Verse 3 says that the one hundred forty-four thousand “have been purchased from the earth.” This proves that they are no longer on earth, but had been raptured to the heavens. At the time of verses 1 through 5 the firstfruit are no longer on earth because they have been purchased “from the earth.” They were purchased with the blood of the Lamb and have been taken away from earth to heaven.
Verse 4 says that the firstfruit “were purchased from among men.” This indicates that they are no longer among men, but are in the heavens.
The firstfruit stand with the Lamb on Mount Zion (v. 1). The Zion mentioned in verse 1 is not the earthly one but the Zion in the heavens (Heb. 12:22). Those who stand with the Lamb on Mount Zion are raptured to the heavens before Antichrist’s persecution of religion. After this rapture, Antichrist will persecute people and compel them to worship him. By this fact we know that the living overcomers are raptured before the great tribulation.
Verse 1 also indicates that the one hundred forty-four thousand have the name of the Lamb and the name of His father written on their foreheads. This is the designation of their being one with the Lamb and with the Father and of their belonging to Them. The name of the Lamb and the name of the Father written on the foreheads of these early overcomers is in contrast to the name of the beast written on the foreheads of his worshippers (13:16-17).
Verse 3 says, “And they sing a new song before the throne and before the four living creatures and the elders; and no one could learn the song except the hundred and forty-four thousand who have been purchased from the earth.” The one hundred forty-four thousand sing a new song before the throne, the four living creatures, and the elders. Apart from the firstfruit, no one is able to learn this song, because no one else has the necessary experience. Songs always come out of experience. If you have no experience, you have nothing to sing about. Because the hundred forty-four thousand overcomers have specific and particular experiences of Christ, they can sing a song that others do not understand. Some Christians do not understand our songs. Although they may say that these songs are strange, we say that they are sweet and tasteful. Whenever we sing certain songs, we are beside ourselves. But those who do not have the experience do not understand what we are singing about. Only the experienced ones can learn to sing the song of the hundred forty-four thousand.
Verse 2 says, “And I heard a voice out of 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 harp-singers playing on their harps.” The many waters signify the tumultuousness of the sound, the loud thunder signifies the solemnity of the sound, and the sound of harp-singers signifies the pleasantness of the sound.
The solemnity of the loud thunder will terrify Satan. Since the singing of the one hundred forty-four thousand will be noisy in that day, should not our singing be somewhat noisy today? The more noisy our singing is, the better. Of course, the religious ones will condemn this. The singing of the one hundred forty-four thousand sounds somewhat like the waters of Niagara Falls. In fact, I believe that it may be many times more noisy than Niagara Falls. Today’s Christianity is dead and legal. But we must be noisy, not dead. However, our noisy singing should not be a performance; rather, it should issue from our spirit. At least eight times in the book of Psalms we are told to make a joyful noise unto the Lord (Psa. 95:1-2; 98:4; 100:1). This tumultuous, joyful noise should come automatically from our spirit. When we are filled with the sweet experience of the Lord, our spirit will be filled to the brim. The only way to express our joy is to make a joyful noise to the Lord. Because Niagara Falls is filled with water that has great impact, its sound is not a performance. This is the way we must be when we gather together. Only by experience can we understand this. I can testify that I have experienced this. Sometimes, as we are making a tumultuous noise in the spirit, singing and praising the Lord, sweet music comes forth from this tumultuous sound. If you have experienced this, you will be able to say “Amen” to what I am saying. But this has offended some who said that they were not able to bear the noise. However, this is not my way—it is the Lord’s way, the biblical way. If you do not exercise yourself in this manner today, you will have to learn to do so later.