1. And I [the John Class] looked,
and, lo, a meek humble One stood on the mount Sion [ruled in the heavenly
kingdom], and with him an hundred and forty and four thousand, [having
his name and the name of his Father, Diaglott] having his Father’s
name [character, which is when these saints have been sealed] written
[impressed] in their foreheads [minds]. [Revelation 14:1-5 may be scene
at the end of the Gospel harvest].
2. And I [the John Class] heard a voice
[proclamation] from heaven [the divine ruling authority], as the
voice [proclamation] of many waters [peoples], and as
the voice of a great thunder [controversy]: and I [the John
Class] heard the voice [teachings] of harpers harping
[those making music with the Word of God] with their harps [teaching the
interpreted Word of God].
3. And they sung as it were a new song [message of salvation] before
the throne [the divine authority], and before the four beasts
[living creatures, attributes of God], and before the elders [Royal
Priesthood offices]: and no man [Christian] could learn that song
[message of judgment and salvation--this may be related to the song of Moses and the Lamb
of Revelation 15:2, 3] but the hundred and forty and four thousand, which were
redeemed [purchased] from the earth [stable society].
4. These are they which were not defiled with women [united with
churchianity]; for they are virgins [pure]. These are they which
follow the Lamb [meek-humble One] whithersoever he goeth [in the
path he takes]. These were redeemed [purchased] from among men
[nominal Christianity], being the firstfruits [church of the firstborn] unto
God and to Lamb [the meek-humble One].
5. And in their mouth [message] was found no guile
[deceptive teachings], for they are without fault [before the throne
of God not in Sinaitic and Alexandrine].
] followed
them [the other two preceding messages], saying with a loud voice
[great proclamation], If any man worship [venerate] the beast
[papacy] and his image [the World Council of Churches], and
receive his mark [designating characteristics] in his forehead
[by mental assent], or in his hand [by support or co-operation],
10. The same shall drink of the wine of the wrath of God [prophetic
teachings of God’s vengeance], which is poured out without mixture
[or modification-that is, full strength] into the cup of his indignation
[or wrath]; and he [the nominal Christian] shall be tormented
[tried] with fire and brimstone [destructive judgments] in the
presence of the holy angels [to be witnessed by God’s righteous messengers],
and in the presence of the Lamb [to be witnessed by the meek and humble One]:
11. And the smoke [remembrance] of their torment
[testing] ascendeth up for ever and ever [will be recalled in all future
ages]; and they have no rest [of heart or mind] day nor night
[as long as], who worship the beast [papacy] and his image
[World Council of Churches], and whosoever receiveth the mark
[designation] of his name [papacy’s characteristics].
12. Here is the patience [incentive to patient endurance and the
faith] of the saints: here are they that keep the commandments of God, and the
faith of Jesus.
13. And I [the John Class] heard a voice
[proclamation] from heaven [the place of spiritual control] saying
unto me [the John Class], Write [publish abroad-from 1878 and
forward], Blessed are the dead [in consecration] which die
[literally die] in the Lord from henceforth: Yea, saith the [holy] Spirit,
that [then] they may rest from their labors; and their [kingdom]
works do follow them [beyond the veil].
14. And I [the John Class] looked, and behold a white cloud
[the time of trouble]
and upon the cloud
one sat like unto the Son of man, having on his head a golden crown [the divine
authority with all power in heaven and earth], and in his hand [power to
direct] a sharp sickle [the harvest message intended to gather true
wheat].
15. And another angel [the message of the "The Three Worlds"
published and promoted by Bro. Russell] came out of the temple [true
church of Christ], crying with a loud voice [a great message] to
him [the Lord] that sat on the cloud [oversees the time of
trouble], Thrust in thy sickle [the harvest truths], and reap
[gather thy saints]: for the time [hora, the harvest is frequently
referred to as an hour] is come for thee to reap [for gathering the
wheat]; for the harvest of the earth [society] is ripe
[for gathering true Christians].
16. And he [the Lord] that sat on the cloud [oversees
the time of trouble], thrust in his sickle [broadcasts his harvest truth]
in the earth [society]; and the earth [society] was
reaped [the true wheat was harvested].
17. And another angel [message from the overall writings of Brother
Russell] came out of the temple which is in heaven [the divine presence
where God dwells in supreme authority], he also having a sharp sickle
[harvest truth judgment message--this particular message is directed toward the false
religious systems].
18. And another angel [message-a proper understanding of Revelation,
an enhanced understanding from that given by Bro. Russell] came out from the altar
[where sacrifices are consummated], which had power over fire [sets in
motion divine judgments]; and cried with a loud cry [great proclamation] to
him that had the sharp sickle [see Ezekiel 10:2-4 where the man with the
writer’s inkhorn receives his second assignment which we believe is the second work
of Brother Russell’s message] who had the sickle [the present truth
message], saying, Thrust in thy sharp sickle [broadcast thy harvest truth
judgment message], and gather the clusters of the vine of the earth [the
by-products of Christendom with its institutions, honor, wealth, social standing, and its
multitudinous "tares"]; for her grapes are fully ripe [its
iniquity has come to the full].
19. And the angel [messenger-Brother Russell by his writings] thrust
in his sickle [broadcasts the harvest judgment truth] in the earth
[society], and gathered the vine of the earth [the by-product of the
false religious systems of society], and cast it into the great winepress
[of the time of trouble] of the wrath of God.
20. And the winepress [the final feature of harvesting the vine of the
earth, Vol. 4, p. 18, par, 2] was trodden [crushed in the time of
trouble] without the city [beyond the pale of former Christendom],
and blood [life] came out of the winepress [was squeezed out of
it], even unto the horse bridles [fulfilling the prophetic testimony of
the horse bridles], by the space of a thousand and six [two, Sinaitic] hundred
furlongs [actually 1200 furlongs, this destruction takes in the distance of 120
miles].
