Remaining True

DEVOTION

THE REVELATION

REMAINING TRUE

Rev 14:1-5

14:1 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 kept themselves pure. They follow the Lamb wherever he goes. They were purchased from among men and offered as firstfruits to God and the Lamb. 5 No lie was found in their mouths; they are blameless.

NIV

Here is that number which we have already seen when John saw the twelve thousand from each tribe which made up the 144,000. But as we have also have thought this may not be actual Israel but rather those of the new covenant who are circumcised of the heart rather than just of the flesh as Paul points out are true Israel. So that when the scripture says that all Israel will be saved, it certainly could and most likely does mean all the people who have circumcised their hearts, exposing the most sensitive portion of themselves to God. This again agrees with the fact that we believers have been sealed with the promised Holy Spirit thus being the mark of our heavenly Father upon our foreheads, at least in that sense. It is most likely John was familiar with the many secular sects who in those days and even in the East today, wear the mark of their deity on their foreheads. Although we do not actually wear this mark of the Holy Spirit on the exterior of our head, it could also mean that this promised Holy Spirit marks us in our thinking, in our way of understanding the truth as this is one of his functions, to lead us into all truth. This could also apply to our whole being as with the word grace that is translated as the divine influence upon our heart, the seat of our being, who we are, which certainly includes our thoughts, our brain, the interior of our foreheads. But we are back to this inclusive number of 144,000, whether it is actually Jews who were the first to be converted to Christianity or it is a representation of the new covenant church. There is one sect today which we have seen in our lifetime proclaim they were the 144,000. They call themselves Jehovah Witnesses and in the beginning they said that they were that 144,000 that would be saved. But as their numbers kept growing and they exceeded that number their proclamation changed or even ceased.  They could not keep below or at that number as their need for more converts and thus congregates paying their tithes outweighed all else, at least it would seem. This also applies to the Christian church today. This idea of this 144,000 not defiling themselves with women carries that theme. We remember there were times when the men of Israel defiled themselves with the Moabite women. There were throughout the course of history when Israel involved itself with temple prostitutes of other gods. This is a representation of defiling themselves with the idols of their women and thus not with God. Whenever we engage in some form of defiling ourselves with idols we are not pure, we are not like the pure church of Christ. If this number is the representation of the Church of the Lamb, those who have circumcised their hearts, who follow Jesus then we can be sure we cannot have any part of idol worship. This is a difficult lifestyle. There are so many things which could be seen as idols in our life. There are so many things we could be committing adultery against our Lord with. If we are the bride of Christ, which we are as the new covenant church, than we have to keep ourselves pure from all other things which would entice us away from him, thus committing adultery. The list is large, and we should not expand on that for each of us may have only one or two which entice us, but as a whole church we may have many areas in our lives which we need to make sure we are not drawn to. We also need to make sure we are not deceived by some churches which have been swayed by the ways of the world and are engaged in the worship of the idol of numbers, or size or of wealth. Some churches are engaged in the worship of those who have the wealth, giving more attention to their desires then of those of with less wealth. There are so many ways we can engage in not being pure. In our personal lives we have so many ways to be distracted by temptations. One of the greatest temptations we face is the lack of anything. If we think we are lacking in something we begin to desire it more. If we think we lack the good life, we want that good life and try to figure how to attain it. If we think we lack love we try to find it and maybe in the wrong way. If we think we lack money, we desire it more. We might hide our desire for money with our desire for things. If we think we do not have the right clothes we need new ones, or we want a new toy, or new home, or a new car or a new whatever. The temptation for more is usually driven by discontentment with what we have or the lack of what we think we should have. We have been taught that we should be content in whatever situation we are in. If we have much or have little our contentment is in Christ. Paul told the Philippians that he learned to be content in all circumstances, when he had plenty and he also was in want. To learn to be content if we are well fed or hungry. He also told Timothy that godliness with contentment is great gain. That we came into this world with nothing and we leave it with nothing, if we have food and clothing we should be content with that. The writer of Hebrews told us that we should keep our lives free from the love of money and be content with what we have for God said he would never leave us not forsake us. There is so much about keeping ourselves pure, being that true church that knows that new song. We in fact walk to the beat of a different drummer, a new song. There is more than living in the same manner as everyone else and simply saying we are Christians. If we are born again than we are a new creature in Christ, new with a new life. As babies are taught whatever language their parents speak, we have learned a new language, a new custom of living, a new lifestyle and a new way of thinking about life. We are different than everyone else. We live by different values, the first is that we are followers of Christ, we are his bride and we keep ourselves true to him. We cannot afford to even deceive ourselves thinking we are pure when we are not. We must not even lie to ourselves. Our righteousness is found in Christ and him alone. In him we are blameless. Let us remain true to him.