144,000 Virgins

Reflections on Revelation 14:1-5

The enemies of God's people have now been fully revealed.  The first is Satan, the archenemy of God who wishes to usurp God's power and honor.  God put enmity between Satan and the woman, and between his seed and hers.  He is pictured as a great red dragon.  The second, Man aspiring to dominion over the earth apart from God, is the enemy of Christ, who rules the earth in harmony with the will of God.  He is pictured as a great and terrible beast which resembles the dragon and receives his power from him.  The third enemy is false religion which exalts the ways of man above the way of God.  He is a false prophet who undermines God's witnesses on the earth.  He is pictured as a lamb-like beast that speaks with the voice of the dragon.
  
John describes the enemies as a dragon and two beasts to expose their masquerades and emphasize their sinister characters.  Despite their deception and power, the saints need not despair.  Many have stood against them and won the victory.  The Lamb stands victorious on Mt. Zion, and with him are the hundred and forty-four thousand. 

These victorious saints standing with the Lamb have refused to wear the mark of the beast; instead, they have worn his name and his Father's name written on their foreheads.  They have not worshiped the image of the beast, so they have not defiled themselves with women.  Although they have lived among men on the earth, they are redeemed from the earth and from mankind and so are now firstfruits for God and the Lamb.  They are the "cream of the crop," the best of all God's creation.   They are blameless because no lie is found in their mouths.  They have been faithful witnesses to God and the Lamb because they rejected the lie about the beast's power.

Jesus shows this picture of the victorious saints to John so that he can encourage the saints still engaged in battle on the earth.  Having taken a stand, they should continue to stand until that day they stand victorious with the Lamb on Mt. Zion.