The Song of the Redeemed

It’s always darkest just before the dawn is one of those sayings that is meant to give a sentiment of HOPE and is meant To ENCOURGE US when we are mired in the adversity and challenges of life. Now, the truth is that it’s not really the darkest before dawn. The darkest time of the day is actually around midnight. But the idea behind that saying is that no matter what we are enduring, no matter how hard life is, there is always the hope that with the dawn of a new day things might get the better. And we all need this kind of hope to not only get us through the tough times, but to also help us endure this present evil age.

And my guess is that the apostle John needed this kind of hope at this point of his vision journey through the book of Revelation. After all, as he had witnessed the outpouring of God’s wrath through the seal judgments, the trumpet judgments, the ongoing war with Satan. As he had seen the insidious rise of the antichrist and the blasphemous deceptions of the false prophet, he must’ve been feeling the weight of darkness and began asking himself when will a new day dawn? And my guess is that sometimes we find ourselves asking the same thing? Is there hope on the horizon?

Well, today as we come to Revelation 14:1-5, God now gives John a vision of hope in the new day to come as we are welcomed back to the throne of God and are given a glimpse of heaven with the song of the redeemed. This remarkable vision not only reveals the light at the end of the tunnel, but it meant to fuel our hope, encourage our faith, and help us navigate life as we endure the present darkness of this evil age.

So, if you’ve found Revelation 14:1-5, let’s begin with verse one, where John is given a glimpse into The Identity of the Redeemed: 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. Revelation 14:1 Now, just one caveat here, it looks like this vision begins on earth, as the first thing John sees is Jesus standing on Mount Zion. But as we will quickly see the remainder of this vision takes place around the throne of God where all heaven joins in with the song of the redeemed. So, here in verse one, John is identifying the redeemed for us in contrast to all who’ve rejected God.

And the first thing we see is that the redeemed are sealed by God: What we see here are the 144,000 who are the same loyal Christ followers who earlier were marked with God’s seal on their foreheads, securing their protection from the coming wrath. Here we are told that the seal of the redeemed is the name of the Lamb and His Father. This seal permanently marks the redeemed as God’s own, imprinted with His identity, secured under His protection, once and for all and forever. This seal is an emblem of the allegiance of those who bear it: the 144,000 whose pledge has been given to God through Christ, in contrast to those who are loyal to the world and its beastly dominion.

Now, there may be some question for you as to who these 144,000 represent. When I spoke of this group earlier, I mentioned that this number was symbolic, representing the 12 tribes of Israel and the 12 apostles of Christ, so that it represented the church throughout the ages. But I also recognize that some of you see this as the literal 144,000 Jews who come to faith in Christ during “the Tribulation.” So, what gives?

Why are there two different interpretations regarding the 144,000? Well, here is where I want to take a brief sidebar to help us see the difference between those who interpret Revelation literally and those who interpret it symbolically to help us grasp where I’ve been coming from as I’ve been unpacking this book for you.

First the literal viewpoint. The literal viewpoint comes from a camp of evangelicals called Dispensationalists. This is the premillennial viewpoint. Premillennialists base much of their interpretation of Revelation on Daniel’s prophecy of 70 weeks, known to most as “The Tribulation;” as well as Scriptures that speak of the rapture of the church prior to the Tribulation. So let me walk you through this.

1. There will be a rapture of the church prior to the tribulation. The word “rapture” we use today comes from the word “raptus” which is found in the Latin Vulgate. It is used in 1 Thessalonians 4:17 where Scripture says, “then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up (“raptus“) together with them in the clouds…” the reason why this camp believes that the rapture will happen prior to the tribulation comes from another Scripture that says, God did not appoint us to suffer wrath but to receive salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ. 1 Thessalonians 5:9 So this group teaches that since God’s wrath is poured out in the Tribulation, God will rapture believers prior to the tribulation, so they will not have to su

2. The great tribulation will last seven years. During this time there will be intense persecution of believers, the rise of the antichrist and the outpouring of God’s wrath

3. At the midpoint of the tribulation, the image of the beast will be set-up in the temple and worshiped.

4. At the end of the tribulation Jesus will return with the raptured saints and will establish His millennial reign on earth – a literal thousand-year reign

5. The 144,000 are Jews who are converted to Christ during the tribulation and are instrumental in bearing witness of Christ during the tribulation That’s the literal interpretation that is applied to teaching the book of Revelation. Now, let’s look at

The symbolic viewpoint. This viewpoint comes from a Reformed Perspective or Covenant theology Perspective of interpreting Revelation.
1. There is no seven-year tribulation period. Christians have been enduring suffering and persecution throughout the church age.

2. The 144,000 represents the church being persecuted throughout the church age.

3. The antichrist is a representation of evil throughout history.

4. There will be one single, visible return of Christ at the end of the age.

5. God protects His people during times of tribulation.

6. Revelation focuses on our present response to persecution and suffering and encourages us to live faithful and godly lives in this present evil age.

All that to say, is that as a Pastor with a high view of Scripture, I want to be true to what Scripture teaches. Personally, I see elements of both the literal and symbolic viewpoints as I navigate this book. First, there is no Scripture in Revelation that speaks to the rapture. Instead, the visions John receives clearly show that followers of Jesus will be present during the outpouring of God’s wrath. They are there to show the contrast between rebellious and idolatrous sinners and faithful and godly Christ followers.

In speaking to those who believe the 144,000 to be converted Jews, I simply see them as God’s people whether Jews or Christians. After all, if the 144,000 are converted Jews that God is using during the tribulation to evangelize, then many who are saved during the tribulation will not just but Jews, but also Gentiles – all are the redeemed of Christ. So, I have a both/and approach to interpreting Revelation. I believe there will be a literal antichrist and false prophet. I believe there may indeed be a seven-year tribulation period, but Christ followers will be present. I believe God will protect His people during the tribulation, and that Jesus will return to set up His kingdom. But I also believe this book is given to us to encourage us in the midst of persecution and suffering and teaches us how to live faithful and godly lives in this present evil age.

But in saying all of this, I am just one man seeking to interpret God’s Word to helps us face any evil that comes our way. And if you interpret this book a little different from me, that’s ok. Because throughout history, many great men of faith have differed over the interpretation of this book. In fact, there is room in our denomination for Pastors to hold differing views. So, my charge to you, is don’t just listen to my teaching. Read it for yourself, study it for yourself. Listen to respected teachers like David Jeremiah, Greg Laurie, John MacArthur (who come from a historical viewpoint), or Tim Keller, John Piper, or Alistair Begg (who come from a symbolic viewpoint). I am just one man trying to be faithful to what God is showing me. And my goal is to help us understand how we are to live in light of what God’s Word reveals. So, with that said, let’s take a big breath, let’s dive back into Revelation 14.

The first truth we learned here about the identity of the redeemed is that the redeemed are sealed by God. This a universal truth that’s applies to anyone who trusts in Jesus. The moment you believe in Jesus you are sealed with a mark by the Holy Spirit. You are sealed by God with His name and that means you belong to Him forever. Take encouragement from this. God has your back in whatever comes your way. Whether you face hostility, discrimination, suffering or trials in this present evil age, He will be with you and will protect you. You belong to Him. Your salvation is secured by Him, because He sealed you as HIs own. This is who you are.

Secondly: The redeemed are the redeemed of the earth In verse 3, John sees all those who had been redeemed from the earth Revelation 14:3 The Lamb is not standing with the spiritual elite and not just with Jewish believers, but with all who have been redeemed from the earth by His blood. The point isn’t, who are the 144,000? The point is that anyone who has been redeemed by Jesus, who has been forgiven by the blood of Jesus, will stand before the throne and have a new song of praise and glory to sing before our king.

Thirdly, The redeemed are offered as first fruits to God Verse 4 says, They were purchased from among mankind and offered as first fruits to God and the Lamb. One day every one of the redeemed of the earth we will be offered up to God and Lamb. We will be offered to God for His glory. We will be offered to the Lamb who saved us. And at that moment, all heaven will break lose into a thunderous ovation of worship to God because they will be celebrating the salvation of the redeemed. Which leads us to that celebration song:

The Song of the Redeemed: 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. 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. Revelation 12:2-3 I love this wall of sound John hears: like the roar of rushing waters, like a loud peal of thunder, like the sound of harpist playing their harps. A nearly identical wall of sound will occur in heaven on the day when the great multitude of heaven will sing praise announcing the marriage supper of the Lamb. Tens of thousands of angels surrounding the throne will sing glory to God for the redeemed. And all the redeemed will join them, for it is our song we will sing.

Daniel Akin, one who actually interprets Revelation from a historical perspective speaks to this thunderous ovation. He writes: “Only the redeemed can learn and sing this song. If I am correct that the 144,000 represent Jewish believers, it may also be correct that here they represent all believers as they sing the song of redemption and salvation. Such joy and celebration are the natural response of all who have been purchased for God by the blood of the Lamb. Saved by a salvation we do not deserve, we rejoice in the Lamb who was slaughtered but is now standing.”

This is why we sing today, this is why we gather to praise God now. We have a new song to sing! It’s our redemption song! Christians who gather to worship do so not because we are commanded to praise. We sing praise to God, because He rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son He loves. We sing praise to God because he set us free from sin and shame. We glorify God in song, because we are no longer enemies of God, but blood bought children of God. And one day we will sing this new song to the Lamb in heaven, because we are learning of His mercy and grace to the redeemed today. This is our hope! One day our hearts will be so full of joy in the presence of Jesus that we will get to sing praise to our redeemer face to face.

Now, you’d think that with that, John would be finished writing about the redeemed. But he’s not. He concludes by speaking of their character. Why? Well, he’s making a point of contrast. Just prior to this passage we’ve seen the character of those who will follow the beast. They are rebellious sinners who refuse to repent. They have aligned themselves with the beast, they willingly chose to follow the beast by taking his mark, and they gladly worship the beast. But not so the redeemed.

In these last two verses we now see The Character of the Redeemed: And it is these distinguishing marks that help us to shine brightly for Christ in this present evil age. These verses show us how stand apart from those follow the beast. John writes: 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 first fruits to God and the Lamb. No lie was found in their mouths; they are blameless. Revelation 14:4-5 Let’s look at the first characteristic:

The redeemed are spiritually faithful: The first description has perplexed many readers because they take it literally, when John writes: These are those who did not defile themselves with women, for they remained virgins. If this were literal, then this description would only apply to celibate men. So, it’s to be taken symbolically. Philip Hughes explains this symbol for us by saying, “The purity in question is that of spiritual faithfulness.” That’s been the message throughout Revelation. Over and over again, the distinctive characteristic of Christ followers in this present evil age is our fidelity to Jesus. We don’t compromise our values to the values of the world.

The great theologian Leon Morris says it this way “It means that the people in question have kept themselves completely free from intercourse with the pagan world system.” Being spiritual faithful is a quality that has always set God’s people apart in the world. It’s what makes us different. It’s what makes us shine like stars in the universe. Our purity of love, our mercy, our grace. It’s not simply that we live moral lives. But that the life of Christ shines through us, revealing our spiritual faithfulness. And here, John spells out how this spiritual faithfulness will be recognized with the next characteristic:

The redeemed are obedient followers They follow the Lamb wherever He goes. Following Jesus involves not just believing in his teaching but keeping his commands. This is one big reason we have Journey Groups and encourage you to learn how to follow Jesus together. For one of the hardest things for believers today is to actually put the truths and commands of Jesus into practice. Jesus said, “You are truly my disciples if you remain faithful to my teachings. And you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” John 8:32

That’s the beauty of learning to follow Jesus with others. For when someone shares how the Spirit is leading them to put a truth into practice, you can learn from it too. For example, when you look at the passage where Jesus forgives the woman caught in adultery, and the whole community is ready to condemn her by stoning. But Jesus forgives her – I don’t know how many times I’ve heard another person share about a person they have trouble forgiving. But when they interact with this passage, the Spirit often works on them to move them to do something about it. Then the next time we gather, that person shares how God moved them to called the person and forgave them. Then as that person shares how God moved them to forgive this person, others in the group are prompted by the Spirit to do the same with people in their lives. The Spirit brings to mind people we need to forgive, and encourages them to call them just as the one who shared had done. That’s just one example. But the point is that God gave us His Word, not just to know it, but to obey it. Now, let’s look at another way we are to live differently:

The redeemed are ambassadors of truth Think about this for a moment. The Bible says that those who’ve turn their backs on God and follow after the world have “exchanged the truth of God for a lie” (Romans 1:25). But the redeemed are known for truth. We don’t deceive. We speak truth. And the truth the world needs to hear is the good news of God’s salvation found in Jesus Christ. Every Christ follower has a story to tell of God’s grace. Every Christ follower knows what it is like to be forgiven. Every Christ follower has the experience of new life with God. But today, many Christ followers are afraid to speak the truth. But John reveals for us here that speaking the truth is a key characteristic of the redeemed. That’s why we will be taking a break from Revelation in October, where we are going to focus on the truths of the gospel, so we can be equipped to be confident ambassadors of truth. And finally,

The redeemed are blameless in Christ Obviously, none of us can live a blameless life in our own strength. That’s why we need Jesus. But when we abide in Christ, obey His teaching, speak His truth, then little by little we will become more and more like Jesus. So that the more we follow Jesus, the more our lives will appear pure and blameless in contrast to those who follow the ways of the world. The redeemed are blameless in Christ and it is this characteristic that helps us stand apart and even shine for Jesus in this present darkeness.

So yes, it is always darkest just before the dawn. There will be times when we’ll have to endure hardships, troubles and even persecution because we follow Jesus. But there is always hope for the redeemed. For we bear the seal of God, we have a song to sing, and we have a Savior to follow. So be encouraged, one day our day will come. But until that day, keep following Jesus, for one day we will sing our new song to the Lamb.