Singing the Triumphal New Song - Followers of the Lamb

 Continuing  his description of the 144,000m who are "bought,"  John tells us: "These  are the ones that did not defile themselves  with women; in fact they are virgins .  These are the  ones that keep following the Lamb, no matter where he gods.  These were bought from amont mankind as firstfruits to God and the Lamb, and no falsehood was found in their mouths; they are without blemish." (Revelation 14:4, 5)The fact that the 144,000 "are virgins" does not mean that members of this class  are necessarily unmarried in the flesh.  The apostle Paul write to Christians who had a heavenly calling that, whereas there are advantages to Christians singleness, marriage is preferable  under certain circumstances.  (1 Corinthians 7:1, 2,36, 37) What characterizes  this class as spiritual virginity.  They  have avoided spiritual adultery with worldly politics  and with false religion.  (James 4:4; Revelation 17:5)  As the betrothed bride of Christ, they have kept themselves pure,   "without a blemish in among a crooked and twisted generaltion." - PHILIPPIANS 2:15.

Additionally,  "no falsehood was found in their mouths."  In this way, they are like their King, Jesus Christ.   As a perfect human,  "he committed no sin, nor was deception  found in his mouth."  (1 Peter 2:21, 22)  In being simultaneously without blemish ad truthful, the 144,000 are prepared as a chaste bride for Jehovah's great High Priest.  When Jesus was on earth, he invited righthearted ones to follow him. (Mark 8:34; 10:21; John 1:43)  Those who responded imitated his way his way of life and obeyed his teachings.  Thus, during their earthly course, they keep following the Lamb no matter where he goes" as he guides  them through Satan's world.  

The 144,000 are "bought from the earth," bought from amont mankind. They are adopted as sons of God, and after their resurrection, they will no longer be mere flesh-and-blood humans.  As mentioned in verse 4, they became the "firstfruits to God and to the Lamb." True, back in the first century, Jesus was "the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep  in death." (1 Corinthians 15:20, 23) But the 144,000  are the "certain firstfruits of imperfect mankind, purchase by means of Jesus' sacrifice. (James 1:18)   Nevertheless, the ingathering of fruitage  from mankind  does not end  with them.  The book of Reveltions  has already pointed  to the harvesting  of an unnumbered great crowd  that cries with a loud voice.  "Salvation we own to our God, who is seated on  the throne, and to the Lamb."  This great crowd wil survive the great tribulation, and as they continue to be refreshed by "fountains of waters of life," they will be raised   to human perfection  on earth.  Sometime after the great tribulation, Hades will be emptied, and countless millons of other humans  will resurrected and have the opportuity to drink from those same waters if life.  With this in mind, it would be correct to call the great crowd a firstfruits of the other sheep-they are the first to 'wash their robes  and make them white  in the blood of the Lamb' with the hope of living forever on earth. - REVELATION 7:9. 

These three firstfruits (Jesus Christ, the 144,000, and the great crowd)  have interesting correspondencies  in the festivals celebrated according to the ancient Mosaic Law.  On Nisan 16, during the Festival of Unfermented Cakes,  a sheaf of firstfruits of the barlely was offered to Jehovah.  (Leviticus 2:6-14)  Nisan  16,  was the day  Jesus was resurrected from the dead.  On the 50th day from Nisan 16, in the third month, the Israelites celebrated the festival of the harvest of the first fruit ripe fruits of the wheat harvest.  (Exodus 23:16; Leviticus 23:15, 16) This festival  came to be called Pentecost (from a  Greek word meaning "fiftieth"), and it was at Pentecost 33 C.E.  that the first  of the 144,000 were anointed with holy spirit.  Finally, in the seventh month when the whole harvest was gathered in, there was the Festival of Booths, a time of joyful thanksgiving whn the Israelites dwell for a week in booths made of, among other things, palm branches. (Leviticus 23:33-43)  Correspondingly, the great crowd, who are part  of the ingathering, give thanks before the throne   with "palm branches in their hands. " - REVELATION 7:9.

Next time: Singing the Triumphal New Song - Declaring Everlasting Good News 

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