|
|
WHO ARE THE 144,000 AND WHAT IS THEIR PURPOSE?
By
Larry W. Wilson
August 8, 2016
The 144,000 servants and the Numberless Multitude
“Even on my servants, both men and women, I will pour out my
Spirit in those days.”
– Joel 2:29
Who Are the 144,000?
Ever since John penned the book of Revelation in A.D. 95,
Bible students have debated and discussed questions about the 144,000. Who are
they? What is their purpose? When will they appear? How will they be
recognized? Where will they appear? Why are they numbered? Why is their Jewish
lineage important? Before we examine these and other questions, carefully
review the first eight verses of Revelation 7:
“And after these things I saw four angels standing on the
four corners of the earth, holding the four winds of the earth, that the wind
should not blow on the earth, nor on the sea, nor on any tree. And I saw
another angel ascending from the east, having the seal of the living God: and
he cried with a loud voice to the four angels, to whom it was given to hurt the
earth and the sea, Saying, Hurt not the earth, neither the sea, nor the trees,
till we have sealed the servants of our God in their foreheads. And I heard the
number of them which were sealed: and there were sealed an hundred and forty
and four thousand of all the tribes of the children of Israel:
Of the tribe of Juda were sealed twelve thousand.
Of the tribe of Reuben were sealed twelve thousand.
Of the tribe of Gad were sealed twelve thousand.
Of the tribe of Aser were sealed twelve thousand.
Of the tribe of Nephthalim were sealed twelve thousand.
Of the tribe of Manasses were sealed twelve thousand.
Of the tribe of Simeon were sealed twelve thousand.
Of the tribe of Levi were sealed twelve thousand.
Of the tribe of Issachar were sealed twelve thousand.
Of the tribe of Zabulon were sealed twelve thousand.
Of the tribe of Joseph were sealed twelve thousand.
Of the tribe of Benjamin were sealed twelve thousand.”
(Revelation 7:1-8, KJV)
You may notice, after reviewing the twelve tribes listed in
Revelation 7:5-8, that the tribe of Dan is missing and the tribe of Ephraim is
renamed. (The tribe of Joseph is another name for the tribe of Ephraim.) These
nuances reflect certain developments that occurred during the history of
ancient Israel.
Israel (also known as Jacob) and his family moved into Egypt
because of the famine in Canaan (Genesis 46). He happily reunited with his
“long lost son,” Joseph, and he adopted Joseph’s two sons, Manasseh and
Ephraim, as his own. (Genesis 48:5) This adoption elevated the two grandsons of
Israel to a position that was equal with their eleven uncles. Eventually,
Ephraim and Manasseh became leaders of tribes bearing their names. (Joshua
14:4; Numbers 1 and 26.) This development explains why, at the time of the Exodus,
the actual number of tribes that departed Egypt totaled thirteen, but they were
formally counted as twelve. (Exodus 24:4; Deuteronomy 33)
When Moses ascended Mount Sinai to meet with God for forty
days, many Israelites fell into idolatry while Moses was gone by worshiping the
golden calf which Aaron built. When Moses returned to the camp, he called for
volunteers to kill the defiant idolaters. The Levites immediately stepped
forward and they killed about 3,000 of their kinfolk. When the Lord saw the
Levites were willing to kill their kindred to honor His covenant, He exalted
the Levites above the other tribes by making them His priests. (Exodus
32:25-29; Deuteronomy 33:8-11) This may sound strange, but when God exalted the
Levites as priests, He eliminated their inheritance. The Levites were not given
a share of the promised land. Instead, God gave the Levites a portion of the
bounty from the land – the tithes and offerings1 that would be forthcoming.
(Numbers 18:20-24)
The Tribes of the 144,000
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)
The inclusion of the tribe of Levi in Revelation 7 is
significant for two reasons. First, this is the only place in the Bible where
the Levites are numbered as one of the twelve tribes after the death of Moses.
(Deuteronomy 33) Second, even though the tribe of Levi was exalted above the
other tribes in ancient times, they are not exalted above the other tribes when
it comes to the sealing of the 144,000. There will be as many Benjamites as
Levites. The demotion of the Levites is explained by the apostle Paul in
Hebrews 7 when he explains that God abolished the Levitical priesthood due to
the implementation of a new covenant.
One final point in this section should be noticed.
Revelation 7:5-8 indicates that when the sealing of the 144,000 occurs, each
tribe is larger than 12,000 people. For example, the Bible says, “Of the tribe
of Levi were sealed twelve thousand.” The existence of each tribe will prove to
be interesting later in this study because, currently, no one knows the
identity or whereabouts of the twelve tribes. Fire destroyed the genealogical
records of Israel in A.D. 70 when the Roman general, Titus, destroyed Jerusalem.
In light of the language used in Revelation 7, the absence of genealogical
records is interesting because the identity of the twelve tribes is known only
to God at the present time. Of course, the twelve tribes have to exist at the
time of the end because 12,000 will be selected and sealed from each tribe.
Bible References to the 144,000
Because the book of Daniel has been unsealed, we have four
valid rules of interpretation. Because we have the rules, the identity, mission
and timing of the 144,000 can be determined. Since Rule Two of apocalyptic
prophecy requires that all specifications be met in order to produce a
fulfillment, please review the following specifications concerning the 144,000.
A discussion about each specification will follow:
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.
(Revelation 7:3) They will be presented to God as the firstfruits of the Great
Tribulation. They will not be defiled with women and they will travel with
Jesus wherever He goes. (Revelation 14:4)
Unlike the numberless multitude who will come out of the
Great Tribulation, the 144,000 will be numbered. (Revelation 7:5-8, 9, 14)
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)
The 144,000 will visibly wear the names of the Father and
Son on their foreheads throughout eternity. (Revelation 14:1; Revelation 22:3,
4)
The 144,000 will be Jews, descendants of Abraham.
(Revelation 7:5-8)
Now that these eight specifications have been summarized, a
few remarks about each one may prove to be helpful.
Specification #1 –
Are the 144,000 “Servants the Prophets?”
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) Observe John’s use of language in the following texts (For the sake of
clarity, I have inserted a few words in these verses and enclosed them in
brackets, but especially notice the words I have emphasized with bold print.):
Fifth Seal: Revelation 6:11 “Then each of them [the martyrs]
was given a white robe, and they were told to wait a little longer, until the
number of their fellow servants and brothers who were to be killed as they had
been was completed.”
The Delay: Revelation 7:3, 4 “Do not harm the land or the
sea or the trees until we put a seal on the foreheads of the servants of our
God. Then I heard the number of those who were sealed: 144,000 from all the
tribes of Israel.”
The Seventh Trumpet: Revelation 10:7, 11:15, 18 “But in the
days when the seventh angel is about to sound his trumpet, the mystery of God
will be accomplished, just as he announced to his servants the prophets. . . .
The seventh angel sounded his trumpet, and there were loud voices in Heaven,
which said: ‘The kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord and of
his Christ, and he will reign for ever and ever. . . .’ The nations were angry;
and your wrath has come. The time has come for judging [avenging the blood of]
the dead [martyrs], and for rewarding your servants the prophets and your
saints and those who reverence your name, both small and great – and for
destroying those who destroy the Earth.”
The Third Bowl: Revelation 16:4-6 “The third angel poured
out his bowl on the rivers and springs of water, and they became blood. Then I
heard the angel in charge of the waters say: ‘You are just in these judgments,
you who are and who were, the Holy One, because you have so judged; for they
have shed the blood of your saints and prophets [the martyrs], and you have
given them blood to drink as they deserve.’ ”
John Distinguishes between Prophets and Saints
If we compare these four passages to one another, we find
that John consistently distinguishes between God’s servants and God’s saints.
For example, in the first text, Revelation 6:11, John distinguishes between
“servants” and “brothers.” Since the fifth seal occurs during the latter part
of the great tribulation we have to ask, “What ‘servants’ of God will be slain
during the Great Tribulation? Could the “servants” in Revelation 6:11 be the
144,000 “servants” mentioned in Revelation 7:3? Yes! Here is why:
Skip to content
Wake Up America Seminars
Wake Up America Seminars
Home / 144,000 / Who Are the 144,000 and What Is Their
Purpose?
Who Are the 144,000 and What Is Their Purpose?
By
Larry W. Wilson
August 8, 2016
The 144,000 servants and the Numberless Multitude
“Even on my servants, both men and women, I will pour out my
Spirit in those days.”
– Joel 2:29
Who Are the 144,000?
Ever since John penned the book of Revelation in A.D. 95,
Bible students have debated and discussed questions about the 144,000. Who are
they? What is their purpose? When will they appear? How will they be
recognized? Where will they appear? Why are they numbered? Why is their Jewish
lineage important? Before we examine these and other questions, carefully
review the first eight verses of Revelation 7:
“And after these things I saw four angels standing on the
four corners of the earth, holding the four winds of the earth, that the wind
should not blow on the earth, nor on the sea, nor on any tree. And I saw
another angel ascending from the east, having the seal of the living God: and
he cried with a loud voice to the four angels, to whom it was given to hurt the
earth and the sea, Saying, Hurt not the earth, neither the sea, nor the trees,
till we have sealed the servants of our God in their foreheads. And I heard the
number of them which were sealed: and there were sealed an hundred and forty
and four thousand of all the tribes of the children of Israel:
Of the tribe of Juda were sealed twelve thousand.
Of the tribe of Reuben were sealed twelve thousand.
Of the tribe of Gad were sealed twelve thousand.
Of the tribe of Aser were sealed twelve thousand.
Of the tribe of Nephthalim were sealed twelve thousand.
Of the tribe of Manasses were sealed twelve thousand.
Of the tribe of Simeon were sealed twelve thousand.
Of the tribe of Levi were sealed twelve thousand.
Of the tribe of Issachar were sealed twelve thousand.
Of the tribe of Zabulon were sealed twelve thousand.
Of the tribe of Joseph were sealed twelve thousand.
Of the tribe of Benjamin were sealed twelve thousand.”
(Revelation 7:1-8, KJV)
You may notice, after reviewing the twelve tribes listed in
Revelation 7:5-8, that the tribe of Dan is missing and the tribe of Ephraim is
renamed. (The tribe of Joseph is another name for the tribe of Ephraim.) These
nuances reflect certain developments that occurred during the history of
ancient Israel.
Israel (also known as Jacob) and his family moved into Egypt
because of the famine in Canaan (Genesis 46). He happily reunited with his
“long lost son,” Joseph, and he adopted Joseph’s two sons, Manasseh and
Ephraim, as his own. (Genesis 48:5) This adoption elevated the two grandsons of
Israel to a position that was equal with their eleven uncles. Eventually,
Ephraim and Manasseh became leaders of tribes bearing their names. (Joshua
14:4; Numbers 1 and 26.) This development explains why, at the time of the Exodus,
the actual number of tribes that departed Egypt totaled thirteen, but they were
formally counted as twelve. (Exodus 24:4; Deuteronomy 33)
When Moses ascended Mount Sinai to meet with God for forty
days, many Israelites fell into idolatry while Moses was gone by worshiping the
golden calf which Aaron built. When Moses returned to the camp, he called for
volunteers to kill the defiant idolaters. The Levites immediately stepped
forward and they killed about 3,000 of their kinfolk. When the Lord saw the
Levites were willing to kill their kindred to honor His covenant, He exalted
the Levites above the other tribes by making them His priests. (Exodus
32:25-29; Deuteronomy 33:8-11) This may sound strange, but when God exalted the
Levites as priests, He eliminated their inheritance. The Levites were not given
a share of the promised land. Instead, God gave the Levites a portion of the
bounty from the land – the tithes and offerings1 that would be forthcoming.
(Numbers 18:20-24)
The Tribes of the 144,000
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)
The inclusion of the tribe of Levi in Revelation 7 is
significant for two reasons. First, this is the only place in the Bible where
the Levites are numbered as one of the twelve tribes after the death of Moses.
(Deuteronomy 33) Second, even though the tribe of Levi was exalted above the
other tribes in ancient times, they are not exalted above the other tribes when
it comes to the sealing of the 144,000. There will be as many Benjamites as
Levites. The demotion of the Levites is explained by the apostle Paul in
Hebrews 7 when he explains that God abolished the Levitical priesthood due to
the implementation of a new covenant.
One final point in this section should be noticed.
Revelation 7:5-8 indicates that when the sealing of the 144,000 occurs, each
tribe is larger than 12,000 people. For example, the Bible says, “Of the tribe
of Levi were sealed twelve thousand.” The existence of each tribe will prove to
be interesting later in this study because, currently, no one knows the
identity or whereabouts of the twelve tribes. Fire destroyed the genealogical
records of Israel in A.D. 70 when the Roman general, Titus, destroyed Jerusalem.
In light of the language used in Revelation 7, the absence of genealogical
records is interesting because the identity of the twelve tribes is known only
to God at the present time. Of course, the twelve tribes have to exist at the
time of the end because 12,000 will be selected and sealed from each tribe.
Bible References to the 144,000
Because the book of Daniel has been unsealed, we have four
valid rules of interpretation. Because we have the rules, the identity, mission
and timing of the 144,000 can be determined. Since Rule Two of apocalyptic
prophecy requires that all specifications be met in order to produce a
fulfillment, please review the following specifications concerning the 144,000.
A discussion about each specification will follow:
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.
(Revelation 7:3) They will be presented to God as the firstfruits of the Great
Tribulation. They will not be defiled with women and they will travel with
Jesus wherever He goes. (Revelation 14:4)
Unlike the numberless multitude who will come out of the
Great Tribulation, the 144,000 will be numbered. (Revelation 7:5-8, 9, 14)
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)
The 144,000 will visibly wear the names of the Father and
Son on their foreheads throughout eternity. (Revelation 14:1; Revelation 22:3,
4)
The 144,000 will be Jews, descendants of Abraham.
(Revelation 7:5-8)
Now that these eight specifications have been summarized, a
few remarks about each one may prove to be helpful.
Specification #1 –
Are the 144,000 “Servants the Prophets?”
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) Observe John’s use of language in the following texts (For the sake of
clarity, I have inserted a few words in these verses and enclosed them in
brackets, but especially notice the words I have emphasized with bold print.):
Fifth Seal: Revelation 6:11 “Then each of them [the martyrs]
was given a white robe, and they were told to wait a little longer, until the
number of their fellow servants and brothers who were to be killed as they had
been was completed.”
The Delay: Revelation 7:3, 4 “Do not harm the land or the
sea or the trees until we put a seal on the foreheads of the servants of our
God. Then I heard the number of those who were sealed: 144,000 from all the
tribes of Israel.”
The Seventh Trumpet: Revelation 10:7, 11:15, 18 “But in the
days when the seventh angel is about to sound his trumpet, the mystery of God
will be accomplished, just as he announced to his servants the prophets. . . .
The seventh angel sounded his trumpet, and there were loud voices in Heaven,
which said: ‘The kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord and of
his Christ, and he will reign for ever and ever. . . .’ The nations were angry;
and your wrath has come. The time has come for judging [avenging the blood of]
the dead [martyrs], and for rewarding your servants the prophets and your
saints and those who reverence your name, both small and great – and for
destroying those who destroy the Earth.”
The Third Bowl: Revelation 16:4-6 “The third angel poured
out his bowl on the rivers and springs of water, and they became blood. Then I
heard the angel in charge of the waters say: ‘You are just in these judgments,
you who are and who were, the Holy One, because you have so judged; for they
have shed the blood of your saints and prophets [the martyrs], and you have
given them blood to drink as they deserve.’ ”
John Distinguishes between Prophets and Saints
If we compare these four passages to one another, we find
that John consistently distinguishes between God’s servants and God’s saints.
For example, in the first text, Revelation 6:11, John distinguishes between
“servants” and “brothers.” Since the fifth seal occurs during the latter part
of the great tribulation we have to ask, “What ‘servants’ of God will be slain
during the Great Tribulation? Could the “servants” in Revelation 6:11 be the
144,000 “servants” mentioned in Revelation 7:3? Yes! Here is why:
In the fourth text, Revelation 16:4-6, John distinguishes
between “saints” and “prophets.” This particular text forces a distinctive
wedge between a group of people called “saints” and a group of people called
“prophets” because of timing. We know that the third bowl will be poured out in
the final days of the Great Tribulation (during the seven last plagues). The
Bible says the third bowl will be specifically directed to those who shed the
blood of “saints” and “prophets.” The book of Revelation identifies the
prophets who are killed by the people who receive the third plague. 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 prophets will be informed about “the mystery of
God” prior to the sounding of the seventh trumpet? Could the servants the
prophets in Revelation 10:7 be the 144,000 servants mentioned in Revelation
7:3? The internal harmony within Revelation says, “Yes!” The 144,000 will be a
distinct group of people who are separate and distinct from the numberless
multitude who come out of the Great Tribulation.
Look again at the third text. When the seventh trumpet
sounds in Revelation 11:18, loud voices in Heaven will urgently proclaim that
the time has arrived for Jesus to avenge the killing of His “prophets” and
“saints.” Once again John distinguishes between a group of people called
prophets and a group of people called saints, and he indicates that people in
both groups will suffer death during the Great Tribulation.
Therefore:
– When we consider John’s repetitive distinction between
saints and prophets . . .
– When we consider the 144,000 will be called God’s
“servants”. . .
– When we consider that many (if not all) of God’s prophets
will die because of the Word of God and the testimony they maintain (martyrdom
during the fifth seal) . . .
– When we consider that God’s mystery (announced to His
servants the prophets) will be finished just before the seventh trumpet sounds
. . .
– When we consider that God will avenge the death of His
saints and prophets by giving blood thirsty murderers blood to drink during the
time of the third bowl . . .
– When we combine these points, our understanding of 144,000
“servants” expands into 144,000 “servants the prophets.”
Before the Great Tribulation begins, God will select,
empower, and seal 144,000 servants who will serve Him as prophets during the
Great Tribulation. These people will speak for God. Because of religious
arrogance and gross ignorance, most of these servants of God will suffer the
fate of prophets in ages past. (Matthew 23:37)
The Difference Between Prophets and Saints
Perhaps a larger selection of Bible texts will clarify why
John differentiates between saints and prophets. The 144,000 are called
“servants” in Revelation 7:3 because this word expresses their calling. The
word “prophet” denotes their mission. When the two terms “servants – the
prophets” are brought together, the term becomes a job title. Please review the
following texts (many more texts are in the Bible) and notice how the title,
“servants and servants the prophets” is applied (I have emphasized certain words
by putting them in bold text):
2 Kings 17:22, 23 “The Israelites persisted in all the sins
of Jeroboam and did not turn away from them until the Lord removed them from
his presence, as he had warned through all his servants the prophets. So the
people of Israel were taken from their homeland into exile in Assyria, and they
are still there.”
Jeremiah 7:25, 26 “From the time your forefathers left Egypt
until now, day after day, again and again I sent you my servants the prophets.
But they did not listen to me or pay attention. They were stiff-necked and did
more evil than their forefathers.”
Ezekiel 38:16, 17 “. . . .In days to come, O Gog, I will
bring you against my land, so that the nations may know me when I show myself
holy through you before their eyes. This is what the Sovereign Lord says: ‘Are
you not the one I spoke of in former days by my servants the prophets of
Israel?’ ”
Daniel 9:6, 10 “[Oh Lord,] We have not listened to your
servants the prophets, who spoke in your name to our kings, our princes and our
fathers, and to all the people of the land. . . . we have not obeyed the Lord
our God or kept the laws he gave us through his servants the prophets.”
Joel 2:28, 29 “And afterward, I will pour out my Spirit on
all people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy, your old men will dream
dreams, your young men will see visions. Even on my servants, both men and
women, I will pour out my Spirit in those days.”
The Bible uses the title, “servants the prophets” nineteen
times and in every case this title identifies special individuals whom God
selected to speak on His behalf. Of course, the word “servants” can be used in
a broader sense to mean subjects, slaves, employees and believers. (Genesis
24:34; 1 Corinthians 4:1) But the context in Revelation 7 indicates the 144,000
servants of God will not be ordinary servants. When we realize that God has
delayed destroying the Earth until 144,000 servants are sealed, we know they
will not be ordinary people!
Notice how the word “servants” is used within the context of
Joel 2:28-31. The Lord told Joel, “And afterward, I will pour out my Spirit on
all people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy, your old men will dream
dreams, your young men will see visions. Even on my servants, both men and
women, I will pour out my Spirit in those days. I will show wonders in the
Heavens and on the Earth, blood and fire and billows of smoke. The Sun will be
turned to darkness and the moon to blood before the coming of the great and
dreadful day of the Lord.” (Joel 2:30, 31, italics mine)
These verses pointed forward from Joel’s day to “the great
and dreadful day of the Lord” that would have occurred after the expiration of
the seventy weeks under “Plan A.” Because Israel rejected Christ, “Plan A” was
abandoned and “Plan B” was implemented. Peter did not know that “Plan A” had
been abandoned, so when the Holy Spirit was manifested at the Feast of
Pentecost, he naturally thought the “last days” predicted by Joel had arrived
and this is why he quoted from Joel 2. (See his remarks in Acts 2:15-21)
Because Revelation 9 through 11 (Plan B) parallels Joel 2 (Plan A), we can be
sure the Lord will pour out His Spirit on all people (all flesh, KJV) during
the Great Tribulation. Furthermore, we can be sure that God will generously
pour out His Spirit “even on my servants, both men and women.” Joel’s
distinction between “all people” and God’s servants is important. In Revelation
7, John distinguished between a numbered group of servants and a numberless
group of people. The phrase in Joel 2, “even on my servants,” emphasizes that
God will not only pour out His Spirit on all people during the last days, but
He will also elevate His servants even higher by giving them a greater measure
of Holy Spirit power than His “servants” characteristically have had in ages
past.
Summary
We close the first specification on the 144,000 with a
summary deducted from the evidence examined thus far: Even though there is no
way to determine who the twelve tribes of Israel are, we know the twelve tribes
of Israel exist because God will select and seal 12,000 from each tribe before
the four angels hurt Earth. As faithful servants of Jesus Christ, they will do
everything their Master commands. As prophets of Jesus, they will deliver “the
testimony of Jesus” during the Great Tribulation. (Revelation 1:9; 12:17;
19:10) The 144,000 will suffer enormously because of their words. Many, if not
all, of the 144,000 will perish “because of the Word of God and the testimony
they maintain.” (Revelation 6:9) John often distinguishes between God’s
“servants the prophets” and ordinary saints because they are separate groups of
people.
Specification #2 –
Timing of the Great Tribulation
After the 144,000 are sealed, the four winds of God’s wrath
will be released and the Great Tribulation will begin. According to the
specifications of the fourth seal, the number of casualties will be 25%
of Earth’s population. Jesus will initiate the Great
Tribulation with sudden and overwhelming destruction. (1 Thessalonians 5:3) The
punitive judgments in the fourth seal, the four winds of Revelation 7,
and the first four trumpets harmoniously align. (See Chart
11.1.) At this very moment, the only thing holding back the commencement of the
Great Tribulation is a single command given to four angels!
(Revelation 7:3)
Please review the following verses so you can thoughtfully
consider the two questions that follow: “After this I saw four angels standing
at the four corners of the Earth, holding back the four winds of the Earth to
prevent any wind from blowing on the land or on the sea or on any tree. Then I
saw another angel coming up from the east, having the seal of the living God.
He called out in a loud voice to the four angels who had been given power to
harm the land and the sea: ‘Do not harm the land or the sea or the trees until
we put a seal on the foreheads of the servants of our God.’ Then I heard the
number of those who were sealed: 144,000 from all the tribes of Israel.”
(Revelation 7:1-4 Italics mine)
Question #1: Why do we need to know about this delay?
Question #2: Will the sealing of the 144,000 be determined
by character or by timing? In other words, will Jesus wait for 144,000 people
to become sanctified and “pure in heart” before He seals them or will Jesus
wait for the appointed time to arrive to select 144,000 people and seal them?
Question #1 Examined
The delay in Revelation 7 is foretold because the final
generation needs to know that God’s wrath is overdue before it is released.
This fact helps us understand the events recorded in Revelation 8:3-5. In other
words, God’s patience with sin and sinners expires before the 144,000 are
sealed. This is why the four angels are empowered and sent to Earth, but told
to wait until He has sealed the 144,000. The phrase, “the four winds of Earth,”
is a word picture of global destruction and upheaval. The release of the four
winds (coming from the north, east, west and south) implies powerful, but
unseen forces that will chaotically scatter and sweep away all that the human
race has built. Consider the following brief scenario which will be presented
in greater detail in the next chapter of this book:
The Bible says there are seven angels that stand before God.
(Revelation 8:2) These exalted angels are ready to carry out any command that
proceeds from the throne. I understand that these seven angels were given seven
trumpets in the Spring of 1994 because Earth’s cup of iniquity became full at
that time. Four of the seven angels have been sent to Earth to harm this planet
because God’s patience with Earth has ended. Before the angels could harm the
land, sea and trees, Jesus restrained them with a command. The Lord put these
four angels on hold until His 144,000 servants are sealed. Again, the last
generation needs to know that God’s wrath is overdue and Jesus has put global
destruction on hold until the time comes for 144,000 servants to be sealed.
Please examine Chart 11.1.
The Matrix Aligns Revelation 6:7-9, Revelation 7:1-8,
Revelation 8:2-7
Chart 11.1
Time 1994 Today ? Great Tribulation – 1335 Days Second
Coming
First Four
Trumpets
XXXX
6,000
Years
of
Sin
Ends
Global
Earthquake
X
Angels Given
Seven Trumpets X
–Waiting–
Four Winds
Released
X
144,000 Sealed
X The Time of Wrath
Fourth Seal
X
Years ago, I heard Evangelist Billy Graham make a comment
that went something like this, “If God does not do something soon about the
degeneracy of the United States, He will owe Sodom and Gomorrah an apology.”
Dr. Graham was right. The only reason that Jesus has not done something about
Earth’s degeneracy is timing. Jesus imposed a short delay in Revelation 7:3 and
the inhabitants of Earth have been living on borrowed time since 1994.
The Appointed Time of the End
Will the sealing of the 144,000 be determined by character
or by timing? In other words, has Jesus been waiting for 144,000 people to
become sinless so that they can be sealed, or is Jesus waiting for the
appointed time to arrive to select and seal 144,000 people?
The answer to Question #2 is timing. Jesus is waiting for
the appointed time to arrive before selecting and sealing 12,000 from each of
the twelve tribes. (Revelation 7:4) Contrary to what some denominations teach,
Jesus is not waiting on 144,000 people to become sinless so they can be sealed.
If Jesus was waiting for 144,000 people to become sinless, a person could argue
the Great Tribulation will never start because a sinner cannot become sinless.
A sinner may go for a period of time without sinning, but this does not make
him sinless! Once a sinner, forever a sinner! This is why Adam and Eve had to
be cast out of the Garden of Eden. Because we have carnal natures, we are
sinful within. We cannot remove our carnal natures. At best, we can subdue our
carnal desires through the indwelling power of the Holy Spirit (Romans 7-8),
and millions of people have experienced victory over their carnal natures for
centuries. Jesus could have sealed 144,000 people centuries ago if He had
wanted, because at any given time there are enough people on Earth who love the
Lord with all their hearts, minds, and souls, to accomplish all the Lord wants
to do. Remember how Elijah thought that he alone had been faithful to the Lord
during Israel’s apostasy and the Lord politely informed the beleaguered prophet
that He had seven thousand people in Israel who had not worshiped Baal? (1
Kings 19:18)
We have already noticed that when the sealing occurs, each
tribe in Israel will be larger than 12,000 people. In other words, when the
time comes for sealing, Jesus will have more than 12,000 people in each tribe
from which to choose! This proves that Jesus is not waiting on 144,000 people
to become sinless. At the appointed time, He will choose the best from each
tribe (as firstfruits) to be His servants. These loyal servants will answer His
call and endure the trials and tribulations of being His prophets.
Bottom line: Jesus is waiting for the appointed time of the
end to arrive (Daniel 8:19); the time set by the Father. (Acts 1:7) When we
approach the day that is 1,335 days from the end of the sixth millennium of
sin, the 144,000 will be selected and sealed. Then, the delay imposed in
Revelation 7:3 will end – right on time. God’s judgments will begin on time.
Jesus is waiting on the “Grand-Father’s” clock to chime and when it does, He
will declare the delay is over (Revelation 10:6) and the four winds of His
wrath will be released. Before we leave Question #2, please consider the
following points:
Parallels to Consider
According to Rule One of apocalyptic prophecy, each
apocalyptic prophecy has a beginning point and ending point in time. The
sealing of the 144,000 in Revelation 7:1-8:1 follows Rule One. For centuries,
Bible students have asked, when does Revelation 7:1-4 occur? Please examine
these two texts and notice that in each case, four angels are involved (bold
text and insertions mine):
Revelation 7:1 “After this I saw four angels standing at the
four corners of the Earth, holding back the four winds of the earth to prevent
any wind from blowing on the land or on the sea or on any tree.”
Revelation 9:14,15 “It [the voice from the Altar of Incense]
said to the sixth angel who had the trumpet, ‘Release the four angels who are
bound at the great river Euphrates.’ And the four angels who had been kept
ready for this very hour and day and month and year were released to kill a
third of mankind.”
These texts identify two groups of angels. The first text
(Revelation 7) describes four angels sent from God’s throne to harm Earth. The
second text (Revelation 9) describes four angels (actually four fallen angels,
e.g., demons) who will be let out of the abyss during the fifth trumpet. During
the sixth trumpet, the four demons in the second text will be released at a
specific hour to kill a third of mankind. (Review the bold faced words in the
text.) Since the four demons in Revelation 9 are held back until the appointed
hour, day, month and year arrives, the four angels in Revelation 7 are waiting
for an exact hour, day, month and year to do their work. With God, timing is
everything.
God’s four angels and Lucifer’s four angels will be allowed
to kill the same number of people during the Great Tribulation. Look at the
math: After the fourth seal is broken, 25% of Earth’s population will die. In
round numbers, currently Earth’s population is about six billion people.
Twenty-five percent of Earth’s population would be 1.5 billion people. So,
Earth’s population will be reduced to 4.5 billion people by the destruction of
the first four trumpets. When the sixth trumpet sounds (890 days later),
one-third of mankind will be killed by Lucifer’s four angels. One third of 4.5
billion people is another 1.5 billion people! The net result is that both
groups of angels kill the same number of people. This balance is not a mere
coincidence. God has deliberately and purposefully determined the properties of
the Great Tribulation.
God has predetermined that the battle for the hearts and
souls of mankind will be a “fair fight.” If the devil was given complete
control of Earth, he would destroy the whole world in a single day. Therefore,
the devil will be restrained at each step of the way because God insists that
the survivors must remain free to exercise their power of choice. The Great
Tribulation will be a powerful vortex that will force the living into choosing
whom they will honor and obey. This is why worship will surface as the all
important issue during the Great Tribulation. When the people of Earth see the
overwhelming death and destruction caused by God’s wrath, the topic of worship
will become highly important, because worship will be viewed as the
prerequisite means to appease God so that His anger will cease. Desperate
circumstances will force the survivors into making a tough decision about whom
they will obey. The consequences either way will be very difficult. This vortex
explains why the Great Tribulation is called, “a time of wrath.” (Daniel 8:19;
11:36; Revelation 15:1)
It is interesting to discover that during the Great
Tribulation, whatever Jesus is allowed to do, the devil is allowed to do. Jesus
will have 144,000 servants speaking for Him and the devil will have thousands
of religious and political authorities speaking for him. Evil can neither
conquer good, nor can good destroy evil until Jesus arrives. Jesus wants the
people of Earth to make an informed and intelligent decision as to whom they
will obey. (Matthew 24:14) This is why He seals 144,000 prophets before the
Great Tribulation begins. The world will hear the testimony of Jesus through
the mouths of His servants the prophets.
At the end of the 1,335 days (Daniel 12:12) allotted for the
Great Tribulation, Jesus will physically appear in clouds of glory to gather up
His children. To be fair, 890 days into the Great Tribulation, the devil will
be granted the privilege of appearing in clouds of glory. He will masquerade as
Jesus, pretending to establish a kingdom of peace on Earth for 1,000 years!
(Revelation 9:1-11) These matters are introduced at this point because you need
to be aware that the forces for good and for evil will remain “balanced” until
all people on Earth have exercised their power of choice. When the last person
on Earth makes his decision, Jesus will declare this verdict, “Let him who does
wrong continue to do wrong; let him who is vile continue to be vile; let him
who does right continue to do right; and let him who is holy continue to be
holy. Behold, I am coming soon! My reward is with me, and I will give to
everyone according to what he has done.” (Revelation 22:11, 12)
There Will Be No More Delay
I believe the Sabbath millennium described in Revelation 20
will begin on time because God’s Sabbaths are never early or late. When Earth
reaches a day that is 1,335 days from the end of the sixth thousand years of
sin, the Great Tribulation will begin. At this time, no one knows precisely
where the sixth thousandth year is, but we cannot be very far from it.
Counting 1,335 Days Backward from 6,000th Year
1335Back
Chart 11.2
When the appointed day arrives, the four angels in
Revelation 7:1-4 will be released to do their harm. This release is described
in Revelation 10. “Then the angel I had seen standing on the sea and on the
land raised his right hand to Heaven. And He swore by Him who lives for ever
and ever, who created the Heavens and all that is in them, the Earth and all
that is in it, and the sea and all that is in it, and said, ‘There will be no
more delay!’ ” (Revelation 10:5, 6) Just before the delay is terminated, Jesus
will seal 144,000 servants. Then, He will announce the end of the delay in a
thunderous voice. (In fact, this announcement will be the first of seven
thunders which the 144,000 will hear and understand. See John 12:28-30.)
Jesus imposed a delay in Revelation 7:3 and Jesus will
terminate the delay when He declares “There will be no more delay!” Until Jesus
grants permission, the four angels cannot harm Earth. After Jesus declares
there will be no more delay, no one will be able to turn the hands of God’s
clock back or stop the arrival of His oncoming judgments. God’s wrath is
overdue, but the 1,335 days necessary to conclude the 6,000th year have not
arrived. Please examine Chart 11.3 and notice the vertical alignment of three
prophecies.
Revelation’s Matrix Grows
MatrixGrows
Prophecy #1 Revelation 4:1-6:17: The worthiness of Jesus and
the six seals
1st seal = Salvation through faith in Jesus alone
2nd seal = Translation and distribution of the Bible
3rd seal = The judgment bar of Christ begins
4th seal = Great Tribulation begins
5th seal = Martyrdom of prophets and saints
6th seal = Second Coming
Prophecy #2 Revelation 7:1-8:1: The 144,000, the numberless
multitude, the seventh seal
A = Four angels of God given power to harm Earth
Waiting = Currently we are waiting for the arrival of the
appointed day to seal the 144,000
B = The numberless multitude standing around the throne
after the Second Coming
C = Seventh seal broken at the end of the millennium
Prophecy #3 Revelation 8:2-9:21: The six trumpets
x = Global Earthquake
1st trumpet = Fiery hailstorms
2nd trumpet = Asteroid impact on an ocean
3rd trumpet = Asteroid impact on a continent
4th trumpet = Ring of Fire erupts – volcano ejecta causes
darkness
5th trumpet = Lucifer appears
6th trumpet = Lucifer’s four angels kill one-third of
mankind
Specification # 3 –
The Sealing of the 144,000
We will examine three specifications of the 144,000 in this
segment. First, the 144,000 will be presented to the Father and the Lamb as
firstfruits of Earth’s harvest. (Revelation 14:4) Second, the 144,000 will not
be defiled by women. (Revelation 14:4) Third, the 144,000 will be the first
ever to receive the seal of God. (Revelation 7:3) With these three
specifications in mind, let us take a look.
No one has yet received the “seal of God” described in
Revelation 7, because the 144,000 will be the first to receive it. Two
statements in the book of Revelation highlight this point. First, the four
angels are told to hold back the four winds of the Great Tribulation until the
144,000 are sealed. (Revelation 7:3) In other words, when 144,000 people have
been sealed, the fourth seal will be broken and the Great Tribulation will
begin! Second, Revelation 14:4 says the 144,000 will be presented to God and the
Lamb as firstfruits of Earth’s harvest. Because the 144,000 will be the
firstfruits of Earth’s harvest, and because God’s wrath is not released until
they are sealed, they have to be the first people ever to receive the seal of
God. The seal of God and the sealing of the 144,000 is an “iceberg” topic – one
third of it is above surface and two-thirds are below the surface. With this in
mind, let us dive under the surface and examine some controversial issues.
The Judgment of the Living
In Chapter 4 of this book, we examined the 2,300 days of
Daniel 8:14 and the cleansing of Heaven’s temple. In Chapter 10 we examined the
relationship between the third seal and 1844. We have already touched on the
essential doctrines of “soul sleep” and God’s use of “parallel temples.” A
synthesis of these matters indicates that the judgment bar of Christ began in
the Spring of 1844. At that time, Jesus began reviewing the records of the dead
which had been “sealed” by death. Because man’s power of choice is terminated
at death, death permanently “seals” the life’s record of those who die. This is
why Hebrews 4:7 says, “. . . Today, if you hear his voice, do not harden your
hearts.”
Unlike the sealed records of the dead, the judgment of the
living presents an interesting challenge. How can Jesus pass eternal judgment
on a person who still has the power of choice and the freedom to change his
mind? At the risk of being repetitive, here is a short response to this
question. One day I was discussing this subject with some friends when one of
them said, “Since God already knows our hearts, why does He not judge us on the
basis of what He knows about us? If He judged us this way, there would be no
need for testing the people of Earth with torment and persecution during the
Great Tribulation.” I responded, “Suppose Jesus were to do as you have
suggested. Suppose at the judgment you discover that you are standing among the
wicked, outside the holy city. When you realize that you are about to perish by
fire, you cry out to the Lord saying, ‘Lord, I did not do anything to deserve
burning in hell!’ The Lord responds, ‘My child, I know you did nothing to
deserve this, but I knew that you would have if given the chance.’ ” Then I
asked, “Do you want to be judged on the basis of your choices or do you want to
be judged on the basis of God’s foreknowledge?” After a few smiles, the story
surrounding the book sealed with seven seals suddenly made a lot of sense.
Four Purposes for Seals
In Bible times, seals were used for four purposes. (If
possible, look up the following references.) Seals have been used to certify
the authenticity of a document or transaction. (Esther 8:8, Jeremiah 32:10)
Seals were used to prevent tampering or change. (Daniel 6:17; Matthew 27:65,
66) Seals were used to show approval and ownership. (John 6:27;
2 Corinthians 1:22) Last, seals were used as locks to secure
property or secrets. (Daniel 12:4; Revelation 5:1) When the Bible speaks of
sealing the 144,000, all four uses will apply! Notice how the sequence unfolds:
The first people to stand before the judgment bar of Jesus
while alive will be the 144,000. They will be selected from the twelve tribes
of Israel and they will be tested, judged, mysteriously transformed, and
securely “sealed” with sinless natures just before the four winds are released.
The “seal of God” on the foreheads of the 144,000 means, (a) they have been
tested and judged, (b) their carnal natures have been removed,
(c) they are free of any attraction to sin, and (d) they are
bond servants of the Father and the Lamb. We will examine this four-step
process in a moment. For now, we need to understand why the 144,000 are called
“firstfruits.”
The 144,000 are Firstfruits of the Harvest
The word “firstfruits” would speak volumes if you lived in
Bible times. Basically, firstfruits were used as a tithe, a gift of 10% or more
based on net increase. Presenting firstfruits to the Lord was to be both a gift
of appreciation and an adventure in anticipation. God required the offering of
firstfruits to challenge the creeping selfishness of man’s carnal heart. By
requiring man to “give up” the first and best part of any increase, firstfruits
were designed to frustrate man’s relentless preoccupation with acquiring wealth
– just as God’s seventh day Sabbath was designed to frustrate man’s insatiable
need for more time to do all that he wants to do. Even more, this gift was
designed to develop faith in God through anticipation. Notice how this was supposed
to work: If a farmer was about to harvest a wheat crop, he was to search
through his field and select the finest stalks that matured first and present
them to the high priest at the temple. The gift of firstfruits was to be given
with gratitude for God’s sustaining providence and the gift was supposed to
represent a tithe of what the farmer hoped his new crop would produce. In other
words, God designed the giving of firstfruits to be a remarkable experience,
not a regular tax. Firstfruits included the first increase from wool, animals,
crops and money – any type of increase.
The word “firstfruits” offers several object lessons. The
quantity of firstfruits indicated the amount of increase “hoped for.” When Paul
wrote, “Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do
not see.” (Hebrews 11:1), Paul may have used the anticipation that went with
gathering firstfruits to frame his remarks. A few verses later, he wrote, “And
without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him
must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him.”
(Hebrews 11:6) Faith really defines the practice of giving firstfruits to God.
The difference between paying a tax and giving firstfruits is gratitude. Tax is
a necessary obligation. The giving of firstfruits was supposed to be accompanied
with an attitude of gratitude, and embedded in the experience was a financial
anticipation. (Unfortunately, Israel did not understand God’s purpose for
firstfruits and over the years it became regarded as a tax.)
The 144,000 are called firstfruits in Revelation 14:4 for
two reasons. First, the 144,000 will be the firstfruits of the coming harvest
to be sealed. Later on, the individuals who hear their testimony during the
great tribulation and pass the test of faith will also be sealed as the 144,000
were sealed. Second, the 144,000 are called firstfruits because they are a
sample of what follows. If barley was presented as a firstfruits offering, the
harvest that followed would, of course, be barley. The 144,000 and the
numberless multitude that come after them will be identical in composition.
These matters will prove to be extremely important when we examine the Jewish
heritage of the 144,000 and the great multitude in Specification #8. One last
comment – when the firstfruits were presented to the High Priest, they became
his property. The parallel is that when the 144,000 are presented to God and
Jesus, our High Priest, they will belong to the Father and the Son. As a
result, they will be highly exalted and they will follow the Lamb wherever He
goes throughout eternity.
The 144,000 Did Not Defile Themselves
“These are those who did not defile themselves with women,
for they kept themselves pure . . .” (Revelation 14:4) Many people read these
words and conclude the 144,000 will be sexually pure. Of course, they will be
sexually pure, but so will everyone else who enters into the holy city! “But
the cowardly, the unbelieving, the vile, the murderers, the sexually immoral,
those who practice magic arts, the idolaters and all liars – their place will
be in the fiery lake of burning sulfur. This is the second death.” (Revelation
21:8, italics mine)
Some people read the phrase, “[they] did not defile
themselves with women, for they kept themselves pure” and conclude the 144,000
will be male virgins. Are women inherently defiling? Of course not! The Bible
says the sexual experience between a man and woman within the confines of
marriage is neither defiling nor immoral. (Genesis 1:28;
1 Corinthians 7:5; Hebrews 13:4) Other people say the
144,000 will be Jewish males that have not been sexually immoral with women.
Look again! This text does not imply the 144,000 will be males! Women can
defile themselves with women! (Compare Leviticus 18:22 with Romans 1:26.)
Certain groups of Christians interpret this verse to mean the 144,000 will be
members of their particular church – which, they believe, is the only church on
Earth possessing the truth about God. This conclusion is based on a faulty understanding
of the harlot’s identity in Revelation 17:5. The Bible says, “This title was
written on her [the harlot’s] forehead: Mystery Babylon the Great the Mother of
Prostitutes and of the Abominations of the Earth.” (insertion and italics mine)
Several Protestant churches believe (or used to believe) the Roman Catholic
Church is the great harlot of Revelation. As such, this makes the Catholic
Church “the mother of prostitutes,” that is, the mother of apostate
Protestantism. Of course, the irony of this view is that advocates are
convinced their church is not a daughter of “the harlot.” Therefore, they
conclude the 144,000 must originate from within their church, which they
believe is the only remaining true church on Earth! As you can see, this view is
completely consistent with the egocentric nature of man’s religion. Every
religious system claims to know God best. The arrogance and ignorance of
religion is difficult to measure.
Beneath the surface, there is a much deeper meaning to the
phrase, “[they] did not defile themselves with women, for they kept themselves
pure.” This phrase is not about sexual immorality; but rather, it is a phrase
describing the devotion of the 144,000 to serve the Lord. Rule Three of
apocalyptic prophecy says that we should examine parallel language in the Bible
to determine the intended meaning of this phrase. In so doing, we will find
this specification to be a superlative statement about the devotion of the
144,000 to the Lord. With this thought in mind, please consider a few words
about God’s original purpose and mission for the twelve tribes of Israel.
God’s Purpose for the Twelve Tribes
When the Lord called Israel out of Egypt, He said, “You
yourselves have seen what I did to Egypt, and how I carried you on eagles’
wings and brought you to myself. Now if you obey me fully and keep my covenant,
then out of all nations you will be my treasured possession. Although the whole
earth is mine, you will be for me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation. . .
.’ ” (Exodus 19:4-6, italics mine) A priest is someone God has appointed to
stand between God and man. (Hebrews 5:1) Israel was to be a kingdom of priests
showing fallen man the love and ways of God. This was God’s plan for Israel,
but His plan never got off the ground. Seven hundred years after Israel left
Egypt, the Lord pleaded with Israel, “I, the Lord, have called you in
righteousness; I will take hold of your hand. [If you will love me and obey me,
I will not destroy you.] I will keep you and will make you to be a covenant for
the people and a light for the Gentiles, to open eyes that are blind [to
truth], to free captives from prison [of sin] and to release from the dungeon
those who sit in [spiritual] darkness.” (Isaiah 42:6, 7, insertions mine) These
words fell on deaf ears and about a hundred years later, God exiled Israel to
Babylon for apostasy. Seven hundred years after the exile, the apostle Paul
elegantly summarized God’s original purpose for the twelve tribes when he said:
“For this is what the Lord has commanded us [the twelve tribes of Israel]: ‘I
have made you a light for the Gentiles, that you may bring salvation to the
ends of the Earth.’ ” (Acts 13:47, insertion mine) We can see from these texts
that God’s plan for Israel did not materialize, and we know from Revelation 7
that 12,000 from each of the twelve tribes will yet accomplish God’s purpose
and mission.
Now that we have briefly reviewed God’s purpose and mission
for the twelve tribes of Israel, we should be able to understand God’s motive
and intent when He declared the following law1: “Do not intermarry with them
[the inhabitants of Canaan]. Do not give your daughters to their sons or take
their daughters for your sons, for they will turn your sons away from following
me to serve other gods, and the Lord’s anger will burn against you and will
quickly destroy you.” (Deuteronomy 7:3, 4, insertion and italics mine) God
declared this law just before the twelve tribes entered the promised land.
Bible history confirms that Israel essentially ignored this law from the start.
Everyone who knows anything about the Old Testament has heard about Samson’s
love for Delilah who was a Philistine, and King Solomon is widely known as “the
man” who had 700 wives and 300 concubines. Notice this text: “King Solomon,
however, loved many foreign women besides Pharaoh’s daughter – Moabites,
Ammonites, Edomites, Sidonians and Hittites. They were from nations about which
the Lord had told the Israelites, ‘You must not intermarry with them, because
they will surely turn your hearts after their gods.’ Nevertheless, Solomon held
fast to them in love. He had seven hundred wives of royal birth and three
hundred concubines, and his wives led him astray.” (1 Kings 11:1-3, italics
mine)
Foreign wives led Solomon astray, and in turn, King Solomon
led Israel into apostasy. Consequently, it became impossible for God to produce
a nation of priests because His people had no interest in accomplishing His
objectives. Israel had abandoned God’s agenda to satisfy its own agenda. About
200 years after Solomon died, God destroyed the ten northern tribes of Israel,
and 100 years after that, He exiled the remaining two tribes to Babylon.
Ironically, God’s wrath against the nation did not terminate Israel’s
intermarriage with foreigners. During the seventy years of Babylonian
captivity, Jewish captives continued to intermarry.
God forbade intermarriage, because He foreknew intermarriage
with foreigners guaranteed Israel’s departure from the purpose and mission for
which they had been chosen. Notice how God’s law against intermarriage has two
sides: From God’s perspective, His law would protect Israel from the wayward
influence of husbands and wives who wanted to serve other gods. From Israel’s
perspective, the law was a detriment to the pursuit of happiness because it
restricted dating and marriage. Who can reason with two young people in love
that they should not marry because there is a law against it? The parents of
Samson tried to reason with him, but they could not overcome his affection (or
should I say, affliction) for Delilah. In short, this is the dilemma of the
carnal nature. God’s laws are based on a comprehensive understanding of good
and evil and His exalted purposes for us. Our rebellion against God is caused
by a heart that is grossly selfish, and our failure to understand the grand
purposes for which we were created.
In the first month of the Jubilee year of 457 B.C., Ezra, a
trusted officer in King Artaxerxes’ court, a priest of Israel and a teacher of
the Law of the God of Heaven, asked the king to issue a decree permitting him
to travel to Jerusalem and finish the reconstruction of the city and the
temple. Ezra was devoted to God’s service and he eagerly wanted to see his
people fulfill God’s will. After a lengthy trip, Ezra arrived in Jerusalem and
he was overwhelmed with the indifferent attitude of the people toward God and
the degenerate condition of Israel. After surveying the situation for himself,
Ezra called for the leaders. “After these things had been done, the leaders
came to me and said, ‘The people of Israel, including the priests and the
Levites, have not kept themselves separate from the neighboring peoples with
their detestable practices, like those of the Canaanites, Hittites, Perizzites,
Jebusites, Ammonites, Moabites, Egyptians and Amorites. They have taken some of
their daughters as wives for themselves and their sons, and have mingled the
holy race with the peoples around them. And the leaders and officials have led
the way in this unfaithfulness.’ When I heard this, I [Ezra] tore my tunic and
cloak, pulled hair from my head and beard and sat down appalled.” (Ezra 9:1-3,
insertion mine)
“Then Shecaniah son of Jehiel, one of the descendants of
Elam, said to Ezra, ‘We have been unfaithful to our God by marrying foreign
women from the peoples around us. But in spite of this, there is still hope for
Israel. Now let us make a covenant before our God to send away all these women
and their children, in accordance with the counsel of my lord [Ezra] and of
those who fear the commands of our God. Let it be done according to the Law. .
. .’ Then Ezra the priest stood up and said to them, ‘You have been unfaithful;
you have married foreign women, adding to Israel’s guilt. Now make confession
to the Lord, the God of your fathers, and do his will. Separate yourselves from
the peoples around you and from your foreign wives.’ The whole assembly
responded with a loud voice: ‘You are right! We must do as you say.’ ” (Ezra
10:2, 3; 10-12, insertion mine)
Now that we have reviewed God’s law about intermarriage,
Israel’s history of apostasy and Ezra’s solution to intermarriage, we are in a
good position to understand the meaning of the phrase, “they did not defile
themselves with women, for they kept themselves pure.” In summary, the 144,000
will not be corrupted by marriage and they will not fall into apostasy because
of their families. The 144,000 will successfully fulfill God’s assignment. They
will not be deterred by marital conflicts or familial rejection. They will not
be compromised. They will fulfill the calling, mission and purpose for which
God ordains them. Perhaps the following A/B parallels will clarify this matter:
When the time came to resume temple services in Ezra’s day,
the priests had a choice of abandoning their foreign wives and children if they
wanted to serve the Lord. As you might expect, this was very painful.
When the call comes to be a servant of the Lord God during
the Great Tribulation, the 144,000 will have a choice to abandon their
unbelieving families to serve the Lord. This will be very painful.
Corporately speaking, Israel never did become “a kingdom of
priests and a holy nation,” “a light to the Gentiles,” or “preachers of
salvation” because the leaders of Israel married foreign women who insisted on
worshiping idols and offering sacrifices to other gods.
As a group, the 144,000 will be scattered all over the
world. Many of them will be married and their spouses may or may not love the
Lord as they do. The phrase, “they did not defile themselves with women, for
they kept themselves pure” means their spouses will not compromise the 144,000.
Their devotion to God will be pure. The 144,000 will, like Abraham, be willing
to slay their only son if God were to command it. This kind of devotion to God
is uncommon. This is why the Bible exalts the 144,000 saying, “they kept
themselves pure – as in pure devotion.” If necessary, the 144,000 will abandon
their families to serve God – and we can be sure that many of the 144,000 will
be abandoned by their families for this reason. Jesus said, “A man’s enemies
will be the members of his own household. Anyone who loves his father or mother
more than me is not worthy of me; anyone who loves his son or daughter more
than me is not worthy of me.”
(Matthew 10:36, 37)
In ancient times, a man could voluntarily “bind” himself to
his king by becoming a eunuch. (Isaiah 56:3) This rather severe and
irreversible procedure arose for two practical reasons: First, the service of
eunuchs was desirable to kings because eunuchs were not encumbered with wives
and familial relationships that could interfere with their work. Eunuchs were
at the disposal of their king at all times and they often held positions of
significant authority. (Acts 8:27) Second, kings knew that eunuchs could not
produce an heir to their throne. Therefore, kings trusted eunuchs to oversee
the most contentious and dangerous part of their kingdom, their harem. (Esther
2:3) Young men counted it an honor and a great privilege to give up their
“right of manhood” if they could be adopted as “barren” sons of the king.
As firstfruits of the harvest, the 144,000 will become the
property of Jesus our High Priest. In this sense, a person could say the
144,000 will be bound like eunuchs to King Jesus. The 144,000 will form a
personal entourage that will attend Jesus wherever He goes. (Revelation 14:4)
The 144,000 will be highly honored throughout eternity because, like their
father Abraham, they exalted the call of God above everything else.
Remember, the subject of the 144,000 is an “iceberg” topic.
On the surface, the phrase says the 144,000 will not be defiled by women,
however, beneath the surface, there is a lot more to this phrase than avoiding
sexual immorality. God’s 144,000 servants, (both men and women according to
Joel 2), will be severely tested. Abraham was severely tested to see if he
loved Isaac more than God. (Genesis 22:2; Hebrews 11:17) Moses was severely
tested to see if he would be willing to be called the son of Pharaoh’s daughter.
(Hebrews 11:24, 25) Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego were severely tested to see
whether they would obey God. (Daniel 3:16-18) Daniel was severely tested to see
if he would continue to pray to God. (Daniel 6:10) Job was severely tested to
see if his faith in God was nonnegotiable. (Job 23:10) Jesus was severely
tested in the wilderness by the devil (Matthew 4:1-11) and He was tempted in
every way as we are. (Hebrews 4:15) The 144,000 will be severely tested to see
if their love for Jesus will endure humiliation and the scorn of rejection.
Once they pass their fiery test, they will be mysteriously transformed within.
This mysterious transformation requires some explanation.
The Mystery of God
“But in the days when the seventh angel is about to sound
his trumpet, the mystery of God will be accomplished, just as he announced to
his servants the prophets.” (Revelation 10:7)
What is the mystery of God mentioned in Revelation 10:7? We
know that it will be completed at the seventh trumpet, but when does it start?
The mystery of God is the sealing and it begins with the 144,000 because
“judgment begins at the house of God.” (1 Peter 4:17) The mystery of God will
be a mysterious transformation that cannot be seen, but the results will be
seen. During the judgment of the living, the carnal nature will be removed from
everyone who receives Jesus as their Savior and passes the test of faith. The
144,000 will be the first people to experience this amazing transformation.
After they have been severely tested and transformed, God will place His seal
on their foreheads indicating a secure and permanent transaction has occurred.
Remember the four uses of seals in the Bible? The seal of God on the 144,000
indicates a finished transformation, a secured position. The 144,000 will be
delivered from the attraction of sin. The sinless and bold behavior of the
144,000 will reflect this stunning transformation. They will speak the truth
without regard to consequences. The Bible says, “No lie was found in their
mouths; they are blameless!” (Revelation 14:5) This is why the mystery of God
(the transformation of man’s nature) cannot be seen, but the results will be
seen and heard.
Consider the following scenario: Because the 144,000 are
declared “firstfruits,” the judgment of the living will begin with the 144,000.
After they are tested and judged, their carnal nature will be mysteriously and
miraculously removed. Then, the 144,000 will be “sealed” with sinless natures –
having no propensity or attraction toward rebellion against God. In fact, they
will have a distinct repulsiveness toward sin. The 144,000 will be the first to
receive what Adam and Eve lost when they sinned. The good news is that each
person who receives the testimony of the 144,000 and passes the test of faith
will also experience “the transforming mystery of God” and receive the seal of
God!
After each person is sealed, the struggle with the carnal
nature will be over! Sin will be repulsive and unnatural. Paul knew this
transition was coming, even though he did not know exactly when. He wrote,
“. . .The time is coming, declares the Lord, when I will
make a new covenant with the [whole] house of Israel [the ten tribes that lived
in the north] and with the house of Judah [the two tribes that lived in the
south]. It will not be like the [bilateral] covenant I made with their
forefathers [in Exodus 19] when I took them by the hand to lead them out of
Egypt, because [of their carnal hearts] they did not remain faithful to my
covenant, and I turned away from [rejected] them, declares the Lord. This is the
[everlasting] covenant I will make with the house [twelve tribes] of Israel
after that time [the years allotted for the duration of sin], declares the
Lord. I will [transform their hearts and minds and] put my laws in their minds
and write them on their hearts [so there will be no rebellion toward me within
their body]. I will be their God, and they will be my people. No longer will a
man teach his neighbor, or a man his brother, saying, ‘Know the Lord,’ because
they will all [personally] know me, from the least of them to the greatest. For
I will forgive their wickedness and will remember their sins no more. By
calling this covenant ‘new,’ He [God] has made the first one obsolete; and what
is obsolete and aging will soon disappear.” (Hebrews 8:8-13, insertions mine)
Demonstration and Proclamation
The gospel of Jesus is more than words. The gospel of Jesus
is a way of life and love. Jesus will use 144,000 servants to “show and tell”
the world what He wants. From the human perspective, we will look at the
144,000 as bold people at first. These ordinary people will prove to be
anything but ordinary after they begin their ministry. Their testimony and
actions will be awesome because they will be transformed by God’s power. All
the money in the world will not be able to buy the seal of God. Jesus will personally
transform and seal one person at a time as they take hold of His promises and
pass the test of faith. Jesus is a personal Savior, as well as our Judge, and
every soul who embraces His teachings will experience His transforming touch.
The 144,000 will be “perfect” reflections of the love of
Jesus. They will be perfect examples of what “Christ in you, the hope of glory”
looks like. (Colossians 1:27) Every person who loves truth, regardless of
religious background, will observe the humble and loving character of the
144,000. Of course, their truthful speech and blameless lives will offend and
infuriate the wicked. Jesus warned His disciples, “Remember the words I spoke
to you: ‘No servant is greater than his master.’ If they persecuted me, they
will persecute you also. If they obeyed my teaching, they will obey yours also.
They will treat you this way because of my name, for they do not know the One
who sent me.” (John 15:20, 21, italics mine)
We have discussed how the 144,000 will be the first among
the living to be judged and mysteriously transformed. We know the 144,000 will
be “sealed” a few days before the Great Tribulation begins. After they are
sealed, the four winds will be released – the judgments of God will begin to
fall. Then, 144,000 prophets of God will boldly and fearlessly proclaim the
terms and conditions for salvation to a world saturated with ignorance and
blinded by religious arrogance. Without regard for the wishes of family members
or personal safety, they will speak the Words of Jesus given to them by the
Holy Spirit. No lie will be found in their mouths. The testimony of the 144,000
will alienate the religious and political leaders of Earth and all of the
wicked. Civil authorities will severely persecute the 144,000, because their
“testimony” will be regarded as “inflamatory speech.” The 144,000 will receive
the brunt of persecution and religious hatred, and so will those people who
receive their testimony. Nevertheless, the whole world will hear “the testimony
of Jesus” through His faithful “servants the prophets” and the end result is
that everyone on Earth will be tested. Everyone on Earth will be put through
this four step process:
Every nation, kindred, tongue and people will hear the terms
and conditions of salvation through the testimony of the 144,000. Everyone will
be informed that Jesus is the Creator and He commands respect and worship on
His holy day.
Revelation 13 indicates the human race will respond to God’s
wrath by creating a crisis government that will attempt to appease God by
mandating worship. Because the laws and penalties enacted by the crisis
government will directly conflict with the laws and penalties of God, everyone
will be forced into a difficult choice. The people of Earth will be forced to
make a decision – submit to Jesus’ authority and suffer Babylon’s persecution
or submit to the authority of Babylon and the devil, and receive God’s seven
last plagues and the loss of eternal life.
Everyone will suffer wrath. Those people who obey the laws
of God will suffer first. Those who obey the laws of man will suffer greatest,
but both groups will suffer. Everyone will be tested with persecution because
persecution exposes our highest allegiance. If we love our lives more than we
love God, persecution will expose this. If we love God more than life,
persecution will expose this, too. Jesus said, “For whoever wants to save his
life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me will find it.” (Matthew
16:25)
Everyone who submits to the authority of God and passes the
test of faith will be mysteriously transformed and sealed with the seal of the
living God. All the people who refuse to obey Jesus will have no choice but to
receive the mark of the beast.
During the Great Tribulation, the gospel of Christ will be
proclaimed with clarity and power. Everyone will make an informed and
intelligent decision with regard to the gospel. The gospel of Christ demands
submission to the King of kings. Many will submit, and twice as many will
rebel. In short, the whole world will be put through a time of severe testing.
(Revelation 3:10)
Paul’s Comments about the Seal of God
The sealing of the firstfruits (144,000) and the numberless
multitude that follows occurs during the appointed time of the end because the
sealing “of the living” is the last phase in the judgment bar of Christ. In
other words, after a person passes the test of faith, that person will be
mysteriously transformed and sealed with the seal of God. When the last saint
is sealed, “the mystery of God” will be completed – just before the seventh
trumpet sounds. (Revelation 10:7)
A certain amount of knowledge existed during New Testament
times about the sealing, but it was not experienced or put in its proper
context. Paul writes about God’s seal and “sealing” in various places and we
need to examine Paul’s views and comments so that his statements can be
prophetically corrected and applied to our day. Before we examine Paul’s
comments on the seal of God, please review the following texts from the New
Testament so that you can appreciate the first century A.D. mind set which Paul
and the apostles had with respect to time and timing. (I have underlined
certain words to emphasize key points.)
The apostle Peter thought he was living at the end of the
world. Notice these verses. On the day of Pentecost in A.D. 30, Peter stood and
said, “These men are not drunk, as you suppose. It’s only nine in the morning!
No, this is what was spoken by the prophet Joel: ‘In the last days, God says, I
will pour out my Spirit on all people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy,
your young men will see visions, your old men will dream dreams.’ ” (Acts
2:15-17) “The end of all things is near. Therefore be clear minded and
self-controlled so that you can pray.” (1 Peter 4:7)
The apostle James thought he was living at the end of the
world. He wrote, “Be patient, then, brothers, until the Lord’s coming. See how
the farmer waits for the land to yield its valuable crop and how patient he is
for the autumn and spring rains. You too, be patient and stand firm, because
the Lord’s coming is near.” (James 5:7, 8)
The apostle John thought he was living at the end of the
world. He wrote, “Dear children, this is the last hour; and as you have heard
that the antichrist is coming, even now many antichrists have come. This is how
we know it is the last hour.” (1 John 2:18)
The apostle Paul thought he was living at the end of the
world. He wrote, “What I mean, brothers, is that the time is short. From now on
those who have wives should live as if they had none.”
(1 Corinthians 7:29)
Paul also wrote, “In the past God spoke to our forefathers
through the prophets at many times and in various ways, but in these last days
he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed heir of all things, and
through whom he made the universe.” (Hebrews 1:1, 2) “For Christ is not entered
into the holy places made with hands, which are the figures of the true; but
into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God for us: Nor yet that
he should offer himself often, as the high priest entereth into the holy place
every year with blood of others; For then must he often have suffered since the
foundation of the world: but now once in the end of the world hath he appeared
to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself.” (Hebrews 9:24-26, KJV) “The night
is nearly over; the day is almost here. So let us put aside the deeds of
darkness and put on the armor of light.” (Romans 13:12)
After reviewing these texts we find unanimous agreement
among the apostles. They believed they were living at the end of the world.
History also records that most, if not all of the apostles, had died or been
put to death by the time John wrote the book of Revelation. My point is the
apostles died without realizing their inaccurate knowledge of God’s timing.
None of them knew the Second Coming would be 2,000 years into the future. Paul
acknowledged this handicap saying, “For we know in part and we prophesy in
part, but when perfection comes, the imperfect disappears.” (1 Corinthians
13:9, 10)
The subject of the seal of God specifically applies to
Paul’s statement, “For we know in part and we prophesy in part. . . .” Paul was
martyred about thirty years before John wrote the book of Revelation. Paul knew
certain things about the mysterious transformation and the sealing, but he did
not know its timing. Therefore, Paul applied what he knew about the sealing in
his day! In a similar way, after reading the book of Hebrews a person could say
that Paul certainly knew about the ministry of Jesus in Heaven’s temple as our
High Priest in the Most Holy Place. The problem though, is that Paul did not
understand the 2,300 days of Daniel 8:14, and he did not know about the time,
times and half a time of the little horn power in Daniel 7:25. Simply stated, Paul
had no idea that the twenty-first century A.D. would take place. Paul and the
apostles understood many parts of God’s plan, but they could not know the
timing or arrangement of these parts because the book of Daniel was sealed
until the appointed time of the end. (Daniel 12:4, 9)
A Sealed Judgment
Consider the following three statements:
At the present time, we know the 144,000 have not been
sealed because the Great Tribulation has not begun. We also know the 144,000
will be sealed before the saints are sealed because the 144,000 will be the
firstfruits of the “end time harvest.”
We know that death seals the records of the dead because the
dead cannot make any more choices, but the living have the power of choice and
opportunities to make choices.
A testing time is not only coming, but it is also necessary.
Jesus will test the living and seal people who love Him and choose to put their
faith in Him. The sealing of the saints will occur during the Great Tribulation
after they have successfully completed the four steps described earlier.
Given these three prophetic matters and Paul’s ignorance of
them, we have to put Paul’s comments on the sealing within the context of what
he believed. The same holds true with Peter on the day of Pentecost; we have to
overlook some of Peter’s statements about timing. Please examine the following
texts (I have inserted some phrases in brackets and emphasized key words with
boldface type):
“Even though I may not be an apostle to others, surely I am
to you! For you are the seal [as in a validating seal – similar to the seal of
a Notary Public] of my apostleship in the Lord.”
(I Corinthians 9:2, insertion mine)
“Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths,
but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that
it may benefit those who listen. And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, with
whom you were sealed [marked as the property of Christ] for the day of
redemption.”
(Ephesians 4:29, 30)
“Now it is God who makes both us and you stand firm in
Christ. He anointed us, set his seal of ownership on us, and put his Spirit in
our hearts as a deposit, guaranteeing what is to come. I call God as my witness
that it was in order to spare you [from rebuke] that I did not return to
Corinth.”
(2 Corinthians 1:21-23, insertions mine)
“And you [Gentiles] also were included in Christ when you
heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation. Having believed, you
were marked in him with a seal [indicating ownership], the promised Holy
Spirit, who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of
those who are God’s possession – to the praise of his glory.” (Ephesians 1:13,
14)
“To them God has chosen to make known among the Gentiles the
glorious riches of this mystery, which [no other religion offers] is Christ in
you, the hope of glory.” (Colossians 1:27)
“In reading this, then, you will be able to understand my
insight into the mystery of Christ, which was not made known to men in other
generations as it has now been revealed by the Spirit to God’s holy apostles
and prophets. This mystery is that through the gospel [of Jesus Christ] the
Gentiles are heirs together with Israel, members together of one body, and
sharers together in the promise in Christ Jesus.” (Ephesians 3:4-6)
These six texts were written by the same man who wrote,
“What I mean, brothers, is that the time is short. From now on those who have
wives should live as if they had none.” (1 Corinthians 7:29) These texts are
presented to demonstrate that Paul could not have used the concept of sealing
in his day as it should be understood in Revelation 7. Paul died thirty years
before John wrote the book of Revelation. However, Paul knew something about
the seal of God and the mysterious transformation that was “near” for the
saints. Notice what he wrote about A.D. 63, “This is the covenant I will make
with the house of Israel after that time, declares the Lord. I will put my laws
in their minds and write them on their hearts. I will be their God, and they
will be my people. No longer will a man teach his neighbor, or a man his
brother, saying, ‘Know the Lord,’ because they will all know me, from the least
of them to the greatest. . . . By calling this covenant ‘new,’ he has made the
first one obsolete; and what is obsolete and aging will soon disappear.”
(Hebrews 8:10-13, italics mine) If we take into account Paul’s mind set and if
we synthesize all that Paul wrote on the seal of God, his comments make sense
even though they are not to be confused with the sealing of the 144,000 in
Revelation 7.
If we selectively use Paul’s comments to support a view that
conflicts with Revelation 7, the Bible appears to be internally contradictory.
The apostle Peter noticed that some people were using Paul’s writings in a
harmful way, so he wrote, “Bear in mind that our Lord’s patience means
salvation, just as our dear brother Paul also wrote you with the wisdom that
God gave him. He writes the same way in all his letters, speaking in them of
these matters. His letters contain some things that are hard to understand,
which ignorant and unstable people distort, as they do the other Scriptures, to
their own destruction.” (2 Peter 3:15, 16, italics mine) Because we know that
Paul’s writings are easy to distort, I have presented several texts to reflect
the sum of Paul’s comments on the sealing. With these texts in mind, let us
look more closely at Paul’s message.
The Early Rain of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost
Jesus knew, from His own experience, that His disciples
could not make headway against the ignorance and arrogance of Judaism without a
manifestation of divine power, because it is not possible for one man to prove
the superiority of his religion over that of another. Religion usually narrows
thinking to a point where reasoning is not possible. Jesus also knew that if
His disciples were left on their own to “grow His church,” they would succumb
to discouragement because laboring for the conversion of others is hard work.
Furthermore, there was a great deal of antagonism against Christianity within
Judaism and this conflict made it almost impossible to have insightful
discussions. Jesus knew that His ministry, teachings and church would evaporate
if left to human prowess. So, “On one occasion [near the time of His
ascension], while He was eating with them, He gave them this command: ‘Do not
leave Jerusalem, but wait for the gift my Father promised, which you have heard
me speak about. . . .’ But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on
you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria,
and to the ends of the Earth.” (Acts 1:4, 8, insertion mine)
The promised power arrived a few days later. On Sunday
morning, May 28, A.D. 30, at the Feast of Pentecost, the Holy Spirit arrived at
just the right moment for several reasons. The Feast of Pentecost in Jerusalem
was a required assembly for the Jews. (Exodus 23:17) Because the Jews had been
scattered into every part of the world by Kings Shalmaneser V and
Nebuchadnezzar in the eighth and sixth centuries B.C. respectively, the Feast
of Pentecost was attended by Jews from all nations and they spoke many diverse
languages. Jesus had been absent from Earth for ten days when this feast
occurred and the disciples were certain that His return would be imminent. In
fact, we have already observed in this segment that all of the apostles
anticipated the end of the world and the establishment of the Kingdom of God
“at any time.” (Matthew 3:1, 2; Acts 1:6)
Jesus sent a display of divine power through the Holy Spirit
at the Feast of Pentecost that morning to (a) awe the worshipers with Holy
Spirit power, (b) to open the minds of the Jews to hear the testimony of His
disciples, and (c) to validate the claims of the disciples that Jesus had risen
from the dead. (This was necessary because of the lies which Jewish leaders had
paid soldiers to spread throughout Jerusalem. Matthew 28:13-15). To make the
testimony of the apostles really remarkable, Jesus gave His disciples the
ability to fluently speak in the foreign languages of those present. (Acts 2:8)
Jews from all parts of the world would be able to hear the gospel of Jesus in
their own language while they were witnessing tongues of fire and a great noise
that sounded like roaring wind. (Acts 2:2, 3)
The Holy Spirit was present and authoritative among members
of the Christian Way until Jerusalem was destroyed in A.D. 70. Miracles were
performed and the Church grew rapidly. The deposit of Holy Spirit power
validated the teachings of the disciples. Consider these twelve notable events
in the first ten chapters of Acts!
Through the Spirit, Peter and John healed a beggar who had
been crippled from birth. (Acts 3)
Peter, made bold by the power of the Holy Spirit, spoke
forcibly. (Acts 4)
Ananias and his wife, Sapphira, were slain by the Spirit for
lying to Peter. (Acts 5)
The apostles were released from jail during the night by an
angel. (Acts 5)
Seven deacons were chosen under the direction of the Holy
Spirit. (Acts 6)
The deacon Stephen performed great signs and wonders. (Acts
6)
Stephen was martyred as his face shone with glory! (Acts 7)
Philip performed signs and wonders. (Acts 8)
Peter and John went to Samaria. The Holy Spirit was poured
out on believers. (Acts 8)
Philip was mysteriously transported to baptize the Ethiopian
eunuch. (Acts 8)
Saul was converted. God used a believer named Ananias to
miraculously restore Saul’s eyesight. (Acts 9)
Cornelius was given a vision. Peter was given a vision.
Peter was sent to the home of the Gentile, Cornelius. The Holy Spirit was
poured out on Gentile believers. (Acts 10)
These twelve events (and I am sure there were hundreds more,
but not recorded in the Bible) are highlighted to show that the early Christian
movement succeeded because the Holy Spirit was active. Without the powerful
manifestations of the Holy Spirit, the Christian movement would have died
during the first century A.D. because religious cultures are opposed to change.
The Holy Spirit at the Great Tribulation
Paul, himself, became a convert to Christianity through a
miraculous conversion. His physical eyesight was restored by a miracle (Acts
9:17) and his spiritual eyesight was corrected by visions from God! (Galatians
1:17, 18) Because the manifestations of the Spirit were frequent and genuine
and because the early church was convinced that Jesus would soon return, early
Christians interpreted the presence of the Holy Spirit among them as God’s seal
of approval. The gift of the Holy Spirit made Christianity the true religion on
Earth. This is why Paul explained the seal of God as he did. The receipt of
Holy Spirit power was the seal (or endorsement) of God, and he was right.
Paul’s view of the sealing perfectly aligns with the thoughts of the other
apostles.
With this information in mind, review these two verses:
“Now it is God who makes both us and you stand firm in
Christ. He anointed us, set his seal of ownership on us, and put his Spirit in
our hearts as a deposit, guaranteeing what is to come. I call God as my witness
that it was in order to spare you [from rebuke] that I did not return to
Corinth.” (2 Corinthians 1:21-23, bolding and insertions mine)
“And you [Gentiles] also were included in Christ when you
heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation. Having believed, you
were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit, who is a deposit
guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God’s
possession – to the praise of his glory.” (Ephesians 1:13, 14, bolding and
insertions mine)
The problem with these texts is that some Christians read
the verses today and they apply Paul’s first century A.D. comments to our
present time. For example, some Pentecostals believe that every person who
genuinely receives Christ will be able to demonstrate the power of the Holy
Spirit in a miraculous way, such as speaking in an unknown tongue, healing a
sick person, handling a poisonous snake or drinking poison. These things are
thought to “validate” one’s rebirth and the receipt of the Holy Ghost. (Mark
16:17, 18)
This view of Mark 16:17, 18 is a distortion of the purpose
and mission of the Holy Spirit. Holy Spirit power was poured out on early
Christians between A.D. 30 and A.D. 70 for the purpose of “jump starting” the
early Christian Church into existence. After Jerusalem was destroyed in A.D.
70, the manifestations of the Holy Spirit began to dissipate because the
Christian Church had become established. It had grown to the point that it
could prosper through the influence and regeneration which the Holy Spirit typically
works in the hearts of people. Of course, the Holy Spirit is at work today, but
not in the powerful and dramatic ways recorded in the book of Acts. This does
not lessen the work of the Holy Spirit! Twenty-seven percent of the world’s
population claim to be Christian because the Holy Spirit is at work! Moreover,
an amazing parallel is just around the corner! The power of the Spirit
witnessed during the first century A.D. will be witnessed during the last
century A.D., but for a different purpose. Please consider this:
Holy Spirit power will be poured out on all flesh during the
great tribulation. The 144,000 will be sealed and the Great Tribulation will
begin. For 1,260 days, God’s servants will proclaim the Word of God with great
power and authority. Signs and wonders will accompany their testimony as in the
days of the apostles. (Acts 14:3) Millions of people will receive Christ
because of the Spirit enabled and Spirit empowered work of the 144,000. As
people submit to the terms and conditions of salvation and pass the test of
faith, they will be sealed just like the 144,000 were sealed. The mystery of
God, the mysterious removal of the carnal nature, will end just before the
seventh trumpet sounds. The problem is that Paul thought he was living at the
end of time, during the time of the sealing, but he was incorrect. The first
people to be sealed will be the 144,000 and their sealing will come soon.
Summary
The 144,000 are called firstfruits in Revelation 14:4
because they will be the first to be sealed. After they are sealed, a great
harvest, a numberless multitude will follow them. The numberless multitude will
be sealed during the seven trumpets of the Great Tribulation. The Bible also
says the 144,000 will not be defiled by women. This means they will be
“married” to their calling, to the service of Jesus, and His call will separate
them from their families. They will not be compromised or distracted by familial
relations. The 144,000 will be severely tested before they are sealed. The
Bible does not indicate how they will be tested, but we can be sure that Jesus
will test His servants with the same fiery processes that He has used down
through the ages. Because we know something about the life and death tests
facing the saints during the Great Tribulation, we can be sure that Jesus will
appropriately test the 144,000 for the challenges they will face on His behalf.
At just the right time in Earth’s history, Jesus will select 12,000 people from
each of the twelve tribes and these “servants” will faithfully respond.
Earlier in this segment, we learned that seals were used in
four different ways in ancient times. Notice how these uses apply to the
sealing that is coming:
Seals were used in ancient times to certify the authenticity
of a document or transaction. (Esther 8:8, Jeremiah 32:10) The seal of God will
certify the authenticity of the 144,000 as His servants.
Seals were used in ancient times to prevent tampering or
change. (Daniel 6:17; Matthew 27:65, 66) After they are sealed, the 144,000 and
the saints will be secure from the attraction of the carnal nature.
Seals were used in ancient times to show approval and
ownership. (John 6:27; 2 Corinthians 1:22) The power of the Holy Spirit will
rest on the 144,000 and this power will confirm they are God’s prophets.
Seals were used as locks in ancient times to secure property
or secrets. (Daniel 12:4; Revelation 5:1) After the carnal nature is removed
and God’s people are restored to the pre-fall condition of Adam and Eve, the
seal of God will secure their sinless nature.
Hopefully, you have an idea of how all four uses of seals
will apply to God’s people during the end time!
Specification #4 –
The 144,000 Will be Numbered
Three important distinctions between the 144,000 and the
numberless multitude that many people overlook are outlined in verses 9-17.
The 144,000 are numbered and the numberless multitude cannot
be counted. This feature indicates there will be two distinct groups of people
living during the end time, a small group of prophets and a large group of
saints. (We have already examined John’s distinction between prophets and
saints in specification #1.)
The Bible indicates the 144,000 will be the firstfruits of
the harvest. The Bible also indicates the 144,000 will be God’s “servants the
prophets” during the Great Tribulation. The Bible says the numberless multitude
in Revelation 7 will consist of people who came out of the Great Tribulation.
Notice this end time specification: “Then one of the elders asked me, ‘These in
white robes – who are they, and where did they come from?’ I answered, ‘Sir,
you know.’ And he said, ‘These are they who have come out of the great
tribulation; they have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of
the Lamb.’ ” (Revelation 7:13, 14, italics mine) Since the numberless multitude
in Revelation 7 is an end time group of saints (and not a group of saints from
all ages) and since the numberless multitude will come from all nations,
kindreds, tongues and people, they have to be the end time harvest, because the
144,000 are the firstfruits of this harvest.
The third rule of apocalyptic prophecy does not allow the
number 144,000 to be symbolic. Rule Three requires the Bible to define the
meaning of a symbol if a prophetic element is thought to be symbolic. In other
words, if the number, 144,000, is a symbolic number, the Bible has to define
the meaning of the symbol. We cannot make up our own meanings to symbols. There
are no symbolic numbers in the Bible. God does not use one number to represent
another number. Numbers can be used in analogous ways (Psalm 91:7), and numbers
can be translated according to the Jubilee calendar (Rule Four of apocalyptic
prophecy), but numbers themselves are always literal. Consider the math in this
case: 12,000 people are sealed from each of the twelve tribes and this produces
a literal total of 144,000 people.
After the Second Coming
The following verses describe a wonderful scene that occurs
after the Second Coming. John saw a numberless multitude of saints, who came
out of the great tribulation, standing before the throne of God. Please review
the following verses from the KJV (I have inserted some clarifying text in
brackets and italicized a few words for emphasis):
“After this [the sealing of the 144,000] I beheld, and, lo,
a great multitude, which no man could number, of all nations, and kindreds, and
people, and tongues, stood before the throne, and before the Lamb, clothed with
white robes, and palms in their hands; And cried with a loud voice, saying,
‘Salvation [belongs] to our God which sitteth upon the throne, and unto the
Lamb [for we are unworthy of this great reward].’ And all the angels stood
round about the throne, and about the elders and the four beasts, and fell
before the throne on their faces, and worshiped God, Saying, Amen: [Yes!,
everything belongs to God and the Lamb] Blessing, and glory, and wisdom, and
thanksgiving, and honor, and power, and might, be unto our God for ever and
ever. Amen.”
“And one of the [24] elders answered, saying unto me, ‘What
are these which are arrayed in white robes? and whence came they?’ And I said
unto him, ‘Sir, thou knowest.’ And he said to me, ‘These are they which came
out of [the] Great Tribulation, and have washed their robes, and made them
white in the blood of the Lamb. Therefore are they before the throne of God,
and serve him day and night in his temple: and he that sitteth on the throne
shall dwell among them.’ ”
“[Because these particular saints experienced hunger and
thirst during the Great Tribulation,] They shall hunger no more, neither thirst
any more; neither shall the sun light on them, nor any heat. For the Lamb which
is in the midst of the throne shall feed them, and shall lead them unto living
fountains of waters: and God shall wipe away [their memories of suffering and]
all tears from their eyes.” (Revelation 7:9-17, KJV)
Summary
In keeping with the distinction between saints and prophets,
Revelation 7 describes two groups of people who will live during the Great
Tribulation. The prophets are numbered and the saints are numberless. A
numberless multitude will be saved out of all nations and cultures during the
Great Tribulation. The 144,000 will be sealed first (before the Great
Tribulation begins) and the saints that receive their testimony will be sealed
during the Great Tribulation.
Specification #5 –
The 144,000 Will Endure the Suffering of Christ
This specification is not often discussed, because it is
poorly understood. The Bible indicates that the 144,000 will experience and
successfully endure the sufferings of Christ. The highest honor that God can
bestow on the followers of Jesus is to allow us to experience the sufferings of
Christ. This concept may sound strange at first, so please consider the nature
and purpose of Christ’s suffering for us. Paul wrote, “In bringing many sons to
glory, it was fitting that God, for whom and through whom everything exists,
should make the author of their salvation perfect through suffering. Both the
one who makes men holy and those who are made holy are [members] of the same
family. So Jesus is not ashamed to call them brothers.” (Hebrews 2:10, 11,
insertion and italics mine)
The word “fellowship” is defined as two or more people
having the same experience or said in the vernacular, two or more people “in
the same boat.” When we suffer for Jesus, we enter into fellowship with Jesus.
He becomes our brother in suffering and we become connected to Jesus in an
intimate way that words cannot adequately express. There is no stronger bond
than brotherhood through suffering. Men and women who have not been on the
battlefield find it hard to understand or appreciate the brotherhood that develops
among warriors. You have to experience it to understand it. It is a very
powerful thing, and I have seen it with my own eyes.
Amazingly, people from different backgrounds and different
cultures can be thrown together in an infantry unit during a war, and over the
course of time, they become “one” in purpose, plan and action. Of course, they
recognize each other’s strengths and weaknesses and they know each other’s
faults, but these things do not matter because a powerful bond of love springs
up. When men become willing to lay down their life for each other, a union
forms that cannot be broken. This is a phenomenon that, if experienced, is
never forgotten. Though separated by thousands of miles and decades without
communication, comrades never forget the sacrifices made by their brothers. I
have seen many veterans reduced to tears when interviewed about their war
experiences. This emotion involuntarily rises because through the deepest bonds
of love, they are forever connected to their “brothers in battle.” This
brotherhood, forged in the heat of battle, partially explains the great love
that existed between David and Jonathan. (1 Samuel 18:3)
The brotherhood of suffering with Jesus is presented in this
segment because the 144,000 will form a powerful bond of love for Jesus through
their suffering for Christ. We have already learned they will be called on to
give up their closest human ties, as necessary, to serve the Lord. As prophets
of God, the 144,000 will face the wrath of the devil and his demons, not to
mention persecution and torture by wicked people who hate the ways of God.
Jesus said, “Anyone who loves his father or mother more than me is not worthy
of me; anyone who loves his son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me;
and anyone who does not take his cross and follow me is not worthy of me.
Whoever finds his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake
will find it.” (Matthew 10:37-39)
Because of their steadfast devotion to Jesus, the 144,000
will lose everything they own – their family, their possessions, their respect
in their community, and like the apostle Paul, their self-worth, to glorify
Jesus. In the heat of battle, they will become “one” with Jesus in purpose,
plan and action. This is why the 144,000 will serve as “priests” throughout
ages to come. They will fearlessly go to their death for the cause of Christ
when necessary. Because of their devotion and fidelity to Jesus, the 144,000
will be honored above the rest of the redeemed. No one else, not even the
twelve apostles, will be able to sing their song. “And they sang a new song
before the throne and before the four living creatures and the elders. No one
could learn the song except the 144,000 who had been redeemed from the Earth.”
(Revelation 14:3) Because they will share in the sufferings of Jesus, the
144,000 will be closest to Jesus. They will literally wear the names of the
Father and the Lamb in their foreheads (signifying their exalted position) and
they will attend Jesus wherever He goes. (Revelation 14:4)
Two Levels of Suffering
Jesus suffered on two levels for our salvation. First, in
the physical dimension, Jesus was treated with contempt; He was mocked, denied
justice, flogged and crucified. Ironically, Jesus died on the cross because of
man’s hatred and God’s love. Men hated Jesus because they could not tolerate
the truth about God, so they “attempted” to murder Jesus on the cross. On the
other hand, God loved the world so much that He was willing to give us Jesus as
an atonement for sin. Jesus did not die at the hands of men, even though that
was their intent. The Father took the life of the Son after Jesus gave it to
Him. (Luke 23:46) Never in the Bible is Jesus called the “Lamb of man.” Jesus
was the sacrificial Lamb of God. The Father provided the Lamb for our salvation
and the Father took the life which the Lamb willingly gave up. The Son of God
died at and in the hands of the Father. This truth was powerfully demonstrated
when Abraham was required to offer the love of his life, Isaac, on Mount
Moriah. (Genesis 22:2)
Deeper Level
The second level of Jesus’ suffering is more difficult to
explain. Jesus suffered within His soul to the point that He would have died in
the Garden of Gethsemane if an angel had not strengthened Him. The Bible says
His perspiration was like great drops of blood. (Luke 22:43, 44) Of course, the
prospect of death on a cross was part of Jesus’ anguish in the garden, but
Roman history tells us that thousands of people were hung on crosses in that
era. Therefore, Christ’s anguish concerning the cross was similar to the
anguish which the two thieves must have felt. Jesus broke into a sweat like
blood and would have died in the garden because He was made deathly ill by the
presence and power of sin. “God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so
that in him we might become the righteousness of God.” (2 Corinthians 5:21)
Please consider this text: “During the days of Jesus’ life
on Earth, he offered up prayers and petitions with loud cries and tears to the
one who could save him from death, and he was heard because of his reverent
submission. Although he was a son, he learned obedience from what he suffered
and, once made perfect, he became the source of eternal salvation for all who
obey him.” (Hebrews 5:7-9) Twice in the book of Hebrews, Paul indicates that
Jesus was “made perfect” through suffering! The Greek word for perfect,
teleioo, means mature, completed or finished. Of course, Jesus was perfect
having no sin or rebellion from birth. He never sinned! (Hebrews 4:15) So, how
could Jesus be “made perfect” through suffering?
Suffering is a powerful force that drives a human being into
rebellion or submission. I would venture that many of the people in prison
today are there because of suffering that began in childhood. The carnal nature
hates suffering. Suffering produces anger and anger predisposes people to rebel
against authority in general and humanity in particular. On the other hand,
pain has been used for centuries to force people into submission. Since wicked
people are not interested in a system of justice, torture is their best tool
because it is a powerful force that drives a human being toward submission. A
sinless Jesus was born into “a world of suffering” so He could demonstrate the
importance of being perfected through patient suffering. We cannot totally
appreciate the sufferings of Christ at the deeper level because our carnal
nature has not been removed, but this will change.
Sin was grossly offensive to Christ’s sinless nature.
Patiently living among sinners and dealing with the selfishness, blindness and
arrogance of the human heart was very hard – even for Jesus. However, Jesus was
made perfect in patience through suffering. He faced the tenacious power and
degenerate influence of sin every day. Jesus learned how to receive grace from
God as it was needed each day, and this is how suffering perfected His
patience. Patience is how Abraham and Sarah failed when they decided Abraham
should have a son by Hagar. Patience is how Moses failed when he killed the
Egyptian. He had to spend forty years herding sheep in the wilderness before
God could use him. Patience is how Moses failed when he struck the rock twice
and God refused to let Moses enter the promised land. Patience is the hardest
thing on Earth to perfect! Through faith in God and patience in suffering,
Jesus overcame the world. The plan of salvation was perfectly “worked out”
because Jesus patiently submitted to the Father’s will each day.
James wrote, “Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever
you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith
develops perseverance. Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be
mature and complete [perfect], not lacking anything.” (James 1:2-4, insertion
mine) The 144,000 will suffer physically, emotionally and spiritually because
of the presence and power of sin. They will suffer most because (a) they will
be the first to be sealed, and (b) they will have an overwhelming task to
accomplish. Because they will have sinless natures, it will be painful for them
to deal with the power and presence of sin. The irony is that God’s prophets
will love sinners, but they will hate the bondage of sin which controls their
listeners! The challenge of the 144,000 during the Great Tribulation will be to
lead people to suffer Babylon’s wrath for Christ’s sake, so that the carnal
nature can be removed! Their burden for souls, their frustration with the power
of sin, and their love for Jesus and sinners will cause deep anguish within the
144,000. They will agonize, as Jesus did in Gethsemane, for strength to fulfill
God’s will. Like the shepherd looking for that one lost sheep, the 144,000 will
exhaust every physical and emotional fiber in their being to find one last soul
so that person can be saved from the jaws of sin.
Summary
John indicates that many, if not all, of the 144,000 will be
killed “because of the Word of God and the testimony they maintained.” We also
know that millions of saints will be killed during the great tribulation
because of their faithfulness to Jesus. This is why Jesus said, “If anyone is
to go into captivity, into captivity he will go. If anyone is to be killed with
the sword, with the sword he will be killed. This calls for patient endurance
and faithfulness on the part of the saints.” (Revelation 13:10) This text
epitomizes Jesus’ experience: patience and faithfulness. Because the 144,000
will faithfully endure the sufferings of Jesus with success, no other person
will be able to sing their song. “Here is the patience of the saints: here are
they that keep the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus.” (Revelation
14:12, KJV)
Specification #6 –
No Lie Will be Found in the Mouths of the 144,000
The sixth specification concerning the 144,000 is that no
lie or falsehood will be found in their mouths. (Revelation 14:5) Again, the
topic of the 144,000 is like an iceberg – one third of this topic is above the
water line and two-thirds are below. This particular specification goes far
below the water line. Consider this text: “But the cowardly, the unbelieving,
the vile, the murderers, the sexually immoral, those who practice magic arts,
the idolaters and all liars – their place will be in the fiery lake of burning
sulfur. This is the second death.” (Revelation 21:8) This verse indicates that
no liar will enter the kingdom of 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. God’s prophets will be empowered to speak and
they will present the demands of the sovereign Jesus to the people of Earth.
Now, it is one thing to get angry and to “let loose” in the heat of the moment,
but it is quite another to have to stand before hostile groups of people and
tell them things they do not want to hear – day after day! The 144,000 will
polarize the people of Earth with their speech. People who love truth will
follow their lead. People who hate truth will produce every reason why the
144,000 should be silenced. The 144,000 will fearlessly declare the Word of God
regardless of personal consequences. Because they will not take up arms to
fight and because they will not run from their post, their brazen actions will
be stunning and relentless.
When the Pharisees and Sadducees went out in the desert to
see John the Baptist, pretending to be interested in his revival message, John
quickly detected their hypocrisy and deceit. They were not interested in his
message, they were spies sent from the temple. The Bible says, “But when he saw
many of the Pharisees and Sadducees coming to where he was baptizing, he said
to them: ‘You brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the coming wrath?
Produce fruit in keeping with repentance.’ ” (Matthew 3:7, 8) No doubt, those
Pharisees and Sadducees were embarrassed, but they could not do anything about
his remarks because they were outnumbered. John the Baptist was to the first
advent what the 144,000 will be to the second advent. The 144,000 will not
blunt the double edged sword of truth by compromising their message. The Great
Tribulation will not be a time for soft peddling the gospel. That day will be a
valley of decision for multitudes. The 144,000 will cry out, “. . . Prepare ye
the way of the Lord, make his paths straight.” (Matthew 3:3)
Hopefully, a picture is forming in your mind and heart. The
Bible exalts the integrity and honesty of the 144,000 saying, “No lie was found
in their mouths; they are blameless,” because they will be faithful
spokespersons. They will deliver the testimony of Jesus without concern for
their safety. They will proclaim the terms and conditions of salvation and
their message will not be compromised or varnished. They will openly call sin
by its right name and the Holy Spirit will work signs and wonders through them,
confirming their divine message. Looking forward at their fiery assignment,
these words in Revelation 22 will be particularly potent because there will be
many who will reject or attempt to deflect their testimony. “I warn everyone
who hears the words of the prophecy of this book: If anyone adds anything to
them, God will add to him the plagues described in this book. And if anyone
takes words away from this book of prophecy, God will take away from him his
share in the tree of life and in the holy city, which are described in this
book.” (Revelation 22:18, 19)
Specification #7 –
The 144,000 Will Wear the Names of the Father and Son
The Bible says the 144,000 will visibly wear the names of
the Father and Son on their foreheads after they are taken to Heaven.
(Revelation 14:1; Revelation 22:3, 4) John does not indicate the names of the
Father and Son are written on crowns which are worn on their foreheads,
although that might be possible. I prefer to view John’s comments as though the
144,000 will have the signatures of the Father and the Lamb, as medals of
honor, literally written on their foreheads. The names of the Father and Son
will indicate their high rank in God’s government throughout eternity. Notice
these two texts:
“Then I looked, and there before me was the Lamb, standing
on Mount Zion, and with him 144,000 who had his name and his Father’s name
written on their foreheads.” (Revelation 14:1)
“No longer will there be any curse. The throne of God and of
the Lamb will be in the city, and his servants will serve him. They will see
his face, and his name will be on their foreheads.” (Revelation 22:3, 4)
There are levels of authority in Heaven. For example, there
are seven powerful angels that stand before God. (Revelation 8:2) We know that
Gabriel is a highly exalted angel and he stands in God’s presence.
(Luke 1:19) We know that Lucifer was anointed as a guardian
cherub and he wore beautiful stones signifying his high rank. (Ezekiel 28:13,
14) The 144,000 will also be highly exalted after they are taken to Heaven.
Their exalted position will be noticed every time we look on their faces.
We have a similar way of exalting authority on Earth.
Military officers have worn their rank on their foreheads (hats and helmets)
for centuries. Field grade officers in the United States military are
distinguished above lower grades by the gold webbing that is located on the
brims of their hats. This gold webbing is designed to be visible at a distance
because a field grade officer merits a higher level of attention and respect
from his subordinates.
Many Christians tend to overlook the importance of the names
of the Father and Son written on the foreheads of the 144,000. This
specification is highly important because there is an evil parallel. The Bible
indicates the devil will establish his kingdom on Earth during the sixth
trumpet. After killing one-third of mankind, he will require his loyal
survivors to wear a mark. Ordinary people will wear a tattoo showing “666″ on
their right hand, but the “exalted” leaders of Lucifer’s government will wear the
devil’s name tattooed on their foreheads! Notice this text: “He also forced
everyone, small and great, rich and poor, free and slave, to receive a mark on
his right hand or on his forehead, so that no one could buy or sell unless he
had the mark, which is the name of the beast or the number of his name. This
calls for wisdom. If anyone has insight, let him calculate the number of the
beast, for it is man’s number. His number is 666.” (Revelation 13:16-18,
italics mine) The mark of the beast is both a number or a name. The mark of the
beast is worn on the right hand or on the forehead. The parallel is obvious.
Satan will counterfeit the 144,000 with 144,000 of his own servants. The
counterfeits will wear the devil’s name tattooed on their forehead. Of course,
the 144,000 will not wear the signatures of the Father and Son on their
foreheads before they go to Heaven, but they will be highly exalted after they
get to Heaven for declaring the truth about the devil and his deceptions under
most distressing circumstances. Throughout eternity, the saints will see the
144,000 and each time we see them, we will remember their total devotion and
sacrifices for the calling of Jesus.
Specification #8 –
The 144,000 Will be Jews Descended From Abraham
Note: If, out of curiosity, you have jumped over the other
specifications to read this one first, I hope you will be sure to read the
other seven specifications in their order because there is a progressive order
to this presentation on the 144,000.
The Bible clearly indicates that the 144,000 will be Jews,
coming from the twelve tribes of Israel. Revelation 7:5-8 says, “From the tribe
of Judah 12,000 were sealed, from the tribe of Reuben 12,000, from the tribe of
Gad 12,000, from the tribe of Asher 12,000, from the tribe of Naphtali 12,000,
from the tribe of Manasseh 12,000, from the tribe of Simeon 12,000, from the
tribe of Levi 12,000, from the tribe of Issachar 12,000, from the tribe of
Zebulun 12,000, from the tribe of Joseph 12,000, from the tribe of Benjamin
12,000.” Understandably, these verses give some people the idea that the
144,000 will come from the “Jewish race.” Before we examine this issue, we need
to look at three texts. There is an important difference between being a member
of the Jewish race and being a Jew.
“A man is not a Jew if he is only one outwardly, nor is
circumcision merely outward and physical. No, a man is a Jew if he is one
inwardly; and circumcision is circumcision of the heart, by the Spirit, not by
the written code. Such a man’s praise is not from men, but from God.” (Romans
2:28, 29)
“In reading this, then, you will be able to understand my
insight into the mystery of Christ, which was not made known to men in other
generations as it has now been revealed by the Spirit to God’s holy apostles
and prophets. This mystery is that through the gospel the Gentiles are heirs
together with Israel, members together of one body, and sharers together in the
promise in Christ Jesus.” (Ephesians 3:4-6, italics mine)
“If you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham’s seed
[Greek: sperma], and heirs according to the promise.” (Galatians 3:29,
insertion mine)
With these texts in mind, please consider the following ten
paragraphs:
God called Abraham to leave his home in Ur of the Chaldees
and travel to a land that He would give to Abraham and his descendants.
(Genesis 12) When Abraham arrived in the land, God made an unconditional
promise to Abraham that his descendants would inherit the land for generations
to come. (Genesis 13:15; 15:18-21) Centuries later, God honored His promise and
gave the land of Canaan to the twelve tribes of Israel at the time of the
Exodus. (Exodus 12)
While in the wilderness, God informed Israel that even
though they would possess the land of Canaan, it would not belong to them.
(Leviticus 25:23) They were granted the privilege of living in the land for as
long as they obeyed the Lord. If they chose to rebel against the Lord, He
promised to evict them from the land. (Leviticus 18:28; 26:33, 34) Knowing they
would eventually be evicted from the land, God also promised to restore them to
the land of Canaan if they would repent of their sins while in exile.
(Leviticus 26:40-42)
Over the course of centuries, Israel repeatedly rebelled
against God. (Ezekiel 23) In fact, Israel defiantly refused to fulfill the
purpose for which God had separated them from all other nations! (Exodus 19)
So, God had the ten tribes in the northern part of the country evicted by
Shalmaneser V in 722 B.C.
(2 Kings 17) and the two tribes in the southern part of the
country were evicted by Nebuchadnezzar in 605 B.C. (2 Kings 24)
Near the end of the seventy years in Babylonian captivity,
the prophet Daniel confessed the sins of his people and he asked God to fulfill
the words of Jeremiah (Jeremiah 25:11, 12) by restoring the nation of Israel to
its homeland. (Daniel 9:1-23) God heard Daniel’s prayer and responded according
to the provisions stated in His covenant. (Leviticus 26:40-42) God granted
Israel a measure of time, seventy weeks, to “straighten up” and prepare for the
appearing of Messiah. (Daniel 9:24) The decree that marked the beginning of the
Seventy Weeks, issued by the Persian King, Artaxerxes, was in the Jubilee year
of 457 B.C. (Ezra 7)
According to the prophecy in Daniel 9, Jesus arrived on
time. He was baptized at the beginning of the seventieth week (A.D. 27) and He
died in the middle of the seventieth week, the Wednesday year of A.D. 30.
Because Israel had fallen into defiant apostasy again, they rejected and
crucified the Messiah. (Luke 23, Acts 3)
Because Israel rejected Messiah, God put a new plan in
place. I call this new covenant, “Plan B.” “Plan B” was made better than “Plan
A” for several reasons. (Hebrews 8:6) For one, God redefined Israel under “Plan
B” to consist of everyone who received Jesus as Lord and Master. (John 1:12;
3:16; 13:13, KJV)
The disciples heard Jesus annul God’s covenant with
biological Israel (Matthew 23:37-39) and they heard Jesus implement a new
covenant that was based on submission to the authority of Jesus – as opposed to
the authority of Moses. (Luke 22:20) In essence, the followers of Jesus
received “the trusteeship of preaching the gospel” that once belonged to the
Jews. (Acts 13)
After the outpouring of Holy Spirit power at the Feast of
Pentecost (Acts 2), early Christians came to understand that a “new Israel” had
been raised to replace “old Israel.” The new Israel consisted of believers in
Christ. In fact, the apostle James called early Christians, “the twelve tribes
of Israel.” “James, a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ, To the
twelve tribes scattered among the nations: Greetings. . . . My brothers, as
believers in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ, do not show favoritism.” (James
1:1, 2:1)
God revealed to Peter and the apostle Paul that in His
sight, there is neither Jew nor Gentile anymore. However, His unconditional
covenant to Abraham still remains, and everyone who receives Christ as his or
her Savior will be counted as the offspring of Abraham. (Galatians 3 and 4;
Ephesians 2 and 3) God also made it clear that in His sight, a Jew (a chosen
person) is not determined by biological birth or physical circumcision. (Romans
2:28, 29; Romans 9:6) Instead, the twelve tribes consist of people who have
faith in God and a circumcised heart (Jeremiah 4:4; Romans 2:29), as did
Abraham their father
(John 8:39). The bottom line is that the only people going
to Heaven are those who lived as Abraham did – by faith! Thus, all Israel will
be saved in the end because Israel consists of believers! (Romans 11:26)
Because believers in Christ have been “grafted in” to the promises made to
Abraham, God’s promise will be fulfilled. (Romans 10 and 11)
After Earth is purified by fire at the end of the thousand
years (Revelation 20), the Holy City will descend to Earth. (Revelation 21) It
is so large that it will encompass the whole land of Canaan! (Revelation 21:16)
The Promised Land will be located inside the Holy City! When the Holy City
descends, two wonderful promises will be fulfilled. The heirs of Abraham will
inherit the undefiled land of Canaan forever (“Blessed are the meek, for they
shall inherit the Earth” Matthew 5:5) and Abraham will actually live within the
city that he longed to see: “For he [Abraham] was looking forward to the city
with foundations, whose architect and builder is God.”
(Hebrews 11:10)
The bottom line is this: The 144,000 will be descendants of
Abraham! But, the 144,000 will not necessarily be members of the Jewish race.
The 144,000 will come from every race of people! Furthermore, the Bible says
the numberless multitude that go through the great tribulation will come from
all nations, kindreds, tongues and people. God promised Abraham that he would
be the father of many nations and Revelation 7 affirms this! Because the
numberless multitude will be multinational, the firstfruits of the same harvest
(the 144,000) will be multinational. Remember, firstfruits are a sample of the
coming harvest!
Summary
There is no question that the 144,000 will come from the
twelve tribes of Israel. The problem that many Christians do not understand is
the identity of Israel. The New Testament teaches that God redefined Israel at
the end of the seventieth week when it became evident that Israel would not
accept His Son and fulfill their calling as a holy nation of priests. When the
seventy weeks expired, the apostle Paul was converted (A.D. 34). Through the
revelations God gave him, we have confirmation of this truth. Many Bible
writers point to the redefinition of Israel. God made several unconditional
covenants with Abraham, and He will keep them. Israel’s rejection of Messiah
has not thwarted God; instead, it has made Him more determined to gloriously
fulfill everything He promised. Therefore, everyone who puts faith in Jesus is
declared Abraham’s seed, and as such, we become heirs to the promise!
Closing Statements
We have examined eight specifications about the 144,000. I
have presented the following conclusions:
The 144,000 will be men and women. They will be spokespeople
for God during the Great Tribulation.
The Great Tribulation will begin immediately after they are
selected and sealed.
The 144,000 will be the first to have their carnal natures
mysteriously removed. Their devotion to Jesus will not be compromised by family
relations.
As firstfruits, the 144,000 are numbered. They are set apart
from the numberless multitude, the end time harvest, which is the fruit of
their labor.
The 144,000 will experience and endure the sufferings of
Christ. No one else will be able to sing their song.
The 144,000 will not compromise the words that Jesus gives
them to speak. They will speak the truth without regard for the consequences.
The 144,000 will visibly wear the names of the Father and
Son on their foreheads throughout eternity.
The 144,000 will be Jews, the seed of Abraham, heirs of the
promise through Christ.
Additional Notes on Chapter 11
Through the years, I have been asked various questions about
the 144,000 that you may want to consider.
What is the significance of selecting 144,000 people from
the twelve tribes?
God made some amazing promises to Abraham because God loved
this man of faith. For example, God promised Abraham that through him, all the
nations of Earth would be blessed. 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)
God told the biological descendants of Abraham that they
were to be trustees of the gospel and a nation of priests. (Exodus 19) The
apostle Paul and every Pharisee knew this. Paul said, “For this is what the
Lord has commanded us: ‘I have made you a light for the Gentiles, that you may
bring salvation to the ends of the Earth.’ ” (Acts 13:47) When Israel failed to
live up to the terms and conditions of the covenant, God abandoned the
biological family of Abraham for a family of people who believed in Messiah.
This may sound harsh, but this was not the first time God did this. God
destroyed the first generation that came out of Egypt by keeping them in the
wilderness for forty years so that another group of people could enter the
promised land. God destroyed the city of Jerusalem through Nebuchadnezzar so
that He could raise another group of people. Later on, God destroyed Jerusalem
again through Titus in A.D. 70 so that He could raise another group of people.
The point is that God keeps destroying the rebellious and raising up another
group of people to accomplish His promises. God raised up the Christian Church
and it rebelled just like Israel. God raised up Protestants, and they have
rebelled just like Israel. This is why God will select and empower 12,000
individuals from each tribe at the end. He will use a group of people that have
nothing in common but a heart of faith. By incorporating the twelve tribes into
Revelation 7, God indicates that He is honoring the original promises He made
to Abraham! The identity of the twelve tribes is unknown and unseen today. This
is not a problem because God knows who His children are. Jesus said, “I am the
good shepherd; I know my sheep and my sheep know me – just as the Father knows
me and I know the Father – and I lay down my life for the sheep. I have other
sheep that are not of this sheep pen. I must bring them also. They too will
listen to my voice, and there shall be one flock and one shepherd.” (John
10:14-16)
Psychologists say there are four basic personalty traits:
sanguine, melancholy, choleric and phlegmatic. Each person has a dominant trait
and recessive traits. The combinations of traits are said to produce twelve
personality groups. Perhaps the redeemed will be grouped according to
personality type because each of Jacob’s sons had unique personality
characteristics and Jacob blessed his sons accordingly. (See Genesis 49 and 1
Chronicles 4:21, 23.) If the twelve tribes reflect personality types, then God
can use all twelve personality types to reach the diverse people of Earth
because no one personality type is acceptable to everyone.
The Bible says the Holy City, New Jerusalem, has twelve
gates and twelve foundations. Each gate bears the name of a tribe and each
foundation bears the name of an apostle. (Revelation 21:12, 14) These features
are quite revealing. The twelve foundations of the Holy City bear the names of
the twelve apostles because the gospel of Christ was built on the Rock of Ages
by the apostles! The twelve gates into the city are portals named after the
twelve tribes because each gate could be an entry point for each personality
type. Twelve different groups of firstfruits, 12,000 servants from each tribe,
will lead their kinsmen through their respective gate to God’s throne! Our
family structure in Heaven will be our tribe. Everyone will belong to a tribe!
Everyone will belong to a wonderful family!
Why does God choose 144,000 people and ignore the religious
systems of the world?
This is a good question. 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:
The glory of doing the impossible, proclaiming the gospel to
the whole world in 1,260 days belongs to God, not man.
The seven religious systems of the world are corrupt. They
cannot and do not speak for God. They can neither correctly explain the
everlasting gospel, nor can they properly explain the plans and purposes of God
for the Great Tribulation.
Most people agree that God does not save people because of
church affiliation. Salvation is not gained through membership in an
organization. In fact, if God was going to use a religious organization to
proclaim the everlasting gospel during the end time, church affiliation would
prove to be an insurmountable problem. Consider the human trait called
prejudice. You and I both know that some people would rather die and go to hell
than to join another church or even worse, join the church of someone who has
offended them. For example, let us suppose that God looked down on Earth and
declared a particular sect within the Moslem faith to have the truth for the
end time. How many Catholics, Jews and Protestants do you think would join with
Moslems in order to be saved? Now turn the table around and ask yourself, how
many Catholics, Jews, Protestants and Moslems would join your church?
God will not save a person because his biological
great-grandfather was Abraham, Job or Daniel. The Lord has made it very clear
in the book of Ezekiel that a person’s ancestry has nothing to do with their
salvation! (Ezekiel 14:18; 18:4-28; Matthew 3:9) God has no grandchildren.
Every child of God has to be born again.
A major obstacle that prevents God from using established
religions during the end time is that one man cannot prove the superiority of
his religion over that of another. If history proves anything, this point is
proven true beyond question. Do you think that Elijah could have proven that
his God was greater than the god of Baal if God had not sent fire from Heaven?
Because religion is inherently arrogant and egocentric, one religious group
cannot prove its superiority over another religious group.
God knows that religion has far more to do with social
structure than with a personal love for truth. (It is said that 95% of the
people remain loyal to the religious system into which they were born and
raised – even if they do not practice the religion.)
Because the properties of religion are very strong within
the human race, because social relationships can be more important than
commitment to truth, and because there is a distinction between serving God and
serving the church, God will destroy the great religions of the world and test
mankind to see if we love Him and His truth above everything else.
The test will be simple and will be applied without
partiality. God will require everyone to leave his or her church for the sake
of truth! The object of our deepest affection will then be revealed. At that
time, some people will discover they loved their church more than they loved
God! When a contest exists between “God’s truth” and “God’s church,” then, and
only then, can humans detect the distinction that exists between serving God
and serving the church. Until this test of loyalty is applied, most people
cannot understand the problem. Remember, in Jesus’ day, the Pharisees could not
figure out how they could be as blind as Jesus claimed! The same is true today.
A time is coming when God’s truth will conflict with the teachings of every
church, and everyone will have to make tough choices. We will see that many
people cannot separate themselves from their church, even when presented with
the plainest evidences of truth.
To help us make up our minds, God will allow the devil to
appear on Earth. The devil (the Antichrist) will dissolve all the religions of
the world and forcibly create a new global church. This event in itself will
help motivate those people who could not leave their church for truth’s sake.
On the other hand, people who are cowardly will prostitute their faith and join
the newly created church because the devil will establish stringent laws so
that everyone who refuses to join his church will be put to death. It is
interesting to note in this context that God considers cowardice as great a sin
as murder and sexual immorality. “But the cowardly, the unbelieving, the vile,
the murderers, the sexually immoral, those who practice magic arts, the
idolaters and all liars – their place will be in the fiery lake of burning
sulfur. This is the second death.” (Revelation 21:8)
Before leaving this question, one more comment should be
made. Why does God use such a tiny number of people to proclaim the everlasting
gospel during the end time? Given the fact that nearly six billion people now
live on Earth, it seems that the work would be much easier if He chose one
million or ten million people to accomplish his task. In human terms, the
144,000, like Gideon’s army, are too few to accomplish the task. By choosing
such a tiny number, God will again demonstrate that He is not dependent on
flesh to accomplish His purposes. “. . . ‘Not by might nor by power, but by my
Spirit,’ says the Lord Almighty.” (Zechariah 4:6) Even the stones could cry out
if necessary. (Luke 19:40)
The twelve stars in the woman’s crown represent the twelve
tribes.
Yes! In Revelation 12, the story of the true church
(represented by a righteous woman who is pregnant) and a great red dragon is
told. The woman wears a crown of twelve stars on her head. From the Greek
language, we learn that these stars are set in a stephanos, that is, a crown of
victory. According to Revelation 1:20, stars can symbolize messengers or angels
and by applying the words of
Daniel 12:3 to the woman’s crown of twelve stars we find a
very beautiful fit. “Those who are wise (or teachers) will shine like the
brightness of the heavens, and those who lead many to righteousness like the
stars for ever and ever.” In other words, the woman wears a crown of victory.
This crown is set with twelve stars. The twelve stars represent the 144,000 –
firstfruits of the twelve tribes – who will be victorious over the Antichrist.
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)
Consider Ezekiel 2:8-3:4. Like John, God gave Ezekiel a book
to eat that was sweet in his mouth and bitter in his stomach. The book Ezekiel
received contained the words that God wanted spoken. Ezekiel was told to speak
these words to his people, whether they listen or not. This is the bitter part
in the stomach. Ezekiel had to speak the words of God and this created a lot of
ridicule and offense. (This explains why the life span of prophets is usually
short.) Of course, the enabling power within Ezekiel was the Spirit of God. The
Holy Spirit enabled Ezekiel to say (and do) things that were beyond mere human
capability. Ezekiel and John were both called to be prophets and they were
given words to speak. This will be the experience of the 144,000.
How will the 144,000 be recognized?
The 144,000 will be recognized by three means: First, their
message will be Bible based. The 144,000 will proclaim the everlasting gospel
from the Bible, and as a result, they will find themselves standing in
opposition to religious leaders of their day. Second, the 144,000 will be
recognized by their humility, simplicity and authority. Remember John the
Baptist with his humble dress? (Luke 7:25) People went out to the Jordan River
to hear John the Baptist because he spoke with power and authority that came
from Heaven! (Luke 7:24-26) People marveled at Jesus because of the authority
with which He spoke. (Mark 1:22) Last, the 144,000 will be recognized as
“prophets” because they will have the ability to perform signs and miracles. Of
course, the servants of the devil will be doing miracles, too. (Exodus 8:18;
Matthew 7:20-22)
During the great tribulation, many people will put their
faith in counterfeit “miracles” because they do not want to submit to the
“faith testing” terms and conditions of salvation. If a false prophet can
perform a counterfeit miracle on demand (2 Thessalonians 2:9-12), many people
will use the “sign” to justify rebellion against God. (Matthew 16:4) On the
other hand, if the Holy Spirit knows that a miracle will help an honest person
make a decision for truth, then a miracle will be given. Many miracles will
occur and they will force people to take sides. This, of course, is how the
sheep are separated from the goats.
How soon do you expect to see the 144,000?
I believe the great earthquake and the empowerment of the
144,000 could occur any day now. The 144,000 will not show up on TV. They will
not receive a round of applause or some glittering reward. However, when they
show up you will know that Jesus has taken control of Earth and the final 1,335
days (of Earth) have begun. The 144,000 will not ride in limousines or have
world fame. Paul wrote, “But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame
the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong.” (1
Corinthians 1:27)
Will the 144,000 come from one church group?
No. God has people in every religious body whose hearts are
right, but whose heads are wrong. (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!
The net effect is simple. God wants to save as many people
as possible. Therefore, God will have Moslem believers talking to their Moslem
brothers; Catholic believers will be talking to their Catholic brothers; Hindu
believers will be talking to their Hindu brothers, etc. Who is better at
proclaiming the gospel of Christ than those who know and understand the
obstacles that face their brothers? Do you really think a Moslem would listen
to a Protestant? Do you think a Jew would listen to a Baptist? Of course not!
The 144,000 will come from every nation, religion, language and tribe and after
their encounter with Jesus, they will receive the script and speak His words to
their brothers, just like Saul did! This will ultimately produce what Jesus
wants, a numberless multitude of saints who come from every nation, kindred,
tongue and people!
Will the 144,000 know each other?
Probably not. The important thing is that no one will be
able to say that their message was contrived by man. In other words, what is
the possibility that a mere 144,000 people who are spread out over the face of
Earth, speaking different languages, belonging to antagonistic religions, and
not knowing one another, preach the same message with amazing authority? The
chance is zero! This miracle will provide profound proof that their work and
calling is divinely ordained. This simple miracle will also confound and offend
the religious leaders of Earth.
Bio
Latest Posts
Larry W. Wilson
Larry W. Wilson
Larry Wilson, founder of WUAS, became a born-again Christian
in 1972. His interest in the gospel led him on a 40+ year quest to learn more
about what God has revealed to Earth’s final generation. The results of his
research have been shared throughout the world in books, television & radio
broadcasts, media interviews, and seminars that are publicly available on all
different types of media (see our Christian Bookstore).
What is Wake Up America Seminars (WUAS)?
Wake Up America Seminars, Inc. is a nonprofit,
nondenominational organization with a focus on the study of End-Time Prophecy.
WUAS is not a church, nor does it endorse any denomination. Our focus is
singular: We are dedicated to proclaiming the gospel of Jesus Christ and His
imminent return. We are delighted that people of all faiths are diligently
using the Bible study materials produced by WUAS. All study materials are based
solely on the Bible alone.
Post Tags:
#144000
Post navigation
Previous
The Seven Headed Beast
Next
144,000 “New Testament Jews”
Similar Posts
13 Comments
callingtruthout says:
July 17, 2018 at 4:15 AM
Your article, “The 144,000 servants and the Numberless
Multitude” was so indepth, enlightening and informative. It was greatly
appreciated. It helped to clarify some very important issues and areas of
confusion, such as, the fact that the 144,000 can be taken from every tribe
(nation, religion, geographical region, language, etc) and are not just “Jews”
in terms of belonging to the Jewish race. Also, thank you for having the
courage to say that Christ will not choose the mega church leaders or televangelists
or a particular religious organization or group and you have provided a very
compelling explanation for this– and especially for advising that Christians
might have to choose between their love and service to the church versus their
service and love for God especially in the end times. So many people confuse
service to church and adherence to its customs and requirements as the quint
essential quality of being a good Christian — when there is a distinction
between the formal worship through church and the true faith and practice of
faith in every day life. Being religious or even devoutly religious (i.e., in
terms of participating in a particular church) is not the same as walking in
faith, as a person can be religiously devout in terms of the ritualistic
practices of religion but not have a strong, unwavering faith and trust in
Christ– and it will be necessary for many to separate from the church if they
are called by God towards service in the end times, whether it as prophets or
as one of the 144000 (servant prophets). Your article has given so much food
for thought. Thank you so much for putting in so much time and thought into the
article and sharing it with us freely. Please continue doing so. God bless.
Log in to Reply
Avatar photoLarry W. Wilson says:
July 20, 2018 at 10:18 AM
Hello Callingtruthout:
Thank you for sharing your thoughts. I agree with your
observations. Unfortunately, this study turned out to be much longer than I had
intended, but there is so much confusion on this topic and so many places where
a person can get derailed that I tried to leave “no stone unturned.”
Best regards
Log in to Reply
Scripturals says:
October 5, 2018 at 8:10 PM
Well done sir, for a well articulated study. But the general
opinion is that, the 144000, will preach after the rapture, during the 7years
tribulation. Though i don’t subscribe to this, but ill like to know your
opinion as regards that. Thanks sir
Log in to Reply
Avatar photoLarry W. Wilson says:
October 8, 2018 at 12:59 PM
Hello Scripturals:
Thank you for your comments. The topic of the 144,000 is
important on many levels.
You asked for my thoughts on the rapture and the 7 years of
tribulation. I wish there was a pre-tribulation rapture, but I do not find a
pre or a mid-tribulation rapture in Bible prophecy. Also, I do not find the
70th week to be in the future! I believe the 70th week of years occurred
immediately after the 69th week of years. I believe the Great Tribulation will
last 1,335 days (Daniel 12:12). In fact, Daniel will be resurrected at the end
of the 1,335 days to receive his reward! (Daniel 12:13)
If you are interested in my thoughts on these topics, please
consider these articles:
Regarding the rapture:
https://www.wake-up.org/rapture/rapture-doctrine-fact-or-fiction.html
Regarding the 70th week:
https://www.wake-up.org/Daniel/Timing.pdf
More info on the 144,000:
https://www.wake-up.org/144000/144000-new-testament-jews.html
Soon coming events:
https://www.wake-up.org/wrath/god-is-angry-with-us.html
I hope you will have time to give these studies some
consideration. Feel free to share with your friends!
Best regards
Log in to Reply
420osis says:
December 1, 2018 at 2:06 AM
>first quote used here is regarding servants and their
being both males and females
>we all know and is later elaborated here that the
144,000 are only males who have not been polluted by women
One of these things is not like the other. One of these
things just doesn’t belong…
Log in to Reply
Avatar photoLarry W. Wilson says:
December 3, 2018 at 2:08 PM
Hello 420osis:
Thank you for your email.
There’s a problem with your claim that the “144,000 are only
males.” The Bible does not teach this. Please consider four points:
1. Males and females can defile themselves with women.
Romans 1:26,27 “Because of this, God gave them over to
shameful lusts. Even their women exchanged natural relations for unnatural
ones. In the same way the men also abandoned natural relations with women and
were inflamed with lust for one another. Men committed indecent acts with other
men, and received in themselves the due penalty for their perversion.”
2. Joel 2:29 speaks about God’s Spirit being poured out on
His servants in the last days, both men and women!
Joel 2:29 “Even on my servants, both men and women, I will
pour out my Spirit in those days.”
3. The 144,000 are called “servants:”
Rev 7:3,4 “Do not harm the land or the sea or the trees
until we put a seal on the foreheads of the servants of our God.” Then I heard
the number of those who were sealed: 144,000 from all the tribes of Israel.”
4. Finally, we know that Jesus is able to make the stones
testify if human beings are unwilling to do His calling:
Luke 19:40 “I tell you,” he replied, “if they keep quiet,
the stones will cry out.”
It is ironic that many men refuse to believe that God would
include women within the 144,000 when their first teachers were their mothers!
I hope this helps!
Log in to Reply
NEW RELIGION DST says:
March 3, 2019 at 4:35 AM
Hello everyone ..fisrt i want to wishing you all a blessing
day .Now im not belong to any religious and i never will.But i live my life by
buddha teaching, but i beliving there is god and creators. Im really got
confused about 144000 chosen by god ..im not saying you are wrong but you were
said that god only chosed jews and it have to be all virgin mens..I ve spoked
to god once it was 18 years ago and he was told me to go save the world , so
here im doing his works..You just put dout in my faith, should i stop fighting
your war !! Because it sound like god dont really care no one else but jews…let
me tell you one thing that make a brave warrior ..i dont care if god do not
choose my race , im still standing up for all humanity . if you are pridicting
about how god treating jews more special then others then he is your god not my
god ..because i picture god in my heart are so love and fair …and when the
judmentday come my peoples dont have to worry about lucifer or satan come to
kill us ..because that make him getting more enemies..never know the devils may
make an offers to my peoples ….hey sir congratuation you just make more enemies
..just joking ..but really in the bottom of my heart i will fight along by your
side even god are looking down on us ..i will die for the sake of humanity
..and may god bless all jews …good day my brothers ..
Log in to Reply
Avatar photoLarry W. Wilson says:
March 3, 2019 at 7:47 PM
Hello New Religion DST:
Thank you for your response. I am happy to learn that you
dedicated to God. According to Bible prophecy, the world as we know it is about
to come to an end. The remainder of the prophecies in Daniel and Revelation
will soon be fulfilled. At the end of the Great Tribulation, Jesus will return
and remove the righteous and destroy the wicked.
Judging from your comments, I think you have misunderstood
the identity of the 144,000. The new covenant initiated by Jesus just before He
died, defines a Jew as a born-again person who believes in Jesus as the Savior
of the world! (Romans 2:28,29; Galatians 3:28,20; Hebrews 8:1-7)
Please consider this article. It may make the matter easier
to understand:
https://www.wake-up.org/144000/144000-new-testament-jews.html
Best regards,
Log in to Reply
ChadTB says:
January 29, 2020 at 6:01 PM
Firstly, I wish to say thank you for this very thorough and
well-researched essay, it was intensive, to be sure, but I enjoyed it
thoroughly. That said, I must confess, I find myself confused on some points
which you assert.
1. In the Table for Revelation’s Matrix grows, you state
that the 1st seal = Salvation through faith in Jesus alone and you have that
planted in the year 1798. How do you support that claim? Was there some
specific act which makes that time uniquely belonging to the 1st seal?
2. You also assert that the 2nd seal = Translation and
distribution of the Bible and is also fulfilled within the same period of 1798
and I would surely love to understand how you support that given that we have
not yet translated the Bible into ever kanguage nor have we ministered to every
culture on Earth, though we know who is left and are fast aproaching the time
when that work will be completed. I would love to hear about that, but more
than that I wish to understand how it is that you define the 2nd seal this way
when in Rev 6:4 the 2nd seal results in a fiery horse with power to remove PO
eace from the earth and to make men slay eachother. How does this speak of the
Bible being translated and distributed or am I misunderstanding your assertions
here?
3. You say that you find nothing in prophecy which speaks of
a pre or mid-trib rapture, but what about this verse in Rev 13:8 All
inhabitants of the earth will worship the beast–all whose names have not been
written in the book of life belonging to the Lamb that was slain from the
creation of the world. (NIV) Does it mean that there are no true believers in
Christ on earth at that time or does it qualify it by saying “all whose names
have not been written in the book of life…” in other words “All inhabitants of
the earth” really means the unsaved? I know that it says in Rev 13:7 “He was
given power to make war against the saints and to conquer them” so it seems
there are still believers living on earth at the time of the rise of the
antichrist and that they are overcome by him by verse 8 there are no believers
left. Does the antichrist really kill every confessing christian or does God
deliver many of his true believers before that time? What about 1Thess 5:9 “For
God did not appoint us to suffer wrath but to receive salvation through our
Lord Jesus Christ”?
Forgive me, I know I am no scholar of the word and I
understand very little of His teachings, I feel, and I am not seeking to impune
your own dedication to and works with interpreting the scriptures of prophecy.
I know that you have spent more time studying His word than I myself have, but
I am seeking understanding.
Thank you again for this essay and for your time.
“He reveals deep and secret things; He knows what is in the
darkness, and light dwells with Him.” Dan 2:22 (NKJV)
Log in to Reply
Avatar photoLarry W. Wilson says:
January 29, 2020 at 10:31 PM
Hello ChadTB:
Thank you for your response, you have asked good questions
and I hope my responses will be helpful.
1. You wrote, “you state that the 1st seal = Salvation
through faith in Jesus alone and you have that planted in the year 1798. How do
you support that claim?”
The topic of the Lamb’s Book of Life, the book sealed with
seven seals, is very fascinating. I hope you will download and read the whole
book!
https://wake-up.org/Alpha/Book_of_Life_Web.pdf
To address your question regarding 1798, please see this
chapter:
https://www.wake-up.org/book-of-life-who-is-jesus/when-was-jesus-worthy-to-open-the-book.html
2. You wrote: ” I wish to understand how it is that you
define the 2nd seal this way when in Rev 6:4 the 2nd seal results in a fiery
horse with power to remove PO eace from the earth and to make men slay
eachother. How does this speak of the Bible being translated and distributed or
am I misunderstanding your assertions here?”
To address your question regarding the second seal, please
see this chapter:
https://www.wake-up.org/book-of-life-who-is-jesus/the-second-seal-in-revelation.html
(You may want to study all seven seals, this is why I
encourage you to read the whole book.)
3. You wrote: “You say that you find nothing in prophecy
which speaks of a pre or mid-trib rapture, but what about this verse in Rev
13:8 All inhabitants of the earth will worship the beast–all whose names have
not been written in the book of life belonging to the Lamb that was slain from
the creation of the world. (NIV) Does it mean that there are no true believers
in Christ on earth at that time or does it qualify it by saying “all whose
names have not been written in the book of life…”
The language in Revelation 13:8 declares a time is coming
when everyone on Earth will worship the beast — ALL whose names have not been
written in the Lamb’s Book of Life. The names of the saints are written in the
Book of Life, they will not be worshiping the beast. Clearly, the saints will
be on Earth during the Great Tribulation, in fact, the beast will war against
them for 42 months and conquer them. Daniel also saw this great injustice: “and
when the power of the holy people has been completely shattered, all these
things shall be finished.” (Daniel 12:7)
To get a bird’s eye view of coming events, please download
and read this book:
https://www.wake-up.org/other-studies/no-more-delay-pdf-file.html
To get a very fast bird’s eye view, please watch these short
videos, go here and scroll down to video seminar #32.
https://www.wake-up.org/video-series-list
I hope this is helpful!
May God continue to bless you in every way,
Kind regards
Log in to Reply
David Israel says:
September 23, 2020 at 5:33 PM
Dear Mr. Larry,
This was a really amazing read. Thanks for your efforts.
Most of the bits and pieces I see all over the internet and analyze on my own
through the Word of God are depicted well in your article. I just had a few
clarifications that I would like you to comment on because they are pretty
significant.
1. Do you believe in the idea of a Third Elijah? A
forerunner to the Second Coming? Because even Jesus states that just as He was
rejected, John The Baptist will be rejected and they will do “whatever they
wish with him”. So, the next time a person comes, it will be in the spirit of
Elijah and he will lead the 1,44,000 besides the two witnesses. I mention the
two witnesses because many think Elijah will be one of them but I don’t as
Elijah will not die this time unlike how the two witnesses will
2. Do you consider 2029/2030 to be an ideal time for Jesus’
return? I’d like to make it short, but these are the reasons I believe it is
true –
a) 2029 September will be a Shmitah just like 2001, 2008 and
so on
b) 2030 will be 2000 years after Jesus’ resurrection
(approx.) and it is 2000 years from the sin of Adam to Abraham and 2000 years
from Abraham to Jesus’ resurrection and now these 2000 years which will be a
culmination of 6000 years
c) 6000 years will be like 6 working days of labor in a week
and the 7th day will be the millenium / Sabbath. We will have peace unlike ever
before then and it will be precursor to Heaven. For God, 1 day is like a 1000
years and vice versa too
d) 2022/2023 will be when we see the AC and 2026/2027 will
be when he starts his gimmicks
e) The Covid-19 pandemic was a wake up call for the
witnesses and Christians so God allowed Satan and his followers to play their
tricks
3. Just as there will be a forerunner to Jesus, do you think
there will be 12 people who will have the spirit of the disciples who will lead
the 1,44,000 witnesses? Is there anything in scripture that points to it or
even otherwise, do you think it’s possible?
4. I presume you believe it will be a post-tribulation
rapture and only that makes sense because that will be a test of faith for true
Christians. That’s when the fake ones, especially Catholics, will move over to
the NWO
Kindly do reply to me at your ease. Hope to be enlightened
and share a conversation between us. Kindly do pray for me and all the
Christians as bad times seem to be really knocking our doors and nothing but
the blood of the Amazing Lamb can save us. Jesus Christ has died, Jesus Christ
is risen, Jesus Christ is coming soon again. Jesus Christ is Lord. Amen!
I will pray for you and your works as well.
Log in to Reply
Marty Purvis says:
September 24, 2020 at 10:45 AM
Hello David,
Thank you for your kind comments and prayers. It appears you
have been doing some serious study and consideration of events that will soon
occur. Larry requested I address your comments and questions. Unfortunately,
due to time constraints, I will not be able to have an extended discussion on
the subjects you have brought up. Instead, I will provide links to other
articles on the website that hopefully will provide you with some additional
food for thought.
First, understand that the conclusions are based on the
application of four rules of Bible prophecy. Without rules to guide us in
prophetic study, Bible verses can be used to support just about any
interpretive position. If you wish to read about Larry’s journey and
development of the four rules, you can read about it at this link:
https://wake-up.org/bible-prophecy/inspiration-and-interpretation.html Now, on
to your questions:
1. Third Elijah – Scripture does not support the idea of
Elijah returning in person during the end time. Actually, the spirit of Elijah
is the Holy Spirit. Remember, Elisha asked for and received a double portion of
Elijah’s spirit. (2 Kings 2:9-15) In like manner, the 144,000 will receive the
Holy Spirit with great power to complete God’s plan. You can also read more
about the two witnesses at this link:
https://wake-up.org/two-witnesses/two-witnesses-revelation.html
2. Timing Considerations – While there are many future dates
of interest in the application of Bible prophecy, we must recognize they are
useful for their study value, not predictive value. When the censer is cast
down in Revelation 8:5, apocalyptic prophecy gives us a structure we can follow
to determine future events. See https://wake-up.org/charts/Timing.pdf
3. There is no indication in scripture there will be twelve
people leading the 144,000. Jesus will personally select each member of the
144,000, just as he personally chose each of the 12 disciples. There is no
reason to have other leaders other than Jesus Christ himself.
4. Each person will be forced to make a decision; either to
walk by faith, be tested, and be sealed in that decision or accept the Mark of
the Beast. The NWO, as you call it, is actually Babylon, which will be
established in response to the destruction caused by the first four trumpets.
Read about it in the first four studies about the Antichrist at this link:
wake-up.org/studies
God bless you in your continued study.
Marty
Log in to Reply
Avatar photoQuetzalcoatl says:
May 20, 2022 at 4:52 AM
The time of whatever is now running out fast! Those who
wanted to hijack creation inevitably lose their right to exist. In the now
existing infinity of my dream, there is no eternity and never again. Heaven and
hell are passing away, there is only this one manifested dimension.
Every being has long since made the relevant decision, for
or against, the game is over …
https://phpbb3.quetzalcoatl8.com/viewforum.php?f=1 In a few
days I’ll open the war.
http://www.masauwu.net
http://www.apache8.org
Log in to Reply
Leave a Reply
You must be logged in to post a comment.
Select Language
Powered byGoogle TranslateTranslate
Learn how Biblical prophecy is being fullfilled TODAY!
First Name:
Last Name:
Email:
--View Sample--
Free Book Offer
What does the Bible say the future holds?
Click the book cover below to get a copy of:WARNING!
Revelation Is About to be Fulfilled - Free Book Offer
Search the Website
Search
Search
Bible Study Categories
Bible Study Categories
Select Category
Recent Articles
Newswatch
Being Chosen
Views on Prophetic Study
What Used to Be
A Story of Wake Up America Seminars
Copyright © 1995 - 2023 Wake up America Seminars | XML
Sitemap | Privacy Policy
Phone: 800-475-0876particular text forces a distinctive
wedge between a group of people called “saints” and a group of people called
“prophets” because of timing. We know that the third bowl will be poured out in
the final days of the Great Tribulation (during the seven last plagues). The
Bible says the third bowl will be specifically directed to those who shed the
blood of “saints” and “prophets.” The book of Revelation identifies the
prophets who are killed by the people who receive the third plague. 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 prophets will be informed about “the mystery of
God” prior to the sounding of the seventh trumpet? Could the servants the
prophets in Revelation 10:7 be the 144,000 servants mentioned in Revelation
7:3? The internal harmony within Revelation says, “Yes!” The 144,000 will be a
distinct group of people who are separate and distinct from the numberless
multitude who come out of the Great Tribulation.
Look again at the third text. When the seventh trumpet
sounds in Revelation 11:18, loud voices in Heaven will urgently proclaim that
the time has arrived for Jesus to avenge the killing of His “prophets” and
“saints.” Once again John distinguishes between a group of people called
prophets and a group of people called saints, and he indicates that people in
both groups will suffer death during the Great Tribulation.
Therefore:
– When we consider John’s repetitive distinction between
saints and prophets . . .
– When we consider the 144,000 will be called God’s
“servants”. . .
– When we consider that many (if not all) of God’s prophets
will die because of the Word of God and the testimony they maintain (martyrdom
during the fifth seal) . . .
– When we consider that God’s mystery (announced to His
servants the prophets) will be finished just before the seventh trumpet sounds
. . .
– When we consider that God will avenge the death of His
saints and prophets by giving blood thirsty murderers blood to drink during the
time of the third bowl . . .
– When we combine these points, our understanding of 144,000
“servants” expands into 144,000 “servants the prophets.”
Before the Great Tribulation begins, God will select,
empower, and seal 144,000 servants who will serve Him as prophets during the
Great Tribulation. These people will speak for God. Because of religious
arrogance and gross ignorance, most of these servants of God will suffer the
fate of prophets in ages past. (Matthew 23:37)
The Difference Between Prophets and Saints
Perhaps a larger selection of Bible texts will clarify why
John differentiates between saints and prophets. The 144,000 are called
“servants” in Revelation 7:3 because this word expresses their calling. The
word “prophet” denotes their mission. When the two terms “servants – the
prophets” are brought together, the term becomes a job title. Please review the
following texts (many more texts are in the Bible) and notice how the title,
“servants and servants the prophets” is applied (I have emphasized certain words
by putting them in bold text):
2 Kings 17:22, 23 “The Israelites persisted in all the sins
of Jeroboam and did not turn away from them until the Lord removed them from
his presence, as he had warned through all his servants the prophets. So the
people of Israel were taken from their homeland into exile in Assyria, and they
are still there.”
Jeremiah 7:25, 26 “From the time your forefathers left Egypt
until now, day after day, again and again I sent you my servants the prophets.
But they did not listen to me or pay attention. They were stiff-necked and did
more evil than their forefathers.”
Ezekiel 38:16, 17 “. . . .In days to come, O Gog, I will
bring you against my land, so that the nations may know me when I show myself
holy through you before their eyes. This is what the Sovereign Lord says: ‘Are
you not the one I spoke of in former days by my servants the prophets of
Israel?’ ”
Daniel 9:6, 10 “[Oh Lord,] We have not listened to your
servants the prophets, who spoke in your name to our kings, our princes and our
fathers, and to all the people of the land. . . . we have not obeyed the Lord
our God or kept the laws he gave us through his servants the prophets.”
Joel 2:28, 29 “And afterward, I will pour out my Spirit on
all people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy, your old men will dream
dreams, your young men will see visions. Even on my servants, both men and
women, I will pour out my Spirit in those days.”
The Bible uses the title, “servants the prophets” nineteen
times and in every case this title identifies special individuals whom God
selected to speak on His behalf. Of course, the word “servants” can be used in
a broader sense to mean subjects, slaves, employees and believers. (Genesis
24:34; 1 Corinthians 4:1) But the context in Revelation 7 indicates the 144,000
servants of God will not be ordinary servants. When we realize that God has
delayed destroying the Earth until 144,000 servants are sealed, we know they
will not be ordinary people!
Notice how the word “servants” is used within the context of
Joel 2:28-31. The Lord told Joel, “And afterward, I will pour out my Spirit on
all people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy, your old men will dream
dreams, your young men will see visions. Even on my servants, both men and
women, I will pour out my Spirit in those days. I will show wonders in the
Heavens and on the Earth, blood and fire and billows of smoke. The Sun will be
turned to darkness and the moon to blood before the coming of the great and
dreadful day of the Lord.” (Joel 2:30, 31, italics mine)
These verses pointed forward from Joel’s day to “the great
and dreadful day of the Lord” that would have occurred after the expiration of
the seventy weeks under “Plan A.” Because Israel rejected Christ, “Plan A” was
abandoned and “Plan B” was implemented. Peter did not know that “Plan A” had
been abandoned, so when the Holy Spirit was manifested at the Feast of
Pentecost, he naturally thought the “last days” predicted by Joel had arrived
and this is why he quoted from Joel 2. (See his remarks in Acts 2:15-21)
Because Revelation 9 through 11 (Plan B) parallels Joel 2 (Plan A), we can be
sure the Lord will pour out His Spirit on all people (all flesh, KJV) during
the Great Tribulation. Furthermore, we can be sure that God will generously
pour out His Spirit “even on my servants, both men and women.” Joel’s
distinction between “all people” and God’s servants is important. In Revelation
7, John distinguished between a numbered group of servants and a numberless
group of people. The phrase in Joel 2, “even on my servants,” emphasizes that
God will not only pour out His Spirit on all people during the last days, but
He will also elevate His servants even higher by giving them a greater measure
of Holy Spirit power than His “servants” characteristically have had in ages
past.
Summary
We close the first specification on the 144,000 with a
summary deducted from the evidence examined thus far: Even though there is no
way to determine who the twelve tribes of Israel are, we know the twelve tribes
of Israel exist because God will select and seal 12,000 from each tribe before
the four angels hurt Earth. As faithful servants of Jesus Christ, they will do
everything their Master commands. As prophets of Jesus, they will deliver “the
testimony of Jesus” during the Great Tribulation. (Revelation 1:9; 12:17;
19:10) The 144,000 will suffer enormously because of their words. Many, if not
all, of the 144,000 will perish “because of the Word of God and the testimony
they maintain.” (Revelation 6:9) John often distinguishes between God’s
“servants the prophets” and ordinary saints because they are separate groups of
people.
Specification #2 –
Timing of the Great Tribulation
After the 144,000 are sealed, the four winds of God’s wrath
will be released and the Great Tribulation will begin. According to the
specifications of the fourth seal, the number of casualties will be 25%
of Earth’s population. Jesus will initiate the Great
Tribulation with sudden and overwhelming destruction. (1 Thessalonians 5:3) The
punitive judgments in the fourth seal, the four winds of Revelation 7,
and the first four trumpets harmoniously align. (See Chart
11.1.) At this very moment, the only thing holding back the commencement of the
Great Tribulation is a single command given to four angels!
(Revelation 7:3)
Please review the following verses so you can thoughtfully
consider the two questions that follow: “After this I saw four angels standing
at the four corners of the Earth, holding back the four winds of the Earth to
prevent any wind from blowing on the land or on the sea or on any tree. Then I
saw another angel coming up from the east, having the seal of the living God.
He called out in a loud voice to the four angels who had been given power to
harm the land and the sea: ‘Do not harm the land or the sea or the trees until
we put a seal on the foreheads of the servants of our God.’ Then I heard the
number of those who were sealed: 144,000 from all the tribes of Israel.”
(Revelation 7:1-4 Italics mine)
Question #1: Why do we need to know about this delay?
Question #2: Will the sealing of the 144,000 be determined
by character or by timing? In other words, will Jesus wait for 144,000 people
to become sanctified and “pure in heart” before He seals them or will Jesus
wait for the appointed time to arrive to select 144,000 people and seal them?
Question #1 Examined
The delay in Revelation 7 is foretold because the final
generation needs to know that God’s wrath is overdue before it is released.
This fact helps us understand the events recorded in Revelation 8:3-5. In other
words, God’s patience with sin and sinners expires before the 144,000 are
sealed. This is why the four angels are empowered and sent to Earth, but told
to wait until He has sealed the 144,000. The phrase, “the four winds of Earth,”
is a word picture of global destruction and upheaval. The release of the four
winds (coming from the north, east, west and south) implies powerful, but
unseen forces that will chaotically scatter and sweep away all that the human
race has built. Consider the following brief scenario which will be presented
in greater detail in the next chapter of this book:
The Bible says there are seven angels that stand before God.
(Revelation 8:2) These exalted angels are ready to carry out any command that
proceeds from the throne. I understand that these seven angels were given seven
trumpets in the Spring of 1994 because Earth’s cup of iniquity became full at
that time. Four of the seven angels have been sent to Earth to harm this planet
because God’s patience with Earth has ended. Before the angels could harm the
land, sea and trees, Jesus restrained them with a command. The Lord put these
four angels on hold until His 144,000 servants are sealed. Again, the last
generation needs to know that God’s wrath is overdue and Jesus has put global
destruction on hold until the time comes for 144,000 servants to be sealed.
Please examine Chart 11.1.
The Matrix Aligns Revelation 6:7-9, Revelation 7:1-8,
Revelation 8:2-7
Chart 11.1
Time 1994 Today ? Great Tribulation – 1335 Days Second
Coming
First Four
Trumpets
XXXX
6,000
Years
of
Sin
Ends
Global
Earthquake
X
Angels Given
Seven Trumpets X
–Waiting–
Four Winds
Released
X
144,000 Sealed
X The Time of Wrath
Fourth Seal
X
Years ago, I heard Evangelist Billy Graham make a comment
that went something like this, “If God does not do something soon about the
degeneracy of the United States, He will owe Sodom and Gomorrah an apology.”
Dr. Graham was right. The only reason that Jesus has not done something about
Earth’s degeneracy is timing. Jesus imposed a short delay in Revelation 7:3 and
the inhabitants of Earth have been living on borrowed time since 1994.
The Appointed Time of the End
Will the sealing of the 144,000 be determined by character
or by timing? In other words, has Jesus been waiting for 144,000 people to
become sinless so that they can be sealed, or is Jesus waiting for the
appointed time to arrive to select and seal 144,000 people?
The answer to Question #2 is timing. Jesus is waiting for
the appointed time to arrive before selecting and sealing 12,000 from each of
the twelve tribes. (Revelation 7:4) Contrary to what some denominations teach,
Jesus is not waiting on 144,000 people to become sinless so they can be sealed.
If Jesus was waiting for 144,000 people to become sinless, a person could argue
the Great Tribulation will never start because a sinner cannot become sinless.
A sinner may go for a period of time without sinning, but this does not make
him sinless! Once a sinner, forever a sinner! This is why Adam and Eve had to
be cast out of the Garden of Eden. Because we have carnal natures, we are
sinful within. We cannot remove our carnal natures. At best, we can subdue our
carnal desires through the indwelling power of the Holy Spirit (Romans 7-8),
and millions of people have experienced victory over their carnal natures for
centuries. Jesus could have sealed 144,000 people centuries ago if He had
wanted, because at any given time there are enough people on Earth who love the
Lord with all their hearts, minds, and souls, to accomplish all the Lord wants
to do. Remember how Elijah thought that he alone had been faithful to the Lord
during Israel’s apostasy and the Lord politely informed the beleaguered prophet
that He had seven thousand people in Israel who had not worshiped Baal? (1
Kings 19:18)
We have already noticed that when the sealing occurs, each
tribe in Israel will be larger than 12,000 people. In other words, when the
time comes for sealing, Jesus will have more than 12,000 people in each tribe
from which to choose! This proves that Jesus is not waiting on 144,000 people
to become sinless. At the appointed time, He will choose the best from each
tribe (as firstfruits) to be His servants. These loyal servants will answer His
call and endure the trials and tribulations of being His prophets.
Bottom line: Jesus is waiting for the appointed time of the
end to arrive (Daniel 8:19); the time set by the Father. (Acts 1:7) When we
approach the day that is 1,335 days from the end of the sixth millennium of
sin, the 144,000 will be selected and sealed. Then, the delay imposed in
Revelation 7:3 will end – right on time. God’s judgments will begin on time.
Jesus is waiting on the “Grand-Father’s” clock to chime and when it does, He
will declare the delay is over (Revelation 10:6) and the four winds of His
wrath will be released. Before we leave Question #2, please consider the
following points:
Parallels to Consider
According to Rule One of apocalyptic prophecy, each
apocalyptic prophecy has a beginning point and ending point in time. The
sealing of the 144,000 in Revelation 7:1-8:1 follows Rule One. For centuries,
Bible students have asked, when does Revelation 7:1-4 occur? Please examine
these two texts and notice that in each case, four angels are involved (bold
text and insertions mine):
Revelation 7:1 “After this I saw four angels standing at the
four corners of the Earth, holding back the four winds of the earth to prevent
any wind from blowing on the land or on the sea or on any tree.”
Revelation 9:14,15 “It [the voice from the Altar of Incense]
said to the sixth angel who had the trumpet, ‘Release the four angels who are
bound at the great river Euphrates.’ And the four angels who had been kept
ready for this very hour and day and month and year were released to kill a
third of mankind.”
These texts identify two groups of angels. The first text
(Revelation 7) describes four angels sent from God’s throne to harm Earth. The
second text (Revelation 9) describes four angels (actually four fallen angels,
e.g., demons) who will be let out of the abyss during the fifth trumpet. During
the sixth trumpet, the four demons in the second text will be released at a
specific hour to kill a third of mankind. (Review the bold faced words in the
text.) Since the four demons in Revelation 9 are held back until the appointed
hour, day, month and year arrives, the four angels in Revelation 7 are waiting
for an exact hour, day, month and year to do their work. With God, timing is
everything.
God’s four angels and Lucifer’s four angels will be allowed
to kill the same number of people during the Great Tribulation. Look at the
math: After the fourth seal is broken, 25% of Earth’s population will die. In
round numbers, currently Earth’s population is about six billion people.
Twenty-five percent of Earth’s population would be 1.5 billion people. So,
Earth’s population will be reduced to 4.5 billion people by the destruction of
the first four trumpets. When the sixth trumpet sounds (890 days later),
one-third of mankind will be killed by Lucifer’s four angels. One third of 4.5
billion people is another 1.5 billion people! The net result is that both
groups of angels kill the same number of people. This balance is not a mere
coincidence. God has deliberately and purposefully determined the properties of
the Great Tribulation.
God has predetermined that the battle for the hearts and
souls of mankind will be a “fair fight.” If the devil was given complete
control of Earth, he would destroy the whole world in a single day. Therefore,
the devil will be restrained at each step of the way because God insists that
the survivors must remain free to exercise their power of choice. The Great
Tribulation will be a powerful vortex that will force the living into choosing
whom they will honor and obey. This is why worship will surface as the all
important issue during the Great Tribulation. When the people of Earth see the
overwhelming death and destruction caused by God’s wrath, the topic of worship
will become highly important, because worship will be viewed as the
prerequisite means to appease God so that His anger will cease. Desperate
circumstances will force the survivors into making a tough decision about whom
they will obey. The consequences either way will be very difficult. This vortex
explains why the Great Tribulation is called, “a time of wrath.” (Daniel 8:19;
11:36; Revelation 15:1)
It is interesting to discover that during the Great
Tribulation, whatever Jesus is allowed to do, the devil is allowed to do. Jesus
will have 144,000 servants speaking for Him and the devil will have thousands
of religious and political authorities speaking for him. Evil can neither
conquer good, nor can good destroy evil until Jesus arrives. Jesus wants the
people of Earth to make an informed and intelligent decision as to whom they
will obey. (Matthew 24:14) This is why He seals 144,000 prophets before the
Great Tribulation begins. The world will hear the testimony of Jesus through
the mouths of His servants the prophets.
At the end of the 1,335 days (Daniel 12:12) allotted for the
Great Tribulation, Jesus will physically appear in clouds of glory to gather up
His children. To be fair, 890 days into the Great Tribulation, the devil will
be granted the privilege of appearing in clouds of glory. He will masquerade as
Jesus, pretending to establish a kingdom of peace on Earth for 1,000 years!
(Revelation 9:1-11) These matters are introduced at this point because you need
to be aware that the forces for good and for evil will remain “balanced” until
all people on Earth have exercised their power of choice. When the last person
on Earth makes his decision, Jesus will declare this verdict, “Let him who does
wrong continue to do wrong; let him who is vile continue to be vile; let him
who does right continue to do right; and let him who is holy continue to be
holy. Behold, I am coming soon! My reward is with me, and I will give to
everyone according to what he has done.” (Revelation 22:11, 12)
There Will Be No More Delay
I believe the Sabbath millennium described in Revelation 20
will begin on time because God’s Sabbaths are never early or late. When Earth
reaches a day that is 1,335 days from the end of the sixth thousand years of
sin, the Great Tribulation will begin. At this time, no one knows precisely
where the sixth thousandth year is, but we cannot be very far from it.
Counting 1,335 Days Backward from 6,000th Year
1335Back
Chart 11.2
When the appointed day arrives, the four angels in
Revelation 7:1-4 will be released to do their harm. This release is described
in Revelation 10. “Then the angel I had seen standing on the sea and on the
land raised his right hand to Heaven. And He swore by Him who lives for ever
and ever, who created the Heavens and all that is in them, the Earth and all
that is in it, and the sea and all that is in it, and said, ‘There will be no
more delay!’ ” (Revelation 10:5, 6) Just before the delay is terminated, Jesus
will seal 144,000 servants. Then, He will announce the end of the delay in a
thunderous voice. (In fact, this announcement will be the first of seven
thunders which the 144,000 will hear and understand. See John 12:28-30.)
Jesus imposed a delay in Revelation 7:3 and Jesus will
terminate the delay when He declares “There will be no more delay!” Until Jesus
grants permission, the four angels cannot harm Earth. After Jesus declares
there will be no more delay, no one will be able to turn the hands of God’s
clock back or stop the arrival of His oncoming judgments. God’s wrath is
overdue, but the 1,335 days necessary to conclude the 6,000th year have not
arrived. Please examine Chart 11.3 and notice the vertical alignment of three
prophecies.
Revelation’s Matrix Grows
MatrixGrows
Prophecy #1 Revelation 4:1-6:17: The worthiness of Jesus and
the six seals
1st seal = Salvation through faith in Jesus alone
2nd seal = Translation and distribution of the Bible
3rd seal = The judgment bar of Christ begins
4th seal = Great Tribulation begins
5th seal = Martyrdom of prophets and saints
6th seal = Second Coming
Prophecy #2 Revelation 7:1-8:1: The 144,000, the numberless
multitude, the seventh seal
A = Four angels of God given power to harm Earth
Waiting = Currently we are waiting for the arrival of the
appointed day to seal the 144,000
B = The numberless multitude standing around the throne
after the Second Coming
C = Seventh seal broken at the end of the millennium
Prophecy #3 Revelation 8:2-9:21: The six trumpets
x = Global Earthquake
1st trumpet = Fiery hailstorms
2nd trumpet = Asteroid impact on an ocean
3rd trumpet = Asteroid impact on a continent
4th trumpet = Ring of Fire erupts – volcano ejecta causes
darkness
5th trumpet = Lucifer appears
6th trumpet = Lucifer’s four angels kill one-third of
mankind
Specification # 3 –
The Sealing of the 144,000
We will examine three specifications of the 144,000 in this
segment. First, the 144,000 will be presented to the Father and the Lamb as
firstfruits of Earth’s harvest. (Revelation 14:4) Second, the 144,000 will not
be defiled by women. (Revelation 14:4) Third, the 144,000 will be the first
ever to receive the seal of God. (Revelation 7:3) With these three
specifications in mind, let us take a look.
No one has yet received the “seal of God” described in
Revelation 7, because the 144,000 will be the first to receive it. Two
statements in the book of Revelation highlight this point. First, the four
angels are told to hold back the four winds of the Great Tribulation until the
144,000 are sealed. (Revelation 7:3) In other words, when 144,000 people have
been sealed, the fourth seal will be broken and the Great Tribulation will
begin! Second, Revelation 14:4 says the 144,000 will be presented to God and the
Lamb as firstfruits of Earth’s harvest. Because the 144,000 will be the
firstfruits of Earth’s harvest, and because God’s wrath is not released until
they are sealed, they have to be the first people ever to receive the seal of
God. The seal of God and the sealing of the 144,000 is an “iceberg” topic – one
third of it is above surface and two-thirds are below the surface. With this in
mind, let us dive under the surface and examine some controversial issues.
The Judgment of the Living
In Chapter 4 of this book, we examined the 2,300 days of
Daniel 8:14 and the cleansing of Heaven’s temple. In Chapter 10 we examined the
relationship between the third seal and 1844. We have already touched on the
essential doctrines of “soul sleep” and God’s use of “parallel temples.” A
synthesis of these matters indicates that the judgment bar of Christ began in
the Spring of 1844. At that time, Jesus began reviewing the records of the dead
which had been “sealed” by death. Because man’s power of choice is terminated
at death, death permanently “seals” the life’s record of those who die. This is
why Hebrews 4:7 says, “. . . Today, if you hear his voice, do not harden your
hearts.”
Unlike the sealed records of the dead, the judgment of the
living presents an interesting challenge. How can Jesus pass eternal judgment
on a person who still has the power of choice and the freedom to change his
mind? At the risk of being repetitive, here is a short response to this
question. One day I was discussing this subject with some friends when one of
them said, “Since God already knows our hearts, why does He not judge us on the
basis of what He knows about us? If He judged us this way, there would be no
need for testing the people of Earth with torment and persecution during the
Great Tribulation.” I responded, “Suppose Jesus were to do as you have
suggested. Suppose at the judgment you discover that you are standing among the
wicked, outside the holy city. When you realize that you are about to perish by
fire, you cry out to the Lord saying, ‘Lord, I did not do anything to deserve
burning in hell!’ The Lord responds, ‘My child, I know you did nothing to
deserve this, but I knew that you would have if given the chance.’ ” Then I
asked, “Do you want to be judged on the basis of your choices or do you want to
be judged on the basis of God’s foreknowledge?” After a few smiles, the story
surrounding the book sealed with seven seals suddenly made a lot of sense.
Four Purposes for Seals
In Bible times, seals were used for four purposes. (If
possible, look up the following references.) Seals have been used to certify
the authenticity of a document or transaction. (Esther 8:8, Jeremiah 32:10)
Seals were used to prevent tampering or change. (Daniel 6:17; Matthew 27:65,
66) Seals were used to show approval and ownership. (John 6:27;
2 Corinthians 1:22) Last, seals were used as locks to secure
property or secrets. (Daniel 12:4; Revelation 5:1) When the Bible speaks of
sealing the 144,000, all four uses will apply! Notice how the sequence unfolds:
The first people to stand before the judgment bar of Jesus
while alive will be the 144,000. They will be selected from the twelve tribes
of Israel and they will be tested, judged, mysteriously transformed, and
securely “sealed” with sinless natures just before the four winds are released.
The “seal of God” on the foreheads of the 144,000 means, (a) they have been
tested and judged, (b) their carnal natures have been removed,
(c) they are free of any attraction to sin, and (d) they are
bond servants of the Father and the Lamb. We will examine this four-step
process in a moment. For now, we need to understand why the 144,000 are called
“firstfruits.”
The 144,000 are Firstfruits of the Harvest
The word “firstfruits” would speak volumes if you lived in
Bible times. Basically, firstfruits were used as a tithe, a gift of 10% or more
based on net increase. Presenting firstfruits to the Lord was to be both a gift
of appreciation and an adventure in anticipation. God required the offering of
firstfruits to challenge the creeping selfishness of man’s carnal heart. By
requiring man to “give up” the first and best part of any increase, firstfruits
were designed to frustrate man’s relentless preoccupation with acquiring wealth
– just as God’s seventh day Sabbath was designed to frustrate man’s insatiable
need for more time to do all that he wants to do. Even more, this gift was
designed to develop faith in God through anticipation. Notice how this was supposed
to work: If a farmer was about to harvest a wheat crop, he was to search
through his field and select the finest stalks that matured first and present
them to the high priest at the temple. The gift of firstfruits was to be given
with gratitude for God’s sustaining providence and the gift was supposed to
represent a tithe of what the farmer hoped his new crop would produce. In other
words, God designed the giving of firstfruits to be a remarkable experience,
not a regular tax. Firstfruits included the first increase from wool, animals,
crops and money – any type of increase.
The word “firstfruits” offers several object lessons. The
quantity of firstfruits indicated the amount of increase “hoped for.” When Paul
wrote, “Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do
not see.” (Hebrews 11:1), Paul may have used the anticipation that went with
gathering firstfruits to frame his remarks. A few verses later, he wrote, “And
without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him
must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him.”
(Hebrews 11:6) Faith really defines the practice of giving firstfruits to God.
The difference between paying a tax and giving firstfruits is gratitude. Tax is
a necessary obligation. The giving of firstfruits was supposed to be accompanied
with an attitude of gratitude, and embedded in the experience was a financial
anticipation. (Unfortunately, Israel did not understand God’s purpose for
firstfruits and over the years it became regarded as a tax.)
The 144,000 are called firstfruits in Revelation 14:4 for
two reasons. First, the 144,000 will be the firstfruits of the coming harvest
to be sealed. Later on, the individuals who hear their testimony during the
great tribulation and pass the test of faith will also be sealed as the 144,000
were sealed. Second, the 144,000 are called firstfruits because they are a
sample of what follows. If barley was presented as a firstfruits offering, the
harvest that followed would, of course, be barley. The 144,000 and the
numberless multitude that come after them will be identical in composition.
These matters will prove to be extremely important when we examine the Jewish
heritage of the 144,000 and the great multitude in Specification #8. One last
comment – when the firstfruits were presented to the High Priest, they became
his property. The parallel is that when the 144,000 are presented to God and
Jesus, our High Priest, they will belong to the Father and the Son. As a
result, they will be highly exalted and they will follow the Lamb wherever He
goes throughout eternity.
The 144,000 Did Not Defile Themselves
“These are those who did not defile themselves with women,
for they kept themselves pure . . .” (Revelation 14:4) Many people read these
words and conclude the 144,000 will be sexually pure. Of course, they will be
sexually pure, but so will everyone else who enters into the holy city! “But
the cowardly, the unbelieving, the vile, the murderers, the sexually immoral,
those who practice magic arts, the idolaters and all liars – their place will
be in the fiery lake of burning sulfur. This is the second death.” (Revelation
21:8, italics mine)
Some people read the phrase, “[they] did not defile
themselves with women, for they kept themselves pure” and conclude the 144,000
will be male virgins. Are women inherently defiling? Of course not! The Bible
says the sexual experience between a man and woman within the confines of
marriage is neither defiling nor immoral. (Genesis 1:28;
1 Corinthians 7:5; Hebrews 13:4) Other people say the
144,000 will be Jewish males that have not been sexually immoral with women.
Look again! This text does not imply the 144,000 will be males! Women can
defile themselves with women! (Compare Leviticus 18:22 with Romans 1:26.)
Certain groups of Christians interpret this verse to mean the 144,000 will be
members of their particular church – which, they believe, is the only church on
Earth possessing the truth about God. This conclusion is based on a faulty understanding
of the harlot’s identity in Revelation 17:5. The Bible says, “This title was
written on her [the harlot’s] forehead: Mystery Babylon the Great the Mother of
Prostitutes and of the Abominations of the Earth.” (insertion and italics mine)
Several Protestant churches believe (or used to believe) the Roman Catholic
Church is the great harlot of Revelation. As such, this makes the Catholic
Church “the mother of prostitutes,” that is, the mother of apostate
Protestantism. Of course, the irony of this view is that advocates are
convinced their church is not a daughter of “the harlot.” Therefore, they
conclude the 144,000 must originate from within their church, which they
believe is the only remaining true church on Earth! As you can see, this view is
completely consistent with the egocentric nature of man’s religion. Every
religious system claims to know God best. The arrogance and ignorance of
religion is difficult to measure.
Beneath the surface, there is a much deeper meaning to the
phrase, “[they] did not defile themselves with women, for they kept themselves
pure.” This phrase is not about sexual immorality; but rather, it is a phrase
describing the devotion of the 144,000 to serve the Lord. Rule Three of
apocalyptic prophecy says that we should examine parallel language in the Bible
to determine the intended meaning of this phrase. In so doing, we will find
this specification to be a superlative statement about the devotion of the
144,000 to the Lord. With this thought in mind, please consider a few words
about God’s original purpose and mission for the twelve tribes of Israel.
God’s Purpose for the Twelve Tribes
When the Lord called Israel out of Egypt, He said, “You
yourselves have seen what I did to Egypt, and how I carried you on eagles’
wings and brought you to myself. Now if you obey me fully and keep my covenant,
then out of all nations you will be my treasured possession. Although the whole
earth is mine, you will be for me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation. . .
.’ ” (Exodus 19:4-6, italics mine) A priest is someone God has appointed to
stand between God and man. (Hebrews 5:1) Israel was to be a kingdom of priests
showing fallen man the love and ways of God. This was God’s plan for Israel,
but His plan never got off the ground. Seven hundred years after Israel left
Egypt, the Lord pleaded with Israel, “I, the Lord, have called you in
righteousness; I will take hold of your hand. [If you will love me and obey me,
I will not destroy you.] I will keep you and will make you to be a covenant for
the people and a light for the Gentiles, to open eyes that are blind [to
truth], to free captives from prison [of sin] and to release from the dungeon
those who sit in [spiritual] darkness.” (Isaiah 42:6, 7, insertions mine) These
words fell on deaf ears and about a hundred years later, God exiled Israel to
Babylon for apostasy. Seven hundred years after the exile, the apostle Paul
elegantly summarized God’s original purpose for the twelve tribes when he said:
“For this is what the Lord has commanded us [the twelve tribes of Israel]: ‘I
have made you a light for the Gentiles, that you may bring salvation to the
ends of the Earth.’ ” (Acts 13:47, insertion mine) We can see from these texts
that God’s plan for Israel did not materialize, and we know from Revelation 7
that 12,000 from each of the twelve tribes will yet accomplish God’s purpose
and mission.
Now that we have briefly reviewed God’s purpose and mission
for the twelve tribes of Israel, we should be able to understand God’s motive
and intent when He declared the following law1: “Do not intermarry with them
[the inhabitants of Canaan]. Do not give your daughters to their sons or take
their daughters for your sons, for they will turn your sons away from following
me to serve other gods, and the Lord’s anger will burn against you and will
quickly destroy you.” (Deuteronomy 7:3, 4, insertion and italics mine) God
declared this law just before the twelve tribes entered the promised land.
Bible history confirms that Israel essentially ignored this law from the start.
Everyone who knows anything about the Old Testament has heard about Samson’s
love for Delilah who was a Philistine, and King Solomon is widely known as “the
man” who had 700 wives and 300 concubines. Notice this text: “King Solomon,
however, loved many foreign women besides Pharaoh’s daughter – Moabites,
Ammonites, Edomites, Sidonians and Hittites. They were from nations about which
the Lord had told the Israelites, ‘You must not intermarry with them, because
they will surely turn your hearts after their gods.’ Nevertheless, Solomon held
fast to them in love. He had seven hundred wives of royal birth and three
hundred concubines, and his wives led him astray.” (1 Kings 11:1-3, italics
mine)
Foreign wives led Solomon astray, and in turn, King Solomon
led Israel into apostasy. Consequently, it became impossible for God to produce
a nation of priests because His people had no interest in accomplishing His
objectives. Israel had abandoned God’s agenda to satisfy its own agenda. About
200 years after Solomon died, God destroyed the ten northern tribes of Israel,
and 100 years after that, He exiled the remaining two tribes to Babylon.
Ironically, God’s wrath against the nation did not terminate Israel’s
intermarriage with foreigners. During the seventy years of Babylonian
captivity, Jewish captives continued to intermarry.
God forbade intermarriage, because He foreknew intermarriage
with foreigners guaranteed Israel’s departure from the purpose and mission for
which they had been chosen. Notice how God’s law against intermarriage has two
sides: From God’s perspective, His law would protect Israel from the wayward
influence of husbands and wives who wanted to serve other gods. From Israel’s
perspective, the law was a detriment to the pursuit of happiness because it
restricted dating and marriage. Who can reason with two young people in love
that they should not marry because there is a law against it? The parents of
Samson tried to reason with him, but they could not overcome his affection (or
should I say, affliction) for Delilah. In short, this is the dilemma of the
carnal nature. God’s laws are based on a comprehensive understanding of good
and evil and His exalted purposes for us. Our rebellion against God is caused
by a heart that is grossly selfish, and our failure to understand the grand
purposes for which we were created.
In the first month of the Jubilee year of 457 B.C., Ezra, a
trusted officer in King Artaxerxes’ court, a priest of Israel and a teacher of
the Law of the God of Heaven, asked the king to issue a decree permitting him
to travel to Jerusalem and finish the reconstruction of the city and the
temple. Ezra was devoted to God’s service and he eagerly wanted to see his
people fulfill God’s will. After a lengthy trip, Ezra arrived in Jerusalem and
he was overwhelmed with the indifferent attitude of the people toward God and
the degenerate condition of Israel. After surveying the situation for himself,
Ezra called for the leaders. “After these things had been done, the leaders
came to me and said, ‘The people of Israel, including the priests and the
Levites, have not kept themselves separate from the neighboring peoples with
their detestable practices, like those of the Canaanites, Hittites, Perizzites,
Jebusites, Ammonites, Moabites, Egyptians and Amorites. They have taken some of
their daughters as wives for themselves and their sons, and have mingled the
holy race with the peoples around them. And the leaders and officials have led
the way in this unfaithfulness.’ When I heard this, I [Ezra] tore my tunic and
cloak, pulled hair from my head and beard and sat down appalled.” (Ezra 9:1-3,
insertion mine)
“Then Shecaniah son of Jehiel, one of the descendants of
Elam, said to Ezra, ‘We have been unfaithful to our God by marrying foreign
women from the peoples around us. But in spite of this, there is still hope for
Israel. Now let us make a covenant before our God to send away all these women
and their children, in accordance with the counsel of my lord [Ezra] and of
those who fear the commands of our God. Let it be done according to the Law. .
. .’ Then Ezra the priest stood up and said to them, ‘You have been unfaithful;
you have married foreign women, adding to Israel’s guilt. Now make confession
to the Lord, the God of your fathers, and do his will. Separate yourselves from
the peoples around you and from your foreign wives.’ The whole assembly
responded with a loud voice: ‘You are right! We must do as you say.’ ” (Ezra
10:2, 3; 10-12, insertion mine)
Now that we have reviewed God’s law about intermarriage,
Israel’s history of apostasy and Ezra’s solution to intermarriage, we are in a
good position to understand the meaning of the phrase, “they did not defile
themselves with women, for they kept themselves pure.” In summary, the 144,000
will not be corrupted by marriage and they will not fall into apostasy because
of their families. The 144,000 will successfully fulfill God’s assignment. They
will not be deterred by marital conflicts or familial rejection. They will not
be compromised. They will fulfill the calling, mission and purpose for which
God ordains them. Perhaps the following A/B parallels will clarify this matter:
When the time came to resume temple services in Ezra’s day,
the priests had a choice of abandoning their foreign wives and children if they
wanted to serve the Lord. As you might expect, this was very painful.
When the call comes to be a servant of the Lord God during
the Great Tribulation, the 144,000 will have a choice to abandon their
unbelieving families to serve the Lord. This will be very painful.
Corporately speaking, Israel never did become “a kingdom of
priests and a holy nation,” “a light to the Gentiles,” or “preachers of
salvation” because the leaders of Israel married foreign women who insisted on
worshiping idols and offering sacrifices to other gods.
As a group, the 144,000 will be scattered all over the
world. Many of them will be married and their spouses may or may not love the
Lord as they do. The phrase, “they did not defile themselves with women, for
they kept themselves pure” means their spouses will not compromise the 144,000.
Their devotion to God will be pure. The 144,000 will, like Abraham, be willing
to slay their only son if God were to command it. This kind of devotion to God
is uncommon. This is why the Bible exalts the 144,000 saying, “they kept
themselves pure – as in pure devotion.” If necessary, the 144,000 will abandon
their families to serve God – and we can be sure that many of the 144,000 will
be abandoned by their families for this reason. Jesus said, “A man’s enemies
will be the members of his own household. Anyone who loves his father or mother
more than me is not worthy of me; anyone who loves his son or daughter more
than me is not worthy of me.”
(Matthew 10:36, 37)
In ancient times, a man could voluntarily “bind” himself to
his king by becoming a eunuch. (Isaiah 56:3) This rather severe and
irreversible procedure arose for two practical reasons: First, the service of
eunuchs was desirable to kings because eunuchs were not encumbered with wives
and familial relationships that could interfere with their work. Eunuchs were
at the disposal of their king at all times and they often held positions of
significant authority. (Acts 8:27) Second, kings knew that eunuchs could not
produce an heir to their throne. Therefore, kings trusted eunuchs to oversee
the most contentious and dangerous part of their kingdom, their harem. (Esther
2:3) Young men counted it an honor and a great privilege to give up their
“right of manhood” if they could be adopted as “barren” sons of the king.
As firstfruits of the harvest, the 144,000 will become the
property of Jesus our High Priest. In this sense, a person could say the
144,000 will be bound like eunuchs to King Jesus. The 144,000 will form a
personal entourage that will attend Jesus wherever He goes. (Revelation 14:4)
The 144,000 will be highly honored throughout eternity because, like their
father Abraham, they exalted the call of God above everything else.
Remember, the subject of the 144,000 is an “iceberg” topic.
On the surface, the phrase says the 144,000 will not be defiled by women,
however, beneath the surface, there is a lot more to this phrase than avoiding
sexual immorality. God’s 144,000 servants, (both men and women according to
Joel 2), will be severely tested. Abraham was severely tested to see if he
loved Isaac more than God. (Genesis 22:2; Hebrews 11:17) Moses was severely
tested to see if he would be willing to be called the son of Pharaoh’s daughter.
(Hebrews 11:24, 25) Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego were severely tested to see
whether they would obey God. (Daniel 3:16-18) Daniel was severely tested to see
if he would continue to pray to God. (Daniel 6:10) Job was severely tested to
see if his faith in God was nonnegotiable. (Job 23:10) Jesus was severely
tested in the wilderness by the devil (Matthew 4:1-11) and He was tempted in
every way as we are. (Hebrews 4:15) The 144,000 will be severely tested to see
if their love for Jesus will endure humiliation and the scorn of rejection.
Once they pass their fiery test, they will be mysteriously transformed within.
This mysterious transformation requires some explanation.
The Mystery of God
“But in the days when the seventh angel is about to sound
his trumpet, the mystery of God will be accomplished, just as he announced to
his servants the prophets.” (Revelation 10:7)
What is the mystery of God mentioned in Revelation 10:7? We
know that it will be completed at the seventh trumpet, but when does it start?
The mystery of God is the sealing and it begins with the 144,000 because
“judgment begins at the house of God.” (1 Peter 4:17) The mystery of God will
be a mysterious transformation that cannot be seen, but the results will be
seen. During the judgment of the living, the carnal nature will be removed from
everyone who receives Jesus as their Savior and passes the test of faith. The
144,000 will be the first people to experience this amazing transformation.
After they have been severely tested and transformed, God will place His seal
on their foreheads indicating a secure and permanent transaction has occurred.
Remember the four uses of seals in the Bible? The seal of God on the 144,000
indicates a finished transformation, a secured position. The 144,000 will be
delivered from the attraction of sin. The sinless and bold behavior of the
144,000 will reflect this stunning transformation. They will speak the truth
without regard to consequences. The Bible says, “No lie was found in their
mouths; they are blameless!” (Revelation 14:5) This is why the mystery of God
(the transformation of man’s nature) cannot be seen, but the results will be
seen and heard.
Consider the following scenario: Because the 144,000 are
declared “firstfruits,” the judgment of the living will begin with the 144,000.
After they are tested and judged, their carnal nature will be mysteriously and
miraculously removed. Then, the 144,000 will be “sealed” with sinless natures –
having no propensity or attraction toward rebellion against God. In fact, they
will have a distinct repulsiveness toward sin. The 144,000 will be the first to
receive what Adam and Eve lost when they sinned. The good news is that each
person who receives the testimony of the 144,000 and passes the test of faith
will also experience “the transforming mystery of God” and receive the seal of
God!
After each person is sealed, the struggle with the carnal
nature will be over! Sin will be repulsive and unnatural. Paul knew this
transition was coming, even though he did not know exactly when. He wrote,
“. . .The time is coming, declares the Lord, when I will
make a new covenant with the [whole] house of Israel [the ten tribes that lived
in the north] and with the house of Judah [the two tribes that lived in the
south]. It will not be like the [bilateral] covenant I made with their
forefathers [in Exodus 19] when I took them by the hand to lead them out of
Egypt, because [of their carnal hearts] they did not remain faithful to my
covenant, and I turned away from [rejected] them, declares the Lord. This is the
[everlasting] covenant I will make with the house [twelve tribes] of Israel
after that time [the years allotted for the duration of sin], declares the
Lord. I will [transform their hearts and minds and] put my laws in their minds
and write them on their hearts [so there will be no rebellion toward me within
their body]. I will be their God, and they will be my people. No longer will a
man teach his neighbor, or a man his brother, saying, ‘Know the Lord,’ because
they will all [personally] know me, from the least of them to the greatest. For
I will forgive their wickedness and will remember their sins no more. By
calling this covenant ‘new,’ He [God] has made the first one obsolete; and what
is obsolete and aging will soon disappear.” (Hebrews 8:8-13, insertions mine)
Demonstration and Proclamation
The gospel of Jesus is more than words. The gospel of Jesus
is a way of life and love. Jesus will use 144,000 servants to “show and tell”
the world what He wants. From the human perspective, we will look at the
144,000 as bold people at first. These ordinary people will prove to be
anything but ordinary after they begin their ministry. Their testimony and
actions will be awesome because they will be transformed by God’s power. All
the money in the world will not be able to buy the seal of God. Jesus will personally
transform and seal one person at a time as they take hold of His promises and
pass the test of faith. Jesus is a personal Savior, as well as our Judge, and
every soul who embraces His teachings will experience His transforming touch.
The 144,000 will be “perfect” reflections of the love of
Jesus. They will be perfect examples of what “Christ in you, the hope of glory”
looks like. (Colossians 1:27) Every person who loves truth, regardless of
religious background, will observe the humble and loving character of the
144,000. Of course, their truthful speech and blameless lives will offend and
infuriate the wicked. Jesus warned His disciples, “Remember the words I spoke
to you: ‘No servant is greater than his master.’ If they persecuted me, they
will persecute you also. If they obeyed my teaching, they will obey yours also.
They will treat you this way because of my name, for they do not know the One
who sent me.” (John 15:20, 21, italics mine)
We have discussed how the 144,000 will be the first among
the living to be judged and mysteriously transformed. We know the 144,000 will
be “sealed” a few days before the Great Tribulation begins. After they are
sealed, the four winds will be released – the judgments of God will begin to
fall. Then, 144,000 prophets of God will boldly and fearlessly proclaim the
terms and conditions for salvation to a world saturated with ignorance and
blinded by religious arrogance. Without regard for the wishes of family members
or personal safety, they will speak the Words of Jesus given to them by the
Holy Spirit. No lie will be found in their mouths. The testimony of the 144,000
will alienate the religious and political leaders of Earth and all of the
wicked. Civil authorities will severely persecute the 144,000, because their
“testimony” will be regarded as “inflamatory speech.” The 144,000 will receive
the brunt of persecution and religious hatred, and so will those people who
receive their testimony. Nevertheless, the whole world will hear “the testimony
of Jesus” through His faithful “servants the prophets” and the end result is
that everyone on Earth will be tested. Everyone on Earth will be put through
this four step process:
Every nation, kindred, tongue and people will hear the terms
and conditions of salvation through the testimony of the 144,000. Everyone will
be informed that Jesus is the Creator and He commands respect and worship on
His holy day.
Revelation 13 indicates the human race will respond to God’s
wrath by creating a crisis government that will attempt to appease God by
mandating worship. Because the laws and penalties enacted by the crisis
government will directly conflict with the laws and penalties of God, everyone
will be forced into a difficult choice. The people of Earth will be forced to
make a decision – submit to Jesus’ authority and suffer Babylon’s persecution
or submit to the authority of Babylon and the devil, and receive God’s seven
last plagues and the loss of eternal life.
Everyone will suffer wrath. Those people who obey the laws
of God will suffer first. Those who obey the laws of man will suffer greatest,
but both groups will suffer. Everyone will be tested with persecution because
persecution exposes our highest allegiance. If we love our lives more than we
love God, persecution will expose this. If we love God more than life,
persecution will expose this, too. Jesus said, “For whoever wants to save his
life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me will find it.” (Matthew
16:25)
Everyone who submits to the authority of God and passes the
test of faith will be mysteriously transformed and sealed with the seal of the
living God. All the people who refuse to obey Jesus will have no choice but to
receive the mark of the beast.
During the Great Tribulation, the gospel of Christ will be
proclaimed with clarity and power. Everyone will make an informed and
intelligent decision with regard to the gospel. The gospel of Christ demands
submission to the King of kings. Many will submit, and twice as many will
rebel. In short, the whole world will be put through a time of severe testing.
(Revelation 3:10)
Paul’s Comments about the Seal of God
The sealing of the firstfruits (144,000) and the numberless
multitude that follows occurs during the appointed time of the end because the
sealing “of the living” is the last phase in the judgment bar of Christ. In
other words, after a person passes the test of faith, that person will be
mysteriously transformed and sealed with the seal of God. When the last saint
is sealed, “the mystery of God” will be completed – just before the seventh
trumpet sounds. (Revelation 10:7)
A certain amount of knowledge existed during New Testament
times about the sealing, but it was not experienced or put in its proper
context. Paul writes about God’s seal and “sealing” in various places and we
need to examine Paul’s views and comments so that his statements can be
prophetically corrected and applied to our day. Before we examine Paul’s
comments on the seal of God, please review the following texts from the New
Testament so that you can appreciate the first century A.D. mind set which Paul
and the apostles had with respect to time and timing. (I have underlined
certain words to emphasize key points.)
The apostle Peter thought he was living at the end of the
world. Notice these verses. On the day of Pentecost in A.D. 30, Peter stood and
said, “These men are not drunk, as you suppose. It’s only nine in the morning!
No, this is what was spoken by the prophet Joel: ‘In the last days, God says, I
will pour out my Spirit on all people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy,
your young men will see visions, your old men will dream dreams.’ ” (Acts
2:15-17) “The end of all things is near. Therefore be clear minded and
self-controlled so that you can pray.” (1 Peter 4:7)
The apostle James thought he was living at the end of the
world. He wrote, “Be patient, then, brothers, until the Lord’s coming. See how
the farmer waits for the land to yield its valuable crop and how patient he is
for the autumn and spring rains. You too, be patient and stand firm, because
the Lord’s coming is near.” (James 5:7, 8)
The apostle John thought he was living at the end of the
world. He wrote, “Dear children, this is the last hour; and as you have heard
that the antichrist is coming, even now many antichrists have come. This is how
we know it is the last hour.” (1 John 2:18)
The apostle Paul thought he was living at the end of the
world. He wrote, “What I mean, brothers, is that the time is short. From now on
those who have wives should live as if they had none.”
(1 Corinthians 7:29)
Paul also wrote, “In the past God spoke to our forefathers
through the prophets at many times and in various ways, but in these last days
he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed heir of all things, and
through whom he made the universe.” (Hebrews 1:1, 2) “For Christ is not entered
into the holy places made with hands, which are the figures of the true; but
into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God for us: Nor yet that
he should offer himself often, as the high priest entereth into the holy place
every year with blood of others; For then must he often have suffered since the
foundation of the world: but now once in the end of the world hath he appeared
to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself.” (Hebrews 9:24-26, KJV) “The night
is nearly over; the day is almost here. So let us put aside the deeds of
darkness and put on the armor of light.” (Romans 13:12)
After reviewing these texts we find unanimous agreement
among the apostles. They believed they were living at the end of the world.
History also records that most, if not all of the apostles, had died or been
put to death by the time John wrote the book of Revelation. My point is the
apostles died without realizing their inaccurate knowledge of God’s timing.
None of them knew the Second Coming would be 2,000 years into the future. Paul
acknowledged this handicap saying, “For we know in part and we prophesy in
part, but when perfection comes, the imperfect disappears.” (1 Corinthians
13:9, 10)
The subject of the seal of God specifically applies to
Paul’s statement, “For we know in part and we prophesy in part. . . .” Paul was
martyred about thirty years before John wrote the book of Revelation. Paul knew
certain things about the mysterious transformation and the sealing, but he did
not know its timing. Therefore, Paul applied what he knew about the sealing in
his day! In a similar way, after reading the book of Hebrews a person could say
that Paul certainly knew about the ministry of Jesus in Heaven’s temple as our
High Priest in the Most Holy Place. The problem though, is that Paul did not
understand the 2,300 days of Daniel 8:14, and he did not know about the time,
times and half a time of the little horn power in Daniel 7:25. Simply stated, Paul
had no idea that the twenty-first century A.D. would take place. Paul and the
apostles understood many parts of God’s plan, but they could not know the
timing or arrangement of these parts because the book of Daniel was sealed
until the appointed time of the end. (Daniel 12:4, 9)
A Sealed Judgment
Consider the following three statements:
At the present time, we know the 144,000 have not been
sealed because the Great Tribulation has not begun. We also know the 144,000
will be sealed before the saints are sealed because the 144,000 will be the
firstfruits of the “end time harvest.”
We know that death seals the records of the dead because the
dead cannot make any more choices, but the living have the power of choice and
opportunities to make choices.
A testing time is not only coming, but it is also necessary.
Jesus will test the living and seal people who love Him and choose to put their
faith in Him. The sealing of the saints will occur during the Great Tribulation
after they have successfully completed the four steps described earlier.
Given these three prophetic matters and Paul’s ignorance of
them, we have to put Paul’s comments on the sealing within the context of what
he believed. The same holds true with Peter on the day of Pentecost; we have to
overlook some of Peter’s statements about timing. Please examine the following
texts (I have inserted some phrases in brackets and emphasized key words with
boldface type):
“Even though I may not be an apostle to others, surely I am
to you! For you are the seal [as in a validating seal – similar to the seal of
a Notary Public] of my apostleship in the Lord.”
(I Corinthians 9:2, insertion mine)
“Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths,
but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that
it may benefit those who listen. And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, with
whom you were sealed [marked as the property of Christ] for the day of
redemption.”
(Ephesians 4:29, 30)
“Now it is God who makes both us and you stand firm in
Christ. He anointed us, set his seal of ownership on us, and put his Spirit in
our hearts as a deposit, guaranteeing what is to come. I call God as my witness
that it was in order to spare you [from rebuke] that I did not return to
Corinth.”
(2 Corinthians 1:21-23, insertions mine)
“And you [Gentiles] also were included in Christ when you
heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation. Having believed, you
were marked in him with a seal [indicating ownership], the promised Holy
Spirit, who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of
those who are God’s possession – to the praise of his glory.” (Ephesians 1:13,
14)
“To them God has chosen to make known among the Gentiles the
glorious riches of this mystery, which [no other religion offers] is Christ in
you, the hope of glory.” (Colossians 1:27)
“In reading this, then, you will be able to understand my
insight into the mystery of Christ, which was not made known to men in other
generations as it has now been revealed by the Spirit to God’s holy apostles
and prophets. This mystery is that through the gospel [of Jesus Christ] the
Gentiles are heirs together with Israel, members together of one body, and
sharers together in the promise in Christ Jesus.” (Ephesians 3:4-6)
These six texts were written by the same man who wrote,
“What I mean, brothers, is that the time is short. From now on those who have
wives should live as if they had none.” (1 Corinthians 7:29) These texts are
presented to demonstrate that Paul could not have used the concept of sealing
in his day as it should be understood in Revelation 7. Paul died thirty years
before John wrote the book of Revelation. However, Paul knew something about
the seal of God and the mysterious transformation that was “near” for the
saints. Notice what he wrote about A.D. 63, “This is the covenant I will make
with the house of Israel after that time, declares the Lord. I will put my laws
in their minds and write them on their hearts. I will be their God, and they
will be my people. No longer will a man teach his neighbor, or a man his
brother, saying, ‘Know the Lord,’ because they will all know me, from the least
of them to the greatest. . . . By calling this covenant ‘new,’ he has made the
first one obsolete; and what is obsolete and aging will soon disappear.”
(Hebrews 8:10-13, italics mine) If we take into account Paul’s mind set and if
we synthesize all that Paul wrote on the seal of God, his comments make sense
even though they are not to be confused with the sealing of the 144,000 in
Revelation 7.
If we selectively use Paul’s comments to support a view that
conflicts with Revelation 7, the Bible appears to be internally contradictory.
The apostle Peter noticed that some people were using Paul’s writings in a
harmful way, so he wrote, “Bear in mind that our Lord’s patience means
salvation, just as our dear brother Paul also wrote you with the wisdom that
God gave him. He writes the same way in all his letters, speaking in them of
these matters. His letters contain some things that are hard to understand,
which ignorant and unstable people distort, as they do the other Scriptures, to
their own destruction.” (2 Peter 3:15, 16, italics mine) Because we know that
Paul’s writings are easy to distort, I have presented several texts to reflect
the sum of Paul’s comments on the sealing. With these texts in mind, let us
look more closely at Paul’s message.
The Early Rain of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost
Jesus knew, from His own experience, that His disciples
could not make headway against the ignorance and arrogance of Judaism without a
manifestation of divine power, because it is not possible for one man to prove
the superiority of his religion over that of another. Religion usually narrows
thinking to a point where reasoning is not possible. Jesus also knew that if
His disciples were left on their own to “grow His church,” they would succumb
to discouragement because laboring for the conversion of others is hard work.
Furthermore, there was a great deal of antagonism against Christianity within
Judaism and this conflict made it almost impossible to have insightful
discussions. Jesus knew that His ministry, teachings and church would evaporate
if left to human prowess. So, “On one occasion [near the time of His
ascension], while He was eating with them, He gave them this command: ‘Do not
leave Jerusalem, but wait for the gift my Father promised, which you have heard
me speak about. . . .’ But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on
you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria,
and to the ends of the Earth.” (Acts 1:4, 8, insertion mine)
The promised power arrived a few days later. On Sunday
morning, May 28, A.D. 30, at the Feast of Pentecost, the Holy Spirit arrived at
just the right moment for several reasons. The Feast of Pentecost in Jerusalem
was a required assembly for the Jews. (Exodus 23:17) Because the Jews had been
scattered into every part of the world by Kings Shalmaneser V and
Nebuchadnezzar in the eighth and sixth centuries B.C. respectively, the Feast
of Pentecost was attended by Jews from all nations and they spoke many diverse
languages. Jesus had been absent from Earth for ten days when this feast
occurred and the disciples were certain that His return would be imminent. In
fact, we have already observed in this segment that all of the apostles
anticipated the end of the world and the establishment of the Kingdom of God
“at any time.” (Matthew 3:1, 2; Acts 1:6)
Jesus sent a display of divine power through the Holy Spirit
at the Feast of Pentecost that morning to (a) awe the worshipers with Holy
Spirit power, (b) to open the minds of the Jews to hear the testimony of His
disciples, and (c) to validate the claims of the disciples that Jesus had risen
from the dead. (This was necessary because of the lies which Jewish leaders had
paid soldiers to spread throughout Jerusalem. Matthew 28:13-15). To make the
testimony of the apostles really remarkable, Jesus gave His disciples the
ability to fluently speak in the foreign languages of those present. (Acts 2:8)
Jews from all parts of the world would be able to hear the gospel of Jesus in
their own language while they were witnessing tongues of fire and a great noise
that sounded like roaring wind. (Acts 2:2, 3)
The Holy Spirit was present and authoritative among members
of the Christian Way until Jerusalem was destroyed in A.D. 70. Miracles were
performed and the Church grew rapidly. The deposit of Holy Spirit power
validated the teachings of the disciples. Consider these twelve notable events
in the first ten chapters of Acts!
Through the Spirit, Peter and John healed a beggar who had
been crippled from birth. (Acts 3)
Peter, made bold by the power of the Holy Spirit, spoke
forcibly. (Acts 4)
Ananias and his wife, Sapphira, were slain by the Spirit for
lying to Peter. (Acts 5)
The apostles were released from jail during the night by an
angel. (Acts 5)
Seven deacons were chosen under the direction of the Holy
Spirit. (Acts 6)
The deacon Stephen performed great signs and wonders. (Acts
6)
Stephen was martyred as his face shone with glory! (Acts 7)
Philip performed signs and wonders. (Acts 8)
Peter and John went to Samaria. The Holy Spirit was poured
out on believers. (Acts 8)
Philip was mysteriously transported to baptize the Ethiopian
eunuch. (Acts 8)
Saul was converted. God used a believer named Ananias to
miraculously restore Saul’s eyesight. (Acts 9)
Cornelius was given a vision. Peter was given a vision.
Peter was sent to the home of the Gentile, Cornelius. The Holy Spirit was
poured out on Gentile believers. (Acts 10)
These twelve events (and I am sure there were hundreds more,
but not recorded in the Bible) are highlighted to show that the early Christian
movement succeeded because the Holy Spirit was active. Without the powerful
manifestations of the Holy Spirit, the Christian movement would have died
during the first century A.D. because religious cultures are opposed to change.
The Holy Spirit at the Great Tribulation
Paul, himself, became a convert to Christianity through a
miraculous conversion. His physical eyesight was restored by a miracle (Acts
9:17) and his spiritual eyesight was corrected by visions from God! (Galatians
1:17, 18) Because the manifestations of the Spirit were frequent and genuine
and because the early church was convinced that Jesus would soon return, early
Christians interpreted the presence of the Holy Spirit among them as God’s seal
of approval. The gift of the Holy Spirit made Christianity the true religion on
Earth. This is why Paul explained the seal of God as he did. The receipt of
Holy Spirit power was the seal (or endorsement) of God, and he was right.
Paul’s view of the sealing perfectly aligns with the thoughts of the other
apostles.
With this information in mind, review these two verses:
“Now it is God who makes both us and you stand firm in
Christ. He anointed us, set his seal of ownership on us, and put his Spirit in
our hearts as a deposit, guaranteeing what is to come. I call God as my witness
that it was in order to spare you [from rebuke] that I did not return to
Corinth.” (2 Corinthians 1:21-23, bolding and insertions mine)
“And you [Gentiles] also were included in Christ when you
heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation. Having believed, you
were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit, who is a deposit
guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God’s
possession – to the praise of his glory.” (Ephesians 1:13, 14, bolding and
insertions mine)
The problem with these texts is that some Christians read
the verses today and they apply Paul’s first century A.D. comments to our
present time. For example, some Pentecostals believe that every person who
genuinely receives Christ will be able to demonstrate the power of the Holy
Spirit in a miraculous way, such as speaking in an unknown tongue, healing a
sick person, handling a poisonous snake or drinking poison. These things are
thought to “validate” one’s rebirth and the receipt of the Holy Ghost. (Mark
16:17, 18)
This view of Mark 16:17, 18 is a distortion of the purpose
and mission of the Holy Spirit. Holy Spirit power was poured out on early
Christians between A.D. 30 and A.D. 70 for the purpose of “jump starting” the
early Christian Church into existence. After Jerusalem was destroyed in A.D.
70, the manifestations of the Holy Spirit began to dissipate because the
Christian Church had become established. It had grown to the point that it
could prosper through the influence and regeneration which the Holy Spirit typically
works in the hearts of people. Of course, the Holy Spirit is at work today, but
not in the powerful and dramatic ways recorded in the book of Acts. This does
not lessen the work of the Holy Spirit! Twenty-seven percent of the world’s
population claim to be Christian because the Holy Spirit is at work! Moreover,
an amazing parallel is just around the corner! The power of the Spirit
witnessed during the first century A.D. will be witnessed during the last
century A.D., but for a different purpose. Please consider this:
Holy Spirit power will be poured out on all flesh during the
great tribulation. The 144,000 will be sealed and the Great Tribulation will
begin. For 1,260 days, God’s servants will proclaim the Word of God with great
power and authority. Signs and wonders will accompany their testimony as in the
days of the apostles. (Acts 14:3) Millions of people will receive Christ
because of the Spirit enabled and Spirit empowered work of the 144,000. As
people submit to the terms and conditions of salvation and pass the test of
faith, they will be sealed just like the 144,000 were sealed. The mystery of
God, the mysterious removal of the carnal nature, will end just before the
seventh trumpet sounds. The problem is that Paul thought he was living at the
end of time, during the time of the sealing, but he was incorrect. The first
people to be sealed will be the 144,000 and their sealing will come soon.
Summary
The 144,000 are called firstfruits in Revelation 14:4
because they will be the first to be sealed. After they are sealed, a great
harvest, a numberless multitude will follow them. The numberless multitude will
be sealed during the seven trumpets of the Great Tribulation. The Bible also
says the 144,000 will not be defiled by women. This means they will be
“married” to their calling, to the service of Jesus, and His call will separate
them from their families. They will not be compromised or distracted by familial
relations. The 144,000 will be severely tested before they are sealed. The
Bible does not indicate how they will be tested, but we can be sure that Jesus
will test His servants with the same fiery processes that He has used down
through the ages. Because we know something about the life and death tests
facing the saints during the Great Tribulation, we can be sure that Jesus will
appropriately test the 144,000 for the challenges they will face on His behalf.
At just the right time in Earth’s history, Jesus will select 12,000 people from
each of the twelve tribes and these “servants” will faithfully respond.
Earlier in this segment, we learned that seals were used in
four different ways in ancient times. Notice how these uses apply to the
sealing that is coming:
Seals were used in ancient times to certify the authenticity
of a document or transaction. (Esther 8:8, Jeremiah 32:10) The seal of God will
certify the authenticity of the 144,000 as His servants.
Seals were used in ancient times to prevent tampering or
change. (Daniel 6:17; Matthew 27:65, 66) After they are sealed, the 144,000 and
the saints will be secure from the attraction of the carnal nature.
Seals were used in ancient times to show approval and
ownership. (John 6:27; 2 Corinthians 1:22) The power of the Holy Spirit will
rest on the 144,000 and this power will confirm they are God’s prophets.
Seals were used as locks in ancient times to secure property
or secrets. (Daniel 12:4; Revelation 5:1) After the carnal nature is removed
and God’s people are restored to the pre-fall condition of Adam and Eve, the
seal of God will secure their sinless nature.
Hopefully, you have an idea of how all four uses of seals
will apply to God’s people during the end time!
Specification #4 –
The 144,000 Will be Numbered
Three important distinctions between the 144,000 and the
numberless multitude that many people overlook are outlined in verses 9-17.
The 144,000 are numbered and the numberless multitude cannot
be counted. This feature indicates there will be two distinct groups of people
living during the end time, a small group of prophets and a large group of
saints. (We have already examined John’s distinction between prophets and
saints in specification #1.)
The Bible indicates the 144,000 will be the firstfruits of
the harvest. The Bible also indicates the 144,000 will be God’s “servants the
prophets” during the Great Tribulation. The Bible says the numberless multitude
in Revelation 7 will consist of people who came out of the Great Tribulation.
Notice this end time specification: “Then one of the elders asked me, ‘These in
white robes – who are they, and where did they come from?’ I answered, ‘Sir,
you know.’ And he said, ‘These are they who have come out of the great
tribulation; they have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of
the Lamb.’ ” (Revelation 7:13, 14, italics mine) Since the numberless multitude
in Revelation 7 is an end time group of saints (and not a group of saints from
all ages) and since the numberless multitude will come from all nations,
kindreds, tongues and people, they have to be the end time harvest, because the
144,000 are the firstfruits of this harvest.
The third rule of apocalyptic prophecy does not allow the
number 144,000 to be symbolic. Rule Three requires the Bible to define the
meaning of a symbol if a prophetic element is thought to be symbolic. In other
words, if the number, 144,000, is a symbolic number, the Bible has to define
the meaning of the symbol. We cannot make up our own meanings to symbols. There
are no symbolic numbers in the Bible. God does not use one number to represent
another number. Numbers can be used in analogous ways (Psalm 91:7), and numbers
can be translated according to the Jubilee calendar (Rule Four of apocalyptic
prophecy), but numbers themselves are always literal. Consider the math in this
case: 12,000 people are sealed from each of the twelve tribes and this produces
a literal total of 144,000 people.
After the Second Coming
The following verses describe a wonderful scene that occurs
after the Second Coming. John saw a numberless multitude of saints, who came
out of the great tribulation, standing before the throne of God. Please review
the following verses from the KJV (I have inserted some clarifying text in
brackets and italicized a few words for emphasis):
“After this [the sealing of the 144,000] I beheld, and, lo,
a great multitude, which no man could number, of all nations, and kindreds, and
people, and tongues, stood before the throne, and before the Lamb, clothed with
white robes, and palms in their hands; And cried with a loud voice, saying,
‘Salvation [belongs] to our God which sitteth upon the throne, and unto the
Lamb [for we are unworthy of this great reward].’ And all the angels stood
round about the throne, and about the elders and the four beasts, and fell
before the throne on their faces, and worshiped God, Saying, Amen: [Yes!,
everything belongs to God and the Lamb] Blessing, and glory, and wisdom, and
thanksgiving, and honor, and power, and might, be unto our God for ever and
ever. Amen.”
“And one of the [24] elders answered, saying unto me, ‘What
are these which are arrayed in white robes? and whence came they?’ And I said
unto him, ‘Sir, thou knowest.’ And he said to me, ‘These are they which came
out of [the] Great Tribulation, and have washed their robes, and made them
white in the blood of the Lamb. Therefore are they before the throne of God,
and serve him day and night in his temple: and he that sitteth on the throne
shall dwell among them.’ ”
“[Because these particular saints experienced hunger and
thirst during the Great Tribulation,] They shall hunger no more, neither thirst
any more; neither shall the sun light on them, nor any heat. For the Lamb which
is in the midst of the throne shall feed them, and shall lead them unto living
fountains of waters: and God shall wipe away [their memories of suffering and]
all tears from their eyes.” (Revelation 7:9-17, KJV)
Summary
In keeping with the distinction between saints and prophets,
Revelation 7 describes two groups of people who will live during the Great
Tribulation. The prophets are numbered and the saints are numberless. A
numberless multitude will be saved out of all nations and cultures during the
Great Tribulation. The 144,000 will be sealed first (before the Great
Tribulation begins) and the saints that receive their testimony will be sealed
during the Great Tribulation.
Specification #5 –
The 144,000 Will Endure the Suffering of Christ
This specification is not often discussed, because it is
poorly understood. The Bible indicates that the 144,000 will experience and
successfully endure the sufferings of Christ. The highest honor that God can
bestow on the followers of Jesus is to allow us to experience the sufferings of
Christ. This concept may sound strange at first, so please consider the nature
and purpose of Christ’s suffering for us. Paul wrote, “In bringing many sons to
glory, it was fitting that God, for whom and through whom everything exists,
should make the author of their salvation perfect through suffering. Both the
one who makes men holy and those who are made holy are [members] of the same
family. So Jesus is not ashamed to call them brothers.” (Hebrews 2:10, 11,
insertion and italics mine)
The word “fellowship” is defined as two or more people
having the same experience or said in the vernacular, two or more people “in
the same boat.” When we suffer for Jesus, we enter into fellowship with Jesus.
He becomes our brother in suffering and we become connected to Jesus in an
intimate way that words cannot adequately express. There is no stronger bond
than brotherhood through suffering. Men and women who have not been on the
battlefield find it hard to understand or appreciate the brotherhood that develops
among warriors. You have to experience it to understand it. It is a very
powerful thing, and I have seen it with my own eyes.
Amazingly, people from different backgrounds and different
cultures can be thrown together in an infantry unit during a war, and over the
course of time, they become “one” in purpose, plan and action. Of course, they
recognize each other’s strengths and weaknesses and they know each other’s
faults, but these things do not matter because a powerful bond of love springs
up. When men become willing to lay down their life for each other, a union
forms that cannot be broken. This is a phenomenon that, if experienced, is
never forgotten. Though separated by thousands of miles and decades without
communication, comrades never forget the sacrifices made by their brothers. I
have seen many veterans reduced to tears when interviewed about their war
experiences. This emotion involuntarily rises because through the deepest bonds
of love, they are forever connected to their “brothers in battle.” This
brotherhood, forged in the heat of battle, partially explains the great love
that existed between David and Jonathan. (1 Samuel 18:3)
The brotherhood of suffering with Jesus is presented in this
segment because the 144,000 will form a powerful bond of love for Jesus through
their suffering for Christ. We have already learned they will be called on to
give up their closest human ties, as necessary, to serve the Lord. As prophets
of God, the 144,000 will face the wrath of the devil and his demons, not to
mention persecution and torture by wicked people who hate the ways of God.
Jesus said, “Anyone who loves his father or mother more than me is not worthy
of me; anyone who loves his son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me;
and anyone who does not take his cross and follow me is not worthy of me.
Whoever finds his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake
will find it.” (Matthew 10:37-39)
Because of their steadfast devotion to Jesus, the 144,000
will lose everything they own – their family, their possessions, their respect
in their community, and like the apostle Paul, their self-worth, to glorify
Jesus. In the heat of battle, they will become “one” with Jesus in purpose,
plan and action. This is why the 144,000 will serve as “priests” throughout
ages to come. They will fearlessly go to their death for the cause of Christ
when necessary. Because of their devotion and fidelity to Jesus, the 144,000
will be honored above the rest of the redeemed. No one else, not even the
twelve apostles, will be able to sing their song. “And they sang a new song
before the throne and before the four living creatures and the elders. No one
could learn the song except the 144,000 who had been redeemed from the Earth.”
(Revelation 14:3) Because they will share in the sufferings of Jesus, the
144,000 will be closest to Jesus. They will literally wear the names of the
Father and the Lamb in their foreheads (signifying their exalted position) and
they will attend Jesus wherever He goes. (Revelation 14:4)
Two Levels of Suffering
Jesus suffered on two levels for our salvation. First, in
the physical dimension, Jesus was treated with contempt; He was mocked, denied
justice, flogged and crucified. Ironically, Jesus died on the cross because of
man’s hatred and God’s love. Men hated Jesus because they could not tolerate
the truth about God, so they “attempted” to murder Jesus on the cross. On the
other hand, God loved the world so much that He was willing to give us Jesus as
an atonement for sin. Jesus did not die at the hands of men, even though that
was their intent. The Father took the life of the Son after Jesus gave it to
Him. (Luke 23:46) Never in the Bible is Jesus called the “Lamb of man.” Jesus
was the sacrificial Lamb of God. The Father provided the Lamb for our salvation
and the Father took the life which the Lamb willingly gave up. The Son of God
died at and in the hands of the Father. This truth was powerfully demonstrated
when Abraham was required to offer the love of his life, Isaac, on Mount
Moriah. (Genesis 22:2)
Deeper Level
The second level of Jesus’ suffering is more difficult to
explain. Jesus suffered within His soul to the point that He would have died in
the Garden of Gethsemane if an angel had not strengthened Him. The Bible says
His perspiration was like great drops of blood. (Luke 22:43, 44) Of course, the
prospect of death on a cross was part of Jesus’ anguish in the garden, but
Roman history tells us that thousands of people were hung on crosses in that
era. Therefore, Christ’s anguish concerning the cross was similar to the
anguish which the two thieves must have felt. Jesus broke into a sweat like
blood and would have died in the garden because He was made deathly ill by the
presence and power of sin. “God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so
that in him we might become the righteousness of God.” (2 Corinthians 5:21)
Please consider this text: “During the days of Jesus’ life
on Earth, he offered up prayers and petitions with loud cries and tears to the
one who could save him from death, and he was heard because of his reverent
submission. Although he was a son, he learned obedience from what he suffered
and, once made perfect, he became the source of eternal salvation for all who
obey him.” (Hebrews 5:7-9) Twice in the book of Hebrews, Paul indicates that
Jesus was “made perfect” through suffering! The Greek word for perfect,
teleioo, means mature, completed or finished. Of course, Jesus was perfect
having no sin or rebellion from birth. He never sinned! (Hebrews 4:15) So, how
could Jesus be “made perfect” through suffering?
Suffering is a powerful force that drives a human being into
rebellion or submission. I would venture that many of the people in prison
today are there because of suffering that began in childhood. The carnal nature
hates suffering. Suffering produces anger and anger predisposes people to rebel
against authority in general and humanity in particular. On the other hand,
pain has been used for centuries to force people into submission. Since wicked
people are not interested in a system of justice, torture is their best tool
because it is a powerful force that drives a human being toward submission. A
sinless Jesus was born into “a world of suffering” so He could demonstrate the
importance of being perfected through patient suffering. We cannot totally
appreciate the sufferings of Christ at the deeper level because our carnal
nature has not been removed, but this will change.
Sin was grossly offensive to Christ’s sinless nature.
Patiently living among sinners and dealing with the selfishness, blindness and
arrogance of the human heart was very hard – even for Jesus. However, Jesus was
made perfect in patience through suffering. He faced the tenacious power and
degenerate influence of sin every day. Jesus learned how to receive grace from
God as it was needed each day, and this is how suffering perfected His
patience. Patience is how Abraham and Sarah failed when they decided Abraham
should have a son by Hagar. Patience is how Moses failed when he killed the
Egyptian. He had to spend forty years herding sheep in the wilderness before
God could use him. Patience is how Moses failed when he struck the rock twice
and God refused to let Moses enter the promised land. Patience is the hardest
thing on Earth to perfect! Through faith in God and patience in suffering,
Jesus overcame the world. The plan of salvation was perfectly “worked out”
because Jesus patiently submitted to the Father’s will each day.
James wrote, “Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever
you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith
develops perseverance. Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be
mature and complete [perfect], not lacking anything.” (James 1:2-4, insertion
mine) The 144,000 will suffer physically, emotionally and spiritually because
of the presence and power of sin. They will suffer most because (a) they will
be the first to be sealed, and (b) they will have an overwhelming task to
accomplish. Because they will have sinless natures, it will be painful for them
to deal with the power and presence of sin. The irony is that God’s prophets
will love sinners, but they will hate the bondage of sin which controls their
listeners! The challenge of the 144,000 during the Great Tribulation will be to
lead people to suffer Babylon’s wrath for Christ’s sake, so that the carnal
nature can be removed! Their burden for souls, their frustration with the power
of sin, and their love for Jesus and sinners will cause deep anguish within the
144,000. They will agonize, as Jesus did in Gethsemane, for strength to fulfill
God’s will. Like the shepherd looking for that one lost sheep, the 144,000 will
exhaust every physical and emotional fiber in their being to find one last soul
so that person can be saved from the jaws of sin.
Summary
John indicates that many, if not all, of the 144,000 will be
killed “because of the Word of God and the testimony they maintained.” We also
know that millions of saints will be killed during the great tribulation
because of their faithfulness to Jesus. This is why Jesus said, “If anyone is
to go into captivity, into captivity he will go. If anyone is to be killed with
the sword, with the sword he will be killed. This calls for patient endurance
and faithfulness on the part of the saints.” (Revelation 13:10) This text
epitomizes Jesus’ experience: patience and faithfulness. Because the 144,000
will faithfully endure the sufferings of Jesus with success, no other person
will be able to sing their song. “Here is the patience of the saints: here are
they that keep the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus.” (Revelation
14:12, KJV)
Specification #6 –
No Lie Will be Found in the Mouths of the 144,000
The sixth specification concerning the 144,000 is that no
lie or falsehood will be found in their mouths. (Revelation 14:5) Again, the
topic of the 144,000 is like an iceberg – one third of this topic is above the
water line and two-thirds are below. This particular specification goes far
below the water line. Consider this text: “But the cowardly, the unbelieving,
the vile, the murderers, the sexually immoral, those who practice magic arts,
the idolaters and all liars – their place will be in the fiery lake of burning
sulfur. This is the second death.” (Revelation 21:8) This verse indicates that
no liar will enter the kingdom of 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. God’s prophets will be empowered to speak and
they will present the demands of the sovereign Jesus to the people of Earth.
Now, it is one thing to get angry and to “let loose” in the heat of the moment,
but it is quite another to have to stand before hostile groups of people and
tell them things they do not want to hear – day after day! The 144,000 will
polarize the people of Earth with their speech. People who love truth will
follow their lead. People who hate truth will produce every reason why the
144,000 should be silenced. The 144,000 will fearlessly declare the Word of God
regardless of personal consequences. Because they will not take up arms to
fight and because they will not run from their post, their brazen actions will
be stunning and relentless.
When the Pharisees and Sadducees went out in the desert to
see John the Baptist, pretending to be interested in his revival message, John
quickly detected their hypocrisy and deceit. They were not interested in his
message, they were spies sent from the temple. The Bible says, “But when he saw
many of the Pharisees and Sadducees coming to where he was baptizing, he said
to them: ‘You brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the coming wrath?
Produce fruit in keeping with repentance.’ ” (Matthew 3:7, 8) No doubt, those
Pharisees and Sadducees were embarrassed, but they could not do anything about
his remarks because they were outnumbered. John the Baptist was to the first
advent what the 144,000 will be to the second advent. The 144,000 will not
blunt the double edged sword of truth by compromising their message. The Great
Tribulation will not be a time for soft peddling the gospel. That day will be a
valley of decision for multitudes. The 144,000 will cry out, “. . . Prepare ye
the way of the Lord, make his paths straight.” (Matthew 3:3)
Hopefully, a picture is forming in your mind and heart. The
Bible exalts the integrity and honesty of the 144,000 saying, “No lie was found
in their mouths; they are blameless,” because they will be faithful
spokespersons. They will deliver the testimony of Jesus without concern for
their safety. They will proclaim the terms and conditions of salvation and
their message will not be compromised or varnished. They will openly call sin
by its right name and the Holy Spirit will work signs and wonders through them,
confirming their divine message. Looking forward at their fiery assignment,
these words in Revelation 22 will be particularly potent because there will be
many who will reject or attempt to deflect their testimony. “I warn everyone
who hears the words of the prophecy of this book: If anyone adds anything to
them, God will add to him the plagues described in this book. And if anyone
takes words away from this book of prophecy, God will take away from him his
share in the tree of life and in the holy city, which are described in this
book.” (Revelation 22:18, 19)
Specification #7 –
The 144,000 Will Wear the Names of the Father and Son
The Bible says the 144,000 will visibly wear the names of
the Father and Son on their foreheads after they are taken to Heaven.
(Revelation 14:1; Revelation 22:3, 4) John does not indicate the names of the
Father and Son are written on crowns which are worn on their foreheads,
although that might be possible. I prefer to view John’s comments as though the
144,000 will have the signatures of the Father and the Lamb, as medals of
honor, literally written on their foreheads. The names of the Father and Son
will indicate their high rank in God’s government throughout eternity. Notice
these two texts:
“Then I looked, and there before me was the Lamb, standing
on Mount Zion, and with him 144,000 who had his name and his Father’s name
written on their foreheads.” (Revelation 14:1)
“No longer will there be any curse. The throne of God and of
the Lamb will be in the city, and his servants will serve him. They will see
his face, and his name will be on their foreheads.” (Revelation 22:3, 4)
There are levels of authority in Heaven. For example, there
are seven powerful angels that stand before God. (Revelation 8:2) We know that
Gabriel is a highly exalted angel and he stands in God’s presence.
(Luke 1:19) We know that Lucifer was anointed as a guardian
cherub and he wore beautiful stones signifying his high rank. (Ezekiel 28:13,
14) The 144,000 will also be highly exalted after they are taken to Heaven.
Their exalted position will be noticed every time we look on their faces.
We have a similar way of exalting authority on Earth.
Military officers have worn their rank on their foreheads (hats and helmets)
for centuries. Field grade officers in the United States military are
distinguished above lower grades by the gold webbing that is located on the
brims of their hats. This gold webbing is designed to be visible at a distance
because a field grade officer merits a higher level of attention and respect
from his subordinates.
Many Christians tend to overlook the importance of the names
of the Father and Son written on the foreheads of the 144,000. This
specification is highly important because there is an evil parallel. The Bible
indicates the devil will establish his kingdom on Earth during the sixth
trumpet. After killing one-third of mankind, he will require his loyal
survivors to wear a mark. Ordinary people will wear a tattoo showing “666″ on
their right hand, but the “exalted” leaders of Lucifer’s government will wear the
devil’s name tattooed on their foreheads! Notice this text: “He also forced
everyone, small and great, rich and poor, free and slave, to receive a mark on
his right hand or on his forehead, so that no one could buy or sell unless he
had the mark, which is the name of the beast or the number of his name. This
calls for wisdom. If anyone has insight, let him calculate the number of the
beast, for it is man’s number. His number is 666.” (Revelation 13:16-18,
italics mine) The mark of the beast is both a number or a name. The mark of the
beast is worn on the right hand or on the forehead. The parallel is obvious.
Satan will counterfeit the 144,000 with 144,000 of his own servants. The
counterfeits will wear the devil’s name tattooed on their forehead. Of course,
the 144,000 will not wear the signatures of the Father and Son on their
foreheads before they go to Heaven, but they will be highly exalted after they
get to Heaven for declaring the truth about the devil and his deceptions under
most distressing circumstances. Throughout eternity, the saints will see the
144,000 and each time we see them, we will remember their total devotion and
sacrifices for the calling of Jesus.
Specification #8 –
The 144,000 Will be Jews Descended From Abraham
Note: If, out of curiosity, you have jumped over the other
specifications to read this one first, I hope you will be sure to read the
other seven specifications in their order because there is a progressive order
to this presentation on the 144,000.
The Bible clearly indicates that the 144,000 will be Jews,
coming from the twelve tribes of Israel. Revelation 7:5-8 says, “From the tribe
of Judah 12,000 were sealed, from the tribe of Reuben 12,000, from the tribe of
Gad 12,000, from the tribe of Asher 12,000, from the tribe of Naphtali 12,000,
from the tribe of Manasseh 12,000, from the tribe of Simeon 12,000, from the
tribe of Levi 12,000, from the tribe of Issachar 12,000, from the tribe of
Zebulun 12,000, from the tribe of Joseph 12,000, from the tribe of Benjamin
12,000.” Understandably, these verses give some people the idea that the
144,000 will come from the “Jewish race.” Before we examine this issue, we need
to look at three texts. There is an important difference between being a member
of the Jewish race and being a Jew.
“A man is not a Jew if he is only one outwardly, nor is
circumcision merely outward and physical. No, a man is a Jew if he is one
inwardly; and circumcision is circumcision of the heart, by the Spirit, not by
the written code. Such a man’s praise is not from men, but from God.” (Romans
2:28, 29)
“In reading this, then, you will be able to understand my
insight into the mystery of Christ, which was not made known to men in other
generations as it has now been revealed by the Spirit to God’s holy apostles
and prophets. This mystery is that through the gospel the Gentiles are heirs
together with Israel, members together of one body, and sharers together in the
promise in Christ Jesus.” (Ephesians 3:4-6, italics mine)
“If you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham’s seed
[Greek: sperma], and heirs according to the promise.” (Galatians 3:29,
insertion mine)
With these texts in mind, please consider the following ten
paragraphs:
God called Abraham to leave his home in Ur of the Chaldees
and travel to a land that He would give to Abraham and his descendants.
(Genesis 12) When Abraham arrived in the land, God made an unconditional
promise to Abraham that his descendants would inherit the land for generations
to come. (Genesis 13:15; 15:18-21) Centuries later, God honored His promise and
gave the land of Canaan to the twelve tribes of Israel at the time of the
Exodus. (Exodus 12)
While in the wilderness, God informed Israel that even
though they would possess the land of Canaan, it would not belong to them.
(Leviticus 25:23) They were granted the privilege of living in the land for as
long as they obeyed the Lord. If they chose to rebel against the Lord, He
promised to evict them from the land. (Leviticus 18:28; 26:33, 34) Knowing they
would eventually be evicted from the land, God also promised to restore them to
the land of Canaan if they would repent of their sins while in exile.
(Leviticus 26:40-42)
Over the course of centuries, Israel repeatedly rebelled
against God. (Ezekiel 23) In fact, Israel defiantly refused to fulfill the
purpose for which God had separated them from all other nations! (Exodus 19)
So, God had the ten tribes in the northern part of the country evicted by
Shalmaneser V in 722 B.C.
(2 Kings 17) and the two tribes in the southern part of the
country were evicted by Nebuchadnezzar in 605 B.C. (2 Kings 24)
Near the end of the seventy years in Babylonian captivity,
the prophet Daniel confessed the sins of his people and he asked God to fulfill
the words of Jeremiah (Jeremiah 25:11, 12) by restoring the nation of Israel to
its homeland. (Daniel 9:1-23) God heard Daniel’s prayer and responded according
to the provisions stated in His covenant. (Leviticus 26:40-42) God granted
Israel a measure of time, seventy weeks, to “straighten up” and prepare for the
appearing of Messiah. (Daniel 9:24) The decree that marked the beginning of the
Seventy Weeks, issued by the Persian King, Artaxerxes, was in the Jubilee year
of 457 B.C. (Ezra 7)
According to the prophecy in Daniel 9, Jesus arrived on
time. He was baptized at the beginning of the seventieth week (A.D. 27) and He
died in the middle of the seventieth week, the Wednesday year of A.D. 30.
Because Israel had fallen into defiant apostasy again, they rejected and
crucified the Messiah. (Luke 23, Acts 3)
Because Israel rejected Messiah, God put a new plan in
place. I call this new covenant, “Plan B.” “Plan B” was made better than “Plan
A” for several reasons. (Hebrews 8:6) For one, God redefined Israel under “Plan
B” to consist of everyone who received Jesus as Lord and Master. (John 1:12;
3:16; 13:13, KJV)
The disciples heard Jesus annul God’s covenant with
biological Israel (Matthew 23:37-39) and they heard Jesus implement a new
covenant that was based on submission to the authority of Jesus – as opposed to
the authority of Moses. (Luke 22:20) In essence, the followers of Jesus
received “the trusteeship of preaching the gospel” that once belonged to the
Jews. (Acts 13)
After the outpouring of Holy Spirit power at the Feast of
Pentecost (Acts 2), early Christians came to understand that a “new Israel” had
been raised to replace “old Israel.” The new Israel consisted of believers in
Christ. In fact, the apostle James called early Christians, “the twelve tribes
of Israel.” “James, a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ, To the
twelve tribes scattered among the nations: Greetings. . . . My brothers, as
believers in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ, do not show favoritism.” (James
1:1, 2:1)
God revealed to Peter and the apostle Paul that in His
sight, there is neither Jew nor Gentile anymore. However, His unconditional
covenant to Abraham still remains, and everyone who receives Christ as his or
her Savior will be counted as the offspring of Abraham. (Galatians 3 and 4;
Ephesians 2 and 3) God also made it clear that in His sight, a Jew (a chosen
person) is not determined by biological birth or physical circumcision. (Romans
2:28, 29; Romans 9:6) Instead, the twelve tribes consist of people who have
faith in God and a circumcised heart (Jeremiah 4:4; Romans 2:29), as did
Abraham their father
(John 8:39). The bottom line is that the only people going
to Heaven are those who lived as Abraham did – by faith! Thus, all Israel will
be saved in the end because Israel consists of believers! (Romans 11:26)
Because believers in Christ have been “grafted in” to the promises made to
Abraham, God’s promise will be fulfilled. (Romans 10 and 11)
After Earth is purified by fire at the end of the thousand
years (Revelation 20), the Holy City will descend to Earth. (Revelation 21) It
is so large that it will encompass the whole land of Canaan! (Revelation 21:16)
The Promised Land will be located inside the Holy City! When the Holy City
descends, two wonderful promises will be fulfilled. The heirs of Abraham will
inherit the undefiled land of Canaan forever (“Blessed are the meek, for they
shall inherit the Earth” Matthew 5:5) and Abraham will actually live within the
city that he longed to see: “For he [Abraham] was looking forward to the city
with foundations, whose architect and builder is God.”
(Hebrews 11:10)
The bottom line is this: The 144,000 will be descendants of
Abraham! But, the 144,000 will not necessarily be members of the Jewish race.
The 144,000 will come from every race of people! Furthermore, the Bible says
the numberless multitude that go through the great tribulation will come from
all nations, kindreds, tongues and people. God promised Abraham that he would
be the father of many nations and Revelation 7 affirms this! Because the
numberless multitude will be multinational, the firstfruits of the same harvest
(the 144,000) will be multinational. Remember, firstfruits are a sample of the
coming harvest!
Summary
There is no question that the 144,000 will come from the
twelve tribes of Israel. The problem that many Christians do not understand is
the identity of Israel. The New Testament teaches that God redefined Israel at
the end of the seventieth week when it became evident that Israel would not
accept His Son and fulfill their calling as a holy nation of priests. When the
seventy weeks expired, the apostle Paul was converted (A.D. 34). Through the
revelations God gave him, we have confirmation of this truth. Many Bible
writers point to the redefinition of Israel. God made several unconditional
covenants with Abraham, and He will keep them. Israel’s rejection of Messiah
has not thwarted God; instead, it has made Him more determined to gloriously
fulfill everything He promised. Therefore, everyone who puts faith in Jesus is
declared Abraham’s seed, and as such, we become heirs to the promise!
Closing Statements
We have examined eight specifications about the 144,000. I
have presented the following conclusions:
The 144,000 will be men and women. They will be spokespeople
for God during the Great Tribulation.
The Great Tribulation will begin immediately after they are
selected and sealed.
The 144,000 will be the first to have their carnal natures
mysteriously removed. Their devotion to Jesus will not be compromised by family
relations.
As firstfruits, the 144,000 are numbered. They are set apart
from the numberless multitude, the end time harvest, which is the fruit of
their labor.
The 144,000 will experience and endure the sufferings of
Christ. No one else will be able to sing their song.
The 144,000 will not compromise the words that Jesus gives
them to speak. They will speak the truth without regard for the consequences.
The 144,000 will visibly wear the names of the Father and
Son on their foreheads throughout eternity.
The 144,000 will be Jews, the seed of Abraham, heirs of the
promise through Christ.
Additional Notes on Chapter 11
Through the years, I have been asked various questions about
the 144,000 that you may want to consider.
What is the significance of selecting 144,000 people from
the twelve tribes?
God made some amazing promises to Abraham because God loved
this man of faith. For example, God promised Abraham that through him, all the
nations of Earth would be blessed. 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)
God told the biological descendants of Abraham that they
were to be trustees of the gospel and a nation of priests. (Exodus 19) The
apostle Paul and every Pharisee knew this. Paul said, “For this is what the
Lord has commanded us: ‘I have made you a light for the Gentiles, that you may
bring salvation to the ends of the Earth.’ ” (Acts 13:47) When Israel failed to
live up to the terms and conditions of the covenant, God abandoned the
biological family of Abraham for a family of people who believed in Messiah.
This may sound harsh, but this was not the first time God did this. God
destroyed the first generation that came out of Egypt by keeping them in the
wilderness for forty years so that another group of people could enter the
promised land. God destroyed the city of Jerusalem through Nebuchadnezzar so
that He could raise another group of people. Later on, God destroyed Jerusalem
again through Titus in A.D. 70 so that He could raise another group of people.
The point is that God keeps destroying the rebellious and raising up another
group of people to accomplish His promises. God raised up the Christian Church
and it rebelled just like Israel. God raised up Protestants, and they have
rebelled just like Israel. This is why God will select and empower 12,000
individuals from each tribe at the end. He will use a group of people that have
nothing in common but a heart of faith. By incorporating the twelve tribes into
Revelation 7, God indicates that He is honoring the original promises He made
to Abraham! The identity of the twelve tribes is unknown and unseen today. This
is not a problem because God knows who His children are. Jesus said, “I am the
good shepherd; I know my sheep and my sheep know me – just as the Father knows
me and I know the Father – and I lay down my life for the sheep. I have other
sheep that are not of this sheep pen. I must bring them also. They too will
listen to my voice, and there shall be one flock and one shepherd.” (John
10:14-16)
Psychologists say there are four basic personalty traits:
sanguine, melancholy, choleric and phlegmatic. Each person has a dominant trait
and recessive traits. The combinations of traits are said to produce twelve
personality groups. Perhaps the redeemed will be grouped according to
personality type because each of Jacob’s sons had unique personality
characteristics and Jacob blessed his sons accordingly. (See Genesis 49 and 1
Chronicles 4:21, 23.) If the twelve tribes reflect personality types, then God
can use all twelve personality types to reach the diverse people of Earth
because no one personality type is acceptable to everyone.
The Bible says the Holy City, New Jerusalem, has twelve
gates and twelve foundations. Each gate bears the name of a tribe and each
foundation bears the name of an apostle. (Revelation 21:12, 14) These features
are quite revealing. The twelve foundations of the Holy City bear the names of
the twelve apostles because the gospel of Christ was built on the Rock of Ages
by the apostles! The twelve gates into the city are portals named after the
twelve tribes because each gate could be an entry point for each personality
type. Twelve different groups of firstfruits, 12,000 servants from each tribe,
will lead their kinsmen through their respective gate to God’s throne! Our
family structure in Heaven will be our tribe. Everyone will belong to a tribe!
Everyone will belong to a wonderful family!
Why does God choose 144,000 people and ignore the religious
systems of the world?
This is a good question. 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:
The glory of doing the impossible, proclaiming the gospel to
the whole world in 1,260 days belongs to God, not man.
The seven religious systems of the world are corrupt. They
cannot and do not speak for God. They can neither correctly explain the
everlasting gospel, nor can they properly explain the plans and purposes of God
for the Great Tribulation.
Most people agree that God does not save people because of
church affiliation. Salvation is not gained through membership in an
organization. In fact, if God was going to use a religious organization to
proclaim the everlasting gospel during the end time, church affiliation would
prove to be an insurmountable problem. Consider the human trait called
prejudice. You and I both know that some people would rather die and go to hell
than to join another church or even worse, join the church of someone who has
offended them. For example, let us suppose that God looked down on Earth and
declared a particular sect within the Moslem faith to have the truth for the
end time. How many Catholics, Jews and Protestants do you think would join with
Moslems in order to be saved? Now turn the table around and ask yourself, how
many Catholics, Jews, Protestants and Moslems would join your church?
God will not save a person because his biological
great-grandfather was Abraham, Job or Daniel. The Lord has made it very clear
in the book of Ezekiel that a person’s ancestry has nothing to do with their
salvation! (Ezekiel 14:18; 18:4-28; Matthew 3:9) God has no grandchildren.
Every child of God has to be born again.
A major obstacle that prevents God from using established
religions during the end time is that one man cannot prove the superiority of
his religion over that of another. If history proves anything, this point is
proven true beyond question. Do you think that Elijah could have proven that
his God was greater than the god of Baal if God had not sent fire from Heaven?
Because religion is inherently arrogant and egocentric, one religious group
cannot prove its superiority over another religious group.
God knows that religion has far more to do with social
structure than with a personal love for truth. (It is said that 95% of the
people remain loyal to the religious system into which they were born and
raised – even if they do not practice the religion.)
Because the properties of religion are very strong within
the human race, because social relationships can be more important than
commitment to truth, and because there is a distinction between serving God and
serving the church, God will destroy the great religions of the world and test
mankind to see if we love Him and His truth above everything else.
The test will be simple and will be applied without
partiality. God will require everyone to leave his or her church for the sake
of truth! The object of our deepest affection will then be revealed. At that
time, some people will discover they loved their church more than they loved
God! When a contest exists between “God’s truth” and “God’s church,” then, and
only then, can humans detect the distinction that exists between serving God
and serving the church. Until this test of loyalty is applied, most people
cannot understand the problem. Remember, in Jesus’ day, the Pharisees could not
figure out how they could be as blind as Jesus claimed! The same is true today.
A time is coming when God’s truth will conflict with the teachings of every
church, and everyone will have to make tough choices. We will see that many
people cannot separate themselves from their church, even when presented with
the plainest evidences of truth.
To help us make up our minds, God will allow the devil to
appear on Earth. The devil (the Antichrist) will dissolve all the religions of
the world and forcibly create a new global church. This event in itself will
help motivate those people who could not leave their church for truth’s sake.
On the other hand, people who are cowardly will prostitute their faith and join
the newly created church because the devil will establish stringent laws so
that everyone who refuses to join his church will be put to death. It is
interesting to note in this context that God considers cowardice as great a sin
as murder and sexual immorality. “But the cowardly, the unbelieving, the vile,
the murderers, the sexually immoral, those who practice magic arts, the
idolaters and all liars – their place will be in the fiery lake of burning
sulfur. This is the second death.” (Revelation 21:8)
Before leaving this question, one more comment should be
made. Why does God use such a tiny number of people to proclaim the everlasting
gospel during the end time? Given the fact that nearly six billion people now
live on Earth, it seems that the work would be much easier if He chose one
million or ten million people to accomplish his task. In human terms, the
144,000, like Gideon’s army, are too few to accomplish the task. By choosing
such a tiny number, God will again demonstrate that He is not dependent on
flesh to accomplish His purposes. “. . . ‘Not by might nor by power, but by my
Spirit,’ says the Lord Almighty.” (Zechariah 4:6) Even the stones could cry out
if necessary. (Luke 19:40)
The twelve stars in the woman’s crown represent the twelve
tribes.
Yes! In Revelation 12, the story of the true church
(represented by a righteous woman who is pregnant) and a great red dragon is
told. The woman wears a crown of twelve stars on her head. From the Greek
language, we learn that these stars are set in a stephanos, that is, a crown of
victory. According to Revelation 1:20, stars can symbolize messengers or angels
and by applying the words of
Daniel 12:3 to the woman’s crown of twelve stars we find a
very beautiful fit. “Those who are wise (or teachers) will shine like the
brightness of the heavens, and those who lead many to righteousness like the
stars for ever and ever.” In other words, the woman wears a crown of victory.
This crown is set with twelve stars. The twelve stars represent the 144,000 –
firstfruits of the twelve tribes – who will be victorious over the Antichrist.
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)
Consider Ezekiel 2:8-3:4. Like John, God gave Ezekiel a book
to eat that was sweet in his mouth and bitter in his stomach. The book Ezekiel
received contained the words that God wanted spoken. Ezekiel was told to speak
these words to his people, whether they listen or not. This is the bitter part
in the stomach. Ezekiel had to speak the words of God and this created a lot of
ridicule and offense. (This explains why the life span of prophets is usually
short.) Of course, the enabling power within Ezekiel was the Spirit of God. The
Holy Spirit enabled Ezekiel to say (and do) things that were beyond mere human
capability. Ezekiel and John were both called to be prophets and they were
given words to speak. This will be the experience of the 144,000.
How will the 144,000 be recognized?
The 144,000 will be recognized by three means: First, their
message will be Bible based. The 144,000 will proclaim the everlasting gospel
from the Bible, and as a result, they will find themselves standing in
opposition to religious leaders of their day. Second, the 144,000 will be
recognized by their humility, simplicity and authority. Remember John the
Baptist with his humble dress? (Luke 7:25) People went out to the Jordan River
to hear John the Baptist because he spoke with power and authority that came
from Heaven! (Luke 7:24-26) People marveled at Jesus because of the authority
with which He spoke. (Mark 1:22) Last, the 144,000 will be recognized as
“prophets” because they will have the ability to perform signs and miracles. Of
course, the servants of the devil will be doing miracles, too. (Exodus 8:18;
Matthew 7:20-22)
During the great tribulation, many people will put their
faith in counterfeit “miracles” because they do not want to submit to the
“faith testing” terms and conditions of salvation. If a false prophet can
perform a counterfeit miracle on demand (2 Thessalonians 2:9-12), many people
will use the “sign” to justify rebellion against God. (Matthew 16:4) On the
other hand, if the Holy Spirit knows that a miracle will help an honest person
make a decision for truth, then a miracle will be given. Many miracles will
occur and they will force people to take sides. This, of course, is how the
sheep are separated from the goats.
How soon do you expect to see the 144,000?
I believe the great earthquake and the empowerment of the
144,000 could occur any day now. The 144,000 will not show up on TV. They will
not receive a round of applause or some glittering reward. However, when they
show up you will know that Jesus has taken control of Earth and the final 1,335
days (of Earth) have begun. The 144,000 will not ride in limousines or have
world fame. Paul wrote, “But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame
the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong.” (1
Corinthians 1:27)
Will the 144,000 come from one church group?
No. God has people in every religious body whose hearts are
right, but whose heads are wrong. (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!
The net effect is simple. God wants to save as many people
as possible. Therefore, God will have Moslem believers talking to their Moslem
brothers; Catholic believers will be talking to their Catholic brothers; Hindu
believers will be talking to their Hindu brothers, etc. Who is better at
proclaiming the gospel of Christ than those who know and understand the
obstacles that face their brothers? Do you really think a Moslem would listen
to a Protestant? Do you think a Jew would listen to a Baptist? Of course not!
The 144,000 will come from every nation, religion, language and tribe and after
their encounter with Jesus, they will receive the script and speak His words to
their brothers, just like Saul did! This will ultimately produce what Jesus
wants, a numberless multitude of saints who come from every nation, kindred,
tongue and people!
Will the 144,000 know each other?
Probably not. The important thing is that no one will be
able to say that their message was contrived by man. In other words, what is
the possibility that a mere 144,000 people who are spread out over the face of
Earth, speaking different languages, belonging to antagonistic religions, and
not knowing one another, preach the same message with amazing authority? The
chance is zero! This miracle will provide profound proof that their work and
calling is divinely ordained. This simple miracle will also confound and offend
the religious leaders of Earth.
Bio
Latest Posts
Larry W. Wilson
Larry W. Wilson
Larry Wilson, founder of WUAS, became a born-again Christian
in 1972. His interest in the gospel led him on a 40+ year quest to learn more
about what God has revealed to Earth’s final generation. The results of his
research have been shared throughout the world in books, television & radio
broadcasts, media interviews, and seminars that are publicly available on all
different types of media (see our Christian Bookstore).
What is Wake Up America Seminars (WUAS)?
Wake Up America Seminars, Inc. is a nonprofit,
nondenominational organization with a focus on the study of End-Time Prophecy.
WUAS is not a church, nor does it endorse any denomination. Our focus is
singular: We are dedicated to proclaiming the gospel of Jesus Christ and His
imminent return. We are delighted that people of all faiths are diligently
using the Bible study materials produced by WUAS. All study materials are based
solely on the Bible alone.
Post Tags:
#144000
Post navigation
Previous
The Seven Headed Beast
Next
144,000 “New Testament Jews”
Similar Posts
13 Comments
callingtruthout says:
July 17, 2018 at 4:15 AM
Your article, “The 144,000 servants and the Numberless
Multitude” was so indepth, enlightening and informative. It was greatly
appreciated. It helped to clarify some very important issues and areas of
confusion, such as, the fact that the 144,000 can be taken from every tribe
(nation, religion, geographical region, language, etc) and are not just “Jews”
in terms of belonging to the Jewish race. Also, thank you for having the
courage to say that Christ will not choose the mega church leaders or televangelists
or a particular religious organization or group and you have provided a very
compelling explanation for this– and especially for advising that Christians
might have to choose between their love and service to the church versus their
service and love for God especially in the end times. So many people confuse
service to church and adherence to its customs and requirements as the quint
essential quality of being a good Christian — when there is a distinction
between the formal worship through church and the true faith and practice of
faith in every day life. Being religious or even devoutly religious (i.e., in
terms of participating in a particular church) is not the same as walking in
faith, as a person can be religiously devout in terms of the ritualistic
practices of religion but not have a strong, unwavering faith and trust in
Christ– and it will be necessary for many to separate from the church if they
are called by God towards service in the end times, whether it as prophets or
as one of the 144000 (servant prophets). Your article has given so much food
for thought. Thank you so much for putting in so much time and thought into the
article and sharing it with us freely. Please continue doing so. God bless.
Log in to Reply
Avatar photoLarry W. Wilson says:
July 20, 2018 at 10:18 AM
Hello Callingtruthout:
Thank you for sharing your thoughts. I agree with your
observations. Unfortunately, this study turned out to be much longer than I had
intended, but there is so much confusion on this topic and so many places where
a person can get derailed that I tried to leave “no stone unturned.”
Best regards
Log in to Reply
Scripturals says:
October 5, 2018 at 8:10 PM
Well done sir, for a well articulated study. But the general
opinion is that, the 144000, will preach after the rapture, during the 7years
tribulation. Though i don’t subscribe to this, but ill like to know your
opinion as regards that. Thanks sir
Log in to Reply
Avatar photoLarry W. Wilson says:
October 8, 2018 at 12:59 PM
Hello Scripturals:
Thank you for your comments. The topic of the 144,000 is
important on many levels.
You asked for my thoughts on the rapture and the 7 years of
tribulation. I wish there was a pre-tribulation rapture, but I do not find a
pre or a mid-tribulation rapture in Bible prophecy. Also, I do not find the
70th week to be in the future! I believe the 70th week of years occurred
immediately after the 69th week of years. I believe the Great Tribulation will
last 1,335 days (Daniel 12:12). In fact, Daniel will be resurrected at the end
of the 1,335 days to receive his reward! (Daniel 12:13)
If you are interested in my thoughts on these topics, please
consider these articles:
Regarding the rapture:
https://www.wake-up.org/rapture/rapture-doctrine-fact-or-fiction.html
Regarding the 70th week:
https://www.wake-up.org/Daniel/Timing.pdf
More info on the 144,000:
https://www.wake-up.org/144000/144000-new-testament-jews.html
Soon coming events:
https://www.wake-up.org/wrath/god-is-angry-with-us.html
I hope you will have time to give these studies some
consideration. Feel free to share with your friends!
Best regards
Log in to Reply
420osis says:
December 1, 2018 at 2:06 AM
>first quote used here is regarding servants and their
being both males and females
>we all know and is later elaborated here that the
144,000 are only males who have not been polluted by women
One of these things is not like the other. One of these
things just doesn’t belong…
Log in to Reply
Avatar photoLarry W. Wilson says:
December 3, 2018 at 2:08 PM
Hello 420osis:
Thank you for your email.
There’s a problem with your claim that the “144,000 are only
males.” The Bible does not teach this. Please consider four points:
1. Males and females can defile themselves with women.
Romans 1:26,27 “Because of this, God gave them over to
shameful lusts. Even their women exchanged natural relations for unnatural
ones. In the same way the men also abandoned natural relations with women and
were inflamed with lust for one another. Men committed indecent acts with other
men, and received in themselves the due penalty for their perversion.”
2. Joel 2:29 speaks about God’s Spirit being poured out on
His servants in the last days, both men and women!
Joel 2:29 “Even on my servants, both men and women, I will
pour out my Spirit in those days.”
3. The 144,000 are called “servants:”
Rev 7:3,4 “Do not harm the land or the sea or the trees
until we put a seal on the foreheads of the servants of our God.” Then I heard
the number of those who were sealed: 144,000 from all the tribes of Israel.”
4. Finally, we know that Jesus is able to make the stones
testify if human beings are unwilling to do His calling:
Luke 19:40 “I tell you,” he replied, “if they keep quiet,
the stones will cry out.”
It is ironic that many men refuse to believe that God would
include women within the 144,000 when their first teachers were their mothers!
I hope this helps!
Log in to Reply
NEW RELIGION DST says:
March 3, 2019 at 4:35 AM
Hello everyone ..fisrt i want to wishing you all a blessing
day .Now im not belong to any religious and i never will.But i live my life by
buddha teaching, but i beliving there is god and creators. Im really got
confused about 144000 chosen by god ..im not saying you are wrong but you were
said that god only chosed jews and it have to be all virgin mens..I ve spoked
to god once it was 18 years ago and he was told me to go save the world , so
here im doing his works..You just put dout in my faith, should i stop fighting
your war !! Because it sound like god dont really care no one else but jews…let
me tell you one thing that make a brave warrior ..i dont care if god do not
choose my race , im still standing up for all humanity . if you are pridicting
about how god treating jews more special then others then he is your god not my
god ..because i picture god in my heart are so love and fair …and when the
judmentday come my peoples dont have to worry about lucifer or satan come to
kill us ..because that make him getting more enemies..never know the devils may
make an offers to my peoples ….hey sir congratuation you just make more enemies
..just joking ..but really in the bottom of my heart i will fight along by your
side even god are looking down on us ..i will die for the sake of humanity
..and may god bless all jews …good day my brothers ..
Log in to Reply
Avatar photoLarry W. Wilson says:
March 3, 2019 at 7:47 PM
Hello New Religion DST:
Thank you for your response. I am happy to learn that you
dedicated to God. According to Bible prophecy, the world as we know it is about
to come to an end. The remainder of the prophecies in Daniel and Revelation
will soon be fulfilled. At the end of the Great Tribulation, Jesus will return
and remove the righteous and destroy the wicked.
Judging from your comments, I think you have misunderstood
the identity of the 144,000. The new covenant initiated by Jesus just before He
died, defines a Jew as a born-again person who believes in Jesus as the Savior
of the world! (Romans 2:28,29; Galatians 3:28,20; Hebrews 8:1-7)
Please consider this article. It may make the matter easier
to understand:
https://www.wake-up.org/144000/144000-new-testament-jews.html
Best regards,
Log in to Reply
ChadTB says:
January 29, 2020 at 6:01 PM
Firstly, I wish to say thank you for this very thorough and
well-researched essay, it was intensive, to be sure, but I enjoyed it
thoroughly. That said, I must confess, I find myself confused on some points
which you assert.
1. In the Table for Revelation’s Matrix grows, you state
that the 1st seal = Salvation through faith in Jesus alone and you have that
planted in the year 1798. How do you support that claim? Was there some
specific act which makes that time uniquely belonging to the 1st seal?
2. You also assert that the 2nd seal = Translation and
distribution of the Bible and is also fulfilled within the same period of 1798
and I would surely love to understand how you support that given that we have
not yet translated the Bible into ever kanguage nor have we ministered to every
culture on Earth, though we know who is left and are fast aproaching the time
when that work will be completed. I would love to hear about that, but more
than that I wish to understand how it is that you define the 2nd seal this way
when in Rev 6:4 the 2nd seal results in a fiery horse with power to remove PO
eace from the earth and to make men slay eachother. How does this speak of the
Bible being translated and distributed or am I misunderstanding your assertions
here?
3. You say that you find nothing in prophecy which speaks of
a pre or mid-trib rapture, but what about this verse in Rev 13:8 All
inhabitants of the earth will worship the beast–all whose names have not been
written in the book of life belonging to the Lamb that was slain from the
creation of the world. (NIV) Does it mean that there are no true believers in
Christ on earth at that time or does it qualify it by saying “all whose names
have not been written in the book of life…” in other words “All inhabitants of
the earth” really means the unsaved? I know that it says in Rev 13:7 “He was
given power to make war against the saints and to conquer them” so it seems
there are still believers living on earth at the time of the rise of the
antichrist and that they are overcome by him by verse 8 there are no believers
left. Does the antichrist really kill every confessing christian or does God
deliver many of his true believers before that time? What about 1Thess 5:9 “For
God did not appoint us to suffer wrath but to receive salvation through our
Lord Jesus Christ”?
Forgive me, I know I am no scholar of the word and I
understand very little of His teachings, I feel, and I am not seeking to impune
your own dedication to and works with interpreting the scriptures of prophecy.
I know that you have spent more time studying His word than I myself have, but
I am seeking understanding.
Thank you again for this essay and for your time.
“He reveals deep and secret things; He knows what is in the
darkness, and light dwells with Him.” Dan 2:22 (NKJV)
Log in to Reply
Avatar photoLarry W. Wilson says:
January 29, 2020 at 10:31 PM
Hello ChadTB:
Thank you for your response, you have asked good questions
and I hope my responses will be helpful.
1. You wrote, “you state that the 1st seal = Salvation
through faith in Jesus alone and you have that planted in the year 1798. How do
you support that claim?”
The topic of the Lamb’s Book of Life, the book sealed with
seven seals, is very fascinating. I hope you will download and read the whole
book!
https://wake-up.org/Alpha/Book_of_Life_Web.pdf
To address your question regarding 1798, please see this
chapter:
https://www.wake-up.org/book-of-life-who-is-jesus/when-was-jesus-worthy-to-open-the-book.html
2. You wrote: ” I wish to understand how it is that you
define the 2nd seal this way when in Rev 6:4 the 2nd seal results in a fiery
horse with power to remove PO eace from the earth and to make men slay
eachother. How does this speak of the Bible being translated and distributed or
am I misunderstanding your assertions here?”
To address your question regarding the second seal, please
see this chapter:
https://www.wake-up.org/book-of-life-who-is-jesus/the-second-seal-in-revelation.html
(You may want to study all seven seals, this is why I
encourage you to read the whole book.)
3. You wrote: “You say that you find nothing in prophecy
which speaks of a pre or mid-trib rapture, but what about this verse in Rev
13:8 All inhabitants of the earth will worship the beast–all whose names have
not been written in the book of life belonging to the Lamb that was slain from
the creation of the world. (NIV) Does it mean that there are no true believers
in Christ on earth at that time or does it qualify it by saying “all whose
names have not been written in the book of life…”
The language in Revelation 13:8 declares a time is coming
when everyone on Earth will worship the beast — ALL whose names have not been
written in the Lamb’s Book of Life. The names of the saints are written in the
Book of Life, they will not be worshiping the beast. Clearly, the saints will
be on Earth during the Great Tribulation, in fact, the beast will war against
them for 42 months and conquer them. Daniel also saw this great injustice: “and
when the power of the holy people has been completely shattered, all these
things shall be finished.” (Daniel 12:7)
To get a bird’s eye view of coming events, please download
and read this book:
https://www.wake-up.org/other-studies/no-more-delay-pdf-file.html
To get a very fast bird’s eye view, please watch these short
videos, go here and scroll down to video seminar #32.
https://www.wake-up.org/video-series-list
I hope this is helpful!
May God continue to bless you in every way,
Kind regards
Log in to Reply
David Israel says:
September 23, 2020 at 5:33 PM
Dear Mr. Larry,
This was a really amazing read. Thanks for your efforts.
Most of the bits and pieces I see all over the internet and analyze on my own
through the Word of God are depicted well in your article. I just had a few
clarifications that I would like you to comment on because they are pretty
significant.
1. Do you believe in the idea of a Third Elijah? A
forerunner to the Second Coming? Because even Jesus states that just as He was
rejected, John The Baptist will be rejected and they will do “whatever they
wish with him”. So, the next time a person comes, it will be in the spirit of
Elijah and he will lead the 1,44,000 besides the two witnesses. I mention the
two witnesses because many think Elijah will be one of them but I don’t as
Elijah will not die this time unlike how the two witnesses will
2. Do you consider 2029/2030 to be an ideal time for Jesus’
return? I’d like to make it short, but these are the reasons I believe it is
true –
a) 2029 September will be a Shmitah just like 2001, 2008 and
so on
b) 2030 will be 2000 years after Jesus’ resurrection
(approx.) and it is 2000 years from the sin of Adam to Abraham and 2000 years
from Abraham to Jesus’ resurrection and now these 2000 years which will be a
culmination of 6000 years
c) 6000 years will be like 6 working days of labor in a week
and the 7th day will be the millenium / Sabbath. We will have peace unlike ever
before then and it will be precursor to Heaven. For God, 1 day is like a 1000
years and vice versa too
d) 2022/2023 will be when we see the AC and 2026/2027 will
be when he starts his gimmicks
e) The Covid-19 pandemic was a wake up call for the
witnesses and Christians so God allowed Satan and his followers to play their
tricks
3. Just as there will be a forerunner to Jesus, do you think
there will be 12 people who will have the spirit of the disciples who will lead
the 1,44,000 witnesses? Is there anything in scripture that points to it or
even otherwise, do you think it’s possible?
4. I presume you believe it will be a post-tribulation
rapture and only that makes sense because that will be a test of faith for true
Christians. That’s when the fake ones, especially Catholics, will move over to
the NWO
Kindly do reply to me at your ease. Hope to be enlightened
and share a conversation between us. Kindly do pray for me and all the
Christians as bad times seem to be really knocking our doors and nothing but
the blood of the Amazing Lamb can save us. Jesus Christ has died, Jesus Christ
is risen, Jesus Christ is coming soon again. Jesus Christ is Lord. Amen!
I will pray for you and your works as well.
Log in to Reply
Marty Purvis says:
September 24, 2020 at 10:45 AM
Hello David,
Thank you for your kind comments and prayers. It appears you
have been doing some serious study and consideration of events that will soon
occur. Larry requested I address your comments and questions. Unfortunately,
due to time constraints, I will not be able to have an extended discussion on
the subjects you have brought up. Instead, I will provide links to other
articles on the website that hopefully will provide you with some additional
food for thought.
First, understand that the conclusions are based on the
application of four rules of Bible prophecy. Without rules to guide us in
prophetic study, Bible verses can be used to support just about any
interpretive position. If you wish to read about Larry’s journey and
development of the four rules, you can read about it at this link:
https://wake-up.org/bible-prophecy/inspiration-and-interpretation.html Now, on
to your questions:
1. Third Elijah – Scripture does not support the idea of
Elijah returning in person during the end time. Actually, the spirit of Elijah
is the Holy Spirit. Remember, Elisha asked for and received a double portion of
Elijah’s spirit. (2 Kings 2:9-15) In like manner, the 144,000 will receive the
Holy Spirit with great power to complete God’s plan. You can also read more
about the two witnesses at this link:
https://wake-up.org/two-witnesses/two-witnesses-revelation.html
2. Timing Considerations – While there are many future dates
of interest in the application of Bible prophecy, we must recognize they are
useful for their study value, not predictive value. When the censer is cast
down in Revelation 8:5, apocalyptic prophecy gives us a structure we can follow
to determine future events. See https://wake-up.org/charts/Timing.pdf
3. There is no indication in scripture there will be twelve
people leading the 144,000. Jesus will personally select each member of the
144,000, just as he personally chose each of the 12 disciples. There is no
reason to have other leaders other than Jesus Christ himself.
4. Each person will be forced to make a decision; either to
walk by faith, be tested, and be sealed in that decision or accept the Mark of
the Beast. The NWO, as you call it, is actually Babylon, which will be
established in response to the destruction caused by the first four trumpets.
Read about it in the first four studies about the Antichrist at this link:
wake-up.org/studies
God bless you in your continued study.
Marty
Log in to Reply
Avatar photoQuetzalcoatl says:
May 20, 2022 at 4:52 AM
The time of whatever is now running out fast! Those who
wanted to hijack creation inevitably lose their right to exist. In the now
existing infinity of my dream, there is no eternity and never again. Heaven and
hell are passing away, there is only this one manifested dimension.
Every being has long since made the relevant decision, for
or against, the game is over …
https://phpbb3.quetzalcoatl8.com/viewforum.php?f=1 In a few
days I’ll open the war.
http://www.masauwu.net
http://www.apache8.org
Log in to Reply
Leave a Reply
You must be logged in to post a comment.
Select Language
Powered byGoogle TranslateTranslate
Learn how Biblical prophecy is being fullfilled TODAY!
First Name:
Last Name:
Email:
--View Sample--
Free Book Offer
What does the Bible say the future holds?
Click the book cover below to get a copy of:WARNING!
Revelation Is About to be Fulfilled - Free Book Offer
Search the Website
Search
Search
Bible Study Categories
Bible Study Categories
Select Category
Recent Articles
Newswatch
Being Chosen
Views on Prophetic Study
What Used to Be
A Story of Wake Up America Seminars
Copyright © 1995 - 2023 Wake up America Seminars | XML
Sitemap | Privacy Policy
Phone: 800-475-0876