Number 204, we're commencing with, let us sing of His love once again, of the love that can never decay, of the blood of the Lamb who was slain, till we praise Him again in that day. I believe Jesus saves, and His blood makes me whiter than snow. 204, page 259, we're standing as we sing. That's it. Let us sing your praise all once again. All the love that you've given me. All the love of the land that we sing. Tell me, praise Him and give Him the praise. ♪ I live in Jesus' hands ♪ ♪ And His love is divine for us all ♪ ♪ I'm sure that creation will ♪ ♪ For we find Him as strength for me ♪ ♪ I'm resplendent with Him ♪ ♪ The Lord be with you now ♪ ♪ There is love and deliverance and joy ♪ ♪ Till the island is torn apart ♪ ♪ I believe Jesus lives ♪ ♪ And his love is reliable and strong ♪ ♪ We have found in this land our King ♪ ♪ We have found what we take shall be true ♪ ♪ We are filled with delight in His name ♪ you saw around. I believe Jesus lives, and his love is with my heart and soul. I am sure he shall win, for he died in the strength ♪ ♪ Through the rages of war and life ♪ ♪ I believe in Jesus Christ ♪ ♪ And his blood is required also ♪ ♪ I am sure we shall win ♪ ♪ For we find in the strength of our being ♪ ♪ To a gathering of worthy priests ♪ ♪ Our Father shall holy receive ♪ ♪ Till the crown from His head we see ♪ ♪ And the King in His glory receive ♪ We'll look to the Lord in prayer. and wait upon Him tonight. Our God and Father, we draw near to Thee, rejoicing in the blood that was shed, the blood of the Lamb. We thank Thee that blood was shed for cleansing, for the putting away of our sins. Lord, we are those who are sinful in Thy sight, who are in need of cleansing, in need of forgiveness. We thank Thee for that redemption provided by Thyself for us. O Lord, it is not of our doing, our making, but we thank Thee that it is One. There is One who has come from glory down into this world, the Lamb of God. And He has lived and died and shed His blood, given His life. And this night we come in His name to Thee. We praise Thee, O Lord, for the hope of the gospel that is within our heart and soul tonight. There is coming a day we shall see the King. We thank Thee that we will receive the crown from Him as we've just been singing in these words. Lord, we praise Thee that our sojourn in this world is not the end of our existence. It is only a very small part. were going to that place that thou hast prepared for thy people, that New Jerusalem, that city built foursquare, that the Savior said He had gone to prepare, and that He would return and take us to Himself, that where He is, we might be with Him. And tonight, Lord, we thank Thee for that truth that thou wert gathering thy people home, We know that Thou art doing that day by day as the redeemed take their leave of this world and out into eternity and enter into that place prepared. Then, Lord, there comes that special day, that day when the Savior returns, and He'll gather together His loved ones. And we praise Thee, Lord, for the hope the expectation that we will be numbered among that people, that we're found among the people of God, that we're counted in. O Father, may our names be in the Lamb's book of life, that we belong to Thee. We praise Thee tonight for Thy mercies, every blessing that Thou has bestowed upon us along the way, all of Thy goodness that we receive from Thee day by day, Lord, in temporal and material things, and most of all, the great spiritual heritage that we have. Lord, how privileged we are when we think of places tonight in the world, and there is little or no gospel preaching. There's people who have never heard the gospel, never heard the name of Jesus Christ. And yet we have been brought up in a land and nation that has had such a great heritage in spiritual things. Lord, we pray tonight that we would value and treasure what we have. We long for it to continue. Lord, that another rising generation would have the same privileges and enjoy the same blessings. And we pray, O Lord, that thou would so work even tonight that thine aim might be honored and glorified. We pray for the salvation of the lost. O Lord, that Thou would draw a people unto Thyself from amongst us, from amongst our families, around our neighborhood, this community that we are found in, Lord, and that we labor and minister to. It is our desire, Lord, that Thou will save, save boys and girls, those that come into the Bible club, those in Sabbath school, those in day school. We pray, Lord, that Thou will work. Think of adults, Lord. Many who have heard, and maybe even some who have gone through Bible club and Sabbath school here. Now they're adults, parents in their own right. Lord, we pray that thou would follow after such, and that thou would be pleased to come and work and save by thy mighty power. Lord, let thy word live in their hearing. Let it rise up in their heart. It's an incorruptible seed. Lord, it cannot be destroyed. We pray that it would rise up in conviction now and bring about repentance. Lord, we dread that day that it would rise up in judgment against them, that on that day, if they die and go out into eternity unready, unprepared, that word will rise up and accuse them before the judge of all. We pray, Lord, that rather that word would Bring about conviction of sin now, while there's mercy and while there's grace, and they can know salvation and have their sins forgiven. Wilt thou not come and work, O Lord? We plead thy mercy. Thou art a God that delights in mercy. Thou hast said that thou dost take no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but rather that they would turn and live. And we pray that There will be those that will indeed do that, that they will turn and live. So have mercy upon us, we pray. Tarry this night in our midst. Remember every need, O Lord, that there is amongst us. Those that are laid aside, minister to them, we pray. Raise them up and strengthen them. We ask that Thy hand will be upon them for good. There's others, Lord, that need a touch from Thee in various ways, even some of those families that are connected with our Bible club death that has come to homes, we pray that Thou will remember them and draw nigh there, O Lord. And we pray that the Savior will come by, even in difficult circumstances. And Lord, there will be a sense of the Lord coming by and working as only Thou canst. So hear our prayer and tarry with us now this night, we humbly pray in Jesus' name. Amen. Amen. 277 is going to be our offering hymn. In a moment, 277, we do bid you welcome in the Savior's name this evening to the house of God. We're glad to see you. There's some who are visiting with us. We welcome them in the Savior's name. Those who are tuning in online, we welcome you also and pray the Lord will indeed bless us. Through the course of the week, Wednesday night is our midweek meeting. Remember that. We're back to normal format, prayer meeting and Bible study at 8 p. m. That offering is still open for Brother Christopher. If you want to contribute to that, put it in an envelope, please mark his name on it, and that'll get counted in. We do want to support him as he continues on through college. So do remember that. And then Thursday night, there is the monthly prayer meeting for the work among the children and young people. And we would encourage you, if you can come, do please come and join with us. We do need to seek the Lord earnestly for the work amongst the boys and girls. Bible club, Sabbath school, day school as well, that the Lord would be pleased to bless. There was one of the families of the Bible club that has been bereaved. A young father has passed away very suddenly. So I do hope to visit that home this week. So certainly we need to remember these people in prayer. The Lord will be gracious and draw near. The Bible club will take place then on seven o'clock on Friday night. There is the rota on the table, so do continue to remember. that, please. And then the services next Lord's Day, Sabbath School at 10, the services 11, 30, and 7, preceded by the times of prayer. And God willing, I'll be preaching at those meetings next Lord's Day. Do remember those who are laid aside and need our prayers. There's a number in our congregation who are unwell. Some have had surgery and been in hospital. Remember them, please. Continue to uphold them before the Lord in prayer. I did mention about the Let the Bible Speak calendars, and there's been one that has been added to the list. So if you do want one of those calendars, there's plenty of wall planners. Both of them are £5 each, whether it's the calendar or the wall planner. But all the calendars have gone now that we have got. So we will seek to get more, but it would be best if we knew some idea of numbers. So please, if you would mention to myself or to Arlo tonight, that would be much appreciated. And then we can seek to get a specific number if we know that they are needed. So we're doing that already. As I say, there is one extra that we need. So if you want to add to that, then do say so tonight to me, please, or to Arlo. And we will get that sorted. I said I would mention that appeal to Jamaica for one last Sabbath. If you do want to contribute to that and There is a need out there in that little work in Jamaica and the difficulties that they have experienced through that hurricane. Then there were details sent out by WhatsApp. If you need those again, I can get that for you. I would imagine if you go on to the mission board site, a website, there is a link. I would imagine. I haven't been on that. looking at this particular appeal, but I know other appeals have been there, so you will get a direct link if you want to make a bank transfer or whatever through the website and the Mission Board, you will get that, I am sure. But do remember that, and the Mission Board does appreciate all who have contributed and helped with that appeal. That's all the announcements. They're all in the will of the Lord. We're turning to 277 then. On the golden streets of heaven all men hope to walk some day, yet so many are not willing to accept the living way. But while others build on good works or opinions, if they may, hallelujah, hallelujah, I'm depending on the blood." 277. We're keeping our seats for the opening verses. This is a land where hope could most certainly be. This is a land of hope. Alleluia. Alleluia. ♪ O'er the ramparts we watched, were so gallantly streaming? ♪ ♪ And the rocket's red glare, the bombs bursting in air, ♪ throughout all eternity. Alleluia, my dear Savior, my first sinner, just like me. Alleluia, alleluia, my independent That's down for verses three and four. the prophet's song. We will sing the prophet's hymn with the sacrifice of blood. When his eyes were only on me, there was Alleluia! Alleluia! I, depending on the Lord, in this whole crazy world of sin, I've been washed in the crimson flood. O, let me sing! There is no time on earth for me. Is the bread of that forest over all whose streets are white? O'er the ramparts we watched, were so gallantly streaming? Alleluia! Alleluia! I'm in heav'n and all the world above. There is so plenty, but all the same, I've been watching and waiting so long. The world may stay, there is hope somewhere. We're turning tonight to Revelation chapter 14. We're going to read this chapter through again, beginning from verse 1. We're coming back to the first part of it, verses 1 to 5, really. We want to conclude that tonight, but we'll read the chapter through. Revelation chapter 14, and it'll tie in very much with what we have been singing there in both of those hymns tonight, thinking about the Lamb, and the Lamb with His blood shed to redeem sinners, and then the hope of being with Him. So, Revelation chapter 14, verse 1, And I looked, and Loa Lam stood on the Mount Zion, and with him a hundred forty and four thousand, having his father's name written in their foreheads. And I heard a voice from heaven, as the voice of many waters, and as the voice of a great thunder. And I heard the voice of harpers harping with their harps. And they sung, as it were, a new song before the throne. and before the four beasts and the elders, and no man could learn that song, but the hundred and forty and four thousand, which were redeemed from the earth. These are they which were not defiled with women, for they are virgins. These are they which follow the Lamb, whithersoever he goeth. These were redeemed from among men, being 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. And I saw another angel fly in the midst of heaven, having the everlasting gospel, to preach unto them that dwell on the earth, and to every nation, and kindred, and tongue, and people, saying with a loud voice, Fear God, and give glory to him. For the hour of his judgment is come, and worship him that made heaven, and earth, and the sea, and the fountains of waters, And there followed another angel, saying, Babylon has fallen, has fallen, that great city, because she hath made all nations drink of the wine of the wrath of her fornication. And a third angel followed them, saying with a loud voice, if any man worship the beast and his image and receive his mark in his forehead or in his hand, the same shall drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is poured out without mixture into the cup of his indignation, He shall be tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of the holy angels and in the presence of the Lamb, when the smoke of their torment ascendeth up forever and ever, and they have no rest day nor night, who worship the beast and his image, and whosoever receiveth the mark of his name. Here is the patience of the saints. Here are they that keep the commandments of God and the faith of Jesus, And I heard a voice from heaven saying unto me, Write, blessed are the dead which die in the Lord from henceforth. Yea, saith the Spirit, that they may rest from their labors, and their works do follow them. And I looked, and behold, a white cloud. And upon the cloud one sat like unto the Son of Man, having on his head a golden crown, and in his hand a sharp sickle. And another angel came out of the temple, crying with a loud voice to him that sat on the cloud, Thrust in thy sickle and reap, for the time is come for thee to reap, for the harvest of the earth is ripe. And he that sat on the cloud thrust in his sickle on the earth, and the earth was reaped. And another angel came out of the temple which is in heaven, he also having a sharp sickle. And another angel came out from the altar, which had power over fire, and cried with a loud voice, and cried with a loud cry to him that had the sharp sickle, saying, Thrust in thy sharp sickle, and gather the clusters of the vine of the earth, for her grapes are fully ripe. And the angel thrust in his sickle into the earth, and gathered the vine of the earth, and cast it into the great winepress of the wrath of God. And the winepress was trodden without the city, and blood came out of the winepress, even unto the horse bridles, by the space of a thousand and six hundred furlongs." Amen. We know the Lord will add His blessing to the public reading of His Holy Word. this night. It is those opening verses, verses 1 to 5, that I want us to come again to. We were thinking a little bit about this last Sunday evening. We want to take that up again tonight. But let's bow together in prayer for a moment and ask the Lord for His help. Our Father, we thank Thee for Thy Word that we have read. We bless Thee, Lord, that we can have a confidence about what lies ahead. There's One who not only knows the future, there's One who has ordained it. We thank Thee that as our God, all things work together according to Thy purpose, according to Thy counsel. And we thank Thee, Lord, there is that day that Thou art gathering Thy people home. And tonight, we pray that Thou will bless our consideration of these things. O Lord, come and take Thy Word, Make it live in our hearing. Cause our hearts to rejoice this night. May we indeed be numbered among the people of God. O Lord, impress that upon all of our hearts tonight. That is our earnest prayer that there would be those, Lord, who would see something of what is going to take place and the separation that there is going to be. We pray that we might be among the redeemed of God. Bless us, we pray. Close us in now with Thyself and grant us that help that we need as we consider these things, we pray in Jesus' name. Amen. We have been saying that this 14th chapter is one that is in stark contrast to the chapter that goes before. How dark and foreboding that chapter 13 is when you read of that unholy trinity that is mentioned. And then we come into this 14th chapter and immediately there is a different tone altogether. For example, if you look there at verse 2, where John hears the voice from heaven as the voice of many waters and the voice of a great thunder. And I heard the voice of harpers harping with their harps." And what a melodious sound the harp is. It must have been to John as he is seeing these things in vision and the Lord is showing them to him. And even those things that are found in that previous chapter that we have been thinking about, and I highlighted a little last week by way of reminiscence about it, what there is there by way of content in that chapter. But here we come to something that is much more encouraging. And you think about the thought of the harp. The harp is used in Scripture for giving praise to the Lord. And there is praise that is to be rendered to the Lord. When you think about what he has to say here about the redeemed of God and what their future entails, there is certainly reason tonight for us to rejoice. If we know the Lord, we can certainly rejoice. And it is our prayer that others would come to know the Lord as well. Now, we started out thinking about this 144,000 that are mentioned there in verse 1. And we started off seeking to identify them. Who are they? What can we glean from the Word of God about them that would point to us in some direction as to who they are? Well, we noticed that they were redeemed from among men. That's taught to us there in the end of verse 3. the 144,000 which were redeemed from the earth. And then again in verse 4, you'll find those words, these are they which follow the Lamb, whithersoever he goeth. These were redeemed from among men. So they are redeemed people, redemption. has been paid for them. The blood of the lamb has been shed, and the lamb is very prominent here in this particular portion. And it's by the blood of the lamb that redemption has been brought about. Then we noticed as well that they were the firstfruits unto God and to the lamb. And we took a little time to think about the concept of firstfruits and the usage of that term. how we understand it back in Old Testament times, and what happened on each of one of those harvests that came along, how there was the presenting of the first fruits to the Lord in the house of God. And there's this thought here of the Lord presenting His people. We know that that is something that He is going to do. Paul mentions that in Colossians. I don't think maybe I mentioned that particular verse last week, but it's certainly one that we can think about, how there is coming that day when the Lord is going to gather His people together, and it says He's going to present them holy and unblameable and unreprovable in His Father's sight. Well, that's what you have here in this portion. A people presented like first fruits, presented to the Father, holy and unblameable and unreprovable in His sight. And we're going to pick up on some of that terminology here this evening. So they're described as the first fruits. And then we thought about them having the mark. of the lamb's father upon their forehead, that mark that clearly identifies them as belonging to the Lord. And I mentioned the fact about how the practice was, the people that John was writing to in the first century would have been very aware of it, that sometimes even slave masters branded their slaves in their forehead as belonging to a particular owner. that's the thought that is here. A very clearly distinguishable mark that causes somebody to be singled out as belonging to the Lord. And we looked at that verse particularly where the Savior spoke about those who belong to Him. He actually uses that word over in the Gospels during His earthly ministry. Those who belong to Him. And you have to belong to the Lord if we're going to be counted in, if we're going to be found among His redeemed people and presented on that day that is here viewed and mentioned other places in the Scriptures. We're going to have to have the mark, very distinguishable that we belong to the Lord. No doubt about it. A mark that the Lord knows. The Lord knows them that are His. We didn't get on as far as thinking about one particular point here, and then we're going to move on to think of another main point. And that is this connection with verse 2 that is mentioned, because this 144,000, if we're thinking about their identification, come into view at the time when this voice is heard from heaven. Verse 2, I heard a voice from heaven as the voice of many waters and as the voice of a great thunder. Well, the Word of God elsewhere, and that's what we've been trying to do all along here, let Scripture interpret Scripture. And we already have come upon the Word of God where it mentions a voice. that's going to sound. You go back there to 1 Thessalonians 4, and the 16th verse there, and it tells us about that day when there's going to be this voice. It's been described as the noisiest verse in the Bible by one individual. 1 Thessalonians 4, verse 16, for the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with a voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God. And the dead in Christ shall rise first. I think that's what you have in Revelation chapter 14 here, set out in slightly different language, but the principles are here the same. It mentions a voice, a noise, a sound, and there is that one day that the Scripture particularly speaks of, that there is going to be a voice, there's going to be a sound from heaven, It seems as if the heaven is silent. And all the wickedness that is taking place in the world, even at present, it seems as if heaven is silent. And maybe sometimes the Christian laments that and cries out to the Lord and says, Lord, well, why art thou silent? Well, he'll not always be silent. There is coming a day and there will be a voice that will come from heaven, an audible voice. an audible voice, just as clear as Israel heard the voice of God at Mount Sinai. When they gathered at the foot of that mount, when they came out of Egypt, and the Lord came down and spoke, and they heard His voice, and they trembled, and they fled to their tents, and they said to Moses, you go out and speak to this God. As for us, we will perish. And they realized that day they needed a mediator, and Moses was the mediator. sent out to speak to God on their behalf, they heard His voice. There is another day coming, and this world will hear His voice. And this is what is mentioned here in Revelation chapter 14. So when we think about their identification, we're thinking about it in the connection here that has to do with that day when there will be this voice that comes from heaven. Now interestingly, there is a whole psalm about the voice of God. Psalm 29. I would like you to turn over to that Psalm for a moment. And if you mark your Bible, I certainly would like you to mark it alongside anywhere that you come upon the voice of God. For example, 1 Thessalonians 4.16, Revelation chapter 14, where we are tonight. If you haven't already, maybe in the margin of your Bible, there's a cross-reference to this particular psalm. But there is a whole psalm that has to do with the voice of God and the power that there is in this voice and how there's that sense of thunder Well, isn't that what we read there in Revelation 14 in verse 2? I heard the voice from heaven as the voice of many waters, as the voice of a great thunder. We don't have time tonight to go through Psalm 29 verse by verse, but I certainly would ask you to read it when you have got a moment to yourself. As I say, it mentions the voice of God. For example, verse 3, the voice of the Lord is upon the waters. The glory of God thundereth. Tie up that verse particularly, because we're going to pick up on these things in a moment over here in Revelation 14. The God of glory thundereth. The Lord is upon many waters. The voice of the Lord is powerful. The voice of the Lord is full of majesty. What will it be to hear that voice, men and women? What consternation it is going to strike into hearts? If it struck consternation into the Israelites at the foot of Sinai, and they looked upon this God as their God, what's it going to do to those who defy God and who deny Him when they hear that voice? There is a day coming when there is going to be a voice And these events that we read of here in Revelation chapter 14 are connected with that day when the Lord is going to gather His people. So something there about their identification. I want you secondly to think here as a main point, their location. Because there's something said here about their location. Two points I would particularly draw to your attention with regards to their location. In verse 1, it tells us that they are upon Mount Zion. And the immediate question is, well, which Mount Zion? Because there is a Mount Zion in the earthly world, and there is a Mount Zion that is spoken of as being heaven. For example, Mount Zion, i.e. Jerusalem, on earth, there's a number of portions of Scripture, particularly in the Psalms. Psalm 48, verse 2 and verse 11, beautiful for situation. The joy of the whole earth is Mount Zion on the sides of the north, the city of the great king. This is very evidently Jerusalem. Verse 11 of that same psalm, let Mount Zion rejoice. Let the daughters of Judah be glad because of thy judgments. And I could go on. I have other references here. Maybe one more, Psalm 125, verse 1. They that trust in the Lord shall be as Mount Zion, which cannot be removed, but abideth forever. So there is a Mount Zion in the earthly sense. It was part of Jerusalem. if some of you have been to Jerusalem, it was a stronghold that enabled Jerusalem to be a very defendable place. In fact, it only was taken by the Israelites in the days of David. So even though the children of Israel had been in the land of Canaan from the days of Joshua, that stronghold of Zion, as it is called, was not taken until David became king. And David determined that he was going to make Jerusalem his capital for all of his kingdom. He had been king in Hebron over the kingdom of Judah. But when that time came, seven and a half years into his reign, that he became king over all Israel, he determined that Jerusalem was going to be his capital. It hadn't been a capital. Saul's capital was in Gibeon, in the tribe of Benjamin, for he was a Benjaminite. But David determined that he was going to choose Jerusalem. But it was a city that was inhabited by Jebusites. And he said, whoever gets up into the stronghold of Zion and takes it and drives out the Jebusites is going to be the captain of my hosts. And Joab did that. Joab was the man who went up. So there is that stronghold of Zion that comes to the fore in the days of David. So that's a possibility here that these 144,000 are standing with the Lord on that Mount Zion, because that's where the Lord is coming, remember. Zechariah tells us that in 14, His feet shall stand on the Mount of Olives. The Lord is not coming to anywhere else in the world. He's coming to the land of Israel. He's coming to Jerusalem. He's going to put His feet on the Mount of Olives. The angel said to the disciples, this same Jesus is coming in like manner as you've seen Him go. And he went up into heaven from the Mount of Olives. He is coming back down from heaven to the Mount of Olives. His people are coming with him. We know that. So in a sense, it could well be that Mount Zion that is in view. But then there is a second Mount Zion, and that refers to the heavenly Jerusalem. And if you go back to Hebrews chapter 12 for a moment, you will see there in Hebrews chapter 12 and verses 22-23, that this name is used for that city that is prepared for the Lord's people, that the Lord has said He has gone to prepare and that He's coming again to take His people to populate that city. Hebrews 12, verse 22, but ye 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, which are written in heaven, and to God, the judge of all, and unto the spirits of just men made perfect, and to Jesus, the mediator of the new covenant, and to the blood of sprinkling that speaketh better things than that of ables. Now, to keep to the point here tonight, I want you to think about some points of comparison there between what we are thinking about. If we start off at verse 23, the General Assembly and Church of the Firstborn are here in this Mount Zion. And I spoke a little bit about that last Lord's Day evening. The Firstfruits, or the Church of the Firstborn as they are called, in elsewhere in the New Testament, and here is a place where they are called the church of the firstborn. The thought is there's others yet to come, but there's the church of the firstborn, or the church of the firstfruits, as we have been thinking about. And that ties up with Revelation chapter 14. So I am inclined to think that Mount Zion that is referenced here in Revelation chapter 14 is not an earthly Mount Zion, although that indeed could be the case. And the Lord's redeemed people are going to be with them on the earthly Mount Zion. But I think Hebrews chapter 12 here, and what you read off in verses 22 and 23, suggest that it is heaven. It is that heavenly Jerusalem. Because there, Paul speaks in writing to the Hebrew Christians about the church that is gathering there, the general assembly and church of the firstborn. And then if we back up a little bit to verse 22, it tells us there the name of this place, the location of this place. It's Mount Zion. It's unto the city of the living God. It's the heavenly Jerusalem, where the innumerable company of angels are to be found. So I am inclined then, I'm not going to be hard and fast about it, but I am inclined to say, this is heaven. This is the gathering of this people into the new Jerusalem. That's what you have in Revelation chapter 14. The Lord is coming. He's coming for the church of the firstborn. He's going to gather them together. He's going to bring them into the new Jerusalem. He's going to present them to his father, holy and unblameable and unreprovable. I say that as well on the strength, if you come back to Revelation 14, what you have in verses 3 and 5, where it tells you that this company, this 144,000, are before the throne. They sing the song, this new song, and it says they sing it before the throne in verse 3. And then when you come down to verse 5, it says they are without fault before the throne of God. Now, where's the throne of God but in heaven? Where's the throne of God but in heaven? Where does God sit this night upon this throne? He sits upon that throne in heaven, and hears a company that is spoken of as singing a new song before the throne. They're those who are without fault before the throne. So again, I'm inclined to to suggest to you that here's a company gathered into that heavenly New Jerusalem, that place the Lord has gone to prepare. There is that other company. in Revelation chapter 7. They're also described as 144,000. Now granted, there's some people who say this is the same company. It would be very unusual for these two numbers to be found in the book of the Revelation and them not to be the same number. There's others who make a distinction between them. But that company in Revelation chapter 7 and Verse 15 it is, it tells us that they have come out of great tribulation and they are before the throne of God it says. They are before the throne of God. So I would, I'm inclined then to say here's a company gathered into heaven, here's a company gathered into the new Jerusalem, And the most obvious question is, well, am I going to be gathered in among them? There's many who've already been gathered home, and the Lord is going to gather all of the church of the firstborn in. Are we going to be among them? Are we redeemed? That's the all-important question tonight. Are we redeemed? Is the mark of the blood upon us? I trust that it is. Now what I want to do at a little more length tonight is think about a third major point here, and that's their characterization. Because if we come back to Revelation chapter 14 here, there's a number of points that highlight something here about how this company are characterized. And we're going to start off with something there I've mentioned already, this song that they sing. This song that they sing, here's something that characterizes them uniquely, because it tells us nobody else is able to sing this song but them. Verse 3, they sung, as it were, a new song before the throne and before the four beasts and the elders. And no man could learn that song but the 140 and 4,000 which were redeemed from the earth. So here is a song very unique to this 144,000. Nobody else can sing it. Nobody else knows it. Nobody else is able to utter the words of this song, but they am. Now that song has already been mentioned in this book of Revelation, if you go back to chapter 5, so we don't have to start thinking, well, what is this song, and trying to work out ourselves what it might be. You only have to go back to chapter 5 here of Revelation in the ninth verse, and it tells you here about those who are in heaven, And it tells us there, Revelation 5 verse 9, they sung a new song saying, thou wert worthy to take the book and to open the seals thereof, for thou wast slain and hast redeemed us to God by thy blood out of every kindred and tongue and people and nation, and hast made us unto our God, kings and priests, and we shall reign on the earth. So here's example of the song already being sung. Here's an example of the words of the song. So it's not only the matter that it's a new song and that it's sung by this unique group, the very words that they sing are given to us here in Revelation chapter 5 and verse 9. It's a new song. They couldn't sing it up until the point of redemption. And you can't sing truly until you've been redeemed. You can't sing about redemption until you know it. Yeah, you can sing off a sort. You can join in a congregation and sing and go along with others singing, but you can't really sing until you know redemption. There's not one of us that can sing. Because this is a song of the heart. This is something more than just from the lips outward. This is something that comes out of the heart and soul of an individual. They're redeemed, and they know it. And the blood has been applied, and they've been cleansed and washed. And because of that, there is a new song. It's the song of the soul set free. And you can't sing it until you've been redeemed. And maybe the Lord will speak to you about that tonight. If you don't know this song and you don't sing this song, a preacher can stand in a pulpit and he sees who sings. I have passed a comment on that to others when I have been in pulpits, and others have passed comment to me, too, when they've been in our pulpit. They notice who sings and who doesn't. They notice somebody who stands and doesn't sing. And the obvious question is, well, why? Why do you not sing? Do you not have the Lord's song? Do you not have the song of the redeemed in your heart, and therefore you cannot truly sing it? It doesn't really come from the soul, not out of the depths of your being, because you don't know redemption, and you can't say, I'm redeemed, and you can't sing about the blood of the Lamb redeeming you. We've been singing those hymns tonight that have that as a particular theme about the blood of the Lamb. Can we sing them truly from the heart? Can we say, I am redeemed, and I sing that out of the depths of my soul? Well, here's a people that we are presented with in Revelation 14, and they sing a new song, a song unique to them, and it's a song about redemption. It's a song about being redeemed, and it's directed towards the Lamb. The Lamb has all the glory in Emmanuel's land. was the hymn writer's line, and so true that is. The Lamb has all the glory. when you think about this new song, you can go way back to Psalm 40, for example, and there you'll read about a new song put in a person's mouth. The psalmist says, the Lord has put a new song in my mouth. Even pray as unto our God, many shall see it and fear and shall trust in the Lord. It's a song that's put into your mouth. It's not one that comes naturally. It's one that's put into your mouth because of grace, the work of grace, the work of redeeming grace. Let's put a new song into our mouths, and we want to give thanks and praise on to the Lord who has redeemed us. So here's a company. It would be surprising that they weren't singing. When you think about what we have already read in the book of the Revelation about those in heaven, they're singing in heaven. There's music in heaven. There's the harpers harping with their harps. I often wonder how our exclusive psalmist brethren would explain that verse away. There's musical instruments in worship in heaven. There's harpers harping with their harps. How pleasant that atmosphere must be. You could stop and even try to contemplate that and seek to picture it in your mind, what it would be to be gathered home with that company. and for those harpers to be harping, and for them to sing that song. And everyone there knows that song by heart, because they have the experience of redemption. They are redeemed. The mark of the Father is upon them, as we've been noticing. Every one of them gathered in is truly redeemed of God. and they are rejoicing in what Christ has done for them. As it tells you there in Revelation 5 in verse 9, thou hast redeemed us to God by thy blood out of every kindred and tongue and people and nation and has made us unto our God kings and priests and we shall reign on the earth. Do we know that song tonight? Can we sing like that? So here's something that is part of their characterization. The second thing I want you to notice there as part of their characterization is that they have not been defiled with women, for they are virgins. You read that at the start of verse 4. Now, how are we to understand that? Well, let's start off by reminding ourselves that the Savior taught a parable that the kingdom of heaven was likened unto 10 virgins. So it's not a new simile that is being employed here. By John, it's something that he had heard from the lips of the Savior on the Mount of Olives when the Savior spoke about his second coming, and he told that parable of the 10 virgins. And here, John is inspired to write these words. Now, we are not to suppose that these are only males, this 144,000 are only males, because that is not what is being suggested here by these words. It is not referring to celibacy. That's not what is in view here. What has been in view here is pureness, pureness. They have lived chaste lives. That is what is in view. They have turned away from lewdness and from sin and wickedness and uncleanness and ungodliness. That is what is in view here. These people, as they are described in verse 4, there is a purity about them. Now, you think about some of those commands to be pure. We thought about one that was directed to Timothy some time ago now. It's chapter 5, verse 22, where Timothy was commanded to keep himself pure. That's the thought that is here. James tells us that pure religion and undefiled before God is this, to visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction and to keep himself unspotted from the world. James chapter 1 verse 27. That's what is in view here when it speaks here about this terminology as it is in verse 4 there. They have not been defiled with women for they are virgins. It's referring to purity. It's referring to purity. Here are people pure. If you go down the chapter a little bit in verse 12, again, there's brought in here this contrast that is between chapter 13 and 14, but it's also within this 14th chapter as well, because in verses 9, 10, and 11, it's referring to those who have the mark of the beast and that they are doomed. then look at verse 12, "'Here is the patience of the saints. Here are they that keep the commandments of God and the faith of Jesus. '" That's a throwback, in a sense, to what you have at the start of the chapter about this people who's standing on Mount Zion with the Lamb, and they are a pure people. They have kept the commandments of God. They have kept the faith of Jesus Christ. They are a pure people in that sense, a redeemed people and a pure people. That's the mark of the Lord's people, that they are a pure people. They're a holy people. Without holiness, the Bible says, no man shall see the Lord. This company could never be in heaven without holiness. Not their own holiness, but a holiness wrought by the power of the Holy Spirit and sanctification in them. No man can see the Lord without holiness, it tells us. unless we are a pure people. We can never be among the people of God. And here's a people who are described, they're characterized as this, as a pure people. And then if we keep moving on here to get through these, the third characterization that is given to them is found there in verse 4, that they follow the Lamb, whether so ever he goeth. What a wonderful statement that is. They follow the Lamb, whether so ever he goeth. They're always with Him. They're always at His side. The Lord said that He would take His people to be with Him, and they would be with Him forever, never to part, never to separate. Well, here's this people, and they're with the Lamb. They follow Him wherever He goes, wherever He goes. You see, there is a day when the Lamb's coming from heaven. If we take the people that are in heaven at the minute, coming with Him. He's not going to leave them behind in heaven. They're coming with Him when He comes to this world. And as He will come and gather His people who are on the earth, and those who have died will be changed, their bodies will come from the grave in resurrection glory, and there will be that company that will go up to meet Him. They're going to be with Him forever. They're never going to leave His side. They're with Him. And here, they're described as those that follow the Lamb, whithersoever He goeth. And that is a chief characterization, just the same as the thought of purity there and holiness. Here's a chief characteristic of those who belong to the Lord. If we go back to John 10, those familiar words of the Savior, my sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me. They follow me. Here's a distinguishing mark of those who are truly the Lord's. We are those who follow the Lamb. We have heard His voice that calls us to faith and repentance, that calls us to follow Him. We are the true disciples of Jesus Christ. And following the Lamb is clearly associated there with hearing His voice. John 10 is a chapter that's set in the context of a shepherd. And I've explained before about how the shepherds would divide out their flock. They'd all go into the one sheepfold at night. Somebody would look after them. Somebody would become the door. In John 10, he's called the porter. He could be anybody. He could be one of the shepherds, maybe even somebody who's not a shepherd, but he'll come and do that job for the night, and he will actually lie down in the opening, and he becomes the door. That's the significance of the Lord saying, I am the door. The shepherd actually lay down in the opening, and he became the door. And in the morning, when the sun would be up, the shepherds would come. They're going to lead their sheep out onto the mountains, onto the pasture. How do they divide them up? They're all intermingled with one another, and amongst another, maybe a number of flocks in the same sheepfold. Each shepherd would start to call his sheep by name. Each shepherd would start to call His sheep by name. They would recognize the voice of their shepherd, and they would start to follow Him as He would go off in one direction, another shepherd will go off in another direction. He'll be calling His sheep, and another shepherd will be calling His sheep, and they will start to follow their shepherd. That's why the Lord Jesus said, My sheep hear My voice, and they follow Me. He's taking something that was very familiar among the Israelites. something that they had watched and observed many, many times. It would all virtually be a daily occurrence that somebody would watch a shepherd calling his sheep, and they would follow him. And the Lord says, I call my sheep. They recognize my voice. There's surely a point of application there is to have we heard His voice. Today, if you hear His voice, the Scripture says, harden not your heart. Today, if the Lord speaks and calls us to faith and repentance, today the exhortation is, don't delay. Don't say, well, I'll come tomorrow, or I'll come when I'm older, or I'll come next week or next year, or I'll come when I get these problems sorted out. No, you come now, the Lord says. You don't put it off. Are we the true followers of the Lamb? We follow Him whethersoever He goes. And that means we follow Him through life. We let Him lead the way as a Christian. We let Him lead the way. We don't determine the way. That's another feature of Eastern shepherds. They went before their sheep, and the sheep followed them. We drive sheep. But that's not how it was in Bible times, in an Eastern culture. They led their sheep, and the thought is of the Lord leading. He chooses the path for us. It may not be the path that we determine. I would say that applies to us all in life. Somewhere, we will have to say, this is not the path I would choose. But it's the Lord's path. He chooses it for us. Wasn't it Bonner? There's a hymn in our hymnal. I just can't remember the number of it, but I think it begins along those lines of, "'Thy way, not mine, O Lord.'" And so it is, Christian. It's the Lord's way we go. It's not for us to choose, not if we are the sheep of His pasture, not if we recognize Him as our shepherd, not if we are those who are going to be numbered amongst His on that day. They follow the Lamb wherever He goeth. The Lord determines the path. We do the following. Let's move on. There's a fourth one that is mentioned here. There's no guile. There's no guile found in them. They are without fault, it says. Do you notice that? Verse 5, in their mouth was found no guile, for they are without fault before the throne of God. Here's a people who have been perfected. You couldn't say this about any believer on earth. It's not possible to say that about any believer, that there's no guile in their mouth. There's only one individual that that could be said about on this earth, and that was the dear Savior. It was said of Him, there was no guile in His mouth. But as for any other individual who transverses this world, you and I have guile. We are not perfect. Our words are not perfect. Oh, that they would be, but they're not. But here's the people who have been perfected. They are without guile. They are without fault. Not just without guile in their mouth, that there's nothing in their words in any way that offend or that are wrong, but even then it goes a stage further and says they are without fault before the throne. Here's the people perfected. Here's the people perfected. If you turn over to Colossians chapter 1, and we'll finish with this portion tonight, because it does tie in very much with what we're thinking here about this people and their characterization. In Colossians chapter 1, verse 21 and 22, here's what we read, "'And you that were sometime alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now hath he reconciled.'" Well, that'll make us to think about redemption through the blood of the Lamb. How else has that reconciliation taken place but by the blood of the Lamb and by the work of the Lamb? He's the one who's brought about reconciliation. And what's His purpose in doing that? Verse 22, in the body of His flesh through death to present you holy and unblameable and unreprovable in His sight. The Savior so loves His people that He wants to present them to His Father. He wants to say, here are my people. Here are the children you have given me. I have saved them. I have kept them. I have gathered them home. I have perfected them. They are without fault." And that's what it says there in verse 22. They are going to be a holy people, unblameable, unreprovable. Nobody can say a word against them. Nobody can say a word against them. Is that not what you have in Revelation chapter 14 verses 1 to 5? This company, gathered home, presented, a people without fault. If you feel your unworthiness tonight, Christian, and you lament that, there's coming a day when you will be without fault. the Lord has forgiven our sins. We'll never suffer punishment from them, but we're still polluted by sin. This night, we're still polluted by sin. There's still an old root of sin within us, and we know it. We battle against it every day. But what about a day that is coming when we will be without fault? Without fault. And when you think of all the words that are spoken in heaven, and that's a whole line of study on its own. The words that are spoken in heaven, that song that is sung and the praise that is there, not a word out of place. That's not how it is on earth. That's not how it is in any family on earth or any congregation on earth. Sadly, there's times there's a word out of place here and there, maybe more than one at times. But what about a day that is coming when there'll never be a word out of place? No guile found in any mouth. A people who are perfected. This is the Lord's people. This is His redeemed people. These are the 144,000 who stand with the Lamb on Mount Zion. Are we going to be there? Are we going to be there? Let's bow in prayer. Father, take thy word tonight and write it upon our hearts. We pray, Lord, that we might know truly that we are the Lord's, and we do look forward, Lord, to that day when we are perfected, and there's not a word out of place, no fault in us, a holy people gathered home to be with Christ. Lord, may that include us all tonight. Gather each one in, we pray. Have mercy. young ones, the little ones amongst us. Lord, gather them in, we pray. May they be found in Christ, we pray in Jesus' name. Amen. 235. We're going to sing, well, we might just sing the three verses in closing. 235. On the happy golden shore, where the faithful part no more, when the storms of life are o'er, meet me there, when the night dissolves away into pure and perfect day, I am going home to stay. Meet me there." 235. We'll stand and sing the three verses in closing. I am going out to sleep, leave me there. Wake me then, wake me then, where the tree of life is burning, wake me then. Where the storms of life flow, where the happy hour is shown, where your faithful heart will boil, wake me then... ♪ May we live ♪ ♪ May the day of our return be clear ♪ ♪ When the storms of life unfold ♪ ♪ All will now be full and sure ♪ ♪ Till good faith, the heart of all, beware ♪ ♪ Till the hearts of angels sing ♪ In the end. Where it's safe and then we play, far and wide and fair and grand. In a world of pleasure and end. In the end. Our Father, we pray that we might indeed meet there Write Thy Word upon every heart tonight. O Lord, speak. It is our desire that Thou would speak through Thy Word. May we be truly able to sing those words that we are redeemed. Grant us Thy blessing. Part us with Thy fear and favor now as Thy people. May we know Thee watching over us and providing for us. We ask in Jesus' name. Amen. The offering for Christopher has so far come to £696, £696. So thank you very much for that. ♪ you.