John now sees the Lamb of God and 144,000 of his redeemed children standing in triumph on Mount Zion (Review Chapter 7:4-8). They are marked with Christ’s name and the name of his Father. The passage begins with a description of the voice of God, which has the sound of many waters, and the Lamb’s company singing a song that only they can learn.
These are believers from every age who have kept themselves free from spiritual corruption and follow the Lamb wherever he goes. Because of his sacrifice, they are washed clean and stand before God without blemish.
(*All Bible verses are from the NIV unless otherwise noted)
Chapter 14
1 [NIV2] Then I looked, and there before me was the Lamb, standing on Mount Zion, and with him 144,000 who had his name and his Father’s name written on their foreheads.
2 And I heard a sound from heaven like the roar of rushing waters and like a loud peal of thunder. The sound I heard was like that of harpists playing their harps.
3 And they sang a new song before the throne and before the four living creatures and the elders. No one could learn the song except the 144,000 who had been redeemed from the earth.
4 These are those who did not defile themselves with women, for they remained virgins. They follow the Lamb wherever he goes. They were purchased from among mankind and offered as firstfruits to God and the Lamb.
5 No lie was found in their mouths; they are blameless.
6 Then I saw another angel flying in midair, and he had the eternal gospel to proclaim to those who live on the earth—to every nation, tribe, language and people.
Rev 14:1
Then I looked, and there before me was the Lamb, standing on Mount Zion:
It’s important to note that John sees a Lamb rather than a warrior king standing on the mountain.
Mount Zion is a hill on the south side of Jerusalem located just outside the walls of the Old City. The Hebrew Bible uses the term Mount Zion to refer to the City of David and later to the Temple Mount, but in a broader sense, the term Zion also refers to the country of Israel1.
The term “Zion” is believed to refer to the hill where an ancient Jebusite town existed before Israel arrived in Canaan. Jerusalem was eventually built on this location.
The first reference to the word Zion in the Bible is in 2 Samuel 5:7, when “David captured the fortress of Zion—which is the City of David.” In the Bible, the name “Mountain of Zion” is common and often refers to the city rather than the hill itself2.
Mount Moriah is a stretch of land between Kidron Valley and “Hagai” Valley. It’s located between Mount Zion to the west and the Mount of Olives to the east3. The Jebusite town of “Zion” was situated on the southern slope of Mount Moriah, above the Gihon Spring. Once King David conquered the city, he made it his capital and named it the “City of David.” After the first temple was built on Mount Moriah, it became known as Mount Zion. Although today the location of Mount Zion refers to the hill’s Armenian Quarter, the ancient Jebusite Mount Zion encompassed all of Jerusalem, including the Temple Mount4.
1 Chron 11:5 … Nevertheless, David captured the fortress of Zion—which is the City of David.
1 Kings 8:1 Then King Solomon summoned into his presence at Jerusalem the elders of Israel, all the heads of the tribes and the chiefs of the Israelite families, to bring up the ark of the LORD’s covenant from Zion, the City of David.
Psa 14:7 Oh, that salvation for Israel would come out of Zion! When the LORD restores his people, let Jacob rejoice and Israel be glad!
Isa 33:5-6 The LORD is exalted, for he dwells on high; he will fill Zion with his justice and righteousness. 6 He will be the sure foundation for your times, a rich store of salvation and wisdom and knowledge; the fear of the LORD is the key to this treasure.
While Zion is typically understood as earthly Jerusalem, Hebrews 12:22 refers to a heavenly Zion:
Heb 12:22 But you have come to Mount Zion, to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem. You have come to thousands upon thousands of angels in joyful assembly…
Rev 14:1
And with him 144,000 who had his name and his Father’s name written on their foreheads.
Isa 62:1 For Zion’s sake I will not keep silent, for Jerusalem’s sake I will not remain quiet, till her vindication shines out like the dawn, her salvation like a blazing torch. 2 The nations will see your vindication, and all kings your glory; you will be called by a new name that the mouth of the LORD will bestow. 3 You will be a crown of splendor in the LORD’s hand, a royal diadem in the hand of your God.
Matthew Barclay, in his commentary of Chapter 14, relates several reasons ancient peoples marked or branded others, including for ownership, loyalty, and security. The symbolism of the Father’s name written on the foreheads of the redeemed was discussed in Rev 3:12, 7:3, and 9:4.
Without Christ’s sacrifice, which met the demands of justice, all are fallen and lost. Embracing Christ’s atonement frees all who accept him and gives them new names—”Forgiven,” “Chosen,” “Loved,” “Redeemed”…
Rev 14:2
And I heard a sound from heaven like the roar of rushing waters and like a loud peal of thunder. The sound I heard was like that of harpists playing their harps.
Compare this verse to the following prophetic images depicting the awesome presence of God:
2 Sam 22:14 The LORD thundered from heaven; the voice of the Most High resounded.
Jer 10:13 When he thunders, the waters in the heavens roar; he makes clouds rise from the ends of the earth. He sends lightning with the rain and brings out the wind from his storehouses.
Joel 3:16 The LORD will roar from Zion and thunder from Jerusalem; the earth and the heavens will tremble. But the LORD will be a refuge for his people, a stronghold for the people of Israel.
Rev 14:3
And they sang a new song before the throne and before the four living creatures and the elders. No one could learn the song except the 144,000 who had been redeemed from the earth:
John has heard this song twice before:
Rev 5:9 And they sang a new song, saying: “You are worthy to take the scroll and to open its seals, because you were slain, and with your blood you purchased for God persons from every tribe and language and people and nation.
Rev 7:10 And they cried out in a loud voice: “Salvation belongs to our God, who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb.”
Consider the words of the “new song” and why only the redeemed of the earth can truly sing that praise:
Rev 5:9-10 And they sang a new song, saying: “You are worthy to take the scroll and to open its seals, because you were slain, and with your blood you purchased for God persons from every tribe and language and people and nation. 10 You have made them to be a kingdom and priests to serve our God, and they will reign on the earth.”
Rev 14:4
These are those who did not defile themselves with women, for they remained virgins:
It’s unlikely that this is a literal statement that would exclude all married persons from God’s Kingdom. Rather, the symbolic virgin is one who has been made pure and innocent by Christ’s redeeming sacrifice. The prophets often used this image to illustrate Israel’s standing before God and the defilement of idolatry she often succumbed to:
Jer 14:17 “Speak this word to them: “ ‘Let my eyes overflow with tears night and day without ceasing; for the Virgin Daughter, my people, has suffered a grievous wound, a crushing blow.
Jer 31:4 I will build you up again, and you, Virgin Israel, will be rebuilt. Again you will take up your timbrels and go out to dance with the joyful.
Lam 2:13 What can I say for you? With what can I compare you, Daughter Jerusalem? To what can I liken you, that I may comfort you, Virgin Daughter Zion? Your wound is as deep as the sea. Who can heal you?
Amos 5:2 “Fallen is Virgin Israel, never to rise again, deserted in her own land, with no one to lift her up.”
Believers in Christ are born again and live in purity before the Father. They are spiritually chaste, made virtuous and faithful, not by their own efforts, but by his shed blood.
Rom 11:5 So too, at the present time there is a remnant chosen by grace. 6 And if by grace, then it cannot be based on works; if it were, grace would no longer be grace.
Rev 14:4
They follow the Lamb wherever he goes.:
John 10:27 My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me.
Gal 2:20 I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.
Mark 8:35 For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me and for the gospel will save it.
Rev 14:4
They were purchased from among mankind and offered as firstfruits to God and the Lamb
The concept of “first fruits” is related to God’s work of creation. God created everything that exists, and all of creation belongs to him. Moses taught the Israelites that they should give the first and best of all they had, including crops and livestock, to God as a recognition of His graciousness towards them:
Ps 24:1 The earth is the LORD’s, and everything in it, the world, and all who live in it;
Exod 23:19 “Bring the best of the firstfruits of your soil to the house of the LORD your God...
Num 18:12 “I give you all the finest olive oil and all the finest new wine and grain they give the LORD as the firstfruits of their harvest.
Deut 18:4 You are to give them the firstfruits of your grain, new wine and olive oil, and the first wool from the shearing of your sheep…
Jesus was the first fruit of those who die and are raised, never to die again:
1Cor 15:20 But Christ has indeed been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep.
As “firstfruits,” believers are a testimony to God’s redemption, His firstborn, redeemed by Christ’s blood. He has made them holy, the firstfruits of his harvest:
Jer 2:3 Israel was holy to the LORD, the firstfruits of his harvest…
Rom 12:1 Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship.
Rev 14:5
No lie was found in their mouths; they are blameless:
This revered thought is found throughout scripture:
Psa 32:2 Blessed is the one whose sin the LORD does not count against them and in whose spirit is no deceit.
Zeph 3:13 They will do no wrong; they will tell no lies. A deceitful tongue will not be found in their mouths. They will eat and lie down and no one will make them afraid.”
1 Pet 2:22 “He committed no sin, and no deceit was found in his mouth.”
The Hebrew word naqiy (naw-kee’) means cleansed, cleared (as free from an oath or blame), and acquitted as innocent. The Greek equivalent is amomos (a’-mo-mos), meaning without blame, blemish, or fault5.
Gen 17:1 When Abram was ninety-nine years old, the LORD appeared to him and said, “I am God Almighty; walk before me faithfully and be blameless.
2 Sam 22:24 I have been blameless before him and have kept myself from sin.
Eph 1:4 For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight…
Rev 14:6
Then I saw another angel flying directly overhead with the eternal gospel:
The two Greek terms used here are aionios euaggelion – perpetual, everlasting good news,6 that God loves the world so much that He gave His only son to redeem mankind (John 3:16):
Matt 24:14 And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come.
Rom16:25-26 25 Now to him who is able to establish you in accordance with my gospel, the message I proclaim about Jesus Christ, in keeping with the revelation of the mystery hidden for long ages past, 26 but now revealed and made known through the prophetic writings by the command of the eternal God, so that all the Gentiles might come to the obedience that comes from faith—
John sees three angels appear one after another (Rev 14:6-9):
- The first angel exhorts all people to embrace the good news and worship God;
- The second proclaims the fall of Babylon. To the saints John was addressing, this meant rebellious Rome and Jerusalem. As an eternal principle, it refers to all systems, nations, and peoples who oppose God and persecute His people;
- The third gives a warning concerning the beast and all who follow him.
Rev 14:6
To proclaim to those who live on the earth—To every nation, tribe, language, and people:
John 3:17 For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.
1 Tim 1:15 Here is a trustworthy saying that deserves full acceptance: Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners—of whom I am the worst.
Rom 10:14 How, then, can they call on the one they have not believed in? And how can they believe in the one of whom they have not heard? And how can they hear without someone preaching to them?
Acts 14:15 Friends, why are you doing this? We too are only human, like you. We are bringing you good news, telling you to turn from these worthless things to the living God, who made the heavens and the earth and the sea and everything in them.
The good news of God’s love is that it’s a gift, freely offered and unconditional. We don’t deserve it; we can’t earn it. It’s nothing we work hard for, and it’s not an elusive mystery to be figured out. Very simply, He’s our Father, and He longs for us to come home to Him.
Rom 1:17 For in the gospel the righteousness of God is revealed—a righteousness that is by faith from first to last, just as it is written: “The righteous will live by faith.”
Rom 3:28 For we maintain that a person is justified by faith apart from the works of the law.
Rom 5:1 Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ,
Eph 2:8-10 8 For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— 9 not by works so that no one can boast. 10 For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.
Footnotes
- Zion: https://www.britannica.com/place/Zion-hill-Jerusalem, retrieved September 21, 2023. ↩︎
- Ibid. ↩︎
- Mount Zion: https://www.biblestudytools.com/bible-study/topical-studies/what-is-mount-zion-and-why-is-it-so-important.html, accessed September 21, 2023. ↩︎
- Mount Moriah: https://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/mount-moriah#google_vignette, retrieved September 21, 2024. ↩︎
- Strong’s H5355, G299. ↩︎
- Strong’s G166, Strong’s G2098. ↩︎
*All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.™ Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide. www.zondervan.comThe “NIV” and “New International Version” are trademarks registered in the United States Patent and Trademark Office by Biblica, Inc.™
