the time; and let me have a place among them
that love thee, and love one another in sincerity. This is an extract from a
letter written by John Fletcher to Mr. Wesley, dated London, May 26, 1757.
D’Aubigne again: “In
every age it has been seen how great is the strength
of an idea to penetrate the masses, to stir nations,
and to hurry them, if required, by thousands to the
battle-field and to death. But if so great be
the strength of a human idea, what power must not a
heaven-descended idea possess, when God opens to it
the gates of the heart! The world has not often
seen so much power at work; it was seen, however,
in the early days of Christianity, and in the time
of the Reformation; and it will be seen in future
ages.
“It has been said that the three
last centuries, the sixteenth, the seventeenth, and
the eighteenth, may be conceived as an immense battle
of three days’ duration. We willingly adopt
this beautiful comparison.... The first day was
the battle of God, the second the battle of the priest,
the third the battle of reason. What will be the
fourth? In our opinion, the confused strife, the
deadly contest of all these powers together, to end
in the victory of Him to whom triumph belongs.
Lorenzo Dow, comment on Rev 14:6-11; 18:1-5: The angel, or
extraordinary messenger, with his assistants, proclaiming the fall of Babylon
will be known in his time. Also the one warning the people of God to come out of
Babylon literally, spiritually, and practically, will be known also, and such
other threatening for the omission of compliance is not to be found in all the
Bible.
The following extracts are from an
old book written about 1812 by Theophilus R. Gates
and entitled “Truth Advocated.” Through
the kindness of a sister living in Allegan County,
Michigan, the writer was enabled to secure the following
from the only copy of this book known to be in existence she
having borrowed it of her neighbor, a relative of its
author.
On Rev 14:11: “I would
here gladly drop the subject, lest I give offense;
but duty compels me to remark, what can not be denied,
that an inordinate attachment to certain systems and
forms of religion, has occasioned all the strifes,
animosities, and persecutions, that have so long
agitated the Christian world; and if God be just, every
one must drink of the cup of his indignation, according
to his offense. The beast and his image, as it
exists in Protestant countries, seems in this place
particularly meant; and our own land is full of the
number of his name. That such a testimony will
one day go forth we must believe, or else St. John
saw that which will never be: and the testimony
will as certainly be received; for a company in the
next chapter are to be seen that had gotten the victory
over the beast, his image, his mark, and the number
of his name. It is also equally true that as yet
it has never gone forth; and that at the time, great
afflictions or suffering of some kind will be undergone
to exercise the patience of the saints.... It
is at this very time, no doubt, that the three unclean
spirits, like frogs, come out of the mouth of the
dragon, the beast, and the false prophet; spirits
of devils working miracles, which go forth unto the
kings of the earth, and of the whole world, to gather
them to the great battle of the great day of God Almighty.
The greatest possible efforts, indeed will now be
made by all the sectarians to keep up their existence
... nor is it any wonder that hireling ministers and
system worshipers, Demetrius like, should be stirred
up and raise no small stir about the way; for it is
evident, not only their craft is in danger of being
set at naught by this testimony, but also the great
Diana of systems and forms of religion to be despised,
and their magnificence destroyed, whom now almost
the whole Christian world worshipeth.”
“And now commences an era of
light and suffering, when the corrupt churches (with
the kings of the earth and great men united with them)
being about to be wholly brought down, make one general
muster against Christ and his true worshipers.
These things are clear to me as a ray of light; and
whoever lives at this time will see as great opposition
and spite to the true way of righteousness then set
forth from sectarians and professors generally, as
there was from the Jews towards Christ and his testimony:
and also, like the Jews, at the very time they oppose
the true way of the Lord with all their might, they
will no doubt make the greatest possible show of religion,
will think they are the true church, yea will have
a zeal for God, carrying on religion with great success,
forming societies, sending missionaries among the heathen,
etc., etc. That such an event will
take place is very clear.”
“This happy period I never expect
to see: but known unto the Lord only are all
things. I know that such a time will be; for we
are assured by the angel, these are the true sayings
of God: and I also believe that it will take
place within two centuries from this time.
But oh! how corrupt doth the world now appear to me....
Help me, O Lord, I pray thee, to do thy will.
Whenever any body of people come into notice, establish
their rules and institutions, and become a respectable sect, they are the people
of God then only in name; they cease to have the nature any longer; and whoever
unites himself to the same, constitutes himself one of the beasts party, and so
far as his influence extends, he helps to establish the kingdom of Antichrist in
the earth. This is clear from the prophecies of the Revelation, and it will
answer no purpose to take offense when the truth is spoken. These things will,
moreover, sooner or later be declared with great plainness by some one; and then
will the man of sin put forth all his strength; then will persecution come, and
the beast muster his armies to defend himself and to destroy the assailants, but
in vain; for however few their number may be at first, and however furious the
battle may rage against them, they are destined to conquer. And herein the words
of Christ will fitly apply, Fear not, little flock; for it is your Fathers
good pleasure to give you the kingdom.
Speaking of sectarianism, he says
further: “The same round of things will
continue until the evil is remedied.... When this
shall take place, time only can determine with certainty.
It will probably commence slowly, and not come with
any great outward observation. Few will at first
see or embrace the way, being strange to them, and
appearing on account of their prejudices, and the
way they have been taught by the false prophet, to
be wrong and improper: moreover, being opposed
to all others, they will have all others to oppose
them. But though they are despised and hated,
and few in number, the Lord is with them.”
On Rev 16:13, 14: I have already delivered my views with
respect to these unclean spirits ... and it is not necessary to say much here
upon the subject; only I would just observe, that this will be a time of greater
trial to Christians in general, and in a time in which more will be deprived of
every particle of true religion through the influence of false ministers
belonging to the different societies in Christendom, than any that has ever yet
been in the world. But while they are making these great exertions, they are
only preparing themselves and their deluded votaries for a more awful and
complete destruction. For God Almighty is against them, and they against Him;
though they will know it not, but think perhaps all the while they are his
peculiar favorites, and that they are employed in maintaining his cause, like
the Jews before them, when it is only their own cause and mens traditions.
I am but as the voice of one crying in the wilderness of
error and of sin, of wickedness and delusion, testifying according to the best
light given me; and any light that I can possibly communicate will in a little
time become as the feeble shining of the sun, by reason of the greatness of the
light that shall be hereafter.
“A true and living testimony
will go forth before this last period of the awful
judgments of God comes to a close, and in consequence
of rejecting it, like the Jews of old, the wrath of
God will come upon them to the uttermost. The
testimony against the worshipers of the beast, by
the third angel, Rev 14:9, is the testimony that effectually
overthrows the kingdom of darkness and establishes
the truth as it is in Jesus, pure and undefiled....
The authors of this testimony will ... unlike to all
who go before them, attack the evil at its root, and
expose the deceit, hypocrisy and wickedness of the
different sects in a way that has never before been
done; for which they will suffer the greatest persecution.
You may look upon these things as the reveries of my
own fancy; but some day or other, people will witness
to the truth of what I now write.”
All the reformations which go before this last great reform
will only be partial and temporary. They will only lop off the branches, or at
the most, only strike at the body of the corrupt tree, while the roots remain
untouched and uninjured. But when this last testimony goes forth, the very roots
of the corrupt tree will be attacked.
“Every sect is under an idea
that whenever the Lord comes to establish truth in
the earth, it will be to establish their creed, raise
up their sect, and bring the whole world into their
way. And when the faithful witnesses whom God
will raise up shall openly declare that they have all
gone out of the way, that the greatest professors have
so much of guile, selfishness and party spirit about
them as to be nothing but hypocrites, and that a person
must be better than they are or be lost forever; that
sects are an abomination to the Lord; denounce eternal
death upon every advocate and adherent of men-made
establishments; ... I say when such a testimony
as this goes forth, as it sooner or later will, no
wonder that the sects, all with one accord, should
set themselves against it should call it
heresy declare it will ruin the churches
if it is not suppressed.... Although, as I have
before testified, I am only as the voice of one crying
in the wilderness a mere babe in the knowledge
of these things which are to be revealed hereafter,
yet I expect to raise a host of bigots and hypocrites
against me.... Nor can it be very long before
the true light, in a very especial manner, will shine....
If these things do not come to pass, then let me be
called an enthusiast or a deceiVer
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 has 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.
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.
The special characters of this vision
and their work have been very difficult for me to
identify positively. Until clearer light on the
matter is received, I choose to withhold an explanation
rather than to indulge in speculation. Its usual
explanation is to apply the gathering of the harvest
of the earth to the work of the reformation now taking
place and the vintage scene to the final destruction
of the wicked, their punishment being symbolized by
the treading of the “winepress of the wrath
of God.” This may be its signification.
It is certain, however, that in a subsequent chapter,
the final judgment of the wicked is symbolized by
the treading of “the wine-press of the fierceness
and wrath of Almighty God.” Beyond this
I can not now speak with certainty.