Charles Spurgeon Commentary Revelation 14

And I looked, and, lo, a Lamb –

John always writes of Jesus as the Lamb. His Lord is to him in his sacrificial character always the Lamb of God which taketh away the sin of the world by the shedding of his blood. 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. The Revised Version has it, "having his name, and the name of his Father, written on their foreheads." Now they are known to be the Lord's; on earth that fact was questioned, but his name is written on their foreheads now. Sometimes they themselves had to question it, but now it is apparent to all, the distinguishing mark is stamped upon their brow:

"having his Father's name written in their foreheads."

And I looked, and, lo, a Lamb stood on the mount Sion, Jesus is not dead; he still lives. He is not defeated: a Lamb stood on the mount Sion. He is not disturbed or troubled, but he stands in the posture of quiet confidence. A Lamb stood on the mount Sion; Jesus is not driven out of his Church, but he is still dwelling in the midst of his people.

That is something, yet unbelief says, "Well, I can understand that John saw the Lord there, but had he any people with him? Had he any Church? Listen: I looked, and, lo, a Lamb stood on the mount Sion,–

And with Him one hundred forty and four thousand, having His Father's name written in their foreheads.

They are all there, a vast number, a complete number, the exact number which in the seventh chapter of this Book had been described as sealed. They are all there without exception; not one of them is lost, but they all stand fast as a great army surrounding their glorious Leader.

Yes, my brothers and sisters, in the darkest times, Christ has His Church still around Him; it is with Him as it was when the Lord said to Elijah, Yet I have left me seven thousand in Israel, all the knees which have not bowed unto Baal, and every mouth which hath not kissed him. Be of good courage; if your eyes are indeed anointed with the heavenly eye-salve, you may see, as John saw, the Lamb on Mount Zion, surrounded by multitudes of faithful followers.

And I heard a voice from heaven, as the voice of many waters, and so the voice of a great thunder: and I heard the voice of harpers harping with their harps:

As loud as thunder, and yet as musical as the choicest notes from a band of harps, – such is the testimony of the saints, such is the expression of their exultant joy in their Lord.

And I looked, and, lo, a Lamb stood on the mount Zion, and with him an hundred forty and four thousand, having his Father's name written on their foreheads.

The great question for us is: shall we be among the number?

If we have the Father's name engraved upon our hearts, we may conclude that we shall, one day, have it written in our foreheads, and that we shall be among that chosen company.

And I heard a voice from heaven, as the voice of many waters, and as the voice of a great thunder: and I heard the voice of harpers harping with their harps: 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.

Notice how loud their singing was—it was like many waters and great thunder. But notice, also, the sweetness of it, for it was melodious as the music of well-skilled harpers harping with their harps. Note, too, the freshness, the vivacity of it: they sang as it were a new song.

Shall we be there to sing that new song? If so, we must be redeemed from the earth, not with a general, but with a particular redemption, which lifts us up from the rest of our fellow creatures. We must also have attended the saved rehearsals, for none can sing in heaven but those who have learned the song; and none can learn it but those who are redeemed from the earth.