144,000 (Greek: ἑκατὸν τεσσαράκοντα τέσσαρες χιλιάδες[1]) is a number that was revealed to the apostle John, at least three times in a vision he had, at the turn of the 1st century. Its significance concerned the number of servants that make up a spiritual tribe of Israel (or as the apostle Paul put it, the "Israel of God") who will rule in Gods kingdom of Heaven... on/in/over the Earth (Revelation 5:9,10).[2]
- ↑ The number 144,000 occurs three times in the Textus Receptus
- ↑ And they sang a new song, saying: “You [The Lamb] are worthy to take the scroll and to open its seals, because you were slain, and with your blood you purchased for God persons from every tribe and language and people and nation. You have made them to be a kingdom and priests to serve our God, and they will reign on the earth.”-Revelation 5:9,10, New International Version (NIV)
Israel of God[]
c.96 CE, apostle John saw in a vision the things that the apostle Paul had taught the congregations earlier: that God was extending his kingdom arrangement to "non-Jews" (more importantly non-descendants of Abraham). Apostle Paul identified them as the "Israel of God" (Ἰσραὴλ τοῦ θεοῦ).-Galations 6:15, 16,[NIV] Δ (compare Matthew 3:9). Paul referred to the Hebrew prophet, Hosea, where God (Jehovah)[1] said: “I will call them ‘my people’ who are not my people; and I will call her ‘my loved one’ who is not my loved one,” (Romans 9:22-25);[NIV] compare Hosea 2:23) to show that God would extend his promise to Abraham to a spiritual nation (Matthew 21:43),[NKJV] Δ which includes some natural Jews and "the Gentiles".
- ↑ Apostle Paul takes a direct quote from Hosea 2:21-23[HNV] Δ where vrs.21 leads: "I will respond," says יהוה (YHWH, or Jehovah)"
Tribes of Israel[]
Apostle John describes Paul's "Israel of God" as coming from each tribe of Israel: "And I heard how many were marked with the seal of God[1]—144,000 were sealed from all the tribes of Israel" (Revelation 7:4).[NLT] Δ Comparatively, apostle John's list of "all the tribes of Israel" in his vision, do not completely match the descendant list of natural Israel given in Numbers chapter 1. John further describes in his vision that before him was "the Lamb, standing on Mount Zion, and with him 144,000 who had his name and his Father’s name written on their foreheads"[2] (Revelation 14:1)[NIV] and "they were purchased from among mankind." (Revelation 14:4).[NIV]
- ↑ Compare in contrast, how the Wild Beast marks those whom it forces (Rev 13:15-17).[NIV]
- ↑ This direct translation of Revelation 14:1 from the New International Version (NIV) Bible, shows that "The 144,000" will bare two names: "The Lamb's name" (the person who was Jesus on Earth), and "The Father's name" (who is יהוה—Jehovah)—This lends further insight that Jehovah and the Christ are not Trinitarian.
Jehovah's Witnesses[]
Out of ≈8,000,000 (million) Jehovah's Witnesses, only an estimated few thousand alive today,[1] identify with the 144,000 servants, of the spiritual tribe of Israel, who earnestly await to receive the "seal on the foreheads" —Rev.7:3[NIV] and have "the Lamb's name and his Father’s name written on their foreheads"—Rev.14:1[NIV]
- ↑ Many of the holy ones have already fallen asleep in death (1 Corinthians 15:6).[NLT]
See also[]
- Israel of God, numbering 144,000 servants
Notes[]
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NIV—New International Version Bible
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HNV—Hebrew Names Version Bible
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NKJV—New King James Version Bible
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NLT—New Living Translation Bible