The 144,000 Singing A New Song (verses 2-3)

“And I heard a voice from heaven, like the voice of many waters, and like the voice of loud thunder. And I heard the sound of harpists playing their harps. 3 They sang as it were a new song before the throne, before the four living creatures, and the elders; and no one could learn that song except the hundred and forty-four thousand who were redeemed from the earth.”

First of all, verse 3 clarifies where they are. If we have any doubts about whether or not they are literally in the city of Jerusalem that John sees, or if this is simply figurative, representing the place of the faithful of God and victory, and so on, we see that very clearly they are at the throne of God. That is where this is taking place—they are “before the throne [of God], before the four living creatures, and the elders,”along with the hundred and forty-four thousand. That is where this vision, this view of John, is taking place.

John has heard a number of voices as he has had these visions. Sometimes the voice is the voice of an angel. Sometimes the voice is not identified, as it is in this particular case. But it is clearly a heavenly voice. It is a voice of “many waters” and “loud thunder,” [verse 2a]. The depiction here is to get us to understand, to appreciate, the…well, as one writer put it… to appreciate “the absolute and utter clarity of what is being said.” It is very loud; it is very distinct; it us utterly understandable. John says that the sound of this is practically too wonderful for the ear. John describes this voice in terms that we can understand. He says that this “voice from heaven” sounded “like the voice of many waters, and like the voice of loud thunder.”

He also “heard the sound of harpists playing their harps,” verse 2. Some people seize on that and say, “Look! Look you church of Christ people, you people that say we’ve got to have this a capella music. Look! There are going to be harps in heaven. So, that means that we ought to have harps in the church. Right?” Well…

Let me just share with you a little bit different rendering of this particular verse. You could turn to several sources for this. Actually, what is in view here is not the sound of harps, but it is the sound like a harp. That is what the original language is saying. Let me share with you this rendering. I mentioned this particular translation, the one that I refer to periodically, the English Study Bible, which is a translation of the New Testament done by Harold Littrell [1920 – 2001], who is a brother in Christ. He also includes a number of notes with his translation, and I like reading this from time to time.

Brother Littrell’s translation of Revelation 14:2 says, “And I heard a voice from heaven, like the sound of many waters, and as the sound of great thunder. And the sound that I heard was like harpists harping on their harps.” Well, that says it, doesn’t it? And then he has a footnote that goes along with it that says, “The sound he heard was not harps being played, but a sound LIKE that of harps.”

And, then, let me also share with you Brother Hugo McCord’s translation of that verse, which is very clear, as well: “I heard a voice from heaven, like the sound of many waters, and like the sound of loud thunder. The sound which I heard was like harpists playing their harps.” Well, again, that is what we have in view here, not the actual instruments themselves being played by actual harpists. John was grasping for descriptive comparisons, trying to define or describe this wonderful sound that he was hearing. So, he associated it with the beautiful sound of rushing water, the very loud and very clear sound of thunder clapping, and the very peaceful, soothing, beautiful, sound of harpists harping.

This group, this 144,000, those who were assembled around the throne, sang a “new song before the throne, before the four living creatures, and the elders,” [verse 3a]. They are singing a NEW song. What makes it new? Well, it’s new because of the fact that it is being sung by this joyous, by this triumphant, group who have been redeemed—they have been saved, they have been taken out of this place that we’ve previously seen, dominated by a dragon and by beasts, and so on. And isn’t it interesting that “no one could learn” this song, no one could sing this song, “except the hundred and forty-four thousand who were the redeemed from the earth”?

This is not necessarily a depiction of the Day of Judgment. It’s a depiction to put into contrast the awfulness and the evilness of what has gone on before. But I couldn’t help but think about who is going to be singing on the last day. Is it going to be those who have worshiped the beast? Is it going to be those who are part of the world? No. They’re characterized as those who are going to be, if you will, “running for cover,” begging for the rocks to fall on them to hide them. Those who will be singing will be the “redeemed from the earth.” And won’t we have something to sing about on that day!!