Revelation Chapter 14 Verse 1

• It was in Chapter 7 where we were originally introduced to these twelve thousand from each of the twelve tribes of Israel and so now, 7 chapters later, we find them again in the midst of the Lamb, standing on a mountain top, with Great Tribulation going on all around…and yet they have the Father on their minds!
• And then what I find profitable is when you find two sevens, look for a third…and if you go 7 more chapters, you arrive in Revelation 21 where all things are made new and the light of God is shining so brightly that even the sun is no longer needed.
• Such will be true for you and for me.  Just like this squad.  Called back in Chapter 7 as you have been called of God learn of Him, to trust Him and to know Him.  And then as you walk along the narrow path, impossibilities come to pass, hard times arrive yet you remain in the midst of the Lamb, with the Father on your mind and ultimately…even though the entire world may fall around you…well Revelation 21 says it, then He who sat on the throne said, “Behold, I make all things new!”
• We’re not to that point yet in the story of this group.  We’re still in the very midst of unthinkable persecution, hardship, and impossibility, yet notice…John doesn’t say 143,000 stand with the Lamb, no, 144,000…they are all making it man…and notice their closeness, their intimacy with God…

Revelation Chapter 14 Verses 2-3

• How could it be that even as John hears this new song, he’s not able to learn it?  Well, John hasn’t gone through the testing and tribulation that they have…they alone could sing of what they have seen, what they have felt, what they have observed God do on their behalf in the time of Great Tribulation. 
• Everyone of us is able to sing a new song unto God that really…no one else is able to learn…because it is a song of our reality, composed behind our eyes, that speaks of our worries and our troubles and our victories.
• Paul and Silas were thrown into prison for casting a demon out of a little girl in Acts Chapter 16, and there in that damp dark dungeon…what did they do?  They sang!  At midnight, in the darkest hour, they were singing!  Why?  Were they singing to get God to do something?  No way!  They were signing because God was with them!  No one on earth can sing the song they sang that night, you see!
• Well my marriage is a prison, my job is a dungeon, my health is my own personal hell and man at my core I’m not happy, I have no tune…you might say, or you may be thinking…listen, God’s very intent for you right now, where you’re at, is to give you a new song.  But I like what Courson says, one things stands in the way, sympathy.
• I can either go through challenges and hard times with a symphony in my heart, staying close to the lamb with the Father ever on my mind, knowing that He has promised not only to strengthen me in them but to walk me through them…or I can choose to get sympathy from people.
• If I choose to tap into sympathy, always it will be at the expense of God and what He has intended for me in my circumstance because the underlying implication in looking to man for sympathy and partnership is that what is happening in my life is out of God’s control.  That is the implication…
• God is totally, absolutely, completely faithful to meet us in every trial.  To strengthen us and teach us of sufficiency and purpose and power and humility…don’t let His plan and character be defiled in the hearts of others who might say, “I feel so sorry for you.”  Look them in the eyes and tell them “God is good…what I’m dealing with now is hard but I am discovering that the Father is exactly who He claimed to be – a God who comforts me completely!”
• Share with them your symphony as these are sharing theirs with John.  They won’t be able to learn it but notice the power in what John does hear…the voice of many waters and loud thunder…your song of God’s faithfulness and sufficiency will wash away the doubt in others and will explode with the power of a life rescued!

Revelation Chapter 14 Verses 4-5

• Now the beginning of verse 4 doesn’t speak of marriage because we know according to Hebrews 4 that “marriage is honorable among all men and the wedding bed is not defiled.”  John actually says here “defiled” and so we know what he is speaking of is fornication, sex outside of marriage or in other words perversion.  Perversion of God’s will, God’s plan and God’s heart as marriage is such a wonderful picture of our secure covenant with God through Jesus Christ.
• And so notice, these 144,000 have purity of mind, they have power and authority in their voices (waters and thunder), they have a song on their heart, they have the Lamb in their midst, they have sweetness and truth in their mouths, and they even themselves are fruit unto God!  And all of that, is hinged upon purity!   The rejection of perversion!
• You see without purity, there can be no power!  I have noticed that trials come upon everyone.  Have you?  Hard times, tough situations and when people go through these times, one of two things always happens.  Either faith ignites and burns bright or their faith is quenched…it burns out…and fails.  And the deciding factor in both of those situations is purity.
• Some people call it, “a real faith.”  Ever hear someone say that.  “Oh she’s a Christian but she’s for real!”  What’s the difference?  Well I’ll tell you.  Real faith will stand in the midst of the Lamb, on the mountain top with the Father on their minds in the midst of great tribulation.  Faith wrought with perversion will be an absolute mess.  Perversion?  Perversion of who God is, perversion of His Word and certainly perversion of sin being authorized in your life. 
• Man you want the power, pursue purity and there is One who Himself is completely pure…pursue Him and reject the compromise man…lest you find yourself an epic mess when you could be…you ought to be standing firmly, singing a new song even before the throne of God just like these…

Revelation Chapter 14 Verse 6

• I dig this because the infantry, the 144,000 are boots on ground and here comes the air support!

Revelation Chapter 14 Verse 7

• Man God is so good isn’t He?  Here we are in the midst of an entire planet that is plugged into their personal images of the beast, worshipping him and praising him as their god and yet the Father still cries out for His children…we serve a merciful, loving God and even now, His grace abounds…

Revelation Chapter 14 Verse 8

• I believe this angel is speaking of the past and the present.  This angel says in the Greek, Babylon the megas polis…or in other words, Babylon and all its people.  Babylon speaks of mans initial corporate open rebellion after the flood against God…Turn quickly over to Genesis Chapter 10 (read verse 1 and then skip to verses 8 – 10).  Ah so Nimrod has his own kingdom?  You see, man exalting self, man exalting man…skip to Chapter 11 verses 1 – 4.  And so you see this attitude, this arrogance, this sin…man focused on man, men focused on self…the very root of all sin and rebellion against God.
• But in the last days there will arise a new Babylon.  A new one-world system that seeks to unite the people in economy, in religion, in focus…and a new Nimrod will come on the scene, a powerful king against God…and yet just as Nimrod’s kingdom is no more, this angel proclaims in the heavens, for all to hear, that this economic world order, this one world religion, this too is as good as fallen!

Revelation Chapter 14 Verses 9 – 10

• This angel gives a dissertation compared to the others, right?  A heavenly warning to those remaining on the earth of the judgment to come if they choose to worship the beast.  Again, God is so good.  A good father warns of impending danger, right?  Satan sets a trap, God clears the path.  The promises of God are peace and eternal life while the assurance of sin and Satan are as this angel proclaims, restless torment.
• Maybe that’s been the pattern of your life.  Maybe you’re whole life, maybe just this season, maybe just this job, maybe just this marriage, this month, this year…Hear the new song that has the strength of many waters, the boom of thunder, the eloquence of the harp…the melody of God’s desperate and yet eternally powerful love for you, individually.  Turn it over to Him.  All of it.  Place it in His hands, the only place where anything can ever be secured.
• I’m tired of restlessness in my spirit.  I’m so very weary of the torment that I cause others and myself…call upon the Lord…learn to do good…you know the Bible says that right…that we must learn to do good (Isaiah Chapter 1)…it’s not natural.  By nature we turn everything around us into chaos…dis-rest, torment…but Jesus said come, He said in Matthew 11, “Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.”
• And for you saints plowing and not looking back, pushing and striving towards that upward calling of Christ…keep at it, keep in it, keep on keeping on…the patience of the Saints…we’ll look at next week, but if you’re like me, tired of this flesh, weary of this beast even within…Jesus simply says “come.”  He’ll do the rest.