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The Seven Personages: The Lamb
I. The Lamb with the 144,000 – Revelation 14:1-5
A. Note the division of the sections by “And I looked” or “And I saw” or “And I heard”
B. This is not a imitation, but is THE Lamb, the Son of God
1. The same lamb mentioned in chapter 5:6-8, 12-13; 6:1, 16; 7:9-10, 17; 12:11; 13:8
2. He is standing on Mt. Zion
a. The beasts were on the unstable seashore, but the Lamb is on a solid mountain.
b. It was the stronghold and City of David - II Sam. 5:6-7
c. It was a refuge for the Israelites - Ps. 48:3,13
d. As the temple was built there, it was also known as the place where God dwelt - Ps. 9:11; 135:21
e. The Deliverer would come out of Zion - Romans 11:26
f. It is where God’s people would in a spiritual sense gather (a symbol of the church) - Hebrews 12:22-24
3. This is not the final Mt. Zion, it is yet to come (Rev 21:2), but it is the mountain seen by the prophets – the church of this age.
C. The 144,000 are those who have the names of the Father and the son written on their foreheads.
1. Use chart to show the 144,000, the great multitude, and the redeemed are the same.
2. The 144,000 are the redeemed while on earth. The great multitude are all the redeemed gathered together.
3. Our seal is a firm foundation - II Tim 2:19
D. The voice of God sounds forth from heaven
1. Notice that it does not say they are playing harps, but that the voice sounds like harpers playing harps.
2. So much for the images of the departed strumming their way to heaven.
3. The description of the voice is similar to those we noted of the voice of God earlier – majestic, mighty, and melodious.
E. The 144,000 sang a new song only understandable only by those purchased
1. This is the redeemed, the saved, Christians, or children of God.
2. They have not been defiled - II Cor. 11:2
a. They have not committed spiritual adultery as Israel did - Hosea 4:12-13
3. They follow the Lamb - John 10:27
a. We must deny ourselves and follow Christ - Matt 16:24
4. They were purchased as first fruits
a. Purchased - Eph. 1:7, Col. 1:14, I Peter 1:10, 19
b. First fruits
(1) The first fruits belong to God - Lev 23:10-11
(2) Christians are first fruits - James 1:18
5. They are honest and blameless - I Peter 2:1, 19-22
a. The church is to be holy and without blemish - Eph. 5:27
II. Three Angels – Revelation 14:6-11
A. Encouragement to follow God
1. The everlasting Gospel
a. It is the good news for all nations - Matt 28:18-20
b. It is the Gospel formed in the mind of God, point unto by the prophets and summed up in Christ (Romans 16:25-27)
B. Warning of the fall of Babylon
1. Up until now, Rome had the upper hand, but now the tables have been turned.
2. It is stated in past tense to show the certainty of action - Isa 46:10
3. This is not final judgment, but judgment upon Rome, which is represented by Babylon.
a. Later we will discuss this symbol in detail.
b. The sea beast was the political might of Rome
c. The land beast was the religious deception of Rome
d. Babylon is the seductive, lustful sins of Rome - Jer 51:7
C. Warning those who worship the beast
1. In Revelation 13:5, those who do not worship the beast were killed.
2. Here, those who worship the beast will partake of the full, undiluted wrath of God.
a. God’s wrath is often represented by a drink of wine - Job 21:20; Ps 75:8; Isa. 51:17; Jer. 25:15-18, 27-29
3. Fire and brimstone was used to destroy Sodom and Gomorrah - Gen 19:24
a. It is used to represent God’s destructive power - Isa. 30:33; 34:9-10; Ezek. 38:22
b. It refers to the punishment of the wicked - II Peter 2:6; Jude 7
c. Similar to the destruction of Edom - Isa 34:9-10
III. Blessing on Christians who die - Revelation 14:12-13
A. Here is the perseverance of the saints
1. By your endurance you will gain your lives - Luke 21:19, referring to surviving the destruction of Jerusalem
2. Rom 5:3 - Tribulations brings patience
3. James 1:2-3 - The trying of our faith brings patience
4. Keeping the word of Christ’s perseverance - Rev 3:10
B. Who die in the Lord
1. You can not die in the Lord unless you are in the Lord before your death.
2. We enter Christ through baptism - Rom 6:3-5, Gal. 3:26-27
IV. The reaping - Revelation 14:14-20
A. This is a judgment scene similar to Joel 3:11-14
B. The reaping is lead by Jesus
1. Diety rides on the clouds - Ps 104:3
a. Riding on a cloud of judgment - Isa 19:1; Jer 4:13
2. He is wearing the victor’s crown
3. The angel coming out of the temple shows the orders are from God.
4. He reaps a harvest from the earth
a. The time for harvest is a time for judgment - Jer 51:33
C. An angel joins the reaping
1. The angel coming from the altar shows God is finally answering the prayers of the saints (Rev 6:9-10; 8:3-5).
a. This is the same angel in Rev 8:5 who filled the bowl with fire from the altar to cast it to the earth.
2. He reaps grapes which are thrown into the wine press of the wrath of God
a. When God executed judgment on Judah it was symbolized as Judah being trodden in a wine press - Lam. 1:15
3. The grapes are trodden and the juice rises to the depth of a horse’s bridle for 200 miles.
a. As in Joel’s prophecy, the juice of the grapes represents the wickedness of the people - Joel 3:13
A Comparison
The Redeemed
(Chapter 5)
The 144,000
(Chapters 7 and 14)
The Great Multitude (Chapter 7)
With the Lamb (5:6)
With the Lamb (14:1)
With the Lamb (7:10, 17)
Redeemed (5:9)
Redeemed (14:4)
Made white in the blood of the Lamb (7:14), which is the redemption price (Ephesians 1:7).
Out of every kindred tongue, people and nation (5:9)
All the tribes of the children of Israel (7:4)
All nations, and kindred, and peoples and tongues (7:9)
Sung a new song (5:9)
Sung as it were a new song (14:3)
Cried with a loud voice (7:10)
Before and around the throne (5:9-13)
Before the throne (14:3,5)
Stood before the throne (7:9)
The angels, with the redeemed ascribe power, riches, wisdom, strength, honor, glory, and blessing to God and the Lamb (5:9-12)
The 144,00 sing before the throne, the beasts, and the elders (14:3)
The great multitude with the angels ascribe blessings, glory, wisdom, thanksgiving, honor, power, and might to God and the Lamb (7:10-12)
Without fault before the throne of God (14:5)
Pure and white before the throne of God (7:14-15).
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