Revelation 14:4 Commentary - Dr Peter Masters

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Revelation 14:4

Comments

‘These are they which were not defiled with women, for they are virgins’, which in the language of Revelation is the way of saying that they have not compromised with the devil, or with the world. They are not people who claimed to be Christians, but walk like those who carry the mark of the beast. They are pure and they have been purified by Christ. ‘These are they which follow the Lamb whithersoever he goeth.’ That is a beautiful statement. There was a great Scottish preacher in the 19th century, and he wrote a booklet for new believers, and it was about the way we are to live in the Christian life. He took his title from this verse: ‘Follow the Lamb’. These are they which follow the Lamb, the Saviour, who came to earth in love and did compassionate works, and proclaimed repentance and remission of sin, and went to Calvary to suffer and die. In other words, he gave himself sacrificially for his people. That is the Lamb of God. Not like the lamb, the beast that arises out of the earth, which claims to be gentle and compassionate, but which isn’t. Christ is the true Lamb, and we follow him. Christians are people who are gentle. Christians are people who make known Christ out of love. We warn also, but we make known Christ, and we long to be reflecting something of the kindliness and love of God. We are ready to be sacrificed. Of course we can’t in any way imitate the sacrifice of Christ in terms of making an atonement; only he could atone for sin. But we are ready to be sacrificed for his namesake. ‘These were redeemed from among men.’ They are priceless words. All the people around us today are saying, when you’re redeemed you should live like a worldling. By doing so you will commend your faith to worldlings; you won’t put them off. They will say, ‘We understand you; you are agreeable to us.’ These are they who were redeemed from among men, and they left behind that life, and they were different and they didn’t do the things the world does, and that’s the company that we are in. ‘Being the firstfruits’ – that is a special word too. When the harvest was about to come, the firstfruits from among the very first crops to appear, an offering was taken. It was separated from the main harvest that would follow, and it was offered up in worship, in thanksgiving to God. The firstfruits were dedicated to him. Says the Scripture, ‘Are you born again Christians? You are all the firstfruits.’ What’s the second fruits? Don’t worry about that. The picture only refers to the firstfruits. You are all the firstfruits: separated unto God for him ‘and to the Lamb.’

Application

‘Withersoever he goeth’, however he leads. The Lamb of God, when he ministered on earth, lived as an ordinary man when he could have enriched himself so easily. He had divine power. Any number of people would have given him so much, had he allowed them to or asked for it. There would have been so much gratitude toward him, and yet he lived a life of relative self-denial and modesty and humility. If we follow the lamb we are willing for the same. That should characterise all servants of God in ministry. You read of some who earn fantastic salaries. They are not following the Lamb whatever they say. They should live modestly and reasonably, and set an example. ‘They follow the Lamb wheresoever he goeth.’ If he goes to death, and they are called upon to give up property, home, profession, in difficult times, even to die, they will follow him in every respect. Wherever he takes us, we will go. He may allow us to live a comfortable and reasonable life in a nice location all our days. He may not call upon us to be martyrs or great sufferers. We will serve him all the more on account of that. What comforts and privileges we have! We will put him first in every way we can. ‘These are they which follow the Lamb whithersoever he goeth.

Questions

The opening words of this verse are figurative. Some of the greatest saints in the Bible were married – Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, Moses, David, Peter and other apostles. If the reference to being ‘defiled with women’ was taken literally, all of these would have to be excluded from the 144,000, yet this group represents all those redeemed from the earth. But then what does it mean? Why does it seem to suggest that the virgin state is superior to the married state? Why does it use the derogatory term ‘defiled’ of any who have had a relationship with a woman without distinguishing between a married relationship and an adulterous or promiscuous relationship? It is because what is in view is spiritual adultery. This is the implication of the next sentence, ‘These are the ones who follow the Lamb wherever he goes.’ It is in contrast to those who have defiled themselves with women. The church is represented in Scripture as the bride of Christ, a bride who must be faithful. On the other hand the world that tempts believers to be unfaithful to Christ is called the great whore (Revelation 17:1). Several times in the Old Testament the language of sexual purity is applied to Israel’s relationship with her God, ‘the virgin, the daughter of Zion’ (Isaiah 37:22), ‘O virgin of Israel’ (Jeremiah 31:4), ‘the virgin daughter of my people’ (Jeremiah 14:17). This is the language of exclusive relationship with God. It has nothing to do with any ban on marriage or divine disapproval of sexual relations. Of course there is a divine disapproval of sinful sexual relations, and this is one aspect of rebellious human behaviour which takes men away from Christ, but this verse is certainly not insisting on celibacy.

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Introduction

Revelation 14:4 Commentary and Bible Study