This vision of John's is intended to reassure the faithful. It takes place on Mount Zion - important events are often recorded to have occurred on mountains - for example, the Transfiguration. The mention of 144,000 is a symbolic number and not to be taken literally. The Lamb is Jesus Christ Whom the faithful follow. John heard the voice of God from heaven and the voices of the 144,000 faithful singing praise and adoration to God and the Lamb. These represent the redeemed of the Lord, the blameless ones. This vision gives us the hope that we too will be among the redeemed. Jesus was watching the pageantry with which the rich were giving their gifts to the treasury of the temple. He then noticed a poor widow who gave a very small gift, but it was all that she had. Jesus praised her small gift above that given by the rich. What does that say to us? The amount of the gift was not the important issue; the attitude with which the gift was given was very important. Jesus wants us to give generously while trusting that God will provide for our own needs.

Therefore, we as the redeemed of the Lord, do not measure ourselves by what we can do for God and other people, but by our attitude with which we carry out God's commands.