The Trinity of Evil vs the 144,000.
“Then I looked, and behold, the Lamb was standing on Mount Zion, and with Him 144,000 who had 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 was able to learn the song except the 144,000 who had been purchased from the earth.” – Revelation 14:1-3 NASB
Revelation 13 had presented the trinity of evil made up of the dragon, sea beast and the land beast (false prophet), as well as the steps they will take in deceiving the whole world. By contrast, in chapter 14, John shows God’s people, and the message they are to proclaim to the world in preparation for His return.
At the beginning of Revelation 14, John’s vision is redirected to the real Lamb, as apposed to the false one we have just met – and what a contrast. This Lamb is on Mt Zion, God’s capital, with the symbolic saved of all the ages and all nations, each of whom also has a mark, or name on their foreheads. This is the genuine name of God, not the false name of the counterfeit. We are back at the throne of God again, with the four beasts and the elders in constant praise of God, but now it is a song that only the redeemed can sing.
What is especially beautiful is that these are perfect and blameless people from the ranks of those Paul points out have all sinned and fallen short of God’s glory (Romans 3:23-24).
How can this be? The sacrifice of the Lamb is effective!
They are covered by His blood and clothed in the robe of His righteousness (Revelation 7:9, 13-15). Clothed in His spotless robe of righteousness, that has not one stitch of human devising, they stand before God as if they had never sinned because their sins are cleansed and washed away. (Psalm 32:1-2). They have made the exchange at the cross where their sin was upon Him and His righteousness is upon them. His life becomes theirs and their death becomes His. He was treated as they deserve, so that they could be treated as He deserves, He was condemned for their sin in which He had no share, so that they could be justified by His righteousness in which they had no share. He suffered the death which was theirs so that they could have the life that was His. The sacrifice of the Lamb worked, and now they stand in that symbolic number, 144,000, that is a great multitude “that no man could number, from every nation, from all tribes and peoples and languages…” (Revelation 7:9.)
We have already discussed the 144,000 when we were in Revelation 7. Now we have added insight. Since everything around the number is symbolic, it would be hardly consistent to jump on the number and say it is literal. If we were to take it literally, we would have 144,000 male virgin Jews, from each of the 12 tribes of Israel. Obviously, this is not literal. In Revelation 7 the seal is in the forehead, in Revelation 14 His name is where the seal of God was placed. So, the seal and the name correlate.
The chief characteristics of the 144,000 in this text are that they are a people who are in close contact with Jesus. They follow Him wherever He goes and have His name written on their foreheads, which means that they align their characters with the character of Jesus. They seek to become like Him in every way possible.
Do you know where you are going with your life? Or do you think it doesn’t matter where you are going; just trust God? Yes, we are certainly called upon to trust God at every step, but this does not preclude us from making careful and concrete plans about our future that God can then bless or redirect.
The song is new, not just because the experience is new, but because the people who sing it are “new.” They have known sorrow and pain. They have known abuse and rejection. They have struggled with physical, mental, and emotional handicaps. They have known the bitter consequences of sin. But God will make all things new, including His people. He is the Master Craftsman.
Our lives today may be rusted with selfishness and pride or corroded with anger and envy. We may feel bent up and dented. But the Master Craftsman already has us in His workroom. And when He’s done with us, we’ll be singing a new song!
Praise God!
amen