Revelation 14:1-5: The 144,000

Revelation - The Lamb is Victorious  •  Sermon  •  Submitted   •  Presented
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Introduction

Scripture

Revelation 14:1–5 ESV
1 Then I looked, and behold, on Mount Zion stood the Lamb, and with him 144,000 who had his name and his Father’s name written on their foreheads. 2 And I heard a voice from heaven like the roar of many waters and like the sound of loud thunder. The voice I heard was like the sound of harpists playing on their harps, 3 and they were singing a new song before the throne and before the four living creatures and before the elders. No one could learn that song except the 144,000 who had been redeemed from the earth. 4 It is these who have not defiled themselves with women, for they are virgins. It is these who follow the Lamb wherever he goes. These have been redeemed from mankind as firstfruits for God and the Lamb, 5 and in their mouth no lie was found, for they are blameless.

Outline

Revelation 1 - Introduction

Revelation 1:1-3 - Prologue & Benediction
Revelation 1:4-8 - Epistolary Introduction
Revelation 1:9-20 - A Vision of the Son of Man

Revelation 2-3 - The Seven Churches

Revelation 2:1-7 - The Letter to Ephesus
Revelation 2:8-11 - The Letter to Smyrna
Revelation 2:12-17 - The Letter to Pergamum
Revelation 2:18-29 - The Letter to Thyatira
Revelation 3:1-6 - The Letter to Sardis
Revelation 3:7-13 - The Letter to Philadelphia
Revelation 3:14-22 - The Letter to Laodicea

Revelation 4-5 - The Throne Room

Revelation 4:1-11 - A Vision of the Throne Room
Revelation 5:1-14 - The Lamb is Worthy

Revelation 6-8:5 - The Seven Seals

Revelation 6:1-8 - The First Four Seals
Revelation 6:9-17 - The Fifth and Sixth Seals
Revelation 7:1-17 - Who can Stand on the Day of the Lord?
Revelation 8:1-5 - Anticipation of Further Judgment

Revelation 8:6-11:19 - The Seven Trumpets

Revelation 8:6-13 - The First Four Trumpets
Revelation 9:1-21 - The Fifth and Sixth Trumpets
Revelation 10:1-11 - The End is Near
Revelation 11:1-14 - The Two Witnesses
Revelation 11:15-19 - The Seventh Trumpet

Revelation 12:1-15:4 - The Seven Visions

Revelation 12:1-17 - The Woman, Child, and Heavenly Hosts Versus the Great Dragon
Revelation 13:1-10 - The Beast out of the Sea
Revelation 13:11-18 - The Beast from the Earth
Revelation 14:1-5 - The 144,000
Revelation 14:1 - A Heavenly Scene
Revelation 14:2-5 - The Song of the Redeemed

Purpose of Book

The purpose of Revelation is to challenge/encourage believers, who are expectantly awaiting the reign of Christ, to live faithfully for Him despite worldly circumstances, persecution, and the cosmic battle between God and Satan.

Main Point

John sees a new vision that draws his gaze from earth to heaven. The Lamb of God stands victorious on Mount Zion as the redeemed worship God.

Revelation 14:1 - A Heavenly Scene

Revelation 14:1 ESV
1 Then I looked, and behold, on Mount Zion stood the Lamb, and with him 144,000 who had his name and his Father’s name written on their foreheads.

1 Then I looked, and behold, on Mount Zion stood the Lamb, and with him 144,000 who had his name and his Father’s name written on their foreheads.

Then I looked, and behold, on Mount Zion stood the Lamb
The gaze of John is drawn to Heaven instead of the visions on earth where he sees Christ, the warrior Lamb, and not the beast
Mount Zion
Old Testament
Jebusite city
Temple Mount
Jerusalem
The people of Israel as a whole
Zion replaces Sinai as the the mountain where the Lord dwells
Jewish thoughts on end times were wrapped up into this plot of land
New Testament
Radically shifts from a geographical location (The temple in Jerusalem) to a theological understanding rooted in the person of Jesus
Represents the eternal heavenly city where God’s people reside
Hebrews 12:22 ESV
22 But you have come to Mount Zion and to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to innumerable angels in festal gathering,
Hebrews 13:14 ESV
14 For here we have no lasting city, but we seek the city that is to come.
This reveals that the Lamb is the true King ruling from His heavenly, holy, and sacred place - Mount Zion
Revelation 5:5–6 ESV
5 And one of the elders said to me, “Weep no more; behold, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has conquered, so that he can open the scroll and its seven seals.” 6 And between the throne and the four living creatures and among the elders I saw a Lamb standing, as though it had been slain, with seven horns and with seven eyes, which are the seven spirits of God sent out into all the earth.
Christ is standing in opposition to the false claims of lordship by the beast - the beast’s rule will not be forever
Furthermore notice the posture of Satan when he calls out the first beast
Revelation 12:17 ESV
17 Then the dragon became furious with the woman and went off to make war on the rest of her offspring, on those who keep the commandments of God and hold to the testimony of Jesus. And he stood on the sand of the sea.
With him 144,000 who had his name and his Father’s name written on their foreheads
144,000 - All the redeemed people of God who have been sealed - the bride of Christ
Revelation 7:1–8 ESV
1 After this I saw four angels standing at the four corners of the earth, holding back the four winds of the earth, that no wind might blow on earth or sea or against any tree. 2 Then I saw another angel ascending from the rising of the sun, with the seal of the living God, and he called with a loud voice to the four angels who had been given power to harm earth and sea, 3 saying, “Do not harm the earth or the sea or the trees, until we have sealed the servants of our God on their foreheads.” 4 And I heard the number of the sealed, 144,000, sealed from every tribe of the sons of Israel: 5 12,000 from the tribe of Judah were sealed, 12,000 from the tribe of Reuben, 12,000 from the tribe of Gad, 6 12,000 from the tribe of Asher, 12,000 from the tribe of Naphtali, 12,000 from the tribe of Manasseh, 7 12,000 from the tribe of Simeon, 12,000 from the tribe of Levi, 12,000 from the tribe of Issachar, 8 12,000 from the tribe of Zebulun, 12,000 from the tribe of Joseph, 12,000 from the tribe of Benjamin were sealed.
Notice the parallel between the mark of the beast and those who have been sealed as God’s covenant people who identify with him

Christ Connection - Fulfills Psalm 2:6

Psalm 2:6 ESV
6 “As for me, I have set my King on Zion, my holy hill.”

Revelation 14:2-5 - The Song of the Redeemed

Revelation 14:2–5 ESV
2 And I heard a voice from heaven like the roar of many waters and like the sound of loud thunder. The voice I heard was like the sound of harpists playing on their harps, 3 and they were singing a new song before the throne and before the four living creatures and before the elders. No one could learn that song except the 144,000 who had been redeemed from the earth. 4 It is these who have not defiled themselves with women, for they are virgins. It is these who follow the Lamb wherever he goes. These have been redeemed from mankind as firstfruits for God and the Lamb, 5 and in their mouth no lie was found, for they are blameless.

2 And I heard a voice from heaven like the roar of many waters and like the sound of loud thunder.

John SEES 144,000 in vs 1, but here he HEARS a voice
He hears the voices of the 144,000 and it is overwhelming and filling heaven as the redeemed are with God

The voice I heard was like the sound of harpists playing on their harps, 3 and they were singing a new song before the throne and before the four living creatures and before the elders.

Harps symbolize joy - the redeemed are overjoyed to be in the presence of God and sing worship to the one true King
New song is used in Scripture when a new act of deliverance occurs - thus the 144,000 are the redeemed people of God

No one could learn that song except the 144,000 who had been redeemed from the earth.

Those who are marked by the beast CANNOT learn the song

4 It is these who have not defiled themselves with women, for they are virgins.

This is not literal
These are the redeemed who are sealed by the Spirit
They have not committed adultery to other gods

It is these who follow the Lamb wherever he goes.

John 10:7–11 ESV
7 So Jesus again said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, I am the door of the sheep. 8 All who came before me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep did not listen to them. 9 I am the door. If anyone enters by me, he will be saved and will go in and out and find pasture. 10 The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly. 11 I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep.
The redeemed live an obedient life to the Good Shepherd

These have been redeemed from mankind as firstfruits for God and the Lamb, 5 and in their mouth no lie was found, for they are blameless.

Those who are redeemed have come from humanity
Some will be redeemed, but not all
Revelation 5:9–10 ESV
9 And they sang a new song, saying, “Worthy are you to take the scroll and to open its seals, for you were slain, and by your blood you ransomed people for God from every tribe and language and people and nation, 10 and you have made them a kingdom and priests to our God, and they shall reign on the earth.”
In their mouth no lie was found, for they are blameless
Not literal lying, but not following idols/other gods
Isaiah 44:20 ESV
20 He feeds on ashes; a deluded heart has led him astray, and he cannot deliver himself or say, “Is there not a lie in my right hand?”

Christ Connection - Jesus is the Great Shepherd

Jesus is the Great Shepherd who loving leads His redeemed to Mount Zion

How Should we Live in Light of Revelation 14:1-5?

We are the redeemed people of God and our victorious Lamb stands on Mount Zion directing opposing the dragon and two beasts. As such, we should respond with a joy-filled heart centered on worshipping the true Triune God as we follow the Lamb in perseverance to the heavenly Mount Zion.

Main Point

John sees a new vision that draws his gaze from earth to heaven. The Lamb of God stands victorious on Mount Zion as the redeemed worship God.

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