Revelation 14:1-19

Temple Section-The 144,000

18 All will be obliged to have one of three marks to indicate their worship of the wild beast: either its symbol, its name, or its number. The number, we are told, is the number of humanity. This has nothing to do with its name. The number seven, which is used throughout this scroll, is significant of sufficiency, completion. This is its meaning in Hebrew. The number six comes one short of this. It is significant of insufficiency. This entire era is marked by man's supreme attempt to attain perfection apart from God. All his achievements fall short of the divine standard. He accomplishes the federation of mankind-except a few Jews. He unites all the world under one religion-except a handful in Judea. He conquers all who oppose-except Christ. In everything humanity falls one step short of its goal. Hence its number is 666. This is the summit of all man's efforts.

1 This is the same company of 144,000 who are sealed in the Throne Section (Rev_7:3-8). There they are slaves, here they are worshipers, standing on Mount Zion, where the temple is. The seal on their foreheads (Rev_7:3), the names of the Father and the Lambkin, take the place of the name of the wild beast (Rev_13:17), which the unfaithful receive. This is the time of the harvest and these are the first fruits (Lev_23:10) before the full harvest, which is represented by the vast multitude (Rev_7:9). They will be, literally, celibates, whose worship is in marked contrast to the sensuous ritual which will characterize the worship of the wild beast.

6 The eonian evangel Is not for this day. It is for the hours of judgment. In the midst of wrath He remembers mercy. But it does not call upon them to believe, as the gospel does today, for that is adapted to a time of undiluted grace (Rom_4:16). It is not even repent, for that is the door into the kingdom before the hour of judgment has struck (Act_2:38). It is fear- fear for God in His most elemental character as the Creator. It is a demand that no one be worshiped but the One Who created the universe. This is His answer to the demands of the false prophet that all worship the wild beast and the dragon (cf. Act_17:24-31).

The Temple Section-The Emblem of the Wild Beast

8 This notation fixes the time of Babylon's overthrow, which is greatly expanded in the next division of this section, where God deals particularly with the apostates of the chosen nation. It falls just before the final judgments which usher in the priestly kingdom. This makes it clear that the Harvest and the Vintage follow Babylon's destruction and that, when we take up the next division of the Temple Section we must go back in time to a period prior to these announcements.

10 This so-called "cup of malediction" (Psa_75:8; Psa_60:3; Isa_51:17-23), was wine fortified with myrrh, frankincense or some other bitter drug. In this case it is not tempered with water (Rev_18:6 cf Mat_27:34; Mar_15:23).

11 The torment spoken of in this prophecy is of various lengths and limited to specific classes. All of mankind who have not the seal of God on their foreheads will be tormented five months by the locusts, under the fifth trumpet (Rev_9:5). Satan and the wild beast and the false prophet will be tormented (Rev_20:10). The fumes of the torment of those here spoken of last for the eons of the eons. These are the supreme sinners of mankind, hence shall be tormented until they die (Rev_16:2; Rev_16:8-9, Rev_18:8), some of them by the blade (Rev_19:21).

13 "Happy are the dead who are dying in the Lord henceforth " can only be applied to this particular crisis. The reason is clear. No one, unless especially protected by God, can remain true to Him when they cannot buy or sell, or have any intercourse with their fellow men unless they have the emblem of the wild beast. It will mean certain death to accept the eonian evangel and worship the Creator.

THE HARVEST

14 The One like a son of mankind is, most probably, Christ Himself, hence the words "son of mankind" do not refer to Him directly but indirectly, for He is like him. The harvest is the result of the eonian evangel. The darnel has been gathered Into bundles; now the wheat is to be gathered into His barn (Mat_13:30). This division of the Temple Section is based on the covenant with Israel, hence ends in the blessing of His people and the destruction of their enemies. These are accomplished in the Harvest and the Vintage.