SPIRITUAL DIARY FOR 7/6/2015
8:50 AM
My Worship Time Focus: Introduction
to Rev. chapter 14 PT-2
Bible Reading & Meditation Reference: Revelation
14:1-5
Message of the
verses: “1 Then I looked, and
behold, the Lamb was standing on Mount Zion, and with Him one hundred and
forty-four thousand, having His name and the name of His Father written on
their foreheads. 2 And I heard a voice from heaven, like the sound of many
waters and like the sound of loud thunder, and the voice which I heard was like
the sound of harpists playing on their harps. 3 And they sang a new song before
the throne and before the four living creatures and the elders; and no one
could learn the song except the one hundred and forty-four thousand who had
been purchased from the earth. 4 These are the ones who have not been defiled
with women, for they have kept themselves chaste. These are the ones who follow
the Lamb wherever He goes. These have been purchased from among men as first
fruits to God and to the Lamb. 5 And no lie was found in their mouth; they are
blameless.”
I want to mention a couple of things before we go back
into the introduction to chapter fourteen, and that is when we come to verse
one we see the phrase that the Lamb was standing on Mount Zion and with Him
were the 144,000, and we mentioned that they are the same ones that are found
in chapter seven, however there is a debate as to which Mt. Zion is spoken of
here, the one in heaven or the one in Israel.
In my SD from August of 2005 I stated that it was in heaven, but after
further study I believe it is in Israel and will explain more in a later
SD. The other things I want to state is
that this chapter is divided up into three different segments and our
introduction in this SD is mainly for verses 1-5 as we will probably have two
more different introductions to the other two segments found in chapter
fourteen.
We were talking about heroes in our last SD and gave some
examples of different heroes both from secular and Biblical segments of our
population. Today we want to focus in on
these 144,000 men that we will be looking at as we study these first five
verses. John MacArthur stated that there
are probably no more than 50,000 missionaries in the world, and he made that
statement in the early 1990’s and so even though the population has grown I
doubt that there are any more than that today.
During the Tribulation Period we see that God will call these 144,000
Jewish Missionaries to help tell the world about Jesus Christ. These men are godly men who are constantly in
danger, and yet God will preserve them to the end to do their calling. I believe that soon after the Rapture of the
Church that the Antichrist will be revealed and then he will make the pact with
Israel for seven years that begins the Tribulation Period and very soon after
that these men will be called and they will be sealed by God to do His work in
the most dangerous time that the earth will ever see. We have already studied most of what will go
on during this time period with the exception of the last seven judgments, the
bowl judgments which we will look at when we get to chapters 15-16.
These men will survive both the wrath of God which is
going on during this period and also Satan’s wrath and persecution of many
during these times. They will be wanted
and will probably be the most wanted during this time other than the two
witnesses we looked at in chapter eleven, but God will protect them as He
protected others from both the Old and New Testament times. Malachi’s writes in 3:16-17 about the remnant
of his day and this can surely be spoken of for these men: “16
Then those who feared the LORD spoke to one another, and the LORD gave
attention and heard it, and a book of remembrance was written before Him for
those who fear the LORD and who esteem His name. 17 “They will be Mine," says the LORD of
hosts, "on the day
that I prepare My own possession, and I will spare them as a man spares his own
son who serves him."” Think
about Lot who God preserved along with Noah and then also we think of Rahab as
He kept her safe in Jericho, even when it was destroyed. When Israel was in Egypt God kept them safe
until it was time to bring them out and then He kept them safe until they
reached the Promised Land with the exception of those who had sinned against
Him. Psalm 37:39-40 says “39 But the
salvation of the righteous is from the LORD; He is their strength in time of
trouble. 40 The LORD helps them and delivers them; He delivers them from the
wicked and saves them, Because they take refuge in Him.”
John MacArthur writes “A brief overview sets the stage
for the vision of the 144,000. The
reader should recall that chapters 12-14 of Revelation form an interlude in the
saga of God’s final judgments on the sinful world. The unfolding of those judgments is described
in chapters 6-11, as God will begin to take back the earth from the usurper,
Satan. Chapter 22, and verse 15, records
the sounding of the seventh trumpet, though the judgments associated with it
will not begin to unfold until chapter 15.
Chapters 12 and 13 recapitulate the events of the Tribulation, this time
giving them from Satan’s perspective.
They expose Satan’s efforts to destroy Israel (chapter 12) and detail
the careers of Antichrist and the final false prophet (chapter 13). Chapter 14 returns to what God is doing. It contains three visions that give a general
preview of the judgments yet to come that culminate in Christ’s return.
“Chapter 14 is a bright contrast to the darkness of
chapter 13, which describes Satan (the dragon), Antichrist, the final false
prophet, deception, the unredeemed, idolatry, and the mark of the beast. Chapter 14 describes the Lamb, angels,
redeemed saints, genuine worship, and those sealed by God. In chapter 13 there is falsehood, wickedness,
corruption, and blasphemy; in chapter 14 there is truth, righteousness, purity,
and praise.
“In addition to its prophetic significance, this passage yields
important practical principles for triumphant Christian living. Seven such features will characterize the
144,000; power, praise, purity, partisanship, purpose, precision, and
perfection.” As we look at these
qualities we see that why we can call each and every one of these men
heroes.
Spiritual meaning
for my life today: The things that
describe these men are important for me to emulate and follow in my walk with
the Lord.
My Steps of Faith for Today: Trust the Lord to bring about some of the
characteristics in these men into my life as I love the Lord and live in His
love.
Answer to yesterday’s Bible
question: “Exodus.”
Today’s Bible
question: “How did Jacob obtain the
blessing of the firstborn son instead of Esau?”
Answer in our next SD.
7/6/2015 9:37 AM
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