144,000 during the Tribulation
December 28, 2019
Commentary
The beginning of chapter 14 refers to the preservation of the 144,000 during the Tribulation. Moving into chapters 14 and 15 we see various details of what is happening in heaven and on the earth just before the bowl judgements in chapter 16.
1. What is happening on Earth?
The 144,000 are standing on Mount Zion with the Lamb (v. 1). This is the same group mentioned earlier (7:4-8). The Lamb is Christ and Mount Zion is Jerusalem. Three Angels with different announcements are introduced.
a. The first Angel gives a summons to worship God (vv. 6,7). This Angel comes with the message of the Gospel to all races, tribes, tongues, and peoples.
b. The second Angel announces that Babylon has fallen (v. 8). This angel has seduced all the nations with her immorality. This may speak of the huge system of spiritual adultery and corruption that holds sway over the whole prophetic scene
2. What is happening in Heaven?
A description is given of a song coming from heaven that only God’s own can learn to sing (vv. 2-5). With God’s voice it sounds like many waters, great thunder and many playing on harps.
Application
The tragedy of many who profess to know Christ is that they never learn what true worship is. Lord, help me to be disciplined to be in your word and learn how to worship you in Spirit and in truth.
Revelation 14:1– 8 (NET)
1 Then I looked, and here was the Lamb standing on Mount Zion, and with him were 144,000, who had his name and his Father’s name written on their foreheads. 2 I also heard a sound coming out of heaven like the sound of many waters and like the sound of loud thunder. Now the sound I heard was like that made by harpists playing their harps, 3 and they were singing a new song before the throne and before the four living creatures and the elders. No one was able to learn the song except the 144,000 who had been redeemed from the earth.
4 These are the ones who have not defiled themselves with women, for they are virgins. These are the ones who follow the Lamb wherever he goes. These were redeemed from humanity as firstfruits to God and to the Lamb, 5 and no lie was found on their lips; they are blameless.
6 Then I saw another angel flying directly overhead, and he had an eternal gospel to proclaim to those who live on the earth—to every nation, tribe, language, and people. 7 He declared in a loud voice: “Fear God and give him glory, because the hour of his judgment has arrived, and worship the one who made heaven and earth, the sea and the springs of water!”
8 A second angel followed the first, declaring: “Fallen, fallen is Babylon the great city! She made all the nations drink of the wine of her immoral passion.”
Illustration: William Temple defines Worship
Barclay quotes William Temple, the renowned archbishop of Canterbury, as defining worship as quickening the conscience by the holiness of God, feeding the mind with the truth of God, purging the imagination by the beauty of God, opening the heart to the love of God, and devoting the will to the purpose of God (Vol. 2, p. 117. R. Mounce, Matthew, p. 151).