Jesus was followed as the lamb

JESUS WAS FOLLOWEDAS THE LAMB
EDITED BY GLENN PEASE
Revelation14:4 4Theseare those who did not defile
themselves with women, for they remained virgins.
They follow the Lamb wherever he goes. They were
purchasedfrom among mankind and offered as
firstfruits to God and the Lamb.
The Followers Of The Lamb BY SPURGEON
“These are they which follow the Lamb whereverHe goes. Thesewere
redeemedfrom among men, being the first fruits unto God and to the
Lamb. And in their mouth was found no guile: for they are without
fault before the Throne of God.”
Revelation14:4, 5
WHATEVER the saints are in Heaven, they beganto be on earth. There is, no
doubt, a perfection of characterin the world to come, but the charactermust
be formed here. In the next world there will be no real change–wherethe tree
falls, there it will lie. He that is filthy will be filthy, still. He that is holy will be
holy, still. I am going to talk to you, tonight, about those who surround the
Lamb and are with Him in the blaze of His Glory, singing to His honor. I say
that what they are in Heaventhey were, in a measure, on earth. The life of
Glory is the life of Grace. Thatlife which men have in Heaven comes to them
in regenerationon earth. When they are born again, they are born for
Heaven–thenit is that they receive the life which lives on throughout the
eternal ages. Ifyou do not have that life, here, you will never have it. If you die

dead in sin, there is nothing for you, forever, but the abode of the dead,
“where their worm dies not and their fire is not quenched.” Today is the only
time which we have for forming our character. Earthis the greatplace for
making instruments of music–here they are tuned and prepared. Up there,
they play them! But they will never play them, there, unless they have had
them made and tuned here.
The subject of my discourse will be, first, a survey of the outline of character
of those who are to be with Christ hereafter. And then, secondly, a
contemplation of the perfectpicture of the saints with Christ in Glory, where I
trust we, too, shall be, in the Lord’s goodtime.
I do not know whether these verses describe all the saints in Heaven. If they
do, then you must be like they, or you cannever be among them. If, however,
they describe the electof the elect, the innermost circle of Heaven. If they
describe the bodyguard of Christ, the immortals that perpetually surround
Him, nearestto His Person, the most divinely like He. If they describe a kind
of aristocracyofthe skies, the nobility of Heaven–and it seems to me that they
do, for they are the first fruits and the rest of the righteous may be regarded
as the harvest afterwards reaped. If these words describe some specialsaints,
then we should seek to be like they. I would cultivate a holy ambition to be
among the brightest stars of God! Why should we not reachto the highest
prize of our high calling? If there is any specialtyamong the redeemed above,
should it not be our earnestdesire to attain to that standard?
1. So, first, here is AN OUTLINE OF THE CHARACTER OF THOSE
BLESSED ONES WHILE THEY ARE HERE.
And, first, notice their adherence to the Doctrine of Sacrifice while they are
here–“These are they which follow the Lamb.” There are some professing
Christians who talk much about the example of Christ, but deny the efficacy
of His atoning blood–they are not of those who will be in Heaven. There are
some who magnify the philosophy of Christ–allHis ethicalteaching is greatly
to their taste–but, as to His being a Substitute offered up as a Sacrifice on
accountof human guilt, they cannot agree with it. Very well–theycannot
enter Heaven, for, “these are they which follow the Lamb.” NotChrist, only,
mark you, but Christ as the Lamb of God’s Passover!Christ as the Lamb of
God slain before the foundation of the world, Christ as the Lamb of God
which takes awaythe sin of the world. You cannotbe of that blessednumber
if you rejectChrist as a Sacrifice.
As for me, and I trust for you, also, “Godforbid that I should glory, save in
the Cross ofour Lord Jesus Christ!” Christianity without the blood of Christ

is a dead Christianity–it has nothing to give life to it–“forthe blood is the life
thereof.” If you take awaythe Doctrine of Sacrifice, youhave takenaway the
core, the heart, the pith, the marrow of all Christianity. You have left bones
for dogs, but you have not left food for immortal spirits. Whoeverwill be
saved, before all things, it is necessarythat he should believe in Jesus Christ,
the Lamb of God who takes awaythe sin of the world! “ForGod so loved the
world, that He gave His only begottenSon: that whoeverbelieves in Him,
should not perish, but have everlasting life.” Look, look, look unto Him and be
you saved, all you ends of the earth, for He is God, even the bleeding Savior!
He is God and beside Him there is none else. Mayit be said of you all, dear
Friends, that you followedthe Lamb by your adherence to His atoning
Sacrifice!
Many have thus followedthe Lamb in spite of fierce persecution. Remember
that brave woman, Ann Askew? Whenthey had rackedher and pulled every
limb out of its place, so that she achedall over in her exquisitely delicate
frame, yet she sat on the stone floor of her celland still defended the Sacrifice
of Christ. When she had an opportunity to write her thoughts, she penned
that quaint verse–
“I am not she that list,
My anchorto let fall,
For every drizzling mist
My ship’s substantial.”
She thought that being vexed by Popish priests and torn to pieces onthe rack
was only a drizzling mist, for which it was not worth while to casther anchor!
She was more than a match for 50 priests. God raise us up a race of such men
and women! The devil seems to have takenthe backbone out of most people.
May we begin to know what we know and to believe what we believe, and to
put our foot down and say, “God helping me, I will not forsake my God, nor
turn awayfrom His Truth.” You remember how Martin Luther, when he
stoodat the Diet of Worms, closedwhathe had to say when they bade him
recant, and he would not? He said, “Here I stand; I can do no other, so help
me God,” and thus, invoking the help of his Divine Lord, he committed his
body to the flames, if need be, soonerthan he would renounce a single Word
of the MostHigh, or sin againstthe Light of God which he had received!
And, next, it is clearof these people that they followedthe Lamb by
practically imitating Christ’s example, for it is written, “These are they which
follow the Lamb wherever He goes.”Theyso believed in Him that–

“Theymarked the footsteps that He trod,
His zealinspired their breast,
And following their Incarnate God,
Possessthe promised rest.”
You cannot be with Christ unless you are like Christ. If you have really
trusted in Jesus, He will transform you, He will take awayfrom you those evil
tendencies and vile propensities which are contrary to holiness. He will work
in you to will and to do of His own goodpleasure. And the highest holiness for
you is to be like Christ! The very noblestcharacterto which you could ever
reachis to follow the Lamb whereverHe goes, in obedience to God, in love to
man, in self-sacrifice, in humility, in gentleness, in love! You must follow Him
whereverHe goes anddo what He did, so far as your position makes it fit for
you to do it. I mean that you cannotdo as He did as God, but you cando what
He did as Man. Try to put your feetdown in the footprints that He has left
you. Aim at complete conformity to Christ and wherein you fail to reachit,
mark that you come so far short of what you ought to be. To be like Christ is
that which God intends for you and unless you have some measure of it now,
you will never be with Him, for all they who are with Christ above are the
people who were made like to Christ here below. Note that very distinctly,
“These are they which follow the Lamb whereverHe goes.”
Will you, dear Friends, labor to take Christ for your pattern? Do not come
and take His name and then dishonor His Character. There are among you
some who are very much like your Master–youare the joy of the Church.
There are among all the Churches some who bear Christ’s name but are not
like He. My venerable predecessor, Dr. Rippon, used to sayof His Church,
that he had in it some of the best people in England–andthen he used to add
in a low voice, “and some of the worst.” I am afraid that I have to say the
same, but I am very sorry that I should have to sayit. The worstpeople in the
world are those who profess most and do least. Do not be among that unhappy
number, but do, I pray you, by the blessing of God, and the help of His Spirit,
be among those who at leastendeavor to “follow the Lamb whereverHe
goes.”
Now, notice in the sketchof these people, that they recognizeda special
redemption–“These were redeemedfrom among men.” Christ had done
something for them that He had not done for others. They were not redeemed,
“among men,” but, “from among men.” They recognizedthe specialtyof
Christ’s Sacrifice. Theycould read, for instance, a passagelike this and
understand its meaning, “Christ loved the church, and gave Himself for it,”
for His Church, for His body. “These were redeemedfrom among men.”

Come, Beloved, do you belong to this company of persons who have been
fetched out from the rest of mankind by the power of the Spirit of God, and
also by the merit of the precious blood? Do you feelthat you are markedwith
the blood as others are not? Do you belong to a people who are not of the
world, even as He that bought them was not of the world? Are you henceforth
not of the common multitude, but one who has been bought and paid for by
that redemptive price which was found in the veins and the heart of the
Redeemer? And are you so redeemed as no longerto be one of the greatmass
of mankind, but fetched out, calledout, chosen, “notyour own, but bought
with a price”? These are they that will be with Christ hereafter, as specially
redeemedones.
And as they recognizeda specialredemption, you will observe that they made
a full surrender of themselves to God and to the Lamb–“These were redeemed
from among men, being the first fruits unto God and to the Lamb.” On a
certain day, when the harvest was getting ripe, a man went down to the fields
and plucked an ear here, a handful there, and another handful further on.
And he passedalong the field and gathered ears here and ears there. And
when he had collectedenoughfor sheaves, he tied them up and took them to
the Temple of God and presented them to the Lord as an offering, to signify
that he owedall the harvest to God–and he brought Him the first ripe ears as
a sacrifice to Him.
Now, Beloved, has the Grace of God plucked you out from among the restof
mankind and do you feel that you now belong to Christ, that you belong to
God, that you are not to be gatheredwith the mass of men for the great
condemnation, but that you are presented unto God and belong to Him
altogether? It is a very easything for me to talk about this, but, believe me, it
is by no means an easything to carry it out. I see numbers of people who
profess to belong to God, but they live as much for making money as anybody
else!They live quite as much for self-seeking as the world does and it would be
difficult, even if you had microscopes onboth your eyes, to see any difference
betweenthem and worldlings. This will never do. “Come out from among
them, and be you separate, says the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing.” If
you are the first fruits unto God, be so. If you belong to yourself, serve
yourself. But if, by the redemption of Christ, you are not your own, but
bought with a price, then live as those who are the King’s own, who must
serve God, and cannotbe content unless their every actionshall tend to the
Divine Glory, and to the magnifying of Christ Jesus. Now this is what all of us
who are truly the Lord’s have in outline. Oh, that the sketchmight be

properly filled up, that we might become more and more the first fruits unto
God and to the Lamb!
I must take you a little further. These people who are to be with Christ, the
nearestto Him, are a people free from falsehood. “Intheir mouth was found
no guile.” Brothers and Sisters, if we profess to be Christians, we must have
done with all craft, policy, double-dealing and the like. The Christian man
should be a plain man who says what he means and means what he says. I
know of no worse suspicionagainstany man who professes to be a Christian
than the suspicionof not being transparent. It were better for us to be simple
as fools than to be cunning as hypocrites, eventhough our cunning should
place us in the front rank of the governors of mankind! The Christian man
should scornto tell a lie! Exaggerationand equivocationshould be strangers
to his lips. “In their mouth was found no guile.” The Lord Jesus Christ was a
greatSpeakerofthe plain Truth of God and those whom He chooses to be
near Him, to be His personalattendants in Heaven, must also be free from
guile. With many a mistake, with many a weakness,yet, Beloved, the saints
are free from falsehood!They are true, whatever may be their mistakes. Look
to yourselves and see whetherit is so. As I would look to my own soul, I
charge you to look to yours.
And then, once more, it is saidthat they are free from blemish. “They are
without fault before the Throne of God.” “Oh,” says one, “I am not without
fault!” No, but there is the outline of that characterin you if you are, indeed,
one of the Lord’s people. You have already got rid of many faults and you are
getting rid of more. You grieve over what remains and you will never rest till
every sin is conquered. Is it not so, Beloved? Saints are not only men of honor,
but men of holiness!We would not tolerate any known sin in ourselves.
Whenever we are carriedinto a fault by temptation or by inbred sin, we feel
unhappy. We bow low in the dust and we cry to God for Grace, that we may
not commit the same sin again. But God’s people are a blameless people, after
all. If you are to find pure and right characters, where will you find them but
among the followers of the Lamb? You know and I know many believers in
Christ whose lives are blameless–wewouldnot say that they are absolutely
without fault, but still, the Grace of God so works in them that we may safely
take them for examples and do as they have done.
It was so in the olden time and it is so now! And unless your characteris such
that your children may safelyimitate it, and your servants may tread in your
footsteps, and your neighbors may act as you do without going wrong, how
can you hope to be where Jesus is? Jesus Christ receives sinners, but He
makes them saints!The Gospelopens a greathospital, not for sick men to lie

in it and remain sick, but that there they may recoverhealth and may be
made strong! He that believes in Christ is saved–savedin this sense among
others, that He is savedfrom the power of sin, and turned from an unholy and
godless life into a life of purity, honesty, and uprightness! “Be not deceived,”
any of you, tonight, “Godis not mocked;for whatever a man sows that shall
he also reap.” If there is not about you a likeness to Christ. If there is not at
leastthe sketchwhichI have tried to depict, then, surely, you are not among
those who will be forever where Jesus is!
I have seenan artist make his crayon drawing. He takes a piece of charcoal
and marks out what he is going to draw. I am afraid that is about all that is
done with us, here. There is an outline made with the charcoal–allthe lines of
beauty and all the glory of characterare yet to be laid on as we grow in Grace
and in likeness to Christ. But, at least, there must be that sketch. If you have
not that, come humbly to the feet of Jesus and pray that He would begin in
you His goodwork which He will carry on and perfectin the day of His
appearing.
Thus much upon the outline of the characterofsaints while they are upon the
earth.
II. Now indulge me for just a few minutes while I try to give you A GLIMPSE
OF THE PERFECT PICTURE IN HEAVEN. I cannotreally show you the
picture–that is in the upper galleryin Glory and you must go up there to see
it. I canonly tell you my idea of what that picture is like when it is finished.
Well, first, those who are with Christ enjoy perfectfellowship with Him. Up
there they “follow the Lamb whereverHe goes.” Theyare always with Him.
There were certain young princes chosenin certain courts to attend upon the
king. Whereverthe king went, they went. Where the court was, there was
their abode. Their one business was to behold the king’s face and to abide
near him. That is the business of the glorified ones of whom I am speaking.
When will the day arrive that you and I shall enjoy this perfect fellowship
with our glorious King, never absentfrom Him, never doubting His love,
never cold in our affectiontowards Him, but being–
“Foreverwith the Lord”?
Shall I go on with the verse?
“Amen! So let it be!
Life from the dead is in that word,
‘Tis immortality!”

Some of you have dear children who have outstripped their mother and are
enjoying this felicity even now. Others of us have mothers, brothers, friends
who were very dear to us, who follow the Lamb in Glory. How many who once
satamong us, here, are now up there, following the Lamb, and He leads them
unto living fountains of waters and all tears are wiped awayfrom their eyes!
Oh, to think that wherevermy Lord shall go I shall go!When He shall
descendfrom Heaven with a shout, we shall come with Him! When He shall
sit upon His Throne to judge the world, His saints shall sit with Him! When
He shall reign gloriouslyamong His ancients for a thousand years, we shall
reign with Him on the earth! When He shall return to the Father’s Throne–
“All His work and warfare done,”
we shall partake of His triumph, following the Lamb wherever He goes. I vote
to castin my lot with my Lord in life and in death. What say you? My Master,
where You dwell, I will dwell. If men put You to shame, I will be put to shame
with You. If You die, I will die with You, that I may forever live with You in
Your Glory above. Sayyou not the same, Beloved? Sayit deep down in your
heart, tonight!
Well, now, notice in this complete picture, next, that up there they are
perfectly acceptedwith God–“Thesewere redeemedfrom among men, being
the first fruits unto God and to the Lamb.” Godalways accepts them. He
always looks upon them as His first fruits, bought with His Son’s blood, and
brought by His Son into His heavenly Temple, to be His forever! Sometimes,
here, we mar our service, but they never mar it there! Our songs getout of
tune, but theirs never
“No groans to mingle with the songs
Which warble from immortal tongues.”
We doubt. We fear. We grieve the Holy Spirit. Sometimes we getvery sadly
out of gearwith God. It is never so there–fully redeemedfrom sin–they are
acceptedin the Belovedand to the very top of their bent they know it, and
enjoy it. Happy day, happy day, when you and I shall be of them and among
them!
Observe, also, that they have perfect truth, there, in heart and soul–“In their
mouth was found no guile.” “No lie,” says the RevisedVersion. Here, dear
Friends, we inadvertently fall into error and, sometimes, I fear, negligently.
We say, not knowingly, more than the Truth of God. How often we say much
less than the Truth and almost necessarilyso when we speak ofDivine things–
but up there they are not only free from willful guile and deceit, but they are
free from all error and mistake. Happy day! Happy day! Do you not long to

be there to be rid of every false doctrine, every wrong opinion, every error,
every mistake, so that in your mouth there shall never againbe guile? This is
what they are above–made perfect. He who washedtheir hearts, here, has
washedtheir tongues, there! As they loved the Truth of God, here, they know
the Truth there! As they soughtit here, they have found it there! As they were
willing to die for it here, they live in the enjoyment of it there and shall do so
forever!
One more feature of that perfectpicture is this, they enjoy perfectsinlessness
before God–“Theyare without fault before the Throne of God.” That text
brings back to my recollectionthe secondsermonI preached to this Church,
one Sabbath evening, when we were but few–“Theyare without fault before
the Throne of God.” I had greatjoy, as a youth, in expatiating upon the
perfect blessing of being altogether, “without spot, or wrinkle, or any such
thing.” If there were any fault in them, there, they are where it would be seen,
for they are before the Throne of the all-seeing God!But even there, in that
matchless place of light in which there is no darkness at all, they are declared
to be without fault, without blemish. Can you think that you will be of that
happy number one day? I had to put it very mildly just now when I spoke of
saints being without blame, here, but you may put it as strongly as you please
when you speak of their being without sin there!
They were once, perhaps, before conversion, the very chief of sinners, but in
Heaven there shall be no trace of their sin. They will bless the Grace that
came to them when they were up to their neck in the filth of sin, but there will
be no trace of their filthiness left. There is no blood stain on Manasseh, there
is no brand of blasphemy on Saul of Tarsus, now–theyhave washedtheir
robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb. Some of these men were
by nature and by practice, too, so depraved that it lookedas if they could
never escape from their evil habits. We might have said of them, “Canthe
Ethiopian change his skin, or the leopard his spots? Thenmay these men, who
are accustomedto do evil, learn to do well.” Yet so has the Grace of God
changedthem that there is no trace of any evil tendency, no propensity to lust,
or lewdness, orblasphemy, or any kind of fault!
What a wonderful change it will be for those who were once greatsinners to
be found without fault–not only without greatcrime, not only without gross
vice, but without fault and that, too, as I have said, before the Throne of God,
where, if there were a fault, it would be seen!They are cleansedfrom all the
guilt of sin and from all the depravity which the addiction of sin brings to
men. “Theyare without fault before the Throne of God.” Truly, if you had
never heard this before, it might make you laugh for joy to think that it

should everbe possible that the very chief of sinners, through faith in Christ,
might be made so cleanas one day to be without fault before the Throne of
God! I think that when we getthere, part of the joy of Heavenwill be a long
surprise, an endless wonder–andif we are permitted to remember what we
used to be, some of you will recalla night of sin, and say, “And yet I am here!”
You will recall, perhaps, some dreadful passion, some atrocious outburst of
foul language, orsome terrible occasion ofsin and you will say, “Yet here I
am, cleanas the driven snow, washedin the blood of Jesus and renewedby the
Spirit of God.”
Although they always praise God, I think that they must, every now and then,
have a fresh outburst of hallelujahs when they begin to review the past. One
says, “I, even after conversion, was a poor, limping Christian. And I was
thrown back once or twice with terrible backslidings. My Christian friends
despairedof my ever holding on–and yet here I am, by God’s Grace, without
fault before the Throne of God. Hallelujah!” Will not a man be obliged to
break out like that and do you not think that all the saints around Him will
take up the Hallelujah, too, till it goes in swelling chorus all round the choirs
of Heaven, “Hallelujah to God and the Lamb”? And another one will say,
“And I, after I had long knownthe Lord, fell, oh, so sadly, so grievously! But
He would not give me up! He followedme and, by His mighty Grace, I was
restored, my broken bones were set againand I was made to sing of Free
Grace and forgiving love. He createdin me a new heart and reneweda right
spirit within me! And now I, even I, am here without fault, without a single
fault.” You can hardly imagine it, can you? You begin to think, “Well, surely
that cannot be,” for, if you look within, you see so many faults over which you
groan, but you will look without and look within, when you once getthere,
and neither without nor within, in any respectwhatever, will you have any
kind of fault, for, “they are without blemish before the Throne of God.”
I do not feel inclined to preachany more, but just to shout, “Hallelujah,”
againand again, at the very thought that I shall be there! Oh, it is hard to go
to Heaven from such a place as that which I occupy! Your eyes sometimes
startle me in my dreams, these thousands of eyes fixed upon one poor mortal
man, who has to try to lead you to Christ and lead you to Heaven. Your eyes,
at times, seemto pierce me like so many daggers. Ithink, sometimes, “Whatif
I am not faithful, if I do not preachplainly, if I do not warn them, if I do not
invite them earnestly, if I do not, with all my heart cry, ‘Come to Christ’?
What shall I do in eternity if 6,000 pairs of eyes are forever seeming to stick,
like daggers, into my heart?” Oh, but it will not be so! I believe in Him that

justifies the ungodly and I have fully preached Him to you, and all my great
congregation!
My hope is in the precious blood that cleansesfrom all sin and I have pointed
all my hearers to that precious blood! And the day will come when I, with all
who believe in Jesus, shallbe without fault before the Throne of God! The
very thought of it makes me cry, “Hallelujah!” And with that I finish.
Hallelujah! Hallelujah! Say “Hallelujah,” all of you! [“Hallelujah” from the
congregation.]Hallelujah! Hallelujah to God and the Lamb! The Lord bless
you, for Christ’s sake!Amen.
BIBLEHUB RESOURCES
Pulpit Commentary Homiletics
The GreaterSalvation
Revelation14:4
S. Conway
Firstfruits unto God and to the Lamb. From this and the many like
expressions whichare scatteredoverthe New Testament, we gatherthat there
is a salvationgreaterand less. Forhere it is said that these hundred and forty-
four thousand are "firstfruits." Therefore we learn -
I. WHAT THESE ARE NOT.
1. They are not all the saved. The very word indicates that there is much more
to follow. They are but the beginning. Nor:
2. Are these firstfruits the mass of the saved. True, a large number is named,
but what is that comparedwith the "greatmultitude that no man can
number, out of every," etc.?
II. WHAT THEY ARE. The word "firstfruits" teaches us that these thus
named are:
1. The pledge of all the rest. Thus Christ has "become the Firstfruits of them
that slept" (1 Corinthians 15:20). He is the pledge and guarantee that in him
"all shall be made alive." And so the natural firstfruits of corn guaranteedthe
rest of the harvest. For the same sun, and all other nurturing forces whichhad

ripened the firstfruits, were there ready to do the same kindly office for all the
rest. And so we are told, "The Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the
dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies." The same poweris presentfor
both the first and after fruits.
2. The pattern and representative of all the rest. Compare the first and after
fruits. In the main they were alike;and so in the spiritual world also. But:
3. The firstfruits were pre-eminent over the rest. They were specially
presentedto God, and held in honour; so was it with the natural grain. But,
without question, there is pre-eminence implied in being the firstfruits of the
heavenly harvest.
(1) In time. Theirs is "the first resurrection," ofwhich we read in Revelation
20. - that resurrectionof the dead which St. Paul calls "the resurrection," and
"the mark" towards which he pressed, if by any means he might attain unto it
(Philippians 3.). "The rest of the dead lived not againuntil the thousand
years," etc. (cf. Revelation20.).
(2) In honour. St. Paul called it "the prize of our high calling of God in Christ
Jesus." Now,a prize implies specialhonour. And our Lord tells us that there
is a "first" and "last" in the kingdom of heaven; "a least" and "a greatest."
"One star differeth from another star in glory." There is "an entrance
administered abundantly," and there is a "being savedso as by fire." As here
there is no dead level of reward, so we might believe, and we are taught, that
there is none such in heaven. Infinite mischief is done by the belief that all will
be equally blessed, equally honoured, equally like God. It is as if we had
adopted the creedof Ecclesiastes, where we are told, "One end comethalike to
all," instead of St. Paul's, who tells us, "What a man soweththat" - not
something else - "shall he also reap," in quantity and quality too.
(3) In service. Thatthey were pre-eminent here, who that knows their history
on earth, or reads even this book, will question?
(4) In character. See how they are describedas to their spiritual purity, their
unreserved consecration, their separateness fromthe world, their
guilelessness andfreedom from all deceit.
(5) In the approval of God. Of them it is written, "Blessedand holy is he that
hath part in the first resurrection" (Revelation20.). How could it be otherwise
than that such as they should stand highest upon the steps of the everlasting
throne, and nearestGod and the Lamb?
4. They are the electof God. In another part of this book they are spokenof as
"the called, and chosen, and faithful." They answerto the description of

God's chosen, and so we learn that "whilst all the electare saved, all the saved
are not. elect" (Alford). All are not firstfruits, greatest, first, in the kingdom of
heaven. The very words imply order, gradation, rank. But it is for us to take
heed as to -
III. WHAT WE SHOULD STRIVE TO BE. There are some who say that they
will be content if they can only "getjust inside the door of heaven " - such is
the phrase. This sounds very humble minded, and if it be so, then those who
thus speak are just those who would not be content with any such place. For,
and to their credit be it said, they are such as desire to be like their Lord - to
resemble him, to possesshis Spirit, and to please him in all things. But if they
desire, or will be content with, the lowestplace in heaven, they must getrid of
all these beautiful and blessedqualities. But rather than this they would die.
Too often, however, the phrase is but a substitute for diligence and faithful
following of Christ. They are content to be but little like their Lord; they do
not follow after holiness in the fear of God; they are the worldly hearted, those
the leastworthy of the Christian name. But who would be content to be as
these? Who would not be in full sympathy with St. Paul, who said, "I labour...
to be acceptedofhim" (2 Corinthians 5:9)? Ours, then, is to be not contented
with any lowestplace - if we be, there is grave doubt whether we ever attain to
that - but to "press towardthe mark for the prize of our high calling of Godin
Christ Jesus."- S.C.
The Followers ofthe Lamb
C. H. Spurgeon.
Revelation14:1-13
And I looked, and, see, a Lamb stoodon the mount Sion, and with him an
hundred forty and four thousand…
I. AN OUTLINE OF THE CHARACTER OF THOSE BLESSED ONES
WHILE THEY ARE HERE.
1. First, notice their adherence to the doctrine of sacrifice while they are here:
"These are they which follow the Lamb."

2. And, next, it is clearof these people that they followedthe Lamb by
practically imitating Christ's example, for it is written, "These are they which
follow the Lamb whithersoeverHe goeth." Try to put your feetdown in the
footprints that He has left you. Do aim at complete conformity to Christ; and
wherein you fail, mark that.
3. Now, notice in the sketchofthese people that they recogniseda special
redemption: "These were redeemedfrom among men." Christ had done
something for them that He had not done for others.
4. And as they recognizeda specialredemption, they made a full surrender of
themselves to God and to the Lamb: "These were redeemedfrom among men,
being the firstfruits unto God and to the Lamb." If you are the firstfruits unto
God, be so;if you belong to yourself, serve yourself; but if, by the redemption
of Christ, you are not your own, but bought with a price, then live as those
who are the King's own, who must serve God, and cannotbe contentunless
their every action shall tend to the Divine glory, and to the magnifying of
Christ Jesus.
5. These people who are to be with Christ, the nearestto Him, are a people
free from falsehood. "In their mouth was found no guile." If we profess to be
Christians, we must have done with all craft, policy, double-dealing, and the
like. The Christian man should be a plain man, who says what he means, and
means what he says.
6. And then, once more, it is said that they are free from blemish; "they are
without fault before the throne of God."
II. A GLIMPSE OF THE PERFECT PICTUREIN HEAVEN.
1. Well, first, those who are with Christ enjoy perfect fellowshipwith Him. Up
there, they "follow the Lamb whithersoeverHe goeth." Theyare always with
Him.

2. Well, now, notice in this complete picture, next, that up there they are
perfectly acceptedwith God: "These were redeemedfrom among men, being
the firstfruits unto God and to the Lamb." God always accepts them; He
always looks upon them as His firstfruits, bought with His Son's blood, and
brought by His Son into His heavenly temple, to be His for ever. Sometimes
here we mar our service;but they never mar it there.
3. Observe, also, that they have perfecttruth there in heart and soul: " In
their mouth was found no guile." "No lie," says the RevisedVersion. Here, we
do fail into error inadvertently, and sometimes, I fear me, negligently.
4. One more feature of that perfect picture is this, they enjoy perfect
sinlessnessbefore God:"They are without fault before the throne of God."
(C. H. Spurgeon.)
The Followers ofthe Lamb
W. Dyer.
Revelation14:1-13
And I looked, and, see, a Lamb stoodon the mount Sion, and with him an
hundred forty and four thousand…
I. WHAT IT IS to follow the Lamb whithersoeverHe goeth. In His
commandments — teaching — providences — example. Truly, without
hypocrisy; constantly, without apostasy. Speedily, truly, undividedly,
zealously, humbly, cheerfully, diligently, constantly, faithfully, transcendently.
II. WHY they follow the Lamb. Because theyare redeemedby His blood —
enlightened by Him — loving Him — possessingHis spirit, etc.

III. THE EXCELLENCY of following the Lamb. They have His presence —
shall know His mind — may come boldly to Him — shall be protectedby
Him, etc.
IV. HOW THEY MAY BE KNOWN who follow the Lamb. By their character
— spirit — name — graces — associates— language.
(W. Dyer.)
COMMENTARIES
Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers
(4, 5) These are they . . .—The characteristicsofthe servants of the Lamb are
given in this verse and the following. The first is purity: they are virgins. The
expressioncanhardly be limited to the unmarried, as the 144,000 represent
the wide societyofthe choice ones of God. They are those whose hearts have
been made as the hearts of little children (Matthew 18:1-4), who have that
purity of heart which Christ declaredto be blessed, and which St. James
declaredto be the first mark of heavenly wisdom (Matthew 5:8, and James
3:17). The next is implicit obedience:they follow the Lamb whithersoeverHe
goeth. Some, indeed, take this to be a kind of heavenly reward: they shall be
the nearercompanions of the Lamb. But it is better to take it as describing
their complete consecrationto Christ. They are those who are with Christ,
who have tastedthe cup that their Lord tasted, and have taken up their cross
and followedHim (Matthew 20:22; Luke 14:27;John 12:24-26). It is well to
weighthese words; it is in the “wheresoever”that we may test the reality of
our Christian life. Here lies the cross that Christ bids us take up. Here is the
echo of Christ’s words, “Whosoeverforsakethnot all he hath cannot be My
disciple.” The third mark is separation, or unworldliness: they were
purchased from among men, as a firstfruit to God and to the Lamb. They
were a chosengeneration, a peculiar people (Titus 2:14; 1Peter2:9), as the
Israelof God(Deuteronomy 7:6). The fourth feature is utter truthfulness: in
their mouth no guile or no falsehood. (Comp. Psalms 14 and Deuteronomy
32:1-2.)The verse emphatically ends with “Theyare blameless.”The words
“before the throne of God” must be omitted. (Comp. Revelation7:14-15;
Ephesians 5:27; and Colossians 1:22.)

We have seenthe servants of God; we have marked their character;we are
now to see the weaponwhich is to be employed in the conflict againstthe
enemies of Christ.
Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary
14:1-5 Mount Sion is the gospelchurch. Christ is with his church, and in the
midst of her in all her troubles, therefore she is not consumed. His presence
secures perseverance. His people appear honourably. They have the name of
God written in their foreheads;they make a bold and open professionoftheir
faith in God and Christ, and this is followedby suitable actings. There were
persons in the darkesttimes, who ventured and laid down their lives for the
worship and truth of the gospelofChrist. They kept themselves cleanfrom
the wickedabominations of the followers ofantichrist. Their hearts were right
with God; and they were freely pardoned in Christ; he is glorified in them,
and they in him. May it be our prayer, our endeavour, our ambition, to be
found in this honourable company. Those who are really sanctifiedand
justified are meant here, for no hypocrite, howeverplausible, canbe
accountedto be without fault before God.
Barnes'Notes on the Bible
These are they - In this verse, and in the following verse, the writer states the
leading characteristicsofthose who are saved. The generalidea is, that they
are chaste;that they are the followers of the Lamb; that they are redeemed
from among people;and that they are without guile.
Which were not defiled with women - Who were chaste. The word "defiled"
here determines the meaning of the passage, as denoting that they were not
guilty of illicit sexualintercourse with women. It is unnecessaryto show that
this is a virtue everywhere required in the Bible, and everywhere statedas
among the characteristicsofthe redeemed. On no point are there more
frequent exhortations in the Scriptures than on this; on no point is there more
solicitude manifested that the professedfriends of the Saviourshould be
without blame. Compare the Acts 15:20 note; Romans 1:24-32 notes;1
Corinthians 6:18 note; Hebrews 13:4 note. See also 1 Corinthians 5:1; 1
Corinthians 6:13; Galatians 5:19; Ephesians 5:3; Colossians3:5; 1
Thessalonians 4:3. This passagecannotbe adduced in favor of celibacy,
whether among the clergy or laity, or in favor of monastic principles in any
form; for the thing that is specifiedis, that they were not "defiled with
women," and a lawful connectionof the sexes, suchas marriage, is not
defilement. See the notes on Hebrews 13:4. The word rendered here "defiled"

- ἐμολύνθησανemolunthēsan, from μολύνω molunō - is a word that cannotbe
applied to the marriage relation. It means properly to "soil, to stain, to
defile." 1 Corinthians 8:7; "their conscience being weak, is defiled."
Revelation3:4; "whichhave not defiled their garments." The word does not
elsewhere occurin the New Testament, exceptin the passagebefore us, and it
will be seenat once that it cannot be applied to that which is lawful and
proper, and consequently that it cannot be construed as an expressionagainst
marriage and in favor of celibacy. It is a word that is properly expressive of
illicit sexual intercourse - of impurity and unchastity of life - and the
statementis, that they who are saved are not impure and unchaste.
For they are virgins - παρθένοι parthenoi. This is the masculine form, but this
form is found in the later Greek and in the Christian fathers. See Suidas and
Suicer, Thes. The meaning of the word, when found in the feminine form, is
well understood. It denotes a virgin, a maiden, and thence it is used to denote
what is chaste and pure: virgin modesty; virgin gold; virgin soil; virgin blush;
virgin shame. The word in the masculine form must have a similar meaning as
applied to men, and may denote:
(a) those who are unmarried;
(b) those who are chaste and pure in general.
The word is applied by Suidas to Abel and Melchizedek. "The sense," says
DeWette, in loco, "cannotbe that all these 144,000hadlived an unmarried
life; for how could the apostle Peter, and others who were married, have been
excluded? But the reference must be to those who held themselves from all
impurity - "unkeuschheitund hurerei" - which, in the view of the apostles,
was closelyconnectedwith idolatry." Compare Bleek, Beitr. i. 185. Prof.
Stuart supposes that the main reference here is to those who had kept
themselves from idolatry, and who were thus pure. It seems to me, however,
that the most obvious meaning is the correctone, that it refers to the
redeemedas chaste, and thus brings into view one of the prominent things in
which Christians are distinguished from the devotees ofnearly every other
form of religion, and, indeed, exclusivelyfrom the world at large. This
passage, also,cannotbe adduced in favor of the monastic system, because:
(a) whatever may be said anywhere of the purity of virgins, there is no such
commendation of it as to imply that the married life is impure;
(b) it cannotbe supposedthat God meant in any way to reflect on the married
life as in itself impure or dishonorable;
(c) the language does not demand such an interpretation; and,

(d) the facts in regard to the monastic life have shownthat it has had very
little pretensions to a claim of virgin purity.
These are they which follow the Lamb - This is another characteristicofthose
who are redeemed - that they are followers of the Lamb of God. That is, they
are his disciples;they imitate his example; they obey his instructions; they
yield to his laws;they receive him as their counselorand their guide. See the
notes on John 10:3, John 10:27.
Whithersoeverhe goeth- As sheepfollow the shepherd. Compare Psalm 23:1-
2. It is one characteristic oftrue Christians that they follow the Saviour
whereverhe leads them. Be it into trouble, into danger, into difficult duty; be
it in Christian or paganlands; be it in pleasantpaths, or in roads rough and
difficult, they commit themselves wholly to his guidance, and submit
themselves wholly to his will.
These were redeemedfrom among men - This is another characteristic of
those who are seenon Mount Zion. They are there because they are redeemed,
and they have the characterof the redeemed. They are not there in virtue of
rank or blood John 1:13; not on the ground of their own works Titus 3:5; but
because they are redeemed unto God by the blood of his Son. See the notes on
Revelation5:9-10. None will be there of whom it cannot be said that they are
"redeemed";none will be absentwho have been truly redeemed from sin.
Being the first-fruits unto God- On the meaning of the word "first-fruits," see
the notes on 1 Corinthians 15:20. The meaning here would seemto be, that the
hundred and forty-four thousand were not to be regardedas the whole of the
number that was saved, but that they were representatives ofthe redeemed.
They had the same characteristics whichall the redeemedmust have; they
were a pledge that all the redeemed would be there. Prof. Stuart supposes that
the sense is, that they were, as it were, "an offering especiallyacceptable to
God." The former explanation, however, meets all the circumstances ofthe
case, andis more in accordancewith the usual meaning of the word.
continued...
Jamieson-Fausset-BrownBible Commentary
4. virgins—spiritually (Mt 25:1); in contrastto the apostate Church, Babylon
(Re 14:8), spiritually "a harlot" (Re 17:1-5; Isa 1:21; contrast2Co 11:2; Eph
5:25-27). Their not being defiled with women means they were not led astray
from Christian faithfulness by the tempters who jointly constitute the
spiritual "harlot."

follow the Lamb whithersoeverhe goeth—in glory, being especiallynearHis
person; the fitting reward of their following Him so fully on earth.
redeemed—"purchased."
being the—rather, "as a first-fruit." Not merely a "first-fruit" in the sense in
which all believers are so, but Israel's 144,000 electare the first-fruit, the
Jewishand Gentile electChurch is the harvest; in a further sense, the whole of
the transfigured and translatedChurch which reigns with Christ at His
coming, is the first-fruit, and the consequentgeneralingathering of Israel and
the nations, ending in the last judgment, is the full and final harvest.
Matthew Poole's Commentary
These are they which were not defiled with women; for they are virgins; that
is, that would not comply with antichristian idolatry and superstition; for
idolatry is all along in holy writ comparedto whoredomand fornication.
Which follow the Lamb whithersoeverhe goeth; that follow the Lord Christ
fully, in all things keeping close to the rules of worship and life which he hath
given.
These were redeemedfrom among men; these show themselves to be
redeemedby the blood of Christ from the vain conversationof men, whether
towards God, in matters of worship, or towards men.
Being the first-fruits unto Godand to the Lamb; that are consecratedto, and
acceptedofGod, as the first-fruits were, being the only part of the world that
are not profane.
Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible
These are they which were not defiled with women,.... With the whore of
Rome, and her harlots, she is the mother of; while the kings and inhabitants of
the earth were drunk with the wine of their fornication, or committed idolatry
with them, which is spiritual fornication, and is here meant by being defiled
with them, these were free from such pollutions, or idolatrous practices:
for they are virgins; for their beauty and comeliness in Christ, chastity,
sincerity of their love, uncorruptness in doctrine and worship, and for the
uprightness of conversation;See Gill on Matthew 25:1;

these are they which follow the Lamb whithersoeverhe goeth; as the sheep
follow the shepherd of the flock, and which is a characterof Christ's sheep,
John 10:4. These follow Christ in the exercise ofthe graces ofhumility,
patience, and love; and in the performance of the severalduties of religion,
and subjectionto ordinances, and in the path of sufferings; and in every way
in which Christ the Lamb has gone before them, or in his word and
providence leads and directs them to, whether it be grateful to the flesh or
not; particularly they follow where he is preached, and his Word and
ordinances are faithfully administered; and they follow him to heaven, where
he is: it was part of the oath takenby the Roman soldiers, ' , "to follow the
generals whereverthey should lead" (n), to which it is thought there is an
allusion here; see 2 Samuel15:21;
these were redeemed from among men; "by Jesus", as the Syriac and Arabic
versions add, and so the Complutensian edition; by the blood of Christ, for all
men are not redeemed by it; and in consequence ofthis they were called, and
delivered from this present evil world, and the men of it, and from a vain,
wicked, and idolatrous conversationwith it:
being the firstfruits unto God, and to the Lamb; in allusion to the firstfruits
under the law, which representedand sanctifiedthe lump, and showedthat
harvest was coming; so these persons are called the firstfruits to God, and to
the Lamb, being calledby grace, andconsecratedto their worship and service,
with reference to the harvest of souls, or that large number of them which will
be gathered in during the spiritual reign of Christ, which these persons will be
at the beginning of; and as those who are first called and converted in a
country or nation are said to be the firstfruits of it, Romans 16:5; so these
being the first, in the period of time to which respectis had, bear this name;
and as the convertedJews receivedthe firstfruits of the Spirit, on the day of
Pentecost, and at other times, so these will receive the firstfruits of the far
greaterpouring forth of the Spirit in the latter day, which will begin, and
usher in the kingdom of Christ; see Romans 8:23.
(n) Vid. Lydii Dissert. de Jurament. c. 2. p. 258.
Geneva Study Bible
And I looked, and, lo, a Lamb {1} stoodon the mount Sion, and with him {2}
an hundred forty and four thousand, having his Father's {3} name written in
their foreheads.
(1) The history of the Church of Christ being finished for more than a 1300
years at which time Boniface the eighth lived as has been said: there remains
the restof the history of the conflicting or militant church, from there to the

time of the lastvictory in three chapters. For first of all, as the foundation of
the whole history, is described the standing of the Lamb with his army and
retinue in five verses, afterhis worthy acts which he has done and yet does in
most mighty manner, while he overthrows Antichrist with the spirit of his
mouth, in the rest of this chapter and in the two following. To the description
of the Lamb, are propounded three things: his situation, place and
attendance:for the rest are expounded in the former visions, especiallyin the
fifth chapter.
(2) Prepared to do his office see Ac 7:56, in the midst of the church, which
mount Zion pictured before.
(3) This retinue of the Lamb is described first by divine mark
(as before in) Re 7:2 in this verse. Then by divine occupation, in that every one
in his retinue most earnestlyand sweetlyRe 14:2 glorify the Lamb with a
specialsong before God and his electangels. Fleshand blood cannothear this
song, nor understand, Re 14:3. Lastly by their deeds done before, and their
sanctificationin that they were virgins, pure from spiritual and bodily
fornication, that is, from impiety and unrighteousness. Theyfollowedthe
Lamb as a guide to all goodness, cleavedto him and are holy to him, as by
grace redeemedby him. In truth and simplicity of Christ they have exercised
all these things, sanctimony of life, the guidance of the Lamb, a thankful
remembrance of redemption by him and finally (to conclude in a word) they
are blameless before the Lord, Re 14:4,5.
EXEGETICAL(ORIGINAL LANGUAGES)
Meyer's NT Commentary
Revelation14:4-5. John describes the one hundred and forty-four thousand as
a selectnumber surpassing all other believers in moral perfection. The
understanding of this description depends principally upon the proper
arrangementand framing of the individual expressions. At the beginning and
at the close two specialpoints stand (Revelation14:4 : οὑτοι εἰσιν οῖ μετὰ
γυναικῶνοὐκ ἐμολύνθησαν;Revelation14:5 : καὶ ἐν τῷ στόματι αὐτῶνοὐχ
εὑρέθη ψεῦδος);here, where the subject pertains to the past earthly life of
those who have died, the aor. necessarilystands. In both casesthe conclusion
is by formulæ framed precisely in like manner (Revelation14:4 : παρθένοι
γάρ εἰσιν; Revelation14:5 : ἄμωμοι γάρεἰσιν); but here, where an advance is
made from the definite actualpreservationof the deceased, to their proper
nature and permanent condition, the present necessarilyoccurs. Betweenthe
two double-membered sentences, in the beginning and at the close, there are
besides two sentences, whichare thereby exhibited as independent of one

another and the beginning and closing sentences, in that they both commence
with the specialdesignationofthe subject (οὖτοι), and that the first expresses
something present(οὖτ. εἰσιν οἱ ἀκολ.), but the secondsomething past,
completed in the earthly life (οὖτ. ἠγοράσθησαν, cf. Revelation14:3).
Hofmann[3445]is the first expositorwho keeps in view the disposition of
Revelation14:4-5;but he misjudges it by regarding the παρθένοι γάρ εἰσιν as
immediately attractedto the succeeding words. The disposition attempted
now also by Ew. ii., whereby three members appear (1. οὐτοί εἰσ., κ.τ.λ.;2.
οὖτ. εἰσ., κ.τ.λ.;3. καὶ ἐν τ. στόμ., κ.τ.λ.), is in violation of the context.
οἱ μετὰ γυναικῶνοὑκ ἐμολύνθησαν. According to Leviticus 15:18, the sexual
union in itself, even that in wedlock, was regardedas defiling.[3446]
ΠΑΡΘΈΝΟΙ. This predicate was not seldom ascribedalso to men.[3447]In
order to avoid the thoughts forcedfrom the word, and not seldom made the
best of by Catholic interpreters in the sense of monastic asceticism,[3448] it is
regardedeither directly as figurative,[3449]andreferring to spiritual purity,
especiallyto abstaining from the worship of idols,[3450]or, if we abide by the
proper sense ofthe words, to sexualpurity, as an example of all virtues.[3451]
Hofm. attempts to remove the difficulty by saying that the declarationis
concerning believers of the last time,[3452]to whom celibacywill become a
moral necessity, becauseofthe specialcircumstances ofthose times. But
nothing is said here concerning Christians of that time. The expedient of
Bleek[3453]and De Wette, who regard it as referring to abstinence from all
lewdness, as it was ordinarily combined with the worship of idols, is forbidden
by the expressionμετὰ τ. γυναικῶν, which is altogethergeneral.
Nothing else seems to remain than with Augustine,[3454]Jerome,[3455]Beda,
Andr., to explain it in the proper sense, and to acknowledge the idea, to which
also other points in the text lead,[3456]that entire abstinence from all sexual
intercourse belongs to the distinguished holiness of that one hundred and
forty-four thousand,[3457]because ofwhich they enjoy also distinguished
blessedness. [See Note LXXV., p. 404.]This is declaredby the words
immediately following: οὖτοι εἰσιν οἱ ἀκολουθοῦντες τῷ ἀρνίῳ ὅπου ἂν
ὑπάγει. There is generallyfound here a description of the obedience of
believers who follow the Lamb even to the cross and to death;[3458] but
because ofthe present tense, which here expressesthe presentcondition,—
while the holy manifestationin the earthly life is designatedby the aor.,—

there can be meant only a descriptionof the blessedreward which those who
have died are enjoying[3459]withthe Lamb.[3460]It is meant that
everywhere whither the Lamb goes, there that chosenone hundred and forty-
four thousand accompanyhim; whether it be that a certainspace in heaven
remain inaccessible to other saints, or that the latter do not form the constant
retinue of the Lamb, at leastnot in the same way as the former.
ΟὙΤΟΙ ἨΓΟΡΆΣΘΗΣΑΝ Ἀ̓ΠῸ ΤῶΝ ἈΝΘΡΏΠΩΝ ἈΠΑΡΧῊ Τῷ Θ.,
Κ.Τ.Λ. What applies to all the redeemed, viz., that they have been bought unto
God by the blood of the Lamb, from among men, of the earth (Revelation
14:3), or from all nations and kindreds (Revelation5:9), applies in an eminent
sense to the one hundred and forty-four thousand: they are bought as an
ἈΠΑΡΧΉ. They appear, therefore, not as the selectfirst fruits from the entire
world,[3461]but from believers, or, at any rate, from the blessed. The
correlate to the ἀπαρχή is afforded by the context: τῶν ἠγορασμένων. As such
selectfirst fruits the one hundred and forty-four thousand appear, with
respectboth to their peculiar holiness (παρθένοι), and also their peculiar
blessedness(ἀκολ. τ. ἀρν., κ.τ.λ.).
Besides distinguishedvirginity, in Revelation14:5 another peculiar perfection
is mentioned, which that multitude had manifested in their earthly life
(εὑρέθη, aor.);viz., perfect truthfulness never clouded by a lie. The expression
ψεῦδος[3462]is to be takenin its generalsense, and not to be limited to the
lies of idolatry,[3463]heresy, or denial of Christ.[3464]A contrastis easily
conceivable to the sphere of falsehoodin which the seducing false
prophet[3465]moves, with the worshippers of the beast accepting his
lies.[3466]Cf. also, in Revelation9:21, in an enumeration of the characteristic
sins of the inhabitants of the earth, the juxtaposition of πορνεία and
κλέμματα.[3467]
ἄμωμοι γάρεἰσιν. The conclusionwhich stands especiallyin analogous
relation to the immediately preceding specialpoint, as the παρθ. γ. εἰσ.,
Revelation14:4, to the immediately preceding clause,[3468]is, nevertheless,
because ofthe comprehensive meaning of the predicate ἄμωμοι,[3469]
especiallysuitable for rounding the entire description (Revelation14:4-5).
[3445]Schriftbew, II. 2, p. 392.

[3446]On the expressionἐμολυνθ., cf. Isaiah59:3; 1 Corinthians 8:7; 2
Corinthians 7:1.
[3447]Cf. Fabricius, Cod. apocr. Vet. Test., II., pp. 92, 98 (where Josephis
calledan ἀνήρ παρθένος); Kypke, Observ. sacr. adh. l. (παρθένοννἰα from
Nonnus, on John 19:26); Suidas, see on Αβελ.
[3448]N. de Lyra, Stern.
[3449]Cf. 2 Corinthians 11:2.
[3450]Victorin., Zeger, Coccejus, Grot., Vitr., Wolf; cf. also Züll.
[3451]Eichh., Beng., Hengstenb., who says that sexual intercourse, as legally
defiling, is a figurative designationof sinful defilement in general.
[3452]Cf. also C. a Lap.
[3453]Beitr., p. 185.
[3454]De s. virg., c. 27. Opp. Antw., 1701, T. VI., p. 258.
[3455]Adv. Jovin., I. c. 40. Opp. Franeof, 1684, T. II., p. 34.
[3456]See above.
[3457]So also Neander, p. 543, who, from this mode of contemplation,
properly recognizes a mark that the writer of the Apoc. is not identical with
the EvangelistJohn.—Ifthe expositionabove given be acknowledged, it must
also be maintained (againstEw. ii.) that the view, which, to the writer of the
Apoc., is fundamental, of the impurity of all sexual intercourse, is significantly
distinguished from what is said in Matthew 19:11 sqq., 1 Corinthians 7:32; 1

Corinthians 7:34, since here, under the express presumption that sexual
intercourse in marriage is an ordinance which is divine, and by no means in
itself impure, it is assertedthat certaincircumstances canmake a complete
abstinence from marriage possible and necessary. Possiblythe too far-
reaching statement of the writer of the Apocalypse is occasionedby the fact
that he wishes to emphasize in the highest degree the contrastwith the
worshippers of the beast, i.e., the Gentiles, with their sexual abominations.
[3458]Cf. Matthew 10:38. Coccej., Grot., Vitr., Wolf, who recallthe factthat
the soldiers were accustomedto swear:ἀκολουθεῖντοῖς στρατηγοῖς ὅποι ποτʼ
ἅν ἅγωσιν [“to follow the generals whithersoeverthey would go”]. Beng., De
Wette, Hengstenb., Ebrard, Ew. ii.
[3459]Cf. Revelation7:17.
[3460]Augustine, l. c., but he is not consistent;Andr., Züll., Stern.
[3461]AgainstDe Wette, Hengstenb., who improperly appealto Jam1:18,
where the express designationἀπαρχ. τῶν αὐτοῦ κτισμάτωνis given; cf. also
Jeremiah2:3.
[3462]Cf. Revelation21:27.
[3463]Grot.:“They did not invoke the gods, which are not gods;” Beng.
[3464]Cf. Hengstenb.
[3465]Revelation13:14.
[3466]Cf. Ewald, Ebrard.
[3467]Cf., besides, 1 Thessalonians 4:4 sq., and Revelation14:6.

[3468]See above.
[3469]Cf. Ephesians 1:4;
Cambridge Bible for Schools andColleges
4. for they are virgins] The first instance of the use of the word as a masculine.
It was adopted in ecclesiasticallanguage, andapplied e.g. to St John himself.
It is best to understand the word literally. St Matthew 19:12; 1 Corinthians 7
prove, on any fair interpretation, that a devout and unselfish celibacygives
specialmeans for serving God, and so we need not be surprised to learn here
that it has a specialrewardfrom Him. No disparagementof holy matrimony
is implied. Marriage is loweredby the Fall from what God meant it to be
(Genesis 3:16), and so, like other things which God made very good, has its
own evils and dangers;but it does not follow that it is here conceivedas in any
sense defilement—they who are virgins à fortiori are “not defiled with
women.” It is noticeable that we owe to the two celibate apostles the highest
consecrationof marriage, see Ephesians 5:23-33,and the last two chapters of
this Book.
being the firstfruits] This seems to imply, as is required by the view that
“virgins” strictly speaking are meant, that the 144,000 do not representthe
whole number of the Elect, but a speciallysanctifiednumber from among
them. See on Revelation7:4.
Pulpit Commentary
Verse 4. - These are they which were not defiled with women; for they are
virgins. There is little doubt that these words are intended in a spiritual sense.
In the Old Testamentthe employment of the figure of adultery and
fornication to denote spiritual unfaithfulness is common (cf. 2 Chronicles
21:11;Jeremiah 3:9, etc.). St. John elsewhere in the Apocalypse makes use of
the same symbolism (cf. Revelation2:20," Thatwoman Jezebel, which calleth
herself a prophetess, to teachand to seduce my servants to commit
fornication, and to eatthings sacrificedunto idols;" also Revelation17:5, 6).
Similarly, also, St. John pictures the faithful Church as the bride adorned for
her Husband the Lamb (Revelation19:7, 8). So also St. Paul(2 Corinthians
11:2), "I espousedyou as a chaste virgin to one Husband, Christ." Παρθένοι,
"virgins," is a word equally applicable to men or women. This verse,
therefore, seems to describe those who are free from spiritual impurity and
unfaithfulness; those who have not worshipped the beast and his image.

Alford, however, thinks the words should be understood literally. These are
they which follow the Lamb whithersoeverhe goeth. These words describe the
greatsource of the bliss of the redeemed, viz. that they are continually in the
presence ofChrist. This is their rewardfor following him on earth; but the
words must not be taken as referring to the earthly course of the saints (as
Bengel, De Wette, Hengstenberg, and others). These were redeemedfrom
among men, being the firstfruits unto God and to the Lamb; these were
purchased from among men, the firstfruits unto God and unto the Lamb.
Some have erroneouslyconcluded that a reference is made to a portion of the
redeemedto whom specialhonour is conceded;or to some who attain to glory
before the rest. The firstfruits were the best of their kind (Numbers 18:12),
selectedfrom the rest, and consecratedto the service ofGod. So the redeemed
are the best of their kind; they who have proved themselves faithful to God,
who voluntarily separatedthemselves from the world, and consecrated
themselves to the service ofGod while in the world, and who are thus
afterwards separatedby him and consecratedto his service forever.
Vincent's Word Studies
Were not defiled (οὐκ ἐμολύνθησαν)
The verb means properly to besmearor besmirch, and is never used in a good
sense, as μιαίνειν(John 18:28; Jde 1:8), which in classicalGreekis sometimes
applied to staining with color. See on 1 Peter1:4.
Virgins (παρθένοι)
Either celibate or living in chastity whether in married or single life. See 1
Corinthians 7:1-7, 1 Corinthians 7:29; 2 Corinthians 11:2.
First-fruits (ἀπαρχὴ)
See on James 1:18.
PRECEPTAUSTIN RESOURCES
BRUCE HURT MD
Revelation14:4
not defiled with women

Defiled is Ἐμολύνθησαν[Emolynthēsan]: “Causing something to be dirty soil,
smear, stain; metaphorically, as keeping the life spotless.”22The same word
describes those in the church at Sardis who “had not defiled their garments”
(Rev. 3:4‣ ). Their faithful service of the Lamb was exemplary and motivated
by their consuming obedience to His will, because they “follow the Lamb
whereverHe goes.”This does not indicate that they were sinless, for they are
among those needing redemption. This verse does not negate the divine
institution and blessing upon married sexualrelations for “marriage is
honorable among all, and the bed undefiled; but fornicators and adulterers
God will judge” (Heb. 13:4). Perhaps these minister at a time when the
institution of marriage has all but fallen by the wayside (not inconceivable if
present trends continue) and relations with womenare almostexclusively
outside of the bounds of marriage in their time? Theirs is a time characterized
by fornication (Rev. 9:21‣ ), perhaps pagan rites of old are flourishing once
again, but on a globalbasis:
We have more than once, in the Epistles to the Assemblies, and on Revelation
9:20‣ , 21‣ , saidthat Fornicationwill be part of the greatreligious system of
Anti-Christ in the coming time of trouble and temptation; as it formed an
obligatory part of the greatpagan systems of idolatry. Idolatry was not a mere
sin into which people gradually sunk; but it was a Satanic device into which
people rose in order to gratify the lusts of the flesh under the cloak of
religion.23
The worship of Antichrist during the Tribulation will be unspeakablyvile and
perverse. As it did in the fertility cults of ancient times, sexual sin will
apparently run rampant. Even in the current grosslyimmoral day, we can
hardly imagine what the deviant sexual perversionof the Tribulation will be
like. With all divine restraint removed (2Th. 2:6-7) and the unbelieving world
judgmentally abandonedby God (cf. Rom. 1:24, 26, 28), sin will be released
like a flood, inundating the world.24
But in the fearful days of abandonment “as in the days of Noah”—whenlust
and violence will again fill the whole earth (as we see beginning now!) how
wonderful to behold this company of 144,000who have chosento be entirely
separatedunto the Lamb and unto His Father, and who are thus, despite the
days!25
In their complete dedicationto the service of the Lamb, they voluntarily chose
to forgo relations with womenin order to focus completely on their unique
God-given task during the Tribulation.
they are virgins

These are physical virgins, for why else would it be said of this particular
group of saints that they are virgins? All the saints are virgins in the spiritual
sense ofbeing setaside and dedicatedto God. “I have betrothed you to one
husband, that I may presentyou as a chaste virgin to Christ” (2Cor. 11:2).
Jesus explained, “there are eunuchs who were born thus from their mother’s
womb, and there are eunuchs who were made eunuchs by men, and there are
eunuchs who have made themselves eunuchs for the kingdom of heaven’s
sake. He who is able to acceptit, let him acceptit” (Mat. 19:12) “Notonly is
there virgin purity of life, but there is also virgin love—undivided heart
affectionfor the Lamb.”26 These are eunuchs for the kingdom of heaven’s
sake. Byboth choice and gifting, they were enabled to give their full focus to
ministry at the time of the end.
Do not deprive one another exceptwith consentfor a time, that you may give
yourselves to fasting and prayer; and come togetheragainso that Satan does
not tempt you because ofyour lack of self-control. But I say this as a
concession, notas a commandment. For I wish that all men were even as I
myself. But eachone has his own gift from God, one in this manner and
another in that. . . . But as God has distributed to eachone, as the Lord has
calledeachone, so let him walk. And so I ordain in all the churches. . . . But I
want you to be without care. He who is unmarried cares for the things of the
Lord—how he may please the Lord. (1Cor. 7:5-7, 17, 32)
who follow the Lamb wherever He goes
This speaks oftheir complete obedience to do the will of the Lamb. In the
same way that the Lamb followedthe Father (John 4:34), so these followed
the Lamb. Those who fully follow God are blessed. Joshua and Calebwere
allowedinto the Promised Land because they followedGod fully (Num.
14:24). A scribe claimed he would follow Jesus “whereverYou go,” but there
is always a costto such discipleship (Mat. 8:19-22;Luke 9:57-62). Those who
would know and serve the Mastermust first of all be followers, “My sheep
hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me” (John 10:27). “If
anyone serves Me, let him follow Me; and where I am there My servant will
be also” (John 12:26).
These are among the rest of the woman’s offspring who kept the commands of
God. See commentaryon Revelation12:17. If this scene is in heaven (see
commentary on Revelation14:1), then their obedience had ultimately cost

them their lives. Unlike Peter, they had not denied their Lord, but had
followedthe Lamb even through the portal of death and into eternal life:
Simon Petersaid to Him, “Lord, where are You going?” Jesus answeredhim,
“Where I am going you cannot follow Me now, but you shall follow Me
afterward.” Petersaid to Him, “Lord, why can I not follow You now? I will
lay down my life for Your sake.”Jesus answeredhim, “Will you lay down
your life for My sake?Mostassuredly, I say to you, the roostershall not crow
till you have denied Me three times.” (John 13:36-38)
These were redeemed
ἠγοράσθησαν[ēgorasthēsan]:“Literally buy, purchase, do business in the
marketplace”27 (1Cor. 6:20;Eph. 1:14). The purchase price was the Lamb’s
blood (Acts 20:28; Rev. 1:5‣ ; 5:9‣ ; 12:11‣ ). See commentary on Revelation
1:5.
firstfruits
Ἀπαρχὴ [Aparchē]: “In Mosaic ceremoniallaw, a technical term for the first
portion of grain and fruit harvests and flocks offeredto God . . . figuratively,
of persons as the first of a setor categoryfirst: as the first converts in an area
(Rom. 16.5).”28 The firstfruits was the first portion of a harvestwhich was
dedicatedto God. It demonstrated the priority which was given to God
because the first of that which had been long awaitedwas bypassedby the
harvesterand given to God (Lev. 23:10-14). By honoring God with one’s
firstfruits, the resulting blessing would provide a greateryield. The nation of
Israelis said to be the firstfruits of God’s increase which would eventually
include multitudes of redeemedGentiles (Jer. 2:3). James indicated that the
early church was “a kind of firstfruits of His creatures” (Jas. 1:18). In the
time since, the harvest has spreadto multitudes around the world. Here, after
the Church Age and the fullness of the Gentiles has come in (Rom. 11:25),
these representthe firstfruits of the spiritual awakening ofIsrael in
preparation for the Millennial Kingdom to follow (Eze. 37).29
For I do not desire, brethren, that you should be ignorant of this mystery, lest
you should be wise in your own opinion, that blindness in part has happened
to Israel until the fullness of the Gentiles has come in. And so all Israelwill be
saved, as it is written: “The Delivererwill come out of Zion, and He will turn
awayungodliness from Jacob.” (Rom. 11:25-26)
They may also be consideredfirstfruits from the perspective of their unique
preservationthrough the Tribulation enabling them to contribute to the initial
Jewishpopulation which enters the Millennial Kingdom in their natural
bodies and subsequently populates the kingdom (Isa. 65:20, 23).

These sealedJews[Rev. 7:4-8‣ ]are those who come to faith in Jesus as
Messiahduring the Tribulation period. They are further describedas “first
fruits unto God and to the Lamb” (Rev. 14:4‣ ), indicating that they compose
the first stage of a final harvest of Jewishsouls to be gatheredlater at the
Lord’s coming in glory. . . . These comprise the “remnant” of Jews “who keep
the commandments of God, and have the testimony of Jesus Christ” (Rev.
12:17‣ b).30
See commentary on Revelation7:4, Revelation11:13, and Revelation20:4.
3.14.5 -Revelation14:5
in their mouth
Scripture implicates the mouth as the organwhich speaks forththe heart:
“Broodof vipers! How canyou, being evil, speak goodthings? Forout of the
abundance of the heart the mouth speaks”(Mat. 12:34);“These people draw
near to Me with their mouth, and honor Me with their lips, but their heart is
far from Me” (Mat. 15:8); “But those things which proceedout of the mouth
come from the heart, and they defile a man” (Mat. 15:18);“Forwith the heart
one believes unto righteousness,and with the mouth confessionis made unto
salvation” (Rom. 10:10). The tendency of the tongue toward evil, and the
immense difficulty with which it is harnessedis a frequent theme of
Scripture.31
These are standing upon Mount Zion, God’s holy hill:
LORD, who may abide in Your tabernacle? Who may dwell in Your holy hill?
He who walks uprightly, and works righteousness, andspeaks the truth in his
heart; He who does not backbite with his tongue, nor does evil to his neighbor,
nor does he take up a reproach againsthis friend. (Ps. 15:1-3) [emphasis
added]
May their obedient and dedicatedstate before the Lamb be ever before us as
motivation in our walk during the present age!
was found no deceit
Their mouths are to be contrastedwith the blasphemous mouth of the Beast.
See commentary on Revelation13:5. Unlike the masses upon the earth at the
time of their ministry, they do not mouth the lie (2Th. 2:11). Their mouths are
like that of wisdom and of the Lamb:
Listen, for I will speak of excellentthings, and from the opening of my lips will
come right things; for my mouth will speak truth; wickednessis an

abomination to my lips. All the words of my mouth are with righteousness;
nothing crookedorperverse is in them. (Pr. 8:6-8)
And they made His grave with the wicked-Butwith the rich at His death,
because He had done no violence, nor was any deceit in His mouth. (Isa. 53:9)
They are firstfruits in at leasttwo ways: they are the first among many
redeemedJews during the Tribulation and they are the first among a purified
Israelwhich will result from the time of Jacob’s Trouble:
I will leave in your midst a meek and humble people, and they shall trust in
the name of the LORD. The remnant of Israelshall do no unrighteousness
and speak no lies, nor shall a deceitful tongue be found in their mouth; for
they shall feed their flocks and lie down, and no one shall make them afraid.
(Zep. 3:12-13)
They represent the early stages ofthe glorious promise made to Israelas part
of her New Covenant:
But this is the covenantthat I will make with the house of Israel after those
days, says the LORD: I will put My law in their minds, and write it on their
hearts; and I will be their God, and they shall be My people. No more shall
every man teachhis neighbor, and every man his brother, saying, ‘Know the
LORD,’ for they all shall know Me, from the leastof them to the greatestof
them, says the LORD. ForI will forgive their iniquity, and their sin I will
remember no more. (Jer. 31:33-34)
without fault
Ἄμωμοι [Amōmoi], used “ofthe absence ofdefects in sacrificialanimals,”32
spotless. Applied to these, it denotes being blameless.33“Inthe Septuagint,
amōmos is used as an ethicalterm and consistentlyrefers to the holy behavior
of the faithful (Ps. 119:1;Pr. 11:5) and, on occasion, is even applied as a title
of honor to God himself (Ps. 18:30). . . . Christ was amōmos because there was
no spot or blemish in him. Thus he could ask:‘Which of you convicts Me of
sin?’ (John 8:46).”34 As exemplary as their conduct has been during their
ministry, this speaksofsomething far beyond what they themselves were able
to exhibit.
before the throne of God
This phrase does not appear in the NU or MT texts, but only in the TR text. It
may have been added in an attempt to equate the 144,000with those who sing
before the throne, the living creatures, and the elders (Rev. 14:3‣ ). However,
the singers may be the harpists. See commentary on Revelation14:1.

The phrase “without fault before the throne of God” canbe seenin terms of a
heavenly scale ofperfection. On one end is fault. On the other end is God.
How can these two be found together? Only because the central mechanism of
the scale is the cross of Christ, the “tree of life!” Having been redeemedand
washedby His blood (Rev. 1:5‣ ), they stand clothed in the perfectionof the
Son before the Father. All their sins are castbehind them (Isa. 38:17) and they
are without spot or wrinkle (Eph. 5:27). They are holy and blameless in His
sight (Col. 1:22). They are “faultless before the presence ofGod” (Jude 1:24).
CHRIS BENFIELD
A Glorious Victory Celebration(Message# 32)
Revelation14:1-5
We have spent severalweeksstudying the dark, disturbing passagesthat
have dealt with Satan, the Antichrist, the False Prophet, and the mark of the
Beast. We have seenhow the world will be deceivedand commit them-selves
to the worship of Satan. Tonight we come to a passageofhope amidst the
darkness as we see the 144,000 aroundthe throne.
The Bible must deal with the deceitof Satan and the depravity of man, but
that isn’t its central theme. The Bible is the HIM Book;Jesus is the theme and
focus of the Bible. Among the tragedies and wickednessofa sin cursedworld
blooms the Lilly of the Valley, the Rose ofSharon. Once againwe find a scene
of rejoicing and triumph in the midst of greatTribulation. We are dealing
with literal future events, but we can draw encouragementfrom the pages of
Revelation. Our world is dark, but we are not without hope! Let’s take some
time to rejoice as we consider: A Glorious Victory Celebration.
I. The Identification of the 144,000(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. We 1stencounteredthese men in
Chp.7:3-4. They were sealedof Godto carry the gospelof Christ to those who
would receive Him during the Tribulation.
 We have now come to the end of their ministry. They have kept the faith and
finished the course, finally being martyred by the Antichrist, and now their

faith has ended in sight. There are a couple of things we need to consider
concerning them.
A. Their Association(1a) – Keep in mind that the vast majority of mankind
has bought into the lies of Satanand have chosento follow Antichrist and
receive his mark. They have aligned themselves with the counterfeit of Christ.
These on the other hand, have given themselves to the Lord and His work. At
the end of life they are found standing with the Lamb. All of the suffering and
hardship they’ve facedhas ended and they have been receivedby the Lamb of
God.
 What hope that gives to every child of God! There is much that we must
endure in this life. We are often ridiculed and rejectedbecause ofour
associationwith the Lord, but there is coming a day when we shall be
welcomedinto that heavenly city. The trials of this life won’t evenbegin to
compare with the glory that we shall behold. Rom.8:18 – For I reckonthat the
sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be comparedwith the glory
which shall be revealedin us. All the mockery, tragedy, and suffering ended
with the wonderful privilege of standing with the One they had endured so
much to see. We will also see Him as He is.
B. Their Assurance (1b) – The world had given in to acceptthe mark of the
Beast. Theyare now identified with Satanand will spend eternity with him in
torments. These have found a much different destiny. They were sealedwith
God the Father’s name written in their foreheads. Theywere identified as
belonging to the Lord.
 As they stand before the host of heaven, His name still remains. Satanhas
marked those who belong to him and God has sealedthe 144,000 withHis
name. They had put their faith in the Lord and He hadn’t failed them. There
were 144,000 thatwere sent out to preach the gospeland here we find 144,000,
all present and accountedfor, standing before the Lord. There had not been a
one of them lost during the Tribulation; there wasn’t a one of them that God
could not keep.
 That ought to make you rejoice tonight. We will not endure the Tribulation,
but we have that same assurance. Ifyou have been savedtonight, you are
secure in the Lord. He hasn’t lost a one who has come to Him and He isn’t
about to lose you! Jn.10:28-29 – And I give unto them eternallife; and they

shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand. My
Father, which gave them me, is greaterthan all; and no man is able to pluck
them out of my Father's hand. Satan may not like it, but we are safe and
secure in the hands of our blessedLord! We are gonna’ make it!
I. The Identification of the 144,000(1)
II. The Celebrationof the 144,000 – As the faithful of God find themselves in
the land of their dreams, a greatcelebrationbegins. Let me saythat heaven
will not be a place of sorrow and depression;it won’t be a gloomy place where
hearts are heavy, loaded with care. Heavenwill resound with the rejoicing
and praise of God’s people. Notice this celebration. It is:
A. An Unending Celebration – We find in V.1 that these have been ushered
into Mount Sion. In the Bible Zion always refers to the city of Jerusalem.
There is a difference in opinion as to where these men actually are. Some
believe that the text is referring to Jerusalemin the time of the Millennial
Reign. Others believe that this is referring to the New Jerusalem, the heavenly
city. This seems to be what the text supports. They are found before the
throne among the four beasts and the elders.
 Consider the joy that these now have found. They have endured the famines,
the droughts, the persecution, and death while preaching to a lostworld. They
have spent their time witnessing the entire world rejectGod and follow the
Antichrist. Theirs was not an easyexistence. Butnow all of that is a distant
memory; they have been delivered to worship the Lord they were faithful to
for all of eternity.
 That sounds like my kind of place, a celebrationthat I look forward to
experiencing. I rejoice in the fact that this world is not all there is. We have
the promise of a home in heaven where we’ll have the privilege of worshipping
our blessedLord throughout eternity!
B. A United Choir (2) – And I heard a voice from heaven, as the voice of many
waters, and as the voice of a greatthunder: and I heard the voice of harpers
harping with their harps: These sing the song of the redeemed, praising the
Lamb who delivered and purchased their redemption.

 John described a voice, (singular) as the sound of many waters, the sound of
greatthunder. Imagine the scene that we shall behold, 144,000servants of
God will lift their voices in praise to the Redeemer in perfectharmony. We
can’t begin to imagine the beauty of heaven’s sights and sounds. There will be
no sweetersound than the redeemed singing praises to God.
C. An Unknown Chorus (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. They will sing a new song that no man can sing but these
144,000.It will be a song that is unique unto them. They alone have endured
these trials; they alone will know the words to this glorious song. The church
will be able to enjoy this wonderful chorus, but we won’t be able to sing it
with them.
 We maybe can’t sing that song, but every child of God has a song to sing!
Ps.40:2-3. Ihave a song within my heart for the Lord. I know what it is to be
brought out of the miry clay of sin. I know what it is to have been placed upon
the Rock ofmy salvation. I know what it is to feel His presence nearme. That
certainly puts a song in my heart!
 We are really the only ones who have a song in our day. There are many
who earn large sums of money as music artists, but they can’t sing our song.
Our song is sung from the heart to the glory of our Redeemer!
I. The Identification of the 144,000(1)
II. The Celebrationof the 144,000
III. The Presentationofthe 144,000 (4-5)– There will be many saints that
receive greatrewards in heaven. Consider the crowns of Abraham, Moses,
David, the prophets, and the apostles. Greatwill be the rewards of many, but
these will receive a great rewardas well. These have stoodthe test during the
difficulties of Tribulation and emergedvictorious. As they are presentedto
God Himself, there characteris revealed. May their stand serve as a challenge
to us today! Notice:

A. Their Spiritual Purity (4a) – These are they which were not defiled with
women; for they are virgins. The word defiled means “polluted, stained, or
contaminated.” They have kept themselves pure of the defilement of sin
through fornication. There is much sexual perversion in the world today and
it will be rampant in the Tribulation. These have kept their lives pure before
God.
 There is more than what we see on the surface to their purity. Spiritually
they are pure before the Lord. They haven’t defiled themselves with the
seductive greatwhore of Tribulation. They have kept themselves committed to
the bridegroom who purchasedthem.
 I know our world is filled with perversion, but we as God’s people must
keepourselves pure, physically and spiritually. Young people keepyourselves
pure. Christian keepyourselves pure from seductionand this world’s religion.
We are the bride of Christ and should behave as such!
B. Their SacrificialPersistence(4b) – These were wholly surrendered to the
ways of God, they which follow the Lamb withersoeverhe goeth. They would
not compromise the truth due to the pressures they faced. They were
consistentin serving the Lord and going at His command. Their lives were
lived entirely for the Lord, come what may. The persistence ofthese has
spokento my heart. They servedGod in the midst of greatTribulation.
 We often find it hard to serve Him in a Christian environment. We have
fellow believers and the church to lean on. God expects us to live committed to
Him and His purpose for our lives. The word follow means to be in the same
way as someone else. We are to live our lives as Jesus did.
C. Their Symbolic Prophecy (4c) – These were redeemedfrom among men,
being the firstfruits unto God and to the Lamb. In the OT days of sacrifice,
the people brought what was known as a “wave offering.” Theywould bring
the first sheaves ofgrain from the new harvest into the Temple, waving it
before the Lord as a testimony to the harvest that would follow. These men
were calledto carry the gospelmessage. Theyhave been faithful to the task
and are receiving their reward, but their work hasn’t ceasedto exist. There
will be countless more that will be saved because oftheir labor in the harvest.

 This ought to encourage us to continue in the harvest. You might think you
have been of little value, that your life hasn’t been very fruitful. Listen it isn’t
our job to save them; we are calledto scatterthe seed. I’m sure it will be
amazing to see the harvest that has been produced from seemingly
insignificant lives. Just keepsowing the gospelseed!
D. Their Sanctified Position(5) – And in their mouth was found no guile: for
they are without fault before the throne of God. These have been examined as
they stand before God. They are without fault. There is no guile found in their
mouths. Guile literally means “a decoyor a deceitful image.” It has the idea
of “one who isn’t what he appears.” Theseare not decoys;they are not
counterfeits;these are the “realdeal.” They have professedthe name of Christ
and have been found worthy!
 This dark, sinful world needs to see men who have no guile. They need to see
the genuine article. We need not be found as hypocrites. Our lives ought to
reflectwhat we proclaim. We need to be people of character, living in private
the same as we do in public.
 The fact is this world knows who we are. We have a personalrelationship
with Christ and the world needs to see and recognize our faithfulness to Him.
Anyone can talk the talk; let’s walk the walk!
I hope you have been encouragedand challengedby these verses. The one
thing that kept coming to my mind is that a Christian’s life is never lived in
vain. You may not always enjoy the trip, but God is keeping a record. We
have a precious opportunity to live life to the fullest for Jesus. Are you
satisfiedwith your life as it is? If not, come and seek the Lord.
ALAN CARR
Revelation14:1-5
AFTER THE STORMS HAVE PASSED

Intro: If you have been studying along with us as we have moved through this
amazing book, you know that the last two chapters have been dark,
depressing and discouraging. We have been talking about the devil, the
Antichrist and the False Prophet. We have witnessedthe depths of depravity
as man abandons his Creatorto worship the devil through his false Christ.
Now, the scene changes!Chapter 14 is like a glorious rainbow after and
fierce storm. God takes the brush of His grace and repaints the landscape of
the Revelation. He gives us a breath of heavenly air in these verses. Only God
can do that! Only God can take that which is horrible beyond words and turn
it into a thing of glory. That is just what He does in these verses.
In this passagewe are allowedto get a little glimpse of heavenly glory. We
are allowedto see the Lamb of God. He is the theme of the book and He is
centerstage in these verses. It would be a blessing if we could figure out how
to keepJesus at the center of everything we do in our lives as individuals and
in the life of the church.
In these verses we meet again the 144,000Jewishevangelistswho were
selectedand sealedin chapter 7. These men have preachedthe Gospelof the
Kingdom during the darkestdays of the Tribulation. They were persecutedby
the Antichrist, but they were preserved by God. At some point during the
Tribulation, when they have servedtheir purpose, God will allow the 144,000
to be killed by Antichrist. These men will then join their Redeemer, the Lamb
of God, in His glory in Heaven.
That is the scene we are going to investigate today. These men have
weathereda terrible storm here on the earth. Now, for them at least, the
storm is over and they are home with the Lamb. I want to show you the facts
revealedin these verses concerning the 144,000. Iwant to preachon the
though After The Storms Have Passed.
I. v. 1 THEY ARE A RESCUED ARMY
A. They Are ProtectedBy God – When we first met this group of men, it was
in Rev. 7:3-4. There the Bible says, “Saying, Hurt not the earth, neither the
sea, nor the trees, till we have sealedthe servants of our God in their
foreheads. And I heard the number of them which were sealed:and there
were sealedan hundred and forty and four thousand of all the tribes of the
children of Israel.”
These men have been sealedby God and have been protectedby Him
through the darkestdays of the Tribulation. Hundreds of millions, perhaps

even billions of people have die, but these men have been protected through it
all because they have been sealedby God. The earth will be stainedred with
the blood of holy martyrs, but these men will be protected through it all!
Satanwill hunt them and harass them, but he will be powerless to kill them
because they have been sealedby God. They have His Name in their foreheads
and they are untouchable! Satanmarked His people and they are headed to
Hell, GodsealedHis servants and they are bound for glory!
(Note:I would just remind you that Satanmarks his people, Rev. 13:16. In the
Tribulation he will mark them with the Mark of the Beast. Today, he marks
their bodies, their hearts and their minds with the scars oftheir sins. Satan
marks all those who follow him.
God, on the other hand, seals His people. He places His sealupon them
and labels them as His Own possession, Titus 2:14; 2 Cor. 1:22; Eph. 1:13;
4:30. The Spirit of God took up residence in our hearts and He sealedHimself
in and He sealedSatanout!)
B. They Are PreservedBy God – When these men arrive on Mount Zion
there are just as many there were when they were sealedback in chapter 7.
God sealed144,000andnow 144,000standwith the Lamb in glory. There are
not 143,999;there are 144,000.He brought in just as many as He calledout!
(Note:The same is true for all of God’s saints!According to His Word, we
have been “sealedunto the day of redemption”, Eph. 4:30. We are also told
that Jesus will not lose a single on of those given to Him by His Father, John
6:37-40. Those who are saved are as sure for Heaven as if they were already
there, Rom. 8:28-30;Eph. 2:6. Jesus gives eternallife and eternalsecurity to
every single personwho trusts Him for their salvation.
When the roll is calledin glory, not a single person will be missing. When
the family gathers for the Marriage Supper of the Lamb, there will not be an
empty seatat the table! God will bring ALL His children home!)
C. They Are PresentedTo God – We are t old that these men meet the Lamb
on “Mt. Zion”. This is an ancient name for the city of Jerusalem, 2 Sam. 5:7;
Psalm48:2. Jerusalemis referred to as Mount Zion at least21 times in the
Word of God.

Some commentators believe that John is referring to the earthly city of
Jerusalem. Theythink we are seeing a vision of the coming Millennium, when
Jesus will rule on the earth for 1,000 years.
I just happen to believe that we are seeing a heavenly scene!These men
have served their time. They have fulfilled their mission and they have been
brought in the presence ofthe Almighty. Verse 3 talks about heavenly singing.
Verse 5 shows them standing before the throne of God in glory. These men
have been rescuedout of a world gone mad and they are home in the presence
of the Fatherand the Lamb of God.
(Note:I praise the Lord that there is a better place waiting on the people
of God! If this world was Heavenas some groups claim, I would want it. No,
there is a better place waiting on the children of God when we leave this
world! Jesus told us a little bit about it, John 14:1-3. John told us a lot about
it, Rev. 21-22. My mind has tried to think about that place. But, one day, these
eyes will see its glory! These feetwill walk its endless streets. These earswill
hear the sweetsongs ofZion and they will hear the sweetestsound to ever fall
upon them. They will hear the Savior say, “Enter thou in to the joy of thy
Lord!” Praise God!One day, we are going home!)
I. They Are A RescuedArmy
II. v. 2-3 THEY ARE A REJOICING ARMY
A. v. 2 A New Setting – These men have been rescuedfrom the terrors of the
Tribulation. They have witnesseddeath and destruction on an unprecedented
level. They have watchedthe world turn its back on Godand embrace the
devil as their new god. They have seenthis world fall at the feet of the
Antichrist and worship him as god. They have seenthings more horrible than
anything you and I could ever imagine. But, this verse finds them home, in
Heaven, in the presence of the Lord Jesus. Theyare home! And Heaven is
filled with the sounds of their worship and their praises. Heaven is filled with
joy because ofthe presence of the Lamb.
(Note:What a contrastthere is betweenthis world and Heaven. This world is
a world filled with pain sorrow and tears;none of those things will be allowed
over there, Rev. 21:4. This world is marred by disease and death; they will not
be found over there. This world is in the grip of sin and Satan; both will be

banned in Heaven, Rev. 21:28. This world is perishing; that world will endure
for all eternity!
They are rejoicing in Heaven today. We will join them one day soon!One
day, we will take our last steps in this wicked, harsh world. We will leave here
and we will fly away to be with the One Who died for us on Calvary’s cross.
We will see the One Who took loved in spite of our sins. We will see Jesus and
the will be Heaven! We are headed to a city, and one day we will be home!)
B. v. 3 A New Song – The 144,000 are overcome withjoy because they are in
the presence ofGod and the Lamb. They are overwhelmed and they burst into
song. They sing a song that is unique to them. It is a new song and no one is
qualified to sing it but them! The word “learn” means “to understand”. No
one canunderstand their song because no one has had their experiences.
(Note:A new song is mentioned some seven times in the Old Testament. It is
always used as a means to praise the Lord for some great, amazing thing He
has done, Ill. Psa. 98:1.
Ill. There was a day when the Lord savedmy soul. When He did, He
placed a “new song” within my heart! The only songs my soul knew were the
songs ofthe world. All my soul knew were the laments and dirges of a life of
sin and sorrow. But, when He savedme, He gave me a brand new song, Psa.
40:1-3. If you are saved, you know what I am talking about!
I went down that day singing the song of the broken hearted lostsinner. I
came up singing “Amazing grace, how sweetthe sound, that saved a wretch
like me. I once was lostbut now I’m found, was blind but now I see.” Since
that glorious day, God has been adding verses to my song of praise! That day,
I knew that He had saved me and that was about all. Now, I can sing of His
faithfulness, His blessings, His glory, His goodness, His grace, His presence,
and His provisions. I cansing because He has changedmy life and given me a
new song. He has given me a song that is as unique as I am. If you are saved,
He has done the same for you!
I can’t put every word of my song into verse down here, but when I get
home to glory, I will sing the new, new song with glory in my soul. I will have
the vocabularyand the means with which to praise Him in glory!
While I may not be able to sing the whole song now, I do want to lift my
voice ad share the parts I can put into words. I want to praise Him for saving
my soul! He is worthy of our love and praise!)

I. They Are A RescuedArmy
II. They Are a Rejoicing Army
III. v. 4-5 THEY ARE A REDEEMED ARMY
(Ill. These 144,000are a specialgroup of people. They representthe choicest
of God’s servants down through the ages.There have been many men and
women who have made their mark for Jesus, but these men stand a little taller
than the rest.
These next two verses describe these men. What the Bible says about them
should be true of every saint of God. These men have not even been savedyet,
but their dedicationto the Lord Jesus alreadyserves as a model for every
believer.)
A. v. 4a TheyAre Spotless – We are told that these men have maintained
their physical purity. They have not fallen prey to the sins of the flesh that will
mark the lastdays.
Beyond that, they have not succumbed to the spiritual fornication that will
run rampant in the world during the Tribulation days. The world will go after
the “greatwhore”, Rev. 14:8;Rev. 17:1, but these men will state separated
and holy during an apostate age.
(Note:God expects the same from His children in all ages. His command is for
us to stayseparate from this wickedworld, 2 Cor. 6:17. We are to hate “even
the garment spottedby the flesh”, Jude 23.)
B. v. 4b They Are Surrendered – These 144,000preachers hadfollowed the
Lord Jesus whereverHe lad them. They did not turn back through fear. They
did not turn awayfrom their task, even though it was dangerous and costly.
They stayed the course. They followedthe Lamb. The word “follow” means
“to be in the same way as”. These menwalkedin the ways of the Lord. They
made His way their way and they stayed the course for the glory of God.
(Note:Again, this is just what God expects from eachone of us. He saved us to
walk in His will and to follow His ways. He wants us to be obedient,
surrendered followers. He wants us to make His way our way! Of course, this

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