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The 144,000 In The Book Of Revelation
Chad
Napier
Who is
included in the 144,000? Much debate and discord has resulted from the study of
exactly who the 144,000 in Revelation are. Christians agree the 144,000 does
not denote the total of souls throughout history who will be ultimately be
saved from the wrath of eternal damnation. Generally, Christians either
interpret this verse as literally 144,000 people, or they believe it is a
definite number to symbolize an indefinite number of people.
“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
7:4)
Who is
included in the 144,000? Much debate and discord has resulted from the study of
exactly who the 144,000 in Revelation are.
Christians
agree the 144,000 does not denote the total of souls throughout history who
will be ultimately be saved from the wrath of eternal damnation.
Generally,
Christians either interpret this verse as literally 144,000 people, or they
believe it is a definite number to symbolize an indefinite number of people.
Literal
Theory: 144,000 Are the “Sealed Jews”
One can
believe the number in Scripture is a definite count and still have the hope of
attaining heaven.
This
futuristic count refers to the theory that the 144,000 are “sealed Jews,”
protected from the wrath of the Antichrist during the tribulation period.
This
group of people will evangelize the world during this period, leading the
salvation of millions referenced in Revelation
7:9.
Problems
with this Theory
The
tribal distinctions referred to in Revelation were eliminated well before the
writing of John.
Additionally,
one could logically adhere to the opinion that the separation of tribes was
used to symbolize the numerous Christian denominations and their equality in
number of inclusion. No one will be excluded or granted partiality based upon
lineage.
In his commentary, Methodist theologian, Adam
Clarke wrote the 144,000 includes “all of the Jews converted
to Christianity; 12,000 out of each of the 12 tribes: but this must be only a
certain [number] for an uncertain number; for it is not to be supposed that
just 12,000 were converted out of each of the 12 tribes.”
Symbolic
Theory: 144,000 Is the Symbol of Completeness
Numerology
could certainly be in play for the usage of the number 144,000.
“Twelve” is utilized to symbolize completeness, perfection, and God’s
power throughout the Bible, i.e. 12 tribes of Israel and 12
disciples of Jesus.
In reference to the 144,000, “12 is multiplied by itself and
then again by a thousand, indicating completeness and perfection to the
ultimate degree,” according to James
Coffman’s commentary.
In his
sermon entitled "The Believer's Glad Prospects," Charles Spurgeon
gave an explanation of Revelation
7:4-9.
The
12,000 from each of the 12 tribes with Judah and Benjamin joined together stand
in equal position.
Spurgeon declared "the day shall come when first and last
shall rejoin together in the equal blessing of the Most High."
He noted the tribe of Dan is missing but explained "we
shall never understand all the things of God."
Spurgeon described the "great multitude, which no man
could number" as the "great gather of the Gentile
multitude redeemed by blood, numbered by God, never to be numbered by men,
being like the sand on the seashore, innumerable!"
In his Christianity.com article, Hank
Hanegraaff said, "The 144,000 and the great multitude are not
two different peoples but two different ways of describing the same purified
bride. From one vantage point the purified bride is numbered; from another,
she is innumerable—a great multitude that no one can count."
Hanegraaff
also points out other instances in the Bible where whole numbers are used
symbolically.
"The
figurative use of the whole number 1,000 is common in Old Testament
usage," he
said. "God increased the number of the Israelites 1,000
times (Deuteronomy
1:11); God keeps his covenant to 1,000
generations (Deuteronomy
7:9); God owns the cattle on 1,000 hills (Psalm
50:10)."
Other
examples: Isaiah
60:22, Psalm
84:10, Exodus
20:6, and 2
Samuel 18:12.
Problems
with this Theory
1. It may encourage delaying a decision for personal
salvation.
Unfortunately,
many in our society utilize the Scripture detailing the sealing of the 144,000
as justification for delaying a decision for their own personal salvation,
thinking many will be saved after the rapture of the church.
But the
Bible does not allow an opportunity for salvation for those who reject
salvation prior to the rapture.
The
condition of those who are alive at the time of the rapture of the church will
be sealed.
The saved
will be ultimately and forever redeemed, while those who are lost will be
destined for judgment.
2. Many Christians prefer a literal interpretation of
Revelation.
Those who
prefer a strictly literal interpretation of Revelation have issue with the
symbolistic approach of the 144,000.
The
black-letter approach believes 144,000 means exactly what was
written.
Jehovah’s
Witness Beliefs about the 144,000
The Jehovah
Witness religion holds to the belief the 144,000 represent the total
number of saints who will ascend to the heavenly church.
Most
Christians who don’t follow the Jehovah’s Witness doctrine have generally
assumed that the rest of us not included in the 144,000 are destined for
hell.
However,
this generality is not true because, according to the Watchtower publication,
the Jehovah Witness belief is the rest of the saved will live on God’s
glorified earth while being ruled by the 144,000 who will either ascend to
heaven or also be on the glorified earth.
Problems
with this Theory
1. Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob did not belong to a specific
tribe of Israel.
Further,
if we were to accept that the only saved individuals will originate from the
designated 12 tribes, we would adhere to the resulting logic that Abraham,
Isaac, and Jacob did not make it as they were not from any of the tribes of
Israel.
This result would be contrary to Matthew
8:11, which states, “And I say unto you, That many shall come from
the east and west, and shall sit down with Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob, in
the kingdom of heaven.”
2. Joshua and Samson belonged to tribes excluded from the
144,000.
Additionally,
if this were to be accepted, one would be of the belief Joshua and Samson would
both be absent from heaven since the tribes of Ephraim and Dan were excluded
from the 144,000.
Therefore,
the 144,000 is likely not a tally of the only believers reserved for heaven.
Chad is a believer in Christ,
attorney at law, wannabe golfer, runner, dog lover, and writer. He enjoys
serving his church as a deacon and Sunday School teacher. You can find him on
Facebook, Twitter, and at his golf devotion par3sixteen.com. He and his
wife Brandi reside in Tennessee with their canine son Alistair.
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