A possible theory to consider...
and is speculation based on the scriptures, and certainly isn't "Thus says the Lord." It is to stimulate discussion and study so we can all come to the knowledge God wants us to have and understand!
The number 144,000 has been bantered back and forth as to who they are and
where they fit in salvation and prophecy. Who are the 144,000, and why are there
TWO groups of 144,000 discussed in Revelation?
Let's see what scriptures have to say about these two groups.
Rev 14:1 "Then I looked, and behold, a Lamb standing on Mount Zion, and with
Him one hundred and forty-four thousand, having His Father's name written on
their foreheads. 2 And I heard a voice from heaven, like the voice of many
waters, and like the voice of loud thunder. And I heard the sound of harpists
playing their harps. 3 They sang as it were a new song before the throne, before
the four living creatures, and the elders; and no one could learn that song
except the hundred and forty-four thousand who were redeemed from the earth. 4
These are the ones who were not defiled with women, for they are virgins. These
are the ones who follow the Lamb wherever He goes. These were redeemed from
among men, being firstfruits to God and to the Lamb. 5 And in their mouth was
found no deceit, for they are without fault before the throne of God."
Here, God tells us that this 144,000 are "firstfruits to God." The
firstfruits are portrayed in the Feast of Pentecost... Feast of Firstfruits. It
is the memorial of the spring harvest of humans in God's plan. In farming in the
Middle East, the spring harvest is a very small harvest compared to the fall
harvest, portrayed by the "Last Great Day", the last day after the Feast of
Tabernacles. This fall harvest is the rest of humanity resurrected in the second
resurrection who were not called, or given a chance to know or understand God's plan or hear
the Gospel of the kingdom.
What may surprise most Christians is that the 144,000 discussed above are all
those who will be resurrected at Christ's return, as the firstfruits of
salvation. Christ is the FIRST of the firstfruits...
1 Cor 15:20 But now is Christ risen from the dead, and become the firstfruits
of them that slept.
Christ is the first human to ever be resurrected, (Born Againand is the first of the
harvest. Those people Called by God in
this age are those who receive the "firstfruits" of the spirit of God...
Rom 8:23 "And not only they, but ourselves also, which have the firstfruits of
the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting for the adoption,
to wit, the redemption of our body."
From Adam through to the time of Christ's return, there will be a total of
144,000 people who will be trained to rule with Christ at His return... to be
the wife of Christ...
Rev 19:6 "And I heard, as it were, the voice of a great multitude, as the
sound of many waters and as the sound of mighty thunderings, saying, Alleluia!
For the Lord God Omnipotent reigns! 7 Let us be glad and rejoice and give Him
glory, for the marriage of the Lamb has come, and His wife has
made herself ready." 8 And to her it was granted to be arrayed in fine
linen, clean and bright, for the fine linen is the righteous acts of the
saints."
Here we see that these people are given new robes in the resurrection... they
are now spirit beings as Christ is and will be married to him.
Rev 20:4 "And I saw thrones, and they sat on them, and judgment was committed
to them. Then I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded for their witness
to Jesus and for the word of God, who had not worshiped the beast or his image,
and had not received his mark on their foreheads or on their hands. And they
lived and reigned with Christ for a thousand years. 5 But the rest of the dead
did not live again until the thousand years were finished. This ( the preceding
scriptures 1-4) is the first resurrection. 6 Blessed and holy is he who has part
in the first resurrection. Over such the second death has no power, but they
shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with Him a thousand
years."
God is preparing His Kingdom to come to this earth and to reign over all
humanity. Those left after the great battle at Christ's return will be taught
God's ways, and the saints... those who were called and prepared by Christ and
resurrected, will rule with Him for 1000 years. Those resurrected later... The
"rest of the dead" will then be given physical life once again and will have their minds opened to
God's plan and have their opportunity to respond.
The only other place mentioning any 144,000 is in Rev 7
Rev 7:1 "After these things I saw four angels standing at the four corners of
the earth, holding the four winds of the earth, that the wind should not blow on
the earth, on the sea, or on any tree. 2 Then 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 granted to harm the earth and the sea, 3
saying,'Do not harm the earth, the sea, or the trees till we have sealed the
servants of our God on their foreheads.' 4 And I heard the number of those who
were sealed. One hundred and forty-four thousand of all the tribes of the
children of Israel were sealed: :5 of the tribe of Judah (Jews today) twelve
thousand were sealed; of the tribe of Reuben twelve thousand were sealed; of the
tribe of Gad twelve thousand were sealed; :6 of the tribe of Asher twelve
thousand were sealed; of the tribe of Naphtali twelve thousand were sealed; of
the tribe of Manasseh twelve thousand were sealed; :7 of the tribe of Simeon
twelve thousand were sealed; of the tribe of Levi (among the tribe of Judah/Jews
today) twelve thousand were sealed; of the tribe of Issachar twelve thousand
were sealed; :8 of the tribe of Zebulun twelve thousand were sealed; of the
tribe of Joseph twelve thousand were sealed; of the tribe of Benjamin twelve
thousand were sealed."
Remember that this 144,000 are JUST of the 12 tribes, so they cannot be "the"
144,000 of Rev. 12. God's 144,000 called into His Church are of every nation and people of
the earth, NOT just physical Israelites. This is a major distinction some miss.
It appears that the preaching of the Two Witnesses of God will bring a number
of people to repentance of the 12 tribes, who will be protected by God from the last 7 trumpet
plagues, and likely live over into the millennium as physical people to help
begin the kingdom and be the millennial continuation of God's true church. There is no mention of these having overcome, and been
perfected throughout life and molded into Christ's image, or resurrected with the elect Church.
The easiest answer is this… the true (this age) church appears to be 144,000, beginning to end, period, ending when the second resurrection occurs… as Rev 14 explains.
This other group is lumped in with the 12 tribes of Israel... 12,000 from each tribe. We know the true church today, in this age, is NOT all national Israelites. In fact, there are gentiles throughout it as Paul and Peter both attest to, and we know today. Since we know the "lost" 10 tribes aren't really "lost," (they just don't know who they are yet today), the only other explanation is that this group is the beginning of the "new" "Israel" that God will have as a show case in the millennium, and whom David and the 12 apostles will be ruling over. "Israel" in the millennium has to start somewhere, and it seems to be right at the end of this age, when He calls out some of modern day "Israel" to understand His plan and to begin the process of salvation, and whom He seals/protects from the end time plagues. Remember, the saints are already sealed long before this when they are baptized and receive God's spirit, so to "seal" them again doesn't make sense. The remnant church members may likely be taken to a place of safety anyway...
Rev 12:14 "But the woman (church) was given two wings of a great eagle, that
she might fly into the wilderness to her place, where she is nourished for a
time and times and half a time, from the presence of the serpent."
This is a three and a half year period corresponding to the 3.5 year tribulation period when the two witnesses will be preaching to the world. so they don't need sealing, and those who are the remnant are "purged with fire" to bring complete repentance. Likely these "sealed" (protected) people will later be baptized by God's saints in the millennium, into God's millennial church age.
The remnant, those of the collective church not protected are now targets of
Satan...
Rev 12:17 "And the dragon was enraged with the woman, (Those who were
protected by God in this "place") and he went to make war with the rest of her
offspring, who keep the commandments of God and have the testimony of
Jesus Christ."
For various reasons, God does NOT protect this group. For example:
- Rev 3:14 "And to the angel of the church of the Laodiceans write, 'These
things says the Amen, the Faithful and True Witness, the Beginning of the
creation of God: 15 I know your works, that you are neither cold nor hot. I
could wish you were cold or hot. 16 So then, because you are lukewarm, and
neither cold nor hot, I will vomit you out of My mouth. 17 Because you say,'I am
rich, have become wealthy, and have need of nothing' and do not know that you
are wretched, miserable, poor, blind, and naked. 18 I counsel you to buy from
Me gold refined in the fire, that you may be rich; and white garments, that you
may be clothed, that the shame of your nakedness may not be revealed; and anoint
your eyes with eye salve, that you may see. 19 As many as I love, I rebuke
and chasten. Therefore be zealous and repent. 20 Behold, I stand at the
door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to
him and dine with him, and he with Me. 21 To him who overcomes I
will grant to sit with Me on My throne, as I also overcame and sat down with My
Father on His throne. 22 He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to
the churches."
- Matt 25:3 "Those who were foolish took their lamps and took no oil with them,
4 but the wise took oil in their vessels with their lamps. 5 But while the
bridegroom was delayed, they all slumbered and slept. 6 "And at midnight a cry
was heard: 'Behold, the bridegroom is coming; go out to meet him!' 7 Then all
those virgins arose and trimmed their lamps. 8 And the foolish said to the wise,
'Give us some of your oil, for our lamps are going out.' 9 But the wise
answered, saying, 'No, lest there should not be enough for us and you; but go
rather to those who sell, and buy for yourselves.' 10 And while they went to
buy, the bridegroom came, and those who were ready went in with him to the
wedding; and the door was shut."
Who these 144,000 are isn't critical for salvation, but it could play a part in our understanding of what God is orchestrating for His end time church and the millennial reign of Christ and the saints. Maybe all have the wisdom to discern the truth and to discuss this openly!
The God Kind Web pages created and material written by Jeffrey T. Maehr.
Common Law Copyright © 2015. All rights reserved. Reproduction
allowed if credit to this website is listed with material.
Off site material and some articles authored as stated.