XI. The 144,000—Great Evangelists?

At the end of the third paragraph in section VIII, 6A, it was mentioned that at God’s direction there was to be a brief pause, a very short period to allow God the Father to seal His servants on their foreheads.  This likely could have happened just prior to the Rapture and God’s overwhelming victory in Battle Two, and the Day of the Lord wrath (see the chapter XVII Revelation 14, and Blood Flowing 184 Miles?).  Perhaps just before that glorious Rapture scene, John, as recorded in Revelation 7:1-4, saw four angels standing at the four corners of the earth.  Of course, there are no corners on a round globe, so this must be figurative. (Revelation 7:1-4, 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:) God the Father must have the earth’s surface and air divided into at least four areas, and these angels were the ones who were granted the power to harm the earth and the sea with strong winds, as their part in the Day of the Lord trumpet judgments.  But direction was given to the four angels by another angel ascending from the east, who had the seal of the living God, that they should hold the wind, a “brief pause,” that it might not blow and harm the earth, the sea, and any tree, “till we have sealed the servants of our God on their foreheads.”

The first six seals have been opened, as we described previously, and in Revelation 8 verse 1, John saw Jesus open the seventh seal, which introduces the seven trumpet judgments and also introduces another earthquake (verse 5, the second earthquake in Revelation), and another “brief pause” is described.  (Revelation 8:1 When He opened the seventh seal, there was silence in heaven for about half an hour.)  It says there was silence in Heaven for about half an hour.  It does not give the exact reason for the half hour delay, but I believe it is safe to say it was because all that were present at this heavenly unveiling of these seven trumpet judgments were awe-stricken as they conceptualized the reality of the tremendous destruction God was about to unleash.  Out of respect to God the Father who was on His throne, and Jesus who was in charge of what was to happen, they were given this brief time period to comprehend these terrible disasters that were about to hit the earth.

John heard the number of the servants to be sealed by the angel, and the number was 144,000, and it was to be comprised of 12,000 from each of the twelve tribes of the children of Israel.  These are very scanty details, and we are not told whether the entire 144,000 were chosen only from the land of Israel (many Jews were directed to leave Jerusalem when the Antichrist was revealed and flee to the hills), or if the number included those from Jewish settlements throughout the earth, since the winds were quieted all over the earth.  But we can be sure of one thing, that an omniscient, omnipresent God knew ahead of time just who was going to qualify for this group, and exactly where each one was, and the sealing could be accomplished in short order.  Remember, all this takes place many months into the second 3½ years of Daniel’s 70^th week, and likely immediately before the Rapture.

In Revelation 14:1-5, a very small amount of additional information is added about the 144,000. (Revelation 14:1-5, 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. They 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.)  It describes the Lamb, Jesus, as standing (part of His ‘parousia’, coming with a presence) on Mount Zion with the 144,000, and each has His Father’s name written on his forehead.  This occasion at Mount Zion is sometime after the moment the angel put God’s seal on their foreheads, because the description is that all 144,000 are in His presence.  How long after the sealing we cannot presume.  And John heard a voice from Heaven like many waters and loud thunder.  A great choir was singing a new song in Heaven before the throne, before the four living creatures, and before the elders, and was being accompanied by harpists, and it was a song that no one could learn except the 144,000 who were redeemed from the earth.  John wrote, “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.  And in their mouth was found no deceit, for they are without fault before the throne of God.”

In other translations, it is mentioned that they did not defile themselves with women and that they kept themselves pure.  This would indicate to me that through the ages there is still a lineage today of Jewish men which is pure, and has not been tainted with inter-marriages.  It could also be interpreted that they had never married and predetermined to remain celibate in their commitment to God.  I am not aware of such a large, celibate Jewish group today, but anything is possible with God.  It could also be interpreted that they abstained from spiritual seduction through the ages, and particularly seduction by the Antichrist.  Or, they are virgins to their original Jewish lineage, and the lineage was not defiled with women of other nationalities. Any or all could fit the description.  This is a tall order for human beings to keep account of, but everything is possible with God the Father, and He knew perfectly the bloodline and qualifications of everyone He chose.  To my knowledge, I have included all that is written in the Bible about the 144,000.

In Revelation 13:16-18, which are the three verses prior to the description of the 144,000 mentioned above, (Revelation 13:16-18, 16 He causes all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and slave, to receive a mark on their right hand or on their foreheads, 17 and that no one may buy or sell except one who has the mark or the name of the beast, or the number of his name, 18 Here is wisdom. Let him who has understanding calculate the number of the beast for it is the number of a man: His number is 666.) is described the activities of the false prophet who spoke with a voice like a dragon, who operates under the influence of the Antichrist (beast), who operates according to the desires of Satan (dragon).  (Revelation 13:11 Then I saw another beast coming up out of the earth, and he had two horns like a lamb and spoke like a dragon.)  In verse 16, it says of the false prophet, “he causes all…to receive the mark” of the beast, because no one will be able to buy or sell without it.  It would seem certain that the false prophet forced most everyone on earth, but perhaps not all, to receive this mark.  There will still be some of the remaining inhabitants on earth who will reject the mark of the Antichrist to their death, including the elect and His remnant of Israelites.  Most inhabitants on earth at that time will be convinced to receive 1, the mark or the name of the beast, or 2, the number of his name on their foreheads or on their right hand.

Every one who has accepted this identification (see II, paragraphs 8-11), which includes a large majority of the inhabitants on earth, are subject to God’s decision that they will have absolutely no chance for salvation, and are doomed to hell. (Revelation 14:9-11, 9 Then a third angel followed them, saying with a loud voice, “If anyone worships the beast and his image, and receives his mark on his forehead or on his hand, 10 he himself shall also drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is poured out full strength into the cup of His indignation.  They shall be tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of the Holy angels and in the presence of the Lamb.  11 And the smoke of their torment ascends forever and ever; and they have no rest day or night, who worship the beast and his image, and whoever receives the mark of his name.”)  From the scripture references I have given you, we know when the elect are Raptured, before which the 144,000 are sealed.  The church, God’s elect, according to the teaching of pre-tribulation teachers, is already gathered together in Heaven, and they also teach that the Holy Spirit went with them.  I do not believe this teaching has any validity.  If the Holy Spirit left earth pretribulationaly with the raptured saints and is not present to indwell new converts, and if there is only a minority remnant of Gentiles and Jews that have not been killed and a small percentage of others that did not take the mark of the beast, it would seem that evangelizing “a very large number” (several hundred million to over one billion as described by a leading pre-tribulation teacher) by the 144,000 ‘evangelists’ at this particular time in end time events, is very remote, if not impossible, or we would read about this evangelizing in the scriptures. 

We as Christians have been taught by pre-tribulation teachers our whole lives, and friends still tell me this to this day, that these 144,000 are going to be great evangelists, and will evangelize the whole earth, and there will be a great revival, and many of those ‘left behind’ will be converted.  Then, they try to prove their claim by saying the millions who accept Christ are those who make up “a great multitude which no one could number” in Revelation 7:9.  This is absolutely impossible, because these precious Jews were sealed only hours before, if not simultaneously with, the moment John saw the multitude in Revelation 7:9.  I would say that IF all the events covered in chapters 6 and 7 of Revelation are written in chronological order, then it is certain that John saw the multitude after the conclusion of the sixth seal, after the sealing of the 144,000, and immediately after God’s gathering together (rapture) of His elect.  (See XVIII.  TIMELINE STUDY)   

In addition to reading all the facts I just gave you, go back five paragraphs and read again, “These are the ones who follow the Lamb wherever He goes.”  They are now totally committed in their allegiance to Jesus.  They have not gone anywhere; they are following the Lamb, Jesus.  They are not all over the globe evangelizing.  Now, in light of all the scripture that I have just given you, how can you justify simply accepting without a challenge, as truth, what we have been taught, and are still being taught today?  Nowhere, in any verse mentioned above regarding the 144,000, is there even a hint that these are evangelists, and especially is there no hint or evidence that these chosen ones were Christians at that moment, or that they knew the Gospel according to Jesus.  I humbly contend that deception has crept in, and one deception was needed to cover another deception, and we have been taught this story as being the truth.  Please reread this entire section again and every scripture reference to determine what you want to believe. 

Well then, just who are, and what will be the function of, this 144,000?  I don’t claim to know the answer to that question any more than anyone else would.  But after reading this over and over, it would seem that God the Father, at this juncture in end time events, is setting this unique group aside, and sealing them from any harm by Satan and the Antichrist.  They could be the special servants of Jesus when He begins His Day of the Lord wrath judgments as they protect His remnant up to and right on through His millennial reign.  Remember again what we learned in Revelation 14:4, “These were redeemed from among men, being firstfruits to God and to the Lamb.”  Whether they will qualify for and take over temple functions as rabbis and priests in the millennium, or just be special servants of Jesus, I think no one knows for sure.  I will let you come to your own conclusions. 

However, I do have further good news for you.  If you are in Christ, and a member of God’s family, you are an overcomer and you, too, will be sealed.  In Revelation 3:12 we are told by Jesus, as He told the church of Philadelphia through His servant John, that He is going to write on each of us, the overcomers and the gathered elect, the name of His God, and the name of the city of His God, and His new name. (Revelation 3:12 He who overcomes, I will make him a pillar in the temple of My God, and he shall go out no more. I will write on him the name of My God and the name of the city of My God, the New Jerusalem, which comes down out of heaven from My God. And I will write on him My new name.)  We will be sealed with the imprinting of His character on us, and identified as belonging to Him.  Read it and verify it for yourself.  So we, too, can look forward to one day being sealed by Jesus, to our God.  Praise the name of the Lord!

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