“And I looked, and, lo, a Lamb stood on the mount Sion, and with Him an hundred forty and four thousand, having His Father's name written in their foreheads.” (Revelation 14:1)
The book of Revelation is confusing because it tells of all that is happening on earth and in heaven, in the past, present and future and oscillates back and forth between them in an instant so that when you read it, you realize the description of the time and place have changed. Its symbolic references at times can also confuse.
John described things as he saw them. This is not to say things are confusing in heaven, but that as earth beings we find God’s realm hard to understand. Our understanding is limited and earthly. But in God’s world, the past, present and future are known simultaneously. Heaven was opened to John. And in describing the heavenly, it seems confusing because of time consciousness on earth.
In this revelation, Jesus is on mount Sion to be specific. He is not alone, but accompanied by the 144,000 virgin men (Revelation 14:4) who follow Jesus everywhere. There are so many conflicting ideas about who the 144,000 are and whether this is literal or not that we won’t confuse the issue further. We can take the Word of God literally or not. Only the Holy Spirit can give us an answer. We can be sure only that they are redeemed from the Tribulation. They are kept from harm of the destruction that is coming on the earth. (Revelation 7:4)
What is of most importance is that John reveals that Jesus stands on mount Sion as the Lamb of God. Yet Scripture in other places in the Bible reveal that Jesus sets foot on the Mount of Olives. But there is no conflict here. Paul in Hebrews gives us insight. He explains how the people were afraid of God when He spoke in their time with Moses. It was frightening with darkness, lightning and thunder. If they touched the mountain, they would die. “For ye are not come unto the mount that might be touched, and that burned with fire, nor unto blackness, and darkness, and tempest, And the sound of a trumpet, and the voice of words; which voice they that heard intreated that the word should not be spoken to them any more: (For they could not endure that which was commanded, And if so much as a beast touch the mountain, it shall be stoned, or thrust through with a dart: And so terrible was the sight, that Moses said, I exceedingly fear and quake:) (Hebrews 12:18-21)
But we, the redeemed, don’t go to that mountain of judgement, but mount Sion in the new Jerusalem. “But ye are come unto mount Sion, and unto the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to an innumerable company of angels, To the general assembly and church of the firstborn, which are written in heaven, and to God the Judge of all, and to the spirits of just men made perfect, And to Jesus the mediator of the new covenant, and to the blood of sprinkling, that speaketh better things than that of Abel.” (Hebrews 12:22-24) What John saw in Revelation was Jesus in authority over His church in the New Jerusalem which He redeemed as the Lamb of God. He reigns because He is the Lamb of God Who rose from the dead and lives forevermore. And as explained before we are limited in understanding because our time conscious hinders our understanding.
His church in the New Jerusalem consists of Jews and Gentiles from every nation, all Christians, all believers, all followers and devotees of Jesus. As for the 144,000, the Bible tells us they are Jews from every tribe of Israel. The name of their God is in their forehead, a reference to the Old Testament priests who had the gold plate with God’s Name that allowed them to come before the Holy of Holies. In this we gather they had communion with the Father and came before the very Throne of God as His children. They are saved and part of the redeemed. John sees all the believers, Jews and Gentiles before the throne in heaven, immediately after the 144,000 are chosen in chapter 7. “After this I beheld, and, lo, a great multitude, which no man could number, of all nations, and kindreds, and people, and tongues, stood before the throne, and before the Lamb, clothed with white robes, and palms in their hands; And cried with a loud voice, saying, Salvation to our God which sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb. And all the angels stood round about the throne, and about the elders and the four beasts, and fell before the throne on their faces, and worshipped God, Saying, Amen: Blessing, and glory, and wisdom, and thanksgiving, and honour, and power, and might, be unto our God for ever and ever. Amen. (Revelation 7:9-12)
When will the New Jerusalem come down from heaven? It’s after the Tribulation, after the Thousand Year reign of Christ and after the White Throne Judgement. So, we have a long time to go before we’ll be there. Revelation 14:1 is just a little glimpse of that time.
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