THE 144,000 -- Tomorrow:
"And 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. 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. These are they which were not defiled with women; for they are virgins. These are they which follow the Lamb whithersoever he goeth. These were redeemed from among men, being the firstfruits unto God and to the Lamb" (Rev 14:1-4).
Devotion 11 of 26
"And I heard a voice from heaven . . . "
Once again, our attention is drawn away from the spectacle upon the earth to the heavens which "do rule" (Dan 4:26). It is not as important to know what is happening, or will happen, upon the earth as it is to know the effect of those things in heavenly realms. Throughout this book, the Lord develops our consciousness of heaven. We are made aware of heavenly personalities, both from angelic orders and the redeemed from the earth. Our hearts are sensitized to God, and to the Lamb of God. Everything is considered from this perspective.
We are never asked to view things as mere men, or to consider them from an earthly point of view. If we see Jesus, it is from a heavenly perspective – we see the glorified Christ. If we see the martyrs, it is from heaven's view – under the altar. When we are given to see our opponents, they are seen through heaven's eyes – a dragon, a beast from the earth, and a beast from the sea. God's people must master this way of seeing things.
Thank God for the "voice from heaven." It means the heavens are opened, and are not "shut" as they have been during lengthy periods of human history (1 Sam 3:1; 2 Chron 15:3; Psa 74:9; Amos 8:11-12). The triumph of the Lamb has opened the heavens to humanity! Praise the Lord!
LIKE THE VOICE OF MANY WATERS
" . . . like the voice of many waters . . . " In the first chapter, we were introduced to the glorified Christ, whose voice is described "as the sound of many waters" (Rev 1:15). The thrust of the passage before us indicates the voice of the glorified Christ alone is not the point. Remember that we have seen the Lamb on Mount Zion together WITH a vast number having His Father's name upon their foreheads. I gather this "voice" comes from the redeemed multitude, who are in perfect accord with the Lamb of God.
A SPIRITUAL PICTURE
There is a spiritual picture painted here that is worthy of mention. In the sense of this text, I believe, "waters" speak of "peoples, and multitudes, and nations, and tongues," as in Revelation 17:5). It is the same kind of "voice" described in Revelation 19:6: "And I heard as it were the voice of a great multitude, and as the voice of many waters, and as the voice of mighty thunderings, saying, Alleluia: for the Lord God omnipotent reigneth." This is the voice of the saved, speaking in concert with the Lamb who delivered them, turning away ungodliness from them. It is the voice of victory and triumph.
A picture is seen, then, of a multitude delivered from a multitude; of a remnant of people saved from a mass of people. It is like Jesus coming out of Nazareth, and Daniel surfacing in Babylon. It reminds us of Peter, James, and John coming out of Galilee, and Lot coming out of Sodom. It stirs recollections of Saul coming from Tarsus, and the eunuch being delivered from the influences of Ethiopia.
A voice is heard from a vast throng that has been delivered from the very realm dominated by Satan – a realm where false religion and spiritual tyranny reigns seemingly uncontested. God, through His great power, and in strict accord with His eternal purpose, brought about a great spiritual resurrection. It was an awakening of unparalleled proportion, among a people who appeared to be hopeless.
PRAYER POINT: Father, in the name of Jesus, I thank You that Your great salvation delivers us from hopelessness.