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 12 of 26
" . . . and like the voice of loud thunder . . . "
Again, in this book, we have heard of a voice like thunder before (4:5; 8:5; 11:19; 19:6). Always, it has been in response to the corruptions of the earth, and in direct relation to redemption. The Divine agenda is seen throughout this book.
In this text, we are hearing a heavenly response to the ruthless reign of the beasts. It is the voice of brands that have been plucked out of the fire (Zech 3:2), and a multitude that have had ungodliness turned from them.
The strongest protest against corruption is regeneration – standing with the Lamb of God on Mount Zion. No stronger statement can be made against religious debauchery than to "come out from among them, and be ye separate" (2 Cor 6:17). Such separation is like a thunderous voice from heaven, uttered in harmony with the delivering Lamb, who is enthroned in heaven. Sin and delusion are never more thoroughly exposed than when a person is saved "by the washing of regeneration, and the renewing of the Holy Spirit." Great glory is brought to God by those who "gladly receive the Word," abandoning the ways of the world, and fleeing for refuge to Jesus (Heb 6:18). Like Noah, in their obedience they condemn the world (Heb 11:7).
HARPING HARPISTS
" And I heard the sound of harpists playing their harps." The group before us has already been identified as "the whole house of Israel" (7:4-8). According to the Divine promise, the Deliver has come out of Zion, turning away ungodliness from them (Rom 11:25-26). Now they are with Him, rather then rejecting Him and being aligned against Him. The last record we have of their association with harps related to the Babylonian captivity. It is written, "We hanged our harps upon the willows in the midst thereof. For there they that carried us away captive required of us a song; and they that wasted us required of us mirth, saying, Sing us one of the songs of Zion. How shall we sing the Lord's song in a strange land?" (Psa 137:2-4).
In our text, their harps are no longer hanging on the willow trees whole they lamented being in a strange land. Now they take their harps once again, and sing as those in the land of promise and blessed by God.
A MARVELOUS WORK
We are beholding a marvelous work, indeed! It seems to me that one of the great deficiencies of contemporary religion is its lack of heavenly greatness. Among those with whom I have walked, the work of regeneration is not at all evident. In fact, great segments of that brotherhood even deny the reality of the new birth, affirming it to be nothing more than a metaphor. It is no wonder that in such an environment little, if any, Divine working is evident.
But this is not the circumstance with which we are now being confronted. Those formerly rejecting the Lamb, who did not receive Him (John 1:11), are now with Him. The very people who "killed the Lord Jesus" (1 Thess 2:15), are now found alive in Him. What a wonder it this!
This multitude is willingly with the Lamb. Their minds have been renewed and transformed, as indicated by the name of the Lamb's Father being upon their foreheads. Their deliverance was not like that of Israel from Egypt, when they remained unchanged in their character, murmuring against their Deliverer. These people have been renewed, regenerated, raised, and transformed.
Every instance of regeneration is a wonderful Divine work. However, when a nation is "brought forth all at once," it is particularly marvelous (Isa 66:8, NASB). Just as the deliverance of Israel from Egypt transcended the deliverance of Lot from Sodom, so the conversion of Israel shines brighter on the horizon of Divine purpose than the conversion of a single person. We do not demean the work of God in saying this, or minimize the conversion of any individual. Remember, the reception of Israel is equated, to an extraordinary degree, with "life from the dead," the "riches of the Gentiles," and "the fulness of the Gentiles" (Rom 11:12,15).
PRAYER POINT: Father, in the name of Jesus, I thank You that You do raise the dead.