Revelation Chapters 14-16

These chapters describe a period of righteousness and of harvest of the saints in the last days prior to the wind-up scenes.

#Revelation Chapter 14 The Lord and His Righteous Followers Will Endure

Chapter fourteen serves as yet another interlude. It presents a message of hope and encouragement just before vivid descriptions of destruction. In Revelation 13, we see the two beasts who serve Satan and enslave the people of the world; now, at the beginning of Revelation 14, we see the Lamb standing in triumph on his temple mount. In Revelation 13, we see the peoples of the earth, who worship the beast and receive his name in their foreheads (Revelation 13:4, 15-16); in Revelation 14, we see a powerful group of righteous followers of Christ, who worship him, who remain pure, and who stand faultless before God, having his name written in their foreheads (Revelation 14:1, 3-5). The spreading, pervasive power of the two beasts is so great that it appears that none can withstand it. But in the few verses of chapter 14, we see that the Lord and his true followers can and will withstand that power, and they will surely prevail in the end. The central, though less obvious, message of this section is a plea for the saints to follow the Lord even during periods of distress.

The chapter divides into three sections, each starting with the phrase “I looked” or “I saw” (verses 1, 6, 14). The first scene is of the Lamb and the saints in Zion; the second is of the three angels who both warn and comfort; and the last is of the harvest of the righteous on the earth. The final section is further divided into two parts: (1) the gathering of the righteous – the period of the harvest; and (2) the destruction of the wicked.

This chapter echoes the interlude between the sixth and seventh seals where the 144,000 were introduced (chapter 7). In this chapter, John sees them (the 144,000) standing with the Lamb on Mount Zion. Unlike the earlier vision, this one depicts their earthly station at the time judgment commences in earnest.

The vision has, at this point, prepared the reader for the onset of a great battle, but, as usual, God throws in a twist. The figure standing on Mount Zion is not a terrible warrior- king garbed in battle array, but instead, a lamb, the symbol of meekness and peace. Further, harmony and joy reign over all those in John’s view. These people do not know worry, distress, or the threat of war. The harmony of sweet music fills the region, reaching a climax as the heavens explode into the rhapsody of a new song – new not only because it has never been sung before, but also because it could never have been sung before. It signals a total victory that only now has become possible. For this reason, only the 144,000 – representing the sealed, those who have won the battle – are able to sing it.

1 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.

verse 1 “a Lamb” The Lamb is Jesus Christ (Revelation 5:5-6).

“mount Sion” In the Old Testament Mount Zion (Psalm 48:1-3; 74:2; 78:68; 125:1; Isaiah 8:18) is located in Jerusalem. In Hebrews 12:22, Mount Sion (Sion is the New Testament form of Zion) is associated with “the heavenly Jerusalem,” which is another name for the portion of New Jerusalem that will descend from on high (Revelation 21:10). Modern revelation clarifies further that Mount Zion “shall be the city of New Jerusalem” (D&C 84:2; 133:18, 56). When the Lord stands on Mount Zion in the latter days, it appears he will be standing at the Mount Zion called New Jerusalem, which will be centered in Jackson County, Missouri. Yet he also will appear at Mount Olivet in Old Jerusalem, which is near the Mount Zion there, and the 144,000 may well be with him there as well (McConkie, Doctrinal New Testament Commentary, 3:525).

Mount Zion also sometimes refers to the temple (D&C 84:32; Anchor Bible Dictionary, 6:1096); in this part of the vision, therefore, John has seen the Lamb standing on the temple mount or in the temple itself.

“an hundred forty and four thousand” As has been suggested, the term symbolizes priesthood authority in its fulness. This group of 144,000 consists of those who were sealed in Revelation 7:1-8. We learn in Revelation 14:3-5 that they have been “redeemed from the earth,” that they are “virgins,” that they “follow the Lamb whithersoever he goeth,” that they are “the firstfruits unto God,” and that they are “without fault before . . . God.” See the commentary on Revelation 7:1-8; 14:3-5.

“having his Father’s name written in their foreheads” In Revelation 13:16-17, we saw that the people of the world had the name of the beast written on their foreheads. Here, the righteous have the Father’s name written on their foreheads. We are marked by the name of him to whom we give our true loyalty. The reception of the Father’s name is a fulfillment of the promise made to the valiant in Revelation 3:12, which records that the righteous also have written on them the name of God’s holy city, New Jerusalem, as well as the new name of Christ.

There is another way in which we may receive the name of the Father and the Son in our foreheads. A name stands for the person it belongs to. When Alma asked, “Can ye look up to God at that day [the day of judgment] . . . having the image of God engraven upon your countenances?” (Alma 5:19), he may have been referring to the same idea John is speaking of here. Perhaps the Father’s name is written on the righteous in a symbolic rather than a literal way.

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:

verse 2 “a voice from heaven, as the voice of many waters, and . . . great thunder” This voice may be that of the Lord (Revelation 1:15; D&C 110:3) or of the multitude of angels in heaven (Revelation 19:6). It is more likely the latter, as the angels join in the song mentioned in Revelation 14:3. The sound is so loud it is like the roar of the ocean or of a rushing river; it is like the clapping of mighty thunder (see commentary on 1:15; see also Ezekiel 1:24; 43:2).

“the voice of harpers harping with their harps” John also hears the sound of harps accompanying the multitude in the song. Harps appear to be the instrument most often used by those in God’s heavenly kingdom (see also Revelation 5:8; 15:2).

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.

verse 3 “they sung as it were a new song” The harpers, and perhaps others in heaven, are singing a song before the throne of God. The song and its setting are likely those described in D&C 84:96-102:

For I, the Almighty, have laid my hands upon the nations, to scourge them for their wickedness. And plagues shall go forth, and they shall not be taken from the earth until I have completed my work, which shall be cut short in righteousness—until all shall know me, who remain, even from the least unto the greatest, and shall be filled with the knowledge of the Lord, and shall see eye to eye, and shall lift up their voice, and with the voice together sing this new song, saying:

The Lord hath brought again Zion;

The Lord hath redeemed his people, Israel,

According to the election of grace,

Which was brought to pass by the faith

And covenant of their fathers.

The Lord hath redeemed his people;

And Satan is bound and time is no longer.

The Lord hath gathered all things in one.

The Lord hath brought down Zion from above.

The Lord hath brought up Zion from beneath.

The earth hath travailed and brought forth her strength;

And truth is established in her bowels;

And the heavens have smiled upon her;

And she is clothed with the glory of her God;

For he stands in the midst of his people.

Glory, and honor, and power, and might,

Be ascribed to our God; for he is full of mercy,

Justice, grace and truth, and peace,

Forever and ever, Amen.

Here we understand the triumphant nature of the song. The plagues of judgment have cleansed the earth. Only the redeemed remain. God and his saints have won the day, and Zion stands supreme.

“before the throne, and before the four beasts, and the elders” John reminds us that he is seeing a vision of the heavenly temple, with God’s throne (see also Revelation 4:2) before which are four beasts and exalted elders (Revelation 4:4, 6-10). The singers proclaim their song in the heavenly temple.

“no man could learn that song but the hundred and forty and four thousand” The song is sung by heavenly beings before the throne of God. But there are also some on earth who can learn the song – the 144,000 who stand on Mount Zion with Christ. Why are these the only ones who can learn the song? Perhaps it can be known only by revelation. Or perhaps such knowledge requires a certain relationship with God and his Spirit.

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.

verse 4 “they are virgins” The term virgin (Greek parthenos) used by John to describe them emphasizes a spiritual quality. The image of “virgin” as applied to males was probably related to Israelite military practices. Soldiers were required to maintain ritual purity, including sexual abstinence, before going into battle. This state of ceremonial cleanliness for those engaged in war seems to be an excellent symbol for the moral purity that the saints must maintain during the spiritual war against the beasts (on conducting holy war, see Deuteronomy 20; 23:9-10; cf. 1 Samuel 21:5; 2 Samuel 11:11). For this reason, there should be neither concern for the epithet “virgins” pertaining to males, nor the idea that John is espousing celibacy.

The descriptions in Revelation 14:4-5 may apply to all who are exalted, though in this case they refer particularly to the 144,000. They are virgins in having refrained from entering into any unlawful sexual intercourse. They are also virgins in having remained true to Christ as their Bridegroom (Revelation 19:7; 21:9; see also Jeremiah 2:1-4) – in having refrained from entering into spiritual adultery (Ezekiel 16; Hosea 1-3). The Lord has often referred to his true people as virgins (2 Kings 19:21; Jeremiah 18:13; Lamentations 2:13; Amos 5:2; 2 Corinthians 11:2). These “virgins” are contrasted with the wicked who worship the beast in Revelation 13 and who join in consort with the “mother of harlots” that is Babylon (Revelation 17:5).

“follow the Lamb” Those who are chosen of Christ are those who follow him in all circumstances. These do as the man said in Luke, “Lord, I will follow thee whithersoever thou goest” (Luke 9:57; see also Mark 8:34; Matthew 19:21).

“redeemed” Christ, the Redeemer, has paid the price for their sins, and they are redeemed from the demands of justice and the bonds of the devil (Mosiah 15:9; Alma 12:32- 34; 34:15).

“the firstfruits unto God” Under the law of Moses, the firstfruits of the harvest were offered to God in sacrifice (Exodus 34:22, 26). As Jesus is the first fruits of all the dead, being the first to be resurrected (1 Corinthians 15:20), so are these 144,000 “the first fruits of the harvest of salvation” (see also Jeremiah 2:2-3).

5 And in their mouth was found no guile: for they are without fault before the throne of God.

verse 5 “in their mouth was found no guile” John makes the point that “in their [the virgins’] mouth was found no guile” (verse 5). The Greek word translated “guile” (pseudos) means “falsehood” in a broad sense, thus encompassing both lying and deceiving. However, John uses the term with a specific meaning. For him it is neither error nor lying but an active contesting against truth. Thus, the 144,000 are the antithesis of the beast and the false prophet. John’s context suggests that the men represented by the 144,000 are the true prophets. The whole picture captures the fidelity to Jehovah that the saints of God espouse. This characteristic is in contrast to the wicked, who include the liars (Revelation 21:8), who, as we saw in their worship of the beast in Revelation 13, “changed the truth of God into a lie” (Romans 1:25).

“without fault before the throne of God” A proper sacrifice had to be without blemish (Leviticus 1:3, 10; 22:21). These 144,000 are like the Lamb, “without blemish and without spot” (1 Peter 1:19; Hebrews 9:14). This purity and perfection, of course, is made possible through the sacrifice of that Lamb (Hebrews 13:20-21; Moroni 10:33).

verses 6-13 John sees three angels who proclaim or bring judgment upon the world. The first angel brings “the everlasting gospel” for “every nation” – and with it brings a warning that the hour of God’s judgment “is come.” The second angel proclaims that Babylon, the wicked world, has fallen. The third angel announces that all those who worship the beast will be “tormented with fire and brimstone . . . forever and ever.” Despite the troubles and destruction that will come to the wicked, the righteous will be blessed, and if they die, they will rest in the Lord.

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,

verse 6 “another angel fly in the midst of heaven” In latter-day revelation, the Lord clarifies that the angel John sees here has been sent to “commit” the gospel to man, suggesting that the gospel has been lost and would be restored:

And now, verily saith the Lord, . . . I have sent forth mine angel flying through the midst of heaven, having the everlasting gospel, who hath appeared unto some and hath committed it unto man, who shall appear unto many that dwell on the earth. And this gospel shall be preached unto every nation, and kindred, and tongue, and people. And the servants of God shall go forth, 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 – calling upon the name of the Lord day and night, saying: O that thou wouldst rend the heavens, that thou wouldst come down, that the mountains might flow down at thy presence (D&C 133:36-40).

This angel is generally considered to be Moroni. We read in the Doctrine and Covenants that Moroni was the angel “whom I have sent unto you to reveal the Book of Mormon, containing the fulness of my everlasting gospel” (D&C 27:5). This angel is the angel who will sound the fifth trump at the time of the resurrection and the end of the world (D&C 88:103; see also verses 94-110); this may or may not be the same as the angel with the fifth trump in Revelation 9:1-12.

Elsewhere Joseph Smith taught:

All the testimony is that the Lord in the last days would commit the keys of the Priesthood to a witness over all people. Has the Gospel of the kingdom commenced in the last days? . . . I have read it precisely as the words flowed from the lips of Jesus Christ. John the Revelator saw an angel flying through the midst of heaven, having the everlasting Gospel to preach unto them that dwell on the earth.

The scripture is ready to be fulfilled when great wars, famines, pestilence, great distress, judgments, &c., are ready to be poured out on the inhabitants of the earth. John saw the angel having the holy Priesthood, who should preach the everlasting Gospel to all nations. God had an angel – a special messenger – ordained and prepared for that purpose in the last days. (TPJS, 364-65.)

Joseph Smith does not clearly identify the angel here, but the context suggests that the angel would come to “commit the keys of the Priesthood;” “John saw the angel having the holy Priesthood.” Moroni certainly had the priesthood, but he did not commit any priesthood keys – that was done by Peter, James, and John, Elijah, Moses, and others (D&C 110; 128:20).

Elder Bruce R. McConkie suggests that the angel seen by John in this verse was symbolic of many angels: “Paul makes the apt statement that the gospel consists of two parts: the word and the power (1 Thessalonians 1:5). . . Thus, the angel Moroni brought the message, that is, the word; but other angels brought the keys and priesthood, the power” (McConkie, Doctrinal New Testament Commentary, 3:530).

D&C 77:8 lends credence to the idea that many angels joined together to accomplish the restoration of the gospel. Joseph Smith speaks there by revelation of “four angels sent forth from God . . . these are they who have the everlasting gospel to commit to every nation, kindred, tongue, and people.”

“having the everlasting gospel” The gospel with its laws, principles, and powers is eternal, lasting forever. The expression “everlasting gospel” or “everlasting covenant of the gospel” appears twenty-six times in the Doctrine and Covenants (see, for example, D&C 101:22, 39).

“to preach . . . to every nation” The gospel is destined to go forth to the entire world – “every nation, and kindred, and tongue, and people.” This is the final divine commission the

Savior gave his apostles: “Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost” (Matthew 28:19).

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.

verse 7 “loud voice” The angel’s “loud voice” is intended to be heard by all. See commentary on Revelation 12:9.

“Fear God, and give glory to him” The whole world has been worshipping the beast. But the angel tells them they must turn to God and reverence and honor him.

“the hour of his judgment is come” “Hour” here is probably not literal but may represent a short period of time, as if to say, “His judgment is about to begin.” Judgment does not refer to the Last Judgment but to the time when God will punish the world (send his judgments) for its wickedness. The judgment will be a time of terror for the wicked, but it will represent deliverance for the righteous from the rule of the wicked. This judgment and deliverance come through Christ. As he said in his final mortal days, so can Christ say again at his second coming: “Now is the judgment of this world: now shall the prince of this world be cast out” (John 12:31).

This verse, in essence, is a call to the world to repent. This call – and reminder of the hour of the Lord’s judgment – was repeated early in the days of the restoration of the gospel, as seen by John. By command of the Lord, Joseph Smith placed these powerful words at the beginning of the Doctrine and Covenants:

Hearken, O ye people of my church, saith the voice of him who dwells on high. . . For verily the voice of the Lord is unto all men, and there is none to escape; and there is no eye that shall not see, neither ear that shall not hear, neither heart that shall not be penetrated. And the rebellious shall be pierced with much sorrow; for their iniquities shall be spoken upon the housetops, and their secret acts shall be revealed. . . Wherefore, fear and tremble, O ye people, for what I the Lord have decreed . . . shall be fulfilled. . . Wherefore the voice of the Lord is unto the ends of the earth, that all that will hear may hear: Prepare ye, prepare ye for that which is to come, for the Lord is nigh; And the anger of the Lord is kindled, and his sword is bathed in heaven, and it shall fall upon the inhabitants of the earth. . . . Wherefore, I the Lord, knowing the calamity which should come upon the inhabitants of the earth, called upon my servant Joseph Smith, Jun., and spake unto him from heaven, and gave him commandments; And also gave commandments to others, that they should proclaim these things unto the world; and all this that it might be fulfilled, which was written by the prophets” (D&C 1:1-3, 7, 11-13, 17-18).

“worship him that made heaven / earth / sea / fountains of waters” God has all power, even greater than the beast in Revelation 13. It is the true God that all mankind should worship, and none else (Exodus 20:2-6; Acts 14:15).

verses 8-20 Babylon to fall as God gathers out the righteous and harvests the wickedness of the earth.

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.

verse 8 “there followed another angel” John sees a second angel of judgment. This angel has yet to come, because he proclaims the fulfillment of an event yet to occur.

“Babylon is fallen” Babylon, the city that was the epitome of the wicked, idolatrous, immoral world, was destroyed – and so will symbolic Babylon. This is her prophetic destiny, and it surely will occur, as many prophets have foreseen (Isaiah 21:9; Jeremiah 51:7-8; Daniel 5:25-28). The fall of Babylon is a direct result of the judgment of God declared in 14:7; the cause of that judgment follows: she induced the people of the world to join in “fornication,” which is a symbolic reference to worship of gods other than the true God. In a literal sense, the “fall of Babylon” means that the wicked world will cease to exist.

“that great city” Babylon is the great city of wickedness, standing in opposition to the great city of righteousness, New Jerusalem. Anciently, Babylon was a literal city, but in prophecy she stands as a symbol of the wicked world. The New Jerusalem will be a literal city in the future; she also stands as a symbol of the union of the righteous.

“she made all nations drink” Certainly Babylon did not force the people of the world to participate in sin. But through her inducements and enticements, she was able to seduce the world into accepting her godless philosophies and approaches to life. The term drink suggests that the wicked have truly internalized their sinfulness.

“the wine of the wrath of her fornication” This expression combines two phrases that are found elsewhere in Revelation: “the wine of the wrath of God” (Revelation 14:10) and “the wine of her fornication” (Revelation 17:2). The Jerusalem Bible seems to fit these meanings together well in its translation: “Babylon which gave the whole world the wine of God’s anger to drink.” The Revised Standard Version interprets wrath as passion: “made all nations drink the wine of her impure passion.” The New International Version gives the idea of madness: “made all the nations drink the maddening wine of her adulteries” (see also Jeremiah 51:7). Fornication here refers to the evil practice of leaving the true Bridegroom and going after other gods, as both the world and the Lord’s people too often do (Revelation 2:20). Fornication may also refer literally to sexual immorality, which often accompanies the grosser levels of wickedness on the earth. The underlying meaning is that Babylon (the wicked element of the world) has enticed the nations to become intoxicated with sin and that both Babylon and the nations of the world will be punished by God in his wrath. In bringing others to this fornication, Babylon is nothing less than a harlot (Revelation 17:1-6).

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,

verse 9 “the third angel followed them” In this part of the vision, John sees the angels come in a trio, the first bearing the gospel, the second proclaiming the fall of Babylon, and the third warning of the fate of those who join with the beast.

“loud voice” See commentary on 12:9.

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:

verses 9-10 “If any man worship the beast / shall drink of the wine of the wrath of God” In Revelation 13:15, we saw that all who refused to worship the beast were to be put to death. Here, in sobering contrast, we see that all who enter into such worship receive a much more terrible punishment – they receive the wrath of God into their very beings. God’s punishing anger is often depicted in the Old Testament as a symbolic drink made up of his wrath, which the wicked are forced to swallow (Job 21:20; Psalm 75:8; Isaiah 51:17; Jeremiah 25:15-28). Wine also symbolizes blood (3 Nephi 20:8; D&C 20:79) the wicked, who refuse the atoning blood of Christ, will be forced to drink of wine that typifies the blood of sinfulness (Isaiah 49:26; Jacob 1:19).

verse 10 “poured out without mixture into the cup of his indignation” Speaking symbolically, God has a cup of mercy and blessing (Psalm 23:5; 116:13) and a cup of anger and vengeance (Revelation 16:19; Isaiah 51:17; D&C 29:17; 43:26). In the day of judgment, when “the cup of their [the world’s] iniquity is full” (D&C 101:11; 103:1), the Lord will pour out punishment into his cup of wrath, unmixed (or undiluted) with mercy, as wine was sometimes mixed – or not mixed – with water (Mounce, Book of Revelation, 273). The wicked will then be required to drink of the punishment in the Lord’s cup. He cannot give mercy (meaning, grant them the blessings of the atonement) because they did not repent.

“tormented with fire and brimstone” Isaiah described the destruction of Edom (another symbol for the world, as was Babylon) in similar terms:

The indignation of the Lord is upon all nations. . . For it is the day of the Lord’s vengeance. . . And the streams thereof shall be turned into pitch, and the dust thereof into brimstone, and the land thereof shall become burning pitch. It shall not be quenched night nor day; the smoke thereof shall go up for ever” (Isaiah 34:2, 5, 8-10). These images draw from the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah, which is a type of the destruction of the world (Genesis 19:24-26).

The fate that has been prepared for the wicked, that of ceaseless burning and torment, was experienced to a degree by Zeezrom in the Book of Mormon: “Zeezrom lay sick . . . with a burning fever, which was caused by the great tribulations of his mind on account of his wickedness, for he supposed that Alma and Amulek were no more; and he supposed that they had been slain because of his iniquity. And this great sin, and his many other sins, did harrow up his mind until it did become exceedingly sore, having no deliverance; therefore he began to be scorched with a burning heat” (Alma 15:3; 36:12).

Though the fire and brimstone appear to symbolize the endless spiritual and emotional torment of the wicked, the idea of a burning hell is nevertheless scriptural and was taught by Jesus himself (Mark 9:44; Luke 16:9-31; Revelation 20:10).

“in the presence of the holy angels, and in the presence of the Lamb” It increases the torment of the wicked to see the bliss and blessings of “the holy angels” and “the Lamb.” This expression likely refers to the presence of Christ and his angels when they descend at the second coming of Christ, the time of judgment referred to in this verse (Mark 8:38).

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.

verse 11 “the smoke of their torment ascendeth up for ever and ever” The prayers and praise of the righteous are symbolized by the smoke of incense that ascends to heaven (see also Revelation 5:8). In contrast, the literal smoke of the burning of the city of Babylon – and the burning of the wicked – symbolizes the spiritual torment they suffer. Like the devil and his beast and false prophet, those who follow them – worshipping the beast and bearing his mark – will suffer torment “day and night for ever and ever” (Revelation 20:10). Again, the eternal nature of the punishment of the wicked stands in contrast to the eternal blessing of the righteous (Revelation 1:6; 11:15; Matthew 25:41, 46; Hebrews 1:8). Those who suffer the greatest eternal punishment, of course, are the sons of perdition (Hebrews 6:4-6; D&C 76:32- 38). Those who inherit a lesser degree of glory than the celestial will also have eternal pangs of regret for that which they could have had, but chose, in sin, not to have.

“no rest day nor night” The torments of the damned continue without cessation and without rest forever (Isaiah 34:10; 57:20; Mark 9:43-49).

12 Here is the patience of the saints: here are they that keep the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus.

verse 12 “Here is the patience of the saints” In the midst of turmoil, the saints are enjoined to continue in patient trust in God and his plan, to keep God’s commandments, and to be true to their faith in Jesus Christ (see commentary on Revelation 13:10; see also 1:9; James 5:7-11; Hebrews 6:12).

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 labours; and their works do follow them.

verse 13 “a voice from heaven” The Lord or one of his angels bears testimony to the blessing that will come to those who are faithful unto death (Revelation 11:15).

“Write” Here John is given exact words to include in his revelation. This commandment emphasizes the importance of what he has heard – he is specifically told to record it – and is a continuation of that which he received in Revelation 1:19.

“Blessed are the dead which die in the Lord from henceforth” This statement, proclaimed by a heavenly voice, is one of seven “beatitudes” given in this revelation (Revelation 1:3; 16:15; 19:9; 20:6; 22:7, 14). The reason these faithful are to be considered blessed is then given: “They may rest from their labors; and their works do follow them” (see also Psalm 116:15). Henceforth means “from this time forward.” Certainly, saints in all ages are blessed when they “die in the Lord.” Perhaps the use of henceforth underscores the truth that even though great trials lie ahead, those who continue faithful will be greatly blessed, even though they may die.

“saith the Spirit” The voice of the Spirit here may be different from the “voice from heaven.” But both voices proclaim eternal verities to the Lord’s people, truths that bless and comfort and lift the heart in the midst of trial.

“rest from their labours” For the righteous, the spirit world and the celestial world are places of peace and rest. There is no more sin or suffering, no pain or sickness or fatigue. And there is no longer need to work to earn our bread “in the sweat of [our] face” (Genesis 3:19; Job 3:17; Matthew 11:28; Philippians 1:21-23). As Alma taught, “The spirits of those who are righteous are received into a state of happiness, which is called paradise, a state of rest, a state of peace, where they shall rest from all their troubles and from all care, and sorrow” (Alma 40:12).

“their works do follow them” Our good works will be known in the world to come. Also, the blessings and positive consequences of our good works go with us as we move into the spirit world and then into a state of resurrected glory (Matthew 25:31-46; Revelation 20:12). In addition, Joseph Smith reportedly taught that a better translation of this phrase is “they shall continue their work” (Matthews, “A Plainer Translation,” 210). Though we may rest from earthly cares, the righteous in the spirit world and in a glorified celestial world will devote their new life and energy to the work of the kingdom.

verses 14-20 This section gives us scenes of the two-phase harvest of the earth. First, we see Christ with a sharp sickle, which he uses to select out the righteous as if they were wheat to be harvested. This harvest is that which was described by Jesus in his parable of the wheat field (see JST Matthew 13:24-30, 37-43; for a modern interpretation, see D&C 86:1-7).

Next, we see an angel gathering the wicked as if they were clusters of grapes and then casting them into a winepress that represents God’s wrath. We see the blood that comes from the winepress, as juice flows from crushed grapes – blood so deep it reaches to a horse’s bridle. Though this is a horrifying scene in John’s vision, it is a scene not of injustice and wrong but of setting things right and fulfilling the law of justice. Whatever God in his wisdom and love decides to do is best for his children, both individually and as a group; whatever God chooses to do is both just and merciful and right (Alma 42:15).

Joel saw a similar vision: “Let the heathen be wakened, and come up to the valley of Jehoshaphat: for there will I sit to judge all the heathen round about. Put ye in the sickle, for the harvest is ripe: come, get you down; for the press is full, the fats overflow; for their wickedness is great” (Joel 3:12-13).

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.

verse 14 “a white cloud” This scene is reminiscent of one beheld by Daniel long before: “I saw in the night visions, and, behold, one like the Son of man came with the clouds of heaven. . . And there was given him dominion, and glory, and a kingdom” (Daniel 7:13-14). Elsewhere we read of Christ coming “in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory” (Matthew 24:30; D&C 45:16, 44), but this appearance does not seem to be the second coming, when Christ returns in great power with his angels. Instead, he sits as a judge and conqueror upon the clouds in heaven. The cloud probably symbolizes Christ’s glory (D&C 84:5). The whiteness of the cloud may symbolize victory, purity, and grace.

“upon the cloud one sat like unto the Son of man” The Son of man here is Christ (Revelation 1:12-20). After listing events of the last days, Jesus said, “And then shall they see the Son of man coming in the clouds with great power and glory. And then shall he send his angels, and shall gather together his elect from the four winds, from the uttermost part of the earth to the uttermost part of heaven” (Mark 13:26-27).

“on his head a golden crown, and in his hand a sharp sickle” The Greek tells us that the golden crown is instead a golden wreath (stephanos), such as victors would wear (Harrington, Revelation, 154). Christ comes victorious, with power to gather his saints unto himself. The sharp sickle, the instrument of the gathering, may symbolize the missionaries who go forth with his true gospel, bearing the priesthood and conveying ordinances, bringing the righteous, like sheaves, into the Lord’s barn (Matthew 13:30).

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 is come for thee to reap; for the harvest of the earth is ripe.

verse 15 “another angel came out of the temple” This angel comes forth from the place where God is (Revelation 7:15; 11:15-19), bearing the message that it is time for the final harvest of the righteous on the earth, preparatory to the burning of the wicked.

“loud voice” See commentary on Revelation 12:9.

“Thrust in thy sickle, and reap” The reaping in this verse refers to the gathering of the righteous out of the field that is the world (JST Matthew 13:24-30, 36-43; D&C 86:1-7). The time for that gathering has come; it is the last days, and “the harvest of the earth is ripe.” Ripe means fully ready; the righteous have proved themselves and are ready to be gathered into the arms of their Lord.

“Behold, the field is white already to harvest,” the latter-day revelation says, “therefore, whoso desireth to reap, let him thrust in his sickle with his might, and reap while the day lasts, that he may treasure up for his soul everlasting salvation in the kingdom of God” (D&C 6:3). Gathering the people of the world in harvest – for safety in the barn (or bosom) of the Lord, or for punishment and burning – has long been an image used by the Lord and his prophets (Jeremiah 51:33; Hosea 6:11; Matthew 9:37-38; 13:30, 40-42; Mark 4:29; Luke 10:2; John 4:35-38).

16 And he that sat on the cloud thrust in his sickle on the earth; and the earth was reaped.

verse 16 “he that sat on the cloud thrust in his sickle on the earth; and the earth was reaped” Through his sickle (the righteous saints), the Lord reaches down and gathers his people from every part of the world. This gathering seems to be that of those who will come unto Christ; the gathering of the wicked is depicted in Revelation 14:19-20.

Through the prophet Joseph Smith, the Lord described the two parts of the gathering that will occur before the Millennium – the gathering of the righteous unto blessing, and the gathering of the wicked unto burning:

But behold, in the last days, even now while the Lord is beginning to bring forth the word, and the blade is springing up and is yet tender – behold, verily I say unto you, the angels are crying unto the Lord day and night, who are ready and waiting to be sent forth to reap down the fields; but the Lord saith unto them, pluck not up the tares while the blade is yet tender (for verily your faith is weak), lest you destroy the wheat also.

Therefore, let the wheat and the tares grow together until the harvest is fully ripe; then ye shall first gather out the wheat from among the tares, and after the gathering of the wheat, behold and lo, the tares are bound in bundles, and the field remaineth to be burned (D&C 86:4-7).

17 And another angel came out of the temple which is in heaven, he also having a sharp sickle.

verse 17 “another angel came out of the temple which is in heaven” That the angel comes out of the temple in heaven, where God is, suggests that he has first received his commission or assignment from God and then goes forth to accomplish it. “The temple which is in heaven” is John’s name for the celestial kingdom.

“he also having a sharp sickle” If the sickle of the Lord (Revelation 14:16) is the saints’ going forth to do his work of gathering, this sickle, in the hands of an angel, may also be mortal beings doing the harvesting work of the Lord, but they are harvesting the wicked, preparing them to be crushed in the winepress of God – or, as we read elsewhere, preparing them to be burned (Matthew 13:38-40; D&C 86:7). Perhaps this is done by bearing strong testimony to all people, and those who refuse to repent are then judged worthy to be destroyed.

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.

verse 18 “another angel came out from the altar, which had power over fire” This angel also comes from the temple but specifically from the altar. This passage may have reference to the angel in Revelation 8:3-5, who stood at the altar of incense, which was offered with the prayers of the saints: “And the angel took the censer, and filled it with fire of the altar, and cast it into the earth” (Revelation 8:5). This angel, who has authority over the fire of the altar, commands the angel with the sickle to gather the wicked to be destroyed. Ultimately, that destruction will come by fire (Revelation 18:8).

“a loud cry to him that had the sharp sickle” The angel from the altar commands the angel with the sickle to thrust it down to earth, to cut down and gather the wicked. The wicked are “the clusters of the vine of the earth;” they are “fully ripe” in their wickedness (contrast with the ripeness of the righteous in Revelation 14:15).

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.

verse 19 “the angel thrust in his sickle into the earth, and gathered the vine of the earth” The wheat that represents the righteous has been gathered, separated unto itself. The ripened grapes of the vine represent the wicked, those who bring forth evil fruit (Matthew 7:16- 20), who are now ready to be harvested. The angel is the destroying angel, sent forth by God to perform his work of destruction and judgment. The gathering depicted here, however, is not the end of the world, for much must still transpire. Many details of the gathering are depicted in the chapters that follow.

For now, John seems to be giving us an overview, from the war in heaven to the great and final destruction, that the righteous may know with certainty the outcome of the great conflict between good and evil, between God and the devil.

“cast it into the great winepress of the wrath of God” As grapes were harvested, they were placed in a trough and trampled by foot; the juice then flowed through a duct into a lower basin. In symbolic terms, the winepress represents the great press of God’s wrath (meaning the execution of his judgments), which, according to justice, exacts the full terrible payment for sin. The grapes, which represent the sinner, are trodden under foot until nothing is left but pulp and wine – the wine being a symbol of the blood of the sinner.

In performing the atonement, Christ suffered that wrath for us, so that we might escape both the wrath and the consequent suffering if we would repent. In the time of judgment, all those who did not truly repent and come unto Christ will suffer the wrath of God themselves; it will be for them as if they themselves were cast into the winepress and trampled. “I have trodden the winepress alone,” the Lord said through Isaiah, “I will tread them in mine anger, . . . and their blood shall be sprinkled upon my garments” (Isaiah 63:3). D&C 19:11-19 describes the suffering of Christ in performing the atonement – and the suffering of those unrepentant souls who will be cast into the winepress themselves (see also D&C 133:46-51; Revelation 14:8-11) (Parry, Parry, and Peterson, Understanding Isaiah, 555).

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.

verse 20 “the winepress was trodden without the city” Jesus suffered for the sins of the world outside the city of Jerusalem, in the Garden of Gethsemane and later on the cross at Golgotha (Hebrews 13:12; Luke 22:39-44; John 19:20). In the same way, the nations will come to their judgment outside the city of Jerusalem, with the destruction centered in the valley of Jehoshaphat. Jehoshaphat, a name meaning “Jehovah is judge” (see Joel 3:2, 12). According to tradition, this is synonymous with the Kidron valley between Jerusalem and the Mount of Olives and was near the place where the Son of Man suffered so that all who would come to him would not need to suffer (see John 19:20; Hebrews 13:12; D&C 19:16-18).

Because the wicked refused the blessings of the suffering of Christ – the benefits of the blood that was shed for them – they must now suffer for themselves, shedding their own blood.

“blood came out of the winepress, even unto the horse bridles . . . a thousand and six hundred furlongs” The language here is very plain: rather than using wine or red grape juice as a symbol for blood, John simply says, “blood came out of the winepress.” The slaughter of the wicked in the day of their judgment creates a flood of their blood. The depth of the flow of blood reaches up to the bridle of a horse. The length of the river of blood (sixteen hundred furlongs) is about 184 miles, or the approximate length of the land of Palestine. In this verse, the city seems to symbolize the holy places that are protected by God; the land outside the city may represent all the people of the world who are subjected to God’s terrible but righteous judgments (Mounce, Book of Revelation, 281).

This part of the vision does not seem to depict the final judgment that belongs to God alone (see Revelation 20:11-15) but the time of the return of the victorious Son, who has overcome all things and who takes his place as God of the earth. Upon his return, later in chapter nineteen, he will tread “the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God” (Revelation 19:15).

“And the winepress was trodden without the city, and blood came out of the winepress, even unto the horses’ bridles, by the space of a thousand and six hundred furlongs.” The JST adds the possessive form of horse.

John continues to use the pattern that shows first the protected state of the righteous and the indefensible position of the wicked. In this chapter, he symbolically shows that the gospel will be preached in all the world before the end comes; furthermore, he indicates that this preaching dooms Babylon. This is the time when the Church will move “out of the wilderness of darkness, and shine forth fair as the moon, clear as the sun, and terrible as an army with banners” (D&C 109:73). The onslaught of this mighty kingdom of righteousness will be invincible. But for a time, conditions will be rough and opposition heavy.

When the true saints are strong in the faith, when all peoples have clearly had a chance to hear the gospel proclaimed in their own tongue, when missionaries and Church officers are within reasonable reach of every soul, when temples dot the face of the lands, then the preparation for the first harvest will be complete. The actual harvest will commence in earnest when the world turns against the truth, actively persecuting righteousness because it is righteous, attacking the Saints of God and all who are good. The Son of Man will then gather the righteous out from among the wicked. Simultaneously the second harvest will begin. The angel of destruction will wield his sickle and cast those ripe in iniquity into the “great winepress of the wrath of God” (verse 19). Chapters fifteen through nineteen describe that harvest.