Rev. 13 ended with the decree for people to be branded with the mark of the beast. Believers who refused to be so marked would starve since they could not buy or sell; many will die. Some might try to live off the land. But remember the earth had been devastated by fire - a third of trees and all grass burned up (first trumpet judgment); the sea had became blood - a third of sea creatures had died (second trumpet judgment); and a third of rivers and springs had became bitter. What would they (who do not have the mark of the beast) eat and drink? There would be tremendous pressure to submit to be marked! It is time to choose.
Rev. 14 gives us a sneak preview as to what would happen to followers of the beast and followers of the Lamb.
John saw the Lamb, standing on Mount Zion, and the 144,000 with Him (14:1). This scene is yet future at the end of the Tribulation when the Lamb will return to the earth. All 144,000 were present; none of them died during the Tribulation demonstrating God's power to protect each and every one of them. This vision is meant to encourage the believers (followers of the Lamb) to trust God and to be true to Him.
Description of the 144,000
The 144,000 learned and sang a new song from heaven that nobody else could learn (14:3)... probably a song of praise to the Lamb.
The Three Angels
He had the eternal gospel to proclaim. And the good news that he proclaimed (14:7) ...
“Fear God and give him glory,
because the hour of his judgment has come.
Worship him who made the heavens, the earth,
the sea and the springs of water.”
He who made the heavens, the earth, the sea and the springs of water has the right to judge the same just as He did with the first four trumpet judgments (8:7-12)
The good news is that God will soon judge everyone in righteousness. The proper response is to acknowledge Him as our Creator and Judge. As our Creator, He owns us and we are to live for Him; as our Judge, we are accountable to Him. To fear God is to flee sin on the one hand and to pursue righteousness on the other.
The hour of His judgment has come. Now is the time to respond while there is time. This is the final call to all inhabitants of the earth!
This was a warning not to go the way of the followers of the beast for they would face the full strength of God's wrath ... undiluted ... without mercy ... just wrath! There is no annihilation of the followers of the beast - no rest day or night, no relief, only torment with burning sulfur forever and ever (14:11).
This calls for patient endurance of God's people to keep His commands and remain faithful to Jesus (14:12). It is better to endure famine for a season even if it means death (14:13) than to endure burning sulfur forever.
The Two Reapers
Next, John saw a vision of two harvests of the earth - the first by one like a son of man (14:14-16) and the other by an angel. The second harvest is clearly a harvest of the wicked for judgment but we are not told what the first harvest is.
The grapes from the second harvest were thrown into winepress of God’s wrath, trampled upon outside the city and the blood that flowed out, rising as high as the horses’ bridles and flowing for a distance of 200 miles (14:17-20), approximately the land of Israel from north to south. The description of the blood flow is likely a hyperbole to show the extent of the bloodbath at Christ's coming (cf., 19:17-19,21).
But as for me, my feet had almost slipped;
I had nearly lost my foothold.
For I envied the arrogant
when I saw the prosperity of the wicked.
When I tried to understand all this,
it troubled me deeply
till I entered the sanctuary of God;
then I understood their (the arrogant, the wicked) final destiny.
But as for me, it is good to be near God.
I have made the Sovereign Lord my refuge;
I will tell of all your deeds.
[italics mine]