Revelation 14:8-20. Babylon has Fallen.
Revelation 14:8. And another angel followed, saying, “Babylon is fallen, is fallen, that great city, because she has made all nations drink of the wine of the wrath of her fornication.”
The question is who does Babylon represent as a symbol in prophetic interpretation?
Revelation 14:8 is a repeat of what is said in Revelation 18:2. Babylon the great is fallen and in Revelation 18:3 for all nations have drunk of the wine of the wrath of her fornication.
Furthermore, in Revelation 17:1.2. Come, I will show you the judgment of the great harlot who sits on many waters, with whom the kings of the earth committed fornication, and the inhabitants of the earth were made drunk with the wine of her fornication. Babylon in Revelation 17: and the great harlot in Revelation 18: are of the same group of people. Babylon and the great harlot represent the fallen Christian church worldwide. For further details you can see an explanation of Revelation 17: on my website www.ayindk.com under Revelation 17:1-3.
Babylon and the great harlot includes the seven heads in prophecy and they are the following:
- Church of the East – 0.6 million.
- Restoration and Non-Trinitarianism – 42-48 million.
- Anglicanism – 85 million.
- Oriental Orthodoxy – 86 million.
- Eastern Orthodoxy – 225-300 million.
- Protestantism – 800 million.
- Roman Catholicism – 1.2 billion.
When looking on the internet under Google type, “List of Christian denominations by number of members,” and then look under Wikipedia; there is a list of the seven largest churches in the world: When comparing these denominations with the text Revelation 17:10. Six of these Christian denominations have fallen and followed the teachings of the Roman Catholic church. Protestantism has not fallen yet.
There will come a time in the future when Protestantism will fall and join hands in word and doctrine with the Roman Catholic church. “Through the two great errors, the immortality of the soul and Sunday sacredness, Satan will bring the people under his deceptions. While the former lays the foundation of spiritualism, the latter creates a bond of sympathy with Rome. The Protestants of the United States will be foremost in stretching their hands across the gulf to grasp the hand of spiritualism; they will reach over the abyss to clasp hands with the Roman power; and under the influence of this threefold union, this country will follow in the steps of Rome in trampling on the rights of conscience.”[1]
It says in Revelation 14:8. Babylon has made all nations drink of the wine of the wrath of her fornication.
What does this mean?
See my website www.ayindk.com Revelation 17:2 for the answer. Revelation 14:9-12. Then a third angel followed them, saying with a loud voice, `If anyone worships the beast and his image, and receives his mark on his forehead or on his hand, he himself shall also drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is poured out full strength into the cup of his indignation. 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 ascends forever and ever; and they have no rest day or night, who worship the beast and his image, and whoever receives the mark of his name. Here is the patience of the saints; here are those who keep the commandments of God and the faith of Jesus.
Who is this beast in this text?
The beast is the Roman Catholic church system throughout the whole wide world. (See my website www.ayindk.com Revelation 13:1-10 for a full explanation). The next question is what is the image of the beast and the mark on the persons forehead and on his hand? The beast is the Roman Catholic church system. The image to the beast is explained on my website www.ayindk.com Revelation 13:15.16. The image to the beast is worshipping on a Sunday the false sabbath which is opposite to the Bible sabbath on a Saturday.
How is this mark of the beast written on a person´s forehead or on the hand?
This involves the keeping of the commandments of the beast which is the Roman Catholic church system and is in opposition to the 10 commandments of God Exodus 20:1-17. See my website www.ayindk.com Revelation 13:16. The original 10 commandments of God have been changed by the papacy in the roman Catholic church in their Bible and are therefore different to the Hebrew Bible.
Revelation 14:9.10. Those who worship the beast, worship on a Sunday and do not keep the 10 commandments of God will experience the wrath of God. This prophecy will occur in the future. This wrath involves being tormented with fire and brimstone for ever and ever. This text has presented a problem for many people who have read the Bible, and they conclude that if God is a God of love, then he will not punish non-believers in fire and brimstone for ever.
Therefore, God is not a loving God. The problem with this text is our understanding of the words, fire and brimstone for ever and ever. In the Koine Greek language in which the New Testament was written the words are αίωνας αίωνων ever and ever. These words can also be translated to be eternal instead of for ever and ever.
In the Bible the words eternal or for ever and ever can have three different meanings or definitions.
- Psalm 90:2. Even from everlasting to everlasting you are God.
Ever and everlasting are the same. This text is saying God is from eternity and lives to eternity. He has no beginning and no ending. That is the meaning of the word’s everlasting in this text.
2. John 3:16. For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have everlasting life.
The word everlasting in this text means that when a person believes in Jesus Christ, everlasting life has a beginning, and it never ceases. It carries on to eternity.
3. Jude 1:7. As Sodom and Gomorrah, and the cities around them in a similar manner to these, having given themselves over to sexual immorality and gone after strange flesh, are set forth as an example, suffering the vengeance of eternal fire.
Sodom and Gomorrah were cities which existed South of the Salt Sea in Judah. They suffered the wrath of God with eternal fire from heaven. This fire had a beginning and an ending. The ashes are still there today and there is no more fire. So this eternal fire lasted for about 14 days and ceased to exist.
The word everlasting or eternal has three different meanings or definitions from the Bible. Whenever the Bible text uses the word eternal or everlasting in relation to the word fire from God, like in the book Revelation 14:9-12, then we can guarantee it is a short period of time and not a long period of time like hell fire which the Roman Catholic church teach.
For example, there are texts referring to fire from God in the Bible:
Leviticus 10:1.2. Then Nadab and Abihu, the sons of Aaron, each took a censer, and put fire in it, put incense on it, and offered profane fire before the Lord, which he had not commanded them. So fire went out from the Lord and devoured them, and they died before the Lord. (This fire from the Lord lasted only a few seconds).
1 Kings 18:36. (Elijah on Mount Carmel). Then the fire of the Lord fell and consumed the burnt sacrifice, and the wood and the stones and the dust, and it licked up the water that was in the trench. (This fire from the Lord only lasted a few seconds).
Numbers 16:35. (The rebellion of Korah against Moses and Aaron). And fire came out from the Lord and consumed the two hundred and fifty men who were offering incense. (This fire from the Lord lasted only a few seconds).
2 Kings 1:10. So Elijah answered and said to the captain of fifty, “If I am a man of God, then let fire come down from heaven and consume you and your men.” And fire came down from heaven and consumed him and his fifty. (This fire from the Lord lasted only a few seconds).
2 Chronicles 7:1. When Solomon finished praying, fire came down from heaven and consumed the burnt offering and the sacrifices; and the glory of the Lord filled the temple. (This fire from the Lord lasted only a few seconds).
Revelation 20:9. They went up on the breadth of the earth and surrounded the camp of the saints and the beloved city. And fire came down from God out of heaven and devoured them. (This fire from the Lord lasted only a short period of time and not more than 14 days like Sodom and Gomorrah).
The context of Revelation 20:9 is about all the millions of non-believers from the time of creation to the Second coming of Christ. They have been resurrected at the second resurrection from the dead and have surrounded the city of the new Jerusalem: the beloved city with Satan as their leader. Before they try to overtake the city, fire comes down from heaven from God and devours them all. This same fire envelopes the whole of the earth and eradicates everything related to sin.
Conclusion
When looking at these texts we can see that fire from God from heaven destroys people or objects within a few seconds or within a short period of time. Not longer than 14 days. There is no evidence from the Bible to support the teaching of an eternal burning hell for non-believers for thousands of years.
As regards to the parable of the rich man and Lazarus in Luke 16:19-31, see my website www.ayindk.com Revelation 20:9 for a full explanation.
Revelation 14:9-12 closes with the verse 12: Here is the patience of the saints; here are those who keep the commandments of God and the faith of Jesus. A full explanation of the commandments of God and the faith of Jesus Christ is revealed in www.ayindk.com Revelation 12:17. A short explanation is that the ten commandments of God and the faith of Jesus Christ are related to each other and cannot do without each other. For example:
Why do we keep the commandments of God?
It is not to be saved, for we are saved by grace through our Lord Jesus Christ.
Ephesians 2:8. We keep the commandments of God because they help to reveal our sins. Why sins?
1 John 3:4. Sin is the transgression of law.
1 John 2:4. If we do not keep the commandments, then we are liars, and the truth is not in us.
Paul says in Romans 7:7. What shall we say then? Is the law sin? Certainly not! On the contrary, I would not have known sin except through the law. For I would not have known covetousness, unless the law had said, “You shall not covet.”
This is one of the ten commandments of God in Exodus 20:17 and Deuteronomy 5:21. When we find out that we are sinners from keeping the commandments of God and breaking them. What is the result?
Paul says in Romans 6:23. For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. From this text one can see that the solution to the problem of sin is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.
John 3:16. For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have everlasting life.
1 John 1:9. If we confess our sins, he is just to forgive our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness. The next step as regards to salvation is repentance.
Acts 2:38. On the Day of Pentecost Peter stood up and preached to the crowd and they asked him what they shall do? Peter said, “Repent, and let everyone of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.”
Finally, there is the experience of the new birth. When Nicodemus came to Jesus one night, Jesus said to him in John 3:3. Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God. How is this done? Through the power of the Holy Spirit and through the baptism of water John 3:5. We become a new person, says Paul in Romans 6:6. “Knowing this, that our old man was crucified with him, that the body of sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves of sin.”
Conclusion
By keeping the ten commandments of God, and we break one of them, this leads to sin. When we sin against God, then we realize that we need a saviour: Jesus Christ. Therefore, the ten commandments of God are related to the testimony or faith of Jesus Christ in the texts Revelation 12:17 and Revelation 14:12.
Revelation 14:13. Then I heard a voice from heaven saying to me, “Write: Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord from now on.” “Yes,” says the Spirit, “that they may rest from their labours, and their works follow them.” During the last of the seven plagues falling to the earth in Revelation 16:18-21. This verse in Revelation 14:13 appears isolated from all the other verses in Revelation 14:
“Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord from now on.”
What kind of blessing is this?
The only explanation to this text is taken from the book, “Confrontation.” “`Graves are opened, and many of them that sleep in the dust of the earth . . . awake, some to everlasting life, and some to everlasting contempt`. Daniel 12:2. All who have died in the faith of the third angel´s message come forth from the tomb glorified, to hear God´s covenant of peace with those who have kept his law. They also which pierced him (Revelation 1:7), those that mocked and derided Christ´s dying agonies, and the most violent opposers of His truth and His people, are raised to behold Him in glory and to see the honour placed upon the loyal and obedient.”[2]
This special resurrection occurs before the great resurrection of all believers at the second coming of Christ.
So all who have died in the faith of the third angels message in Revelation 14:9-12 during the time when worshipping the beast and his image are enforced, will be resurrected before the second coming of the Lord. Also those who have pierced him, would involve the High Priest and the roman soldiers who crucified Christ; these will be raised in a special resurrection before that great day of Christ´s second coming.
Revelation 14:14. Then I looked, and behold, a white cloud, and on the cloud sat One like the Son of Man, having on his head a golden crown, and in his hand a sharp sickle. The Son of Man is none other than Christ coming to this earth at his second coming. Matthew 24:27. For as the lightening comes from the east and flashes to the west, so also will the coming of the Son of Man be. Matthew 24:29.30. Immediately after the tribulation of those days the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light; the stars will fall down from heaven, and the powers of the heavens will be shaken. Then the sign of the Son of Man will appear in heaven, and then all the tribes of the earth will mourn, and they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory.
Revelation 14:14. It says in this verse that the Son of Man (Jesus Christ) had a golden crown on his head. This crown in the Greek is στεφανον staphanon. What does crown stephanon mean? 2 Timothy 4:8. Crown of righteousness. James 1:12. Crown of life. 1 Peter 5:4. Crown of glory. Revelation 6:2. Crown to conquer. Revelation 12:1. Crown of twelve stars. The golden crown combined with a sickle used for harvesting means that Christ is coming on a white cloud to conquer the non-believers on the earth who have rejected the three angel’s messages in Revelation 14:6-13.
Revelation 14:15.16. And another angel came out of the temple, crying with a loud voice to him who sat on the cloud, “Thrust in your sickle and reap, for the time has come for you to reap, for the harvest of the earth is ripe. So he who sat on the cloud thrust in his sickle on the earth, and the earth was reaped. (The word reaped is εξηρανθη in the Greek and means harvest of the earth is ripe – it refers also to dry corn which is ripe and represents the righteous). It seems like there are 3 more angels involved in the reaping of the harvest of the earth. Revelation 14:15.17.18. Can these be the same angels used in the proclamation of the 3 angel’s messages?
When is the time ripe for harvesting of the earth?
When everyone has rejected the ten commandments of God and the faith of Jesus Christ, on this earth, then there is no hope for them to be saved. Revelation 12:17. 14:12. Revelation 13:16.17. He causes all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and slave, to receive a mark on their right hand or on their foreheads, and that no one may buy or sell except one who has the mark or name of the beast, or the number of his name. See my website www.ayindk.com Revelation 13:16.17. for a full explanation of this text. The buying and selling refers to, that no one is allowed to proclaim their belief in the ten commandments of God and the faith of Jesus Christ anymore, and these are substituted for manmade commandments from the papacy in Roman Catholic Church.
Furthermore, Revelation 17:12-14. The ten horns which you saw are ten kings who have received no kingdom as yet, but they receive authority for one hour as kings with the beast. These have one mind, and they will give their power and authority to the beast. These will make war with the Lamb, and the Lamb will overcome them, for he is the Lord of lords and King of kings; and those who are with him are called, chosen and faithful. When these kings together with the beast make war with the Lamb, they are also making war with God´s people who keep the commandments of God and the faith of Jesus Christ.
This will be a worldwide war and event. When this happens, the gospel of Jeus Christ ceases to be proclaimed. The sinner has made his choice, and the believer has made his choice. The harvest is ripe for harvesting the earth. Then Christ will come, and it is him who does the harvesting with a sickle together with the angels.
Revelation 14:17. Then another angel came out of the temple which is in heaven, he also having a sharp sickle. This angel is related to the temple in heaven. Some say the temple was closed at this time. It is not closed, but no one was allowed to enter the temple till the seven plagues of the seven angels were completed. Revelation 15:8. We must note that the seven plagues are sent before Christ appears in the cloud and not after. This angel in Revelation 14:17 came out of the temple after the 7th plague.
Revelation 14:18. And another angel came out from the altar, who had power over fire, and he cried with a loud cry to him who had the sharp sickle, saying, “Thrust in your sharp sickle and gather the clusters of the vine of the earth, for her grapes are fully ripe.”
Which altar is this text referring too: The altar of incense or the altar of burnt offering in the temple?
It seems like most of the punishments upon the wicked on the earth comes from the angels at the altar of incense, e.g. Revelation 8:3.5.7.8.10.12. 9:1.13. In the book Early Writings Ellen G. White refers Revelation 14:14-17 to the harvest, when the Holy City the new Jerusalem comes down from heaven in Revelation 21:2, after the 1,000 years. The saints are in the city and the wicked unbelievers are out of the city awaiting their harvest with a sickle.[3]
A short word study on the word sickle with a crown.
Jeremiah 50:16. Cut off the Sower from Babylon, and him who handles the sickle at harvest time. For fear of the oppressing sword everyone shall turn to his own people, and everyone shall flee to his own land. (The sickle is used for the wicked in Babylon).
Joel 3:12.13. For there I will sit to judge all the surrounding nations. Put in the sickle, for the harvest is ripe. Come, go down; for the winepress is full, the vats overflow – for their wickedness is great. (Wicked nations).
Mark 4:29. But when the grain ripens, immediately he puts in the sickle, because the harvest has come. (Seed in this text is likened to the kingdom of God).
Revelation 14:14. Then I looked, and behold a white cloud, and on the cloud sat One like the Son of Man, having on his head a golden crown, and in his hand a sharp sickle.
Revelation 6:2. And I looked and behold, a white horse. He who sat on it had a bow; and a crown (Stephanos) was given to him, and he went out to conquer. (Christ the rider of this horse went out to conquer with the gospel and if they refused, then the other three horses followed suit).
Hebrews 2:7. You have made him a little lower than the angels; you have crowned (Stephanos) him with glory and honour and set him over the works of your hands.
Conclusion
The Son of Man with a sickle in his hand and a crown (stephanos) on his head reaps the whole of the earth at his second coming. Revelation 14:14-16. The next angel in Revelation 14:17 with a sickle but no crown on his head has the work of reaping the clusters of grapes representing the wicked who are thrown into the winepress of the wrath of God. Revelation 14:19.
Revelation 14:20. And the winepress was trampled outside the city, and blood came out of the winepress, up to the horse’s bridles, for one thousand six hundred furlongs. When there is mention of the city and punishment metered out by God; this can only take place after the 1,000 years millennium and fire comes down from God out of heaven and devoured the wicked non-believers. Revelation 20:9.10. The city refers to the New Jerusalem. Revelation 20:9. 21:9.10.
So Revelation 14:14-16 is referring to the second coming of Christ and the first resurrection. Revelation 14:17-20 is referring to the third coming of Christ and the resurrection of the wicked non-believers who are destroyed by fire from God. Revelation 14:20. The winepress was trampled outside the city is referring to the judgment upon the wicked who will surround the city Revelation 20:7.8. Then fire comes down from God out of heaven and devours the wicked. Revelation 20:9.
[1] White, Confrontation, 588.
[2] Ibid., 637.
[3] Ellen G. White, Early Writings, (Washington D.C: Review & Herald Pub., Assoc., 1882),31.