Revelation Chapter 14 Verse 1

 It was in Chapter 7, at the beginning of the Tribulation Period, where

we were originally introduced to these twelve thousand from each of

the twelve tribes of Israel. Now we see them again, perfectly preserved

and standing in strength at the (describing of) end of the Great

Tribulation. Although Satan, the AntiChrist and the False Prophet

have succeeded in totally suppressing, dominating, and overcoming

the entire world, their domination is not comprehensive (and I love

that)!

 First of all, how frustrating it must be for the enemy of my soul to do

all that he can do in his finest hour and still FAIL! 1 John 4:4 says,

“He who is in you is greater than he who is in the world!” AND,

(here’s encouragement) even today, the enemy has had a hay day in

certain corners of my yesterdays. And yet, he has not taken all. It’s

just as Joseph said to his brothers in Genesis 50:20, “As for you, you

meant evil against me; but God meant it for good, in order to bring it

about as it is this day!”

 So even if I have failures from yesterday…, accountability, humility,

courage and full ownership of it all, (because it is MY life after all),

and God will Romans 8:28 it… “All things work together for good to

those who love God, to those who are the called according to His

purpose!” So even in the mistakes, failures, difficulties of the past,

frustrate the enemy with the remnant! Just like we are seeing here!

 And notice they have “His Father’s name written on their foreheads.”

Why doesn’t it say, “The Father’s name…?” Because a point is being

made here that their single qualification for being who they are and

standing where they are standing is because the Lamb has brought

them to the Father.

 Jesus spoke of His Father all throughout His earthly ministry. Then He

goes to the cross. Then He raises Himself from the grave. Then, (and

it’s only then), that He says this in John 20:17, “I am ascending to My

Father AND YOUR FATHER, and to My God and your God.”

 Without Jesus, we are not children of God. We are the creation of

God, all men and women made in His image, but we aren’t grafted

into the family of God the Father, recipients of inheritance, until we

are born again into the family of God. Jesus said to the Phairsees who

were against Him that day (John 8:44), “You are of your father the

devil, and the desire of your father you want to do…” When it is John

1:12 that says, “As many as received Him, to them He gave the right

to become the children of God, to those who believe in His name…”

 So, this 144k sealed with the name of the Father of Jesus Christ who

through Him and what Jesus has done has enabled them (and us) to

become the direct sons and daughters of the Most High and co-heirs

of the promises of God through Him!

Revelation Chapter 14 Verses 2-3

 How could it be that even as John hears this new song, he’s not able to

learn it? It’s very simple, John hasn’t gone through the testing and

tribulation that they have… They alone could sing of what they have

seen, what they have felt, what they have observed God do on their

behalf in the time of Great Tribulation.

 And just like that, every one of us is able to sing a new song unto God

that no one else is able to learn. Because it is a song of our reality,

composed behind our eyes, that speaks of what we have been through

and what God has walked us through. And that new song brings glory

to God!

 I like what Courson says on this topic, “One thing stands in the way,

sympathy.” I can either go through challenges and hard times with a

symphony in my heart, staying close to the lamb with the Father ever

on my mind, knowing that He has promised not only to strengthen me

in them but to walk me through them…, or I can choose to latch onto

sympathy from people.

 If I choose to latch onto sympathy, always it will be at the expense of

ultimately trusting in God and what He has intended for me in my

circumstance because the underlying implication in that is what is

happening in my life is out of God’s control. Being comforted by your

fellow man is a blessing and we as Christians should be readily

comforting to the suffering, but there is a much greater and more

sustaining comfort to be found in the Comforter Himself.

 God is totally, absolutely, completely faithful to meet us in every

trial. To strengthen us and teach us of sufficiency and purpose and

power and humility. Don’t let His plan and character be defiled in the

hearts of others who might say, “I feel so sorry for you.” Remember,

strengthen yourself, and tell them “God is good… What I’m dealing

with now is hard but I am discovering that the Father is exactly who

He claimed to be – a God who comforts!”

 It’s the difference between being self-consumed, self-focused or a

person of worship and faith in the depth of their character. Share with

them your symphony as these are sharing theirs with John. They won’t

be able to learn it but notice the power in what John does hear…, “The

voice of many waters and loud thunder.”

 Your song of God’s faithfulness and sufficiency, seen in that somehow

even what you go through brings people and points them to God…,

that is NOT of this world! That is opposite of a self-consumed

culture, that demands the service of others and never gets enough…,

and THAT will stun others to the point of seeing not you but the

strength of the Father through you!

Revelation Chapter 14 Verse 4

 Verse 4 doesn’t speak of marriage because we know according to

Hebrews 13:4 that “Marriage is honorable among all, and the bed

undefiled, but fornicators and adulterers God will judge.” The word

in the Greek for defile here is a word meaning unpure. So, the

statement here is certainly that these 144k are virgins but in no way is

the meaning that women defile men or the other way around. In fact,

Eve was brought to Adam and Adam was provided for Eve because

without each other they remained incomplete.

Revelation Chapter 14 Verse 5

 Notice, these 144,000 have purity of mind, they have power and

authority in their voices, they have a song on their heart, they have the

Lamb in their midst, they have humility, sweetness and truth in their

mouths, and in that, they themselves are fruit unto God having no fault

before the throne of God! (We’ll come back to that in a moment…)

 One thing that will sap your power in a trial and certainly kill the

symphony of your heart towards God is if you aren’t pure in heart.

Now, that doesn’t mean perfect in heart. Purity is something that can

be lost and restored. Perfection, by definition, is not that. James 4:7-8

says, “Submit to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you. Draw

near to God and He will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you

sinners; and purify your hearts, you double-minded.”

 Purity of heart is to battle contempt. It is to honor not yourself but

to honor God. And the result will be power, character that is

continually building, and ultimately your life will bring forth and be

surrounded by the fruit of the Spirit!

 Now, just to return for a moment to this last statement, “They are

without fault before the throne of God.” This is not a statement,

obviously not, that these 144k are perfect in and of themselves. There

are two ways to approach this. First, this is simply the result of them

standing with the Lamb. And it is through Him, through Jesus, that

they are positionally perfect and wholly acceptable before the God the

Father. Just like you and me.

 Second way to take this…, the seal of the name of the Father on their

foreheads is the exact opposite of the seal of the name of the beast on

the foreheads of the world. That somehow supernaturally those that

take the mark of the beast at that point cannot be saved…, somehow

the mark of the Father supernaturally at that point makes them

something else, super human if you will, as described as, “First fruits

to God and to the Lamb.”

Revelation Chapter 14 Verse 6

 I dig this because the infantry, the 144,000 are boots on ground and

here comes the air support! God has air support for us today! I just

need to trust him! Hebrews 1:14 tells us that the angels are ministering

spirits FOR us and so look…, say your piece, control yourself as a

child of God and a vessel of honor even when others are stuck in self-

centereddom! (Self-Centered DUMB ha!!) And then remember your

air support…that those angels are gonna even go to them and be like,

“Way to make a fool of yourself again, Jack!”

Revelation Chapter 14 Verse 7

 God is so good. If I were to give the angel his script then it would be,

“The time of judgement has come…run suckers!!” HA. But God’s

heart is even for His enemies! Here we are in the midst of an entire

planet that is plugged into their personal images of the beast,

worshipping him and praising him as their god and yet the Father still

cries out to save them. We serve a merciful, loving God and even now,

His grace abounds…

 Jesus spoke of this in Matthew 24 in a verse that I believe has been

perhaps misinterpreted by many. Jesus said in Matthew 24:9-14,

“Then they will deliver you up to tribulation and kill you, and you will

be hated by all nations for My name’s sake. And then many will be

offended, will betray one another, and will hate one another. Then

many false prophets will rise up and deceive many. And because

lawlessness will abound, the love of many will grow cold. But he who

endures to the end shall be saved. And this gospel of the kingdom will

be preached in all the world as a witness to all the nations, and then

the end will come.”

 Some say that once the gospel is preached in every nation then the

rapture will occur. That’s an interesting take on what Jesus said. Here

in Revelation 14, it is clear. This angel, flying around the sky, is seen

and heard by every nation, tribe, tongue and people, and the message

is the gospel. This is with clarity the (perhaps a) correct application of

Matthew 24. And what we will see next in the messages of the second

and third angles will also bring great clarity… One of the reasons this

is the Book of REVELATION!!