John turned his eyes away from the vision of terrible woe in chapter 13, and lifted them to heaven. "And," he says, "I looked, and lo, a Lamb stood on the mount Sion." This is that "mount Zion which cannot be removed, but abideth forever" (Ps. 125:1). This mount Sion is heaven, the city of our God, the final abode of God's saints (Heb. 12:22-23). John is still talking about the same place, when he says in verse 2, "And I heard a voice from heaven." What John is about to describe for us in verses 1-5 is the final blessedness of God's elect. In verses 6-20, he tells us of the events immediately preceding and leading up to this final blessedness. But he seems so overjoyed by what he saw that he has to describe the glorious end of God's saints, before telling us what leads up to the end.
Try to get the picture fixed in your mind's eye as John saw it. There stands the Lord Jesus Christ, the Lamb of God, pre-eminent in heaven. And with him there are 144,000, who have his name and the name of his Father written on their foreheads. This is the same sealed multitude that we saw in chapter 7:3-4. There the saints were seen as still living upon the earth, surrounded by numerous enemies. Here they are seen standing in heaven with the Lamb, enjoying the bliss and glory of their predestined inheritance after the final judgment." Although the dragon has done his utmost to make them unfaithful to their Lord, and although he has employed two beasts to assist him, not a single one of the hundred forty-four thousand is missing" (William Hendrksen). The scene is marvelous, magnificent and inspiring. Lift up your eyes, child of God, this shall be your final end. My heart, my soul, rejoice! In the end, when all things are finished, a glorious day of perfect, perpetual, eternal worship shall begin. Heaven is a world of worship, praise and grateful song to Christ, the Lamb of God.
Proposition:That which shall be the eternal joy and employment of God's saints in heaven should be the pattern of our joy and employment on earth – In the verses before us, we have a picture of Heavenly Worship. Let us strive to begin this Heavenly Worship even while we are here upon the earth.
Spirit of God, come upon this assembly of blood bought sinners tonight, and enable us to worship the Lamb of God, our Lord Jesus Christ, who loved us and gave himself for us.
Divisions:
1. The Singular Object Of Worship In Heaven Is The Lamb Of God (v. 1).
2. Those Who Shall Be Found In Heaven Worshipping The Lamb Are God's Elect Multitude (v. 1).
3. The Saints In Heaven Sing A New Song, But It Is A Song They Learned Upon The Earth (vv. 2-3).
4. Those Who Shall Be Found In Heaven At Last Are Those Who Have Experienced The Grace Of God Upon The Earth (vv. 4-5).
I. The Singular Object Of Worship In Heaven Is The Lamb Of God (v. 1).
John was privileged to look within the gates of pearl, for a moment to behold the glory of Immanuel's land. Then he takes up his pen to tell us what he saw. Notice how he begins. He does not say, "I looked, and, lo –John says, "I looked, and, lo, a Lamb!" He is teaching us that the first, most glorious, pre-eminent attraction of heaven is "The Lamb of God which taketh away the sin of the world." Nothing else so greatly attracted John's heart and mind as the Person of that glorious Lamb, who is the Lord Jesus Christ, our God and Savior. "I looked, and, Lo, a Lamb!" That Lamb is the glory, the reward, and the delight of heaven. I will go further, that Lamb is heaven itself. Samuel Rutherford once said, "Heaven and Christ are the same things; to be with Christ is to be in heaven, and to be in heaven is to be with Christ." On another occasion, he said, "Oh, my Lord, Christ, if I could be in heaven without thee, it would be a hell. And if I could be in hell and have thee still, it would be a heaven to me, for thou art all the heaven I want."
A. Notice The Figure Under Which Christ Is Represented In Heaven – "I looked, and, lo, a Lamb!"
Just in the Book of Revelation alone, Christ is revealed to us twenty-six times under the figure of a Lamb. That has always been the case. Throughout the Scriptures Christ is called The Lamb, The Lamb of God.
And here we see the Lamb standing in heaven. Why is the Lamb in the forefront?
1. No man can approach God, but by the Lamb.
2. No man can know, worship, honor and praise God in true worship, but by the Lamb.
3. Christ is worshipped as the Lamb in heaven, because it was as a Lamb that he died and accomplished our redemption.
4. He who sits upon the throne of God is seen as a Lamb to encourage our confidence in him, to encourage us to come to him in prayer.
Christ is a Lion to his enemies, but a Lamb for his people. You need never fear a Lamb. What child was ever afraid of a Lamb? (Heb. 4:16). B. Notice Also The Posture Of The Lamb In Heaven.
"I looked, and, lo, a Lamb stood on the mount Sion. Standing in the pasture of triumph. The Father said to Christ, "Sit thou on my right hand until I make thine enemies thy footstool." Now, it is done. All his enemies have been made to bow before his throne. Now he stands erect. Like a mighty Victor, he stands over all his enemies.
C. The Glory Of Heaven's Eternal Worship Is To See The Lamb!
What more do you desire? What more will it take to ravish your heart? What more can you hope to receive (I John 3:1-2)?
II. Those Who Shall Be Found In Heaven Worshipping The Lamb Are God's Elect Multitude (v. 1).
These 144,000 are the same ones who were sealed in chapter 7. They are an elect multitude, marked out from eternity, with the Father's name written on their foreheads.
A. It Is A Very Great Multitude 144,000.III. The Saints In Heaven Sing A New Song, But It Is A Song They Learned Upon The Earth (vv. 2-3).
No silly sentiment here! This is a song born of experience, inspired by gratitude, intended solely for the praise of the Lamb.
IV. Those Who Shall Be Found In Heaven At Last Are Those Who Have Experienced The Grace Of God Upon The Earth (vv. 4-5).
None shall enter heaven but those who experience grace. Grace is glory begun. And glory is grace completed. Grace makes sinners worthy of glory!
A. They Are Virgins – (I Cor. 6:9-11).Grace experienced in the soul is the beginning and the motive for all true worship!
Application: Will you be in the number? This is The Satisfaction of –*