Good morning, today we find ourselves starting out chapter 14 in the book of Revelation. The chapter is naturally split into three distinct sections so I will keep it that way and we will explore it in three short study sessions.
Let’s get right to it:
“Then I looked, and there before me was the Lamb, standing on Mount Zion, and with him 144,000 who had his name and his Father’s name written on their foreheads. 2 And I heard a sound from heaven like the roar of rushing waters and like a loud peal of thunder. The sound I heard was like that of harpists playing their harps. 3 And they sang a new song before the throne and before the four living creatures and the elders. No one could learn the song except the 144,000 who had been redeemed from the earth. 4 These are those who did not defile themselves with women, for they remained virgins. They follow the Lamb wherever he goes. They were purchased from among mankind and offered as first fruits to God and the Lamb. 5 No lie was found in their mouths; they are blameless.”
14:1 – “Then I looked, and there before me was the Lamb, standing on Mount Zion, and with him 144,000 who had his name and his Father’s name written on their foreheads.”
John starts off with I looked. He continues to reinforce that he is personally witnessing this entire ordeal. It’s like he is the on-site reporter and he is telling us exactly what is happening moment by moment. Before him was the lamb, this is Jesus Christ. “The next day he saw Jesus coming to him and said, "Behold, the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!” (John 1:29) The lamb was standing on Mount Zion. This is to signify Jerusalem. “I have installed my king on Zion, my holy mountain.” 7 I will proclaim the Lord’s decree: He said to me, “You are my son; today I have become your father.8 Ask me, and I will make the nations your inheritance, the ends of the earth your possession.9 You will break them with a rod of iron; you will dash them to pieces like pottery.” (Psalm 2:6-9) With Jesus was the 144,000. We looked at the 144,000 back in chapter seven and saw that God unleashed them on the world as the greatest preaching force the world will ever know. He sealed them with a mark on their foreheads and because of this mark they were protected from satan for their duration of their time on Earth. What God seals He seals, and what God protects He protects. He started with 144,000 and He ends with 144,000. Not 139,999, He loses not one.
14:2-3 – “And I heard a sound from heaven like the roar of rushing waters and like a loud peal of thunder. The sound I heard was like that of harpists playing their harps. 3 And they sang a new song before the throne and before the four living creatures and the elders. No one could learn the song except the 144,000 who had been redeemed from the earth.”
John hears several sounds from Heaven. Rushing waters, thunder, and harps. All of this is to accompany the praise of the 144,000 as they begin to sing to the Lord. You’d think after all the 144,000 had seen, endured, and witnessed in the great tribulation, they would be too sorrowful to sing, but not so. This is one more big choir as all 144,000 sang a new song before the Lord, the four living creatures, and the elders that are in the throne room of heaven. (Rev 4:4-8) And this song was very exclusive. We’re told this song was only for the 144,000 to sing.
14:4-5 – “These are those who did not defile themselves with women, for they remained virgins. They follow the Lamb wherever he goes. They were purchased from among mankind and offered as first fruits to God and the Lamb. 5 No lie was found in their mouths; they are blameless.”
These 144,000, these preachers, lived righteous lives amongst the great evil that was on the earth during the great tribulation. They remained chaste, and they followed God's ways in all they did, everywhere they went. They had no lies about them and they were blameless. This doesn’t mean they were sinless, but they were blameless. Can someone blame you of something today or can you be called blameless? I remember a story of an old preacher that was mentoring a new young preacher. The young preacher had just taken on a small congregation and people were murmuring behind his back. The young preacher told the old preacher, “I’m still new and people are already saying bad things about me, what do I do?” The old preacher said, “do nothing, but aren’t you glad what they’re saying is not true.” You see, He was blameless. What a glorious thing to live a blameless life in front of others. The world might throw harsh accusations at you, but live a life that proves them all wrong.
Tomorrow we will look at the three angels that bring three different messages to the world. One brings a message of hope through salvation, one a message of judgement, and another a message of condemnation. We will see a foreshadowing of God’s final judgement as we finish out chapter 14 and folks, God’s final judgment is absolute, harsh, and final. For all those that continue to reject the gospel of Jesus Christ, there will come a day of God’s final judgement upon them.
May you hold Christ closely today as your Savior and never need to face His final judgement.
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