(1) 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. (2) 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: (3) 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. (4) 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. (5) And in their mouth was found no guile: for they are without fault before the throne of God.
This Chapter opens, with presenting a most interesting view to the Apostle's mind, to relieve him from the awful scenes he had in the preceding Chapter been exercised with. The reign of antichrist for the long period of twelve hundred and sixty days, or prophetical years, could not fail of having much depressed John's spirits. The Lord, therefore, here gives him a most lovely prospect of the Church. He looked, and beheld the same Lamb which had so often been seen by him in those visions, and now saw standing on Mount Zion, his Church; and encircled with his sealed ones, having his Father's name in their foreheads. There were many sweet mercies included in this view. As first, Jesus still appeared to the Apostle, in his personal glory as the Lamb, as if to intimate the everlasting sameness of his Mediator-character, and the everlasting efficacy of his blood and righteousness. No time, no, nor eternity itself, can make any alteration in Jesus, as Jesus. For although, when all the great purposes of Christ s mediation in the kingdom of grace shall be accomplished, and the last elect child of God is brought home to the Lord, the Lord Jesus it is said, will deliver up the kingdom to God the Father, that the whole persons of the Godhead may be glorified together, in the accomplishment of their Covenant of grace, yet, the Person of Christ as God-Man, will eternally remain. No period will ever arrive, wherein Christ shall cease to be Christ; that is, God and Man in one Person. Jesus is, and must be the Lamb forever. Yea, and all the communications of glory, will be to all eternity in Him, and by Him, and through Him. For he is then, at much as now the Head of his body the Church, the fullness of Him, which filleth all in all, Ephesians 1:22-23. Hence, the very great blessedness here manifested to John, and to the Church through John, that Christ appeared to him, as the Lamb on Mount Zion.
Secondly. The place of manifestation was also gracious, and no doubt intended to teach both John and the Church, a most sweet and precious lesson. Mount Zion is Christ's Church, of whom it is said the Lord hath chosen Zion, he hath desired it for his habitation. This (he saith) is my rest forever, here will I dwell, for I have desired it, Psalms 132:13-14. Here it is, Jesus plants his Church. Here, the king is held in the galleries of his ordinances. His presence is Zion's glory, her strength, her security. And this was most blessedly shown, upon the present occasion to John, because the long reign of Antichrist, in the beast and dragon, with all their persecutions, that the Church laying open to such foes, might be taught Zion's king was still in her, watching over her night and day, and watering her every moment. Nothing could be more gracious and timely, than this vision of Christ, and of the spot where the Lamb stood. It was in exact correspondence to that scripture, Sing and rejoice, O daughter of Zion, for, lo! I come, and I will dwell in the midst of thee, saith the Lord. For I, saith the Lord, will be unto her a wall of fire round about, and will be the glory in the midst of her, Zechariah 2:5-10
Thirdly. There is also a very striking beauty in this scripture, that the number of an hundred and forty and four thousand are mentioned, being the very same number whom John had in a former vision seen, as sealed by Christ. (See Revelation 7:2) So that here was shown, that notwithstanding all the long and wearisome persecutions, not one of them was lost. And moreover, the name of their Father, beheld by John in their foreheads, became as plain a proof, that they had made an open profession before men, whose they were, and to whom they belonged, in direct defiance to them, who had the mark of the beast, Revelation 13:16-17. Oh! how blessed is it, when the Lord gives grace, in the present hour, to his tried ones, that none of the privileges, of buying, or selling the world's traffic, can induce the Lord's people to worship the beast, or to receive his horrible name in their foreheads.
Fourthly. The mercy of this vision, in seeing Jesus with his redeemed, was intended by way of relief at this time, because the opposition of hell, with the two Antichristian powers, of the East, and the West, were to increase to a still greater degree, in proportion as the time hastened on, for their destruction. It is well known of the serpent of the earth, that he never stretches himself so long as when dying. And the serpent of hell, we are told, is come down with great wrath, because he knoweth that he hath but a short time. Revelation 12:1-2. The last bite of the beast, will be the deepest. How very sweet and gracious was it therefore in the Lord, when about to shew his servant John the yet more violent persecutions coming on from the malice of hell and his auxiliaries, to show him here, that Christ was in his Church, and everyone of his little ones protected by him, and in everlasting safety.
Fifthly. But the mercy shown John in this representation, and to the Church through him, was extended further. For, in addition to what he saw, he heard also a voice from heaven, (that is, from the Church), as the voice of many waters, and as thunder, intimating the multitude, probably the same multitude as John saw, Revelation 7:9, chanting aloud the song of redemption; no doubt the same as John heard before, the words of which he hath given us, Revelation 5:9. And, I beg the Reader to notice with peculiar regard, that none could learn the song but the redeemed. What can be more decisive in proof of the sovereignty of grace? In the Church upon earth there are none that truly and spiritually join ordinances, participate in their saving grace, in spirit and in understanding, taste and relish divine things, but the people of God. For how can a dead body partake of food? How can a sinner dead in trespasses and sins, until quickened into spiritual life, partake of the bread, of life? And equally so in the Church of heaven, none could ever sing or learn the song of redemption, unless redeemed from the earth, some men dream of heaven as if it was a place that in itself must be productive of happiness. And hence they think that if they can but get there among the crowd, they know not how, and I had almost said they care not how; they should be as happy as the rest. Alas! it is not the place which constitutes happiness, but the presence of the Lord. Where Christ is, and in the soul where Christ dwells, there is life and joy eternal. But without this saving change wrought on the soul of a sinner by regeneration, heaven, if it were possible to attain it, (and which is impossible by all that are not born again, John 3:5) would produce no happiness; but, on the contrary, misery. For the unrenewed man would be forever wretched in hearing this song of redemption, without being able to join in a single note of it, to all eternity.
Sixthly. The features of character given to the Lord's army, come in with much sweetness, to close the account of this vision. And this is by no means the smallest part of the beauty of it. Under the figure of chastity, their attachment to Christ is shown. They are said, not to have defiled themselves with women. By which, in a general way of expression, is evidently meant to contrast the Lord's followers from the followers of the beast. The kings of the earth, and all the nations, are said to have committed fornication, and to have been made drunken with the wine of the beast, Revelation 18:3. But the Lord's redeemed are described by their chastity to Christ, and as the followers of the Lamb whithersoever he goeth. Their mouth without guile, and their being without fault before the throne, cannot be supposed to imply any purity in themselves, for in the similar representation John saw, they are said to have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb. See Revelation 7:14. But it is Christ's righteousness which is the purity of his people, and their robes of salvation in which they appear before the throne, their royal dress. He hath made them kings and priests to God and the Father; and therefore, this is the sole account wherefore they stand before his throne and serve him in his temple night and day.
Reader! ponder well this sweet and gracious vision. Think how blessedly the Lord termed it. How full and expressive of his love not only to John, but to the Church, both then and now. And remember, that it is always the same. By faith you and I may see the Lamb still on Mount Zion, and all his redeemed surrounding him. And, oh! for grace, to sing the song of redemption now; for surely then, we shall sing it one day with the whole Church in glory!