Who Are The 144,000?

Following on from last weeks message titled The Cultivated Olive Tree, we will now take a glimpse into heaven,  through a vision given to John and discover who are the 144,000? As you listen be blessed, empowered and transformed in Jesus' name! 

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Transcript

00:00 Intro music and voice over.

Welcome to jesus loves the world podcast. For more information and free resources visit our website jesuslovestheworld.info Be blessed empowered and transformed in Jesus’ name! 

00:20 Preacher

Following on from last weeks message titled The Cultivated Olive Tree, we will now take a glimpse into heaven,  through a vision given to John and discover who are the 144,000? This vision is the book of the Revelation of Jesus. It is classified by scholars as end times literature. 

For us today interpretation of end times literature can be difficult, as it has a circular view of time mixing the past, present and future narratives together. Even more significantly end times literature is rich in symbolism that was relevant to the culture at the time of writing.

It is helpful in understanding end times literature to know that it is written during times of persecution and is always about salvation and judgement. Eternal salvation for those who believe God and receive Jesus as their saviour and king. And judgement for those who have chosen to become enemies of God in rejecting Jesus and as a result, rejecting their only pathway to salvation. 

So keeping all this in mind, let us take a moment to surrender our thoughts and any preconceived ideas we may have to God and hear what His Spirit is saying to us today.

Revelation 14:1-5 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. 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. 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. 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.

Let’s take a closer look at the details of what John sees in heaven.

There is the lamb [who in previous chapters is identified as the risen Jesus] standing on Mount Zion. 

Mount Zion is symbolic of both the Holy City and David's kingdom. God promised David all those centuries ago that the Messiah would come from his royal line. God’s eternal kingdom promised to David would be through the Messiah.

By reference to the lamb on Mount Zion, we are reminded that Jesus is the promised Messiah, the Eternal One, the King of kings and Lord of lords. Who at a time in human history became a man, born of the seed of the Holy Spirit, from the lineage of David. Jesus fulfils every promise given to David, Abraham and all humanity. 

Jesus is depicted as the lamb and He has the central role in this vision. He is the lamb who was slain and raised to life. The one who willing laid down His life, took our place and paid the cost of every offence said thought or done by humanity. Jesus defeated death and gives His victory to all who receive Him. In Jesus all heaven and earth and under the earth are one. 

This imagery of Jesus standing on Mount Zion is a powerful picture of the victorious King and His eternal kingdom. This is the holy city which will come down out of heaven to a new earth as prophesied in future time. 

Revelation 21:10 And he carried me away in the Spirit to a great and high mountain, and showed me the great city, the holy Jerusalem, descending out of heaven from God,

This is the time when heaven and earth are one in Jesus and evil is totally eliminated. 

So Jesus is standing victorious in the holy city in heaven, before the new earth and the elimination of evil from the earth. Together with Jesus are 144,000. John describes them as having the name of both Jesus and the Father written on their foreheads. Remember this is end times literature that is full of symbolism. This depiction of having God’s name written on their foreheads is symbolic of identity, belonging and allegiance. 

Earlier in the book of the Revelation of Jesus we are introduced to 144,00 who are clearly from the tribes of Israel. 

Revelation 7:2-4 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, saying, “Do not harm the earth, the sea, or the trees till we have sealed the servants of our God on their foreheads.” 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:

Those 144,00 of the tribes of the children of Israel were sealed by God with His identity. They believed God, received His right to rule and reign and gave their allegiance to Him. 

Both God the Father and the Son have given everything of themselves to them. They have His identity and belong together with Him. 

This is a beautiful picture of belonging, intimacy and being at home together. Belonging to God, being adopted into His royal family and identified by His royal seal. 

Along with those 144,000 who believed God and received His right to rule and reign is a vast multitude which cannot be numbered.  

Revelation 7:9-10 After these things I looked, and behold, a great multitude which no one could number, of all nations, tribes, peoples, and tongues, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed with white robes, with palm branches in their hands, and crying out with a loud voice, saying, “Salvation belongs to our God who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb!”there is around the throne a great multitude of all nations, tribes, peoples and languages standing before the throne of the lamb arrayed in white. 

They too have received Jesus and the Father. They have His identity, His name and belong to God. This vast multitude of all peoples have come out of the great tribulation. They stand before the throne of the lamb arrayed in white. They cry out, ‘salvation belongs to our God, who sits on the throne.  

Revelation 7:13-17 Then one of the elders answered, saying to me, “Who are these arrayed in white robes, and where did they come from?” And I said to him, “Sir, you know.” So he said to me, “These are the ones who come out of the great tribulation, and washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb. Therefore they are before the throne of God, and serve Him day and night in His temple. And He who sits on the throne will dwell among them. They shall neither hunger anymore nor thirst anymore; the sun shall not strike them, nor any heat; for the Lamb who is in the midst of the throne will shepherd them and lead them to living fountains of waters. And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes.”

Back to the 144,000 from our text today. The actual number of 144,000 is symbolic. It is not a literal number. It is the number of God’s people represented in the Old Testament as those from the 12 tribes of Ancient Israel who believed God. The 12 tribes is multiplied by itself, 12 x 12 and then by 1000, which is 10 x 10 x 10. Throughout the bible 10 often means completeness in the context of humanity. 

So those of the 12 tribes of Israel who have believed God and received Jesus are standing with Jesus in glorious triumph. As the book of the Revelation of Jesus was written in time of great persecution, where the brutality of humanity was amongst it’s worst and evil appeared to be ruling the earth, this truth would have been full of hope and encouragement to the first hearers. 

To hear of this awesome reality of Jesus and the 144,000 standing victoriously in heaven is a glorious testimony to God. A witness to His faithfulness, love, victory and justice. 

In amongst all this visual imagery and symbolism John hears the sounds of heaven. One he described as the voice like the sound of many waters. This references back to the resurrected Jesus who appeared to John at the beginning of this vision and instructed him to write down everything he hears and sees. 

Revelation 1:15-18 His feet were like fine brass, as if refined in a furnace, and His voice as the sound of many waters; He had in His right hand seven stars, out of His mouth went a sharp two-edged sword, and His countenance was like the sun shining in its strength. And when I saw Him, I fell at His feet as dead. But He laid His right hand on me, saying to me, “Do not be afraid; I am the First and the Last. I am He who lives, and was dead, and behold, I am alive forevermore. Amen. And I have the keys of Hades and of Death. 

John describes the voice of the resurrected Jesus as the sound of many waters. Also in this book of The Revelation of Jesus, the sound of many waters is used to describe the voice of a great multitude who are one with Jesus. 

Revelation 19:6 And I heard, as it were, the voice of a great multitude, as the sound of many waters and as the sound of mighty thunderings, saying, “Alleluia! For the Lord God Omnipotent reigns!

They are testifying of who God is, what He has done and will do. For He is the supreme deity, the one true God and the almighty one who rules and reigns over all. 

For it is God who has redeemed the 144,000 from the earth and the multitude of all nations, tribes, peoples and tongues. It is because of the work of God that they have been redeemed. The redemption cost is the blood of Jesus, the lamb that was slain, who now is alive and victorious for all eternity.

The 144,000 in today’s text are referred to as, the ones who were not defiled with women, for they are virgins. 

This is a symbolic reference to spiritual purity, for they did not defile themselves with women. This means they did not give their allegiance to other gods, which results in becoming one with them and everything associated with them. 

The first hearers would of understood this relationship analogy, as all through the Old Testament God spoke to the Ancient Israelites about spiritual purity. He likened the worship of other gods and the participation in their abominable rituals as adultery. As they claimed to be God’s people on the outside, yet in their hearts rejected Him. 

The 144,000 chose to give their allegiance to God, become one with Him and worship only Him. They belonged to God and followed Jesus all their days.

The text also states that there is no lie in the 144,000, for they received the truth in Jesus. Jesus is the ultimate truth and the 144,000 are one with Him. Their testimony is true. 

Jesus is the one who heralds in a new dawn. He is the one who shines the brightest, the redeemer of all those symbolised in the 144,000 and the multitude. We have nothing to fear of the end times or judgement as all who believe God and receive Jesus are passed from judgement. We are forever His and He is forever ours. 

Revelation 22:1-5 And he showed me a pure river of water of life, clear as crystal, proceeding from the throne of God and of the Lamb. In the middle of its street, and on either side of the river, was the tree of life, which bore twelve fruits, each tree yielding its fruit every month. The leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations. And there shall be no more curse, but the throne of God and of the Lamb shall be in it, and His servants shall serve Him. They shall see His face, and His name shall be on their foreheads. There shall be no night there: They need no lamp nor light of the sun, for the Lord God gives them light. And they shall reign forever and ever.

19:40 Outro music and voice over. 

For more information and free resources visit our website jesuslovestheworld.info Be blessed empowered and transformed in Jesus’ name!