When it comes to deciphering who the 12 X 12,000 Israelites who
become the 144,000 Witnesses are, there is not much in the way of detailed
studies that would clarify their origin and ministry. As a result, we have
to determine the truth about the 144,000 by actually reading and analyzing the
Scriptures concerning them in Revelation Chapter 7 and 14, doing word studies
of some of the Greek words that refer to the 144,000 who are chosen out of
Israel, and praying to God for guidance from His Holy Spirit to help us
understand His Word in the Bible.
Upon doing this, most note that Revelation 7:4 clearly indicates that the
144,000 are taken from the Twelve Tribes of Israel. However, this does not mean
that the 144,000 are strictly modern Jews. Indeed, there are the Ten Lost
Tribes of Israel to consider. These Ten Tribes are spiritual Israelites adopted
into the
Revelation 14:4 also tells us that the 144,000 are Firstfruits and
virgins who have not “defiled” themselves with women. Now, the term “Firstfruits”
specifically refers to the First Resurrection, which started when Yahshua rose
from the dead, bringing many righteous saints from their tombs along with Him
(Mat. 27:52). This Firstfruits action of resurrection into immortal life occurs
again in the Pre-Tribulation Rapture, possibly again in the middle of the
Tribulation, and still again at the end of the seven-year Tribulation period. In
contrast, the Second Resurrection occurs only once. This is at the end of the
world - just before the New Heaven and Earth are created (Rev. 20:5, 11-12).
As Firstfruits, the 144,000 are part of the Firstfruits of the Resurrection,
meaning that they have to be immortal saints that have been chosen at the
Rapture that occurs before the last dreadful half of the Great Tribulation.
Also interesting to note here is the fact that neither Revelation Chapter 7 nor
14 calls these set-apart saints “witnesses,” so that term for them originated
out of association. Indeed, since these saints follow and serve only Yahshua the
Lamb and His Father, they are very godly and Spirit-filled. From this, we can
infer that they are also great witnesses of God’s righteousness, and that they truly
reflect God’s character to a lost and dying world.
In addition to these things, Scripture tells us that the 144,000 are “sealed”
(Rev. 7:4). Later in Revelation, we are told that this seal is on the forehead,
and is called the Seal of God (Rev. 9:4). This is reminiscent of the “tau” or
cross-shaped mark that an unknown Scribe allegorically put on redeemed Jews’
foreheads just before Jerusalem fell to Nebuchadnezzar (Ezekiel 9:2-4,11). By
the way, this Scribe mentioned by Ezekiel may actually be Enoch, who is called
the Scribe of Righteousness in the Book of 1 Enoch (1 Enoch 12:4, 15:2).
Rather than receiving a visible mark, these 144,000 saints may simply be
marked by the indwelling presence of the Holy Spirit within them, which serves
as an indelible and invisible seal on their foreheads. In fact, the seal of the
Holy Spirit guarantees the salvation of all who are truly redeemed in Christ
(Ephesians 1:13, 4:30). Before Christ, this invisible seal of the Spirit was
still given to devout Israelites just as Ezekiel attested to, but they had to
earn the right to receive it. In other words, they could not simply repent,
believe and then be covered by the blood of Christ to sanctify themselves as
humble believers may mercifully do today.
Next, we have to determine what the writer means by “virgin” and “women.”
Rather than meaning that the 144,000 are all men who never slept with a woman,
could the writer be suggesting that these saints were never loyal to any
particular church, synagogue, and/or political party? For example, the “Woman
clothed with the Sun” in Revelation 12:1 represents the righteous Jewish/Israelite
bloodline that Yahshua was descended from. As an extension of that righteous bloodline,
Yahshua made us into His Church and His Body by His shed innocent blood.
Meanwhile, the “Woman sitting on a Scarlet Beast” represents the
apostate church of the Tribulation that is “married to” or in league with corrupt
bankers and dishonest politicians (Rev. 17:3). This religious, political and
economic group promotes the idea that all paths lead to God or that man is a
god, denies the reality of sin, and does not see a need for repentance. Therefore,
in Revelation 14:1 where it says: “virgins not defiled by women,” it could mean
that these saints are not political or religious activists. In fact, this
description suggests that the 144,000 are godly saints who live quiet and pious
lives apart from worldly activities and riches.
If they are truly set-apart or holy, saints who love God give themselves
exclusively to Him. As a result, they no longer serve the world or any
institutions that are of the world. In other words, these saints live more like
hermits who are detached from the world rather than being active in church or
politics, and they are definitely not social butterflies. In fact, they serve exclusively
as God’s witnesses to their immediate families, friends, and acquaintances, and
perhaps only reach the rest of the world through their own writings or books
about their understanding of God and His desire for mankind. Incidentally, this
describes my own life over the past eight years fairly well, and someone once
told me that they think I might be one of the 144,000. Though I do not claim this
honor, I would be deeply humbled with gratitude if God chose me to be one of
them.
Now, when translated correctly (as in the NIV Bible instead of the KJV
or NKJ), Revelation 14:1 says that the 144,000 have Christ’s name and
His Father’s name written on their foreheads (instead of just the Father’s name
as in other translations). This means that these saints have Yahweh’s and
Yahshua’s True Names always in their hearts and minds, and they have put
themselves into subjection to both God the Father and God the Son, and follow
their righteous Laws. This means that the 144,000 cannot be genetically pure,
religious Jews, but must be either Spirit-filled Messianic Jews or devout Christians
who may keep the Jewish Feasts and are either Lost Israelites or adopted into
As for the purpose of the 144,000 on Earth during the Great Tribulation,
it is never actually stated in Scripture, so there is an undeniable air of
mystery concerning them. Nonetheless, it seems logical to assume that - due to
their being chosen at the beginning of the Tribulation period - these saints
are meant to serve God by leading others to Christ during the Great Tribulation.
As an example of this, we need look no further than the Two Witnesses, who are
called to witness for God by preaching the Gospel, performing terrifying
supernatural miracles, and then by being resurrected from the dead and
ascending into heaven as the whole world watches (Rev. 11:3-12).
As a final note, one thing that few seem to have noted about
the 144,000 is that they appear with Christ on Mount Zion in Revelation,
Chapter 14, and this portion of the books appears to be dealing with events
after the Antichrist declares himself to be God in the middle of the
Tribulation - meaning that Christ may come to Earth before the Battle of
Armageddon to be with the 144,000. In addition,
Could God’s throne be located in another dimension in the location of Orion? It is possible, since scientists have long speculated that the center of the Universe may be near to the Pleiades star cluster in Taurus, and Orion is a decan of Taurus. At this point, however, only one thing is certain: the 144,000 Witnesses are very special believers in God’s Kingdom, and they are given a unique position and a great purpose during the Great Tribulation that only Yahweh God understands fully at this time.
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Bible Scholar Helena Lehman is the author or four books, including “The Language of God in Prophecy,” part of a four book series that emphasizes understanding the allegorical language of God to understand both our past spiritual and temporal history and current events. Utilizing prophetic language found in the Bible, the Psalms, the Book of 1 Enoch, the Great Pyramid, and Sacred Astronomy, Helena Lehman expertly shows that we are definitely living in the End Times. The world we know is about to change in terrifying ways, and unless you know who and what to put your allegiance in, your chances of survival are slim. "The Language of God Book Series" is a road map for your survival. Get the entire series today by visiting the Pillar of Enoch Ministry Web Site at: http://pillar-of-enoch.com.