Ⅰ
Revelation 14:1-5 reveals Christ as the Lamb whom the overcoming firstfruits follow:
A
The firstfruits are the living overcomers, who will be the first ripe ones in God's field; hence, they will be reaped before the harvest as firstfruits to God and to the Lamb:
１
The firstfruits will be caught up to the heavenly Mount Zion, to the place of God's dwelling in the third heaven, in order to be in the presence of God and Christ.
２
The meaning of rapture is to be taken into the Lord's presence; in order to be taken into the Lord's presence, we must be in His presence today—Luke 21:36; 2 Cor. 2:10; Hosea 6:2; 2 Tim. 4:8; Acts 26:16.
３
The rapture is for defeating the enemy and satisfying God; the Lord needs the man-child to fight against His enemy, but He needs the firstfruits even more for His satisfaction and enjoyment—Rev. 12:5; 14:1, 4b.
B
The Bible reveals two aspects of the rapture: the rapture of the overcomers before the great tribulation and the rapture of the majority of the believers at the end of the great tribulation—Matt. 24:40-41; Luke 21:36; Rev. 3:10; 1 Thes. 4:15-17; Rev. 12:5; 14:1.
C
In Leviticus 23:10 we see a type of the rapture—the type of the crop ripening in the field—Matt. 13:24; Rev. 14:14-16:
１
The reaping of God's crop is what we call the rapture; this reaping indicates that the believers will be taken away from the earth—Matt. 13:30, 39b.
２
Part of the crop—the firstfruits—ripens earlier and is reaped earlier; the rest of the crop—the harvest—ripens later and is reaped later.
３
According to Revelation 14, there are two kinds of rapture—the rapture of the firstfruits and the rapture of the harvest—vv. 4b, 14-16.
D
The firstfruits are raptured to the house of God in Zion as the fresh enjoyment to God; this is for God's satisfaction—Exo. 23:19a; Lev. 23:10; cf. John 20:17a.
E
The firstfruits 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—Rev. 14:1b.
F
The firstfruits are the earliest among God's crop to reach maturity—Heb. 5:14—6:1; 1 Cor. 2:6; Eph. 4:13; Phil. 3:15:
１
To be transformed is to be changed in our natural life; to be matured is to be filled with the divine life that changes us—Rom. 12:2; Eph. 3:19b.
２
For God's expression there is the need of maturity; only a mature life can bear God's image and exercise His dominion—Gen. 1:26; Rom. 5:10, 17, 21.
Morning Nourishment
Rev. 14:1 And I saw, and behold, the Lamb standing on Mount Zion, and with Him a hundred and forty-four thousand, having His name and the name of His Father written on their foreheads.4 These are they who have not been defiled with women, for they are virgins…who follow the Lamb wherever He may go. These were purchased from among men as firstfruits to God and to the Lamb.
Revelation 14:1-4 reveals Christ as the Lamb whom the overcoming firstfruits follow. In the Old Testament typology the sheaf of the firstfruits of the good land was brought into the temple and offered to God directly for His enjoyment. In the New Testament reality, the one hundred forty-four thousand overcomers will be the firstfruits in God's new creation offered to Him directly in the heavenly Holy of Holies for His satisfaction. (The Conclusion of the New Testament, p. 4301)
Today’s Reading
These early overcomers will be the first-ripe ones in God's field…This means that the overcomers will be raptured to the heavens before the harvest, just as the firstfruits of the good land were reaped and brought into the temple of God before the harvest (Lev. 23:10-11)…The events recorded in Revelation 14:6-13, all of which will take place during the great tribulation (Matt. 24:21), indicate clearly and prove strongly that the first overcomers, the firstfruits in Revelation 14:1-5, will be raptured before the great tribulation, and that the harvest in verses 14 through 16, composed of the majority of the believers, will be raptured at the end of the great tribulation.These one hundred forty-four thousand firstfruits will not be taken to the air; rather, they will be taken to the heavens, even to the heavenly Mount Zion…The firstfruits are a small part of the harvest which ripens first. This signifies that as God's chosen people are growing on earth, a small number among them will become the firstfruits, the overcomers.
The firstfruits in Revelation 14 are before the throne of God; they are no longer on this earth. This means that they have been raptured. They are on Mount Zion in the heavens, before the throne of God. They are standing not in the air but upon the throne, upon Mount Zion. This refers to Mount Zion in the heavens where God dwells. Thus, the firstfruits go not to the air…but directly to the Father's home in the third heaven.
Revelation 14:1 indicates that the one hundred forty-four thousand have the name of the Lamb and the name of His Father written on their foreheads. They are in contrast to those who worship the beast and have the name of the beast written on their foreheads (13:16-17)…[This] signifies that [the overcomers] are one with the Lamb and with the Father and that they belong to the Lamb and to the Father. It also signifies that the overcomers have become the same as the Lamb and the Father. This corresponds with Revelation 3:12, which says that the Lord Jesus will write His new name upon the overcomer. This indicates that eventually the overcomers become Christ. Likewise, the overcomers' bearing the name of Christ, the Lamb, and His Father implies the union and mingling of the redeeming Triune God and His redeemed people. This is exceedingly profound.
The firstfruits are the faithful followers of the Lamb [14:4]…The overcomers' following the Lamb wherever He may go indicates that they constantly enjoy and experience Him. They follow Jesus and are not defiled by the earthly things.
Because they were always with the Lamb, having followed the Lamb wherever He went, they are seen…standing with the Lamb on Mount Zion [v. 1]. Because they are already in the Lord's presence, the rapture will not come as a surprise to them. They are living in the heavens today, and they will be standing with the Lamb in the heavens on Mount Zion in the future. (The Conclusion of the New Testament, pp. 4301-4305)
Further Reading: The Conclusion of the New Testament, msg. 422; Life- study of Revelation, msg. 46