144,000

EXEGESIS OF REVELATION The 144,000 and the Three Angels

The first vision given to John after he was told, "Here is wisdom," is a climax to a series of revelations given in the previous chapters. He was told that "all that dwell on the earth shall worship" the first beast, except those whose names are in "the book of life of the Lamb." (13:8)

Rev 13:8  And all that dwell upon the earth shall worship him, whose names are not written in the book of life of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world. 

It was also stated that those who would "not worship the image of the beast should be killed." (13:15)

Rev 13:15  And he had power to give life unto the image of the beast, that the image of the beast should both speak, and cause that as many as would not worship the image of the beast should be killed. 

In Chapter 12, it was declared that those who overcome "the dragon" do so "by the blood of the Lamb," and these "loved not their lives unto death." (12:11)

Rev 12:11  And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony; and they loved not their lives unto the death.

Now John sees a company with the Lamb on mount Sion, 144,000. This number stands in direct contrast to the "all" who worship, the dragon, beast, and image. (13:4, 15) These are commandment keepers; they have no other gods before Jehovah Elohim. (Ex. 20:2-3) Further, they do not bow down to, nor serve any "image." (Ex. 20:4-5) God honors them for their fidelity in the midst of universal apostasy by placing His name in their foreheads.

The 144,000 on mount Sion, the remnant of the seed of the woman who face the death decree in the warfare with the dragon, are also revealed in the first section of the book. (Chapter 7) There these victors are portrayed as having "washed their robes, and made them white in the blood of the Lamb." (v. 14) The picture is heightened by further comparison. The 144,000 receive "His Father's name." These "follow the Lamb whithersoever He goeth." (14:4) The high point of this last section of Revelation before the Millennial reign is that "the marriage of the Lamb is come, and His wife hath made herself ready." She is clothed in “fine linen, clean and white, “a righteousness obtained by the blood of the Lamb. There is another "knitting" back into the first section. The victors of "Laodicea" sit with "the True Witness" (Gr. ho martus) on His throne. (3:21) They refuse to worship the dragon, beast and image - they keep the commandments - and they have the "witness" (Gr. marturian) of Jesus Christ. They are the "remnant" of the woman's seed, the "Queen" - the wife of the Lamb accepting only "His Father's name."

The 144,000 with the Father's name in their foreheads

Rev_14:1  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.

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"the seal of God" (Rev. 7:3) - are in contrast to the "all" who worship the beast and receive "a mark in their right hand, or in their foreheads." (13:16) With the emphasis on "the blood of the Lamb" as the means of victory, the 144,000 have nothing in their hands to bring, simply to the Lamb they cling. Those who trust in the merits of their own works - Cain worship - receive a mark in their right hand.

John next heard a Duo singing "a new song" in which the 144,000 unite their voices. These voices are accompanied "by harpers harping on their harps." (14:2-3

Rev 14:2  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: 

Rev 14:3  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. 

 "The voice of many waters" is the voice of "the Son of man." (1:15)

Rev 1:15  And his feet like unto fine brass, as if they burned in a furnace; and his voice as the sound of many waters

 The voice "of a great thunder" is God Himself. Zephaniah seeing "the remnant of Israel" who do no iniquity, neither is a "deceitful tongue found in their mouth," foretells that the Lord God "will joy over (them) with singing." (3:13, 17)

Joh 12:28  Father, glorify thy name. Then came there a voice from heaven, saying, I have both glorified it, and will glorify it again. 

Joh 12:29  The people therefore, that stood by, and heard it, said that it thundered: others said, An angel spake to him.

 [See John 12:28-29, and note the phrase, "lightnings and thunderings and voices" associated with descriptions of the Throne of God in Revelation 4:5; 16:17-18.] An interesting question for consideration is why and what is the "new song" which only God, the Lamb and the 144,000 will sing together.

The 144,000 are indicated as having been "redeemed from among men." (14:4) James White made an insightful observation on this point. He wrote: "Not out of their graves; no, no, - 'from among men.' They must, therefore, be the living saints who are changed to immortality at the coming of the Lord." (R&H, May 9, 1854, p. 124; emphasis his) These are declared to be "the first fruits unto God and to the Lamb." Here again is the Divine Duo with a stated relationship of the 144,000 to Them. This entwining picture should be carefully considered:

1) The 144,000 are with the Lamb on mount Sion with God's name in their foreheads.

2) The Lamb and God sing a "new song" in which only the 144,000 can unite their voices.

3) The 144,000 become "first fruits" to God and the Lamb.

If James White's observation first penned in 1850 is correct, and we believe it is, this relationship between the 144,000 and the Divine Duo is further heightened by the fact that those who are translated without seeing death put on "immortality" in contrast to the "incorruption" of the resurrected saints. (I Cor. 15:51-54) The word translated, "immortality" (athanasia) is used only three times in the New Testament, twice in I Corinthians 15:53-54, and once in I Tim. 6:l6. Here in these related verses is a clear suggestion that the 144,000 will share in an attribute of God as did the exalted Jesus who had laid aside this prerogative to accomplish redemption. This resurrected Christ is also called, "the first fruits." (I Cor. 15:23)

There is an interpretation read into these verses which designates the 144,000 as the instruments by which God brings together the "great multitude" of Revelation 7:9. Inasmuch as the 144,000 are discussed in both Revelation 7, and 14, we need to pause and consider the two prophetic pictures together. In Revelation 7, the question is asked, "Who are these arrayed in white robes, and where did they come from?" (v. 13 NKJV) There is no question but that the great multitude are arrayed in white robes. The text so states. (7:9) It also declares that the "multitude" come from "all nations, and kindreds, and people, and tongues."

Applying the same question asked by "one of the elders" in Chapter 7 to Revelation 14 in regard to the 144,000, the answer is - they result from the Three Angels' Messages, which are likewise given not only to "every nation, and kindred, and tongue, and people" (14:6) but also to them "that dwell on the earth." The 144,000 are not only "redeemed from among men," but also are "redeemed from the earth." (14:3) Here a judgment call must be made once again. Are we to interpret "earth" as the symbolic "earth" of the continuous prophecy of Revelation 12 & 13, or do we interpret the word as applied to the planet as a whole?

From the picture in Revelation 14, must be added the descriptive concept of the 144,000 - "in their mouth was found no guile: for they are without fault before the throne of God." (v. 5) In other words, "they keep the commandments of God and the faith of Jesus." (v. 12) Compare Rev. 14:5

Rev 14:5  And in their mouth was found no guile: for they are without fault before the throne of God. 

with I Peter 2:22,

1Pe 2:22  Who did no sin, neither was guile found in his mouth

and consider the basic revelation of Chapter 12 - the "Seed" of the Woman, the Man-child, and the "remnant of her seed" which keep the commandments of God, and have the witness of Jesus. (12:17) Where then does the "great multitude" enter the picture? In Rev. 14:13 "a voice from heaven" is heard. The Holy Spirit speaks - "Blessed are the dead which die in the Lord from henceforth." There is a point of time from which those who die in the Lord are called "blessed." The text would suggest that point as the beginning of the Three Angels' Messages.

We next turn our attention to the Three Angels

((To be continued…)))))    From Watchman What of the Night  Adventist Laymen's Foundation W. Grotheer.