Singing the Triumphal New Song - Singing as if a New Song -Conclusion

 Nevertheless, others listen and responded to their singing.  Since 1935 a growing great crowd of other sheep has heard her triumphant  song and  been moved to join them in publicizing God's Kingdom. (John 10:16; Revelation 7:9)  True, these newcomers  cannot learn to sing exactly the same new song that the future rulers of God's Kingdom sing.  But they too sound a melodious chorus of praise to  Jehovah that is an anthem lauding Jehovah for  thing  he is accomplishing.  They thus fulfill  the psalmist's exhortation:  "Sing to Jehovah, bless his name.  From day to day tell the good news of salvaton by him.  Declare among the nations his glory, among all the peoples of his wonderful works .  Ascribe to Jehovah you families of the peoples, ascribe to his glory and strength. Say among the  nations,  'Jehovah himself has become king." - PSALM 96:1-3, 7, 10;  98:1-9.

How can the 144,000 sing "before" the elders, since te 24 elders are the 144,000  in their  heavenly glorious heavenly position?  Early in the Lord's day, those "dead in union wiht Christ" were  resurrected as spirit creatures.  Thusm faithful anointed Christians who have conquered  are now in heaven, symbolically fulfilling functions comparable  to those of the 24 divisions  of priestly elders  They are included in the vision of Jehovah's heavenly  organization.  (1 Thessalonians 4:15, 16; 1 Chronicles 24:1-8; Revelaton 4:4; 6:11) The remnant  of the 144,000 still on earth are therefore singing the new song before, or in the sight of, their resurrected  brothers in heaven.

At this point we might also ask: Why is it that  these anointed overcomers are referred  to as the symbolic 2 4 elders as well as the 144,000? It is because Revelation views this one group from two different standpoints.  The 24 elders are always shown in their ultimate position around Jehovah's throne, installed as kings and priests in the heavens.  They symbolize the entire group  of 144,000 in their heavenly positionm although  at present a small remnant of these is still on earth.  (Revelation 4:4, 10; 5:-14; 7:11-13; 11:16:16-18) Revelation chapter 7, however, focuses on the 1 44,000 as brought forth from  humankind, and it stressed Jehovah's grand purpose to seal the complete number of individuals Israelites and to grant salvation  to an unnumbered  great crowd.  Revelation chapter 14 provides a  picture cofirming that the complete Kingdom class of 144,000 individual overcomers will be assembed with the  Lamb on Mount Zion.  The qualifications  to be met in order to be numbered with the 144,000  are also made known, as we shall see.

Next time: Singing the Triumphal New Song -  Followers of the Lamb

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