Expositor's Bible Commentary Commentary Revelation 14

The Lamb standing on Mount Zion is contrasted to the dragon standing on the shifting sands of the seashore (13:1). Although the rapid movement mood of the previous chapters gives way to one of victorious rest (vv.1–5, 13), activity continues because the battle between the dragon and the woman (cf. 12:11) is still going on. Immediately the question arises whether the 144,000 here are the same as those in ch. 7. The only reason for possibly viewing them differently in ch. 7 is that here they are described as “firstfruits” and “pure,” who “did not defile themselves with women” (v.4). The two-group viewpoint has been defended especially by some Roman Catholic exegetes, though this is by no means unanimous among them.

The problem of the location of the 144,000 is more complex. “Mount Zion” may refer to the hilly area in southeast Jerusalem, the temple mount, the whole city of Jerusalem, or the whole land of Judah and the Israelite nation (see ZPEB, 5:1063–65). In the prophetic tradition, Zion came to symbolize the place where the Messiah would gather to himself a great company of the redeemed (Psalms 48:1ff.; Isaiah 24:23; Joel 2:32;Obadiah 17, 21; Micah 4:1, 7; Zechariah 14:10). In Jewish apocalyptic literature, Zion can symbolize the strength and security that belong to the people of God.

In the seven NT references to Zion, five occur in OT quotations. The other two imply a connection between Mount Zion and the church. Some, by connecting the reference in Hebrews to the one here, have argued for the heavenly location of the 144,000. Others view Mount Zion as the earthly seat of the messianic or millennial kingdom. Whether this Mount Zion has any connection (as to locality) with ancient and historical Zion, John does not say. At any rate, that the 144,000 are singing “before the throne” (v.3) is not an objection to seeing them as the earthly Zion; it is not the redeemed who are singing but the angelic harpists.

The 144,000 have on their foreheads the names of the Father and the Lamb, showing that they belong to God, not the beast. In 7:3ff., the elect group has the seal of God on their foreheads, linking them to this group in ch. 14, while the further description that “they follow the Lamb” (v.4) may show their connection with the second group in 7:9ff. (see esp. 7:17). One of the most beautiful and assuring promises in the whole book is that God’s servants will have his name on their foreheads (cf. 3:12; 22:4). This chapter advances the drama a step further than ch. 7. While the members of the multitude are the same, the circumstances in which they are seen have altered. In ch. 7 the whole company of God’s people are sealed (7:1–8), readied for the satanic onslaught, and then a company (a martyred portion?) are seen in heaven serving before the throne of God (7:9ff.). In ch. 14, the whole body of the redeemed is seen (resurrected?) with the Lamb in the earthly eschatological kingdom. The repetition of the reference to the 144,000 may also be a liturgical phenomenon, a chief characteristic of the book.

The background of the scene (vv.1–5) may reflect John’s reinterpretation of Ps 2, which he had alluded to elsewhere and which describes the battle between the rebellious nations and God, with God suppressing the revolt by enthroning his Son on Mount Zion. John, however, does not see the warrior-king the writer of Ps 2 hoped for, but he sees the Lamb and those who repeated his victory over the enemy by their submission (his name on their forehead). Psalms 76 may also be part of the background, where Zion is the symbol of the defeat of God’s enemies and the salvation of his people.

The “sound” (GK 5889) John hears is probably a “voice,” as in 1:15. It is important to recognize that this voice is not that of the redeemed; it is a loud angelic chorus (cf. 5:11), sounding like “the roar of rushing waters,” like “a loud peal of thunder,” and like “harpists playing their harps” (1:15; 5:8; 6:1; 19:1, 6; cf. comment on 5:8). Again the scene is liturgical, emphasizing the connection between the earthly victory and the heavenly throne.

This “new song” should be related to the “new song” in 5:9, also sung by the angelic choirs. It is the song of redemption and vindication. What was seen in ch. 5 as secured for the redeemed by Christ’s death (i.e., that “they will reign on the earth” [v.10]) has now been realized on Mount Zion. In the one further reference to a song in Revelation, the redeemed “victors” sing “the song of Moses... and the song of the Lamb” (15:3), which may also relate to the new song of chs. 5 and 14 . This heavenly example of worship may help us understand and appreciate Paul’s references to songs inspired by the Spirit and sung in the first-century congregations (Ephesians 5:19; Colossians 3:16). Also instructive are the OT references to a “new song” (40:3; 96:1; 144:9; 149:1; Isaiah 42:10). A new song, resulting from some mighty deed of God, comes from a fresh impulse of gratitude and joy in the heart. The angels sing a new song because now the victors themselves have become victorious. We are reminded again of the Passover motif (Exodus 15:1ff.).

While the angels sing, only the 144,000 can “learn” (GK 3443) the new song, for they alone of earth’s inhabitants have experienced God’s mighty deed of victory over the beast through their ordeal of suffering and death. The word “learn” may also mean “hear deeply” in this context; in the Gospel of John, this word is used in the sense of a deep listening to divine revelation that results in learning . The 144,000 who were “redeemed” (GK 60) “from the earth” or “from among men” (v.4) must be the same as those “purchased” (GK 60) from all the earth’s peoples in 5:9 and those sealed in 7:4–8, who have washed their garments in the blood of the Lamb (7:14ff).

John’s most difficult statement about this group is that they did “not defile themselves with women.” Does he mean that this group consists only of men who had never married? Or should it be understood as referring to spiritual apostasy or cult prostitution? It is unlikely that “defile” (GK 3662) refers merely to sexual intercourse since nowhere in Scripture does intercourse within marriage constitute sinful defilement (cf. Hebrews 13:4). On the other hand, the word “defiled” is found elsewhere in Jewish literature in connection with the promiscuous intercourse practiced by the Gentiles that defiled them but from which the Jews have separated themselves. Therefore, the words can refer only to adultery or fornication; and this fact, in turn, establishes “pure” as the meaning of parthenoi (lit., “virgins”; GK 4221). In addition, we can relate the reference to purity to the defilement of idolatry. John seems to use “defile” this way elsewhere of cult prostitution (3:4; cf. 2:14, 20, 22).

The group as a whole has remained faithful to Christ; “they follow the Lamb wherever he goes” in obedient discipleship. They are purchased by Christ’s blood and offered to God as a holy and pure sacrifice of firstfruits. Surely this symbolically implies that the bride of Christ must be pure from idolatry. Paul, likewise, uses this figure: “I promised you to one husband, to Christ, so that I might present you as a pure virgin to him” (2 Corinthians 11:2–3).

Those spoken of in v.3 are “firstfruits” (GK 569) presented to God. This word can have two meanings. (1) It may designate the initial ingathering of the farmer, after which more follows. So it may mean a pledge or down payment with more to follow. This seems to be its meaning in Ro 8:23; 11:16? (cf. 1 Corinthians 15:20; 16:15). (2) In the usual OT sense and alternate NT use, “firstfruits” means simply an offering to God in the sense of being separated to him and sanctified (wholly consecrated), where no later addition is made, because the firstfruits constitutes the whole (see “sacred contributions” in Nu 5:9; 26:2; Jeremiah 2:3; James 1:18). That this is John’s intended sense is evident from the expression “offered as firstfruits to God.”

The “lie” that brings “blame” refers to the blasphemy of the beast worshipers who deny the Father and the Son and ascribe vitality to the beast by believing his heresies and worshiping his image (21:27; 22:15; Romans 1:25; 2 Thessalonians 2:9–11; 1Jn 2:4, 21-22, 27).