Revelation 14:3

3 And they sang ¹a new song before the throne and before the ²four living creatures and the ³elders; and ⁴no one could learn the song except the ⁵one hundred and forty-four * thousand who had been ⁶purchased from the earth.

Revelation 14:3 Meaning and Commentary

Revelation 14:3

And they sung as it were a new song
The song of redeeming grace; the same with that in ( Revelation 5:9 ) ; see the note there: this is to be understood of the 144,000, who sung it

before the throne, and before the four beasts and the elders;
that is, publicly in the church, the ministers and members being present; of these; (See Gill on Revelation 4:4); (See Gill on Revelation 4:6);

and no man could learn that song but the hundred [and] forty [and]
four thousand, which were redeemed from the earth;
out of every kindred, tongue, people, and nation; from among the men of the earth, and out of the apostate church, called the earth, in opposition to the pure church, which so often goes by the name of heaven in this book; and these, in consequence of being redeemed by the blood of Christ, were called by grace out of the world; and such only can sing the song of redemption with application to themselves; and say he has redeemed us, and loved us, and washed us from our sins in his blood; to none but these is it given to know spiritually and experimentally the mysteries of electing and redeeming grace; the natural and carnal man neither knows nor receives the things of the Spirit of God; nor can he learn them by hearing, reading, study, and conversation, unless it be only in a notional and speculative way. The Jews speak of a new song, which the angels have never used {m};

``it is said, ( Psalms 98:1 ) ; "sing unto the Lord a new song"; a new song, for there is an old song; but this song is what the angels never praised him with, and therefore it is new;''

and indeed the song of redeeming love is peculiar to men.

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FOOTNOTES:

F13 Zohar in Numb. fol. 70. 4.

Revelation 14:3 In-Context

1 Then I looked, and behold, the Lamb was standing on Mount Zion, and with Him one hundred and forty-four thousand, having His name and the name of His Father written on their foreheads.

2 And I heard a voice from heaven, like the sound of many waters and like the sound of loud thunder, and the voice which I heard was like the sound of harpists playing on their harps.

3 And they sang a new song before the throne and before the four living creatures and the elders; and no one could learn the song except the one hundred and forty-four thousand who had been purchased from the earth.

4 These are the ones who have not been defiled with women, for they have kept themselves chaste. These are the ones who follow the Lamb wherever He goes. These have been purchased from among men as first fruits to God and to the Lamb.

5 And no lie was found in their mouth; they are blameless.

Cross References

• 1. Revelation 5:9
• 2. Revelation 4:6
• 3. Revelation 4:4
• 4. Revelation 2:17
• 5. Revelation 7:4; Revelation 14:1
• 6. Revelation 5:9

Footnotes

• [a]. Two early mss read "sing" something "like a new song"