Revelation 14:2 - Printer Friendly

ESV: And I heard a voice from heaven like the roar of many waters and like the sound of loud thunder. The voice I heard was like the sound of harpists playing on their harps,

NIV: 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.

NASB: And I heard a voice from heaven, like the sound of many waters and like the sound of loud thunder, and the voice which I heard was like the sound of harpists playing on their harps.

CSB: I heard a sound from heaven like the sound of cascading waters and like the rumbling of loud thunder. The sound I heard was like harpists playing on their harps.

NLT: And I heard a sound from heaven like the roar of mighty ocean waves or the rolling of loud thunder. It was like the sound of many harpists playing together.

KJV: And I heard a voice from heaven, as the voice of many waters, and as the voice of a great thunder: and I heard the voice of harpers harping with their harps:

NKJV: And I heard a voice from heaven, like the voice of many waters, and like the voice of loud thunder. And I heard the sound of harpists playing their harps.

Heaven is not a dull, boring, quiet place, as many unbelievers suppose. It is a place of joyful celebration. John reports that he heard a voice from heaven that sounded like a roaring river or waterfall or loud thunder. John describes the voice further as the sound of harpists playing on their harps. The choristers are not identified. They may be tribulation martyrs whose lives were snuffed out by the beast. If that is the case, they must be celebrating the imminent end of the beast and his empire.

Other possibilities are that these singers are church-age saints, or Old Testament saints, or both groups of saints, or angels. The Old Testament saints are in heaven in spirit form and are awaiting the resurrection of their bodies at Christ's return (Daniel 12:1–2). Whoever they are, it is clear they are joyfully welcoming the end of the tribulation and the commencement of Jesus' reign on earth.

Revelation 14:1–5 reports that John saw the Lamb and the 144,000 sealed Jews standing on Mount Zion. This continues Revelation's temporary break from a moment-by-moment account of end-times judgments, looking forward to the end of all things. The 144,000 are those we read about in Revelation 7. They come from the tribes of Israel and receive God's seal on their foreheads (Revelation 7:2–4). They serve God faithfully throughout the tribulation and are among those who survive to enjoy shelter, refreshment, and comfort in Messiah's kingdom (Revelation 7:15–17). There is great rejoicing in heaven as the 144,000 stand with the Lamb on Mount Zion.

This chapter distinguishes two groups of people: those who believe in Jesus during the tribulation and those who worship the beast. John sees the Lamb, Jesus, and the 144,00 sealed Jewish servants of God standing together on Mount Zion. The scene anticipates the end of the tribulation with the 144,000 celebrating their victory over the beast. Heaven, too, celebrates their triumph. The eternal good news of salvation reaches the ends of the earth, calling upon everyone to turn to God or face His judgment and announcing the collapse of commercial Babylon and the eternal punishment of the beast, whose image so many unbelievers worshiped. This impending judgment is cause for believers to stay loyal to the Lord. Many believers will face martyrdom, but their temporary suffering does not compare with the eternal suffering worshipers of the beast will experience. When Christ returns to earth, the destruction of the wicked will be so complete that blood will flow so high it will reach a horse's bridle.

This chapter continues a segment of Revelation which deviates from the chronological account of the end times. These events occur at the end of the tribulation, when Christ returns to defeat all the remaining wickedness on earth. This event is given more details in chapter 19. In Acts 14:19–22 we learn that Paul and Barnabas returned to the cities of Lystra, Iconium, and Antioch, where they strengthened the believers. They encouraged the believers by saying believers must endure many tribulations before they enter the kingdom. Revelation 14 and 15 offer similar encouragement to stay loyal to Christ in the face of persecution. Chapter 16 resumes a step-by-step account of the end times.

The word ''revelation'' means ''an unveiling or disclosure.'' This writing unveils future events such as the rapture, three series of judgments that will fall on the earth during the tribulation, the emergence of the Antichrist, the persecution of Israel and her amazing revival, as well as Jesus' second coming with His saints to the earth, the judgment of Satan and his followers, and finally, the eternal state. This content, combined with the original Greek term apokalypsis, is why we now refer to an end-of-the-world scenario as ''an apocalypse.''