In chapter twelve, the woman represents the people of faith, the righteous seed, the "Church." I am using the term "Church" the way the early Church Fathers used it, and the way I believe the Scriptures use it. The woman is "Abraham's seed - both the natural seed and the adopted seed," [Gal. 3:7,14,29, 6:16]. This includes all the people of faith. There are two distinct groups of people in the tribulation who will ultimately be born again. The first group is what we call the "Church" consisting of both Jewish and Gentile believers. But there is another group of Jews who are not yet believers during the tribulation, but come to Christ at the close, when they "look on Him whom they have pierced." Paul describes the unbelieving nation of Israel as "enemies" of the Gospel yet still "beloved for the sake of the patriarchs." [Rom. 11:26-29]. Because this group has not yet been born again, they must be handled gently so that not one of them whom God has chosen will die before they see Christ returning and the blindness is removed from their eyes. Therefore, God will supernaturally protect them from the Antichrist in the wilderness from any harm, [Rev. 12:6,14-16]. They will not be martyrs, because that would mean their damnation. Many Christians believe this special  Jewish remnant will flee to Petra in southern Jordan. This ancient fortress is a ready made hideout, with thousands of cave / houses carved out of the rock surrounding this incredible abandoned city.

Petra [Copyright: BibleSoft Computer Bible]

When Satan is hindered from destroying the elect Jewish remnant, he will turn his attention to the remnant of the Church who keep the commandments of God, and have the testimony of Jesus Christ, [cf. Rev. 12:17 & Rom 2:28,29, Gal. 3:6- 9,14-16,29].

I have only one question from chapter 13. Why did Jesus give the Church the means to recognize the Beast [Rev. 13:18]? Answer: "But he indicates the number of the name now, that when this man comes we may avoid him, being aware of who he is..." [Irenaeus, Against Heresies, V, XXX, 2, Ante Nicene Fathers, Vol. 1, pg. 559].

Chapter fourteen begins with 144,000 people worshipping God. They are in heaven during the tribulation, since they were redeemed "from the earth," [vs. 3]. They are not the same 144,000 in chapter seven. The other group is saved at the end of the tribulation. This group is already in heaven. Verse four says they are the "firstfruits" to the Lamb. James gives us some insight here.

James 1
1 James, a servant of God, and of the Jesus Christ, to the twelve tribes which are scattered abroad, greeting.
18 Of his own will begat he us with the word of truth, that we should be a kind of firstfruits of his creatures.

Both John and James are referring to one of the Jewish Feast days. The Feast of "Firstfruits" took place on the Sunday following Passover. This occurred at the beginning of the wheat harvest. Males were required to come to Jerusalem with a token sheaf of wheat to be offered to God before they partook of their harvest. It was called "Firstfruits" because the very first bundle of wheat was given to God. When they returned home they reaped their fields for the next seven weeks. After this period of harvest, they appeared before the Lord at the Temple to give another offering to thank God for a good harvest, on the fiftieth day, the Day of Pentecost. When John calls the 144,000 of Rev. 14 the "Firstfruits" unto God and the Lamb, he is saying that they are the elect Jews who believed the Gospel when Christ came. James confirms this for us in the above verses. They were the first offering to God of the harvest of this age. The other group of 144,000 Jews are the "Pentecost" offering at the very end of the harvest. It is no coincidence that at the end of this chronological sequence Christ's coming is compared to a harvest.

The fall of Babylon occurs in Rev. 14:8. According to Rev. 16:19-19:3 Babylon falls immediately before Christ returns. This indicates that the seven vials do not follow the two harvests of chapter 14, but precede them, unless Babylon is destroyed twice. The alternative is that the accounts are parallel.

The dual harvest at the end of chapter 14 is the only description of the rapture in Revelation. The first harvest is executed by the "Son of man" from the clouds, [vs. 14]. This agrees with James 5:7,8 which likens the rapture to a harvest. Matt. 13:30 also likens the rapture to a harvest of wheat. This also agrees with 1 Thess. 4:17 and Matt. 24:29-31. Revelation does indeed contain a description of the rapture of the Church, which, in my opinion, is required because of the promises to the Church, "Behold I come as a thief," [Rev. 16:15], and "Behold I come quickly," [Rev. 22:7].

Immediately following the rapture, the wicked are thrown into the winepress of the wrath of God. This passage was borrowed from Joel 3:9-17. Joel adds the sun and moon signs, and dubs it "the Day of the Lord." This is powerful evidence that the second harvest of Rev. 14 is after the tribulation, on the Day of the Lord.

It is interesting that blood flows for approximately 180 miles. This will be the scope of the battle of Armageddon. If you draw a straight line from Damascus to Bozrah, you go right through Jerusalem. This is about 180 miles. The armies that surround Jerusalem will be slaughtered over all of Israel, [Isa. 63:1-6].

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