The Lamb and His Redeemed
Notes
Transcript
1 And I looked, and, lo, a Lamb stood on the mount Sion, and with him an hundred forty and four thousand, having his Father’s name written in their foreheads.
2 And I heard a voice from heaven, as the voice of many waters, and as the voice of a great thunder: and I heard the voice of harpers harping with their harps:
3 And they sung as it were a new song before the throne, and before the four beasts, and the elders: and no man could learn that song but the hundred and forty and four thousand, which were redeemed from the earth.
4 These are they which were not defiled with women; for they are virgins. These are they which follow the Lamb whithersoever he goeth. These were redeemed from among men, being the firstfruits unto God and to the Lamb.
5 And in their mouth was found no guile: for they are without fault before the throne of God.
Introduction
Introduction
What we have just read is the first in a series of 7 visions we see here in Revelation 14...
After giving us details about the first and second beast—the rise of the Antichrist and the False Prophet—John is taken forward in the vision to show us the Lamb of God and His redeemed!
Revelation is full of judgments, persecution, trials, heartache, and dark days and there are times that we need a cut away in the study to remind us of God’s power, God’s presence, God’s promises, and God’s plan!
In chapter 14 we get such a break as we move forward to see the light at the end of the tunnel!
There is a series of seven separate visions, each complete in itself in chapter 14.
They are disconnected pictures, however, and are not intended to present a chronological sequence of events. By now we have seen that from time to time the Holy Spirit gives us an overview of things to come, and then He goes on later to fill in the details.
Let me give you an example: Chronologically, the events in chapters 15 and 16 occur before the reaping and harvest visions in chapter 14. For example, in chapter 14, verse 8, a brief announcement, or vision, shows the judgment of Babylon, but her actual doom is described under the seventh vial of wrath and judgment in chapter 16, verses 17 to 21.
Let’s just say that chapter 14 is like a table of contents. It takes the reader back to the beginning of the tribulation week and carries him forward to the end of the week.
In place of the wicked beasts, the Lamb comes into view. In place of a multitude of people worshiping the Antichrist, there appears a host of redeemed ones praising and following Christ.
Tonight, I want to take a look at this first vision of chapter 14 and preach on “The Lamb and His Redeemed” - Notice with me in verse 1:
The Vision of the Lamb
The Vision of the Lamb
1 And I looked, and, lo, a Lamb stood on the mount Sion, and with him an hundred forty and four thousand, having his Father’s name written in their foreheads.
This phrase “And I looked” appears for the eighth time in the Book of Revelation and it always makes a transition to the next scene.
John had seen the rise of the Antichrist—the coming of the False Prophet and the carnage that they leave in their wake. John sees a head to the time when the Lamb and His 144,000 will triumph. The Lamb has been seen in the Book before.
So far, we have seen the Lamb:
Crucified - “as if it had been slain” (5:6)
Glorified - as He is worshiped. (5:8, 12, 13)
Justified - as He opens the seals. (6:1, 16)
Magnified - He is recognized for Who He is. (7:9-10, 14, 17)
Notice with me that the Lamb is on the mount Sion, and the 144,000 are their with Him!
In Revelation 7, the 12,000 Jews from each of the 12 tribes of Israel will be sealed at the start of the tribulation and they will be sent out to preach the gospel, to rebuke the world of sin, to call for repentance!
This 144,000 will be hated by Satan, attacked, maligned, but they will be protected by God. This vision of the Lamb and the Redeemed is a look forward.
Notice, John didn’t say that he saw 143,999, but that he saw 144,000. The same number that was sealed at the beginning of the tribulation was safe at the end of the tribulation.
The Lord Jesus had saved them, sealed them, sent them, and secured them!
Charles Swindoll wrote, “This group of 144,000 from the tribes of Israel will be converted to their Messiah after the rapture of the church at the beginning of the seven-year tribulation. During that time they will confront unbelievers, call them to Christ through repentance and faith, and proclaim the catastrophes of the coming judgments. Though they will endure hardship and flee persecution, they will be divinely protected through those terrible times and eventually enter into the thousand-year earthly reign in Christ.”
Their number is important because it reminds us that the Lord Jesus didn’t lose one—if we are saved by the grace of God we will be kept saved by the power of God!
The Voice That Was Loud
The Voice That Was Loud
2 And I heard a voice from heaven, as the voice of many waters, and as the voice of a great thunder: and I heard the voice of harpers harping with their harps:
Herman Hoyt writes, “Out of heaven a voice with tremendous range, like that of many waters, is heard. It rolls and peals and echoes like that of thunder, and, gathering volume, it finally individualizes into the voice of many harpers harping with their harps.”
Something to notice about Heaven up to this point, that is, it’s often loud!
John’s vision of the Lamb was complemented by awesome sound effects from heaven. The voice originates from heaven—there was no doubt about where the sound of the voice was coming from.
John describes the voice from heaven like the sound of many waters and like loud thunder. Loud thunder will startle you, shake things up, it rumbles! It is not only heard, but it is felt! When heaven speaks we better listen!
The Victory In The Lord
The Victory In The Lord
3 And they sung as it were a new song before the throne, and before the four beasts, and the elders: and no man could learn that song but the hundred and forty and four thousand, which were redeemed from the earth.
4 These are they which were not defiled with women; for they are virgins. These are they which follow the Lamb whithersoever he goeth. These were redeemed from among men, being the firstfruits unto God and to the Lamb.
5 And in their mouth was found no guile: for they are without fault before the throne of God.
John hears the 144,000 witnesses singing before the Lord. This song is exclusively their song. We do not know the words.
It looks like maybe the voices are to be accompanied by harps according to verse 2.
More than forty times this musical instrument is mentioned in the Old Testament, and always it is associated with joy. When sorrow replaces joy, the harp ceases according to Isaiah 24:8.
When the people were in captivity because of their sins, their song ceased as well as the playing of their harps.
1 By the rivers of Babylon, there we sat down, yea, we wept, When we remembered Zion.
2 We hanged our harps Upon the willows in the midst thereof.
3 For there they that carried us away captive required of us a song; And they that wasted us required of us mirth, Saying, Sing us one of the songs of Zion.
4 How shall we sing the Lord’s song In a strange land?
But, listen, at the end of the tribulation, the 144,000 shall take up their harps again, and sing and play once more to the glory of God.
Verse 4 tells us these have maintained their physical purity. They have not fallen prey to the sins of the flesh that will mark the last days.
Beyond that, they have not succumbed to the spiritual fornication that will run rampant in the world during the Tribulation days.
The world will go after the “great whore”, Rev. 14:8; Rev. 17:1, but these will stay separated and holy during an apostate age.
God expects the same from His children in all ages. His command is for us to stay separate from this wicked world, 2 Cor. 6:17. We are to hate “even the garment spotted by the flesh”, Jude 23.
Notice, “These are they which follow the Lamb whithersoever he goeth.”
They did not turn back through fear. They did not turn away from their task, even though it was dangerous and costly. They stayed the course. They followed the Lamb. The word “follow” means “to be in the same way as”. These walked in the ways of the Lord. They made His way their way and they stayed the course for the glory of God.
Again, this is just what God expects from each one of us. He saved us to walk in His will and to follow His ways. He wants us to be obedient, surrendered followers. He wants us to make His way our way! Of course, this means that we have to see things the way He sees them and do things the way He does them,
3 Can two walk together, except they be agreed?
The Lord wants us to follow Him wherever He leads us with no regrets, no refusals and no reservation. He is looking for obedient servants!
Notice in verse 5, we find out there will be no deceit and hypocrisy in their mouths…These are sincere! They will be without fault, blameless, and spotless...
That means that these men are:
• saved by the Lamb,
• sealed by the Lamb,
• separated to the Lamb,
• sanctified by the Lamb,
• and spotless before the Lamb!
John MacArthur wrote, “The 144,000 deserve a place in the “Hall of Fame” of the Christian faith. They will lead holy lives and minister effectively for God during history’s darkest hour. Their exemplary efforts will spearhead the greatest spiritual awakening the world will ever see.”
Conclusion
Conclusion
May this be our desire—to stand faultless before the throne of God!
May we surrender our lives to Jesus Christ, confess our sins, receive His forgiveness, and walk in His power to live a life that honors Him! The redeemed can and will proclaim His praise!