Four views about 144,000, which is Biblical?

[Jedidiah]

a. 144,000 literal

b. 144,000 symbolical, but different from Great multitude

c. 144,000 symbolical, but it is a part of Great multitude

d. 144,000 the symbolical number of the Great multitude

Explain your answer...

[skyblue888]

I agree... the answer is b

The 144,000 as a group will not exist until after the great final test for none but those who pass this great final test can become members of this illustrious company of people.

The great multitude is the general harvest at the coming of Christ.

sky

[Lorenzo9869]

(a)144,000 is a literal number....

This group will be composed of members of the seventh day adventist body who will not see death and who have overcome tempations in the power of the mighty one of Israel. This company will not be meat eaters,they all will embrace the health reform and be living epistles for God.The scriptures states that they will be saviors..read obadiah 21. and men wondered at. zech 12 :8

1. In revelation chapter 10 it showed that the church was disappointed and left without a sense of direction.And since then the church has been looking forward for his coming instead of preparing for the antitypical passover (Ezekiel 9), and as you well know that the typical passover brought about an independent nation called Israel so it will be in the antitype,which is the separation of the tears from the wheat in the church,hence the fullfilment of the numbered company,the 144,000. read DA page 77

2.The commission of the church is to preach the judgement of the dead from creation to 1844 and from 1844 to the antitypical passover.(Ezekiel 9)

Revelation chapter 11 verses 1:2 is a continuation of revelation 10 showing the commission of the church.

To explain, to measure is to number.so therefore the numbered company that worship is the 144,000.

If you have first fruits then it is obvious that you must have second fruits.In rev 11:2 it shows distinctly that the advent church was not given to gather the great multitude which is mentioned in verse 2 about not to measure the court, because it belongs to the gentiles.

3."Now as to the meaning of the two terms,Zion and Jerusalem,as used in Rev 14:1, the revelator explains that the 144,000 of the twelve tribes of Israel are those who make up Zion...

"These being the first fruits(rev 14:1), it further shows that they are the first of the harvest in the end of the world. matt 13:39. Obviously,then,those who were seen after them, the great multitude...of all nations' (rev 7:9) are none other than the second fruits of the harvest,some of whom will dwell in Jerusalem.

When in 1844 the investigative judgement of the dead began,preliminary to the ingathering of the first fruits of the living, God did not leave his people in darkness concerning the events.The very first vision that sister White received was of the 144,000 first fruits. the servants of our God,who shall never taste death.

[Guest Manie]

d.

The 144,000 is the same group as the Great Multitude294

[phkrause]

I'm with sky, b is my answer too.

[JoeMo]

My answer (opinion, actually) is "None of the Above" .  Is that a 5th option?

 

Here's why:

Revelation 7:4-8 defines the 144,000 as being from the tribes of Israel; and goes on to specify 12,000 from each tribe.  That makes me think that 144,000 is the literal number of Isrealites (blood descendants of Jacob) that will be saved as a remnant.

Revelation 7:9-14 then goes on to explain the great multitude as those who have come out of the tribulation who have washed their robes in the blood of the Lamb that sounds to me like Gentile believers who survive the Great Tribulation.

 

So IMHO (and that's all it is - an opinion) is that the 144,000 is a literal number, but different that the great Multitude.

 

I reserve the right to modify my opinion at any given moment. 

[8thdaypriest]

The 144,000 are said to "stand" at "the great day of His wrath" (Rev. 6:17).

 

Rev. Cpt 7 answers the question posed in 6:17  - "Who is able to stand?"

This is WHY I believe that the 144,000 will "stand" before God - cleansed & redeemed - at the SC.

 

According to the Law (which was prophetic) a high priest could NOT marry a harlot, a divorced woman, a woman defiled by idolatry or the woman he was formerly married to. 

Israel was all of the above.

 

Which means that the LORD must cleanse her history - restoring her to "virginal" status, before He can "marry" her. 

 

NOTE:  We "Gentiles" are "grafted in" to Israel, thru Christ  (Romans 11), and the unrepentent are "cut off" from Israel. 

There is no gate into "the City" labeled "Gentiles Enter Here". 

 

Our sin (history) is cleansed/wiped clean, so that we can be "betrothed" to our High Priest.

 

I believe that the 144,000 number is symbolic.  It represents 12 tribes x 12 apostles (12 Foundations x 12 Gates of the Holy City)

 

I believe it represents everyone who will enter the City and be "married" to Christ at the Second Coming. 

 

BUT - the 144,000 are also called "firstfruits".

Which means that they are only a small portion - the first portion, of the greater harvest to follow.  

 

The "great multitude" are the harvest to follow.

It is my belief that the 144,000 will be gathered (harvested) from the earth at the Second Coming.

The great multitude will be harvested from "the rest of the dead" during the 8th millennium.

 

I believe the whole 6000+1000 years of the sin experience is THE "great tribulation" in the eyes of God and Heaven.  

 

The "great multitude" "come out of the great tribulation". 

If you believe that "the great tribulation" is the 3.5 years of persecution leading up to the SC, or the period of the trumpets,

then all of this great multitude would have to be converted to Christ during that 3.5 year period. 

 

No one from any other time period.  That doesn't quite fit. 

 

So - you have the "firstfruits" - 144,000

and the rest of the harvest - a great multitude.  

 

 

Blessings,

Rachel Cory

Prophecy Viewpoint

Just went over 5000 visitors over the last 30 days.

[8thdaypriest]

I would mention that there were THREE "harvests" in Israelite culture. 

The Spring (Barley), the Summer at Pentecost (mainly wheat), and the early FALL (olives, fruits and nuts). 

The fall fruits were presented for Sakkot (Tabernacles).

 

Christ is the "firstfruits" of the Spring (Barley) harvest.

I believe the body of that harvest consisted of those who were resurrected by Christ, who were then taken with Him to the Father's House.

These presently serve as the 24 elders.  There are probably MORE than just 24 of them.  King David divided the priesthood into 24 "courses" of elders (I Chron 24-25).  They rotated the service of the Temple. 

 

Matthew 27:52-53, Isa. 26:19, Psa. 68:18, Eph 4:8, Rev. 4:4 & 5:8-10. 

 

The "summer" harvest has been in progress since Pentecost, and will culminate at the SC.  

 

The Fall harvest was presented at Sakkot (Tabernacles) - [which FOLLOWS Day of Atonement by the way].

It is most interesting that  "everyone who is left of all the nations" are invited to come up to Jerusalem for the Feast of Tabernacles (Zech. 14:16).

These will be present their "brethren" gathered out of the nations,  to the LORD as an offering (Isa. 66:18-21).

 

These "brethren" gathered out of all the nations, are the final FALL harvest. 

 

Blessings,

Rachel Cory

Prophecy Viewpoint