The 144000 Jews are sealed and protected for the duration of the Great Tribulation

144,000 Sealed

After this I saw four angels standing at the four corners of the earth, holding back the four winds of the earth to prevent any wind from blowing on the land or on the sea or on any tree. Then I saw another angel coming up from the east, having the seal of the living God. He called out in a loud voice to the four angels who had been given power to harm the land and the sea: “Do not harm the land or the sea or the trees until we put a seal on the foreheads of the servants of our God.” Then I heard the number of those who were sealed: 144,000 from all the tribes of Israel.

From the tribe of Judah 12,000 were sealed,
from the tribe of Reuben 12,000,
from the tribe of Gad 12,000,
from the tribe of Asher 12,000,
from the tribe of Naphtali 12,000,
from the tribe of Manasseh 12,000,
from the tribe of Simeon 12,000,
from the tribe of Levi 12,000,
from the tribe of Issachar 12,000,
from the tribe of Zebulun 12,000,
from the tribe of Joseph 12,000,
from the tribe of Benjamin 12,000.

“Do not harm the land or the sea or the trees until we put a seal on the foreheads of the servants of our God”

This seems to indicate that the sealing of God’s servants confers some sort of protection from what is to come.

This vision is given after the sixth seal is opened and before the seventh seal is mentioned

Following the seventh seal, the vision of the seven angels with trumpets is given

The first of these angels releases fire to burn up the Earth and it’s trees. The second angel causes a third of the sea to be destroyed and the third angel causes a third of the fresh waters of the Earth to become bitter. The fourth angel has power to obstruct the elements in the sky causing darkness

It would seem likely that the four angels who had power to harm the land and the sea are the first four angels with trumpets (although there are some notable differences)

This would mean that the 144000 would have to be sealed before the first four trumpet Judgments are given.

This is often used as an argument for sequential seals trumpets and bowls.

The vision of the 144000 is, however, a separate vision although it is given in the interlude between the sixth and the seventh seal for a reason.

The visions in the interludes must be concurrent with the seals, trumpets and bowls

If the sealing of the 144000 precedes the trumpets then it could precede the seals aswell particularly if the seals and the trumpets are simultaneous

The 144000 Jews are presumably protected from the seals aswell

The first seal conincides with the revelation of the Antichrist. This will probably not happen until he breaks the covenant with the Jews in the middle of Daniel’s last week.

The second seal brings war and the third seal brings famine

The fourth seal bring death. One quater of the Earth’s population dies. It is hard to believe that the Great Tribulation has not started by this point

When the fifth seal is opened, the Martyrs cry out

The sixth seal brings signs in the sky; the sun turns black, the moon red, stars fall from the sky and the earth shakes

The events of the first six seals result in considerable damage to the Earth and Mankind itself

It would therefore seem logical that the sealing of the 144000 would precede the seals aswell as the trumpets

The vision of the Great Multitude that appears in Heaven is also given in the interlude between the sixth and the seventh seal.

The Great Multitude had been through the Great Tribulation. By this point then, we are at the End of the Great Tribulation.

The visions of the Gentiles trampling the Holy City for 42 months and the 2 witnesses prophesying for 1260 days is given in Revelation chapter 11 in the interlude between the sixth trumpet and the seventh trumpet

The vision of the Woman being pursued by a beast and fleeing to the wilderness where she will be taken care of for 1260 days and time times and half a time is given in Revelations Chapter 12

The vision of a beast being given power to pursecute the saints for 42 months and conquer them is given in Revelation Chapter 13

While these visions are given sequentialy, few commentators would argue that these time periods are not only equal in length but they are the same period of time occuring concurrently

This is a good example of visions in revelation occurring simultaneously, concurrently and being coincident

Just looking at the groups that have this 42 month or 1260 day time period attached we can see that the three main groups of people will be represented during the great tribulation – namely the Gentiles (nations or pagans), the Saints (Christians) and the Woman (Israel) which includes the people from the 12 tribes of Israel

What’s more we can see that the Woman (Israel) is taken to place where she can be taken care of for 1260 days which is the duration of the Great tribulation.

The woman being Israel no doubt includes the 144000 sealed from the 12 tribes of Israel.

As the Woman is taken care of for the entire duration of the Great Tribulation, it is probable that she was sealed before the Great Tribulation started at the mid point of Daniels 70th week.

The 144000 sealed from the 12 tribes of Israel will be protected during the Great Tribulation.

They will not be harmed when God pours out his Wrath after the rapture when the Church has been removed from the Earth.

The Nations will be judged according to how they treated God’s people

The Nations will be separated into the Sheep and the Goats

The 144000 Jews and the ‘Sheep’ Nations will go on into the Millennium to repopulate the Earth in fulfilment of the promises God has made to the Jews

Christians will be in Heaven during the Millennium.

In Eternity, the Jews and the Christians will be combined into one New Jerusalem where God will dwell with his people.

The Nations whose names are in the Lambs book of Life will be outside the New Jerusalem but will escape the Lake of Fire

Those whose names are not in the Book of Life will spend Eternity in the Lake of Fire

http://www.truthinlove.com/References/144000JewsSealed.html

http://www.truthinlove.com/References/seven_seals_trumpets_bowls.htm

The 144000 in Revelation 7 are most probably the Woman in Revelation 12 – sealed and protected for the entire duration of the great tribulation.

Revelation 7:1-4

After this I saw four angels standing at the four corners of the earth, holding back the four winds of the earth to prevent any wind from blowing on the land or on the sea or on any tree.   Then I saw another angel coming up from the east, having the seal of the living God. He called out in a loud voice to the four angels who had been given power to harm the land and the sea: “Do not harm the land or the sea or the trees until we put a seal on the foreheads of the servants of our God.”  Then I heard the number of those who were sealed: 144,000 from all the tribes of Israel.

This scripture appears after the sixth seal is opened and just before the seventh seal is mentioned and just before the Seven Trumpets sound.   It is part of the Interlude between the sixth and the seventh seal.  The other part of the Interlude being the rapture of the great multitude.

The four angels mentioned in the scripture above are considered to be the same angels as the those who hold the first four trumpets. 

Pre tribulationists argue that this is proof that the seals and the  trumpets cannot be simultaneous as stated by recapitulationists (post tribulationists), or at least the trumpets cannot precede the sixth seal.  The seals trumpets and bowls, therefore, occur sequentially.

Pre tribulationists contend that the rapture is after the sixth seal when the Great Multitude appear in heaven just before the seventh seal is opened and certainly before the seven trumpets (which are considered to be the wrath of God). 

Pre tribulationists consider the events of the first sixth seals are not part of the great tribulation.  (Given that a quarter of the Earth’s population are killed when the 4th seal is opened, this is a bit hard to accept)

Post tribulationists tend to be recapitulationists, stating that various visions in revelation recapitulate and occur simultaneously with other visions in Revelation thereby adding to their meaning.   Like pretribulationists, they place the rapture after the sixth seal immediately before the seventh seal is opened.  The rapture is also linked to the seventh trumpet which is concurrent with or simultaneous with the seventh seal.

God’s wrath is then poured out on the nations; namely the seven bowls of God’s wrath which are also part of the seventh Trumpet.

How then do post tribulationists account for this scripture which suggests that the trumpet judgements follow the seals sequentially rather than occur simultaneously with the seals.

Rev 6:12 & 14

The woman fled into the wilderness to a place prepared for her by God, where she might be taken care of for 1,260 days.

The woman was given the two wings of a great eagle, so that she might fly to the place prepared for her in the wilderness, where she would be taken care of for a time, times and half a time, out of the serpent’s reach. 

Here we see the ‘Woman’ (Israel) flees to the wilderness where she is taken care of for 1260 days – this is the entire duration of the Great tribulation!  Could this ‘Women’ (Israel) be sealed and protected right from the beginning of the Great Tribulation, before any seals are opened or any trumpets are sounded?

This would mean that the vision of the 144000 being sealed from the 12 tribes of Israel does not occur in the same sequence that it is appears in Revelation.  It is a self contained vision that happens to be placed in the interlude between the 6th and the 7th seal.

It is simply not possible to describe the picture in Revelation and maintain sequence without becoming very disorganized. 

Revelation is like a picture and John describes the elements sequentially one at a time but not necessarily in time sequence. 

Revelation is not like a scanner or a fax machine scanning a picture from one end to the other.

Rev 11:2-3

But exclude the outer court; do not measure it, because it has been given to the Gentiles. They will trample on the holy city for 42 months.  And I will appoint my two witnesses, and they will prophesy for 1,260 days, clothed in sackcloth.” 

Just as there is an interlude between the sixth and the seventh seal, there is also an interlude between the six and the seventh trumpet.

The 144000 Jews are sealed and the great multitude appear in heaven in the interlude between the 6th and the 7th seal.  The Holy city is trampled by the Gentiles for 42 months and the two witnesses prophesy for 1260 days in the interlude between the 6th and the 7th trumpet.   (An angel with a little scroll also appears in this interlude)

The rapture of the Great multitude occurs in an instant and therefore could well take place at this point in the Revelation sequence just before or when the seven seal is opened.

The ‘Women’ (Israel) is protected for 1260 days.  The  actual sealing of the 144000 is therefore likely to have occurred substantially before the time that it is mentioned in the Revelation sequence.  Indeed, it is more than likely that the 1260 days end at the point it is mentioned in the revelation sequence. 

Just as the 144000 from the 12 tribes of Israel are sealed and protected for the entire duration of the Great Tribulation, the Gentiles will trample the Holy City for 42 months and the two witnesses will prophesy for 1260 days.

The visions of the Gentiles trampling the Holy City for 42 months and the two witnesses prophesying for 1260 days are in the interlude between the 6th and the 7th trumpet.

When the seventh Trumpet sounds, the kingdom of this world becomes the kingdom of our Lord.  We are at the conclusion of this age.  That is it.  There is no more 42 months to come and no more 1260 days to come.  The 42 months and the 1260 days, therefore, end with the sounding of the seventh trumpet.

As with the sealing of the  144000, the place in scripture where they are mentioned corresponds to the end of the 1260 days or 42 months over which they occur.

In other words, the Gentiles started trampling the Holy City 42 months before the seventh trumpet sounds and the two witnesses prophesied for 1260 days up until the sounding of the seventh trumpet.

Similarly, the 144000 from the 12 tribes of Israel were sealed and protected 1260 days before the seventh seal was opened. 

The Great Tribulation lasts 1260 days and begins with the revelation of the Antichrist when the first seal is opened.   (2Thes 2:3)

This means that the 144000 Jews are sealed at the beginning of the Great Tribulation before any seals are opened and before any trumpets are sounded.

Thus even if the seals and the trumpets are totally simultaneous, there is no conflict with Revelations 7:2-3

He called out in a loud voice to the four angels who had been given power to harm the land and the sea: “Do not harm the land or the sea or the trees until we put a seal on the foreheads of the servants of our God.” 

Therefore, these verses should not be a stumbling block to Post Tribulationists who believe in simultaneous recapitulating visions in revelation.

 

The 144000 Jews from the 12 tribes of Israel are the ‘Woman’ who is pursued by a dragon in Revelations 12

Revelation 12:1-6

A great sign appeared in heaven: a woman clothed with the sun, with the moon under her feet and a crown of twelve stars on her head.  She was pregnant and cried out in pain as she was about to give birth.  Then another sign appeared in heaven: an enormous red dragon with seven heads and ten horns and seven crowns on its heads.  Its tail swept a third of the stars out of the sky and flung them to the earth. The dragon stood in front of the woman who was about to give birth, so that it might devour her child the moment he was born.  She gave birth to a son, a male child, who “will rule all the nations with an iron scepter.” And her child was snatched up to God and to his throne.  The woman fled into the wilderness to a place prepared for her by God, where she might be taken care of for 1,260 days.

Here the woman is Israel.  She was pregnant and about to give birth to a male child (Jesus) who will rule the nations with an iron sceptre.  Her child was snatched up to God and to his throne.  (so there can be no doubt who the male child is – Jesus).  The woman fled into the wilderness to a place prepared by God where she could be taken care of for 1260 days.

Revelation 12:13-17

When the dragon saw that he had been hurled to the earth, he pursued the woman who had given birth to the male child.  The woman was given the two wings of a great eagle, so that she might fly to the place prepared for her in the wilderness, where she would be taken care of for a time, times and half a time, out of the serpent’s reach.  Then from his mouth the serpent spewed water like a river, to overtake the woman and sweep her away with the torrent.  But the earth helped the woman by opening its mouth and swallowing the river that the dragon had spewed out of his mouth.  Then the dragon was enraged at the woman and went off to wage war against the rest of her offspring—those who keep God’s commands and hold fast their testimony about Jesus.

The 144000 taken from the 12 tribes of Israel and sealed are most likely this Woman.  The 144000 are sealed so as to be protected from the Judgments of God.   The woman was given two wings of a great eagle so that she may fly to a place prepared for her in the wilderness out of the serpent’s reach for times time and half a time (1260 days = 3.5 years = 42 months) which is the duration of the great tribulation.  The serpent spewed water from it’s mouth like a river to overtake the woman and sweep her away but the Earth helped the woman by opening it’s mouth and swallowing the river that the dragon had spewed out.

The dragon was enraged at the woman and went off to wage war against the rest of her offspring (the Christians) – those who keep God’s commands and hold fast to their testimony about Jesus.

If the 144000 and the ‘Woman’ are one in the same, then the sealing of the 144000 is for 1260 days which is the duration of the great tribulation.

Rev 7:1-4

After this I saw four angels standing at the four corners of the earth, holding back the four winds of the earth to prevent any wind from blowing on the land or on the sea or on any tree. Then I saw another angel coming up from the east, having the seal of the living God. He called out in a loud voice to the four angels who had been given power to harm the land and the sea:  “Do not harm the land or the sea or the trees until we put a seal on the foreheads of the servants of our God.”  Then I heard the number of those who were sealed: 144,000 from all the tribes of Israel.

The angels are instructed not to harm the land or the sea or the trees until a seal is placed on the foreheads of the 144000.  This must take place before the Trumpet Judgments are sounded.  If the trumpet Judgments are simultaneous with the seals then it would mean that the 144000 are sealed at the beginning of the Great Tribulation.

 

 

http://truthinlove.com/analogies/seven_seals.htm

https://sevensealstrumpetsandbowls.wordpress.com/

 

The 144000 Jews and The Sheep Nations that Survive Armageddon live on Earth during the Millennium to fulfill promises God made to Israel in the Old Testament.

The Harvest at the End of the Age. A Great Multitude of believers (Wheat) are raptured to be with Christ when he comes on the clouds at the Seventh Trumpet at the End of the Great Tribulation. This co-incides with the First Resurrection which is when dead believers (also wheat) are raised to be with Christ. False Christians (Weeds) are also harvested from the Earth at this time by an angle in charge of the fire and they are thrown in to Hell for eternal punishment. The Nations are left on Earth and are divided in to the Sheep and the Goats according to how they treated God’s people. Those that persecuted God’s people (the Goats) are thrown into the Lake of Fire. Those that were Kind to God’s people (the Sheep)  receive a reward.  They will become the Nations on Earth during the Millennium and in Eternity if they do not rebel against God when Satan is released form his prison at the End of the Millennium. The Select 144000 Jews will be God’s priests on Earth during the Millennium in fulfillment of Old Testament Prophesy.

http://truthinlove.com/References/144000JewsSealed.html

 

The 144000 who follow the Lamb are the First Fruits of the Harvest. They escape the Great Tribulation. The majority of Christians will have to endure the Great Tribulation and will be redeemed at the End when Christ comes at the Last Trumpet.

<< Revelation 14 >> New International Version 1984

 

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The Lamb and the 144,000

1Then I looked, and there before me 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. 2And I heard a sound from heaven like the roar of rushing waters and like a loud peal of thunder. The sound I heard was like that of harpists playing their harps. 3And they sang a new song before the throne and before the four living creatures and the elders. No one could learn the song except the 144,000 who had been redeemed from the earth. 4These are those who did not defile themselves with women, for they kept themselves pure. They follow the Lamb wherever he goes. They were purchased from among men and offered as firstfruits to God and the Lamb. 5No lie was found in their mouths; they are blameless.

The Three Angels

6Then I saw another angel flying in midair, and he had the eternal gospel to proclaim to those who live on the earth—to every nation, tribe, language and people. 7He said in a loud voice, “Fear God and give him glory, because the hour of his judgment has come. Worship him who made the heavens, the earth, the sea and the springs of water.”

8A second angel followed and said, “Fallen! Fallen is Babylon the Great, which made all the nations drink the maddening wine of her adulteries.”

9A third angel followed them and said in a loud voice: “If anyone worships the beast and his image and receives his mark on the forehead or on the hand, 10he, too, will drink of the wine of God’s fury, which has been poured full strength into the cup of his wrath. He will be tormented with burning sulfur in the presence of the holy angels and of the Lamb. 11And the smoke of their torment rises for ever and ever. There is no rest day or night for those who worship the beast and his image, or for anyone who receives the mark of his name.” 12This calls for patient endurance on the part of the saints who obey God’s commandments and remain faithful to Jesus.

13Then I heard a voice from heaven say, “Write: Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord from now on.”

“Yes,” says the Spirit, “they will rest from their labor, for their deeds will follow them.”

The Harvest of the Earth

14I looked, and there before me was a white cloud, and seated on the cloud was one “like a son of man”^a with a crown of gold on his head and a sharp sickle in his hand. 15Then another angel came out of the temple and called in a loud voice to him who was sitting on the cloud, “Take your sickle and reap, because the time to reap has come, for the harvest of the earth is ripe.” 16So he who was seated on the cloud swung his sickle over the earth, and the earth was harvested.

17Another angel came out of the temple in heaven, and he too had a sharp sickle. 18Still another angel, who had charge of the fire, came from the altar and called in a loud voice to him who had the sharp sickle, “Take your sharp sickle and gather the clusters of grapes from the earth’s vine, because its grapes are ripe.” 19The angel swung his sickle on the earth, gathered its grapes and threw them into the great winepress of God’s wrath. 20They were trampled in the winepress outside the city, and blood flowed out of the press, rising as high as the horses’ bridles for a distance of 1,600 stadia.

 

http://truthinlove.com/References/144000BelieversTransfigured.html

There are two groups of 144000. They are both a kind of First Fruits from the New and the Old Covenant Believers.

There are two groups of 144000. They are both a sort of First Fruit of the New and the Old Covenant believers.

 

http://truthinlove.com/References/144000JewsSealed.html

http://truthinlove.com/References/144000BelieversTransfigured

 

The 144000 in Revelation Ch 14 are mature firstfruits (Wheat) who get their inheritance before the great multitude of believers (Also Wheat) — The 144000 in Revelation Ch 7 are Jews taken from each of the 12 tribes of Israel and are sealed before the seventh seal is opened so as to be protected from God’s wrath

 

There are two groups of 144000.

The first group of 144000 in Revelations Chapter 7 are Jews taken from the 12 tribes of Israel. They will be on Earth during the Millennium along with the Sheep Nations who survive Armageddon. They will repopulate the Earth to fulfill the promises that God made to the Jews in the Old Testament. During the Millennium, Christ will reign in Heaven with his Bride composed of all believers that will be resurrected or raptured to be with Him when he comes again.

The second group of 144000 in Revelation Chapter 14 are Christians. They are raptured to go to heaven to be with Christ before the Great Tribulation starts. They are the first fruits from among the Living (Christ was the first fruit from the dead). The Great Multitude of believers from every tribe, nation and tongue are not raptured until the end of the Great Tribuation when the Seventh Seal is opened and the Seventh Trumpet sounds

144000 JEWS from the 12 tribes of Israel will be chosen to be God’s People on Earth during the Millennium to fullfill promises that God made to the Jews in the Old Testament.

144000 JEWS from the 12 tribes of Israel will be chosen to be God’s People on Earth during the Millennium to fulfill promises that God made to the Jews in the Old Testament.

 

http://truthinlove.com/References/144000JewsSealed.html

144000 Jews are sealed when the seventh seal is opened. They become the God’s People on Earth during the Millennium to fulfill the prophesies given to Israel in the Old Testament.

An illustration of the Parable of the Prodigal son incorporating New and Old testament Believers. Sons represent Born Again believers. Jews were Born Again if they were circumcised in Heart by the Spirit (Older Sons). New Testament Believers are Born Again if they have received the Spirit by Baptism (Younger Sons).  Unlike servants, only Sons  who represent Born Again Believers will go to heaven when they die or when Christ returns. The 144000 Jews are sealed when the seventh seal is opened. They are a select group of the Jews (like firstfruits) who as a reward, become the Camp of God’s People on Earth during the Millennium to fulfill the prophesies given to Israel in the Old Testament. At the end of the Millennium, God’s Elect will descend from Heaven as the Bride of Christ to become the New Jerusalem (composed of Old and New Sons). In Eternity, all of God’s Children will be combined into one New Jerusalem. During the Millennium, the New Testament Believers will be reigning with Christ in Heaven while a selection of Jews (the 144000) and Pagans (the Sheep Nations) fulfill the promises that God made to the Jews in the Old Testament to restore the Kingdom of Israel as priests to the Nations.

 

http://truthinlove.com/Parables/parable_prodigal_lost_son.html

Two Groups of 144000!

144000 Jews are Sealed (or protected) from God's Wrath when the seventh seal is opened. This will coincide with the Second Coming of Christ on the Day of the Lord. The dead in Christ will arise and the Church will be raptured at the same time and a Great Multitude will appear in heaven. This will all take place when the seven seal is opened and when the seventh trumpet is sounded. The Second coming of Christ is inseparably linked to the rapture, the resurrection of believers and the Day of the LORD. 1THES 4:13-17

picture from  http://www.thethirdangelsmessage.com/who_is_israel.php

There are two groups of 144000.  (Rev Ch7 and Rev Ch 14)

  144000 Jews are sealed when the seventh seal is opened. 

They are protected from the Bowls of God’s wrath that are poured out on the Nations after the Church has been raptured.

 They repopulate Earth during the Millennium to full fill God’s promises to the Jew’s in the Old Testament (eg Zech Ch 14).

They are not the same as the 144000 Mature (firstfruit) Christians spared from the Great Tribulation in Revelation Ch 14 before the three angel messages.

These are the firstfruits of the Living Christians (Rev 14:4 James 1:18)

Christ was the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep (1Cor 15:20)

The second group of 144000 in Revelation Ch 14 are not the same as the 144000 Jews that are sealed when Christ returns at the opening of the seventh seal / sounding of the seventh trumpet in Revelation Ch 7.   

The 144000 Jews that are sealed remain on Earth and repopulate it during the Millennium to fulfill Old Testament promises. 

 There will be approximately 10 times this number of pagans who survive Armageddon (Zech 8:23).

The 144000 Christians that are raptured in Revelation Ch 14 before the three angle messages escape the Great Tribulation.  The majority of the Church have to go through the Great Tribulation and are raptured when Christ returns at the seventh Trumpet when the seventh seal is opened and the 144000 Jews are sealed.

Dr Nigel Hawkins

http://truthinlove.com

http://truthinlove.com/References/144000JewsSealed.html

http://truthinlove.com/References/144000BelieversTransfigured.html

Revelation 7 – Who are the 144000 and the Great Multitude?

Who are the 144000 and the Great Multitude mentioned between the sixth and the seventh seals in Revelations Ch 7?

The 144000 Jews are sealed after the sixth seal is opened and are most likely part of the seventh seal.  They are protected from the  wrath of God’s that follows.  They will be God’s people on Earth during the Millennium.

The Great Multitude appear in heaven at the same time.  This corresponds to the first resurrection and the rapture of the Church at the second coming of Christ when the Seven seal is opened and the Seventh Trumpet Sounds.

http://www.truthinlove.com