Session Nine, Question 1

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Question 1
Remember there is a blessing attached to the reading of Revelation and we don't want to miss it! Ask God right now to give you added focus and to captivate your attentions and even your emotions with each chapter. In fact, why don't we glance at Luke 24:45 and ask Christ to do for you this week what He did for His desciples that week? Write your petition here.

Luke 24:45 (New International Version, ©2011)
45 Then he opened their minds so they could understand the Scriptures.


Lord - We come to you today and ask that you open our minds and our hearts to your Word. This is a gift we openly recieve from you and directions on how to live a life for you! We love you and pray that we can give YOU the time YOU deserve this week in study! We want to study your Word and we want to strive to understand YOUR message to us. Thank you for dying on the cross for our sins and for your unconditional love, mercy and grace! IN YOUR NAME - AMEN

Now glance back over Revelation 13 and perhaps even our ninth session so you can recapture your context as we get started. Then, read Revelation 14:1-5. List descriptions of this group of 144,000 in the space below:

Revelation 14
The Lamb and the 144,000
1 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. 2 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. 3 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. 4 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 firstfruits to God and the Lamb. 5 No lie was found in their mouths; they are blameless.

My thoughts:
They have his name and his Father's name written on their foreheads (The Seal we are all marked with as Christians). They sang a song that only they could know, since they had been redeemed from Earth. They remained virgins and did not defile themselves. They follow Jesus anywhere he goes. They were offered as firstfruits to God and the Lamb. They are blameless.

Some notes from my Study Bible:
(1) 144,000 were God's righteous remnant
(2) The brand on their foreheads is the name of both the Lamb and his Father - reflecting the union of Jesus and the Father (John 5:20-23, 14:5-10, 17:22)
(3) This great choir sang a...new song that only those who had been redeemed from the earth could learn. thses people had died and were already with the Lord, which might explain why John did not include the content of their refrain for readers still in the battle of life (2 Cor 12:4).
(4) These warriors were ritually pure (unpolluted) and morally without blame. They are virgins who have not defiled themselves with women. Referring to men as virgins is a metaphor for the faithfulness of God's people. The image might refer to the church as the virgin bride of Christ (2 Cor 11:2, Eph 5:25-27); it also suggests that the church constitutes soldiers in a holy war that are required to keep themselves chaste ( Deut 23:9-10, 1 Sam 21:5).
(5) These faithful people are a special offering (Exo 13:14-16, 23:19, Lev 23:9-14, Num 3:40-51, 18:15-20, Luke 2:22-24) who have been purchased for God. They have told no lies: John teaches that liars will never enter heaven (John 8:44, Rev 21:8,27 and Rev 22:15. The followers of Jesus speak and live the trut (john 8:32, 14:6)

Note any distinguishing characteristics in Revelation 14:3 of the song they sang. List them here:

Revelation 14:3
3 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.

My thoughts:
Awesomely - no one could learn the song except the 144,000 who had been purchased for God! What a great gift - I bet they made a joyful noise of worship! What an amazing thought and picture!