Next Part 10 The 144,000
Chapter 14 The 144,000 and the Victorious Judgment of the Lamb
Verse 12 introduces verse 13, both of which are an interlude of peace between the warnings and threatenings to those who "worship the beast and his image, and receive his mark" (14:9-11) and the Final Judgments of the "great winepress of the wrath of God" (14:14-20). Three words stand out in verse 13-- patience, Commandments, and faith.
First, the "patience of the Saints" (14:12) is that attribute of love that "beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things"(1Corinthians 13:7). Patience comes only from the "trying of your faith" (James 1:3), which will be greatly needed by the Tribulation Saints to complete their appointed course of trying, testing, and suffering, that they "may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing" (James 1:4)-- in preparation for Heaven.
Second, keeping the "Commandments of God" (14:12) is not simply the hallmark of a True Saint, i.e., "My sheep hear My Voice, and I know them, and they follow Me" (John 10:27); but, it represents our joyful opportunity to demonstrate our love for Him, i.e., "Thy Law do I love" (Psalm 119:163). Resisting fidelity to the Antichrist by refusing his mark is an act of the Tribulation Saints' loving obedience to the Commandment, "Thou shalt have no other gods before Me" (Exodus 20:3).
And, finally, the "faith of Jesus" (14:12) is the Saints' supreme confidence in our LORD and Saviour, Whose Name "is above every name" (Philippians 2:9)-- especially above the name of the Antichrist-- that Jesus will "yet deliver us" (2Corinthians 1:10) from the Antichrist or from dishonoring Him by yielding to temptation. "The LORD knoweth how to deliver the Godly out of temptations, and to reserve the unjust unto the Day of Judgment to be punished" (2Peter 2:9).
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- "13 And I heard a voice from Heaven saying unto me, Write, Blessed are the dead which die in the LORD from henceforth: Yea, saith the Spirit, that they may rest from their labours; and their works do follow them."