Revelation 14:9-16 The third angel announces the sentence and Jesus appears again

Revelation 14:9-13 Returning to the direct understanding of the text, the third angel gives a detailed description of the sentence pronounced on those who worship the wildbeast and receive his mark. The unending torment of those who worship the world system is that in God's presence, they are stuck with what they chose. It is then too late to repent and turn away. And in the presence of God, the fundamental essence of the evil of worldliness will be manifest and inescapable, and it will burn like fire and brimstone (sulfur) that never burns out or up. The torment of these wildbeast worshippers is contrasted to the ultimate blessing on those who steadfastly maintain their faith in Christ even though killed for Him. Faith in Jesus is closely tied to keeping God's commandments. That their deeds follow them indicates that what they did was worthy of being approved for heaven. A question for introspection: how many of our deeds meet that criterion?

         

Revelation 14:14-16 In the middle of the six angel heralds we see Christ coming on a cloud. In this vision, He looks more like the grim reaper, holding a sickle, which He uses in response to a petition by the fourth angel to reap the earth. Normally, this would speak of harvest as in various parables Jesus told while on earth. (See also Joel 3:13) So the inference is that He is harvesting the righteous remnant, in preparation for plowing the field to rid it of weeds in preparation for the next planting.