1 Then I looked, and behold, a Lamb standing on Mount Zion, and with Him one hundred and forty-four thousand, having His Father’s name written on their foreheads.
“Then I looked, and behold, a Lamb standing on Mount Zion,” —“the center of God‘s rule in the messianic kingdom. God spoke to the psalmist: ‘I have installed my King on Zion, my holy mountain’ (Ps. 2:6; 48:1-2;cf. Isa. 24:23). And Micah prophesied: ‘the LORD will reign over them in Mount Zion’ ( Mic. 4:7). Isaiah Joel, and Obadiah refer to Mount Zion as the place of deliverance for God’s people in their final victory (Isa. 59:20; Jo. 2:32; Obad. 17). This idea appears again in the New Testament where Mount Zion becomes ‘the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem’ (Heb.12:22). Jerusalem in Revelation stands in contrast to Babylon…” (Stefanovic)— “and with Him one hundred and forty-four thousand,” — the martyrs— a symbolic number made up of twelve times twelve, by which is signified that they were a people that should answer the Israelites indeed of the OT, that remnant of the twelve tribes whom God had chosen, who adhere to the doctrine and precepts of the twelve apostles.” (Poole) ‘having His Father’s name written on their foreheads.’ — “symbolizes thoughts and dispositions conformable to the will of God.” (Coffman)
2 And I heard a voice from heaven, like the voice of many waters, and like the voice of loud thunder. And I heard the sound of harpists playing their harps.
“And I heard a voice from heaven, like the voice of many waters, and like the voice of loud thunder.” “to which the Gospel may be compared for its open, loud publication, being heard far and near, as thunder is. — ‘and I heard the voice of harpers, harping with their harps’; that is, singing the praises of God, for the fall of Babylon, the happy state and condition of the church, and the blessings of grace; the harp being a musical instrument, used under the OT in singing praise.” (Gill)
3 They sang as it were a new song before the throne, before the four living creatures, and the elders; and no one could learn that song except the hundred and forty-four thousand who were redeemed from the earth.
"To appreciate fully the songs of Zion; to understand the language of praise; to enter into the spirit of the truths which pertain to redemption; one must himself have been redeemed by the blood of Christ. He must have known what it is to be a sinner under the condemnation of a holy law; he must have known what it is to be in danger of eternal death; he must have experienced the joys of pardon, or he can never understand, in its true import, the language... [used here].” (Barnes)
4 These are the ones who were not defiled with women, for they are virgins. These are the ones who follow the Lamb wherever He goes. These were redeemed from among men, being firstfruits to God and to the Lamb.
“These are the ones”— the martyrs— “who were not defiled with women, for they are virgins.” “Figuratively it would mean that they had remained faithful to the Lord, as the NIV… ‘they kept themselves pure’ suggests (cf. 2 Kings 19:21; Isa. 37:22; Jer. 18:13; 31:4; 31:21; Lam. 2:13; Amos 5:2; 2 Cor. 11:2).” (Constable) “These are the ones who follow the Lamb wherever He goes...”, even unto death. “That is, they are His disciples; they imitate His example; they obey His instructions; they yield to His laws; they receive Him as their Counselor and their Guide…” (Barnes), now receiving “the fitting reward of their following Him so fully on earth.” (Jamison, Fausset, Brown)
Moreover these martyrs "said to have been redeemed from humanity"-- not angels-- "as firstfruits belonging to God and to the Lamb, Jesus Christ (Revelation 14:4).” (William Tyndale)
5 And in their mouth was found no deceit, for they are without fault before the throne of God.
“These bare their witness openly, and their testimony plainly, against the universal headship of the Bishop of Rome, and his dominion over kings and emperors.” (Hanserd Knollys)
And thus, as Nathaniel, they had no guile in them. “They were sincerely and truly what they professed to be - the children of God.” (Barnes) Yes, they were men from the earth, represented by 666; but alas, these were perfected through sufferings unto death.
6 Then I saw another angel flying in the midst of heaven, having the everlasting gospel to preach to those who dwell on the earth—to every nation, tribe, tongue, and people— 7 saying with a loud voice, “Fear God and give glory to Him, for the hour of His judgment has come; and worship Him who made heaven and earth, the sea and springs of water.”
“Then I saw another angel” — a minister, not ministering spirits, here called “an angel”, who is the angel of this end-time church, “for in this book pastors of churches are so called, Revelation 1:20; and not a single minister of the Gospel is meant, but a set of Gospel ministers — ‘flying in the midst of heaven’ …the great congregation, the several congregations of the saints; in the midst of which these ministers will preach righteousness, salvation, loving kindness, and truth, as Christ has done before them; and from hence the word of the Lord will go forth to all parts of the world.” (Gill) It is preached to “‘those who dwell on the earth’— worshipers of the beast – the ones ‘whose names are not written in the book of life” (Rev. 13:8). This indicates that the final message is not for God’s people but for unbelievers.” (Stefanovic)— those not yet sealed in their thinking. "Angelic lips may not be heard; but human lips, set in motion by agencies which eye has not seen, may proclaim it. There is here a new proclamation of an old thing; a re-promulgation on a wider circle of the everlasting gospel in the last days, just before the great act of judgment is consummated.” (Bonar)
“An everlasting gospel to preach” — ‘This phrase indicates that the eternal Message is the same as that preach by Paul— “the proclamation of which started at Pentecost. It is good news about Christ, His ministry, His death on the cross and His resurrection and ascension to heaven and His subsequent enthronement on the heavenly throne from which He rules as Lord over the universe. It is also about His intercession and judgment, and His soon return to the earth.” (Stefanovic) Yet is was before the foundation of the world in God's plan. —“its great truths have always existed... not being liable to fluctuation like the opinions held by people.” (Barnes) “The missionaries carry no new religion to the heathen, but the religion of their fathers, made perfect in Christ.” (Sutcliffe)
“The message is proclaimed “with the loud voice, which is a wake up warning call to the inhabitants of the earth. It consists of two exhortations.” (Ranko Stefanovic): (1) “Fear God.” “or ‘the Lord’, as some copies, the Vulgate Latin and Arabic versions, read. Not the antichristian beast” (Gill), but rather the Lord Jesus Christ. “And fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul: but rather fear him which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.” (Matt. 10:28) “And give Him glory,” (2) “suggesting, obedience to His commandments. A person comes to fear God after recognizing the Lord’s great power and work (Rev. 11:13; 15:4). Fearing God leads one to repentance (16:9; cf.11:13). Thus, to fear God is to take Him seriously, make a decisive turnabout in life, enter into a relationship with Him, and be totally committed. God is then glorified through a life characterized by obedience to His commandments. This is what the appeal of the first angel is all about.” (Stefanovic) — "for the hour of His judgments has come.” Change your “allegiance from Satan to God before the final judgments of the Great Tribulation begin.” (Dr. Thomas B. Constable)
“And worship Him”— Jesus— “who made heaven and earth, the sea and springs of water.” Surely Jesus is “true God, the Creator and Governor of all things.” (Adam Clarke) “The angel is announcing the glorious work of giving the word of God back to the people, and bidding them rejoice over it and give Him glory for it.” (E.M. Zerr) This world is full of good versions of the Bible since the reformation. In an end-time scenario, this reformation may involve the proclamation of a message that has been lost by the church— the everlasting Gospel. “It is here strikingly intimated that the very beginning and source of the overthrow of antichrist’s citadel is the everlasting gospel. It is divine truth that is to overthrow this mighty stronghold of error and sin, which the ‘Lord shall consume with the breath of his mouth.’ 2 Thessalonians 2:8.” (Whedon's Commentary)
Revelation 14:8 And another angel followed, saying, “Babylon the great is fallen, is fallen, that great city, because she has made all nations drink of the wine of the wrath of her fornication.”
“And another angel followed”— “the Arabic version reads, ‘and the second angel followed’; another set of Gospel ministers,” (John Gill) —saying, “Babylon the great is fallen, is fallen, that great city (8a) — “that great city, the whole Roman papal state.” (Hanserd Knollys)
“The repeated verb ‘fallen’ in Greek is an aorist announcing a future event. The futuristic use of the aorist in the Hebrew prophecy is known as the prophetic perfect in which a future event is described with the past tense as if it already occurred (cf. Isa. 21:9; Jer. 51:8; Rev. 10:7). Here in the text the fall of the end-time Babylon to take place in the future Is announced as if it has already occurred, thus underscoring the prophetic certainty of Babylon’s future demise…
…
The prophet Isaiah equates the king of Babylon with Lucifer (Isaiah 14:12-1)… The phrase ‘Babylon THE GREAT’ in Revelation is used as a reminder of the self-boasting of Nebuchadnezzar: ‘Is this not Babylon the great which I myself have built as a royal residence by the might of my power and for the glory of my majesty?’ (Daniel 4:30). This boasting was met with the announcement of God‘s judgment over the kingdom (Daniel 4:31–32). Babylon was about to meet its end. Toward the close of the first century A.D. among both Jews and Christians the cryptic name of Babylon was used with reference to Rome. (cf. 1 Peter 5:13).” (Ranko Stefanovic)
“because she has made all nations drink of the wine of the wrath of her fornication.” (8b) Papal babylon has made [rather is making] the nations drink of the wine (or doctrine) of her wrath, or “‘poison’, as we translate it, Deut. 32:33 Job 20:16. “ (Matthew Poole) "Babylon has been fostering poisonous doctrines, the wine of error. This wine of error is made up of false doctrines, such as the natural immortality of the soul, the eternal torment of the wicked, the denial of the pre-existence of Christ prior to His birth in Bethlehem, and advocating and exalting the first day of the week above God’s holy and sanctified day." http://www.gilead.net/QandA/babylonwine.html
“Babylon was a golden cup in Yahweh’s hand,
That made all the earth drunk.
The nations drank her wine;
Therefore the nations are deranged." Jeremiah 51:7
Jeremiah says that the result of the wine of her doctrine is that the nations are deranged. Other versions say “therefore they have now gone mad.” (Jeremiah 51:7b) We see it today in America and around the world. Turn on the news. “The Babylon of the Apocalypse has by her seductions, unholy allurements, and incitements to evil enthralled the nations.” (Walter Scott) “The angel personified Babylon as a temptress who gives wine to a man to seduce him to commit fornication (cf. Revelation 17:2; Revelation 17:4). The man would not choose to drink this wine without her influence. [Note: Robert Wall, Revelation , p185.] However what this man drinks comes ultimately from the cup of God’s wrath that He gives, through Babylon, to those whom He will punish (cf. Revelation 14:10; Psalm 60:3; Psalm 75:8; Isaiah 51:17; Isaiah 51:22).” (Coffman Commentary)
9 Then a third angel followed them, saying with a loud voice, “If anyone worships the beast and his image, and receives his mark on his forehead or on his hand, 10 he himself shall also drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is poured out full strength into the cup of His indignation. He shall be tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of the holy angels and in the presence of the Lamb. 11 And the smoke of their torment ascends forever and ever; and they have no rest day or night, who worship the beast and his image, and whoever receives the mark of his name.”
The third Gospel preacher declares that those found unworthy of eternal life “will experience ‘the wine of God’s fury,’ or God’s just response to evil (14:9–10; cf. Jer. 25:15–29). Wine was often diluted with water to reduce its potency so people could drink and revel further. But the cup of God’s wrath is undiluted, his final judgment unmitigated (14:10). For those who drink of this cup, there will be no Sabbath rest, no true shalom, no peace (14:11; cf. Heb. 3:10–19).” (Baker’s Illus. Bible Commentary) “This passage has often been grossly misrepresented. It is a picture of judgment not of eternal torture.” (Peter Pett) This message stresses that “the purpose of the fire is to consume, never to preserve.” (Desmond Ford) This text affirms the message of an eternal destruction.
The partakers of their doctrine will be made to also drink of the wrath of God-- “Wine for wine.” (Trapp) “Execution of the wrath of God in the Old Testament is frequently symbolized by drinking wine from the Lord’s cup (Job 21:20; Pss. 60:3; 75:8; Isa.51:17–23; Jer. 25:15–29; 49:12; Eze. 23:32–34; Obad. 16). A wicked person, it was said, would ‘drink of the wrath of the Almighty’ (Job 21:20). God warned Jerusalem through Ezekiel that she would suffer the same fate as Samaria which had been destroyed: ‘You will drink your sister’s cup, which is deep and wide. You will be laughed at and held in derision; it contains much. You will be filled with drunkenness and sorrow, the cup of horror and desolation, the cup of your sister Samaria.’ (Ezek. 23:32–34) Isaiah addresses Jerusalem, which underwent the divine judgment, as ‘you have drunk from the Lord’s hand the cup of His anger’ (51:17; cf. also v. 22)This metaphorical expression occurs elsewhere the Old Testament (Ps. 6:3; Jer. 25:15–29; 49:12–13; Obad.15–16). The same figure of speech was used by Jesus when referring to His suffering on the cross (Matt. 20:22; 26:39; John 18:11).” (Stefanovic)
The wrath of God was poured on Jesus for His people. But on the wicked, it will be “poured out full strength” without being mixed with His grace- “into the cup of His indignation.” They shall shall be TORMENTED WITH FIRE AND BRIMSTONE’ - An allusion to the punishment of Sodom and Gomorrha for their unnatural crimes— ‘in the presence of the holy angels, and of the Lamb’ — ‘these being the instruments employed in their destruction; the Lamb - the Lord Jesus Christ, acting as judge.” (Adam Clarke) “The expression points to the final judgment after the millennium that is described in Revelation 20. While the overcomers in the church of Sardis are promised recognition before the Father and His Angels (Rev. 3:5), the unbelievers will have their end in the lake of burning fire before Christ and angels.” (Ranko Stefanovic)
“The One Who suffered for men will now be their judge because they rejected His mercy, the bleeding Lamb has become the Destroyer, and the impact of His fiery eyes and words will make them prostrate themselves before Him and admit the total truth about themselves. We can compare for this Revelation 9:17-18. There the fire and brimstone was intended to bring men to admission of sin and repentance (Revelation 9:20-21). Here it issues in the hopeless confession of sin before the Judge. [Perhaps, they shall be tormented by the thought of the fire only.] We must not remove the force of the words. Men will cry out in anguish longing to be hid from God’s wrath against sin (Revelation 6:16). They will weep and gnash their teeth as they recognise that it is now too late (Luke 13:28 compare Matthew 8:2; 13:42; 13:50; 22:13; 24:51; 25:30). Their torment will thus be great as the words of judgment burn into their souls. It would be no kindness to water down the awfulness of that time. But it does not represent a picture of everlasting conscious torment [in fire]. It is saying that they will be thoroughly and severely judged.” (Peter Pett)
“And the smoke of their torment ascends FOREVER AND EVER.”(11a) “The idea of fire and sulphur with smoke ascending ‘forever and ever’ is drawn from the Old Testament. After God had ‘rained on Sodom and Gomorrah fire and sulphur ’(Genesis 19:24), Abraham saw the smoke ascending from the earth (19:28). Reflecting on that scene, Jude described the fate of those two cities as experiencing ‘the punishment of eternal fire’ (Jude 7). Isaiah prophesied that God would punish them with ‘fire and sulphur’; it would become ‘a burning pitch; it shall not be quenched night and day; it’s smoke shall go up forever; from generation to generation it shall be desolate’ (Isa. 34:8–10). Note that the smoke will arise ‘forever and ever’, and that it lies desolate from generation to generation, and will never again rise from the ruin… Revelation 20:10 echoes in particular this prophecy of Isaiah regarding Edom. ‘The devil, who deceived them, was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone where the beast and the false prophet are. And they will be tormented day and night forever and ever.’ The phrase ‘forever and ever’ does not mean endless burning. No fire burns today in Sodom and Gomorrah and Edom in modern Jerusalem, although eternal fire was their allotment… The phrase ‘forever and ever’ stands for burning which last long enough to make the consumption complete, with nothing left to burn.” (Ranko Stefanovic)
“and they have no rest day or night,” (11b) “This is in contrast to the statement of Revelation 14:13 in which the followers of Christ are promised rest from their labor (cf. 6:11). The worshipers of the beast and his image, however; will never taste that rest. The threat echoes the declaration made to rebellious Israel regarding its rest in the promised land: ‘Therefore I swore in My anger, truly they shall not enter into My rest’(Ps. 85:22). The idea of the promised rest continues in the New Testament as rest in the grace of God: ‘There therefore remains a rest for the people of God. For the one who has entered into His rest has himself also rested from his works, as God did from His. Let us therefore be diligent to enter into that rest, lest anyone fall through following the same example of disobedience’ (Heb. 4:9–11). The rest into which God’s people enter is eternal; so the unrest of the impending judgment for the unbelievers is eternal. As Phillip E. Hughes stated, ‘From this last judgment there is no reprieve; the sentence of death is irreversible; the destruction permits no recovery.’” (Ranko Stefanovic) There is no resurection from from the second death.
12 Here is the patience of the saints; here are those who keep the commandments of God and the faith of Jesus. 13 Then I heard a voice from heaven saying to me, “Write: ‘Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord from now on.’” “Yes,” says the Spirit, “that they may rest from their labors, and their works follow them.”
The wicked will utterly perish in hellfire as a just sentence after judgment. Dreadful as this is, there is a way of escape—patience and perseverance in the faith of the church fathers. Here is what it look like: “‘Here is the patience of the saints…’ Charles failed to see the point of this verse, but G. R. Beasley-Murray wrote, ‘It is thoroughly in place here. It is the punch line for Revelation 14:9-11. If such be the fate of the followers of the beast, Christ's people must, at all costs, continue to keep the commandments of God and the faith of Jesus.’ ‘Keep the commandments of God’ ... The current fantasy that ‘believers’ are in some way saved without obedience should be reviewed in light of many such passages as this. Any ‘system’ of salvation that promises people eternal life upon any other premise than that of fidelity to God's commandments is false and should be identified with the second beast. Yes indeed; they must believe in Christ with all their hearts, but that is not all that is required. They must also: ‘Keep ... the faith of Jesus…’ As George Eldon Ladd said, ‘This faith is objective.’ It means keep the religion of Christ; accept and obey the tenets of true Christianity.” (Burton Coffman) “The faith of Jesus” is found in the Old/New Testaments. The saints spend their lives seeking this faith and purging leaven, resulting in strong convictions concerning doctrine.
“Then I heard a voice from heaven” — “that voice of Christ, John 5:24; John 8:51” (Trapp) — saying to me, “Write”— for the benefit of those on earth— “Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord from now on.’” “Unlike the unbelievers previously described, those who are His and have died ‘in the Lord’ can know that from henceforth they are blessed. For as the Spirit has testified, ‘they rest from their labours and their works follow them.’ Note the assumption that every Christian will have ‘works’ to present before the Judgment Seat of Christ.” (Peter Pett) These works which follow them are the outgrowth— the fruit— of the doctrine that they had formed gathering their morning manna. These "die, not in the field of battle, in either what are called lawful or unlawful wars against their fellow men; but they die in the cause of God, they die under the smile and approbation of God, and they die to live and reign with God for ever and ever.” (Adam Clarke)
This beatitude of those who "die in the Lord" is specific to those who die in the Lord “from now on.” The end-time beast— the merging of state and religion— will force their beliefs on the populace and persecute the saints of God unto death. Blessed are the faithful witnesses. “When Christ followers die because of their faith and loyalty to God, it often appears to be a tragedy. However, their death is described in Revelation as rest [or sometimes sleep]. This resting of Christ’s followers stands in sharp contrast to the sorrowful reality of the followers of the satanic union who ‘do not have rest day and night’ (Rev 14:11). God‘s faithful servants, however, are promised ‘rest from their labors.’ The Greek indicates that the labor from which they rest is not just good hard work, but labor to the point of weariness and exhaustion.” (Ranko Stefanovic)
14 Then I looked, and behold, a white cloud, and on the cloud sat One like the Son of Man, having on His head a golden crown, and in His hand a sharp sickle.
““‘Then I looked’, His attention is arrested by a new vision. The Son of Man Himself comes forth to close the scene, and to wind up the affairs of the world… 'And behold a white cloud’ - Bright, splendid, dazzling - appropriate to be the seat of the Son of God. ... ‘And upon the cloud one sat like unto the Son of man’ - Compare the Revelation 1:13 note; Daniel 7:13 note. It is probable that there is here a designed reference to the passage in Daniel. The meaning is, that one appeared on the cloud in a human form, whom John at once recognized as He to whom the appellation of ‘the Son of man’ especially belonged - the Lord Jesus. The meaning of that term had not been fixed in the time of Daniel 7:13; subsequently it was appropriated by the Saviour, and was the favorite term by which He chose to speak of Himself, Matthew 8:20; Matthew 9:6; Matthew 10:23; Matthew 11:19; Matthew 12:8, Matthew 12:32, Matthew 12:40, et al. [in His humility.] ‘Having on His head a golden crown’ - Appropriate to Him as King [of kings and Lord of lords]. It was mainly in virtue of His kingly power and office that the work was to be done which John is now about to describe. 'And in His hand a sharp sickle.' (14)- The word ‘sickle’ here - δρέπανον drepanon- means a crooked knife or scythe for gathering the harvest, or vintage, by cutting off the clusters of grapes…. Here the reference is to the consummation of all things, when the great harvest of the world will be reaped, and when all the enemies of the church will be cut off...” (Albert Barnes)
15 And another angel came out of the temple, crying with a loud voice to Him who sat on the cloud, “Thrust in Your sickle and reap, for the time has come for You to reap, for the harvest of the earth is ripe.” 16 So He who sat on the cloud thrust in His sickle on the earth, and the earth was reaped. 17 Then another angel came out of the temple which is in heaven, he also having a sharp sickle. 18 And another angel came out from the altar, who had power over fire, and he cried with a loud cry to him who had the sharp sickle, saying, “Thrust in your sharp sickle and gather the clusters of the vine of the earth, for her grapes are fully ripe.” 19 So the angel thrust his sickle into the earth and gathered the vine of the earth, and threw it into the great winepress of the wrath of God. 20 And the winepress was trampled outside the city, and blood came out of the winepress, up to the horses’ bridles, for one thousand six hundred furlongs.
“And another angel”— or gospel messenger, representing the living righteous at the time of His coming— “came out of the temple”— which was on earth, the church of God— “crying with a loud voice”— clearer and more audible that ever: “Thrust in Your sickle and reap, for the time has come for You to reap, for the harvest of the earth is ripe.” (15) “So He who sat on the cloud thrust in His sickle on the earth, and the earth was reaped.” (16) “The sickle is put in.” (Arno Gaebelein)
“The harvest (with the threshing floor) is a well-known biblical metaphor for the eschatological judgment on the enemies of ancient Israel (cf.Jer. 31:33; Joel 3:13); it can also be used in a positive sense for the gathering of God‘s people. 'O Judah,' Hosea cries, ‘there is a harvest appointed for you when I will restore the fortunes of my people; (Hosea 6:11; cf. Joel 3:1–2). In the teachings of Jesus, the harvesters gathers people into the kingdom of God (Matt. 9:37–38; Luke 10:2; John 4:35–38). ‘When the grain is ripe, He immediately sends the sickle, because the harvest has come’ (Mark 4:29, as it reads in the Greek). In the parable of the wheat and tares, Jesus linked the idea of reaping the harvest to the great gathering… and the subsequent judgment on the wicked. ‘The harvest is the end of the age; and the reapers are angels… The Son of Man will send forth His angels, and they will gather out of His kingdom all stumbling blocks, and those who commit lawlessness, and they will cast them into the furnace of fire; in that place there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth. Then the righteous will shine forth as the sun in the Kingdom of their father’ (Matt. 13:39–43). According to John the Baptist, at the harvest Christ ‘will gather His wheat into the barn but He will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire. (Matthew 3:12).” (Ranko Stefanovic)
“Unquenchable Fire — Someone may raise this question: What about the unquenchable fire that burns the wicked? Doesn't that mean it will never go out? Of course, it doesn't. To quench means to extinguish or put out. No one will be able to put out the fire of hell. That is the strange fire of God. No one will be able to escape from it by extinguishing it. Isaiah says of that fire, ‘Behold, they shall be as stubble; the fire shall burn them; they shall not deliver themselves from the power of the flame: there shall not be a coal to warm at, nor a fire to sit before it.’ (Isaiah 47.14) After it has accomplished its work of destruction, that fire will go out. No one can deliver themselves from its flame by putting it out, but finally not a coal will be left. So say the Scriptures. Jeremiah prophesied that Jerusalem would burn with a fire that could not be quenched (Jeremiah 17:27), but it burned down to ashes (2 Chronicles 36:19-21). Read those verses and see how the Bible uses the word ‘quench.’ It does not mean fire that will never go out. It only means what it says, ‘unquenchable.’ It can't be quenched.’” (Hell Fire A Twisted Truth Untangled by Joe Crews)
The reapers will be the ministering angels from heaven directed by the Lamb (cp. Matthew. 13:41) “Then another angel came out of the temple ‘which is in heaven’, he also having a sharp sickle. And another angel came out from the altar” - “of burnt offering; from whence the martyrs had cried for vengeance” (Wesley)- “who had power over fire, and he cried with a loud cry to him who had the sharp sickle, saying, 'Thrust in your sharp sickle and gather the clusters of the vine of the earth, for her grapes are fully ripe.' So the angel thrust his sickle into the earth and gathered the vine of the earth, and threw it into the great winepress of the wrath of God.” (17-19) This “depicts judgment in terms of harvesting. When Joel wished to say that judgment was near, he said: ‘Put in the sickle, for the harvest is ripe’ (Joel 3:13). ‘When the grain is ripe,’ said Jesus, ‘at once he puts in the sickle, because the harvest has come’ (Mark 4:29);… It depicts judgment in terms of the wine press, which consisted of an upper and a lower trough connected by a channel. The troughs might be hollowed out in the rock or they might be built of brick. The grapes were put into the upper trough which was on a slightly higher level. They were then trampled with the feet and the juice flowed down the connecting channel into the lower trough. Often in the Old Testament, God's judgment is likened to the trampling of the grapes. ‘The Lord flouted all my mighty men in the midst of me...the Lord has trodden as in a winepress the virgin daughter of Judah’ (Lam. 1:15). ‘I have trodden the winepress alone; and from the peoples no one was with me; I trod them in my anger, and trampled them in my wrath; their life blood is sprinkled upon my garments’ (Isa. 63:3). Here, then, we have judgment depicted in the two familiar figures of the harvest and of the winepress. To this is added another familiar picture. The wine press is to be trodden outside the city, that is, Jerusalem. Both in the Old Testament and in the books between the Testaments there was a line of thought which held that the Gentiles would be brought to Jerusalem and judged there. Joel has a picture of all the nations gathered into the valley of Jehoshaphat and judged there (Joel 3:2; 3:12). Zechariah has a picture of a last attack of the Gentiles on Jerusalem and of their judgment there (Zech. 14:1-4).” (William Barclay's Daily Study Bible)
“’Blood came out unto the horse bridle;' (20) that is, in depth. The bridle of the horse dipping into the surface of water through which the rider is passing, indicates to him the depth of the flood. —A thousand and six hundred furlongs; over a vast extent of ground. These expressions are designed to indicate the greatness and the extent of the destruction with which the enemies of God will finally be overwhelmed." (Abbott's Illustrated NT). "This is a vision of the eternal judgment… This great vision of the final judgment first shows the ingathering of the righteous (Revelation 14:14,15), and following that, the destruction of the wicked (Revelation 14:17-20), following exactly the pattern laid down by Jesus himself in Matthew 25:31-40.” (Burton Coffman)