revelation-14:1-11-niv

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Revelation 14:2

And I heard a voice from heaven ,.... The same with the voices heard in heaven upon the sounding of the seventh trumpet, Revelation 11:15 ; as the voice of many waters ; very loud, and uttered by a great multitude of people, signified by waters in this book, Revelation 17:15 ; the same with those that praise the Lord for the destruction of antichrist, and for the marriage of the Lamb, Revelation 19:1 ; and as the voice of a great thunder ; to which the Gospel may be compared... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Revelation 14:3

And they sung as it were a new song ,.... The song of redeeming grace; the same with that in Revelation 5:9 ; see the note there: this is to be understood of the 144,000, who sung it before the throne, and before the four beasts and the elders ; that is, publicly in the church, the ministers and members being present; of these; See Gill on Revelation 4:4 ; See Gill on Revelation 4:6 ; and no man could learn that song but the hundred and forty and four thousand, which were... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Revelation 14:4

These are they which were not defiled with women ,.... With the whore of Rome, and her harlots, she is the mother of; while the kings and inhabitants of the earth were drunk with the wine of their fornication, or committed idolatry with them, which is spiritual fornication, and is here meant by being defiled with them, these were free from such pollutions, or idolatrous practices: for they are virgins ; for their beauty and comeliness in Christ, chastity, sincerity of their love,... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Revelation 14:5

And in their mouth was found no guile ,.... Or "a lie", as the Complutensian edition, the Alexandrian copy, the Vulgate Latin, and all the Oriental versions read; by which may be meant idolatry, for idols and idolatrous practices are often called lies, and lying vanities; see Jeremiah 16:19 ; and the sense is, that the superstition and idolatry of the church of Rome were not among them: or it may design false doctrine, and the meaning be, that they did not speak lies in hypocrisy, as the... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Revelation 14:6

And I saw another angel ,.... This is to be understood not of one of the ministering spirits so called; for though wings are sometimes ascribed to angels, and Gabriel is said to fly swiftly; and though they desire to look into the mysteries of the everlasting Gospel, yet the preaching of that is not committed to any of them; but a minister of the Gospel is intended, who is the angel of the church, for in this book pastors of churches are so called, Revelation 1:20 ; and not a single... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Revelation 14:7

Saying with a loud voice ,.... These ministers shall lift up their voice like a trumpet, and cry aloud, and deliver out the Gospel fully and faithfully, with great authority and power, and with much vehemence, zeal, and fervency: fear God ; or "the Lord", as some copies, the Vulgate Latin and Arabic versions, read: not the antichristian beast and his followers, as men formerly had done; but God the Lord, and him not with a servile fear, or a fear of punishment, of wrath, hell, and... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Revelation 14:8

And there followed another angel ,.... A "second", as the Alexandrian copy, the Complutensian edition, and the Syriac version add; and the Arabic version reads, "and the second angel followed"; another set of Gospel ministers, who will immediately follow upon the former, proclaiming the fall of Babylon, which will be brought about through the preaching of the everlasting Gospel. Some think the Waldenses and Albigenses are here designed, who gave a great blow to Babylon, and laid a foundation... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Revelation 14:9

And the third angel followed them ,.... The two preceding ones, and that very quickly; by whom is meant not Luther, and his associates in the Reformation, as some think; nor his successors, or the ministers of the Gospel in general from his time till Christ's second coming, as others have thought; but a set of Gospel ministers in the spiritual reign of Christ: the first set of them publish the everlasting Gospel, which leads on to the ruin of antichrist; the second set proclaim the downfall... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Revelation 14:10

The same shall drink of the wine of the wrath of God ,.... Which is a just punishment for their sin; that as such have drank of the wine of the wrath of Rome's fornication, Revelation 14:8 so they shall now drink of the wine of God's wrath; it is usual in Scripture to express the punishment God inflicts upon wicked men by his wrath, and by the wine cup of his fury; and their suffering such punishment, by their drinking of it; see Jeremiah 25:15 so יין דרוגזא , "the wine of wrath", is... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Revelation 14:11

And the smoke of their torment ascendeth up for ever and ever ,.... That is, the smoke of that fire which torments them will for ever arise; or, in other words, there will be no end of their torment; hence their misery is called everlasting fire, everlasting punishment, and everlasting destruction, Matthew 25:41 and smoke being very troublesome and distressing, is mentioned to set forth the very uncomfortable state of the wicked; and so it is used by Jewish writers: hence we read of תנן ... read more

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Revelation 14:2

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Revelation 14:3

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Revelation 14:4

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Revelation 14:5

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Revelation 14:6

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Revelation 14:7

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Revelation 14:8

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Revelation 14:9

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Revelation 14:10

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Revelation 14:11

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