Hello everyone and welcome back to Deeper Waters. Tonight we’re going to be continuing our Trinitarian Commentary by looking at Revelation 14:1-5. First, I ask for your prayers for my continued Christlikeness. I believe these are being effective as noted by the words of my friends and my own thinking being more sound and logical. Second, I ask for your prayers concerning my financial situation. Third, I ask for your prayers in a third related area in my life that I believe God is working at. For now, let’s go to the text:
1Then 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. 2And 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. 3And 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.4These are those who did not defile themselves with women, for they kept themselves pure. They follow the Lamb wherever he goes. They were purchased from among men and offered as firstfruits to God and the Lamb.5No lie was found in their mouths; they are blameless.
What an image this must have been. The lamb was standing. Let us take the time to consider that. The lamb seems to be the favorite term John uses to describe Jesus and as we know, lambs don’t stand. However, this lamb is standing and he is standing on Mt. Zion, a mountain that represents salvation in the OT.
He has with him the 144,000. His name is on them as is the name of his Father. It is an interesting reference to see the Father of the Lamb being spoken of. There is a picture of majesty symbolized by such sounds as the sound of rushing water and a loud peal of thunder. One interesting thing to do with Revelation is to note how many times the word “like” shows up in the text. John cannot truly describe what he sees. He just says “like.”
The 144,000 in this passage are those who follow the lamb wherever he goes. This is not meaning in a directional sense, such as taking a turn on Main street and continuing till one reaches Trade Street. No. This is more along the lines of the path of the cross. They are disciples of the Lamb and are willing to follow that path to the bitter end. This would be a message of comfort for many who had to take that path and should be a message of comfort today.
These came from among men we are told and were offered as firstfruits. What is important for our purposes is that these are seen as a sacrifice to the Lamb and to God. Normally, a lamb would be offered as a sacrifice on behalf of the people. In this case, the people are being a sacrifice of sorts on behalf of the Lamb.
What an exalted view John has of the Lamb and as we see, his work is directly tied into the work of God. The two are not separated. If we are to honor God, we must be prepared to honor the Lamb, not as one of a lesser nature, but as one of equal nature to the Father.
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