seekeroftruth
Well-Known Member
14:1 Then I looked, and there before me was the Lamb, standing on Mount Zion, and with him 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 rushing waters and like a loud peal of thunder. The sound I heard was like that of harpists playing their harps. 3 And they sang a new song before the throne and before the four living creatures and the elders. No one could learn the song except the 144,000 who had been redeemed from the earth. 4 These are those who did not defile themselves with women, for they remained virgins. They follow the Lamb wherever he goes. They were purchased from among mankind and offered as firstfruits to God and the Lamb. 5 No lie was found in their mouths; they are blameless.
In one of the commentaries, I found this description of this group of 144,000.
They are redeemed from the earth by faith in Christ, "who had his name and his Father's name written on their foreheads"; "they had been redeemed from the earth" and "were purchased from among men". Obviously these men were first born again by receiving Jesus Christ as their personal Savior and Lord.
They are morally pure. "These are those who did not defile themselves with women, for they kept themselves pure". Much as been written about this qualification, suggesting that only unmarried men would qualify. There is no scriptural certainty to indicate that Paul was ever married, so he easily fits the pattern here, and to my knowledge we have no record of John's having been married, though it is possible it is just not mentioned. In any case, there may well have been 144,000 in the last 1900 plus years of the Christian Church who have remained single for the Lord's sake; having met the other qualifications, they will share in that elite position with Paul, possibly John and others.
They are obedient and available, for "they follow the Lamb wherever he goes". It is obvious that all of God's children, in fact, all of His servants, are not completely yielded to His will. Some have known years of yieldedness and faithful service, only to go back and "walk no more with him", whereas others have had on again off again periods of obedience. This elite group of 144,000 is unusually marked by obedience. Their attitude is epitomized by the statement of the Apostle Paul immediately after recognizing Jesus, when he said, "What shall I do, Lord?" (Acts 22 v.10)
They tell the truth, for "no lie was found in their mouths". These men are characterized by a contrast to Satan. They are faithful witnesses, always telling the truth. Lying is a part of a person's nature when one follows Satan, "the father of all lies." One prime characteristic of obedient Christians, by contrast, is that they tell the truth.
They live "blameless" lives. This does not indicate that they are perfect, for these people too had to be redeemed "from among men"; they were lost sinners and had to be born again. Nor does it mean that they live in sinless perfection since their salvation, but reasserts what the Apostle Paul meant in 1 Thess. 2 v.10 when he said, "You are witnesses, and so is God, of how holy, righteous and blameless we were among you who believed." These are men who, in their desire to serve Jesus Christ and walk with Him, leaned on His power to live holy, consecrated lives. They are men who can say with Paul, "I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me." (Gal. 2 v.20)"
They are morally pure. "These are those who did not defile themselves with women, for they kept themselves pure". Much as been written about this qualification, suggesting that only unmarried men would qualify. There is no scriptural certainty to indicate that Paul was ever married, so he easily fits the pattern here, and to my knowledge we have no record of John's having been married, though it is possible it is just not mentioned. In any case, there may well have been 144,000 in the last 1900 plus years of the Christian Church who have remained single for the Lord's sake; having met the other qualifications, they will share in that elite position with Paul, possibly John and others.
They are obedient and available, for "they follow the Lamb wherever he goes". It is obvious that all of God's children, in fact, all of His servants, are not completely yielded to His will. Some have known years of yieldedness and faithful service, only to go back and "walk no more with him", whereas others have had on again off again periods of obedience. This elite group of 144,000 is unusually marked by obedience. Their attitude is epitomized by the statement of the Apostle Paul immediately after recognizing Jesus, when he said, "What shall I do, Lord?" (Acts 22 v.10)
They tell the truth, for "no lie was found in their mouths". These men are characterized by a contrast to Satan. They are faithful witnesses, always telling the truth. Lying is a part of a person's nature when one follows Satan, "the father of all lies." One prime characteristic of obedient Christians, by contrast, is that they tell the truth.
They live "blameless" lives. This does not indicate that they are perfect, for these people too had to be redeemed "from among men"; they were lost sinners and had to be born again. Nor does it mean that they live in sinless perfection since their salvation, but reasserts what the Apostle Paul meant in 1 Thess. 2 v.10 when he said, "You are witnesses, and so is God, of how holy, righteous and blameless we were among you who believed." These are men who, in their desire to serve Jesus Christ and walk with Him, leaned on His power to live holy, consecrated lives. They are men who can say with Paul, "I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me." (Gal. 2 v.20)"
In my humble human opinion...
Jesus isn't going to need anyone's assistance to conquer Satan.... after all, Satan is a only a fallen angel. Angels were created by God and Satan just got a little too big for his britches and was thrown out of Heaven. Jesus could defeat Satan with one blow.
By allowing humans, this group of 144,000 Christians to follow Jesus into Battle.... Jesus is allowing Humans to have some ownership in the conquest.
After all, it was a human [Eve] that Satan used to stir up all this trouble on earth. It was a human [Adam] who perpetuated the trouble. So it's fitting that humans who were attacked are to be allowed to clean up the mess. AND.... I love that virgin men are going into this battle. After all, if Adam had not eaten the apple.... and told Eve to confess her sin to God... then the whole story would have changed.
