Revelation 14:1-5; Psalm 51:7-12

Revelation 14:1-5
John continues to record his vision. The time is the beginning of the 2nd half of the Tribulation, and the scene is in heaven. The first characters we see are the 144,000 Jewish men who were saved and sealed by God in Rev. 7. Now we see them standing with the Lamb, Jesus, on Mount Zion which is heaven. In contrast to those multitudes mentioned in Rev. 13 who received the "mark of the beast," these believers had Jesus' name and the Father's name written on their foreheads. Awe-inspiring sounds were coming from heaven including sounds like rushing waters and thunder and harps. The 144,000 were singing a new song that only they could sing because they had been delivered from the Tribulation. The phrase "did not defile themselves with women," is probably symbolic of their keeping themselves pure from idolatry and the sin and defilement of the world. They are offered to God as "firstfruits," indicating that more Jewish people will be saved before the end of the Tribulation. Since they are in heaven, they have left sin behind, and they are blameless.

Psalm 51:7-12
Continuing on with David's confession...

• He asks God to cleanse him, literally to erase every trace of the sin. Only God can do this! v. 7 When we harbor sin, guilt causes us pain--even physical pain, and our joy is gone. David asks to hear joy and gladness and to have the pain of guilt removed. v. 8
• He asks God to purify him and renew a steadfast spirit in him. He asks God not to remove His presence or the Holy Spirit. (The Old Testament ministry of the Holy Spirit was different from the New. As New Testament believers, the Holy Spirit indwells us and will never leave us, though it is possible for us to quench or grieve Him.) vv. 10-11
• He asks for the JOY of his salvation to be restored. David had not lost his salvation even though he had committed adultery and murder, but he surely had lost his joy. v. 12
• He asks for a willing spirit to sustain him. I'm not sure, but it seems that he might be asking for God's sustaining power to keep him from future sin. v. 12