Revelation 14:1-13
The Lamb and the 144,000
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. 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. 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. 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. 5 And in their mouth was found no deceit, for they are without fault before the throne of God.
The Proclamations of Three Angels
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.”
8 And another angel followed, saying, “Babylon is fallen, is fallen, that great city, because she has made all nations drink of the wine of the wrath of her fornication.”
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.”
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 Lamb of God will triumph in the end because He has already done so. He will first gather the select one hundred and forty-four thousand who have His Father’s name written on their foreheads before His throne. John heard the voice of the Lord speaking there as if thundering and bubbling like a brook simultaneously; it was full of grace and power, awe and wonder as described by John after witnessing it in the heavenly transport (2 Corinthians 12:3-4) like Paul spoke of. Harps were divinely played and the one hundred and forty-four thousand learned the song played just for those redeemed ones to give glory to God to keep them undefiled from sensual pleasures. They were the first to be redeemed, but not the only ones as one popular cult erroneously teaches. They are the firstfruits of the Lord Jesus Christ offered to God he Father and His Son the Lamb slain for them and for us all who will join them before the throne of grace, having been kept to persevere in grace to the end. Unlike the select first ones, we have been found with some deceit and faults of our sin, yet those things have been forgiven by the atoning sacrifice of the Lamb who takes away (John 1:29) our sin and we will join that heavenly throng then! This is because the gospel was proclaimed to us and we trusted God’s word of mercy and grace to receive Him and His work by faith (Ephesians 2:8-9). The vision that John witnessed in heaven also foretold the Gospel being proclaimed by an angel from heaven to every nation, tribe, tongue, and people that the final ones called and chosen may respond in faith to join all of us who heard since Jesus (Immanuel, Matthew 1:23) walked among us. The call of the gospel remains to fear God as our Creator and give Him all glory, honor and praise as is due Him. In the end, the world system set against Christ as portrayed like Babylon will fall and the spiritual fornication spread by her false doctrines and practices will be stopped for good. The warning is given to all in the end who refuse still to repent from such sin and worship the beast of perfect evil instead of the Lord and His Christ, our Lamb. Such who identify with the world and its temporary ruler (John 16:11, 12:31-32) instead of Jesus Christ will be cast down with him to taste God’s never ending wrath. This is the warning of bad news answered only by the hope of the gospel. The alternative is to suffer unending torment in God’s sight along with those who rejected Him. We are warned not to worship the beast or his image, and not to receive the mark of his name in place of God’s mark as His. This then is the patience and perseverance of the saints made holy in Jesus Christ our Lord; we keep His commandments (John 14:23, 15:10, 16-17) Revelation 12:17) and hold to our faith in Him and His work to redeem us in the promise of eternal deliverance from judgment. Blessed are those who die in the Lord Jesus Christ with this hope that our labor for Him is noted in the book of our lives and is permanently written in the Lamb’s Book of Life! Knowing this truth is the patience and perseverance of we who are all saints by faith in Christ and His righteousness.
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