Who are the 144,000 people mentioned in Revelation 7 and 14?

LESSON 5

WHO ARE THE 144,000 PEOPLE MENTIONED IN REVELATION 7 AND 14?

You are welcome to another edition of Insights from God's Word, a Bible study programme that is committed to sharing God's Word by allowing the Bible to speak for itself.

In this edition, we continue with our series on Heaven. The topic for this study is: Who are the 144,000 people mentioned in Revelation 7 and 14? As we open the pages of the last book of the Bible, we learn that one of the few groups that have been described with remarkable Christian virtues, and given some of Scripture's most wonderful promises is the 144,000. Thus, it is no wonder that many of God's end time saints have sought to identify themselves with this special group.

But who are the 144,000 saints? Does the Bible offer any clear insights on this special group? Beloved, the answer to this question is a resounding yes. And so in this study, we are going to consider from Scripture the following issues in relation to the 144,000:

1) Who are the 144,000 saints?

2) Are the 144,000 literal Jews or they represent the entire body of Christ?

3) Do the 144,000 represent a literal number of the saints or the number is just symbolic?

4) Are the 144,000 the only ones who will go to heaven?

5) Can we know the identity of the people who will make up the 144,000 now?

6) What are the characteristics of the 144,000?

7) Why the number 144,000?

Friends, the answers to these questions are going to form the content of this study. We will now take these questions one after the other and allow the Scripture to lead us as we strive to uncover some of the amazing truths about the 144,000:

1. WHO ARE THE 144,000 SAINTS?

Beloved, the first place we read about the 144,000 people in Scripture is Revelation 7:4. This text reads: "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."

Friends, in the text above we learn that the 144,000 represent a group of people who will receive the seal of God at the final hours of this earth's history. However, this text alone does not provide enough information for us to determine the identity of this special group.

Thus, for us to know exactly who the 144,000 people represent, we have to read Revelation 7:4 in context. First, we must consider the entire chapter of Revelation 7 holistically. Second, we must also consider the verses that come immediately before and after Revelation 7. This approach is necessary because in the book of Revelation, there is usually a link between a particular chapter of the book and its preceding and subsequent chapters. Thus beloved, to be able to come away with the right understanding of the identity of the 144,000, we must apply the method stated above.

Now, if we consider Revelation 7:4 in context, we learn clearly that the entire chapter of Revelation 7 is actually an answer to the rhetorical question that was asked by the wicked inhabitants of the earth in Revelation 6:17.

From Revelation 6:14-17, we read the following in relation to the second coming of Christ and the attitude of the wicked: "6:14 And the heaven departed as a scroll when it is rolled together; and every mountain and island were moved out of their places.

6:15 And the kings of the earth, and the great men, and the rich men, and the chief captains, and the mighty men, and every bondman, and every free man, hid themselves in the dens and in the rocks of the mountains;

6:16 And said to the mountains and rocks, Fall on us, and hide us from the face of him that sitteth on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb:

6:17 For the great day of his wrath is come; AND WHO SHALL BE ABLE TO STAND?"

(Revelation 6:14-17; Capital Emphasis Added) Beloved, in answer to the question posed by the wicked: "For the great day of his wrath is come; AND WHO SHALL BE ABLE TO STAND?" (Revelation 6:17; Capital Emphasis Added), we are given the contents of Revelation 7.

From Revelation 7:1-4, we read the following details: "7:1 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.

7:2 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,

7:3 Saying, Hurt not the earth, neither the sea, nor the trees, till we have sealed the servants of our God in their foreheads.

7:4 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."

(Revelation 7:1-4) Beloved, from our reasoning so far, if the passage above is supposed to be the answer to the question posed by the wicked in Revelation 6:17, then obviously, we can confidently assert that it is the 144,000 who will be able to stand in that great and terrible day of the Lord. And of course it is very clear from the passage in Revelation 6:14 -17, and other passages of Scripture (2 Peter 3:10; Matthew 24:30-31; Joel 2:10-11) that this GREAT DAY OF GOD'S WRATH refers to the second coming of Christ in the clouds of heaven.

Thus friends, from what we have established so far, we can safely conclude that the 144,000 represent the people of God who will live to behold the second coming of Christ in the clouds of heaven. You see friends, while the wicked inhabitants of the earth flee from the face of the King of Kings (Revelation 6:14-17), it is the 144,000 who will be able to stand and utter the blessed words: "Lo, this is our God; we have waited for him, and he will save us: this is the LORD; we have waited for him, we will be glad and rejoice in his salvation" (Isaiah 25:9).

2) ARE THE 144,000 LITERAL JEWS OR THEY REPRESENT THE ENTIRE BODY OF CHRIST?

From Revelation 7:4-8, we read the following in relation to the 144,000: "7:4 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.

7:5 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.

7:6 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.

7:7 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.

7:8 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 7:4-8) Beloved, many people have read the passage above and come away with the understanding that the 144,000 are literal Jews. But friends, we have just made it clear from Scripture that the 144,000 represent the people of God who will live to witness the second coming of Christ in the clouds of heaven. Now from this first point, it follows clearly that the 144,000 cannot be literal Jews. This is because the time prophecies in Daniel 8:14 and Daniel 9:24-27 make it clear that after the stoning of Stephen in A.D. 34, the Jewish people ceased to be the peculiar people of God. Now, after A.D. 34, anyone who came to believe in Christ became a heir of Abraham (Galatians 3:26-29), and part of the Israel of God (Galatians 6:16).

Beloved, you will also notice from Revelation 7:4-8 that the order of arrangement of the names of the sons of Jacob do not follow exactly any of the traditional lists of the tribe of Israel (compare Revelation 7:4-8 with Genesis 35:23-26, Genesis 49:1-28, and Deuteronomy 33:6-25). In Revelation 7:4-8, Judah is named first apparently because it is through his descendant David that Christ, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David is born (Revelation 5:5). Thus friends, the names of the sons of Jacob as used in Revelation 7:4-8 is basically a symbolic depiction of the Christian church, the spiritual Israel of God. Now, what this means is that the 144,000 people cannot represent literal Jews. Rather, they are a symbolic depiction of the spiritual Israel of God (Galatians 6:16).

3. DO THE 144,000 REPRESENT A LITERAL NUMBER OR THE NUMBER IS JUST SYMBOLIC?

Beloved, with the background we have gone through so far, I believe we are now ready to tackle the million dollar question at the heart of many of our readers: Do the 144,000 represent a literal number or the number is just a symbolic depiction of the saints who will live to witness the second coming of Christ?

Beloved, for us to come away with any convincing Bible - based answer to this question, we have to observe closely the literary technique that the apostle John utilized in the writing of the book of Revelation. This literary technique is what has come to be known as the "I HEARD, I SAW" PRINCIPLE.

From Ranko Stefanovic, we read the following: "According to this literary technique, what John first hears in the vision and what he subsequently sees is actually one and the same thing. What he sees is actually the explanation of what he heard before" (The Revelation of Jesus Christ, page 264).

At this point, I want us to consider some examples of the "I heard, I saw" principle from the book of Revelation. We will then bring our understanding to bear on the question we want to answer in this section. Some of the passages in Revelation where we come across the "I heard, I saw principle" are as follows:

A) REVELATION 1:10-13

"1:10 I was in the Spirit on the Lord's day, and HEARD behind me a great voice, as of a TRUMPET,

1:11 Saying, I am Alpha and Omega, the first and the last: and, What thou seest, write in a book, and send it unto the seven churches which are in Asia; unto Ephesus, and unto Smyrna, and unto Pergamos, and unto Thyatira, and unto Sardis, and unto Philadelphia, and unto Laodicea.

1:12 And I turned to SEE the voice that spake with me. And being turned, I SAW seven golden candlesticks;

1:13 And in the midst of the seven candlesticks ONE LIKE UNTO THE SON OF MAN, clothed with a garment down to the foot, and girt about the paps with a golden girdle."

(Revelation 1:10-13; Capital Emphasis Added) Friends, from this passage we see a clear example of the "I heard, I saw principle." We learn how the apostle John first HEARD a great voice as of a trumpet. Now, when he turned to see the voice that spoke with him, he SAW Christ standing in the midst of seven golden candlesticks. In this passage, the voice John heard came from the Person he saw. In other words, what he heard and saw synchronized perfectly.

Let's consider another example:

B) REVELATION 5:5-6

"5:5 And one of the elders SAITH unto me, Weep not: BEHOLD, the LION of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, hath prevailed to open the book, and to loose the seven seals thereof.

5:6 And I BEHELD, and, lo, in the midst of the throne and of the four beasts, and in the midst of the elders, stood a LAMB as it had been slain, having seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven Spirits of God sent forth into all the earth."

(Revelation 5:5-6; Capital Emphasis Added) From the passage above, we learn that the apostle John HEARD from one of the elders that he should not weep, but rather, BEHOLD what was happening within the midst of the throne of God; for the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David had prevailed to open the book, and to loose the seven seals thereof. Now, when the apostle beheld, instead of seeing a LION as he had been told, he saw a LAMB as if it has been slain.

Now friends, many of us are aware that Christ, the Lion of the tribe of Judah (Genesis 49:9) is the same as the Lamb of God that was slain from the foundation of the world (Revelation 13:8). Thus, in this case also, despite the differences in symbolism, it is clear that what the apostle John heard was the same thing that he was privileged to see later on.

ASSIGNMENT: Can you figure out the "I HEARD, I SAW" literary technique in the following passages: REVELATION 17:1-5 and REVELATION 21:9-12?

C) THE PASSAGE OF CONTENTION: REVELATION 7:4-9

Friends, when we bring this principle of interpreting the book of Revelation to bear on our study on the 144,000, we come away with the same findings. From Revelation 7:4, we read the following: "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."

In this text, John tells us clearly that he HEARD the number of them who were sealed; and that this number was 144,000. Now after the symbolic description of the 144,000 in Revelation 7:4-8, we read the following from the beloved apostle in the same chapter: "After this 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" (Revelation 7:9; Capital Emphasis Added).

Thus Friends, when we consider the passage of Revelation 7 from the lens of the "I heard, I saw" principle, it is very clear that the 144,000 who were sealed before the great tribulation is the same as the "great multitude, which no man could number". This point actually makes it clear that the 144,000 do not represent literal Jews but rather a symbolic depiction of the spiritual Israel of God; for they come from all nations, kindreds, people and tongues. At this point, someone is likely to ask the question: If the 144,000 people is the same as the "great multitude which no man could number", then why did the apostle John use the phrase "AFTER THIS I BEHELD in Revelation 7:9? Isn't this phrase differentiating the 144,000 from the great multitude?

Beloved, these are very good questions. But you see, when we consider the writing style of the apostle John in other passages of Revelation (such as Revelation 7:1 which presents a continuation of the sixth seal; as well as Revelation 18:1 and Revelation 19:1 which present a continuation of issues in relation to Babylon the Great), we come away with the understanding that the beloved apostle in utilising the phrase "After this I beheld" in Revelation 7:9 was not suggesting a discontinuity in his presentation of the 144,000. On the contrary, he was rather drawing his reader’s attention to a CHANGE IN SCENE that has taken place concerning the same group of people. You see friends, even though the entire chapter of Revelation 7 talks about the 144,000, the first 4 verses describe the sealing of the 144,000 people here on earth while the verse 9 presents a heavenly scene where the 144,000 are described by the apostle John as a great multitude that stood before the throne of God. Reflect on this: Isn't 144,000 people actually a great multitude, which no man could number?

Well friends, at this point in our study, I want us to consider something interesting from another passage that mention the 144,000 people. From Revelation 14:1, we read the following from the apostle John: "And I LOOKED, and, lo, a Lamb stood on the mount Sion, and with him an hundred forty and four thousand, having his Father's name written in their foreheads" (Revelation 14:1; Capital Emphasis Added).

In the passage above, the apostle John made it clear that he SAW the 144,000 with Christ on Mount Sion (Mount Sion here is used in reference to heaven; see Hebrews 12:22). In this instance, the apostle John did not give any room for doubt. You see beloved, if the group John heard about in Revelation 7:4, is the same group that he saw in Revelation 14:1, then inferring from the "I heard, I saw principle", we can state emphatically that the 144,000 might represent an exact or literal number of the saints who will live to witness the second coming of Christ in the clouds of heaven.

Now, I believe some of you will now begin to wonder: Oh! So out of the over 7.5 billion people on the earth now (i.e. 2019), it is only 144,000 of God's people that are going to live to witness the second coming of Christ? Friends, the answer is a possible yes. A friend of mine expressed in a Bible study class on this topic that if we want to go by the statistics of salvation history, then we should not be expecting a huge number of the righteous alive at the second coming of Christ. In fact, the Bible teaches us that at the time of Noah, only 8 souls were saved by water (see 1 Peter 3:20). Moreover, at the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah, we could count only 3 (see Genesis 19:15-26). Now, what makes us think that in the final hours of this earth's history, when sin has reached its possible peak, the situation is going to be any different?

Beloved, besides the clear fact of salvation history, we should also not forget that Bible prophecy foretells clearly that a very large number of the saints who will be living during the final hours of earth's history will be martyred just before the second coming of Christ (see Revelation 6:9-11; Revelation 13:15-17; Revelation 20:4). In fact, when we consider Revelation 13:11-18 and Revelation 14:6-12 critically, we learn that right after the battle lines are drawn between those who worship the beast and those who worship the Creator God, the next event John chronicles is the death of many of God's people (see Revelation 14:13) before the second coming of Christ in the clouds of heaven (see Revelation 14:14-16).

Thus friends, considering the terrible persecution that will break upon God's people just before the second coming of Christ (see Daniel 12:1-2; Revelation 6:9-11), I believe we should not be expecting so many of the righteous alive at the second advent of Christ. The Bible however provides an assurance that despite the severe persecution, God in His mercy will preserve some 144,000 of His children alive to witness the second advent of His Son in the clouds of heaven.

Besides the points we have gone through above, some sobering facts of Scripture that we should consider in relation to the 144,000 before making our stand on this issue are as follows:

i) It is the 144,000 people who will live through the terrible period of earth's history when probation has closed for the impenitent (Revelation 15:8; Revelation 22:11).

ii) As probation closes for the human race, the 144,000 will go through the terrible time of Jacob's trouble (see Daniel 12:1).

iii) It is the 144,000 that will witness the outpouring of the seven last plagues on the wicked inhabitants of the earth (Revelation 16:1-21). They will witness some of the most awful scenes that mortal eyes have ever seen before they are finally delivered from the power of the dragon, beast and false prophet at the second coming of Christ (Revelation 19:11-21).

Thus friends, when we critically consider these sobering facts and the earlier points above, it is quite clear that the saints who will live to witness the second coming of Christ (that is, the 144,000) might not be a vast multitude of people; but rather, just a literal 144,000 of God's end time people.

In the pages 16 and 17 of the book: WHO WILL SING THE SONG? THE 144,000 OF REVELATION 14, Pr. Doug Batchelor makes the following insightful point: "However, please keep in mind that though the number of the 144,000 might be exact, most people in the world might never know who they are or take a census. When Jesus walked the earth in Israel, it was no problem to count 12 literal apostles following the Messiah in the Holy Land. But the 144,000 in the last days are spiritual Jews scattered across the circle of the earth leading in a magnificent revival. But they will not each be wearing a marathon running number. Now you might be thinking, "How can you say that the names are symbolic and the number is literal?" Simple, Jesus did. It doesn't seem to matter to the Lord what tribes the 12 Apostles sprang from, but it did matter that there were 12 of them. Also remember that while most of the numbers in Revelation depict a real value, all the proper names in Revelation are symbols (e.g., The Lamb, The Dragon, the Lion, Balaam, Jezebel, etc.)." Friends, because of the controversy surrounding this topic, we will examine Ellen G. White's comments in relation to the 144,000 in our next study. I believe her clear commentary on the 144,000, especially on this section of our study will settle this issue in the hearts of many.

4) ARE THE 144,000 THE ONLY ONES WHO WILL GO TO HEAVEN?

The Bible makes it clear that everyone who come to believe in the atoning sacrifice of Christ (John 3:16) and lovingly obey the commandments of God (Revelation 22:14) will make it into the pearly gates of heaven. Thus, the Scripture is clear on the fact that it is not only the 144,000 who will make it to heaven. In fact, from 1 Thessalonians 4:13-17, we are told clearly that those who will live to witness the second coming of Christ (that is, the 144,000), will not make it into the kingdom of heaven ahead of the saints who have slept in Jesus. I want us to consider the full text of this encouraging passage from the apostle Paul: "4:13 But I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep, that ye sorrow not, even as others which have no hope.

4:14 For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him.

4:15 For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep.

4:16 For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first:

4:17 Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord."

(1 Thessalonians 4:13-17) In fact, there are several passages in Scripture that make it very clear that those who have died in Christ will also be with their Lord in heaven. For a detailed study into this section of today's study, you can request for the previous study in our Heaven series captioned: Who will enter the pearly gates of heaven? And I know you will be glad you did!

5) CAN WE KNOW THE IDENTITY OF THE PEOPLE WHO WILL MAKE UP THE 144,000 NOW?

Interestingly, many of God's people have expressed the desire to be part of the 144,000. And there is nothing wrong with that. However, since the Bible is silent in regard to the particular individuals who will constitute this special group, it is not safe for us to go around boasting that we are among the 144,000. You see, unlike the 12 apostles of Christ who could easily be known and counted because they literally followed the Master, the last day apostles of Christ (that is, the 12 * 12,000 = 144,000), so to speak, will not have any sign or tag on them to differentiate them from the rest of the people of God. In fact, the only time, which is yet future, that any of us can be sure that we are part of the 144,000 is when we begin to witness the outpouring of the seven last plagues on the wicked inhabitants of the world (Revelation 16:1-21).

6) WHAT ARE THE CHARACTERISTICS OF THE 144,000?

At this stage in our study, I will want us to consider various passages that describe the characteristics of the 144,000. I believe that this section is the most important aspect in our study of the 144,000. And it is my sincere prayer that the beautiful characteristics of this blessed group will encourage us to lead a lifestyle that exemplifies the character of our Saviour.

Friends, in this section of our study, we will be considering three main passages that describe the 144,000. As we go through each of the three passages, I will spend some time to shed some insights on some of the texts:

FIRST PASSAGE ON THE 144,000: REVELATION 7:1-17

Beloved, even though the entire chapter of Revelation 7 is about the 144,000, I will want us to focus on the verses 9 to 17 of Revelation 7 which actually bring out some of the beautiful characteristics of this blessed group. From Revelation 7:9-17, we read the following interesting details concerning the 144,000: 7:9 "After this 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;" An interesting insight from verse 9:

i) The 144,000 are found before the throne of God with palms in their hands. Palm branches are a symbol of triumph or victory. From John 12:12-19, we read about how the crowd in Jerusalem greeted Christ with palm branches when He entered the city on a donkey. Thus, in Revelation 7:9, the 144,000 are portrayed as celebrating the victory over the beast power with palm branches. "7:10 And cried with a loud voice, saying, Salvation to our God which sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb.

7:11 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 worshipped God,

7:12 Saying, Amen: Blessing, and glory, and wisdom, and thanksgiving, and honour, and power, and might, be unto our God for ever and ever. Amen.

7:13 And one of the elders answered, saying unto me, What are these which are arrayed in white robes? and whence came they?

7:14 And I said unto him, Sir, thou knowest. And he said to me, These are they which came out of great tribulation, and have washed their robes, and made them white in the blood of the Lamb." Some interesting insights from verse 14:

i) The 144,000 people come out of the great tribulation or persecution. In other words, this group of the saints will live during the horrible time of this earth's history when God's wrath will fully be poured on the wicked through the seven last plagues. The 144,000 will experience the great time of trouble spoken of by Daniel the prophet (Daniel 12:1). However, they will come out of this time of trouble alive because Michael, the Great Prince will deliver them (Daniel 12:1).

ii) The 144,000 wash their robes, and make them white in the blood of the Lamb. In other words, they accepted the atoning sacrifice of Christ on their behalf and are covered by His righteousness (Revelation 19:7-8). 7:15 "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." Some interesting insights from verse 15:

i) They are found before the throne of God.

ii) They serve God in His temple. "7:16 They shall hunger no more, neither thirst any more; neither shall the sun light on them, nor any heat.

7:17 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 all tears from their eyes." An interesting insight from verse 17:

i) From the verse 17, we are told that the Lamb shall lead them to living fountains of waters. In other words, they follow the Lamb Who actually satisfies their deepest longings with the rich treasures of eternity.

(Revelation 7:9-17) SECOND PASSAGE ON THE 144,000: REVELATION 14:1-5

Beloved, another place in Scripture where we read about the 144,000 is Revelation 14:1-5. This passage reads: 14:1 "And I looked, and, lo, a Lamb stood on the mount Sion, and with him an hundred forty and four thousand, having his Father's name written in their foreheads." Some interesting insights from verse 1:

i) The 144,000 stand with the Lamb on Mount Sion. In other words, they are found before the throne of God in heaven (Mount Sion here is used in reference heaven; see Hebrews 12:22).

ii) The 144,000 have their Father's name written in their foreheads. In other words, they receive the seal of God (Revelation 7:1-4). 14:2 "And I heard a voice from heaven, as the voice of many waters, and as the voice of a great thunder: and I heard the voice of harpers harping with their harps:" An interesting insight from verse 2:

The 144,000 were given the harps of God. 14:3 "And they sung as it were a new song before the throne, and before the four beasts, and the elders: and no man could learn that song but the hundred and forty and four thousand, which were redeemed from the earth." An interesting insight from verse 3:

i) With their harps, the 144,000 saints sing a new song that no man could learn. The reason why no one is able to take part in this song is basically because the 144,000 sing about their experience. They sing about the terrible time of trouble they had to go through during the final hours of this earth's history. They also sing about how Michael, the Great Prince delivered them from the dragon, beast and false prophet with an outstretched arm (Daniel 12:1; Revelation 19:11-21).

14:4 These are they which were not defiled with women; for they are virgins. These are they which follow the Lamb whithersoever he goeth. These were redeemed from among men, being the firstfruits unto God and to the Lamb.

Some interesting insights from verse 4:

i) The 144,000 are not defiled with women; for they are virgins. A woman in Bible prophecy basically represents the church (Ephesians 5:25; 2 Corinthians 11:2). A pure woman is used to depict God's true church (Jeremiah 6:2; Revelation 12:1-17; Revelation 19:7-8) whiles a harlot or prostitute is used to depict a fallen or an apostate church (Hosea 5:3-4). Thus friends, the 144,000 saints, unlike the people in mystery Babylon and her daughters, did not commit spiritual adultery. They had nothing to do with the false teachings of Babylon, the great prostitute who sits on many waters (Revelation 17:1-2). Like the five wise virgins (Matthew 25:1-13), the 144,000 were led and sealed by the Holy Spirit of promise unto the day of redemption (Ephesians 1:13; Ephesians 4:30).

ii) The 144,000 follow the Lamb wherever He goes. In other words, the Lamb leads them unto living fountains of waters (Revelation 7:17). This text seems to suggest a special closeness to Christ that this group will enjoy in the city of God.

iii) The 144,000 are redeemed from among men. This basically means that even though the 144,000 will go through the terrible time of trouble or persecution, they will be delivered by Michael, the Great Prince without tasting death (Daniel 12:1).

iv) The 144,000 are first fruits unto God and to the Lamb. From Scripture, the expression first fruits is used to depict items that are reserved as sacred unto God (Leviticus 23:10). From this explanation, we gather that the 144,000 actually have a special place in the heart of God. It is no wonder we are told that they follow the Lamb wherever He goes (Revelation 14:4). 14:5 "And in their mouth was found no guile: for they are without fault before the throne of God." An interesting insight from verse 5:

i) The 144,000 are described as without fault before the throne of God. Friends, this statement does not mean that the 144,000 were able to make it into the kingdom of God because of their own righteousness. The statement that "in their mouth was found no guile: for they are without fault before the throne of God" is well understood in the context of the text in Revelation 7:14. From Revelation 7:14, we are told that the 144,000 are perfect because they have washed their robes, and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.

(Revelation 14:1-5).

THIRD PASSAGE ON THE 144,000: REVELATION 15:2-4

Friends, the last place in the book of Revelation where we read about the 144,000 is Revelation 15:2-4. Even though the 144,000 are not specifically mentioned in this passage, however the contents of the passage make it clear that the chapter is basically about the 144,000. Revelation 15 is a short chapter which actually begins by introducing the seven angels who have been given the mandate by God to pour the seven terrible last plagues on the wicked before the second coming of Christ. Now, before the seven last plagues are poured out by these angels, the Lord in His divine mercy first gives us the vision of Revelation 15 to provide hope and encouragement to His end time people that despite the terrible plagues that will befall the earth, the saints are going to be delivered out of it. Beloved, this heavenly scene portrayed in Revelation 15:2-4 should serve as a great encouragement to the people of God who will live in the final hours of this earth's history. From Revelation 15:1-5, we read the following about the seven last plagues and the 144,000: 15:1 "And I saw another sign in heaven, great and marvellous, seven angels having the seven last plagues; for in them is filled up the wrath of God." An interesting insight from verse 1:

The 144,000 people are linked with the seven last plagues. In other words, this group will live through the terrible period of time when the full wrath of God untampered with mercy will be poured out on the wicked inhabitants of the earth. This is the period of time when probation will have closed for the human race, and Christ no longer pleads for the guilty sinner (Revelation 15:1, 8 up to Revelation 16:1-21; Revelation 22:11-12). 15:2 "And I saw as it were a sea of glass mingled with fire: and them that had gotten the victory over the beast, and over his image, and over his mark, and over the number of his name, stand on the sea of glass, having the harps of God." Some interesting insights from verse 2:

i) The 144,000 saints stand on the sea of glass. In other words, they are found before the throne of God.

ii) The 144,000 had victory over the beast power. This text makes it clear that unlike the saints who were overcome (killed) by the little horn power during the dark ages in Daniel 7 (see Daniel 7:21), the 144,000 saints had the victory over the beast. In other words, the beast power couldn't destroy or kill them because they were delivered alive at the second coming of Christ.

iii) The 144,000 were given the harps of God. 15:3 "And they sing the song of Moses the servant of God, and the song of the Lamb, saying, Great and marvellous are thy works, Lord God Almighty; just and true are thy ways, thou King of saints." Some interesting insights from verse 3:

i) With their harps, the 144,000 sing the song of Moses and the Lamb. I believe this song is the same song we read about in Revelation 14:3. That is, the new song which no man is able to learn. You see friends, this song that the 144,000 sing is actually a song of their terrible experience and joyful deliverance. The fact that this song is called the song of Moses and the Lamb is very significant. Moses is basically a type of Christ. He delivered the people of ancient Israel from their great oppression in the land of Egypt to the Promised Land. Now, in the final hours of this earth's history, another 'Moses' is going to deliver the spiritual Israel of God (Revelation 19:11-21) from the oppression of the dragon, beast and false prophet to the Promised Land in heaven. Thus, it is understandable that the 144,000 sing about the great and marvelous works of God, and how just and true are His ways.

In the verse 4, the 144,000 continues their song: 15:4 "Who shall not fear thee, O Lord, and glorify thy name? for thou only art holy: for all nations shall come and worship before thee; for thy judgments are made manifest." An interesting insight from verse 4:

i) The 144,000 saints praise God for His judgements; for they had witnessed the judgements of God poured out on the wicked inhabitants of the earth who had defied the living God and persecuted His faithful children.

(Revelation 15:1-4)

A PARALLEL SUMMARY OF THE CHARACTERISTICS OF THE 144,000

At this point, I will want us to quickly review the characteristics of the 144,000 we've gone through so far through the parallel summary below:

1) The 144,000 receive the seal of God (Revelation 7:1-4).

2) The 144,000 go through the great tribulation. In other words, they live through the seven last plagues (Revelation 7:14; Revelation 15:1-2).

3) The 144,000 witness the second coming of Christ (Revelation 6:12-7:1-4).

4) The 144,000 are redeemed or delivered from the beast power at the second coming of Christ (Revelation 14:4; Revelation 15:2).

5) The 144,000 ascend with Christ to heaven and are found before the throne of God (1 Thessalonians 4:16-17; Revelation 7:9; Revelation 7:15; Revelation 14:1; Revelation 15:2).

6) The 144,000 celebrate the victory over the beast power by waving palm branches before the throne of God (Revelation 7:9).

7) The 144,000 serve God in His temple (Revelation 7:15).

8) The 144,000 do not defile themselves with women; for they are virgins (Revelation 14:4).

9) The 144,000 are without fault before the throne of God. They actually wash their robes and make them white in the blood of the Lamb (Revelation 14:5; Revelation 7:14).

10) With their harps, the 144,000 will sing a new song that no man will be able to learn (Revelation 14:2-3; Revelation 15:2-3).

11) The 144,000 will experience no more hunger, thirst, or heat of the sun in the city of God (Revelation 7:16).

12) The 144,000 will follow the Lamb wherever He goes (Revelation 7:17; Revelation 14:4).

Friends, as I go through these beautiful characteristics of the 144,000, I am really humbled. These are people who allowed themselves to be transformed by the renewing power of the Holy Spirit. For it is said concerning them; that, "in their mouth was found no guile: for they are without fault before the throne of God" (Revelation 14:5). Oh! How I wish these words can also be said concerning you and I. Friends, the 144,000 did not reach this perfect state through their own strength; for we are told that they washed their robes, and made them white in the blood of the Lamb (Revelation 7:14). Beloved, the Lord is ready and willing to help each of us in the same way so we can also be transformed into the perfect image of His only begotten Son. For the fact of the matter is that without a pure heart like that of the 144,000, we will in no wise enter the courts above (Matthew 5:8).

7) WHY THE NUMBER 144,000?

At this point in our study, I believe some of you are likely to ask the question: Why the number 144,000? Is there anything special about the number itself? Beloved, the answer to the second question is a resounding yes. When we open the pages of Scripture, we learn that besides the number 7, which seem to be the most prominent number in Scripture (basically because it brings out the fact of God's Creatorship), the next prominent number that we find occurring several times throughout Scripture is the number 12. The number 12 is related to the special number of 144,000 in the sense that 12 is one of the factors of 144,000.

And as a lot of us are aware, the origin of the number 12 can easily be traced to the 12 sons of Jacob who were used by God to build up the nation of ancient Israel (Genesis 35:23-26; Genesis 49:1-28; Deuteronomy 33:6-25, 46).

Moreover friends, if we should do a quick scan of Scripture, we are going to discover that besides the 12 sons of Jacob, the number 12 is also used in connection with several other groups and objects. For instance, there were 12 patriarchs from Shem to Jacob. Before the people of Israel asked for a king, God ruled over them through the ministry of 12 different judges. Another interesting observation where the number 12 is used is in relation to David's army. The patriarch David actually organized the military of Israel into 12 groups of 24,000 which totalled 288,000. And that is two teams of 144,000 (1 Chronicles 27:1-15).

Now, when we consider the New Testament, we learn about how Christ chose 12 apostles to be the leaders of the church that was to carry the gospel to the entire world. In fact, when we open the last book of the New Testament, we discover that the number 12 has been used amply in connection with various people and objects. For instance, from Revelation 7:4-8, we learn that the 144,000 is basically made up of 12 groups of 12,000 coming from the 12 different tribes of the spiritual Israel of God. Now, when we move five chapters ahead from Revelation 7, we end up in Revelation 12. In this chapter, we discover that the pure woman that symbolizes God's end time people has a garland of 12 stars on her head. These 12 stars represent the pioneering work of the 12 apostles of Christ.

Now, when we move to the latter chapters of the book of Revelation, we encounter several interesting details of the number 12. For instance, from Revelation 21, we learn that the Holy City that Christ has prepared for His faithful children has 12 gates (verse 12) and 12 foundations (verse 14). Now, that is another 12 groups of 12 which make up 144. Moreover, from the verse 16, we learn that the Holy City lies foursquare and its measurement is actually 12,000 furlongs. In fact, we read from the verse 17 that the measurement of the city's wall is actually 144 (that is 12 by 12) cubits, according to the measure of a man. Moreover beloved, when we come to the last chapter of the book of Revelation, we encounter another 12 by 12 in connection with the fruits of the tree of life. We gather from Revelation 22:2 that the tree of life actually bears 12 manner of different fruits for 12 consecutive months. And friends, that's another 12 groups of 12 which make up 144.

Beloved, it is important to note that our understanding of the various numerical dimensions of the Holy City as well as the fruits of the tree of life is basically literal. In fact, we believe that there are going to be 12 literal gates and 12 literal foundations in the Holy City. Moreover, we believe that there are going to be 12 different manners of fruits on the tree of life every month. In fact, we do not think of these several groups of 12 in the book of Revelation as symbolic. Thus, it might as well be the case that the 12 groups of 12 that make up the 144,000 saints should also be viewed as a literal number and not symbolic.

You see beloved, our God in His own wisdom, used the 12 sons of Jacob to establish the ancient nation of Israel. It was the plan of God that Israel will shine as lights to the rest of the world so that through them the world will come to know Him (Isaiah 2:2-4; Micah 4:1). But as we learn from several pages of Scripture, the nation of ancient Israel woefully disappointed God. Thus, God forsook them and decided to carry out His plan of reaching the world with His knowledge through the Christian church. And so during the ministry of Christ on earth, our Lord also chose 12 apostles who were to pioneer the work of propagating the everlasting gospel to all the world regions (Mark 16:15). After Christ had ascended to heaven, He poured out His Spirit in full measure on the 12 apostles who led the disciples in proclaiming the risen Christ to the world. These disciples, filled with Holy Spirit power turned the world upside down with their message (Acts 17:6).

Thus friends, just as our Lord specially chose the 12 apostles to lead out the early church in proclaiming the gospel to the world, so is He going to choose 12 groups of 12,000 (144,000) to lead out His end time church in proclaiming the everlasting gospel and the three angels' messages contained in this gospel to the world. Thus, through the leadership of the 144,000 who obviously will be scattered across various regions of the world, God's final warning as captured in Revelation 14:6 -12 will be given to the world.

With this understanding, it is quite not surprising that before the proclamation of the three angels' messages to the world (Revelation 14:6-12), God saw it fit to reveal to the apostle John these 12 groups of 12,000 (144,000) saints who will lead out in this all important work.

Friends, as the Special Forces in God's end time army; the work that is cut out for the 144,000 is enormous. However, by their complete loyalty and sacrifice to the cause of Christ, by their willingness to follow the Lamb wheresoever He leads, the Lord sanctifies them to lead out His people in preparing the world for His soon return. Thus friends, due to the work that this group avails themselves to accomplish for the Lord, God also separates them from His people as first fruits unto Himself (Revelation 14:4), and grants them the blessed privilege of witnessing alive the second coming of His Son in the clouds of heaven.

Exhortation: "We may behold Christ to good purpose. We may safely look to Him; for He is all-wise. As we look to Him and think of Him, He will be formed within, the hope of glory. Let us strive with all the power that God has given us to be among the hundred and forty-four thousand." - Our Father Cares, page 19; by E. G. White.

SELECTED REFERENCES / FURTHER STUDY:

1. THE REVELATION OF JESUS CHRIST: Commentary on the Book of Revelation. (Pages 253-270) By Ranko Stefanovic.

2. Beatrice S. Neall "Sealed Saints and the Tribulation", in Symposium on Revelation- Book 1: Introductory and Exegetical Studies, ed. F. B. Holbrook, Daniel and Revelation Committee Series, Vol. 6 (Silver Spring, MD: Biblical Reseach Institute, 1992), Pages 245-278.

3. WHO WILL SING THE SONG? THE 144,000 OF REVELATION 14. By Doug Batchelor.

4. The 144,000 and the Great Multitude By Ekkehardt Mueller.

5. IMMITATIONS OF CHRIST (Pages 82-88) By Dr. Andrews Ewoo.

In our next study, we will consider the topic: Statements Reflecting Biblical Passages: Ellen G. White's Comments on the 144,000.

Stay blessed and keep shining for King Jesus.

Maranatha!

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