Revelation 14:4 – 5 “These are the ones who have not been defiled with women, for they are virgins. They follow the Lamb wherever He goes. They have been redeemed from among men as firstfruits to God and to the Lamb. And no lie was found in their mouths; they are blameless.”
There have been all kinds of speculations about the mention of virgins, including references to various schools of philosophy that taught that the body was sinful, etc., etc. Barclay even goes so far as to suggest that perhaps a mistake was made when the passage was copied. I would like to suggest a different option.
Remember that the age in which John received this vision was one in which every sexual perversion imagineable was being practiced. Sexual perverts even preyed on small children. And consider the concept of first fruits. Offering first fruits meant offering the first part of the harvest, with no guarantee that there would be more. It was an act of faith. Men redeemed their first born sons by offering a lamb or turtle doves without blemish. Now think about Christian families who have been martyred recently in Africa and India and Asia. Even the children were killed. So it is not inconceivable that this group referred to might be child martyrs who have died for their faith. If you have ever encountered children who believe in Jesus, their faith is some of the purest faith you will ever witness. I feel that these are the children murdered by terrorists in the churches of Northern Nigeria and Sudan. These are the children murdered by extremists in rural India. Even when Jesus was here on earth, children were always flocking to Him. Why wouldn’t they surround Him in heaven? Now these precious little ones are safe and they are following the Lamb for whom they and their parents died.
Revelation 14:6-7 “Then I saw another angel flying overhead, with the eternal gospel to proclaim to those who dwell on the earth—to every nation and tribe and tongue and people. He said in a loud voice, “Fear God and give Him glory, because the hour of His judgment has come. Worship the One who made the heavens and the earth and the sea and the springs of waters.”
2 Peter 3:9 says, “The Lord is not slow to fulfill His promise as some understand slowness, but is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish but everyone to come to repentance.” The earth is nearing its very end and yet God is still sending an angel to preach the Gospel one last time! Mankind is being given one last chance to turn to the One True Living God and to escape hell. Truly, God does not send anyone to hell; people choose to go there!
Revelation 14:8-11 “Then a second angel followed, saying, “Fallen, fallen is Babylon the great, who has made all the nations drink the wine of the passion of her immorality.” And a third angel followed them, calling out in a loud voice, “If anyone worships the beast and its image, and receives its mark on his forehead or on his hand, he too will drink the wine of God’s anger, poured undiluted into the cup of His wrath. And he will be tormented in fire and brimstone in the presence of the holy angels and of the Lamb. And the smoke of their torment rises forever and ever. Day and night there is no rest for those who worship the beast and its image, or for anyone who receives the mark of its name.” Here is a call for the endurance of the saints who keep the commandments of God and the faith of Jesus.”
Throughout history, there have been all kinds of arguments about the identity of Babylon – is it Rome? New York? But the concept of Babylon is bigger than an individual location. The point here is that throughout the earth, men who have become intoxicated with money or power or things and have worshiped the beast and have taken his mark and have not repented will suffer eternal torment. Those who have remained faithful to God throughout all these trials will be with Him forever. But as Barclay observes, “Behind all this remains the eternal truth that the nation or the man whose influence is to evil will not escape the avenging wrath of God.”
What are we to do with these verses? God is a loving Father who sent His only Son to die for our sins. The message of Christmas is that Jesus was and is Immanuel, “God with us.” But God does not force anyone to believe. We must choose to believe that Jesus has died for our sins and confess that we are sinners. We must then follow God throughout the rest of our lives. And we must be mindful of times and seasons. As things stand now, we could see the mark of the beast being encouraged or forced on the world within the next few years.
PRAYER: Father God, thank you for sending Jesus to live as a man and to die for our sins. Thank you that Jesus conquered death and the grave and that He rose again and is with you in heaven. Thank you for loving us so much that it is not your will that any of us should perish spiritually but that each one of us should have eternal life. Lord, help this to make sense to every one who reads this. In the mighty and precious Name of Jesus. Amen.
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