BOOK OF REVELATION: QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS

Revelation 7:14 (and 21:4) Does this mean that there will be crying in heaven?

The phrase “wipe away tears” comes from Isaiah 25:8 when Babylonian exiles return to promised land.

There are two points of view for timing: either during the millennium or after the Final Judgment. More likely the latter since both passages follow scenes of final judgment. Also, death is said to be no more, and those who believe in the millennium usually allow for some deaths to occur by accident during that time period.

Wiping away tears is one-time event according to the context since there will be no more crying.

What are tears from? These could be tears of joy, tears of remorse for things done or not done on earth, tears for the damned, or (most likely) tears of suffering while on earth. The last option is probably the best fit for Isaiah analogy.

Revelation 14:3-4 I've studied Revelation before but never noticed that the 144,000 referenced were men. I read a few other versions, and found the majority reference “men,” while a few reference “virgins.” Is there any significance to this?

In place of “virgin” some translations use “chaste” or “celibate.” In all of these translations the same literal picture is given of a certain class of men. The main question is whether the passage is to be understood literally to refer to men who had never had sexual relations with women, or whether a symbolic meaning is intended.

In favor of a literal understanding are passages such as Matthew 19:12 and I Corinthians 7:1,32. If this is the intent of Revelation 14, then it refers to those who voluntarily chose not to marry in order to devote themselves wholeheartedly to God.

The arguments for a figurative understanding are probably more persuasive, however, and that is the position adopted by most scholars:

    Of the 15 references to “virgin” in the New Testament, all others clearly refer to women. The word is symbolic of the fact that “they were not unfaithful to their Lord.” (Leon Morris, Revelation)

    In II Corinthians 11:2, the church is pictured as a chaste virgin, and in Revelation 21:9 it is the pure bride of Christ.

    Ten times in the Old Testament, the term “virgin” is applied to Israel. “This description is now applied to the church.” “Not polluted” means that they have resisted pagan Roman practices, perhaps involving temple prostitutes. (Beale, Old Testament Commentary on the New Testament)

    The picture is of men who have totally devoted themselves to God “emphasizing both purity and dedication.” (Dictionary of Biblical Imagery, p. 918)

    The literal sense is unlikely due to the respect for marriage seen elsewhere in the Bible. “The 144,000 are those who have not defiled themselves by participating in pagan worship.” (Bruce Metzger, Breaking the Code)

    The 144,000 refers to all saved sinners. The name on the forehead = the seal of Chapter 7, which is given to all Christians, not just certain men. The image refers to “spiritual purity of men and women who form the bride of Christ.” (New Bible Commentary)

    John Phillips (an historical premillennialist) applies this passage to the Jews sealed during the Tribulation. It is a figurative “reference to their separated, sanctified spirituality.” (Exploring Revelation)

    “They are to be taken as the entire body of the redeemed.” (Robert H. Mounce, The Book of Revelation)

    As in Chapter 7, the 144,000 refer to all Christians. Others suggest that the meaning of undefiled may refer perhaps to sacrificial purity, temporary abstinence required by soldiers engaged in a Holy War, or temporary abstinence for liturgical purposes. (J. M. Ford, Revelation)

Revelation 14:14 When I first read this verse, I assumed it was Jesus who was seated on a white cloud, “like a son of man...” But now I'm not sure. Is this a reference to Jesus, and if so, why would an angel tell Him what to do?

Very good question, and one that has had scholars scratching their heads over for years. As you say, the first impression is that the figure in this passage must certainly be Jesus coming in judgment. The arguments for this position are quite strong.

The Revelation passage is most certainly based on the scene in Daniel 7:13-14 where “I saw one like the son of man coming with the clouds of heaven...To him was given dominion and glory and kingship, that all peoples, nations, and languages should serve him...his kingship is one that shall never be destroyed.”

Jesus indirectly refers to this exalted being when he refers to himself “Son of Man” approximately 75 times in the New Testament. In addition, references to Jesus coming on the clouds appear in Matthew 24:30; Mark 13:26;14:62; Luke 21:27; Acts 1:9 and Revelation 1:7. The golden crown on his head certainly refers to kingship.

However, it appears that this “son of man” takes orders from an angel, which would be unthinkable if this mysterious person is in fact Jesus Christ. J. Barton Payne (Encyclopedia of Biblical Prophecy) states that Jesus is “divinely authorized, through an angel, to reap.” William Hendricksen agrees that the picture is of Christ receiving the message from God by way of an angel. (More Than Conquerors, pp. 187-188) But Leon Morris asks, “Why would Christ need an angel to command him, even if from God?” (Revelation)

Two attempts to reconcile this inconsistency are as follows:

    G. K. Beale (The Book of Revelation) proposes that the “son of man” is indeed Christ but that his apparent subordination to an angel is “probably only a functional subordination to God...since the angel merely conveys a divine message from God's throne room.” Connected with this idea is the fact that only the Father knows when the time for judgment is to begin (see Mark 13:32, Acts 1:7).

    Alternatively, the “son of man” may be “an angel sharing something of the glory of Christ like the 'mighty angel' of Rev. 10:1.” (New Bible Commentary) Beale offers a similar explanation by calling the figure “an angelic representative of Christ, acting for him.”

Those who feel that the “son of man” is just an angel point to Matthew 13:41-42 where angels are in charge of reaping the earth in the Judgment.

A structural argument for the “son of man” being an angel has also been advanced. If he is an angel, that would result in exactly seven angels in the Revelation passage in question. (Morris) However, J. M. Ford (Revelation) aptly points out that the structural argument can also be used to prove that the “son of man” is Christ. Even if he is Christ, that still totals seven heavenly beings in the passage. And in addition, his position as the fourth one points to his appearance as the climatic of the section.

        Three angels

                The Son of man

        Three angels

I haven't really answered your question, but at least you have some options to weigh for yourself.

Revelation 20:4-6 So only the martyrs will reign with Christ for a thousand years?

To adequately address this subject would take a whole book to cover all aspects. I have dealt with much of it in my recent lectures on Revelation, so I won't recap it now. The major areas of dispute revolve around the length and nature of the “Millennial Period,” with each of the major theological viewpoints weighing in with their respective arguments. Depending on your overall eschatological stance, the place of reign may be in heaven or on earth, and it may be a future and/or present reign. So let's only concentrate on the main thrust of your question: Will only the martyrs reign?

The first fact worth pointing out is that the passage in Greek refers specifically to those who are beheaded with an ax. But even those who insist that they read Revelation literally, generalize this passage to refer to Christian martyrs who die by whatever means.

The second thing to point out is that there is ambiguity in these verses as to whether there are one, two, or three classes of people being described. At the most, there may be (a) those who are given authority to judge (see references to Christians judging angels and to apostles judging the twelve tribes), (b) those martyred, and (c) those who hadn't worshiped the beast. This last group is obviously dead since they “come to life” at the end of verse 4. However, they may be the same as the martyrs since Revelation 13 says that those who did not have the mark of the beast were killed. Any or all of these believers may reign with Christ in the future on earth or are now reigning with Christ in heaven.

The basic amillennial stance is that these verses refer to all deceased believers who are now in Christ's presence and will remain there until the Last Judgment. Historical premillennialists tend to take this passage to include all deceased Christians who will take part in the (more or less) 1,000-year reign of Christ on earth. Dispensationalists generally treat this passage as referring to a select group of believers who were martyred during the Tribulation and will hold significant positions in the 1,000-year reign of Christ's government on earth.

G. K. Beale (The Book of Revelation) straddles the line in defining those who reign with Christ: “It is possible that only literal martyrs are spoken of in 20:4, but, if so, they might be portrayed as representative figures for the whole of the church.” It is instructive that Revelation 2:26-28, 3:12 and 3:21 promise participation in the kingdom to all Christians who conquer. (New Bible Commentary)