Revelation 14 - Where Did the Battle Hymn of the Republic's Words Come From? "His Truth is Marching On!"

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The Lamb and the 144,000

14 Then I looked, and there before me was the Lamb, standing on Mount Zion, and with him 144,000 who had his name and his Father’s name written on their foreheads. 2 And I heard a sound from heaven like the roar of rushing waters and like a loud peal of thunder. The sound I heard was like that of harpists playing their harps. 3 And they sang a new song before the throne and before the four living creatures and the elders. No one could learn the song except the 144,000 who had been redeemed from the earth. 4 These are those who did not defile themselves with women, for they remained virgins. They follow the Lamb wherever he goes. They were purchased from among mankind and offered as firstfruits to God and the Lamb. 5 No lie was found in their mouths; they are blameless.

This is an interesting and complicated passage and important for us to try and understand. The 144,000 who are set apart and spared from undergoing the wrath of the tribulation have been stamped on their foreheads. They were now in heaven worshipping with a "new song" accompanied by the roar of rushing waters, peals of thunder, and harpists. They were the only ones who could sing this song and they followed the Lamb (Jesus) wherever he went. It says they did not defile themselves with women. 

Who are the 144,000?

These 144,000 were last seen in Revelation 7, where they were identified as a group of Jewish believers who minister during the great tribulation and are given a seal of protection throughout that period. Since they stand on Mount Zion with the Lamb, it shows that they emerge victorious from the great tribulation. The beast of Revelation 13 certainly has not defeated the 144,000; here they are triumphant, worshipping, and standing firm with Jesus. (Guzik)

Who are the virgins and why are they singled out? 

Many take the virginity of the 144,000 as simply a symbol of their general purity (as in 2 Corinthians 11:2). Nevertheless, Paul recommended celibacy in distressing times (1 Corinthians 7:25-35), and Jesus spoke of woes upon those with children and families in that day (Matthew 24:19-21). It isn’t hard to see that God would call these 144,000 to a literal celibacy for the kingdom’s sake during the great tribulation.

1.) Commonly the term virgins is applied to women, not men. So does the use of virgins here mean that all the 144,000 are women? Not at all, according to the great Greek scholar A.T. Roberston: “Parthenos can be applied to men as well as women.”

2.) If the term virgins is a picture of purity in general, it reinforces the connection of the 144,000 with Israel. “Israel is referred to frequently in the Bible as ‘the virgin the daughter of Zion’ (2 Kings 19:21; Isaiah 37:22), as ‘the virgin daughter of Zion’ (Lamentations 2:13), and as ‘the virgin of Israel’ (Jeremiah 18:13; 31:34, 21; Amos 5:2).” (Walvoord)

I personally favor explanation #2. 

The Three Angels

6 Then I saw another angel flying in midair, and he had the eternal gospel to proclaim to those who live on the earth—to every nation, tribe, language and people. 7 He said in a loud voice, “Fear God and give him glory, because the hour of his judgment has come. Worship him who made the heavens, the earth, the sea and the springs of water.” 8 A second angel followed and said, “‘Fallen! Fallen is Babylon the Great,’ which made all the nations drink the maddening wine of her adulteries.” 9 A third angel followed them and said in a loud voice: “If anyone worships the beast and its image and receives its mark on their forehead or on their hand, 10 they, too, will drink the wine of God’s fury, which has been poured full strength into the cup of his wrath. They will be tormented with burning sulfur in the presence of the holy angels and of the Lamb. 11 And the smoke of their torment will rise for ever and ever. There will be no rest day or night for those who worship the beast and its image, or for anyone who receives the mark of its name.” 12 This calls for patient endurance on the part of the people of God who keep his commands and remain faithful to Jesus. 13 Then I heard a voice from heaven say, “Write this: Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord from now on.” “Yes,” says the Spirit, “they will rest from their labor, for their deeds will follow them.”

Notice though the144,000 Jewish believers are set apart to be redeemed, another angel proclaims the gospel to all of the nations to people of every language and tribe. A second angel warns them that if anyone worships the beast, they will suffer God's wrath. The suffering described is terrible and it will be in front of both the Lamb (Jesus) and the holy angels. 

This is also a call out to the faithful people of God who keep his commands and remain faithful to Jesus. When they die they will rest and be rewarded for their deeds. 

How does this relate to the gospel still being preached today pursuant to Jesus' Great Commission?

To every nation, tribe, tongue, and people: This can be a valid fulfillment of Jesus’ promise in Matthew 24:14 that the gospel would be preached to all the world before His second coming. But this can never be a valid excuse for neglecting the urgency of missions. God has not given the responsibility for spreading the Gospel to angels, but unto His people. (Guzik)

Why is God present when they are experiencing the torment of Hell?

In the presence of the holy angels and in the presence of the Lamb: This shows that God is not absent from hell. He is present in all His holiness and righteous judgment. Those who are in hell will wish God were absent, but He will not be. It is wrong to say that hell will be devoid of the presence of God; but it will be without any sense of His love. The presence of Jesus will be there, but only the presence of His holy justice and wrath against sin. (Guzik)

What about the perseverance of the saints?

We can only imagine what courage and comfort this passage will give embattled, persecuted saints during the Great Tribulation. Clearly, God wants to encourage His people to be steadfast in times of trial, focused on what blessed rest and reward awaits them in eternity.

ii. Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord: “These are the only glorious dead… they die in the cause of God, they die under the smile and approbation of God, and they die to live and reign with God for ever and ever.” (Clarke)

b. Their works follow them: The patient endurance and work of these saints is remembered in heaven. Our work for Jesus and His Kingdom goes with us into heaven, giving dignity and significance to all work here below.

Harvesting the Earth and Trampling the Winepress

14 I looked, and there before me was a white cloud, and seated on the cloud was one like a son of man with a crown of gold on his head and a sharp sickle in his hand. 15 Then another angel came out of the temple and called in a loud voice to him who was sitting on the cloud, “Take your sickle and reap, because the time to reap has come, for the harvest of the earth is ripe.” 16 So he who was seated on the cloud swung his sickle over the earth, and the earth was harvested. 17 Another angel came out of the temple in heaven, and he too had a sharp sickle. 18 Still another angel, who had charge of the fire, came from the altar and called in a loud voice to him who had the sharp sickle, “Take your sharp sickle and gather the clusters of grapes from the earth’s vine, because its grapes are ripe.” 19 The angel swung his sickle on the earth, gathered its grapes and threw them into the great winepress of God’s wrath. 20 They were trampled in the winepress outside the city, and blood flowed out of the press, rising as high as the horses’ bridles for a distance of 1,600 stadia.

This is the time of judgment spoken about in Matthew 3:12, where the wheat and chaff are taken into the barn to be separated. 

Who is the One gathering the harvest?

Some find it difficult to see Jesus as the One gathering the harvest here. They have a hard time with Jesus responding to another angel who came out of the temple. But it is unlikely that anyone called the Son of Man, and wearing a golden crown is anyone but Jesus. (Guzik)

What did each sickle of the harvest represent?

 “It must be remembered that evil has its harvest as well as good. There is a harvest of misery and woe, – a harvest for the gathering, binding, and burning of the tares, – as well as for the gathering of the wheat into the garner of heaven.” (Seiss)

This vivid picture of judgment was the inspiration for The Battle Hymn of the Republic.

Mine eyes have seen the glory of the coming of the Lord,

He is trampling out the vineyard where the grapes of wrath are stored,

He hath loosed the fateful lightning of His terrible swift sword,

His truth is marching on!