A Song the World Cannot Sing | Revelation 14:1-5

In the year 319 AD, a deacon in the church in Alexandria, Egypt presented what today might be considered a paper arguing that Jesus, since is the Son of God, must have had a beginning, and thus cannot be truly God in the same way that the Father is God.

This sparked an intense debate that threatened the unity of the global church that existed at that time. Eventually this led to the council of Nicaea, where intense debates broke out, Arius was literally slapped by Santa Claus, if you know don’t know about that story ask me later, it’s not the focus right now, but it’s an epic story.

Arius’ teaching was ruled heresy, the Nicene Creed was developed which still has value today, and it seemed as though the orthodox position had won the day.

Except, that the Arians began tweaking their articulation of their theology to try to make it sound like they were in line with the Nicene Creed, even though they were still teaching false understandings of the nature of Christ.

Arianism continued to grow until at one point it was the dominant view in the Eastern portion of the Roman Empire.

In the midst of all this there arose a man by the name of Athanasius of Alexandria, sometimes called Athanasius the great, or Athanasius the Confessor. He is so called the Confessor because of his dogged commitment to his confession that Jesus Christ is truly God and anyone that says otherwise is teaching heretical doctrine.

Time would not permit me to tell the whole story, but Athanasius stood for biblical truth in a world that had gone after the false doctrines of Arianism, and he did so at great cost to himself. He was falsely accused of many things, forced out of his church, and exiled no less than 5 times because of his insistence on basic Bible doctrines that we take for granted today.

One author wrote of him: “Athanasius stared down murderous intruders into his church. He stood before emperors who could have killed him as easily as exiling him. He risked the wrath of parents and other clergy by consciously training young people to give their all for Christ, including martyrdom.“

His fight for truth lasted his entire life, and in the process earned him a nickname.

Athanasius contra mundum. Athanasius against the world.

The entire world had run after Arius. He was arrested, falsely accused, falsely convicted, and exiled. 5 times! and yet he stood. He did not give up the fight, he did not back down. Even though it seemed as though he was fighting the entire world alone, he held his ground.

Athanasius against the world.

It’s an inspiring story of standing for what’s right when it seems as though the whole world is going after something false. It’s a story from which we can learn from as we look around at the world as it is today.

It’s always great to know that despite appearances, God always has his faithful, and he does not leave the earth without a witness.

The last chapter we have studied in Revelation is a somber one. The beast from the sea, the beast from the earth. The Antichrist and his false prophet. Cheap imitations and a whole world taken in by it. The Saints are persecuted and slaughtered. It seems as though Satan has won.

I don’t know you about, but I’m really glad Revelation doesn’t end with chapter 13.

For all those who take the mark of the beast, there will be a day of reckoning. But the Lord has his faithful remnant, the Lord has those who will not bow the knee, who will not succumb to the deception of the Antichrist.

As we come into chapter 14, I just want to remind us that Revelation does not always flow in a strict straight-through chronology. John has several visions in which things will zoom in and out. Go back in time and more forward. Shift from scenes in heaven to those on earth. Focus on particular details, and then provide the big picture.

The overall chronology moves us through the tribulation period, that time after the church is taken up in the rapture of the church and God brings about a 7 year time of testing on the earth, and takes us through the Second Coming of Christ and then the New Heavens and the New Earth, but that chronology is interrupted at points to give us perspective on the things taking place.

So we saw Seals broken and judgments associated with those, and then we had an interlude. We saw trumpet judgments, and then are now in the midst of an interlude. As we reach chapter 16 we will find the bowl judgments that bring everything to its final conclusion, yet even then there will be yet another interlude before the Coming of Christ.

For now, we are still in an interlude that is not part of the overall chronology.

In our passage today, John catches a glimpse of the time when Jesus Christ returns to earth and stands upon mount Zion. This passage anticipates the realities that will unfold in chapters 19-20, but are here presented thematically to remind of key truths lest we become discouraged by the reality of the Antichrist.

Despite the apparent triumph of the Antichrist, The Lord will have the last laugh.

How do we know that? Three significant factors in our text today: The seal, the song, and the stand of the 144k.

Let’s read the text.

Revelation 14:1–5 LSB

Then I looked, and behold, the Lamb was standing on Mount Zion, and with Him 144,000, 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 that song except the 144,000 who had been purchased from the earth. These are the ones who are not defiled with women, for they are virgins. 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.

Our text begins with the picture of the Lamb standing on mount Zion.

This Lamb harkens back to chapter 5 when we saw this

Revelation 5:6 LSB

Then I saw in the midst of the throne and the four living creatures and in the midst of the elders a Lamb standing, as if slain, having seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven Spirits of God, sent out into all the earth.

This was the Lamb who was able to open the scroll. This Lamb alone was worthy to carry out the plan of God for the fulfillment of all things on the earth, to finally bring about justice.

In chapter 5 the Lamb was standing in heaven.

Here he stands on the earth. Specially mount Zion. The location is significant for several reasons.

Mount Zion is considered one of the most significant locations in all the Bible. It was the City of David, the location of his throne where the Messiah was to come and rule. It was where the Temple stood, and thus was the holy mountain where Israel was to come meet with her God. It was God’s dwelling place on the earth.

It was emblematic of a future hope of restoration and redemption. The Messiah, Jesus, is prophesied to return to earth and his feet will touch down on mount of olives and then he will rule in Jerusalem, or Zion. Zech 14.

This entire chapter is really a dramatic telling of Psalm 2, which speaks of God setting His king where? In Zion.

Psalm 2 LSB

Why do the nations rage And the peoples meditate on a vain thing? The kings of the earth take their stand And the rulers take counsel together Against Yahweh and against His Anointed, saying, “Let us tear their fetters apart And cast away their cords from us!” He who sits in the heavens laughs, The Lord mocks them. Then He speaks to them in His anger And terrifies them in His fury, saying, “But as for Me, I have installed My King Upon Zion, My holy mountain.” “I will surely tell of the decree of Yahweh: He said to Me, ‘You are My Son, Today I have begotten You. ‘Ask of Me, and I will surely give the nations as Your inheritance, And the ends of the earth as Your possession. ‘You shall break them with a rod of iron, You shall shatter them like a potter’s vessel.’” So now, O kings, show insight; Take warning, O judges of the earth. Serve Yahweh with fear And rejoice with trembling. Kiss the Son, lest He become angry, and you perish in the way, For His wrath may soon be kindled. How blessed are all who take refuge in Him!

I don’t have time to walk through this Psalm in detail, but Revelation 14 maps onto Psalm 2 so neatly it is clear that this is the ultimately fulfillment of it all.

God gets the last laugh!

The Antichrist seems to have gained everything he wanted. Who can withstand the BEAST??

A Lamb can. The Lamb of God will come and He will stand on Zion victorious on Mount Zion. A reminder that the Beast will not win.

He doesn’t stand alone. He has with him the 144k sealed of God.

If you recall from last week, the Mark of the Beast was required for trade and commerce. hand or forehead. Identified you as one who worships the beast.

Here, in stark contrast are the 144k sealed of God.

If you recall back from chapter 7, God set his seal on 144k Jews, 12k from each tribe, that they would be his special servants, they would be his witnesses during the tribulation period. The Seal was not just an identification mark, but it was also a symbol of God’s special protection and preservation through the tribulation as they bore witness to Christ.

As the 144k stand with the lamb, we are reminded to the reality that the Beast is ultimately unsuccessful at converting the world to his false religion. Though the majority will follow, there are those who will not.

The Seal of the 144k Reassures us of the Sovereign’s Salvation

Evil does not win. God’s remnant remains! Though billions go after the false prophet, there will still be the 144k who resist, and then all those who come to faith through their witness! Many will die at the hands of the beast because they refuse worship, and some will flee and somehow survive, but there will be that remnant!

As much as Satan wants his counterfeits to rule the earth, those things cannot stand when the Lamb arrives.

APPLICATION

Sometimes its easy for us to be discouraged when we see evil winning. Think of the whole Epstein case. Think of all the human trafficking that takes place in Louisville, especially around Derby. You don’t have to poke around for long to find evil seemingly reigning unchecked.

Take heart, brothers and sister: the evil does not win. God always has his witnesses and he preserves them until HE says their time is up, and not a moment sooner.

I’ve been reading a book on the Providence of God. One point the author makes is how the Lord is sovereign over life and death. We are immortal until our work is done! Once the Lord says our work is done, there is not a doctor alive that can keep us going. When God says time is up, the time is up.

But if God says there is still work to do, there is nothing that can kill us. Even though the whole world may be against you, even though hell itself has you in its crosshairs to bring your body down to the grave, unless the Lord permits and unless the Lord says your work is done, you are safe in God’s hands!

This doesn’t mean you won’t suffer. This doesn’t mean you won’t feel like it is you contra mundum, you against the world. But it does mean that God knows how to keep his own when he has work for them to do.

Here are the 144k to prove it, and all those they represent through their witness. They have a seal. They have a song.

Look at vs 2-3.

These 144k hear a song only they can know.

I have to tell you I wrestled over these details for some time this week. What does this all mean? There are still some things I’m not sure about, but the main thrust appears to be that these ones are able to rejoice in a way that cannot be replicated by the wicked world.

This is truly a song that the world cannot sing.

We have seen several songs sung in Revelation by different parties.

The four living creatures cry out holy holy holy

the 24 elders worship worthy are you, to receive honor and glory, worthy are you to open the scroll

All the angels join in proclaiming “worthy is the lamb to receive power and riches and wisdom and strength and honor and glory and blessings

The great multitude from every nation, tribe, and tongue cry out “Salvation belongs to our God”

The 24 elders seem to sing again “the king of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord and of His Christ

Each time the these declarations and songs proclaim the salvation of God, declare the victory of God, or do both!

Here, a song is sung and only the 144k can learn it, and it seems to be a song that declares the overcoming power of God to preserve these 144k individual on whom he set his seal.

Notice what the text says

It’s a powerful song! Like many waters, like thunder, but also melodious like a harp.

This is a song sung by the redeemed who are victorious over the Beast, and it is a song unique to them because they face a unique challenge that no one else has ever or will ever face.

This is a song of joy over what God has done in these lives. And this is a song that Satan cannot reproduce.

The Song of the 144k Rejoices with a Sound Satan Cannot Counterfeit

I think about what Satan loves to do. What we saw last week. He loves to counterfeit. False Prophet. False Miracles. False Gospels. False Authority. False Worship. False Seals.

Here is something he cannot fake.

He cannot fake genuine redemption. Perhaps he promises the world to save them from the wrath of the Lamb, to protect them from the tribulation that has befallen the earth, and if they would but worship HIM, then he would save them! But he cannot replicate genuine redemption.

He cannot fake genuine life.

He cannot fake genuine joy for what has been accomplished! Only the 144k get this one! Satan cannot sniff the melody, much less reproduce it!

During the cold war, western intelligence utilized something they called a voiceprint to authenticate communications. The idea was that every voice had very specific and unique sound wave pattern and so they would analyze the vocal signature of individuals to ensure that they were speaking with the right person. At the time, such vocal signatures could not be faked, thus enabling the west to have secure communications because they know who is on their team

Well, here the 144k have their own “voiceprint” so to speak with this unique song that only they can learn to sing, a song that testifies to the joy of their redemption, a song that proclaims their place as one of God’s redeemed.

Do you rejoice in the Lord for what you have in Christ? Do you possess a genuine joy in life that is undaunted by the attacks of the evil one. Are you able to sing when life has you a vise grip? When it seems as though the Devil is throwing all his darts at you? Are you able to sing the songs of redemption?

It has been said that worship is warfare. some take that to mean things I do not. But there is truth to it. Do you think the Devil likes it when we sing a Christian’s daily prayer that everything in our lives would bring glory to the Lord? Is the Devil pleased when we sing with a genuine heart of joy Praise to the Lord the Almighty?

There is an entire book of the Bible that was literally nothing but songs sung by God’s people, many of them sung in times of distress.

Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for thou art with me. That’s a song! A song of victory int he midst of the darkest moments of life!

We have good reason to sing! We have good reason to rejoice!

There will be a song sung by the 144k that cannot be counterfeited. I don’t know about you, but though I won’t be able to learn it, I cannot wait to hear it.

Until then, I will rejoice to sing the songs of praise that I can learn. I hope you will too.

Finally, we find the character of the 144k. vs 4-5

The Stand of the 144k Reminds that Sanctity is Still Significant

There are three emphatic statements here.

THESE are the ones who are not defiled

THESE are the ones who follow the Lamb

THESE are the ones who have been purchased as firstfruits

These emphatic statements teach us of something significant.

They are not defiled. They have kept themselves pure. They have not engaged in illicit behavior. They are virgins. This, of course, does not teach us that celebacy is morally better than marriage, only that for this particular group who were to serve as God’s witnesses and be hunted everywhere they went, it was wise to refrain from marriage, and indeed they will have been kept pure from all sexual immorality as well.

They follow the Lamb wherever he goes. This is what we all should want to do.

First fruits. I believe they were sealed at the beginning of the Tribulation. They represent a greater harvest of those who will come to faith in the trib.

This does not mean that these individuals we perfect. Only that they were remarkably resilient against the pressures of the world, the flesh, and devil, at a time when the restrainer is removed from the earth and the wicked forces of darkness seem to reign supreme.

It is not just that God preserved their physical lives, but he preserved their witness through preserving them in holiness.

Not long ago we did a mini series on spiritual disciplines for Sunday School.

Spiritual Disciplines are intentional habits cultivated in our lives that are designed to lead us into greater Christlikeness in our thoughts, affections, and behaviors.

They are one of the means through which God brings about his sanctification in our lives, and the habits help sustain us when we don’t feel like doing the right thing.

Brothers and sisters, holiness doesn’t take a back seat when the hard times come.

The ones who retain their integrity when going through hell and back, those are ones who will be celebrated.

Think of Job. When told to by his wife to curse God and die, he said “The Lord gives, and the Lord takes away, blessed be the name of the Lord”

Thus James says of Job “We count those blesses who persevere. You have heard of the perseverance of Job and have seen the outcome of the Lord’s dealings, that the Lord is full of compassion and is merciful” James 5:11.

Don’t give up. Don’t compromise on holiness in hard moments. Persevere in righteousness! Sanctity is still significant.

There is a picture that is famous. When the Nazi party in Germany was growing in popularity, and there was increasing social pressure to pledge your alligence to the state, not everyone bowed the knee.

Though this image seems to have developed its own lore, and its difficult to discern how much is virtuous and how much is contrived, it still illustrates the concept that even though all the world is going one direction, there will still be those who refuse to follow the forces of evil. And in the end, these are the voices who are celebrated.

I’m grateful for texts like these. They encourage me. The Beast doesn’t win. God has his people. Satan cannot replicate genuine joy.

As we consider these 144k. I ask you this:

Will you follow the lamb wherever he goes?