The 144,000

INTRODUCTION

Tonight we are beginning chapter 14 in Revelation

Chapter 14 is a response to to chapters 12-13. The Satanic Trinity, war of God’s people, rise of the antichrist and false prophet is now contrasted with the Triumph of the Lamb, the 144,000.

THE LAMB AND THE 144,000

Revelation 14:1-5 “Then I looked, and behold, the Lamb was standing on Mount Zion, and with Him one hundred and forty-four thousand, having His name and the name of His Father written on their foreheads. And I heard a voice from heaven, like the sound of many waters and like the sound of loud thunder, and the voice which I heard was like the sound of harpists playing on their harps. And they sang a new song before the throne and before the four living creatures and the elders; and no one could learn the song except the one hundred and forty-four thousand who had been purchased from the earth.” These are the ones who have not been defiled with women, for they have kept themselves chaste. These are the ones who follow the Lamb wherever He goes. These have been purchased from among men as first fruits to God and to the Lamb. And no lie was found in their mouth; they are blameless.”

THEY ARE ALL THE REDEEMED PEOPLE ON EARTH

We first saw them in chapter 7

The number there was 144,000. Can anyone tell me who the 144,000 are and why?

There are two main interpretations of this number, and those interpretations really determine how we understand this book

One interpretation believes this is literally 12,000 from every tribe of Israel adding up to 144,000.

Understood this way would support the secret rapture of the church before the Great Tribulation begins taking all the people of God out of the earth and away from persecution and martyrdom.

That means from chapter 4 on throughout until the end of the book, the entire message of Revelation is for ethnic Israel who will be saved and live in the last days of the Tribulation.

That means all the calls to persevere will be for the Israelites and not Christians.

The other interpretation of the 144,000 is that this number represents all the redeemed people of God who are on the earth during the time of the Great Tribulation.

That is:

Those who are ethnically Israelites but have come to faith in Jesus

Those who are Gentiles but have come to faith in Jesus

What evidence supports this?

All throughout this book, followers of Jesus care called bond-servants

Revelation 1:1 “The Revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave Him to show to His bond-servants, the things which must soon take place

Revelation 2:20 “‘But I have this against you, that you tolerate the woman Jezebel, who calls herself a prophetess, and she teaches and leads My bond-servants astray so that they commit acts of immorality and eat things sacrificed to idols.”

Revelation 7:3 “saying, “Do not harm the earth or the sea or the trees until we have sealed the bond-servants of our God on their foreheads.””

Revelation 11:18 ““And the nations were enraged, and Your wrath came, and the time came for the dead to be judged, and the time to reward Your bond-servants the prophets and the saints and those who fear Your name

THEY BEAR THE MARK OF GOD

(v 1) “having His name and the name of His Father written on their foreheads.”

Do you remember where they placed the mark of the beast in chapter 13?

On their right hand or forehead

And do you remember what the mark of the beast was?

It was a number of a man, and his number was 666

It represents an evil antichrist spirit that will eventually be fulfilled in its purist evil form being the antichrist (a man)

Notice the 144,000 will also have a mark on their foreheads, and it will be the name of Jesus and the name of The Almighty!

There is an obvious contrast made between those who receive the mark of the beast and those who receive the mark of God

It divides the people into two categories with two very different destinies

When the Great White Throne judgement comes, there will be no room for negotiations

All people will have their mark of whom they belong to

QUESTION 1: What are some marks of those who follow the Lamb today?

QUESTION 2: What are some marks of those who follow the dragon?

What is the mark?

It is not to be understood as a physical mark

Rev 7 taught us that the 144,000 were sealed to protect them from the terrible judgements of God.

The seal there was the Holy Spirit of God

I think the same idea implies here

The Christian life is impossible without the Holy Spirit

Spiritual wisdom is impossible without the Holy Spirit

Ezekiel 36:25–27 ““Then I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you will be clean; I will cleanse you from all your filthiness and from all your idols. “Moreover, I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you; and I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh. “I will put My Spirit within you and cause you to walk in My statutes, and you will be careful to observe My ordinances.”

John 3:5 “Jesus answered, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.”

It is only when someone who has the Holy Spirit that can be consistently faithful to God

THEY ARE DESCRIBED AS FAITHFUL TO GOD

(v these 144,000 are described as those, “who have not been defiled with women”

The problem with interpreting this literally is that this would imply that intimacy within a marriage is defiling as well.

It is better to understand this as moral purity as all believers are called to be

Third, these 144,000 are all those who have the mark of God on them

And all those who do not have the mark of God have the mark of the beast

Where does the number come from?

12 tribes of Israel: believers under the Old Covenant

12 apostles: believers under the New Covenant

1,000: represents completeness

Exodus 20:6 “but showing lovingkindness to thousands, to those who love Me and keep My commandments.”

That is referring to His everlasting covenant of faithfulness

CONCLUSION: The point being that it represents all the believers on the earth during that time

Application:

Why does Scripture use the 144,000 in chapter 7 and then 144,000 again here in chapter 14?

In chapter 7 they were sealed and headed into the Tribulation where there would be great persecution

In chapter 14 God is showing us that He has not lost one person

It is physical picture of a spiritual reality

Those who are bearGod’s mark, are kept safe no matter what the world has to throw at them

That includes tremendous suffering Christians experience

Heath problems

Financial problems

Relational problems

Even death

PRINCIPLE: This world will let you down and become unfaithful to you. Your job will let you down and replace you in a heartbeat. Friends and spouses will let you down and forsake you. Christians will even let you down. BUT GOD WILL NEVER LEAVE YOU NOR FORSAKE YOU AND WILL 100% OF THE TIME BE FAITHFUL TO YOU!

That the message of these first 6 verses

This was meant to give all the believers in all time hope amidst adversity and difficulty.

No relationship on earth can compare to knowing God, to walking with God, to a living relationship with God.

Never, never, never forsake God for anything this world has to offer including people.

Our hope is Jesus, it will always only be Jesus and we must never forget that!

THEY FOLLOW THE LAMB WHEREVER HE GOES (v 4)

That is not talking about walking the streets of gold in heaven or swimming in the crystal sea, it refers to here on earth

I love this idea of following in our culture today more than the word salvation because the word salvation has been so corrupted in our culture.

Jesus told the disciples to “follow Him”

Jesus told the rich young ruler to sell everything and follow Him

These believers followed Jesus

QUESTION: What does it mean to you follow Jesus

It certainly would include keeping ourselves pure and away from sin.

It also includes staying put in God’s will wherever that may be, even if it is in a difficult season.

It means loving people who are unloveable

It means staying faithful to the things that become mundane

It means keeping our God before us

It means self sacrifice

Matthew 19:21 “Jesus said to him, “If you wish to be complete, go and sell your possessions and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow Me.””

THE ANGEL PREACHING THE GOSPEL

Revelation 14:6–8 “And I saw another angel flying in midheaven, having an eternal gospel to preach to those who live on the earth, and to every nation and tribe and tongue and people; and he said with a loud voice, “Fear God, and give Him glory, because the hour of His judgment has come; worship Him who made the heaven and the earth and sea and springs of waters.” And another angel, a second one, followed, saying, “Fallen, fallen is Babylon the great, she who has made all the nations drink of the wine of the passion of her immorality.””

An angel

THE FATE OF THE FOLLOWERS OF THE BEAST

Revelation 14:9–13 “Then another angel, a third one, followed them, saying with a loud voice, “If anyone worships the beast and his image, and receives a mark on his forehead or on his hand, he also will drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is mixed in full strength in the cup of His anger; and he will be tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of the holy angels and in the presence of the Lamb. “And the smoke of their torment goes up forever and ever; they have no rest day and night, those who worship the beast and his image, and whoever receives the mark of his name.” Here is the perseverance of the saints who keep the commandments of God and their faith in Jesus. And I heard a voice from heaven, saying, “Write, ‘Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord from now on!’ ” “Yes,” says the Spirit, “so that they may rest from their labors, for their deeds follow with them.””

THE GREAT HARVEST

Revelation 14:14–20 “Then I looked, and behold, a white cloud, and sitting on the cloud was one like a son of man, having a golden crown on His head and a sharp sickle in His hand. And another angel came out of the temple, crying out with a loud voice to Him who sat on the cloud, “Put in your sickle and reap, for the hour to reap has come, because the harvest of the earth is ripe.” Then He who sat on the cloud swung His sickle over the earth, and the earth was reaped. And another angel came out of the temple which is in heaven, and he also had a sharp sickle. Then another angel, the one who has power over fire, came out from the altar; and he called with a loud voice to him who had the sharp sickle, saying, “Put in your sharp sickle and gather the clusters from the vine of the earth, because her grapes are ripe.” So the angel swung his sickle to the earth and gathered the clusters from the vine of the earth, and threw them into the great wine press of the wrath of God. And the wine press was trodden outside the city, and blood came out from the wine press, up to the horses’ bridles, for a distance of two hundred miles.