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The sermon teaches that the Lamb—Jesus Christ—is the central reality and joy of heaven, surpassing even its glory, crowns, and surroundings. Spurgeon strongly affirms election, arguing that God’s purpose, Christ’s blood, and the Spirit’s regenerating work secure the full number of the redeemed. He also stresses that heaven is for a prepared people, so hearers must possess a renewed heart and begin heaven’s song on earth. The sermon combines assurance and comfort for believers with a direct warning to those who have not turned fully to God.
Theological center: Heaven is centered on the crucified and exalted Lamb, whose redeeming work and God’s electing grace secure a prepared people for eternal worship.
Applications: Learn Heaven’s Song Now · Turn Fully to God · Consider Christ’s Centrality · Consider Heaven’s Preparation
Primary texts: Revelation 14:1-3 · Romans 9:11
“And I looked, and, lo, a Lamb stood on the Mount Sion, and with him an hundred forty and four thousand, having his Father’s name written in their foreheads. And I heard a voice from heaven, as the voice of many waters, and as the voice of a great thunder: and I heard the voice of harpers harping with their harps; And they sung as it were a new song before the throne, and before the four beasts, and the elders; and no man could learn that song but the hundred and forty and four thousand, which were redeemed from the earth.” Revelation 14:1-3 THE scene of this marvelous and magnificent vision is laid upon Mount Sion, by which we are to understand, not Mount Sion upon earth, but Mount Sion which is above, “Jerusalem, the mother of us all.” To the Hebrew mind, Mount Sion was a type of heaven, and very justly so. Among all the mountains of the earth none was to be found so famous as Sion. It was there that patriarch Abraham drew his knife to slay his son. It was there, too, in commemoration of that great triumph of faith, Solomon built a majestic temple, “beautiful for situation and the joy of the whole earth.” That Mount Sion was the center of all the devotions of the Jews. “Up to her courts, with joys unknown, The sacred tribes repaired.” Between the wings of the cherubim, JEHOVAH dwelt. On the one altar there all the sacrifices were offered to high heaven. They loved Mount Sion and often did they sing, when they drew near to her, in their annual pilgrimages, “How amiable are thy tabernacles, O LORD God of hosts, my King and my God!” Sion is now desolate. She has been ravished by the enemy. She has been utterly destroyed. Her vail has been rent asunder, and the virgin daughter of Sion is now sitting in sackcloth and ashes, but nevertheless, to the Jewish mind it must ever, in its ancient state, remain the best and sweetest type of heaven. John, therefore, when he saw this sight might have said, “I looked, and, lo, a Lamb stood in heaven, and with him an hundred and forty and four thousand having his Father’s name written in their foreheads: And I heard a voice from heaven, as the voice of many waters, and as the voice of a great thunder; and I heard the voice of harpers harping with their harps: And they sung as it were a new song before the throne, and before the four beasts, and the elders: and no man could learn that song but the hundred and forty and four thousand, which were redeemed from the earth.” This morning I shall endeavor to show you, first of all, the object of heavenly worship—the Lamb in the midst of the throne. In the next place, we shall…