The 144,000 are unconverted physical descendants of Israel who repent and become Christians near the middle of the Great Tribulation period. At the start of this time of global trial and trouble (Matthew 24)they are not Christians!
What does the Bible say about the 144000?
The 144,000 will experience and endure the sufferings of Christ. They will be honored above the rest of the redeemed. No one else will be able to sing their song. ( Revelation 14:1, 3) No lie or falsehood will be found in the mouths of the 144,000. ( Revelation 14:5)
Will 144000 people come from all religions?
My point is that, like Saul, the 144,000 will come from all religions. Many people have good hearts toward God, and after they encounter Jesus and receive the words that He wants them to speak, they will be transformed, just as Saul became Paul! The net effect is simple.
Who are the 144000 servants of God?
John calls the 144,000, “servants,” “servants the prophets,” and “servants of God” in the book of Revelation. ( Revelation 6:11, 7:3, 10:7, 19:2) The four angels do not hurt Earth until the 144,000 are sealed. ( Revelation 7:3) The 144,000 will be the first to receive the seal of God.
Will the 144000 go to Heaven?
In this sense, the 144,000 will be no different than anyone else going to Heaven! So, how does Revelation 14:5 exalt the accomplishments of the 144,000 when it says, “No lie was found in their mouths; they are blameless.”? After the 144,000 are sealed, the Great Tribulation will begin with a global earthquake.
What is the 144,000?
The Jehovah’s Witnesses claim that 144,000 is a limit to the number of people who will reign with Christ in heaven and spend eternity with God. The 144,000 have what the Jehovah’s Witnesses call the “heavenly hope.”.
What do the 144,000 call the heavenly hope?
The 144,000 have what the Jehovah’s Witnesses call the “heavenly hope.”. Those who are not among the 144,000 will enjoy what they call the “earthly hope”—a paradise on earth ruled by Christ and the 144,000. It is true that there will be people ruling in the millennium with Christ.
What does it mean to seal the Jews?
These 144,000 Jews are “sealed,” which means they have the special protection of God. They are kept safe from the divine judgments and from the wrath of the Antichrist. They can freely perform their mission during the tribulation.
What does the black letter approach to Revelation mean?
Those who prefer a strictly literal interpretation of Revelation have issue with the symbolistic approach of the 144,000. The black-letter approach believes 144,000 means exactly what was written.
Why was the separation of tribes used in Revelation?
Additionally, one could logically adhere to the opinion that the separation of tribes was used to symbolize the numerous Christian denominations and their equality in number of inclusion .
Why is the sealing of the 144,000 justified?
Unfortunately, many in our society utilize the Scripture detailing the sealing of the 144,000 as justification for delaying a decision for their own personal salvation, thinking many will be saved after the rapture of the church.
What does the Jehovah Witness belief mean?
The Jehovah Witness religion holds to the belief the 144,000 represent the total number of saints who will ascend to the heavenly church. Most Christians who don’t follow the Jehovah’s Witness doctrine have generally assumed that the rest of us not included in the 144,00 are destined for hell.
What does 144,000 mean in the Bible?
Symbolic Theory: 144,000 Is the Symbol of Completeness. Numerology could certainly be in play for the usage of the number 144,000. “Twelve” is utilized to symbolize completeness, perfection, and God’s power throughout the Bible, i.e. 12 tribes of Israel and 12 disciples of Jesus. In reference to the 144,000, “12 is multiplied by itself …
What is the 144,000 count?
Literal Theory: 144,000 Are the “Sealed Jews”. One can believe the number in Scripture is a definite count and still have the hope of attaining heaven. This futuristic count refers to the theory that the 144,000 are “sealed Jews,” protected from the wrath of the Antichrist during the tribulation period. This group of people will evangelize the …
Who said the Great Multitude was not two different?
In his Christianity.com article, Hank Hanegraaff said, "The 144,000 and the great multitude are not two different …
What is the significance of selecting 144,000 people from the twelve tribes?
Jesus came through Abraham’s lineage and that blessing is beyond calculation! ( Galatians 3:16) On another occasion, God changed Abram’s name to Abraham because God ordained that a childless Abram should be called, “the father of many nations.” “No longer will you be called Abram; your name will be Abraham, for I have made you a father of many nations.” ( Genesis 17:5) Abraham will see the fulfillment of his name when the numberless multitude in Revelation 7 gather around the throne of Jesus. I look forward to the day when Jesus will call Abraham to His throne so that with his own eyes, the patriarch can see that indeed, he is the father of many nations! John said, “After this I looked and there before me was a great multitude that no one could count, from every nation, tribe, people and language, standing before the throne and in front of the Lamb. . . .” ( Revelation 7:9, italics mine)
Why does God choose 144,000 people and ignore the religious systems of the world?
Why does God “leapfrog” over the great religious organizations that exist during the end time to use a diverse group of 144,000 people to preach the gospel? If we consider the vast resources that some religious organizations have, it would seem foolish to ignore these agencies during the end time! But, here are six reasons why God cannot use them:
How will the 144,000 be notified?
I presume the 144,000 will be notified just like all of the prophets in the Bible were notified. About the only thing the 144,000 have in common is their encounter with Jesus! Consider this parallel. In Revelation 10, John was given an open book and told to eat it. The book was sweet in his mouth and bitter in his stomach. Then, John was told to prophesy again before kings, nations, etc. Within the context of Revelation 10, John’s experience represents that of the 144,000. The book represents God’s words which He will give to the 144,000 to proclaim throughout the Earth. He will give the 144,000 words to speak, otherwise, they would not know what to say. ( Matthew 10:19) The final proclamation of the gospel will not be a matter of human ability. God will give the words that He wants spoken to the 144,000 and the Holy Spirit will provide the power. ( Matthew 10:19)
Will the 144,000 come from one church group?
( John 10:16; Romans 2:14-16) When Jesus knocked Saul off his donkey in Acts 9, Jesus knew that Saul had a good heart, but his head was terribly messed up by his religion. Consider the fact that Saul was persecuting the saints when Jesus called him to take the gospel to the Gentiles. My point is that, like Saul, the 144,000 will come from all religions. Many people have good hearts toward God, and after they encounter Jesus and receive the words that He wants them to speak, they will be transformed, just as Saul became Paul!
How many servants are there in Revelation 7?
The 144,000 “servants” in Revelation 7:3 are the “prophets” slain in Revelation 16:4-6. Notice how this connection is made. The third text says that just before the seventh trumpet sounds, “The mystery of God will be accomplished just as He announced to His servants the prophets.”.
What tribes were destroyed in Revelation 7?
The tribe of Dan is not included in the list of tribes in Revelation 7. Evidently, this tribe was destroyed. Although the Bible does not explain the disappearance of the tribe of Dan , certainly, the 144,000 will come from all the tribes of Israel. “Then I heard the number of those who were sealed: 144,000 from all the tribes of Israel.” (Italics mine) Since Dan is not listed, we have to conclude that Dan became extinct. Dan occupied the northern part of Canaan which was the “wild frontier” in those days. ( Joshua 19:40-47) Because Dan would have been the first to encounter hostile armies coming down from the north, the exposure may have contributed to this tribe’s demise. Dan’s geographical position in the promised land became a colloquialism. The northern and southern boundaries of Israel were frequently described with the words, “from Dan to Beersheba.” ( Judges 20:1; 1 Samuel 3:20; 1 Kings 4:25)
What does John call the 144,000?
John calls the 144,000, “servants,” “servants the prophets,” and “servants of God” in the book of Revelation. ( Revelation 6:11, 7:3, 10:7, 19:2) The four angels do not hurt Earth until the 144,000 are sealed. ( Revelation 7:3) The 144,000 will be the first to receive the seal of God.
How many people are converted in Revelation 7?
Scripture takes great pains to enumerate twelve of Israel’s tribes from which 12,000 people each will be converted (or sealed, see Revelation 7:5 – 8).
How many sealed out of every tribe of the children of Israel?
Revelation then states, "And I heard the number of those who were sealed: one hundred forty-four thousand, sealed out of every tribe of the children of Israel" (Revelation 7:2 – 4, HBFV).
What does the Bible say about angels?
These people are specifically referenced only twice in the Bible. In the end time, after God commands a temporary ceasing of earth’s calamities (Revelation 6, 7:1 – 3), he sends a powerful angel on a special mission. The angel is not to allow the sea or even earth’s trees to be damage until a unique group of folks are set apart.
Who are the 144,000?
The 144,000 are unconverted physical descendants of Israel who repent and become Christians near the middle of the Great Tribulation period. At the start of this time of global trial and trouble (Matthew 24) they are not Christians!
Who is the missing tribe in the Bible?
The first missing tribe is Dan ( see our article on why Dan was left out ). The second missing tribe is Ephraim. The Bible does not state why Ephraim, one of Joseph’s two sons, is not directly named as contributing toward the 144,000 as his other son Manasseh is listed (Revelation 7:6).
What is the meaning of 144,000?
This is generic everybody kind of language. The 144,000 is a symbolic number of redeemed drawn from all peoples, not simply the Jews. Besides, if the number is not symbolic then what do we do with Revelation 14:4 which describes the 144,000 as those “who have not defiled themselves with women”?
What is the 144,000 in Revelation?
In Revelation, the phrase “servants of God” always refers to all of God’s redeemed people , not just an ethnic Jewish remnant (see 1:1; 2:20; 19:2; 19:5; 22:3).
What is the 144,000 called?
Third, the 144,000 are called the servants of our God ( Rev. 7:3 ). There is no reason to make the 144,000 any more restricted than that.
Why is Judah listed first?
Judah is listed first because Jesus was from there as a lion of the tribe of Judah. All twelve of Jacob’s sons are listed—including Levi who usually wasn’t because he didn’t inherit any land-except for one. Manasseh, Joseph’s son (Jacob’s grandson), is listed in place of Dan.
What does 144,000 represent?
The 144,000 represent the entire community of the redeemed. Let me give you several reasons for making this claim. First, in chapter 13 we read that Satan seals all of his followers, so it makes sense that God would seal all of his people, not just the Jewish ones.
Who is Kevin DeYoung?
That’s what Revelation means by the 144,000. Kevin DeYoung (PhD, University of Leicester) is senior pastor of Christ Covenant Church in Matthews, North Carolina, Council member of The Gospel Coalition, and associate professor of systematic theology at Reformed Theological Seminary (Char lotte).
Why are some Jewish tribes excluded from the 144,000?
This is an intriguing question. The list of tribes is certainly unusual. The original twelve tribes included both Levi and Joseph. But normally, when the twelve tribes are listed in the Bible, Levi — the priestly tribe — is not mentioned because its inheritance was the Lord Himself ( Deuteronomy 10:9 ). And Joseph’s name is usually dropped and then replaced by his two sons, Ephraim and Manasseh who were adopted by Jacob ( Genesis 48:8-22 ). So, Levi and Joseph are usually replaced by Ephraim and Manasseh, keeping the list at twelve.
Why were the tribes of Dan and Ephraim dropped?
Why? Well, no one knows for sure. My guess is that Dan and Ephraim were dropped because they were the ones that led the children of Israel into idolatry ( Deuteronomy 29:18-21 and 1 Kings 12:25ff ). It thus appears that the two tribes responsible for luring others into idolatry will not be entrusted with sharing the Gospel with others during the Tribulation.
Why are the 144,000 Jews placed adjacent to the 144,000 believing Jews?
Because they are placed adjacent to the 144,000 believing Jews, the implication is that they are converted by the Jews during the Tribulation. I once called Zola Levitt and asked his opinion on this matter. Zola is a Messianic Jew who has a Bible prophecy ministry.
How many Jews are sealed in Revelation?
There is probably no part of Revelation that has been more abused than the first half of chapter 7 which tells about 144,000 Jews being “sealed” as “bond-servants” of God. The Jehovah’s Witnesses claim that a group of their founders and pioneers constitute this group. Other cults claim they are the 144,000.
How many gates are there in the New Jerusalem?
Revelation 21:12 says the city will have twelve gates and that each gate will be named after one of “the twelve tribes of the sons of Israel.”.
Where is the scene in Revelation 14?
The scene in Revelation 14 portrays 144,000 men standing on Mt. Zion with Jesus. LaHaye contends that since this scene takes place in the middle of the Tribulation, and since Jesus would not be standing on Mt. Zion in Jerusalem at that time, the reference to Mt. Zion must be a symbolic reference to Heaven.
What book does Reagan write about Revelation?
Dr. Reagan’s book, Wrath and Glory, covers the book of Revelation chapter by chapter. Dr. Reagan’s video program, Revelation Revealed, presents a sweeping overview of the entire book of Revelation. The Mysterious Woman. The Two Witnesses.
What does the 144,000 in Revelation 14 mean?
The 144,000 of Revelation 14 likely signifies the entire body of the redeemed. This group represents a body of people who were “purchased” from among men. The only purchase price ultimately available for human salvation is that of the blood of Jesus Christ.
How many people are in Revelation 7?
The 144,000 in Revelation 7. There are some minor differences of opinion among reputable Bible scholars as to the identity of the 144,000 in Revelation 7. John T. Hinds argued that the number referred to those who were saved from the physical nation of Israel (112).
What does the Watchtower people exclude?
Logically, the Watchtower people must exclude the “great multitude, which no man could number” (7:9) from heaven. This group, they allege, represents the “earthly class.”
What does the number 144,000 mean?
Third, there is the numeral 144,000, suggestive of the heavenly complement of God’s people — no one will be missing who is supposed to be there. Fourth, the saints are depicted as “virgins,” which descriptive emphasizes their purity (cf. 2 Cor. 11:2).
Is 144,000 a literal number?
If one argues that the 144,000 represents a literal number, he should similarly contend that the group of which that number consists is also literal, i.e., literal Israelites. That would mean, according to the Watchtower scheme of interpretation, that no one would be in heaven who was not of the actual tribes listed.
Who will not be in heaven if the tribes of Revelation 7 are pressed?
This would mean that Old Testament heroes like Joshua (from Ephraim) and Samson (from Dan) will not be in heaven.
Is the book of Revelation symbolic?
The book of Revelation is a highly symbolic treatise (cf. 1:1). Because of this fact, many false religionists have attempted to exploit the message of the narrative to their own theological ends. The Apocalypse has become a happy hunting ground for some religious cultists who seek biblical support for their peculiar doctrines.
Why is Ephraim important?
But why is this important? Because again Ephraim was the tribe that held the city Bethel which was invalid worship proximate to Jerusalem. And Dan was the only other place of worship in the North, and it was contained by the tribe Dan. Hence, the tribes of the two places of worship which were invalid in the North are themselves excluded as if to imply the exclusion of the Orthodox and the Protestants from the true communion.
How many feet does Samaria have?
Bingo! Samaria has one foot in the Catholic church and one foot out of it
What does the Catholic Church teach about division?
This is precisely what the modern Catholic Church teaches today on Christian division: all divided spiritual kingdoms have one foot in error and omissions, to whatever degree, but they all possess some sanctifying elements that bind its bosom to the Church.
What does it mean when a tribe is not mentioned?
From here, a rule exists. Whenever a tribe is not explicitly mentioned it means that its ultimate form of relationship is exclusion to the body of Christ. On the other hand if it is implied, it is granted Apostolicity. This is exactly what we see with Ephraim. Ephraim is not part of the deposit because its fulfillment, the Orthodox, are separated. On the other hand, Ephraim is implied by Joseph, and this would imply she has in some sense a membership of Apostolicity; this is true: the Orthodox have Apostolic Succession. Dan is telling, too. Dan is not mentioned either explicitly or implicitly since he is a tribe unto himself. Hence, he is neither Apostolic nor part of the church.
What year is the book of Pretersim set in?
In pretersim, where the book is mainly set in the first century with pagan Rome and the fall of Jerusalem in AD 70, it is Jewish Christians who know to get out of Jerusalem because of Jesus’ Gospel prophecy of the destruction of the Temple and who are subsequently spared the woes of that calamity
Is Samaria a kingdom?
Finally, Samaria is part of the kingdom of Joseph and fairly spread out between Manasseh and Ephraim. Samaria was the capital of the North. And since the North is the ultimate vision of division then we can argue that Samaria in her Essence, images what it needs to be separated from to South.
Is Samaria in the Catholic Church?
And here’s a profundity. Samaria, again, actually has one foot in Manasseh and one foot in Ephraim. From our original idea that all tribes mentioned in the 144,000 image membership in the Catholic Church, and since the Manasseh is mentioned in the list of 12, she is part of the Catholic Church. On the other hand we know Ephraim is not.
What Happens Before the Lord Returns?
"The Bible says that before the Lord returns to take us to heaven there is going to be a falling away from the faith…"
What does the Bible say about visions?
The Bible says in Joel chapter 2 that “it shall come to pass afterward that I will pour out My Spirit on all flesh; Your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, your young men shall see visions.
What does the Bible say about the great multitude?
The Bible says so many people are going to come to Christ during that time that you don’t even have any way to number them: “A great multitude which no one could number.” And they represent all of the nations and tribes and the peoples and the tongues from all over the earth. The harvest from the great revival of the 144,000 witnesses. And that is going to be something you know that we’ll be able to observe in heaven. This is, I believe, the fulfillment of this promise of Jesus given in His Olivet Discourse. Jesus said the Gospel of the kingdom will be preached in all the world as a witness to all the nations and then the end will come.
What does the Bible say about the 144,000?
Let’s take a look at what the Bible says as we discover the traits of the coming Jewish evangelists who will preach to the world during the Tribulation. If twelve Spirit-filled Jews turned their world …
What did Jesus say about the Gospel of the Kingdom?
Jesus said the Gospel of the kingdom will be preached in all the world as a witness to all the nations and then the end will come. Ladies and gentlemen, one of these days there is going to be this massive spiritual return to God during one of the darkest times on planet earth.