05-14-2007, 11:26 PM
Rev 14:1 I saw, and behold, the Lamb standing on Mount Zion, and with him a number, one hundred forty-four thousand, having his name, and the name of his Father, written on their foreheads.
Rev 14:1 - A lamb -- Christ.
On the mount Sion -- Sinai was the Mount of God in the legal and typical dispensation. Zion is the Mount of God in the Gospel age and onward; and we learn, too, that it is an heavenly and an earthly mountain.
With him -- As Moses and Aaron met in the mount.
These went up to meet Christ, their brother, in Zion--the Mountain and City of God. (Heb. 12:22, Diaglott)
An hundred forty and four thousand -- God ordained that a certain specific number should be chosen from amongst men to be joint-heirs in the Kingdom.
The called, chosen and faithful. (Rev. 17:14)
The whole number of the elect company.
The elect Church--the very elect, the saintly few, the Little Flock.
The twelve tribes of spiritual Israel, whose entire number was to be 144,000--twelve thousand from each tribe.
The faithful remnant of natural Israel, who were gathered at the beginning of this Gospel age, and the faithful remnant from the Gentile Church of this age.
The Priesthood would have been completely made up from the twelve tribes of Israel had there been a sufficient number of faithful obedient ones to make up the predestinated number of 144,000.
When the message was proclaimed by the twelve Apostles, approximately 16,000 Jews became footstep followers. But this number was short of the 144,000. Hence, in due time, the privilege was extended to one nation after another. The complete Church. Hence, the resurrected saints as well as the changed living saints. Numbered and limited--a Little Flock--the very reverse of innumerable. It is another class altogether that is described as "a great multitude which no man could number." (Rev. 7:9)
The inhabitants of a spiritual mountain will themselves be spiritual.
If the whole world were to keep the Law they would not belong to the spiritual seed, for God wants only 144,000.
If all the Jews living in Jesus' day had loved God and had made a full consecration, God might have increased the number of the elect.
In their foreheads -- Their advantage is largely in the divine wisdom and knowledge granted them because of their obedience to their consecration. Sealed intellectually, that they may not be in darkness with the world.
Rev 14:3 They sing a new song before the throne, and before the four living creatures and the elders. No one could learn the song except the one hundred forty-four thousand, those who had been redeemed out of the earth.
Rev 14:4 - Not defiled -- As his Bride, we are to be separate from the world, pure in heart, undefiled by wrong union with Babylon.
Whoever, for social, financial or other mercenary reasons, holds to that which he sees is built upon a wrong principle, and upholds wrong theories, is defiling his conscience.
Not that one is necessarily defiled by having become a member of the Methodist or other churches. There are saintly and pure people in all those churches. They are in her, but not of her.
Some are in Babylon and not of Babylon, just the same as the children of Israel were carried captive into Babylon, but they were not Babylonians.
The blame comes to the person who, after seeing the real facts of the case, stands in and indorses these systems and upholds them--then his whole conscience is defiled. The point where defilement begins is after the light of truth has opened the eyes of understanding to see the difference between the Church and human organizations.
Those who fail to lift up heart and pen and voice and every talent possessed on the Lord's side of the question, will not be reckoned among the overcomers.
With women -- Churches. Only corrupt churches would defile.
No reference to the female sex, but it refers to the ecclesiastical women mentioned in Revelation.
Earthly systems, in contrast to the heavenly system.
They are virgins -- The Church is a virgin Church, not united to the world at all. The early Church, in leaving Christ as the prospective Bridegroom, and becoming united with the nation of Rome, constituted an illicit union.
Compare Rev. 21:9.
Follow the Lamb -- As Moses and Aaron went together in their work.
Whithersoever he goeth -- Whithersoever he leadeth.
Through evil as well as good report--those who follow his teachings and example.
Full discipleship.
Laying down their lives, not instantly, but daily, hourly, throughout life, seeking to spend and be spent in the service of the Lord, his cause, the truth, the brethren, the Church.
Who put far away everything akin to wrath, anger, evil speaking and bitterness.
They must not faint before they reach the end of the journey.
Some, especially in civilized lands, still maintain a partial ear and partial appreciation of righteousness, though they have not the full hearing of faith.
The firstfruits -- An "elect" sample.
The Church of Christ.
Implying that ultimately there will be others of God's family later born--after-fruits.
This implies an after-fruit much more numerous.
As in the type, after the firstfruits were taken out, the field of grain was not destroyed, but harvested. The chaff was thrown away in both cases.
The completion of the specially elect Church will therefore be but the beginning, and not the ending, of the great plan of salvation which God had purposed.
The Church's resurrection means, indirectly, the uplifting of mankind, the opening of the grave to every member of the human family.
The King and priest company are the first ripe, and therefore the throne of the heavenly city is established first.
Israel is not first in this sense, but is to be the firstfruits unto God of the nations.
Overcomers.
"If the firstfruits be holy, the lump is also holy." (Rom. 11:16)
Rev 14:1 - A lamb -- Christ.
On the mount Sion -- Sinai was the Mount of God in the legal and typical dispensation. Zion is the Mount of God in the Gospel age and onward; and we learn, too, that it is an heavenly and an earthly mountain.
With him -- As Moses and Aaron met in the mount.
These went up to meet Christ, their brother, in Zion--the Mountain and City of God. (Heb. 12:22, Diaglott)
An hundred forty and four thousand -- God ordained that a certain specific number should be chosen from amongst men to be joint-heirs in the Kingdom.
The called, chosen and faithful. (Rev. 17:14)
The whole number of the elect company.
The elect Church--the very elect, the saintly few, the Little Flock.
The twelve tribes of spiritual Israel, whose entire number was to be 144,000--twelve thousand from each tribe.
The faithful remnant of natural Israel, who were gathered at the beginning of this Gospel age, and the faithful remnant from the Gentile Church of this age.
The Priesthood would have been completely made up from the twelve tribes of Israel had there been a sufficient number of faithful obedient ones to make up the predestinated number of 144,000.
When the message was proclaimed by the twelve Apostles, approximately 16,000 Jews became footstep followers. But this number was short of the 144,000. Hence, in due time, the privilege was extended to one nation after another. The complete Church. Hence, the resurrected saints as well as the changed living saints. Numbered and limited--a Little Flock--the very reverse of innumerable. It is another class altogether that is described as "a great multitude which no man could number." (Rev. 7:9)
The inhabitants of a spiritual mountain will themselves be spiritual.
If the whole world were to keep the Law they would not belong to the spiritual seed, for God wants only 144,000.
If all the Jews living in Jesus' day had loved God and had made a full consecration, God might have increased the number of the elect.
In their foreheads -- Their advantage is largely in the divine wisdom and knowledge granted them because of their obedience to their consecration. Sealed intellectually, that they may not be in darkness with the world.
Rev 14:3 They sing a new song before the throne, and before the four living creatures and the elders. No one could learn the song except the one hundred forty-four thousand, those who had been redeemed out of the earth.
Rev 14:4 - Not defiled -- As his Bride, we are to be separate from the world, pure in heart, undefiled by wrong union with Babylon.
Whoever, for social, financial or other mercenary reasons, holds to that which he sees is built upon a wrong principle, and upholds wrong theories, is defiling his conscience.
Not that one is necessarily defiled by having become a member of the Methodist or other churches. There are saintly and pure people in all those churches. They are in her, but not of her.
Some are in Babylon and not of Babylon, just the same as the children of Israel were carried captive into Babylon, but they were not Babylonians.
The blame comes to the person who, after seeing the real facts of the case, stands in and indorses these systems and upholds them--then his whole conscience is defiled. The point where defilement begins is after the light of truth has opened the eyes of understanding to see the difference between the Church and human organizations.
Those who fail to lift up heart and pen and voice and every talent possessed on the Lord's side of the question, will not be reckoned among the overcomers.
With women -- Churches. Only corrupt churches would defile.
No reference to the female sex, but it refers to the ecclesiastical women mentioned in Revelation.
Earthly systems, in contrast to the heavenly system.
They are virgins -- The Church is a virgin Church, not united to the world at all. The early Church, in leaving Christ as the prospective Bridegroom, and becoming united with the nation of Rome, constituted an illicit union.
Compare Rev. 21:9.
Follow the Lamb -- As Moses and Aaron went together in their work.
Whithersoever he goeth -- Whithersoever he leadeth.
Through evil as well as good report--those who follow his teachings and example.
Full discipleship.
Laying down their lives, not instantly, but daily, hourly, throughout life, seeking to spend and be spent in the service of the Lord, his cause, the truth, the brethren, the Church.
Who put far away everything akin to wrath, anger, evil speaking and bitterness.
They must not faint before they reach the end of the journey.
Some, especially in civilized lands, still maintain a partial ear and partial appreciation of righteousness, though they have not the full hearing of faith.
The firstfruits -- An "elect" sample.
The Church of Christ.
Implying that ultimately there will be others of God's family later born--after-fruits.
This implies an after-fruit much more numerous.
As in the type, after the firstfruits were taken out, the field of grain was not destroyed, but harvested. The chaff was thrown away in both cases.
The completion of the specially elect Church will therefore be but the beginning, and not the ending, of the great plan of salvation which God had purposed.
The Church's resurrection means, indirectly, the uplifting of mankind, the opening of the grave to every member of the human family.
The King and priest company are the first ripe, and therefore the throne of the heavenly city is established first.
Israel is not first in this sense, but is to be the firstfruits unto God of the nations.
Overcomers.
"If the firstfruits be holy, the lump is also holy." (Rom. 11:16)