144 000 Who are they Are they the

144, 000 Who are they? ? ?

Are they the same people? • The obvious question if even a question. • How are they similar? • How do they differ? • Room for debate?

SIMILARITIES Both mentioned in Revelation Both total 144, 000 Both groups have something written on their foreheads.

SIMILARITIES Only mentioned in Revelation Both total 144, 000 Both groups have something written on their foreheads.

SIMILARITIES Only mentioned in Revelation Both group(s) total 144, 000 Both groups have something written on their foreheads.

How Do They Differ? The 144, 000 of Revelation 7 group is very specific: 1. 12 Tribes of Israel 2. Exact counts per each Tribe 3. Each Tribe named minus Dan and Ephraim.

Why not Dan and Ephraim?

• Dan defiled himself and left the confederation of Tribes shortly after entering the Promised Land. When they (the tribe that is) left, they took idols with them, a Levite Priest to be their religious leader, and left the Promised Land.

The Promised Land • Isn’t this a parallel to the Promised Land we call heaven? If yes, then perhaps the rest of this event is true of New Testament time.

• Can a Christian with free will change his or her free will mind and leave Christ? • Once saved always saved, right? ? ? • Romans 10: 9 & 10 (turn to this passage then consider the wording)

Matthew 12: 31 • 31 Therefore I say to you, any sin and blasphemy shall be forgiven men, but blasphemy against the Spirit shall not be forgiven. • 32 And whoever shall speak a word against the Son of man, it shall be forgiven him; but whoever shall speak against the Holy Spirit, it shall not be forgiven him, either in this age, or in the age to come.

• This is what the Tribe of Dan did and NOT in ignorance. They deliberately walked away from GOD and the Promised land… a choice. • As individuals, offspring of Dan can be born again. As a Tribe saved unto God himself, they are not included in the Revelation 7 passage. Covenants with God – Israel!

• Ephraim is simply replaced by name with Joseph; Ephraim’s father. • Manasseh, Ephraim’s older brother, is mentioned as included in the 144, 000. • Why? He is a first born son.

Be mindful or reminded that Old Testament covenants with Israel are almost all exclusive between God and His chosen people. Not symbolic but actual. New Testament covenants are not exclusive. Jesus died so that ALL could be saved IF……. ! By free will…

Chapter 14 and 7 differences • In Revelation 14 John sees the 144, 000 • In Revelation 7 he only hears the number. • Hmmmm? Might this be an identity issue in chapter 7? Perhaps John would recognize some within the 144, 000 from the Tribes of Israel as HE is Israeli.

Chapter 14 and 7 differences • In C 7 it is God who is the deity mentioned until verse 9 when the rest of the redeemed are identified. • In C 14 it is God AND the Lamb (Jesus) who are the deities • C 7 never mentions a song sung by them • C 14 it is a song only they could learn and sing. Tribulation salvations? ? ?

Chapter 14 and 7 differences • In C 7 the 144, 000 are sealed onto God • In C 14 they are “redeemed from earth. ” – This suggests anyone regardless of being gentile or Israeli; Anthropos (mankind, human) • C 14 identifies these 144, 000 as “going wherever Jesus goes” [V 4].

Chapter 14 and 7 differences • In C 7 no characteristics are mentioned other than tribal identities. • In C 14 the 144, 000 are given many identifying characteristics: (next slide)

Chapter 14 identifying characteristics • They sang a NEW song • they are new babes in Christ (virgins) • they follow the lamb everywhere • no lie has crossed their lips • they stand before the Throne, the elders and the 4 Living creatures. None of this is true of the 144, 000 mentioned in chapter 7

Chapter 14 and 7 differences • C 7 “they are SEALED” but no mention is made of a mark other than tribal association. • In C 14 there is an identity placed on each forehead; the names of the Father God and the Son Jesus.

Chapter 14 and 7 differences • C 7: Might these be the same people mentioned in Ezekiel 9: 4 – "Go throughout Jerusalem and put a *mark on the foreheads of those who grieve and lament over all the detestable things that are done in it. “ • *The mark is Ezekiel is the last letter in the Hebrew Alphabet. In Revelation 14 the mark is the Name of the Father that is found on their foreheads, not a Hebrew letter.

Special note per the seal… • Revelation 7: 3 states… • To the angels is told: "Don't harm the land or the sea or the trees before we mark the foreheads of those who serve our God. " • Ezekiel 9: 4 identifies a we in that there are several involved in the making of the mark.

Special note per the TAUV seal… • This once again suggests it may be those who are marked with TAUV, the last letter of the Hebrew alphabet, may also be the same who are protected of God when they flee the destruction of Jerusalem by Gentile armies. • Tauv is a very specific MARK.

Different MARKS… • • Revelation 7: 2, 3 Revelation 13: 16, 17 Ezekiel 9: 4 -10 Revelation 14: 1 • MARK: 21 meanings for this word found in the Greek; 28 meanings in the Hebrew • SEAL: 6 meanings in the Hebrew; 3 in the Greek

Revelation 14 …continued

Verse one is specific: • The chapter 14, 144, 000 have the Mark of “the Father” on their forehead. Some translations include the name of the “LAMB. ” • Either way, this group does not have the Ezekiel 9: 5 mark of TAUV

Events mentioned in C 14 • The 144, 00 with the Mark of the Father (and the lamb? ) • A song only they could learn and sing • V 3 c: They were redeemed from earth – Antropos. This is generic wording meaning MANKIND. • Not defiled by or with women (discussion) – For they are virgins (New born babes in Christ) – Redeemed among men as Gods first fruits

Events mentioned in C 14 • 14: 5 They are without fault before throne. • An Angel appears with the everlasting gospel message for the WORLD, every person to hear. – Every language, tribe, nation, kindred will hear • V 7 Fear God; worship Him is the message • Another angel (v 8) “Babylon is fallen” • V 9, 10 The result of accepting the mark of the Beast OR worshiping him or his image.

Understanding Greek • 14: 13… This may very well be the souls under the throne [Revelation 6: 9, 10] in Jerusalem who plead for vengeance. A different 144, 000? Martyred during the Tribulation • Blessed are the dead in the Lord FROM HENCE FORWARD. This is count begins sometime within the Tribulation period of 7 years.

Verse 14 “…one who looks like the son of man. ” • Wearing a golden crown of and possessing a very sharp sickle in hand. – Jesus himself? Probably

How they differ 9 VS 14 • Rev 7 - 144, 000 SAME AS CHAPTER 14 • 7: 3 these people are still alive on and earth • 7: 4 sealed from every tribe of the sons of Israel. 12, 000 x 12 = 144, 000 • 7: 9 they are joined by a great additional number clothed in white robes (redeemed from the Tribulation – 7: 14)

Revelation 6: 9 -11 • When he opened the 5 th seal • Souls under the throne; slaughtered for their testimony; crying for vengeance; will be joined by a specific additional number slain for the same cause during the tribulation. • Might this count know by God be the 144, 000? • We are not given a precise number but a number is defined… “u. ntil the correct number have died. ” [Verse 11]

In Christ’s letter to the church at Sardis and through John, He tells them, “but you have a few people in Sardis who have not defiled their clothes, and they will walk with Me in white, because they are worthy. ” [Revelation 3: 4]

Revelation 14 - 144, 000 They stood with the lamb (Jesus) on Mt Zion Harpists playing and singing a new song Standing before the Throne of God Had the Father’s and Son’s name identified on each forehead. • Remained undefiled after their salvation • Redeemed from mankind (anthopos) as first fruits of those yet to be redeemed. • •

Does every person on earth hear the gospel? • V 6: “Then I saw another angel… proclaiming the gospel to every nation, tribe, language and people. ” • Yes, God will provide in HIS OWN WAY the opportunity to know the gospel. • If the two witnesses of Revelation 11: 1 -14 are seen by every person so will these angelic beings of chapter 14.

2 nd Angel (14: 6 &7) • This angel proclaims to the world: Come and worship the Lord they “creator. ” • “Saying” or “said” [v 7] is Euaggelion in the Greek. “…saying, fear the Lord God and give Him the glory…” • It is the meaning and message of the four synoptic gospels [Matthew, Mark, Luke, John]

A 3 rd Angel (14: 9 -12) • God’s final warning with consequence for failing to give one’s self to God, Jesus, and the indwelling of the Holy Spirit. There is no forgiveness for refusing the Holy Spirit, taking the mark of the beast or worshiping (at any time) the beast or its image. This sin will be unpardonable.

14: 13 “Blessed are the dead… • …who die in the Lord from here on. • Their deeds will follow them into the Great White Throne judgment. The Bema Seat judgment has already past. These dead are slain by order of the beast image during the 2 nd half of the Tribulation [13: 15 b]. • Might these be the pleading souls under the Throne? Go back to Revelation 6: 9

Verses 14 - 20 • This is the harvesting of inhabitants of the earth. Both the good guys and those who will suffer for not deciding to accept Christ. • The sharp sickle (drep'-an-on) mentioned here in v 14 is a gathering-in more than a slicing tool.

V 16… • “… for the harvest of the earth is ripe… and he swung his sickle then the earth was harvested. ” • This means the hour has come or the end of choice is over. Some commentaries say this is the point of rapture; i. e. post-rapture view

Judgment is now meted out • Joel 3: 13 – Put ye in the sickle; for the harvest is ripe: come, tread ye; for the winepress is full, the vats overflow; for their wickedness is *great. *Great means “rab” in the Greek: sufficient, no more evidence is needed, exceeding God’s patience. Choice is now gone. Judgment is all that remains.

• Rev 14: 20 “The wine press was trampled outside the city, and blood flowed from the wine press as high as a horse's bridle for about 183 miles. ” Review previous slide • Their bodies (200, 000 man army) are destroyed but their souls remain to stand judgment at the Great White Throne.

It is all judgment BETWEEN chapter 15 and chapter 18: – 7 Plagues or vials that follow the defeat of this evil army • Chapter 15 & 16 – The [harlot] woman and the beast • Chapter 17 – Fall of Babylon • Chapter 18