After a couple chapters of beasts running wild, we see the spiritual forces of good begin to assert themselves in chapter 14. The Lamb appears with 144,000 followers, followed by three angels who point us toward God and denounce the beast. There's a lot going on as this battle rages, and verse 12 reminds us that all this requires "patient endurance on the part of the people of God." It's striking how much waiting, patience and trust play into our faith. It's as if trust is the currency of the Kingdom of God.
The last seven verses are an interesting depiction of two harvests, one of the earth and another of grapes that end up getting squeezed in a bloody winepress. It seems pretty clear that wickedness is being dealt with in the grape harvest, but the first harvest is less clear. Taking a closer look, are we seeing Jesus coming like a "son of man", calling to Himself those who are secure in Him? That makes sense to me.
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