Morning Bible Study: Revelation 14:1-5

The Song of the 144,000
14 1  Then I saw the Lamb standing on Mount Zion, and with him were 144,000 who had his name and his Father's name written on their foreheads. 

2  And I heard a sound from heaven like the roar of mighty ocean waves or the rolling of loud thunder. It was like the sound of many harpists playing together. 

3  This great choir sang a wonderful new song in front of the throne of God and before the four living beings and the twenty-four elders. No one could learn this song except the 144,000 who had been redeemed from the earth. 

4  They have kept themselves as pure as virgins, following the Lamb wherever he goes. They have been purchased from among the people on the earth as a special offering to God and to the Lamb. 

5  They have told no lies; they are without blame. NLT

Commentary

(the following commentary is from www.easyenglish.bible/bible-commentary/revelation-lbw.htm)

"Verse 1 Then John saw the Lamb standing on the hill called Zion. The 144 000 Jews were with the Lamb. These all believed in Jesus their Messiah. They were from all the 12 tribes of the Jews.

These Jews had the mark of God on them (Revelation 7:4). That mark was the name of the Lamb and of the Father. Since they had received the mark, the Lord had protected them. Not one of them had been lost.

The hill called Zion was the hill where the city called Jerusalem stood. But here the hill called Zion is not the one on the earth. It is the place of the city of God in heaven.

Verses 2-3 John heard a wonderful sound, which came out of heaven. It was loud, like the sound of a great river or of thunder. But it was sweet music, like the sound of harps. He heard a new song. The singers were there in front of the throne. They were in front of the four creatures and the elders.

John does not say who the singers were. But it seems that they were the 144 000. God had rescued them from the earth. They sing a new song that only they can learn.

Verse 4 The Lord had selected these men for a task (Revelation 7:3). They would serve God on earth during the final years before Christ returns. In order to concentrate on that service they did not have sex.

They did what the Lamb said. They obeyed him and they were loyal to him. They were his agents on the earth. They believed in Christ and they belonged to God and the Lamb.

They gave themselves to God. From their work, many more came to know the Lord. The 144 000 were like the first ones of that number.

Verse 5 During all the troubles of those times, they always spoke the truth. They lived good lives. Nobody could blame them for anything that was wrong."