Charles Ellicott Commentary Revelation 14

THE CITADEL OF THE SAINTS AND THE SERVANTS OF THE LAMB.

And I looked . . . A better translation is: And I saw, and behold, the Lamb (not “a Lamb; ” it is the Lamb, the true Lamb of God, against whom the wild beast wages savage and subtle war) standing on the Mount Sion.

The Saviour, the Lamb, in whose blood the saints have found their victory, is seen standing on the citadel of the heavenly city. Babylon is to be introduced (Revelation 14:8). In contrast, Zion, the chosen dwelling place of God (Psalms 132:13–18), the type of the spiritual city whose citizens are true to the King (Psalms 74:2; Hebrews 12:22–24), is introduced.

The Lamb is seen, set as King upon the holy hill of Zion, and with Him are the sealed ones, His faithful soldiers and servants. They are described as 144,000 in number: a number representing the full complement of the chosen ones of God, the true Israel of God (see Note on Revelation 7:4). These have their Father’s name on their foreheads: they can be recognised as children of God (compare Note on Revelation 7:2-3 and Revelation 22:4).

And I heard a voice . . .—Translate, And I heard a voice out of the heaven. The saints stand with their Lord, the Lamb, on Mount Zion, and just as long ago a voice came from heaven bearing witness to Christ, so around the dwelling place of the saints heavenly voices are heard, full of majesty, tremendousness, and sweetness, as though the sounds of sea and thunder blended with the music of heavenly harps.

We call to mind the magnificent Psalm 29; there the saints, secure in Zion, hear all around them the voice of God in the thunder and in the sea, while in His safe sanctuary the saints can sing of His honour.

And they . . .—Translate, And they (i.e., the heavenly harpers) sing a new song (the words “as it were” should perhaps be omitted) before the throne, and before the living creatures, and the elders (i.e., in the presence of God Himself, and creation, and the Church), and no one was able to learn the song except the hundred and forty-four thousand who were purchased from the earth.

It is a heavenly song, and no spirit dulled by earthly desires can learn it. The Spirit of the Lord can open the dull ear to hear and to rejoice in the songs of God’s saints. Amid the world-noises of Babylon men can neither hear nor sing correctly the Lord’s song (Psalms 137:4); but the redeemed (the purchased from the earth) of the Lord can come with singing to Zion (Isaiah 51:11).

These are they . . .—The characteristics of the servants of the Lamb are given in this verse and the following.

1. Purity: they are virgins. The expression can hardly be limited to the unmarried, as the 144,000 represent the wide society of the 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 declared to be blessed, and which Saint James declared to be the first mark of heavenly wisdom (Matthew 5:8, and James 3:17).

2. Implicit obedience: they follow the Lamb whithersoever He goeth. Some, indeed, take this to be a kind of heavenly reward: they shall be the nearer companions of the Lamb. But it is better to take it as describing their complete consecration to Christ. They are those who are with Christ, who have tasted the cup that their Lord tasted, and have taken up their cross and followed Him (Matthew 20:22; Luke 14:27; John 12:24–26). It is well to weigh these 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, “Whosoever forsaketh not all he hath cannot be My disciple.”

3. Separation, or unworldliness: they were purchased from among men, as a firstfruit to God and to the Lamb. They were a chosen generation, a peculiar people (Titus 2:14; 1 Peter 2:9), as the Israel of God (Deuteronomy 7:6).

4. Utter truthfulness: in their mouth no guile or no falsehood. (Compare to Psalms 14:0 and Deuteronomy 32:1-2.) The verse emphatically ends with “They are blameless.” The words “before the throne of God” must be omitted. (Ephesians 5:27; and Colossians 1:22.)

We have seen the servants of God; we have marked their character; we are now to see the weapon which is to be employed in the conflict against the enemies of Christ.

And I saw . . .—Better, And I saw another angel flying in mid-heaven, having an everlasting gospel, to declare glad tidings over those who sit on the earth, and over every nation, and tribe, and tongue, and people.

In view of the world the gospel is proclaimed; this is the good news that God loves the world, has redeemed mankind, that they belong to Him. This word of God is the sword of the Spirit, and the weapon (not carnal) which the Church uses against her foes. It is represented as in the hand of an angel rising in view of all nations: The sound has gone out to all lands.