The Imitation Of Christ

14:4b-5 These are they who follow the Lamb wherever he goes. They were bought from amongst men, a sacrifice to God and to the Lamb, and no falsehood was found in their mouth, for they are without blemish.

The company of the Lamb are those who follow the Lamb wherever he goes. The simplest definition of a Christian is simply one who follows Jesus Christ. "Follow me!" Jesus said to Philip ( John 1:43 ), and to Matthew ( Mark 2:14 ). "Follow me!" he said to the rich young ruler ( Mark 10:21 ), and to the unnamed disciple ( Luke 9:59 ). When Peter asked what was to happen to John, Jesus told him not to bother about what would happen to others but to concentrate on following him ( John 21:19-22 ). He left us an example, said Peter, that we should follow in his steps ( 1 Peter 2:21 ).

John calls the company of the Lamb three things:

(i) They are a sacrifice to God and to the Lamb. The word for sacrifice is aparche ( Greek #536 ). This really means the sacrifice of the first-fruits. The first-fruits were the best of the crop; they were a symbol of the harvest to come; and they were a symbolic dedication of the whole harvest to God. So the Christian is the best that can be offered to God; each Christian is a foretaste of the time when all the world will be dedicated to God; and the Christian is the man who has consecrated his life to God.

(ii) No falsehood was found in their mouth. This is a favourite thought in Scripture. "Blessed is the man," says the Psalmist, "in whose spirit there is no deceit" ( Psalms 32:2 ). Isaiah said of the servant of the Lord: "And there was no deceit in his mouth" ( Isaiah 53:9 ). Zephaniah said of the chosen remnant of the people: "Nor shall there be found in their mouth a deceitful tongue" ( Zephaniah 3:13 ). Peter took the words about the servant and applied them to Jesus: "No guile was found on his lips" ( 1 Peter 2:22 ). There is something here which we can well understand. Just as we desire friends who are sincere, so does Jesus Christ.

(iii) They are without blemish. The word is amomos ( Greek #299 ) and is characteristically a sacrificial word. It describes the animal which is without flaw and so fit for an offering to God. It is interesting to note how often this word is used of the Christian. God has chosen us that we should be holy and without blame before him ( Ephesians 1:4 ; compare Colossians 1:22 ). The Church must be glorious, not having spot, or wrinkle or any such thing ( Ephesians 5:27 ). Peter speaks of Jesus as a Lamb without blemish and without spot ( 1 Peter 1:19 ). We received life to make of it a sacrifice to God; and that which is offered to God must be without blemish.

There follows the vision of the three angels, the angel with the summons to worship the true God ( Revelation 14:6-7 ), the angel who foretells the doom of Rome ( Revelation 14:8 ), and the angel who foretells the judgment and destruction of those who have denied their faith and worshipped the beast ( Revelation 14:9-12 ).