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NASB | Revelation 14:1 Then I looked, and behold, the Lamb was standing on Mount Zion, and with Him one hundred and forty-four thousand, having His name and the name of His Father written on their foreheads. |
AMPLIFIED 2015 | Revelation 14:1 Then I looked, and this is what I saw: the Lamb stood [firmly established] on Mount Zion, and with Him a hundred and forty-four thousand who had His name and His Father's name inscribed on their foreheads [signifying God's own possession]. [Joel 2:32] |
Subject: Please explain Revelation 14:12 ? |
Bible Note: I'm kinda doing this as an intermediary. A friend is asking this so I thought I'd get some good replies. :) Here's her answer: There seems to be a contradiction, but I think it is not a real contradiction, I will see what you or others think.... Revelation 14:1-5 does show the saints of God who were faithful to the Lamb of God just before Jesus comes, following Him whithersoever He goes. The seal of God is in their foreheads (compare to Revelation 7:1-10), which seal has the name of God, His office and territory. That is what a seal is. This seal shows that they are God's. This seal means that they worship God, and do not receive the mark of the Beast, or worship the Beast, etc. (See: Revelation 13:16-18) The message that they proclaimed was a pure message (they are virgins) described in Revelation 14:6-11. Then verse 12 says, "Here is the patience of the saints, here are they who keep the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus." These saints lived before the second coming of Jesus Christ which is depicted in verses 14-20. They gave the final warning about worshipping the beast. They are redeemed from the earth, they along with some who must be raised from the dead (verse 13), and taken to heaven with Jesus at His second coming, where we find them in verses 1-5. So what is the contradiction? This is my question: How can the saints of God both keep the commandments of God and have the faith of Jesus? Does that mean that they are saved because they have corresponding good works that match their faith? And these good works are keeping the commandments of God? Are they spiritual Jews which keep the Law of God (which is spiritual) (see the reference to the 144,000 being from every tribe of Israel--Revelation 7:1-10)? i.e., the 144,000 represent the Christian church at the end of time, since they believe in Christ, which is made up of both Jews and Gentiles. It seems that faith and works must go together. Their actions testify to their faith, they keep all the commandments of God, including how to worship Him. Another verse is that found in the KJV, Revelation 22:14. "Blessed are they that do his commandments, that they may have right to the tree of life, and may enter in through the gates into the city." Outside are the disobedient ones, those who break the commandments. (verse 15) Since the first four commandments of the Ten Commandments tell us how to worship God, then I would think that Christians at the end of time will keep holy the seventh-day Sabbath, while the rest of the world will be worshipping the beast on his popular day of worship, on which he deceives the whole world. What do you or others on this group think? It is interesting that the fourth commandment contains the name of God, His office, and his territory: The Lord God, who made heaven and earth and things under the earth (water)., etc. It is similar to the Presidential Seal of the USA. They belong totally to God. |