The 144,000 - Part 2

D Baxley

July 8, 2006

Greetings, In His Name,

The 144,000, who are they?   You have to wonder why so many have a teaching concerning the identity of the 144,000 with many different views.  Some say they are Jews that are "left behind" to preach the gospel to the world "after" the true church (Christians) has been "ruptured".  Others say that they are the church -- Christian Church?  Still, others say their particular group is the 144,000.  The later two, of course, teach the 144,000 are symbolic.  In times past a certain group used to teach that they and they alone were the 144,000 until their group, their church grew to over the required number.  Another long time teacher of the bible says the 144,000 is Israel, 12,000 from each tribe -- so far, so good -- and that it is the heavenly signs following the Great Tribulation "... which SHOCK into repentance the 144,000".  This teacher goes on to say the 144,000 will suffer the horrors of world war III, "suffering terrible hunger, sickness, privation, and almost unendurable hardship!  They will have seen loved ones and relatives KILLED!"  Where does all of this information come from?  He does not say and he certainly gave no scriptural references for such statements.  Who is this author?  It does not matter who the particular author is as it is an expression of most modern day bible teachers of today.  To point a finger at a single writer or self-professing prophet serves no purpose here.  Suffice it to say he is not alone in his false teaching this has become a popular view of the Evangelical community and especially of those teaching the false “rapture” doctrine.  Standing on the word of the Living God --the 144,000 are not Jews "shocked" into repentance causing them to preach the gospel.  They are from every tribe of Israel, they are Israelites uncorrupted by this worlds evil religions.

Others teach that this 144,000 is a symbolic number for the Christian Church -- this teaching has been replaced for the most part by the Evangelical Christians.  Today’s popular teaching of the "rapture" (not to be confused with the resurrection) conflicts with the old teaching of the144,000 being the Christian Church as it is ever so plain that the 144,000 are on this earth during the "tribulation" and this goes against the false "rapture" teaching of the "good" Christians being taken before the Great Tribulation

It never ceases to amaze me that a simple reading of the "word" (our guide and study text for the Kingdom) tells us exactly who the 144,000 is and it says it quite plainly.  Please read chapters 7 and 14 of Revelation.  The 144,000 are Israelites and this includes Judah (the Jews) being one of the 12 mentioned, 12,000 from each tribe.  This is a number set by the Creator Himself.  Many teachers cannot abide by this, as the numbers given are “even” and very specific, suggesting to them that the Messiah really didn't mean what he caused to be written.  The Word is plain, no conflicting interpretation can be found to contradict what is recorded, it is 12,000 from each of the tribes, less the tribe of Dan (?) making up 144,000 "marked" individuals.  Our Savior has a specific number in mind and this is it, 144,000.  They are not of the Christian Church but of the Congregation of Israel and they are the beginning of the "restoration of all things".  They are "true" believers and the proof that Israel survives. They will stand with the Messiah and be with Him forever.  They are the perfection of the Messiah on Earth and a guarantee of Israel’s survival.  If Satan could destroy all people of God, these would be saved,  Satan would and will fail -- it has been decided -- there is no competition, the battle has already been won.  The Messiah, YaHshua, defeated Satan and has taken the power of death from him.  He, Satan, is fighting a losing battle.  Our hope, as Christians,  is in the Messiah’s promise and the Father’s love for us that we too can be saved and have eternal live through YaHshua.

 Follow Principle #1 -- "... Let God be true and every man a liar."  Romans 3:4

Again, let us understand something, all Jews are Israelites but not all Israelites are Jews.  It is an identity problem modern society suffers from.  The people of Israel (lost tribes) are spread all over the world, many having lost their identity, but our God know who they are, and in the last days of man's rule a specific number is going to be marked for protection.  The Beast has his mark and the Living God has His mark and they both have to do with "identity", that is "names" (Rev 14:11).  Once the 144,000 are marked then the "Wrath of the Living God, YH will begin. 

I have an opinion about the 144,000 -- not being composed of only men.  The idea that they are all males comes from Revelation 14:4, "These are those who did not defile themselves with women, for they kept themselves pure."  Here is the problem with that straight forward cutting and damning of women, suggesting they are somehow "impure" or "unclean", for we know that in the Christ all are equal, especially between male and female, she being purified as the Christ purified the church, making her clean and holy, without stain (Ephesians 5:25-27).  This verse as well as many others give honor to women and to the order of things on earth and in Heaven should lead us to a different conclusion that that held by the majority of false teachers.  As you read through your bible you run into many phrases that are addressed to "men" or "man" and also "brother" or "brothers" yet it is recognized that those terms in gender are not meant to exclude women or sisters of the faith.  It is understood that a term like "mankind" covers all humans, no matter the gender or the color.  But, for some, when they come to the 144,000 they throw this courtesy out and make it gender specific ultimately suggesting that women in the body of the Christ are "impure".  Rubbish to that.  I believe the context of the verses concerning the 144,000 is suggesting that they have remained "pure" by not consorting with false religion, and false religion is often referred to as a woman.  Why a woman?  Because it was the woman whom Satan deceived so it is fitting that a religion of “deception” would be symbolized as a woman.  

Nearly all bible students recognize the image of woman as representing the nation Israel. Then there is the Whore of Babylon and she has daughters (Revelation 17:1-6) -- Churches – religions -- prostitutes.  My take on these verses concerning the 144,000 is that they have not defiled themselves in "false religion" or in fornicating with unclean Christian Churches.  I believe the 144,000 includes women as well as men, remember, there is neither male nor female as we know it in this world – we will be like the angels (Matthew 22:30).  Are they virgins?  Maybe, maybe not, one thing is for sure, they are virgins when it comes to religion - they have spiritual purity.  Even If my take on this is wrong it changes nothing, no principles are crossed that make the Word non-effect.  The 144,000 are still all Israelites, 12,000 from each tribe, they are like the 7,000 that, unknown to Elijah (EliYH), had not defiled themselves by bowing a knee to the false religion of their day, Baal worship. 

When Elijah fought it out with the preachers of Baal that religion had many different gods under the banner of Baal.  There were many Baal’s in the land, the term becoming a qualifier for various names.  The name Baal means "lord" or "master", a type of Lord worship.  Baal, as a Lord God of that era, began as the god of spring and of rain in due season and the beginning of new life.  The many Baal’s that followed concerned themselves with the passions of man in the form of fertility images.  Christianity has picked up on this from their forefathers and the forefathers before them in the form of rabbits and eggs for Easter, during the week or our Messiah's Passover.  My Lord is YHshua, is the same as saying my Baal is YHshua.  So, whose Lord is your Lord?  Whose Baal is your Baal? And don't say, Lord God, because "God" is not a name but a title, as is the term “lord”, and there are many gods, and many lords, so, which is yours (I Corinthians 8:5-6)?  Mine is YHshua, and my Father is YH.  Who is your daddy?  Who is your brother?  If you think you are in the body of the Messiah you need to have the answer and when you do, it will not be from me but from the Messiah Himself.  Without Him making known to you the Father you cannot know Him, not really know Him as a child knows his father.

The 144,000 is not so complicated as to not be understood -- understanding whom they are -- makes the promise of the Living God concerning the future of Israel even more real.  He has determined a certain number a number that cannot be touched, not by men nor, most of all, by Satan.  No matter how close Satan can come to deceiving the whole world, or to its destruction, our Father has determined the salvation of Israel.  Apart from these 144,000 there is an uncountable number that have crossed over into martyrdom having given their lives for the testimony of the Messiah, YHshua, having not denied His name.  Praise you YH.

 email  servant@yahshuaservant.com

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