Revelation 14:1; God’s Triumphant Witnesses
Revelation 14:1 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.
Our society loves winners. Whether in politics, business, entertainment, sports, or war, we idolize those who succeed. On the other hand, we do not tolerate losers. Coaches who lose are fired; players who lose are traded; executives who fail are replaced; politicians who fail are voted out of office. Our heroes are those who overcome all obstacles and triumph in the end.
While not at all endorsing the world’s superficial definition of success, the Bible nevertheless speaks of the Christian life in triumphant terms. Romans 8:37 declares that “we are more than conquerors through him that loved us.” In his first epistle John wrote, “For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world: and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith. Who is he that overcometh the world, but he that believeth that Jesus is the Son of God? ” (1 John 5:4–5). In 1 Corinthians 15:57, Paul exclaimed, “But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.” In 2 Corinthians 2:14, he added another triumphant note, “Now thanks be unto God, which always causeth us to triumph in Christ, and maketh manifest the savour of his knowledge by us in every place.” Imprisoned, abandoned, and facing imminent execution, Paul could still pen the following victorious epitaph: “I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith: Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day: and not to me only, but unto all them also that love his appearing.” (2 Tim. 4:7–8).
But believers’ triumphs and victories in this life are incomplete and marred by setbacks and defeats. The world, the flesh, and the devil take their toll on our best efforts. The same apostle Paul who ended his life in victorious triumph earlier described his Christian experience in the following mournful terms:
Romans 7:14-24 For we know that the law is spiritual: but I am carnal, sold under sin. For that which I do I allow not: for what I would, that do I not; but what I hate, that do I. If then I do that which I would not, I consent unto the law that it is good. Now then it is no more I that do it, but sin that dwelleth in me. For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh,) dwelleth no good thing: for to will is present with me; but how to perform that which is good I find not. For the good that I would I do not: but the evil which I would not, that I do. Now if I do that I would not, it is no more I that do it, but sin that dwelleth in me. I find then a law, that, when I would do good, evil is present with me. For I delight in the law of God after the inward man: But I see another law in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my members. O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from the body of this death?
The opening verses of Revelation 14 introduce the most triumphant group of men the world will ever know. Scripture describes other faithful, godly, uncompromising, committed men, such as Joseph, Daniel, and Paul. But never will there be such a large group at one time. They will emerge from the worst holocaust in history, the Tribulation, battle weary but triumphant; they will be like 144,000 Daniels.
MacArthur, J. F., Jr. (2000). Revelation 12–22 (pp. 67–69). Chicago: Moody Press.