The apostle John wrote: "I heard the number of those who were sealed, a hundred and forty-four thousand." (Revelation 7:4) In the Bible, the phrase "those who were sealed" refers to a group of individuals who are chosen from among mankind to rule with Christ in heaven over the coming Paradise earth. (2Corinthians 1:21,22; Revelation 5:9,10; 20:6) Their number, 144,000, is understood literally for several reasons. One is found in the immediate context of Revelation 7:4.
After the apostle John was told in vision about this group of 144,000 individuals, he was shown another group. John describes this second group as "a great crowd, whichnomanwasabletonumber, out of all nations and tribes and peoples and tongues." This great crowd refers to those who will survive the coming "great tribulation," which will destroy the present wicked world."”Revelation 7:9,14.
Note, however, the contrast that John draws between verses4 and 9 of Revelation chapter7. He states that the first group, "those who were sealed," has a definite number. However, the second group, "a great crowd," is without a definite number. With that in mind, it is logical to take the number 144,000 to be literal. If the number 144,000 were symbolic and referred to a group that is actually numberless, the force of the contrast between those two verses would be lost. Thus, the context strongly indicates that the number 144,000 must be taken literally.
Various Bible scholars, past and present, reached the same conclusion"”that is, the number is literal. For instance, in commenting on Revelation 7:4, 9, British lexicographer Dr.Ethelbert W. Bullinger observed some 100 years ago: "It is the simple statement of fact: a definite number in contrast with the indefinite number in this very chapter." (TheApocalypseor"TheDayoftheLord," page282) More recently, Robert L. Thomas,Jr., professor of New Testament at The Master"™s Seminary in the United States, wrote: "The case for symbolism is exegetically weak." He added: "It is a definite number [at 7:4] in contrast with the indefinite number of 7:9. If it is taken symbolically, no number in the book can be taken literally.""”Revelation:AnExegeticalCommentary, Volume1, page474.
Some argue that since Revelation contains highly symbolic language, all numbers found in this book, including the number 144,000, must be symbolic. (Revelation 1:1,4; 2:10) That conclusion, though, is clearly not correct. Granted, Revelation contains numerous symbolic numbers, but it also includes literal numbers. For instance, John speaks of "the twelve names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb." (Revelation 21:14) Clearly, the number 12 mentioned in this verse is literal, not symbolic. Further, the apostle John writes about "the thousand years" of Christ"™s reign. That number is also to be taken literally, as a careful consideration of the Bible shows. (Revelation 20:3, 5-7) Hence, whether a number in Revelation is to be taken literally or symbolically depends on its background and setting.
The conclusion that the number 144,000 is literal and refers to a limited number of individuals, a relatively small group when compared with the "great crowd," also harmonizes with other Bible passages. For instance, later in the vision that the apostle John receives, the 144,000 are described as those who "were bought from among mankind as firstfruits." (Revelation 14:1,4) The expression "firstfruits" refers to a small representative selection. Also, while Jesus was on earth, he spoke about those who will rule with him in his heavenly Kingdom and called them a "little flock." (Luke 12:32; 22:29) Indeed, those from among mankind who will rule in heaven are few in comparison with those of mankind who will inhabit the coming Paradise earth.
Hence, the context of Revelation 7:4 and related statements found elsewhere in the Bible bear out that the number 144,000 is to be taken literally. It refers to those who will rule in heaven with Christ over a paradise earth, which will be filled with a large and undetermined number of happy people who worship Jehovah God."”Psalm 37:29
10 Jesus said to those in line for this sealing: "Have no fear, little flock, because your Father has approved of giving you the kingdom." (Luke 12:32) Other scriptures, such as Revelation 6:11 and Romans 11:25, indicate that the number of this little flock is indeed limited and, in fact, predetermined. John"™s next words confirm this: "AndIheardthenumberofthosewhoweresealed,ahundredandforty-fourthousand,sealedoutofeverytribeofthesonsofIsrael:OutofthetribeofJudahtwelvethousandsealed;outofthetribeofReubentwelvethousand;outofthetribeofGadtwelvethousand;outofthetribeofAshertwelvethousand;outofthetribeofNaphtalitwelvethousand;outofthetribeofManassehtwelvethousand;outofthetribeofSimeontwelvethousand;outofthetribeofLevitwelvethousand;outofthetribeofIssachartwelvethousand;outofthetribeofZebuluntwelvethousand;outofthetribeofJosephtwelvethousand;outofthetribeofBenjamintwelvethousandsealed.""”Revelation7:4-8.
11 Could this not be a reference to literal, fleshly Israel? No, for Revelation 7:4-8 diverges from the usual tribal listing. (Numbers 1:17,47) Obviously, the listing here is not for the purpose of identifying fleshly Jews by their tribes but to show a similar organizational structure for spiritual Israel. This is balanced. There are to be exactly 144,000 members of this new nation"”12,000 from each of 12 tribes. No tribe in this Israel of God is exclusively royal or priestly. The whole nation is to rule as kings, and the whole nation is to serve as priests."”Galatians 6:16; Revelation 20:4,6.
12 Although the natural Jews and Jewish proselytes were given the first opportunity to be chosen for spiritual Israel, only a minority of that nation responded. Jehovah therefore extended the invitation to the Gentiles. (John 1:10-13; Acts 2:4, 7-11; Romans 11:7) As in the case of the Ephesians, who previously had been "alienated from the state of Israel," now non-Jews could be sealed with God"™s spirit and become part of the congregation of anointed Christians. (Ephesians 2:11-13; 3:5,6; Acts 15:14) It is appropriate, then, for the 24 elders to sing before the Lamb: "With your blood you bought persons for God out of every tribe and tongue and people and nation, and you made them to be a kingdom and priests to our God, and they are to rule as kings over the earth.""”Revelation 5:9,10.
13 The Christian congregation is "a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation." (1Peter 2:9) Replacing natural Israel as God"™s nation, it becomes a new Israel that is "really "˜Israel."™" (Romans 9:6-8; Matthew 21:43) For this reason, it was quite proper for Jesus"™ half brother James to address his pastoral letter "to the twelve tribes that are scattered about," that is, to the worldwide congregation of anointed Christians that in time would number 144,000."”James 1:1
.And I heard the number of those who were sealed, a hundred and forty-four thousand, sealed out of every tribe of the sons of Israel:
Out of the tribe of Judah twelve thousand sealed;
out of the tribe of Reuben twelve thousand;
out of the tribe of Gad twelve thousand;
out of the tribe of Asher twelve thousand;
out of the tribe of Naphtali twelve thousand;
out of the tribe of Manasseh twelve thousand;
out of the tribe of Simeon twelve thousand;
out of the tribe of Levi twelve thousand;
out of the tribe of Issachar twelve thousand;
out of the tribe of Zebulun twelve thousand;
out of the tribe of Joseph twelve thousand;
out of the tribe of Benjamin twelve thousand sealed."”Revelation 7:4-8.
9 The number of those sealed Israelites is certainly an ideal number, that is to say, twelve times twelve thousand, or one hundred and forty-four thousand, a perfectly balanced number. But what makes them an "ideal Israel" is not entirely their number, but, rather, their moral, religious qualities. In an inspired comment on those qualities, John writes:
10 "And I saw, and, look! the Lamb standing upon the Mount Zion, and with him a hundred and forty-four thousand having his name and the name of his Father written on their foreheads. And I heard a sound out of heaven as the sound of many waters and as the sound of loud thunder; and the sound that I heard was as of singers who accompany themselves on the harp playing on their harps. And they are singing as if a new song before the throne and before the four living creatures and the elders; and no one was able to master that song but the hundred and forty-four thousand, who have been bought from the earth. These are the ones that did not defile themselves with women; in fact, they are virgins. These are the ones that keep following the Lamb no matter where he goes. These were bought from among mankind as firstfruits to God and to the Lamb, and no falsehood was found in their mouths; they are without blemish.""”Revelation 14:1-5.
11 These are spiritual Israelites, those who have done what the prophet Moses told the ancient nation of Israel to do: "You must circumcise the foreskin of your hearts and not harden your necks any longer." Also: "Jehovah your God will have to circumcise your heart and the heart of your offspring, that you may love Jehovah your God with all your heart and all your soul for the sake of your life." (Deuteronomy 10:16; 30:6) Even if some of these spiritual Israelites were Jews naturally, they must have the circumcision of the heart and be Jews inwardly like all the rest of spiritual Israel. (Romans 2:28, 29) Even the one whom they follow, "the Lamb," Jesus Christ, became a spiritual Israelite, when he was anointed with God"™s spirit right after being baptized in the Jordan River by John the Baptist."”Matthew 3:13-17.
12 That the "ideal Israel" is, in fact, the spiritual Israel is illustrated further in Revelation 21:2, 9-14. There the twelve tribes of Israel, composed of the 144,000 sealed "slaves of our God," are likened to the New Jerusalem, "the bride, the Lamb"™s wife." Concerning this heavenly, spiritual New Jerusalem, it is written: "He showed me the holy city Jerusalem coming down out of heaven from God and having the glory of God. Its radiance was like a most precious stone, as a jasper stone shining crystal-clear. It had a great and lofty wall and had twelve gates, and at the gates twelve angels, and names were inscribed which are those of the twelve tribes of the sons of Israel. On the east were three gates, and on the north three gates, and on the south three gates, and on the west three gates. The wall of the city also had twelve foundation stones, and on them the twelve names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb."
13 Natural, fleshly Israel was founded upon the twelve sons of the patriarch Jacob, but it is the spiritual Israel, the Christian Israel, that is founded on the twelve apostles of the Lamb Jesus Christ. (Ephesians 2:20) So, without question, it is this spiritual Israel that is "the ideal Israel." But that by no means proves that it is the "servant" described in chapter fifty-three of Isaiah"™s prophecy.
the 144,000 who they are.
