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Revelation 14
3 They sing a new song before the throne, and before the four living creatures and the elders. No one could learn the song except the one hundred forty-four thousand, those who had been redeemed out of the earth. 4 These are those who were not defiled with women, for they are virgins. These are those who follow the Lamb wherever he goes. These were redeemed by Jesus from among men, the first fruits to God and to the Lamb. 5 In their mouth was found no lie, for they are blameless.
those who were not defiled with women
Nevertheless you have a few names in Sardis that did not defile their garments. They will walk with me in white, for they are worthy. (Revelation 3:4)
One of the seven angels who had the seven bowls came and spoke with me, saying, "Come here. I will show you the judgment of the great prostitute who sits on many waters, with whom the kings of the earth committed sexual immorality, and those who dwell in the earth were made drunken with the wine of her sexual immorality." He carried me away in the Spirit into a wilderness. I saw a woman sitting on a scarlet-colored animal, full of blasphemous names, having seven heads and ten horns. The woman was dressed in purple and scarlet, and decked with gold and precious stones and pearls, having in her hand a golden cup full of abominations and the impurities of the sexual immorality of the earth. And on her forehead a name was written, "MYSTERY, BABYLON THE GREAT, THE MOTHER OF THE PROSTITUTES AND OF THE ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH." I saw the woman drunken with the blood of the saints, and with the blood of the martyrs of Jesus. When I saw her, I wondered with great amazement. (Revelation 17:1-6)
When the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was a delight to the eyes, and that the tree was to be desired to make one wise, she took of the fruit of it, and ate; and she gave some to her husband with her, and he ate. (Genesis 3:6)
To Adam he said, "Because you have listened to your wife's voice, and have eaten of the tree, of which I commanded you, saying, 'You shall not eat of it,' cursed is the ground for your sake. In toil you will eat of it all the days of your life. (Genesis 3:17)
Sarai said to Abram, "See now, Yahweh has restrained me from bearing. Please go in to my handmaid. It may be that I will obtain children by her." Abram listened to the voice of Sarai. Sarai, Abram's wife, took Hagar the Egyptian, her handmaid, after Abram had lived ten years in the land of Canaan, and gave her to Abram her husband to be his wife. He went in to Hagar, and she conceived. When she saw that she had conceived, her mistress was despised in her eyes. Sarai said to Abram, "This wrong is your fault. I gave my handmaid into your bosom, and when she saw that she had conceived, I was despised in her eyes. Yahweh judge between me and you." (Genesis 16:2-5)
These last two passages involve problems created by men listening more to the suggestions of their wives than paying attention to what God had said. Many try to use this to prop up support for male domination, but that is not the point of these stories. Rather it is about following feelings more than trusting in the word of God without knowing all the answers ahead of time. The result of these choices was defilement, something we would do well to unpack as to is real meaning instead of our gut-level reaction that often leads to misapplication and misinterpretations. Defilement is similar to impurity, which means something or someone is outside defined boundaries for containment.
This is taken from Strong's definition of the word impurity in the Hebrew: to be foul, especially in a ceremonial or moral sense (contaminated): defile (self), pollute (self), be or make unclean.
Don't turn to those who are mediums, nor to the wizards. Don't seek them out, to be defiled by them. I am Yahweh your God. (Leviticus 19:31)
The sons of Reuben the firstborn of Israel (for he was the firstborn; but, because he defiled his father's couch, his birthright was given to the sons of Joseph the son of Israel; and the genealogy is not to be reckoned after the birthright. (1 Chronicles 5:1)
Yes, they sacrificed their sons and their daughters to demons. They shed innocent blood, even the blood of their sons and of their daughters, whom they sacrificed to the idols of Canaan. The land was polluted with blood. Thus were they defiled with their works, and prostituted themselves in their deeds. (Psalms 106:37-39)
You have despised my holy things, and have profaned my Sabbaths. Slanderous men have been in you to shed blood; and in you they have eaten on the mountains: in the midst of you they have committed lewdness. In you have they uncovered their fathers' nakedness; in you have they humbled her who was unclean in her impurity. One has committed abomination with his neighbor's wife; and another has lewdly defiled his daughter-in-law; and another in you has humbled his sister, his father's daughter. In you have they taken bribes to shed blood; you have taken interest and increase, and you have greedily gained of your neighbors by oppression, and have forgotten me, says the Lord Yahweh. (Ezekiel 22:8-12)
He said to me, Son of man, this is the place of my throne, and the place of the soles of my feet, where I will dwell in the midst of the children of Israel forever. The house of Israel shall no more defile my holy name, neither they, nor their kings, by their prostitution, and by the dead bodies of their kings in their high places; in their setting of their threshold by my threshold, and their doorpost beside my doorpost, and there was but the wall between me and them; and they have defiled my holy name by their abominations which they have committed: therefore I have consumed them in my anger. (Ezekiel 43:7-8)
He said, "That which proceeds out of the man, that defiles the man. For from within, out of the hearts of men, proceed evil thoughts, adulteries, sexual sins, murders, thefts, covetings, wickedness, deceit, lustful desires, an evil eye, blasphemy, pride, and foolishness. All these evil things come from within, and defile the man." (Mark 7:20-23)
To the pure, all things are pure; but to those who are defiled and unbelieving, nothing is pure; but both their mind and their conscience are defiled. (Titus 1:15)
Thus says Yahweh of Armies, the God of Israel: Add your burnt offerings to your sacrifices, and eat meat. For I didn't speak to your fathers, nor command them in the day that I brought them out of the land of Egypt, concerning burnt offerings or sacrifices: but this thing I commanded them, saying, Listen to my voice, and I will be your God, and you shall be my people; and walk you in all the way that I command you, that it may be well with you. But they didn't listen nor turn their ear, but walked in their own counsels and in the stubbornness of their evil heart, and went backward, and not forward.
Since the day that your fathers came forth out of the land of Egypt to this day, I have sent to you all my servants the prophets, daily rising up early and sending them: yet they didn't listen to me, nor inclined their ear, but made their neck stiff: they did worse than their fathers. You shall speak all these words to them; but they will not listen to you: you shall also call to them; but they will not answer you. You shall tell them, This is the nation that has not listened to the voice of Yahweh their God, nor received instruction: truth is perished, and is cut off from their mouth. Cut off your hair, Jerusalem, and cast it away, and take up a lamentation on the bare heights; for Yahweh has rejected and forsaken the generation of his wrath. For the children of Judah have done that which is evil in my sight, says Yahweh: they have set their abominations in the house which is called by my name, to defile it. (Jeremiah 7:21-30)
they are virgins
It is important to understand the meaning of this word to avoid confusion about its symbolism in this context. In the Hebrew this word comes from a root word meaning to separate, and it can also mean a bride. In the Greek it means a maiden or an unmarried daughter. In prophecy a woman very often represents the spiritual condition of a group of people. God's chosen people throughout history have been referred to as His bride or wife. When they went after other gods, meaning they sought out satisfaction, identity, protection and provision from other sources instead of trusting wholly in the God who had chosen them to be His people, they were called an adulterer playing the whore.
Previously in Revelation 12 we examined a symbolic woman clothed with the sun standing on the moon with stars around her head that represented the body of early believers whose devotion to Jesus launched the Christian movement. She was threatened by the great dragon and fled into the wilderness for protection. Later we will find another symbolic description of a woman in the wilderness, only this time her condition is clearly that of not just an adulterer but is called the Mother of all Whores and a determined enemy to all who cling to their loyalty to heaven. The inference seems clear that this is likely the same woman who morphed into quite the opposite of her condition when she first went into the wilderness, not unlike the history of Israel transforming into what God called whores worse than even the pagans around them.
This virginity is not about physical sex or abstinence from sex but rather the nature of devotion and loyalty of the heart in relation to who is relied on to define who we are and what God we reflect. The 144,000 represent a group of people in the end who are so transformed by beholding and following the Lamb obsessively that they become His groupies, intimate with Him alone, transformed to think and act and love even their enemies just as He loved with a tenacity stronger than death.
This is what separates them from all others claiming to believe in God but who cling to mixed views of Him as being more like the beast and the dragon rather than only like the pure reflection seen in the life of the Lamb. This is the nature of their virginity, for it is a spiritual virginity, a condition of the purified heart that is sanctified, set apart by devotion aroused from dwelling on the revelation of glory seen in the Lamb until they become transformed into that same image from glory to glory. This is what constitutes the preparation of their hearts and lives to become the final bride ready for marriage to the Lamb. Their hearts and the outward fruit of the indwelling Spirit within them is matured to the point of being in full alignment with the same fruit witnessed in the life of Christ when His character as a human was perfected while on earth. They have come into full agreement with the disposition and perspective of the Lamb's heart in full sympathy with God's heart. This is what elicits the fruit of righteousness in their lives, the result of freely receiving and soaking in the love coming from the Lamb in order to freely give it to all around them.
Let us rejoice and be exceedingly glad, and let us give the glory to him. For the marriage of the Lamb has come, and his wife has made herself ready." It was given to her that she would array herself in bright, pure, fine linen: for the fine linen is the righteous acts of the saints. (Revelation 19:7-8)
Here is the patience of the saints, those who keep the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus. (Revelation 14:12)
The princess inside is all glorious. Her clothing is interwoven with gold. She shall be led to the king in embroidered work. The virgins, her companions who follow her, shall be brought to you. (Psalms 45:13-14)
Let him kiss me with the kisses of his mouth; for your love is better than wine. Your oils have a pleasing fragrance. Your name is oil poured forth, therefore the virgins love you. (Song of Solomon 1:2-3)
Then the Kingdom of Heaven will be like ten virgins, who took their lamps, and went out to meet the bridegroom. Five of them were foolish, and five were wise. Those who were foolish, when they took their lamps, took no oil with them, but the wise took oil in their vessels with their lamps. (Matthew 25:1-4)
For I am jealous over you with a godly jealousy. For I married you to one husband, that I might present you as a pure virgin to Christ. (2 Corinthians 11:2)
Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the assembly, and gave himself up for it; that he might sanctify it, having cleansed it by the washing of water with the word, that he might present the assembly to himself gloriously, not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish. (Ephesians 5:25-27)
who follow the Lamb wherever he goes
Following a literal lamb would be extremely difficult as it is not a leader and never attempts to get others to follow it. A lamb represents attributes of gentleness, humility and sweetness, and this symbol is intentionally in contrast to the intimidating and forceful characteristics of the beast compelling all the world to wonder after and worship it, just as does the second beast and its image who all reflect the dragon who is behind all of them, relying on coercive control to maintain their power over all who dwell on the earth.
Nevertheless you have a few names in Sardis that did not defile their garments. They will walk with me in white, for they are worthy. (Revelation 3:4)
Therefore they are before the throne of God, they serve him day and night in his temple. He who sits on the throne will spread his tent over them. They will never be hungry, neither thirsty any more; neither will the sun beat on them, nor any heat; for the Lamb who is in the midst of the throne shepherds them, and leads them to springs of waters of life. And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes. (Revelation 7:15-17)
These will war against the Lamb, and the Lamb will overcome them, for he is Lord of lords, and King of kings. They also will overcome who are with him, called and chosen and faithful." (Revelation 17:14)
The armies which are in heaven followed him on white horses, clothed in white, pure, fine linen. (Revelation 19:14)
A curious thought occurred to me while exploring this. Might it be possible that the cloud that the Children of Israel followed in the desert may have at times had an appearance like a woolly lamb?
Yahweh went before them by day in a pillar of cloud, to lead them on their way, and by night in a pillar of fire, to give them light, that they might go by day and by night: the pillar of cloud by day, and the pillar of fire by night, didn't depart from before the people. (Exodus 13:21-22)
On the day that the tabernacle was raised up, the cloud covered the tabernacle, even the Tent of the Testimony: and at evening it was over the tabernacle as it were the appearance of fire, until morning. So it was continually. The cloud covered it, and the appearance of fire by night. Whenever the cloud was taken up from over the Tent, then after that the children of Israel traveled; and in the place where the cloud remained, there the children of Israel encamped. At the commandment of Yahweh, the children of Israel traveled, and at the commandment of Yahweh they encamped. As long as the cloud remained on the tabernacle they remained encamped. When the cloud stayed on the tabernacle many days, then the children of Israel kept the charge of Yahweh, and didn't travel. Sometimes the cloud was a few days on the tabernacle; then according to the commandment of Yahweh they remained encamped, and according to the commandment of Yahweh they traveled. Sometimes the cloud was from evening until morning; and when the cloud was taken up in the morning, they traveled: or by day and by night, when the cloud was taken up, they traveled. Whether it was two days, or a month, or a year that the cloud stayed on the tabernacle, remaining on it, the children of Israel remained encamped, and didn't travel; but when it was taken up, they traveled. At the commandment of Yahweh they encamped, and at the commandment of Yahweh they traveled. They kept the charge of Yahweh, at the commandment of Yahweh by Moses. (Numbers 9:15-23)
Notice how Yahweh's commands were conveyed, not verbally but through observation of the cloud.
Yes, when they had made them a molten calf, and said, This is your God who brought you up out of Egypt, and had committed awful blasphemies; yet you in your manifold mercies didn't forsake them in the wilderness: the pillar of cloud didn't depart from over them by day, to lead them in the way; neither the pillar of fire by night, to show them light, and the way in which they should go. (Nehemiah 9:18-19)
A scribe came, and said to him, "Teacher, I will follow you wherever you go." Jesus said to him, "The foxes have holes, and the birds of the sky have nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay his head." (Matthew 8:19-20)
Then Jesus said to his disciples, "If anyone desires to come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me." (Matthew 16:24)
Jesus said to them, "Most certainly I tell you that you who have followed me, in the regeneration when the Son of Man will sit on the throne of his glory, you also will sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel. (Matthew 19:28)
As they went on the way, a certain man said to him, "I want to follow you wherever you go, Lord." Jesus said to him, "The foxes have holes, and the birds of the sky have nests, but the Son of Man has no place to lay his head."
He said to another, "Follow me!" But he said, "Lord, allow me first to go and bury my father." But Jesus said to him, "Leave the dead to bury their own dead, but you go and announce the Kingdom of God."
Another also said, "I want to follow you, Lord, but first allow me to bid farewell to those who are at my house." But Jesus said to him, "No one, having put his hand to the plow, and looking back, is fit for the Kingdom of God." (Luke 9:57-62)
She said, Behold, your sister-in-law is gone back to her people, and to her god: return you after your sister-in-law. Ruth said, "Don't entreat me to leave you, and to return from following after you, for where you go, I will go; and where you lodge, I will lodge; your people shall be my people, and your God my God; where you die, will I die, and there will I be buried: Yahweh do so to me, and more also, if anything but death part you and me." When she saw that she was steadfastly minded to go with her, she left off speaking to her. (Ruth 1:15-18)
This is the kind of tenacity needed to follow the Lamb wherever He goes, regardless of the cost of suffering, shame or persecution or the level of enticements of potential glory. Following the Lamb has to become an obsession of a heart connection that is at last liberated from all motives of fear or desire for honor or advantage. This is what it looks like to be drawn by cords of love.
Again, the next day, John was standing with two of his disciples, and he looked at Jesus as he walked, and said, "Behold, the Lamb of God!" The two disciples heard him speak, and they followed Jesus. Jesus turned, and saw them following, and said to them, "What are you looking for?" They said to him, "Rabbi" (which is to say, being interpreted, Teacher), "where are you staying?" He said to them, "Come, and see." They came and saw where he was staying, and they stayed with him that day. It was about the tenth hour. (John 1:35-39)
Again, therefore, Jesus spoke to them, saying, "I am the light of the world. He who follows me will not walk in the darkness, but will have the light of life." (John 8:12)
My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me. I give eternal life to them. They will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of my hand. My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all. No one is able to snatch them out of my Father's hand. I and the Father are one." (John 10:27-30)
Peter said to him, "Lord, why can't I follow you now? I will lay down my life for you." Jesus answered him, "Will you lay down your life for me? Most certainly I tell you, the rooster won't crow until you have denied me three times. (John 13:37-38)
So when they had eaten their breakfast, Jesus said to Simon Peter, "Simon, son of Jonah, do you love me more than these?" He said to him, "Yes, Lord; you know that I have affection for you." He said to him, "Feed my lambs." (John 21:15)
redeemed by Jesus from among men
I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. (John 10:11)
They sang a new song, saying, "You are worthy to take the book, and to open its seals: for you were killed, and bought us for God with your blood, out of every tribe, language, people, and nation, (Revelation 5:9)
Remember your congregation, which you purchased of old, which you have redeemed to be the tribe of your inheritance; Mount Zion, in which you have lived. (Psalms 74:2)
Sing, you heavens, for Yahweh has done it! Shout, you lower parts of the earth! Break out into singing, you mountains, O forest, all of your trees, for Yahweh has redeemed Jacob, and will glorify himself in Israel. (Isaiah 44:23)
Whoever desires to be first among you shall be your bondservant, even as the Son of Man came not to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many. Matthew 20:27-28)
But now apart from the law, a righteousness of God has been revealed, being testified by the law and the prophets; even the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ to all and on all those who believe. For there is no distinction, for all have sinned, and fall short of the glory of God; being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus; whom God set forth to be an atoning sacrifice, through faith in his blood, for a demonstration of his righteousness through the passing over of prior sins, in God's forbearance; to demonstrate his righteousness at this present time; that he might himself be just, and the justifier of him who has faith in Jesus. (Romans 3:21-26)
giving thanks to the Father, who made us fit to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light; who delivered us out of the power of darkness, and translated us into the Kingdom of the Son of his love; in whom we have our redemption, the forgiveness of our sins; (Colossians 1:12-14)
looking for the blessed hope and appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ; who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify for himself a people for his own possession, zealous for good works. (Titus 2:13-14)
knowing that you were redeemed, not with corruptible things, with silver or gold, from the useless way of life handed down from your fathers, but with precious blood, as of a faultless and pure lamb, the blood of Christ; (1 Peter 1:18-19)
How does the blood of the Lamb redeem us? What is the true meaning of His blood? Pay close attention to what we are redeemed from as well as what we are redeemed to.
Since then the children have shared in flesh and blood, he also himself in like manner partook of the same, that through death he might bring to nothing him who had the power of death, that is, the devil, and might deliver all of them who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage. (Hebrews 2:14-15)
