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.
In contrast to the beast, false prophet, and apostate church (implied in the healing of the wound that had been inflicted on idolatry by the Sword of the Spirit, Revelation 13:3; Revelation 13:14): introductory to the judgments about to descend on them and the world (Revelation 14:8-11, anticipatory of Revelation 18:2-6; Revelation 19:20) stand the redeemed, 'the divine kernel of humanity' (Auberlen). Revelation 14:1-20; Revelation 15:1-8; Revelation 16:1-21 describe the preparations for Messianic judgment. As Revelation 14:1-20 begins with the 144,000 of Israel (cf. Revelation 7:4-8), no longer exposed to trial as then, but triumphant, 'the first-fruits,' and then follow the general Gentile 'harvest' of redeemed: so Revelation 15:1-8 combines with Israel those who have overcome from among the Gentiles (cf. Revelation 7:9-17, with Revelation 15:1-5): the two classes of elect form together the whole company of transfigured saints who reign with Christ. A. 'Aleph (') A B C, Coptic, Origen, read, 'the Lamb.'
Lamb stood on ... Sion - having left His position "in the midst of the throne," now taking His stand on Sion.
His Father's name. 'Aleph (') A B C read, 'His name and His Father's name.'
In, х epi (G1909)] - 'upon.' God's and Christ's name here answers to the seal "upon their foreheads" in Revelation 7:3. As the 144,000 of Israel are "the first-fruits" (Revelation 14:4), so "the harvest" (Revelation 14:15) is the general assembly of Gentile saints to be translated by Christ as His first act in assuming His kingdom, prior to judgment (Revelation 16:1-21, the seven last vials) on the anti-christian world, in executing which His saints shall share. As Noah and Lot were taken seasonably out of the judgment, but exposed to the trial until the last moment (DeBurgh), so those who reign with Christ first suffer with Him-delivered out of the judgments, but not out of the trials. True Israelites cannot join in the idolatry of the beast anymore than true Christians. The common affliction will draw closely together, in opposing the beast's worship, the Old Testament and New Testament people of God. Thus the way is paved for Israel's conversion. This last scattering of the holy people's power leads them, under the Spirit, hail Messiah. "Blessed is He that cometh in the name of the Lord."