Chapter Twenty-Nine -Singing the Triumphal New Song

HOW refreshing it is to turn to John's next vision!  In contrast with the dragon's grotesque  beastlike organizations, we now see John's  loyal servants and their activities during the Lord's day.  (Revelation 1:10) Already, Revelation 7:1, 3 has disclosed to us that the four winds of destruction are being held back until all 144,000 of these anointed slaves are sealed. Revelation 12:17 has made known that these "remaining ones of the woman's [seed]" become the special target of Satan, the dragon, during that time. And Revelation chapter 13 has vividly depicted the political organizations raised up on heart by Satan to bring intense pressure and cruel persecution on Jehovah's faithful servants.  but that archenemy cannot thwart God's purpose!  We will now learn that despite Satan's malevolent activity, all the 144,000 are triumphantly gathered. 

John, and with him the John class today, is given a preview of that happy outcome:  "And I saw, and, look! the Lamb standing upon the Mount Zion, and with him a hundred and forty-four thousand having his name and the name of his Father written on their foreheads." (Revelation 14:1)  As we have seen, this Lamb is the same as the Michael who cleansed the heavens by casting out the Devil and his demons.  He is the Michael whom Daniel describes as "standing in behalf of the sons of [God's ] people' as he prepares  to "stand up" in executing Jehovah's righteous judgments.  (Daniel 12:1; Revelation 12:7, 9)  Since 1914 this self-sacrificing Lamb of God has been standing on Mount Zion as the Messianic King. 

It is just as Jehovah foretold:  "I, even I, have installed by king upon Zion, my holy mountain." (Psalm 2:6; 110:2)  This no longer refers to the earthly Mount Zion, the geographical location of earthly Jerusalem, in which city human kings in the line of David used to reign.  (1 Chronicles 11:4-7; 2 Chronicles 5:2)   No, for Jesus, after his death and resurrection in 33 C.E., was installed as a foundation cornerstone on the heavenly Mount Zion, the celestial location where Jehovah determined  to place the "city of the living God, heavenly Jerusalem."  Hence,  "the Mount Zion" here represents the exalted position of Jesus and his  joint heirs, who make up heavenly Jerusalem, which is the Kingdom.  (Hebrews 12:12, 28; Ephesians 3:6)  It is the glorious royal situation to which  Jehovah elevates them during the Lord's day. Over the centuries, anointed Christians, as "living stones," have earnestly looked forward to standing on that heavenly Mount Zion, united with the glorified Jesus Christ in his majestic Kingdom. - 1 Peter 2:4-6; Luke 22:28-30; John 14:2, 3.  

John sees not only Jesus but the complete body of the 144,000 fellow heirs of the heavenly Kingdom  standing upon the Mount Zion. At the time represented by the vision, many, but not all, of the 144,000 are already in heaven. Later, in the same vision, John learns that some of the holy ones still have to endure and die faithful. (Revelation 14:12, 13)  Evidently, then, some of the 144,000 are still on earth. So how is it that John sees all of them standing with Jesus on Mount Zion?  In that, as members of the congregation of anointed Christians, these have now "approached a Mount Zion and a city of the living God, heavenly Jerusalem."  (Hebrews 12:22)  Like Paul when he was still on earth, they have already -in spiritual sense-been raised up to be in union with Christ Jesus in heavenly places.  (Ephesians 2:5, 6)  Additionally, in 1919 they responded to the invitation, "Come on up here," and in figurative way "went up to  heaven in the cloud."  (Revelation 11:12)  In view of these scriptures, we can see that all the 144,000 -spiritually speaking-are located on Mount Zion with Jesus Christ.

The 144,000 have no part with the worshipers of the wild beast, who are marked with the symbolic number 666.  (Revelation 13:15-18)  In contrast, these loyal ones have the name of God and of the Lamb written on their foreheads. No doubt John, a Jew, saw God's name in Hebrew lettering ππ   in having the name of Jesus' Father symbolically written on their foreheads, these  sealed ones make known to all that they are Jehovah's Witnesses, His slaves.  (Revelation 3:12)  Their having Jesus' name also displayed on their foreheads indicates that they acknowledge being owned by him. He is their betrothed "husband", and they are his prospective "bride,"  "a new creation" serving God with heaven life in view.  (Ephesians 5:22-24; Revelation 21:2, 9; 2 Corinthians 5:17)  Their intimate relationship with Jehovah and Jesus Christ affects all their thoughts and actions. 

Next time:  Chapter Twenty-Nine -Singing the Triumphal New Song -Singing as if a New Song

From the book of Revelation