One of the most cryptic books in the Bible is the final book, the Book of Revelation. It is full of symbols, prophecies, flying creatures, bizarre descriptions, and finally, a promise that the Lamb of God would return one day to claim His bride, the Church.
One of the symbols and themes of the Book of Revelation is the "144,000." This number is found in Revelation chapter 7 and Revelation chapter 14. Revelation 7:4 says, "And I heard the number of the sealed, 144,000, sealed from every tribe of the sons of Israel."
Twelve Tribes and the Seal of God
This tells us that the 144,000 are from every tribe of the sons of Israel. There were twelve tribes from the sons of Israel, also known as Jacob, dating back to the Book of Genesis.
Those twelve sons were as follows: Rueben, Simeon, Levi, Judah, Dan, Naphtali, Gad, Asher, Issachar, Zebulun, Joseph (represented by Ephraim and Manasseh), and Benjamin.
In Genesis 49, all the sons are mentioned by name and blessed, as Jacob blesses each of them before his death. Most believe that the twelve tribes or twelve sons of Israel still today represent the entire nation of Israel, God's people, the Jews. It is impossible to know if each tribe has an equal number of people from it, but we do know that all twelve are represented.
In the New Testament, Peter asked Jesus what the disciples would get for leaving everything to follow Him. Jesus replied to Peter and the disciples in Matthew 19:28:
Jesus said to them, "Truly, I say to you, in the new world, when the Son of Man will sit on his glorious throne, you who have followed me will also sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel."
These twelve tribes mentioned in Genesis will somehow be judged by the twelve disciples of the New Testament, and in the Book of Revelation, we learn that these twelve tribes will have 144,000 sealed during the end of time.
Who Are the 144,000? Literal or Symbolic?
So, who are these 144,000? Are they a literal or figurative number? What time frame do they represent? This means that these 144,000 will be gathered and sealed. And then, of course, what does it mean to be sealed?
The next time this number is seen in Revelation is Revelation 14:1. John the Revelator, who was one of the twelve disciples who will sit upon one of these twelve thrones, said,
"Then I looked, and behold, on Mount Zion stood the Lamb, and with him 144,000 who had his name and his Father's name written on their foreheads."
So, the 144,000 have the name of Jesus and His Father's name written on their foreheads. So, these 144,000 belong to the Lord Jesus.
This writing on their forehead would seem to indicate the "seal" being referred to in Revelation 7. So, these 144,000 would appear to be followers of Jesus Christ, whom God has sealed. The Apostle Paul says believers in Jesus are "sealed by the Holy Spirit" in Ephesians 1:13-14 as a means of being guaranteed eternal life.
This seal mentioned in Revelation 14 would seem to indicate that these individuals have been "sealed" by Jesus and the Father for eternal salvation in Him.
A Song Only They Can Sing
John the Revelator goes on to say in Revelation 14 that he heard a voice from heaven like the roar of many waters and a loud rumble of thunder, and the voice sounded like the strumming of a harp. The 144,000 sang a song before the throne, and no one could learn that song except the 144,000 who had been redeemed from the earth.
What a choir!
One hundred forty-four thousand voices singing in unity around the throne of heaven to the Lamb of God. What a magnificent sound this must have been for John the Revelator to behold, hear, and experience. So, the 144,000 were the redeemed of God from every tribe who had been given the seal of eternal life from Jesus and the ability to sing.
Living Examples of Purity and Truth
Then John speaks a unique descriptor of these 144,000 in Revelation 14:4-5: “It is these who have not defiled themselves with women, for they are virgins. It is these who follow the Lamb wherever he goes. These have been redeemed from mankind as first fruits for God and the Lamb, and in their mouth no lie was found, for they are blameless.”
This is ultimately all that can be known about the 144,000. Some believe the 144,000 represents a literal number of Jewish believers sealed during the Great Seven-Year Tribulation at the end of time before the millennial kingdom and the establishment of the eternal Kingdom mentioned in Revelation.
Others believe this number is symbolic of all believers throughout history, both Jew and Gentile.
Some view the 144,000 as a special group of witnesses who will preach the Gospel during the Great Tribulation. What can be known is they are "male virgins," followers of the Lamb, Jesus, and they are not deceptive; they tell the truth about God.
Whoever the 144,000 may be, they appear to have a great responsibility to Jesus at the end of time. Their connection is tied back somehow to the twelve tribes of Israel and they will be governed by the twelve disciples Jesus picked when He walked the earth.
They are charged with the truth of who God is and may very well be the primary means and mouthpiece for God during the Great Tribulation to bring others to Jesus.
God sets aside these individuals for a special purpose, and their sexuality, that is, their purity in their sexuality, is the prerequisite for being allowed to perform such tasks and represent the living God at the end of time.
Their example of how to live and what to do with their lives should inspire and remind all followers of Jesus Christ that regardless of who the 144,000 may be and when they may perform their duties, all followers of Jesus Christ are to abstain from sexual immorality and be faithful to share their faith in Jesus with others.
May the 144,000 inspire generation after generation to remain pure to Jesus in their sexuality and faithful to share the Gospel of Jesus, the truth of God.
