4 These are they who have not made themselves unclean with women; for they are virgins. These are they who go after the Lamb wherever he goes. These were taken from among men to be the first fruits to God and to the Lamb.
But you have some names in Sardis who have kept clean their robes; and as a reward they will go in white with me.
Of his purpose he gave us being, by his true word, so that we might be, in a sense, the first-fruits of all the things which he had made.
These will make war against the Lamb, and the Lamb will overcome them, because he is the Lord of lords and King of kings; and those who are with him are named, marked out, and true.
And their voices are sounding in a new song, saying, It is right for you to take the book and to make it open: for you were put to death and have made an offering to God of your blood for men of every tribe, and language, and people, and nation,
My sheep give ear to my voice, and I have knowledge of them, and they come after me:
This is why they are before the high seat of God; and they are his servants day and night in his house: and he who is seated on the high seat will be a tent over them. They will never be in need of food or drink: and they will never again be troubled by the burning heat of the sun: For the Lamb who is on the high seat will be their keeper and their guide to fountains of living water: and God will make glad their eyes for ever.
Then the kingdom of heaven will be like ten virgins, the friends of the bride, who took their lights, and went out with the purpose of meeting the husband.
Now I make my request to you, my brothers, for you have knowledge that the house of Stephanas is the first-fruits of Achaia, and that they have made themselves the servants of the saints,
Who keep men from being married and from taking food which God made to be taken with praise by those who have faith and true knowledge.
Which is the first-fruit of our heritage, till God gets back that which is his, to the praise of his glory.
Now about virgins I have no orders from the Lord: but I give my opinion as one to whom the Lord has given mercy to be true to him. In my opinion then, because of the present trouble, it is good for a man to keep as he is.
For a payment has been made for you: let God be honoured in your body.
And when they were on the way, a certain man said to him, I will come after you wherever you go. And Jesus said to him, Foxes have holes and the birds of the air have resting-places, but the Son of man has nowhere to put his head. And he said to another, Come after me. But he said, Lord, let me first go and give the last honours to my father. But he said to him, Let the dead take care of their dead; it is for you to go and give news of the kingdom of God. And another man said, I will come with you, Lord, but first let me say a last good-day to those who are at my house. But Jesus said, No man, having put his hand to the plough and looking back, is good enough for the kingdom of God.
And there came a scribe and said to him, Master, I will come after you wherever you go.
Israel was holy to the Lord, the first-fruits of his increase: all who made attacks on him were judged as wrongdoers, evil came on them, says the Lord.
There are sixty queens, and eighty servant-wives, and young girls without number.
Keep in mind your band of worshippers, for whom you gave payment in the days which are past, whom you took for yourself as the people of your heritage; even this mountain of Zion, which has been your resting-place.
She will come before the king in robes of needlework; the virgins in her train will come before you.
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Matthew Henry Commentary » Commentary on Revelation 14
Commentary on Revelation 14 Matthew Henry Commentary
Chapter 14
After an account of the great trials and sufferings which the servants of God had endured, we have now a more pleasant scene opening; the day begins now to dawn, and here we have represented,
Rev 14:1-5
Here we have one of the most pleasing sights that can be viewed in this world-the Lord Jesus Christ at the head of his faithful adherents and attendants. Here observe,
Rev 14:6-12
In this part of the chapter we have three angels or messengers sent from heaven to give notice of the fall of Babylon, and of those things that were antecedent and consequent to that great event.
Rev 14:13-20
Here we have the vision of the harvest and vintage, introduced with a solemn preface. Observe,