FAITH BIBLE CHURCH - www.faithbiblechurch.net

SERIES: THE REVELATION OF JESUS CHRIST, WEEK 55

TITLE: VICTORY IN THE LAMB

TEXT: REVELATION 14:1-5

INTRODUCTION: (1) THE BIBLE SPEAKS OF THE CHRISTIAN LIFE IN TRIUMPHANT OR VICTORIOUS TERMS.

* FOR EXAMPLE IN ROMANS 8:37 IT SAYS: (READ IT).

** AT THE END OF THE GREAT RESURRECTION CHAPTER, PAUL WILL SUMMARIZE THE GREAT TRUTHS HE’S BEEN INSPIRED TO WRITE BY SAYING IN

I CORINTHIANS 15:57: (READ IT)

*** IN II CORINTHIANS 2:14A PAUL WRITES: “BUT THANKS BE TO GOD, WHO ALWAYS LEADS US IN TRIUMPH IN CHRIST.”

**** THEN JOHN WOULD SAY IN I JOHN 5:4&5 (READ THEM).

(2) AND THEN LASTLY ALTHOUGH HE WAS IMPRISONED, ABANDONED AND FACING IMMINENT EXECUTION, PAUL WOULD UTTER THIS VICTORIOUS EPITAPH IN II TIMOTHY 4:7&8 WHERE HE SAID: (READ THEM).

* NOW AS FOLLOWERS OF CHRIST WE CAN HAVE PRESENT VICTORY THROUGH SUBMISSION AND OBEDIENCE TO THE WORD OF GOD AND ULTIMATELY WE WILL HAVE VICTORY IN JESUS, FUTURE TRIUMPH.

** AND THOUGH OUR VICTORIES AND TRIUMPHS IN THIS LIFE ARE INCOMPLETE AND ALTHOUGH WE HAVE SET BACKS AND DEFEATS ALONG THE WAY, WE WILL HAVE VICTORY IN JESUS ONE DAY.

*** AN OLD GOSPEL SONG’S CHORUS PUTS IT THIS WAY: O VICTORY IN JESUS, MY SAVIOR FOREVER! HE SOUGHT ME AND BOUGHT ME WITH HIS REDEEMING BLOOD; HE LOVED ME ERE I KNEW HIM, AND ALL MY LOVE IS DUE HIM, HE PLUNGED ME TO VICTORY BENEATH THE CLEANSING FLOOD.

**** AND BECAUSE GOD SET HIS SOVEREIGN LOVE AND GRACE ON PEOPLE THAT WILL BE SAVED, WE WILL HAVE ULTIMATE AND COMPLETE VICTORY IN JESUS!

(3) THE END IS NOT IN DOUBT, WE WILL TRIUMPH IN HIM, WHAT GOD HAS ORDAINED IN OUR LIVES WILL COME TO PASS, WE WILL PERSEVERE AND BE PROTECTED AND PRESERVED THROUGH HIS GRACE.

* WELL, VICTORY AND TRIUMPH IS A THEME OF OUR STUDY TODAY IN REVELATION.

** FOR IN REVELATION 14:1-5 WE ARE INTRODUCED TO ONE OF THE MOST TRIUMPHANT GROUPS OF BELIEVERS THE WORLD WILL EVER KNOW, THE 144,000.

*** AND THESE MEN WILL EMERGE FROM THE WORST TIME OF JUDGMENT AND HOLOCAUST IN HISTORY – THE TRIBULATION.

**** AND WE WERE INTRODUCED TO THIS GROUP OF JEWISH MEN IN REVELATION 7 AND IN OUR STUDY TODAY, JOHN IN A NEW VISION WILL GET A GLIMPSE FORWARD TO WHEN JESUS RETURNS TO THE EARTH WHERE THESE 144,000 VICTORIOUS BELIEVERS WILL BE STANDING WITH CHRIST THE LAMB ON MT. ZION.

(4) BECAUSE OF THAT I’VE TITLED OUR STUDY TODAY, “VICTORY IN THE LAMB”, VICTORY IN JESUS.

* AND BEFORE I GIVE YOU THE OUTLINE WE WILL FOLLOW TODAY, LET ME INTERJECT HERE THAT REVELATION CHAPTER 14 IS A CLEAR STARK BRIGHT CONTRAST TO THE DARKNESS OF REVELATION 13 WHERE ANTICHRIST, THE BEAST OF THE SEA AND THE FALSE PROPHET, THE BEAST OUT OF THE EARTH ARE REVEALED AND SEEN.

** AND WHEREAS IN REVELATION 13 THERE IS FALSEHOOD, WICKEDNESS, CORRUPTION AND BLASPHEMY; HERE IN CHAPTER 14, THERE IS TRUTH, PURITY, PRAISE, RIGHTEOUSNESS AND LIGHT.

*** AND SO THE TITLE, VICTORY IN THE LAMB.

**** AND UNDER THAT THEME AND TITLE, WE’LL LOOK AT 4 POINTS: NO. 1 THE SCENE ON THE EARTH WITH THE LAMB AND THE 144,000, V. 1.

(5) NO. 2 THE SOUND OF THE VOICE IN HEAVEN, V. 2; NO. 3 THE SINGING IN HEAVEN, V. 3; AND NO. 4 THE SUBMISSION OF THE 144,000 TO THE LAMB IN VV. 4&5.

* SO WE’LL LOOK AT THE SCENE, THE SOUND, THE SINGING AND THE SUBMISSION UNDER THE TITLE OF VICTORY IN THE LAMB AS WE STUDY REVELATION 14:1-5, A DIFFICULT TEXT TO INTERPRET WITH MUCH DISAGREEMENT.

** AND WITH THAT BACKGROUND AND INTRODUCTION IN MIND, WE’LL MOVE INTO THE TEXT BY LOOKING AT V. 1 WHERE WE’LL SEE OUR FIRST POINT TODAY, THE SCENE. LOOK AT V. 14:1 PLEASE.

I. THE SCENE, (READ V. 1)

A. NOW THE PHRASE, “I LOOKED, AND BEHOLD,” OR “I LOOKED AND LO” OR “I LOOKED AND THERE” DEPENDING ON WHICH TRANSLATION YOU HAVE IS USED REPEATEDLY IN THE BOOK OF REVELATION TO INTRODUCE SOMETHING STARTLING TO JOHN, SOMETHING DRAMATIC, SOMETHING GREAT, SOMETHING MARVELOUS.

* AND HERE IN REVELATION 14:1, WHAT STARTLES HIM IS NOT A BEAST COMING OUT OF THE SEA OR A BEAST COMING OUT OF THE EARTH, BUT THE AWESOME SIGHT OF THE LAMB STANDING ON MT. ZION.

** NOW THE LAMB IN THE BOOK OF REVELATION IS NONE OTHER THAN OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST.

*** PRESENTED AS THE LAMB THAT WAS SLAIN IN REVELATION 5:6 AND 13:8, AS GLORIFIED IN REVELATION 5:8, 12-13, AS EXALTED IN REVELATION 7:9&10, AS THE REDEEMER IN REVELATION 7:14, AS THE SHEPHERD IN REVELATION 7:17 AND IN REVELATION 17:14, THE LAMB IS THE LORD OF LORDS AND THE KING OF KINGS.

**** NOW THOSE PICTURES OF THE LAMB – THE LORD JESUS AS SLAIN, GLORIFIED, EXALTED, AS THE REDEEMER, THE SHEPHERD AND THE LORD OF LORDS AND KING OF KINGS GET ME PRETTY EXCITED THINKING ABOUT THEM EVEN NOW.

1. I MEAN WHAT A GREAT SAVIOR WE HAVE AS THE LAMB OF GOD WHO TAKES AWAY THE SIN OF EVERY BELIEVER! WORTHY IS THE LAMB THAT WAS SLAIN!

* FOR TRUE FOLLOWERS OF CHRIST, JESUS WAS OUR PASSOVER LAMB THAT WAS SACRIFICED FOR US, THE LAMB THAT TOOK AWAY OUR SIN, WHO WAS WOUNDED FOR OUR TRANSGRESSION – OUR SIN, WHO SHED HIS BLOOD AND GAVE HIS LIFE ON OUR BEHALF, READ I PETER 1:18&19 AND JOHN 1:29.

** NOW AS WE GO BACK TO THE BOOK OF REVELATION, THE WORD LAMB IS USED 31 TIMES, AND WITH THE EXCEPTION OF ONE TIME IN REVELATION 13:11 IN TALKING ABOUT THE FALSE PROPHET WHO HAD TWO HORNS LIKE A LAMB, ALL THE REFERENCES ARE TO CHRIST.

*** SO JOHN GETS EXCITED ABOUT SEEING THE LAMB STANDING ON MT. ZION.

**** NOW THE QUESTION COMMENTATORS AND SCHOLARS DEBATE OVER HERE IS NOT WHO THE LAMB IS, BUT WHERE HE IS.

2. IS HE ON EARTH OR IN HEAVEN AT THIS TIME?

* IS THIS MOUNT ZION IN HEAVEN TALKED ABOUT IN HEBREWS 12:22-24, THE MT. ZION THAT IS THE CITY OF THE LIVING GOD, THE HEAVENLY JERUSALEM?

** OR IS THIS THE MT. ZION IN JERUSALEM, THE HILL ON WHICH THE HIGHER AND MORE ANCIENT PART OF JERUSALEM WAS BUILT, WHERE THE TEMPLE WAS?

*** NOW THIS LITERAL MT. ZION IS THE WELL KNOWN MT. ZION IN SCRIPTURE, IN ITS NORMAL USE.

**** THE LITERAL HILL IN JERUSALEM, FROM THE DAYS OF KING DAVID, THE CENTER POINT OF KINGDOM RULE IN ISRAEL AFTER HE CAPTURED IT IN II SAMUEL 5:7.

3. AND IT APPEARS TO ME THAT THE PLAIN MEANING OF MT. ZION IS THE LIT. MT. ZION IN JERUSALEM, ITS NORMAL USE, USED 162 TIMES IN SCRIPTURE.

* AND OF ITS 162 USES, WITH THE EXCEPTION OF HEBREWS 12:22-24, IT REFERS TO THE CITY OF JERUSALEM ON EARTH.

** AND THIS MT. ZION IS SIGNIFICANT IN HISTORY AND IN PROPHECY.

*** FOR WHEN THE LAMB IN THE FUTURE IS ON MT. ZION IT SIGNIFIES THAT HE WILL BE RULING ON THE EARTH IN HIS KINGDOM. IT’S A MONUMENTAL MOMENT IN REDEEMING HISTORY.

**** PSALM 2:6-9 SAYS:

V. 6 – “BUT AS FOR ME, I HAVE INSTALLED MY KING UPON ZION, MY HOLY MOUNTAIN.

V. 7 – I WILL SURELY TELL OF THE DECREE OF THE LORD: HE SAID TO ME, ‘YOU ARE MY SON, TODAY I HAVE BEGOTTEN YOU.

V. 8 – ASK OF ME, AND I WILL SURELY GIVE THE NATIONS AS YOUR INHERITANCE, AND THE VERY ENDS OF THE EARTH AS YOUR POSSESSION.

V. 9 – YOU SHALL BREAK THEM WITH A ROD OF IRON, YOU SHALL SHATTER THEM LIKE EARTHENWARE.’”

4. ISAIAH 24:23 SAYS: “THEN THE MOON WILL BE ABASHED AND THE SUN ASHAMED, FOR THE LORD OF HOSTS WILL REIGN ON MOUNT ZION AND IN JERUSALEM, AND HIS GLORY WILL BE BEFORE HIS ELDERS.”

* AND THEN ZECHARIAH 14:1-5 SAYS:

V. 1 – “BEHOLD, A DAY IS COMING FOR THE LORD WHEN THE SPOIL TAKEN FROM YOU WILL BE DIVIDED AMONG YOU.

V. 2 – FOR I WILL GATHER ALL THE NATIONS AGAINST JERUSALEM TO BATTLE, AND THE CITY WILL BE CAPTURED, THE HOUSES PLUNDERED, THE WOMEN RAVISHED AND HALF OF THE CITY EXILED, BUT THE REST OF THE PEOPLE WILL NOT BE CUT OFF FROM THE CITY.

V. 3 – THEN THE LORD WILL GO FORTH AND FIGHT AGAINST THOSE NATIONS, AS WHEN HE FIGHTS ON A DAY OF BATTLE.

V. 4 – IN THAT DAY HIS FEET WILL STAND ON THE MOUNT OF OLIVES, WHICH IS IN FRONT OF JERUSALEM ON THE EAST; AND THE MOUNT OF OLIVES WILL BE SPLIT IN ITS MIDDLE FROM EAST TO WEST BY A VERY LARGE VALLEY, SO THAT HALF OF THE MOUNTAIN WILL MOVE TOWARD THE NORTH AND THE OTHER HALF TOWARD THE SOUTH.

V. 5 – YOU WILL FLEE BY THE VALLEY OF MY MOUNTAINS, FOR THE VALLEY OF THE MOUNTAINS WILL REACH TO AZEL; YES, YOU WILL FLEE JUST AS YOU FLED BEFORE THE EARTHQUAKE IN THE DAYS OF UZZIAH KING OF JUDAH. THEN THE LORD, MY GOD, WILL COME, AND ALL THE HOLY ONES WITH HIM!”

** NOW FOR YOUR OWN STUDY, ISAIAH 11:9-12 AND JOEL 2:32 ALSO MAKE REFERENCE TO THIS TIME.

*** NOW AS WE PUT ALL THESE SCRIPTURES TOGETHER, WE SEE THERE WILL BE A FUTURE DAY WHEN JESUS RETURNS TO JERUSALEM, HE WILL STAND ON MT. ZION VICTORIOUSLY AS HE SETS UP HIS KINGDOM AND RULES FROM ZION – JERUSALEM, HIS HOLY HILL.

**** AND THEE MT. ZION, FOR THE DEFINITE ARTICLE IS USED IN MY TWO GREEK TEXTS ON MY COMPUTER, COMMUNICATES THAT REVELATION 14:1 LOOKS FORWARD TO THE TIME WHEN CHRIST STANDS VICTORIOUSLY ON THIS IMPORTANT PLACE.

5. WE HAVE AN ADVANCED PROJECTION, A FUTURE PICTURE IN THIS INTERLUDE HERE IN REVELATION 14, A PROPHETIC VISION FORWARD, A PROLEPTIC VISION OF THE ULTIMATE TRIUMPH OF THE LAMB FOLLOWING HIS 2’D COMING AS A MEANS OF ENCOURAGEMENT IN CONTRAST TO THE DARKNESS OF REVELATION 13 WITH THE TWO BEASTS.

* NOW IN THIS FUTURE TIME, APPROXIMATELY 3 ½ YEARS FROM THE MIDPOINT OF THE TRIBULATION, THE REPEATED REFERENCE WE HAVE BEEN LOOKING AT RECENTLY, CHRIST IS ON HIS HOLY HILL AND WITH HIM THE 144,000 WHO HAVE HIS NAME, THE LAMB’S NAME ON THEIR FOREHEAD ALONG WITH THE NAME OF HIS FATHER.

** AND THE POINT IS THE CONTRAST OF CHAPTER 13, FOR THOSE WHO FOLLOW THE ANTICHRIST HAVE THE MARK OF THE BEAST ON THEIR FOREHEAD OR RIGHT HAND, BUT THE 144,000 HAVE THE NAME OF GOD ON THEIR FOREHEAD.

*** NOW SOME COMMENTATORS INSIST THAT THE NUMBER 144,000 IS NOT TO BE TAKEN LITERALLY.

**** THEY ARGUE THAT THIS NUMBER SYMBOLIZES ALL KINDS OF THINGS FROM THE CHURCH, ALL THE TRIBULATION SAINTS, AND OTHER THINGS.

6. BUT TO ME, IT IS CLEAR THAT THIS GROUP OF 144,000 TALKED ABOUT HERE WITH CHRIST, IS THE SAME GROUP TALKED ABOUT IN REVELATION 7:4-8, 12 THOUSAND FROM EACH OF THE 12 TRIBES OF ISRAEL EQUALING 144,000 AND THESE INDIVIDUALS WERE SEALED BY GOD TO PROTECT THEM, FOR REVELATION 9:4 TELLS US THAT THOSE WHO HAVE THE SEAL OF GOD IN THEIR FOREHEADS HAVE SPECIAL PROTECTION.

* AND IT APPEARS FROM WHAT FOLLOWS IN REVELATION 7 THAT THESE 144,000 WERE JEWISH EVANGELISTS USED TO PROCLAIM THE GOSPEL OF THE KINGDOM FOR THE SALVATION OF A MULTITUDE WHICH NO ONE COULD COUNT FROM EVERY NATION ARE SAVED IN THE TRIBULATION WHICH STARTED IN REVELATION 6.

** AND IT APPEARS THIS SEAL OF THE FATHER AND CHRIST PROTECTS THEM FROM BEING MARTYRED DURING THE TRIBULATION, WHEREAS MANY OTHER BELIEVERS ARE MARTYRED DURING THE HOLOCAUST OF THE TRIBULATION BY ANTICHRIST.

*** AND HERE THESE 144,000 STAND VICTORIOUSLY WITH CHRIST WHO SAVED THEM AND BROUGHT THEM THROUGH THE TRIBULATION FOR HIS HOLY PURPOSES HERE AT THE END OF THE TRIBULATION AS CHRIST HAS COME BACK TO REIGN.

**** AND THAT’S THE SCENE OF V. 1, WHICH LEADS US TO THE SOUND OF V. 2. LOOK AT V. 2 PLEASE.

II. THE SOUND, (READ V. 2)

A. NOW JOHN HEARS A VOICE FROM HEAVEN WHICH SUGGESTS THAT JOHN IS ON THE EARTH AT THIS TIME, FOR HE HEARS THE VOICE FROM OR OUT OF HEAVEN.

* AND THE WORD VOICE IS A SINGULAR NOUN, AND THIS VOICE SOUNDS LIKE MANY WATERS, LIKE THE SOUND OF LOUD THUNDER AND LIKE THE SOUND OF HARPISTS PLAYING THEIR HARPS.

** AND THE WORD “LIKE” IS USED 3 TIMES IN THE NAS HERE, SHOWING US FIGURATIVE LANGUAGE, THIS VOICE IS LIKE OR AS MANY WATERS, A THUNDER CLAN, LIKE HARPISTS PLAYING, A POWERFUL BEAUTIFUL VOICE OF SOUND.

*** AND SINCE THE VOICE IS SINGULAR, I SEE THIS AS THE VOICE OF GOD, THE VOICE OF THE FATHER REJOICING IN HEAVEN THAT HIS SON ON EARTH IS REIGNING.

**** HEAVEN RESOUNDS WITH THE VOICE OF GOD EXALTING IN HIS SON’S TRIUMPH OF RULING ON THE EARTH.

1. AND THIS SOUND LEADS TO SINGING, LOOK AT V. 3 PLEASE, OUR THIRD POINT TODAY.

III. THE SINGING, (READ V. 3)

A. NOW SINGING BREAKS OUT IN HEAVEN, A NEW SONG IS SUNG BEFORE THE THRONE, IT APPEARS TO OUR GREAT GOD SITTING ON HIS THRONE, THE THRONE OF GOD IS IN THE SPOTLIGHT AGAIN REMINDING US OF WHO IS SOVEREIGN AND IN ABSOLUTE CONTROL.

* NOT SATAN, NOT THE BEAST OUT OF THE SEAS – ANTICHRIST, NOT THE BEAST OUT OF THE EARTH – THE FALSE PROPHET, BUT GOD ALMIGHTY!

** NOW THE “THEY” OF V. 3, THOSE THAT ARE SINGING ARE NOT IDENTIFIED, BUT THEY ARE SINGING BEFORE THE THRONE, BEFORE THE 4 LIVING CREATURES AND THE ELDERS.

*** AND ALL YOU HAVE LEFT IS BASICALLY THE ANGELIC CHOIR WORSHIPPING GOD AND THE TRIBULATION MARTYRS WHO WILL BE RESURRECTED IN REVELATION 20:4-6.

**** FOR THE CHURCH WILL COME BACK WITH CHRIST, AND THOSE WHO ENDURED AND LIVED THROUGH THE TRIBULATION WILL GO RIGHT INTO THE KINGDOM WITH CHRIST.

1. SO WE DO NOT KNOW EXACTLY WHO THE “THEY” IS OF V. 3, BUT THEY BREAK FORTH IN SONG, AND IF IT IS THE MARTYRED TRIBULATION SAINTS, IT WOULD BE A NEW SONG OF REDEMPTION AND DELIVERANCE.

* IN OTHER WORDS, THEIR UNIQUE PAIN OF THE TRIBULATION BRINGS ABOUT UNIQUE PRAISE TO GOD.

** AND IT APPEARS TO ME AND I AM NOT BEING DOGMATIC, THAT ONE COMPANY, NOW IN HEAVEN – TRIBULATION MARTYRS WHO LAID DOWN THEIR LIVES FOR THE LAMB, AND ANOTHER GROUP OR COMPANY OF PEOPLE ON EARTH – THE 144,000 WHO SUFFERED AND WERE PERSECUTED ARE THE ONLY ONES THAT CAN SING THIS SPECIAL SONG.

1. FOR NO ONE COULD LEARN THE SONG (ON THE EARTH AT THIS TIME) BUT THE 144,000. THEY ARE A UNIQUE CHOSEN GROUP FOR A UNIQUE TIME IN GOD’S PLAN WHO WILL ONLY BE ABLE TO SING THIS NEW SONG.

* AND IN HEAVEN, A UNIQUE GROUP, TRIBULATION MARTYRS CAN SING IT, AND ARE SINGING IT, AND THE ONLY ONES ON EARTH THAT CAN ARE THE 144,000 WHO HAD BEEN SPECIALLY PURCHASED FROM THE EARTH FOR GOD FOR A SPECIAL UNIQUE PURPOSE OF EVANGELISM AND SUFFERING WHO ARE GOD’S SPECIAL PREACHERS DURING THIS TIME.

** AND IF THE FOG IS ROLLING IN AT THIS TIME, I UNDERSTAND, BUT THAT’S THE BEST I CAN DO, THIS IS TOUGH TO INTERPRET, FOR NOT A LOT OF DETAILS ARE GIVEN AND GOD OBVIOUSLY HAS A GOOD PURPOSE FOR THAT.

*** BUT THE SONG IS SUNG IN HEAVEN AT THIS FUTURE TIME WHICH LEADS US TO SOME DETAILS ABOUT THIS SPECIAL UNIQUE GROUP CALLED THE 144,000. AND WE WILL SEE THEIR CHARACTER, THEIR INTEGRITY AND SPECIFICALLY THEIR SUBMISSION, OUR 4TH AND LAST POINT TODAY. LOOK AT V. 4 PLEASE.

IV. THE SUBMISSION, (READ V. 4)

A. NOW THE 144,000 WERE SUBMISSIVE TO THE LORD, THEY WERE IN CHARACTER AND INTEGRITY BEACONS OF PURITY IN AN IMMORAL WORLD WHERE DIVINE RESTRAINT WAS REMOVED.

* AND WHAT I MEAN BY THAT IS, AT THE FUTURE POINT OF HISTORY IN THE TRIBULATION, MANKIND WILL BE AT THE BOTTOM STEP OF THE LADDER OF MORAL IMPURITY TALKED ABOUT IN ROMANS 1.

** AND REMEMBER THE HOLY SPIRIT WILL BE TAKEN OUT OF THE WAY IN II THESSALONIANS 2:7, NOT OUT OF THE WORLD, BUT OUT OF THE WAY, ALLOWING SIN TO ABOUND AND THE INFLUENCE OF THE CHURCH WILL BE REMOVED AS IT HAS BEEN RAPTURED.

*** ALL TO SAY IF YOU THINK THINGS ARE BAD MORALLY NOW, AT THIS FUTURE TIME IT WILL BE MUCH WORSE AS MORAL SIN WILL RUN RAMPANT.

**** WELL, IN THE MIDST OF THIS, THE 144,000 HAVE NOT BEEN DEFILED BY IMMORALITY IN THEIR LIVES BUT HAVE REMAINED CHASTE AND PURE, AND SOME TRANSLATIONS AS VIRGINS.

1. AND THERE MAY BE THE IMPLICATION THAT IN THEIR UNIQUE MISSION THEY REMAIN UNMARRIED, AND GAVE UP THE JOY AND BLESSING OF MARRIAGE FOR THE PURPOSE OF THEIR MISSION, AND IF THAT’S TRUE GOD EVIDENTLY ENABLED THEM THROUGH HIS GRACE AS A GIFT TO DO THAT.

* BUT REGARDLESS IF THEY WERE MARRIED OR NOT, THEY WERE PURE AND CHASTE WHICH REMINDS US WE HAVE NO EXCUSE.

** FOR SOMETIMES WE EXCUSE OUR LACK OF PURITY IN OUR MINDS BY SAYING, IT’S HARD TO BE PURE IN AN IMMORAL SOCIETY AS OURS AND IT IS.

*** BUT IT’S NO EXCUSE, FOR THESE MEN ARE PURE IN THE MOST IMMORAL SOCIETY EVER.

**** BROTHERS AND SISTERS, WE MUST USE AND TAKE ADVANTAGE OF OUR SPIRITUAL RESOURCES TO BE PURE AND LIGHTS IN AN IMPURE WORLD. THESE MEN WERE.

2. BUT MOVING ON TWO MORE THINGS ARE COMMUNICATED ABOUT THESE MEN.

* NO. 1 THEY FOLLOW THE LAMB WHEREVER HE GOES WHICH IS QUITE FRANKLY A CHARACTERISTIC, A PATTERN, A FRUIT OF BEING A TRUE CHRISTIAN.

** WHAT IS THE BASIC CHARACTERISTIC THAT IDENTIFIES A CHRISTIAN?

*** THE ANSWER IS WE FOLLOW THE LAMB, WE FOLLOW CHRIST, A BASIC DEFINITION OF A TRUE BELIEVER.

**** READ JOHN 10:27, MATTHEW 4:19, MATTHEW 10:38 AND LUKE 9:23.

3. SO FOLLOWING CHRIST IS WHAT CHRISTIANS DO AND WHEN WE DON’T, LIKE PETER, WE REPENT AND START BACK.

* WELL, THE 144,000 WERE CLOSE FOLLOWERS OF THE LAMB, FOLLOWING HIM WHERE HE LED THEM. THERE IS GREAT LOYALTY AND DEVOTION.

** AND LASTLY IN V. 4, THESE MEN HAVE BEEN SPECIFICALLY PURCHASED FROM AMONG MEN AS FIRST FRUITS TO GOD AND THE LAMB.

*** NOW THE SPECIAL UNIQUENESS OF THIS GROUP OF MEN IS BROUGHT OUT HERE.

**** FOR ALL BELIEVERS HAVE BEEN PURCHASED, REDEEMED OUT OF THE SLAVE MARKET OF SIN TO BE GOD’S POSSESSION.

4. BUT THIS GROUP IS A FIRST FRUIT. AND IN THE O.T. THE FIRST FRUITS WERE THE FIRST PART OF A CROP TO BE HARVESTED AND WERE OFFERED TO GOD TO BE USED FOR HIS SERVICE.

* BUT ALSO THE FIRST FRUITS COMMUNICATED THERE WAS A HARVEST TO FOLLOW WHICH MAY ALLUDE TO THE REALITY IN REVELATION THAT THE 144,000 WERE THE FIRST TO BE SAVED WITH MANY OTHERS TO FOLLOW BECAUSE OF THEIR WITNESS WHICH APPEARS TO BE THE TRUTH OF REVELATION 7 WHERE THEY ARE SEALED AND A MULTITUDE AFTER THEY ARE SEALED ARE SAVED AFTER THEM.

** SO AGAIN THE 144,000 ARE A SPECIAL UNIQUE GROUP WITH A SPECIAL PURPOSE IN THE TRIBULATION.

*** WHICH LEADS US TO V. 5 WHERE TWO LAST THINGS ARE SAID ABOUT THE 144,000 IN THEIR SUBMISSION TO THE LAMB.

B. READ V. 5. NOW IN CONTRAST TO ANTICHRIST AND THE FALSE PROPHET AND SATAN WHO IS A LIAR AND THE FATHER OF IT, WITH THE 144,000, LIES DON’T COME OUT OF THEIR MOUTHS.

* THESE MEN ARE TRUTH SPEAKERS, FOR THEY FOLLOW THE LAMB. AND SINCE JESUS IS TRUTH, HIS WORD IS TRUTH AND THE HOLY SPIRIT IS THE SPIRIT OF TRUTH, LYING WAS NOT A PART OF THESE MEN’S LIVES.

** AND LYING SHOULD NEVER BE A PART OF OUR BEHAVIOR OR PRACTICE, LYING IS SOMETHING THAT UNBELIEVERS DO.

*** FOR FOLLOWERS OF CHRIST SHOULD BE THE MOST HONEST PEOPLE IN ANY SOCIETY.

**** AND I AM SADDENED BY CHRISTIANS WHO RATIONALIZE LYING FOR CERTAIN SITUATIONS. LISTEN, LYING IS NEVER RIGHT, NEVER!

1. LYING IS THE ANTITHESIS TO TRUTH AND HOPEFULLY WE SPEAK THE TRUTH IN LOVE, EPHESIANS 4:15. WE ARE TRUTH SPEAKERS AND OUR PRAYER SHOULD BE LIKE THAT OF THE PSALMIST IN PSALM 120:2 (READ IT).

* BELOVED, INTEGRITY AND TRUTH IS WHAT SHOULD CHARACTERIZE OUR LIVES AS IT DID WITH THE 144,000.

** BUT ONE LAST THING IS SAID ABOUT THEM IN V. 5 WHICH SHOWED THEIR SUBMISSION TO CHRIST, THEY WERE BLAMELESS.

*** AND THIS PARTICULAR GREEK WORD USED HERE LIT. MEANS TO BE WITHOUT BLEMISH LIKE THE SACRIFICES IN THE O.T. WERE TO BE LIKE, WITHOUT FLAW AND THEREFORE FIT TO BE OFFERED.

**** AND THESE MEN WERE NOT PERFECT BUT LIVED A SANCTIFIED LIFE SO YOU COULDN’T POINT A FINGER AT THEM AND SAY, THERE’S SOMETHING FATALLY WRONG, THERE WERE NO FATAL FLAWS, THEY WERE ABOVE REPROACH IN LIVING HOLY LIVES FOR THEIR HOLY LAMB – THE PERFECT SACRIFICE.

IN WRAP UP: (1) BROTHERS AND SISTERS THE APPLICATION TODAY FROM THIS TEXT IS THESE MEN ARE EXAMPLES OF WHAT OUR LIVES SHOULD BE LIKE AS FOLLOWERS OF THE LAMB.

* PURITY, HONESTY AND INTEGRITY IN OUR LIVES DISPLAYS AND MAGNIFIES THE GREATNESS OF OUR GOD.

** BELOVED, THIS KIND OF LIFE PUTS GOD ON DISPLAY AS A HOLY GOD WHO IS THE SAVIOR.

*** FOR LIVING A REDEEMED LIFE TELLS OF OUR REDEEMER. AND THAT OUR REDEEMER IS ALIVE AND THAT REDEEMER HAS CHANGED US, GIVEN US HOLY AND LOVING AND PURE AFFECTIONS AND DESIRES.

**** AND I WANT TO EMPHASIZE NOT ONLY ARE WE CALLED BY GOD TO BE HOLY IN I PETER 1:15&16 AND NOT ONLY DOES THIS KIND OF LIFE GIVE GOD GLORY AND PLEASURE, BUT THIS KIND OF LIFE OPENS UP DOORS TO GLORIFY GOD BY DECLARING THE GOOD NEWS OF THE GOSPEL.

(2) READ I PETER 3:15, MATTHEW 5:14-16 AND PHILIPPIANS 2:15.

* CHRISTIAN, MAY WE BE LIGHTS BY BEING PURE, HONEST AND BLAMELESS.

** BUT LAST OF ALL IN APPLICATION, I ASK THE QUESTION, ARE YOU A FOLLOWER OF CHRIST? IS THE PATTERN, NOT PERFECTION, BUT THE PATTERN OF YOUR LIFE TO FOLLOW CHRIST?

*** AND WHEN YOU DON’T, YOU REPENT.

**** LISTEN, LIARS AND IMPURE PEOPLE WILL NOT ENTER THE KINGDOM OF GOD, READ REVELATION 21:8 AND I CORINTHIANS 6:9-11.

(3) AND MAYBE YOU ARE HERE TODAY AND YOU HAVE PROFESSED CHRIST BUT YOUR LIFE SHOWS YOU DON’T POSSESS CHRIST, BECAUSE YOU’RE NOT A FOLLOWER OF THE LAMB, IF THAT’S SO, COME IN REPENTANT FAITH TO CHRIST TODAY AND BE REDEEMED, FORGIVEN BY THE ONLY SAVIOR, THE RIGHT LORD JESUS CHRIST. CRY OUT TO HIM FOR SALVATION NOW! (LET’S PRAY)