Smoodock's Blog

John said he “heard a voice from heaven, as the voice of many waters, and as the voice of a great thunder” ( Revelation 14:2). When Ezekiel beheld the glory of the Lord in Ezekiel 1:4-28, he heard “the noise of great waters, as the voice of the Almighty,” which came from the wings of the living creatures (Ezekiel 1:24). When the glory of the God of Israel came by way of the east, Ezekiel said “his voice was like a noise of many waters: and the earth shined with his glory (Ezekiel 43:2), and speaking of the glorified Jesus, John claimed: “his voice (was) as the sound of many waters (Revelation 1:15).

Here, we find the Second Coming of Jesus, and he is standing on Mount Zion with the whole company of his elect (the 144, 000). The long-awaited dramatic event had arrived. So, how should it be presented in John’s record? Loud voices and the worship of the twenty-four elders accompanied the seventh and last trump of God (Revelation 11:15-17), which seems to also be the scene here in Revelation 14:1. John describes the scene again in Revelation 19:1-7, and again with the voice of many waters (Revelation 19:6).

I believe the point of all this is that sound is really important to introduce a dramatic event. Hollywood is no stranger to its effects. In past productions great efforts were rewarded with grand critical acclaim and theatrical awards, but great acting and great movie productions would have been lost and easily forgotten, if the musical presentation wasn’t equally fitting to present the actor’s memorable scene or the climatic point in the movie’s theme. There is music for drama and music for comedy, music for a thriller and music for horror. Imagine what it would be like to mix the musical score of a comedy for a horror film. The effect simply wouldn’t be the same, no matter how well the acting was or how great the film might otherwise have been.

Therefore, in Revelation 14:2 John tells us of “a voice from heaven, as the voice of many waters, and as the voice of a great thunder,” as he presents Jesus on Mount Zion, accompanied by the whole body of believers (Revelation 14:1). Next, John says he heard “the voice of harpers harping with their harps” (KJV), but some manuscripts read: “the voice, which I heard (was) as of harpers harping on their harps.”[1] The latter seems to fit the context better, while the former (i.e. the KJV) seems to be anticlimactic. That is, the former offers a good climax, but then it goes on to describe something else instead of the thing that gives meaning to Jesus’ Second Coming.

The sound from heaven, then, was the sound of the harpers, and the harpers sang a new song before the throne of God, before the four living creatures and in the presence of the twenty-four elders (Revelation 14:3). What was significant about this new song was that no one but the 144,000 could learn it. Earlier, while before the throne of God, John told us of a new song that was sung in the presence of the Lamb, as he took the book to open its seven seals. At that time the new song was sung by the twenty-four elders, who were redeemed from the earth:

“And they sung a new song, saying, You are worthy to take the book, and to open the seals thereof: for you were slain, and have redeemed us to God by your blood out of every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation; And have made us unto our God kings and priests: and we shall reign on the earth” (Revelation 5:9-10).

In the context of Revelation 14:3, no one, except for the 144,000, was able to learn this song. The Greek word is manthano (G3129). The Septuagint often uses it in the Law to say the people should learn to fear the Lord. Thayer’s Lexicon defines it: “to learn; increase one’s knowledge, be informed; to learn by practice etc.” So, I have to wonder, if, indeed, the new song in Revelation 5:9-10 is the same new song sung in Revelation 14:3 (and if not, why not), if learning the new song has nothing to do with memorizing its words, but actually learning and putting into practice what the song really says about Jesus: namely, that ONLY he is able to open the seven seals of this book—ONLY he is able to tell us what this book says, because ONLY he is worthy, ONLY he was slain, and ONLY he is the Redeemer.

Perhaps, when one presumes to offer a meaning of the words of this book that cannot be traced back to the words of Jesus or the writers of the New Covenant text, who are his spokesmen, then the one who presumes to know what this book says, presumes upon the work of Christ. Therefore, what the harpers harped on their harps is quite an astonishing “sound” to set the mood of the scene—the Lamb standing on Mount Zion and the 144,000 with him.

___________________________________________________

[1] See Codex “A” “B” and “C” and Origin, (see translations like NASB, NET, Williams, Revised Version, etc.)