The 144,000
What follows the opening verses about the sixth seal only further clarifies that what is being unfolded in the sixth seal is the dual purification of the Church and preparation for the final outpouring of the Holy Spirit that was predicted by the prophets, which will result in the greatest harvest of souls the world has ever seen.
- 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, saying, “Do not harm the earth, the sea, or the trees till we have sealed the servants of our God on their foreheads.” 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: of the tribe of Judah twelve thousand were sealed; of the tribe of Reuben twelve thousand were sealed; of the tribe of Gad twelve thousand were sealed; 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; of the tribe of Simeon twelve thousand were sealed; of the tribe of Levi twelve thousand were sealed; of the tribe of; Issachar twelve thousand were sealed; 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. (Revelation 7:2–9)
This identification of the “sealed” 144,000 is a perfect representative number for the total number of redeemed. This group is going to be here for what is coming, but they are going to be preserved from the judgment. Why? We find out later why with the sounding of the seventh trumpet. They were spiritually pure before God.
- 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. 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. 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. 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 first fruits to God and to the Lamb. And in their mouth was found no deceit, for they are without fault before the throne of God. (Revelation 14:1–5)
Many have assumed that because they are described as coming from the twelve tribes and that they are men, these must be a specially ordained group of believers. Once again, that violates all we know about God. He DOES NOT show partiality and DOES NOT play favorites. In the above description of the 144,000, we see the exact same language used to describe the first-generation Christians after Christ rose from the dead.
- Of His own will He brought us forth by the word of truth, that we might be a kind of first fruits of His creatures. (James 1:8)
- Greet my beloved Epaenetus, who is the first fruits of Achaia to Christ. (Romans 16:7b)
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Their “virginity” is simply a testament to their spiritual chastity. Israel is prophetically referred to as “the virgin daughter of Zion” (Isaiah 37:22). Spiritual idolatry is often described as “harlotry” (Hosea 4:14 and Ezekiel 16). This is precisely what they have been brought out of following the judgment of the Lamb. This is why they are with Him and are described as the “redeemed.” They are not some exclusive group. They are the cleansed Church! In this case, they are indeed first fruits from the final great awakening, but they are not some unique subset of Christians.
Are they not all Jewish though? Using the interpretative model, there is no reason to think that, and if we are to take what we are told completely literally, then it is false on its face. We are told they are from the twelve tribes of Israel. Those are Rueben, Simeon, Levi, Judah, Zebulun, Issachar, Dan, Gad, Asher, Naphtali, Joseph, and Benjamin. This is NOT the list given in Revelation 7! There is no way we can accept this literally—no reason we should either. Almost the entire book, with few exceptions, is allegorical but with very literal application.
Considering the context, we have established for the sixth seal, it follows that the 144,000 are an allegorical representation for the completion of all the saved on the earth, both Jew and Gentile. Why do I say this? Scripture! Paul tells us that we, as Gentiles, have been grafted in. It has already been shown that in Christ, there is no more difference between Jew and Gentile as they pertain to His body, the church. We are one people!
- For if the first fruit is holy, the lump is also holy; and if the root is holy, so are the branches. And if some of the branches were broken off, and you, being a wild olive tree, were grafted in among them, and with them became a partaker of the root and fatness of the olive tree, do not boast against the branches. But if you do boast, remember that you do not support the root, but the root supports you. (Romans 11:16–18)
- For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision avails anything, but a new creation. And as many as walk according to this rule, peace and mercy be upon them, and upon the Israel of God. (Galatians 6:15,16)
The Bible very clearly teaches that believers in Christ, both Jew and Gentile, are the spiritual Israel. In Christ, the blessings of Abraham have been extended to the Gentiles (Galatians 3:14). This is NOT replacement theology at all. That is a demonic lie which says God has rejected His covenant with the physical Jewish nation. He has not. And one day, their blindness will be lifted, and they will come into the fold of the Good Shepherd as a nation. That spiritual eye-opening of the Jewish people will begin to take place in this last outpouring!
God speaks prophetically about all believers, Jew and Gentile, through the physical reality of the Jewish nation. So then, how does that apply to this list of twelve tribes? Consider the two names that are missing: Dan and Ephraim. Dan means “judge” in Hebrew. Indeed, this tribe was given the responsibility, along with Judah, of guarding the southern borders of Israel’s land from the Philistines. They abandoned their heritage! God had apportioned to each tribe their lot of land. They could not or would not deal with the Philistines, so they went to find their own inheritance in the north. The city they founded, Dan, became synonymous with Israel’s spiritual idolatry in the northern kingdom under King Jeroboam (1 Kings 12:28–31).
The other tribe that was associated with the spiritual harlotry of Israel was Ephraim as it was in his land the other golden calf was erected. He was the oldest son of Joseph. His name is often used interchangeably with the northern tribes as Judah’s is for the those who stayed loyal to the house of David (Isaiah 11:13 and Jeremiah 31:20). He and his brother, Manasseh, were both given a parcel of land because of the double-portion blessing given to their father, Joseph (Genesis 48:22).
In the list presented here, it is these two names that are missing entirely! That is significant considering the part they historically played in leading Israel to sin against God with spiritual idolatry. Taking Dan’s place is Levi, and Joseph assumes the place of his son. Levi was traditionally not listed because his portion was the Lord (Deuteronomy 10:9), yet here we find him. I think it significant because the Bible says that the believers are a kingdom of priests unto God (1 Peter 2:9). Levi’s priesthood speaks prophetically about that of all Christians through the ages.
This “new” list of the twelve tribes is one of people who have not a hint of spiritual idolatry left in them, whose inheritance is not of their own making. It is by God’s grace, and their portion is the Lamb! Also, the very fact that each “tribe” has 12,000 illustrates further that there is no partiality with God. Each tribe is made up of the same number of “sealed” individuals. Even the very number, 144,000, tells us that this is the completed work of the mystery of the Gospel to both Jew and Gentile (Ephesians 3:6). When you break the number down, you have 12 × 12 × 50 × 20 = 144,000.
There are the twelve tribes of Israel, which correspond to the Jewish people. There are the twelve apostles of the Church, which correspond to the Gentiles saved—it must be noted that all twelve were Jews. There is the number 50, which has already been mentioned as being representative of the rest the believer has in Christ. Lastly, you have the number 20. In the Bible, this number represents the cycles of completeness or redemption. Jacob waited twenty years to get his wives and property and to obtain release from his father-in-law (Genesis 31:38–41). Solomon took twenty years to build a house for himself and the Lord (1 Kings 9:10,11). Jabin, an ancient Canaanite king, oppressed Israel for twenty years until Deborah and Barak were used of God to deliver them (Judges 4–5). From these scriptures, we can see that the number 20 is associated with a trial, a period of waiting, and, if successfully completed, a great reward for the redeemed.
One last thing to consider is that the 144,000 are numerically connected to both the “first fruits” of the Christian Church and those saved on Noah’s Ark. We are told in the Book of Acts that the total number of disciples that were gathered in the Upper Room on the Day of Pentecost was 120 (Acts 1:15). What occurred at Pentecost was an exact fulfillment of the first fruits offering of the wheat harvest! This is why Jesus told them to wait in Jerusalem for a short time following His ascension into heaven. The Christian first fruits are an exact prophetic match for the 144,000 first fruits in Revelation as 144,000 is a multiple of 120. In the story of Noah, we are told 8 people were saved in the Ark. Like the 120 in the Upper Room, 144,000 is a multiple of 8. Not only that, 8 is also a multiple of 120. Hence, we have a direct connection to, not only the first fruits of believers in Jesus, but also to those who were saved through the Flood!
The 144,000 then signify the redeemed of Christ in their completed fullness at the time of the end of this age.