Revelation 14:1-2 - "Standing on Mount Zion"

“Then I looked, and behold, a Lamb standing on Mount Zion, and with Him one hundred and forty-four thousand, having His Father's name written on their foreheads. And I heard a voice from heaven, like the voice of many waters, and like the voice of loud thunder. And I heard the sound of harpists playing their harps.” Today we are studying Revelation 14. I believe this chapter is also part of the interlude that takes place in the middle of the Tribulation that began back in chapter 11. John is looking both backwards and forward to describe in more detail the events that will happen in both the first three and half years and the last half of the Tribulation. Chapter 14 opens with John looking up! In Chapter 13, he was looking down and things were not going very well on the earth as the beast and the false prophet were taking full control with their one world government, their global economy, and their universal worship of the image of the beast in the temple in Jerusalem in the earthly Mount Zion. Now when John looks up, he sees a Lamb, who is none other than the Lord Jesus Christ, standing in the heavenly Mount Zion. I think this is interesting, because in most of the references in the epistles in the New Testament of the Lord Jesus Christ in heaven, He is seated at the right hand of God.  When Stephen is being martyred in Acts 6, he gets a glimpse of heaven, and he sees Jesus standing. This seems to be an exception because Jesus is taking notice of the suffering of His special servant! Here in chapter 14, John not only sees the Lamb standing but he sees the 144,000 who have been sealed with their Father’s name, standing with Him! Remember the 144,000 were first seen in Rev. 7 where 12,000 from twelve tribes of Israel were sealed. This happened at the very beginning of the Tribulation as these Jewish men believed and received the message of the Gospel as it was being preached by the two witnesses. And it was because of the preaching of these 144,000 that multitudes of people from every tribe, kindred and nation were also converted and trusted the Lord to be their Savior. Of course, many of these “saints” are killed because they refuse to worship the beast and take his mark. The 144,000 are standing with Christ on Mount Zion, but which Mount Zion: the heavenly one (Heb. 12:22-24) or the earthly one? I personally believe here that is it the heavenly Mount Zion.  The scripture teaches that right now, we as believers are seated with Christ in the heavenly place. You might recall Ephesians 2:5-6, where after being saved by His grace, that He has “raised us up together, and made us sit together in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus”. So just like now we are presently seated with Christ, in contrast, in the Tribulation the 144,000 will be standing with Christ in the heavenly places. It is possible that they are standing because of the suffering of the multitudes on earth during the Tribulation who refuse to bow to the beast. And they are standing because they can’t be killed with be protected through the last half of the Tribulation. But it also might be possible that this scene anticipates Christ's coronation and the establishment of His kingdom when He returns to earth (Zech. 14:4), and He “stands with His feet on the Mount of Olives”. This is the same place from where Jesus ascended into heaven (Acts 1) and where He will come back after the Seven Year Tribulation. Then He will march through the Eastern Gate, now also called the Golden Gate, and set up His thousand years reign and kingdom in Jerusalem over all the earth! For sure, this scene in Revelation 14 is the assurance to God's people that He cares for His own and finally will take them to glory. Wow!!!! What more can I say? Amen!!!!!