We are now looking at the notes titled 144,000 Virgins of our authors between the chapter entries in the Mirror Study Bible.
144,000 Virgin:
From the religious Monster in camouflage, the counterfeit "lamb" who desires to manipulate and control the business of buying and selling with a counterfeit currency of a fear and performance based alliance to its stamped image and inscription on the foreheads and hands, to the true Lamb of GOD Who ransomed the human race with the currency of His self-giving Agape and shed blood, revealing our inherent worth, based on Elohim's image and inscription entwined in our inner person!
Revelation 14:1-7, "Oh wow! You've got to see this! The little Lamb, standing on mount Zion and with Him a hundred and forty four thousand with the Lamb's Name and the Name of His Father written on their foreheads. (Sonship redeemed! Heb. 1:1-3. Note the 144,000's in plural, representing the symbolic value that includes the entire prophetic significance of the Jews as well as the prophetic context of their representing the entire human race. In you, all the nations of the earth will bless themselves. See Extended Notes at the end of this chapter, titled from Mt. Sinai to Mt. Zion! 14-1 and 1a.) And I heard a voice emerge from the heavens. It was like the sound of a thunderous torrent of cascading waterfalls. Then there arose a choir of voices accompanied by stringed instruments which sounded the harps. (The word (G2789) κιθαρίζω, kitharizō, is from G2788, κιθάρα, kithara, a [guitar] harp - a triangular shaped string instrument with 7 and later 10 strings traditionally associated with joy and gladness in worship, [Ps. 33:2, 98:5] and (G103) - odos, a singer. Rev. 5:8-13.) There was a strange yet familiar newness to their song; Almost as if it was reflected off the Throne and echoed in the faces of the living creatures and the Elders - a song which could not be taught or learned. It is the song of the redeemed - represented here in the 144,000 ('s) who were [1] bought from the claim and clutches of the earth (of Mat. 27:51b-54). (The word [1, G59 from G58 ] agoratso, to buy in a typical market context - apo tes ges, away from the earth. Just when it seemed that no one could buy or sell any longer unless they were worshiping the beast, [Rev. 13] a transaction takes place in a superior currency and realm that frees the human race from their slavery! Just like in the prophetic picture of Israel's freedom from Pharaoh! Isaiah 29:13 says this, "And the LORD said: 'Because this people draw near with their mouth and honor Me with their lips, while their hearts are far from Me, and their fear of Me is a commandment of men learned by repetition.'") These boldly exhibit the [3] first fruit of the Lamb's doing! here we have blameless innocence on display and redefined. What the Law of performance failed to do, the Lamb did! They are pure and unblemished in their [1] close association with the Lamb - [2] purchased and rescued of the grip of an enslaved, fallen humanity; Representing the entire human race as first fruits to GOD and the Lamb! These 'first fruit redeemed ones' have witnessed humanity's joint association in the [4] full range of the Lamb's journey. They are all marriageable maidens with their vitginity intact1 Their default settings are fully rebooted! (The word [1, G190 ] akolouthentes is the Present Participle in the Nominative case of akoloutheo , with (G1) a from hama as a particle of union and keleuthos - a road, thus, travel companions; To be in the same way with, that is, to accompany closely - to be in immediate association with someone. The present participle describes an action thought of as simultaneous with the action of the main verb, which, in this case is [2] egorasthesan which is the Aorist Passive indicative of (G59) agorazo, to go to market, that is to purchase, specifically to redeem: - buy, redeem. Thus in the Aorist Passive it means, having been redeemed - redemption is a done deal! The word [3, G536 from a compound of G575 and G756] aparche means first fruits. See 1Cor. 15:20-22, "However this very moment the risen Christ represents everyone who has ever died; Exactly like the first fruit represents the complete harvest. The same humanity who died in a man was raised again in a man. In adam all deid; In Christ all are made alive."
The word, [4, G3699 G302 G5217 ] hopou an hupagei - means wheresoever He travels - the comprehensive range of His journey! From being the Logos, face to face with GOD before time was and announced as the slain Lamb and Messiah since the fall of the world; Throughout every Messianic, prophetic record of Moses, the Prophets and the Psalms, to the incarnate man Jesus the Christ; In His life, ministry, message and betrayal, His trial, His crucifixion, His burial His descent into (mans) hell, His triumph there and in His taking captivity captive in His resurrection (Mat. 27:51b-54, Hos. 6:2) and glorious ascent and leading humanity as His trophies into the Throne room where we are now co--seated together again (Gen. 1:26-27) with Him!
The symbolic "virginity" of the 144,000('s), had nothing to do with the law of their performance (adherence) but their discovery of their inclusion in the Lamb's doing. See Rom. 3:9-10, It is common knowledge that sin holds sway over both Jew and Greek alike. [Just like disease would show the same symptoms regardless of someone's nationality.] Scripture records that within the context of the law, none succeeds to live a blameless life. [Psalm 14:1-3, "They are corrupt and they do abominable deeds, there is none that does good. They have all gone astray, they are all alike corrupt; There is none that does good, no, not one." RSV]. In Gen. 18, Abraham intercedes for Sodom and Gomorrah, "If there perhaps are 50 righteous people, will You save the city on their behalf?" He continues to negotiate with GOD, until he's down to, "perhaps ten?"...."there was none righteous, no not one..." This argument is building up to the triumphant conclusion of the fact that there is indeed no distinction; The same people who fell short of the glory of GOD are now justified through GOD'S work of grace in Christ. If humanity was 100% represented in Adam, then they are equally 100% represented in Christ! [Rom. 3:21-24]. Also Romans 9:29, The Lord of the multitudes preserved for us a Seed, to rescue us from the destruction od Somdom and Gomorrah. [From Hebrew, tzaba, tsabaoth], a mass of people. The remnant represts the one Seed that would rescue the mass of humanity! the single grain of wheat did not abide alone! [See John 12:24] Romans 5:18-19 states, "The conclusion is clear: it took just one offense to condemn humanity; One act of righteousness declares the same humanity innocent! The disobedience of the one exhibits humanity as sinners; The obedience of another exhibits humanity as righteous!")
In the imagery that follows, John sees how the triune religious counterfeit system, the Dragon, the beast and the False prophet are thoroughly stripped of their influence and dominion and brought to naught.
Picking back up at Revelation 14:5-7, "This is not "make-believe" or "wishful-thinking" mode! No trace of deceit nor any form of blemish was found in their conversation. And I saw another Shepherd-Messenger soaring in mid heaven - this Messenger was the carrier of the grandest news of the ages. His mission was to announce these glad tidings of everlasting proportion to every single nation, tribe, language and people grouping on the earth! (Seven times human society is addressed in the most all-inclusive fashion, with a like grouping of words for all humanity of all races and nations; - Rev. 5:9, then also Rev. 7:9, 10:11, 11:9, 13:7, and here in 14:6 and 17:15.) In a great voice he declared, "Be awestruck with the amazingness of GOD! Give him glory! the hour of His judgment has come! he is the Maker of the heavenly realm, the earth, the sea and the fountains of the waters." (This announcement echos Jesus' declaration in John 12:31-33, This is the judgment of this world; It is the moment where the authority of the world-system is cast out! [The serpent's head is about to be crushed! gen. 3:15; Col. 2:14-15] When I am lifted up from the earth, I will draw all judgment to me! (He would be lifted up on the cross, descend into the depths of our hell, then, according to the prophetic word of Hosea 6:2, after two days be lifted up as representat-ive of the human race, out of the lowest parts of the earth and elevated to the highest heavens! Eph. 4:8-9, see also Eph. 2:5-6 and Col. 3:1-3. 'All' inclused all of humanity and their judgment. The subject of the sentence, as from the pervious verse, is the judgment of the world - thus the primary thought here is that in His death, Jesus would draw all judgment upon Himself! John 3:14, 8:28, acts 2:33. 1John 3:5, We have witnessed with our own eyes how, in the unveiling of the prophetic word, when he was lifted up upon the cross as the Lamb of GOD, He lifted up or sin and broke its dominion and rule over us1 [John 1:29 "Behold, the Lamb of GOD, Who takes away [airo] the sin of the world! The word (G142) airo means to lift up.] This He said to point to the way in which He would die. See John 19:15 - "Lift Him up! Crucify Him!") (The Mirror, with editing.)
With our next visit we shall the LORD willing begin our look at chapter 15. Until then may our LORD lift up our mindsets to that of Christ's.
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