Revelation 14:1-5 - Arthur Peake's Commentary on the Bible

Bible Comments

Revelation 14:1-5. After the horror and tragedy of the last two Chapter s, we have another pause in the movement of the drama, a new vision of heaven and the bliss of the redeemed.

Revelation 14:1. the Lamb: this chapter recalls the vision in ch. 5 (cf. Revelation 5:6). mount Zion: Zion is the Christian Acropolis, but whether the reference here is to the earthly or heavenly Zion cannot be determined. For the 144, 000, cf. Revelation 7:4, where possibly the number covers only Jewish Christians. Here there is no suggestion of any such limitation, for in Revelation 14:3 they are described as they that had been purchased out of the earth. name. on their foreheads: cf. Revelation 7:3 f. and contrast the mark on the foreheads of the worshippers of the beast (Revelation 13:16).

Revelation 14:2. many waters: cf. Revelation 1:15.

Revelation 14:3. a new song: cf. Revelation 5:9. four. elders: Revelation 4:4; Revelation 4:6 *.

Revelation 14:4. they are virgins: the term virgin is in the masculine, and should be translated celibates. Whether it is to be taken literally here is disputed. As Swete says, No condemnation of marriage, no exclusion of the married from the highest blessings of the Christian life, finds a place in the NT. And if we were to press the meaning of the word virgin or celibate here, this passage is an exception to the general teaching of the NT. Moreover, the imagery used in chs. 21 f. throws a halo of sanctity over marriage. The probability is therefore that the words here describe not celibates but men who had kept the marriage-bond inviolate.

Revelation 14:1-5

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 redeemeda 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.