‏ Revelation of John 14

* Those faithful to Christ celebrate the praises of God. (1-5)

Three angels; one proclaiming the everlasting gospel; another,

the downfal of Babylon; and a third, the dreadful wrath of God

on the worshippers of the beast. The blessedness of those who

die in the Lord. (6-13) A vision of Christ with a sickle, and of

a harvest ripe for cutting down. (14-16) The emblem of a vintage

fully ripe, trodden in the wine-press of God's wrath. (17-20)

1-5 Mount Sion is the gospel church. Christ is with his church,

and in the midst of her in all her troubles, therefore she is

not consumed. His presence secures perseverance. His people

appear honourably. They have the name of God written in their

foreheads; they make a bold and open profession of their faith

in God and Christ, and this is followed by suitable actings.

There were persons in the darkest times, who ventured and laid

down their lives for the worship and truth of the gospel of

Christ. They kept themselves clean from the wicked abominations

of the followers of antichrist. Their hearts were right with

God; and they were freely pardoned in Christ; he is glorified in

them, and they in him. May it be our prayer, our endeavour, our

ambition, to be found in this honourable company. Those who are

really sanctified and justified are meant here, for no

hypocrite, however plausible, can be accounted to be without

fault before God. 6-13 The progress of the Reformation appears to be here set

forth. The four proclamations are plain in their meaning; that

all Christians may be encouraged, in the time of trial, to be

faithful to their Lord. The gospel is the great means whereby

men are brought to fear God, and to give glory to him. The

preaching of the everlasting gospel shakes the foundations of

antichrist in the world, and hastens its downfal. If any persist

in being subject to the beast, and in promoting his cause, they

must expect to be for ever miserable in soul and body. The

believer is to venture or suffer any thing in obeying the

commandments of God, and professing the faith of Jesus. May God

bestow this patience upon us. Observe the description of those

that are and shall be blessed: such as die in the Lord; die in

the cause of Christ, in a state of union with Christ; such as

are found in Christ when death comes. They rest from all sin,

temptation, sorrow, and persecution; for there the wicked cease

from troubling, there the weary are at rest. Their works follow

them: do not go before as their title, or purchase, but follow

them as proofs of their having lived and died in the Lord: the

remembrance of them will be pleasant, and the reward far above

all their services and sufferings. This is made sure by the

testimony of the Spirit, witnessing with their spirits, and the

written word. 14-20 Warnings and judgments not having produced reformation,

the sins of the nations are filled up, and they become ripe for

judgments, represented by a harvest, an emblem which is used to

signify the gathering of the righteous, when ripe for heaven, by

the mercy of God. The harvest time is when the corn is ripe;

when the believers are ripe for heaven, then the wheat of the

earth shall be gathered into Christ's garner. And by a vintage.

The enemies of Christ and his church are not destroyed, till by

their sin they are ripe for ruin, and then he will spare them no

longer. The wine-press is the wrath of God, some terrible

calamity, probably the sword, shedding the blood of the wicked.

The patience of God towards sinners, is the greatest miracle in

the world; but, though lasting, it will not be everlasting; and

ripeness in sin is a sure proof of judgment at hand.