Chap. 14:8-20. 3. The fall of Babylon.
BABYLON is doomed. Her fall precedes the coming of the Lord. It has both a civil and religious aspect, and is a mighty system permeating almost every other, spreading its influence among all nations and ranks. A terrible corrupting power, and dwelling in ease, luxury, and supported by the strength of nations, she now says in her heart, “I sit a queen, and am no widow, and shall see no sorrow.” But its loftiness must be laid low, its glitter pass away, its delusions exposed, and its adultery judged. Hence the announcement from heaven, “Babylon is fallen, is fallen, because she made all nations drink of the wine of the wrath of her fornication.” Ah, how little do men think they are under a terribly deceiving power, when they take the intoxicating drink from the cup of this false system. So important a consideration is Babylon in the mind of God, that two chapters are occupied with its details, which we hope to consider in due time. Here her doom is simply announced.
4. God’s Warning Against Worshipping the Beast.
This testimony follows the two previous announcements, and is most plain, solemn, and decisive. It reminds us of another inspired testimony, “If any man love not our Lord Jesus Christ, let him be anathema maranatha,” that is, accursed when the Lord cometh. How few think that we are rapidly hastening to this eternal crisis! Alas! man’s pride and self-will harry him on to judgment: and it must be so; for it is appointed unto men once to die, and after this the judgment. This awful warning seems to be the last before Christ is actually revealed from heaven, and it is uttered with a loud voice, “If any man worship the beast, and his image, and receive his mark in his forehead, or in his right hand, 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: and the smoke of their torment ascendeth up forever 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.” (verses 9-11.) Nothing can be plainer, or more awful-drinking God’s wrath, no rest, tormented day and night forever and ever. Let us try to think of its dread reality; for it might make us more in earnest with souls, and more decided in our testimony. Multitudes are acting on the principles of the beast and his image, little thinking that setting aside the authority of the Scriptures, and acting out a religiousness according to their own will and mind, they are thus helping on the work of the great deceiver, and rushing onward to the impending crisis.
The Lord pauses after this announcement, to notice again the patience of the saints, as He did also in the previous chapter—the remnant who are still passing through the fiery tribulation. Their zeal for the observance of God’s commandments, the law of Moses, and also their faith in the coming Messiah are not overlooked by Him.
5. The Voice from Heaven.
This is very remarkable, but beautifully fitting in with the character of the whole chapter. For one of the faithful remnant of Israel to die at this time would not be considered by them at all desirable, because they are expecting the Messiah to appear, and looking forward to enjoy the glorious land with Him. This voice from heaven, therefore, is very tender of the Lord, and will be particularly cheering to any of those who may suffer death under the beast; for it assures them that still they are “blessed.” Though they die before Messiah comes to reign, and thus lose their earthly inheritance, yet being in the Lord they are peculiarly the “blessed,” and while the worshippers of the beast have no rest day and night, they shall “rest from their labors, and their works do follow them.” They will have part in the “first resurrection.” There is nothing new in its being blessed to die in the Lord, but the peculiar application of this action to those who are the faithful remnant in Israel is very interesting, and shews the graciousness of God. “From henceforth” shews that they get into their blessing immediately.
5. The Harvest of the Earth.
We have had the “first fruits of the earth,” now we have “the harvest of the earth.” This is reaped at the coming of the Lord. The prophetic testimony to Israel was not only that when the Messiah came He would tread down the wicked as ashes under the soles of His feet, but that He, as the Sun of righteousness, would arise upon Israel with healing in His wings. Thus blessing to the elect nation and judgment on the wicked attend the revelation of the Lord from heaven. Isaiah says of this time, “The day of vengeance is in mine heart, and the year of my redeemed is come.” We get some account of the former in the concluding action of this chapter, and it is more fully brought out in the nineteenth chapter of the latter, in “the harvest of the earth.” It is the Son of man, making the cloud His chariot, as in Revelation 1:77Behold, he cometh with clouds; and every eye shall see him, and they also which pierced him: and all kindreds of the earth shall wail because of him. Even so, Amen. (Revelation 1:7), crowned with a golden crown, and having in His hand a sharp sickle, with which He gathers to His bosom the fruit of His own sowing. Angels are associated with the Lord in the work. It is evidently the end of the age of Matt. 13, when the wheat is gathered into the barn, and the next action shows us the tares cast into fire unquenchable. There is no idea here of resurrection of the dead, or of any being removed to heaven, but of gathering the living righteous, ―reaping the wheat. A separation between good and bad, and judgment on the latter, constitute the instruction of the last two scenes in this chapter. The Lord is coming to establish His millennial kingdom in righteousness. He will, therefore, sever the wicked from among the just, and take out of His kingdom them that offend and do iniquity, and cast them into a furnace of fire. The Seer says, “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. 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. And He that sat on the cloud thrust in His sickle, and the earth was reaped.” (verses 14-16.)
7. Treading the Winepress.
This is not the harvest, but the vintage, gathering and treading grapes fully ripe. Now Satan works in sowing tares, and God bears with it till the iniquity is full. Christ is the true vine, and Israel is called a vine brought out of Egypt; but this is called “the vine of the earth.” Not connected with Christ risen and ascended into heaven; it is carnal, Satanic, earthly religion. The tares are the children of the wicked one. It may be apostate Jews and apostate Gentiles, but now they are fully ripe. They have unmixed judgment. Wrath without any mercy. The extent is beyond anything the world has ever known. It may be figurative, but we are surely to understand by it, its unparalleled character. “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.)