In this compelling episode, we delve into the mysteries of Revelation 14, exploring the vivid vision of the 144,000 standing with the Lamb on Mount Zion. David walks us through the text, unveiling insights about the protection, praise, and purpose ordained by God for these chosen ones. With biblical references and engaging explanations, he highlights the significance of angelic proclamations during the tribulation period and the ultimate triumph of God over the adversities of man.
Yes, I know that those people that come by your door, now in threes rather than twos, have said that the 144,000 represent someone other than what God says. Well, let’s just stick with the Bible. They are Jews. The Bible says 12,000 from the 12 tribes of Israel. And I expect it to be exactly like God said. Now, I think God’s preparing Jewish people for this moment already.
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Thank you.
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We’ll see you next time. But in Revelation chapter 14, John looks again and he sees the Lamb standing on Mount Zion with 144,000 who belong to Him. Their voices rise like the sound of many waters, singing a new song that only the redeemed can sing. From the terror of man to the triumph of God, Revelation 14 opens with a vision of victory. for today’s lesson. You know, if you haven’t been to davidhonking.org lately, listen, take another look. Now is a great time to check it out. You’re going to find free downloadable books and booklets. Recent broadcasts are available there for a limited time. We have verse-by-verse Bible studies on video in our media center, and there’s a wealth of resources you can purchase that will strengthen your walk with God. All this designed to help you dig deeper into the pure truth of Scripture. So visit DavidHawking.org and see what’s there for you. Let’s join David in Revelation chapter 14, verses 1 through 5, as John looks and sees the Lamb standing on Mount Zion, and with Him, 144,000 sealed servants of God. David? David?
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Now in this chapter, there are several interesting things. For instance, the words, and I looked and lo, verse 1. Verse 6, and I saw, verse 14, and I looked and behold. And then within each of the last two of those, there’s three angel proclamations. Look at it. Verse 6, I saw another angel. Verse 8, there followed another angel. And verse 9, the third angel followed them. Then in the next section, which begins in verse 14, you’ve got the same thing. Verse 15, another angel. Verse 17, another angel. And verse 18, another angel. So you’ve got two sets of three angels announcing what’s happening in the tribulation period. Some people have asked, well, what is the overall picture here in chapter 14? And what we think it is is a panorama of the entire period of time as to what are the major issues. So the entire chapter is like an inset reminding us of what the whole tribulation period is all about. And it will wrap it up at the end of the chapter with the battle of Armageddon and the terrible destruction of that. But it starts off with 144,000 Jews. They are the focus of God’s attention. Revelation chapter 14, the first five verses. And I looked, and lo, a lamb stood on Mount Zion, and with him 144,000, having his father’s name written in their foreheads. And I heard a voice from heaven like the voice of many waters and like the voice of a great thunder. And I heard the voice of harpers harping with their harps. And they sang, as it were, a new song before the throne and before the four beasts or living creatures and the elders. And no man could learn that song but the hundred and forty and four thousand who were redeemed from the earth. These are they who were not defiled with women, for they are virgins.” These are they who follow the Lamb wherever he goeth. These were redeemed from among men, the firstfruits unto God and to the Lamb, and in their mouth was found no guile, for they are without fault before the throne of God. Let’s go back to Revelation 7 for a moment. Back to Revelation 7. That’s where we first learned about the 144,000 Jews. They are… according to the Bible, sealed by God. Verse 1, “…after these things I saw four angels standing on the four corners of the earth, holding the four winds of the earth, that the wind should not blow on the earth, nor on the sea, nor on any tree. And I saw another angel ascending from the east, having the seal of the living God. And he cried with a loud voice to the four angels, to whom it was given to hurt the earth and the sea.” saying, Hurt not the earth, neither the sea nor the trees, till we have sealed the servants of our God in their foreheads. Apparently, the tragic events and the catastrophic judgments of God in the tribulation will not begin until God first seals the 144,000 Jews. Someone asked me today, could you give us a brief understanding of the sequence of events after the rapture? My understanding of the rapture is that it precedes the tribulation period the entire 70th week of Daniel, all seven years. So I expect a rapture to happen at any moment. I also expect God to seal, protect, as he has described, 144,000 Jews before the judgments we call the seal judgments begin. I expect also that by the time the seventh seal is open, which announces seven trumpet judgments. that these terrible judgments will intensify in the first three and a half years, but that the real turning point of the tribulation is when the Antichrist will go into a rebuilt temple in Jerusalem, will desecrate the place, announce that he wants to be worshipped as God, and begin the most terrible persecution of Israel they have ever known in their existence. That will happen at the middle of the week. And it’s interesting, when you look at the book of Revelation, that is the blowing of the seventh trumpet, the middle of the week. And it blows over the whole last three and a half years, and it announces seven last plagues, or bowls of wrath that are dumped out on the earth. It culminates in Armageddon, culminates with the second coming of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, the judgment of the nation’s the judgment of Israel, the setting up of his kingdom on earth to rule and reign for a thousand years. So it’s the first event, sealed 144,000 before anything happens that is described in Revelation. Verse 4 says, I heard the number of them which were sealed, and there were sealed 144,000 of all the tribes of the children of Israel. And I expect it to be exactly like God said. Now you can divide these five verses into just three simple points about God. In verse 1, you have the protection of God. In verse 2 and 3, you have the praise of God by these 144,000. And in verse 4 and 5, you have the purpose of God for these 144,000. Let’s start with the protection of God. It really involves three things. First, it involves the very presence of the Lamb of God. You know, it was Jesus who said, Lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age. It was Jesus who said, I will never leave you nor forsake you. The presence of the Lamb of God. Isn’t it interesting what it says in chapter 14 when you read it word for word? It says, I looked and lo, a lamb stood on Mount Zion and with him. 144,000. And those words just stood out in my heart as I read that verse. With him. To be with him. When Jesus called his disciples, the Bible says he called them to be with him. And our Lord Jesus will never leave us. When you talk about the protection of God, you’re talking about the presence of the Lamb of God. Turn to Hebrews chapter 13. the presence of the Lord. And we need to understand that. There’s so many things in life that cause fear and panic and concern and anxiety. But my friends, you know, those of you who’ve been around the Bible for very long, that our Lord Jesus is our protection. He is with us. He will never leave us. The Bible says, I’m persuaded that neither death nor life nor angels nor principalities nor powers nor things present or things to come nor height nor depth nor any other creature shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Jesus Christ our Lord. That’s pretty wonderful, don’t you think? We have the security of God’s own presence, the presence of our Lord Jesus Christ. In Hebrews 13, I read in verse 5 and 6, these beautiful words. Let your conversation or conduct or manner of life be without covetousness. Be content with such things as you have. For he has said, I will never leave thee nor forsake thee. So that we may boldly say, The Lord is my helper and I will not fear what man shall do unto me. What a wonderful passage that is. There’s no reason for us to be afraid. There’s much reason for us to be content because he will never leave us nor forsake us. The Bible says in 1 Timothy 6, 6 that godliness with contentment is great gain. We brought nothing into this world and it’s certain we’ll take nothing out of it. We have the Lord, His protection. The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want. Back to Revelation 4. It not only involves the presence of the Lamb, it involves the place where they are standing. It says, I looked and a Lamb stood on Mount Zion. Now one of the interesting things to me is that the Lamb is standing. Go back to Revelation chapter 5. According to the Bible, the Lamb stood on Mount Zion, and that’s where the 144,000 are. Well, back to Revelation 5. The fact of the Lamb standing is interesting. Hebrews 1.3 says that when Christ finished the work of purging our sins, He sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high. But look at Revelation 5 and verse 6. And I beheld, and lo, in the midst of the throne and of the four beasts, and in the midst of the elders, stood a lamb as though it had been slain. The Son of God in chapter 5, when He takes the scroll, the seven-sealed scroll, out of the hand of Him who sits on the throne, namely God the Father, He stands up to do it. It’s rather dramatic. And now He is still standing. When we come to Revelation 14, some have suggested that standing up means that he is now actively working. The kingdoms of this world become the kingdoms of our Lord and of his Christ. But another thing that’s pictured is the fact of the resurrection. That he stands up is a sign that he is the resurrected conquering king. And it’s a beautiful picture. He who was seated, according to the book of Hebrews, is standing in the book of Revelation. But Mount Zion is precious. Turn to Hebrews chapter 12. We’re standing with him on Mount Zion. 144,000 Jews. Hebrews chapter 12. We read in verse 22 concerning believers who have died. It says, But you are come unto Mount Zion, 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, who are written in heaven, and to God the judge of all, to the spirits of just men, probably Old Testament saints, 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, Here’s a testimony about believers who have died. They are now in heaven. And he says, you’ve come unto Mount Zion, the heavenly Jerusalem. Now, I don’t know if you’ve been to Israel, but Mount Zion is nothing to speak about. If it weren’t for the sign that says you are now on Mount Zion, you probably wouldn’t know you were there. Mount Moriah looks a little bit more significant. Mount Zion is where David’s tomb is. It’s sepulcher. It’s still there today. Mount Zion is where the upper room is located that you read about on the day of Pentecost. But there’s not much to Mount Zion. Mount Zion is not simply a physical geographical mountain, which it is, more like a hill. And that, not much of a hill. But it is much more than that. It is a symbol of all of the hopes of the Jews throughout all the ages of the age of the Messiah. They speak about Jews who come back to the land and want to be established in the land as God has predicted. They call them Zionists. There’s quite a bit in the Bible about this. Turn to Psalm chapter 2. Psalm chapter 2. The protection of God involves not only the presence of the Lamb, but the place where they are standing, which God says, Mount Zion. There’s a messianic understanding of this. Look at Psalm chapter 2, verse 6. Yet have I set my king upon my holy hill of what? What does it say? Of Zion. I’ll declare the decree the Lord has said unto me, Thou art my son, this day have I begotten thee. Ask of me, and I’ll give thee the heathen for thine inheritance and the uttermost parts of the earth for thy possession. Thou shalt break them with a rod of iron. Thou shalt dash them in pieces like a potter’s vessel. We’re talking about the tribulation when Christ comes to set up his kingdom. And verse 6 says, I’ve set my king upon my holy hill of Zion. Turn to chapter 46. of Psalms, chapter 46. And look at verse 4 and 5. Mount Zion becomes a symbol of the Messianic kingdom in Psalm chapter 46. We read in verse four and five, there is a river, the streams whereof shall make glad the city of God, the holy place of the tabernacles of the most high. God is in the midst of her. She shall not be moved. God shall help her. And that right early. It says the city of God. Go to chapter 48 and look at verse one. Great is the Lord, and greatly to be praised, in the city of our God, in the mountain of His holiness. Beautiful for situation, the joy of the whole earth is Mount Zion on the sides of the north, the city of the great King. My friends, Mount Zion is referring to a brand new city with a brand new king and one who will sit on the throne of his father David, our Lord Jesus Christ ruling and reigning on this earth as king of kings and Lord of lords. Mount Zion, therefore, is a tremendous term. When you say you’re a Zionist, it means you’re looking for the messianic kingdom. And it’s going to be a brand new city. Well, what does the Bible say in Revelation 21 and 22? It tells us that there’s going to be a city called the heavenly Jerusalem that’s going to come out of heaven. And we believe it’s going to sit on earth, a brand new city. And we speak about that as heaven, our heavenly home. It’s the heavenly Jerusalem. And there’s a lot of comparisons with what God discusses in the Old Testament about Mount Zion. For instance, the river. Revelation 22 mentions the river in the new Jerusalem, the heavenly city. It’s the city of our king. And the throne of the lamb is there. All of it is very fascinating. Look at chapter 132 of Psalms. Chapter 132. There’s an old song, very old hymn that says we’re marching to Zion. Beautiful, beautiful Zion, the city of our God. In Psalm 132, it says in verse 13 and 14, for the Lord hath chosen Zion. He hath desired it for his habitation. This is my rest forever. Here will I dwell, for I have desired it. Zion represents the permanent dwelling place of the Lord God and his people on a new earth, and there will be a new heaven as well. And that is the messianic hope, the messianic kingdom. That’s what Zion represents. Now I want to ask you, are you therefore a Zionist? Amen? I’m a Zionist even as unbelieving Israel returns to the land, because we’ve got to get them there in order for the Holy Spirit to be poured out on them, for them to turn to the Lord and to set up the kingdom. So we’ve got to get them there first. So people say, do you believe the state of Israel today is a fulfillment of Bible prophecy? Of course. They’ve got to be in the land, inhabitants of Jerusalem, says Zechariah 12.10, in order for God to pour out His Spirit upon them, and they will look on Him whom they appear. Yes, Israel in the land is a fulfillment of Bible prophecy. In Isaiah chapter 2, look at what it says in verse 2 and 3. You talk about Zion and the impact of it, the importance of it in the heart of God. Isaiah 2, verse 2 and 3 says, It shall come to pass in the last days that the mountain of the Lord’s house, that’s talking about the temple, shall be established in in the top of the mountains, and shall be exalted above the hills, and all nations shall flow into it. And many people shall go and say, Come ye and let us go up. Now it’s talking about the Messianic age when Christ sets up his kingdom on earth. Now folks, if I read this right, there are going to be topographical changes in Israel. Because currently mountains, especially Mount Olives, is higher than the temple area. But according to the Bible, the temple area, the new temple, the millennial temple that the Messiah will build, will be higher than all the hills and the mountains. It will be exalted. So you can see it from everywhere. What a sight that’s going to be.
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That’s Bible teacher and author David Hawking, and this is Hope for Today. David will be back in just a moment to close out our study time, so do stay with us. Just ahead of that, Matt’s here, and we’re going to share a powerful home Bible study resource with you.
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You’ve got to see this. Each month, Jim, we hear from our listening family regarding the trials and tribulations they’re facing. Members of our staff are experiencing deep hurts and pains, and as a nation, we’re reeling from these recent events. Yeah, these are difficult days indeed, Matt. So how do we keep our hearts focused and trusting in the Lord? How do we hang on to hope? Well, this month we’re featuring my dad’s book, Hope in Difficult Times. Hope in Difficult Times is 195 pages of encouragement, faith-building guidance, biblical direction for every discouragement of your life. And it’s just $20.
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Matt, inside your dad takes readers through a biblical study of hope and its role in the life of believers. He shows us God’s merciful guidance. character for those times when the hopelessness we face comes from our own sin, rebellion, or cowardice. Yeah, and it also includes a powerful study from Peter’s life. Boy, he’s a good example. Amen. Well, Matt, how about the discouragement we endure when we’re targeted by gossip?
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Like rumors and accusations? Yeah. Yeah, exactly. Well, there’s hope from God’s word from these seasons. And my dad lays it out inside this book, Hope for Difficult Times. Matt, how about those times when we fail and desperately need restoration? Yeah. You know, there is hope from God’s word. Amen. And you’ll discover and realize it when you read Hope for Difficult Times. It isn’t just about wishing upon a star hope. Hope is the confidence that God cares, loves, has. Has a purpose and will complete his work in and through our lives.
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And gives us the abundant blessing of eternity with him. Wow. Amen. Well, get your copy of Hope for Difficult Times today for $20 from Hope for Today. Read, enjoy, and then share with a friend who also needs hope. And don’t forget to always pray for Hope for Today. To get your copy of Hope in Difficult Times, it’s a great study tool. Call us at 800-75-BIBLE in the U.S. That’s 800-75-242-53. If you live in Canada, get a hold of us at 888-75-BIBLE. That’s 888-75-242-53. And you can also order online at davidhawking.org. That’s davidhawking.org. And just before David returns, let me ask you something straight from the heart. How important is it to you that there is still a daily broadcast that refuses to water down the gospel, that doesn’t bow to the culture or seeker-sensitive trends, but simply declares the pure Word of God, chapter by chapter, verse by verse? You know, many listeners tell us that they count on Hope for Today because they know they’re going to hear the truth without compromise. The fact is, though, this kind of teaching only stays on the air because of people like you. If you’ve been encouraged, fed, or strengthened by these messages, would you first of all pray for us every day? And would you also prayerfully consider standing with us through a donation? Every gift, whether one time or monthly, is used to keep this broadcast strong, to offer free resources, to stream teachings, and to reach people who may have never heard the good news of Jesus Christ before. Send your support to Hope for Today, Box 3927, Tustin, California, 92781. In Canada, write to Hope for Today, Box 15011, RPO7OAKS, Abbotsford, B.C., V2S, 8P1. Or call us at 875-BIBLE, that’s in the U.S., or 888-75-BIBLE in Canada. And of course, you can give safely and securely online at davidhawking.org. Let’s return to David.
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Thanks for listening today. We’re in chapter 14 of Revelation, and I’m delighted to talk to you about the book of Revelation. We’re focusing right now on the first five verses of chapter 14, about 144,000 times. Jewish evangelists. They’ll be seen on Mount Zion, and they will be standing with the Lamb of God, the Messiah of Israel, and He’s going to be their protection and deliverance, and He’s going to be using them powerfully during the tribulation period to speak God’s truth to a world desperately in need. Well, it’s exciting to know that God’s not done with the Jewish people, is it? And there’s going to be a salvation for the nation of Israel before the tribulation is over? And there’s also going to be salvation of a multitude of Gentiles during the tribulation period. And they will be the subject of Revelation 14 that we’re studying right now. And they are the evangelists. They are the firstfruits during the tribulation period under God and the Lamb. And they’re without fault. These people love the Lord. I hope you do too.
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God bless you.
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Well, thank you, David.
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And friends, don’t miss day two of this message as we see how this scene on Mount Zion opens into an even greater revelation of God’s triumph and the future that is coming fast upon this world. Be sure to invite a friend to listen along with you right here on Hope for Today.
