144,000…
This was the number the Jehovah Witnesses were aiming to hit in converts until they realized that this number was not that hard to get too. They are just an example of people taking a number like this literally when it is meant to be symbolic.
When we take numbers or signs like this literally when they are not designed to be taken literally, great danger may follow. Bad teachings are all over our world today and as we read Revelation our goal is not to “scratch our itching ears” with messages of vengeance or conspiracy theories.
Our aim as we read Revelation is to read this letter and to pull from it only what the original audience and author would have pulled from it. This method of reading Revelation guards us from false teachings that lead to world wide deception.
What About That 144,000 Though?
In this vision we look where John looks. And John specifically sees this image of The Lamb who we have already identified as Jesus, standing on what is called “Mount Zion.”
Mount Zion is an Old Testament name for specifically the Temple Mount and more generally Jerusalem. If you remember though, the round-about date for the writing of “Revelation” is AD 95. The Temple Mount and Jerusalem had been in ruins since AD 70 meaning this image is one of a “new Jerusalem.” A restored place where Heaven and Earth meet. A restored home for God’s people and specifically God’s Kingdom.
Throughout the Old Testament we get glimpses of the restoration of Mount Zion. An example of this comes from Isaiah 4:5:
Then Yahweh will create over the whole site of Mount Zion and over her assemblies a cloud by day, and smoke and the shining of a flaming fire by night; for over all the glory there will be a canopy. (ESV)
In this New Jerusalem/Mount Zion image where the Lamb is standing, we also see “144,000 who had his name and His Father’s name written on their foreheads”(Revelation 14:1 CSB). This imagery of writting being on foreheads should sound familiar to you by now as you are reminded back to the description of the “mark of the beast.” The mark of the beast was a mark on your forehead and hands. Here we see that God’s people are marked similarly but differently. This different mark sets them apart.
This 144,000 with the Lamb are the Lamb’s army and they “sang a new song”(Rev. 14:3 CSB). Singing a new song is not like our typical Sunday mornings when our worship band introduces a new song. It’s not a time of “let me show you my new favorite hit song on K-Love.” This “singing a new song” is instead exactly what the Israelites did when they left Egypt. When the Israelites were delivered out of Egypt, they sang a new song. Here we see God’s people singing a new song as well. A song of deliverance by the Lamb toward new life.
These are the ones who have not defiled themselves with women, since they remained virgins. These are the ones who follow the Lamb wherever he goes. (Revelation 14:4a CSB)
This verse in particular may throw you off, but this is where we must remember the overarching mission of the letter to Revelation. John is writing to these seven churches a letter to encourage and uplift them in a time when Empire has taken over. Empire is characterized as Babylon. Babylon was the evil empire, in the book of Daniel, that took God’s people like Daniel and his friends in an effort to change their ways and customs in order to make God’s people more like Babylon’s people. Babylon in the grand narrative of Scripture was just another version of Egypt. And Rome, who is in charge at the time of writing Revelation is the new version of Babylon. John is writing to warn these followers of the Lamb not to fall into the trap of Babylon. And specifically as was alluded to earlier in our study not to fall into the trap of the prostitute Jezebel who encourages Christ’ bride to commit adultery. It is not literal virgins John is writing about in Revelation 14, rather he is describing a type of person who has not become defiled by “sleeping with Babylon.” These people rather “follow the Lamb wherever he goes.”
3 Angels
We now see a sequence of three angels each with a saying of their own.
1.) The first angel comes announcing the “good news.”
Then I saw another angel flying overhead, with the eternal gospel to announce to the inhabitants of the earth-to every nation, tribe language and people. (Revelation 14:6 CSB)
When Jesus came announcing the “gospel” or “good news” in the Gospel accounts, it was news of the coming Kingdom. Prophets though had a different idea of “good news.” When prophets came preaching “good news” it was good news about the coming judgement on the enemies of God’s people. In this case, the enemy is Rome(the New Babylon). This angel would be delivering a message to first century Christian’s who are being burned alive, your enemies will not be conquerors forever. Their empire has an expiration date on it. Imagine, being in a nation where you are being persecuted and you are the minority. The message that this massive nation, the world’s strongest nation that has been oppressing you has an expiration date on it would sound too good to believe. It would be unimaginable because in our finite minds we cannot imagine nations like Russia, China or the United States ever coming to an end. Their super powers. But so was Rome and now it is ruins.
2.) The second angel comes saying in Revelation 14:8:
“It has fallen, Babylon the Great has fallen. She made all the nations drink the wine of her sexual immorality, which brings wrath.” (CSB)
In Isaiah 21:9 we are alluded to this:
“And behold, here come riders, horsemen in pairs!” And he answered, “Fallen, fallen is Babylon; and all the carved images of her gods he has shattered to the ground.” (ESV)
We must also think back to the book of Daniel where it describes Rome as this fourth Kingdom to pop up being the ultimate version of Babylon. Nations come and go, empires rise and fall, Rome is the final empire listed in the book of Daniel that was to rise up before God’s Kingdom exploded and took over the nations.
3.) The last angel brings a warning to those who choose to follow in the way of Babylon. This warning is about Babylon and its ultimate demise. The language used here is language of “drinking the wine of God’s wrath”(v.10 CSB).
Diluting your wine by pouring water in it was common when you were drinking to not get drunk. People would pour water two times the amount they had poured wine-in order to take away its strength when they just wanted to have a drink without its repercussions.
The third angel uses that language of drinking wine to describe God’s wrath on “anyone who worships the beasts and its image and receives its mark on their forehead or on their hand”(v.9 CSB). It is said that these people will have the cup of God’s wrath poured full strength, no water. Meaning, God’s wrath will not be held back. This imagery of God’s wrath being poured into a cup is familiar imagery. Jesus himself used this language when in the Garden of Gethesemane and asked:
“My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from me. Yet not as I will, but as you will.” (Matthew 26:39 CSB)
The cup was symbolic of God’s anger either towards specific people or nations.
We then get the imagery in verse 10&11:
They will be tormented with burning sulfur in the presence of the holy angels and of the Lamb. And the smoke of their torment will rise for ever and ever. There will be no rest day or night for those who worship the beast and its image, or for anyone who receives the mark of its name.(NIV)
This language for many of us may seem erry. You may be thinking “I thought Jesus and his message was about love and accceptance.” I understand this uncomfortable feeling about reading passages like from v.10 and 11 which describe what seems to be a very painful and long tormenting of those who don’t follow Jesus.
Let us remember though why these people are being tormented. The idea of innocence is foreign. Everybody makes a choice, everybody is responsible. Even the seven churches have been held responsible for not living as they ought.
Here with the third angel we see God’s wrath be unleashed on those who choose to follow the beast. The beast and his army are not “bad guys with good motives.” The beast is deceptive. The beast thrives on pain. Thus, though who side with the beast are participating in unleashing pain and destruction on the world. They are pulling people away from what is good. This message to these minority Christians in Asia Minor would be a message of relief. Their tormentors will be punished. Justice will be served.
Two Harvests
The end of chapter 14 leaves us with what can be termed the “final judgement.” What is described are two harvests being gathered.
1.) The first harvest is of all who believe. This is the gathering of all who followed the Lamb, they will be gathered together in his Flock from every tribe, tongue and nation.
2.) The second harvest is a grape harvest. This harvest is for all those who choose the way of Babylon.
What we must take from these two harvests is exactly what I mentioned before. Everyone has a choice. Everyone is responsible. You will either follow the Lamb, even when persecution comes, and you will be rewarded as in you will find victory in doing good.
Or you will succumb to the way of Empire. And in that you will face the wrath of God unleashed as we mentioned from the third angel. The choice is yours. The choice is for everybody.
“Choose you this day whom you shall serve.”
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