Correlations between 144000 and Jesus / 12Apostles
In scripture, Israel is depicted as a Woman
Isa 54:5 For your Maker is your husband, The Lord of hosts is His name; And your Redeemer is the Holy One of Israel; He is called the God of the whole earth. 6 For the Lord has called you like a woman forsaken and grieved in spirit, like a youthful wife when you were refused, says your God.
- The book of Hosea also points to this relationship: Woman (wife) restored to husband (God)
Just like the 'woman' is not a reference to 'Mary', the 'man child' is not a reference to 'Jesus'.
Israel bringing forth a remnant (man child)
John 16:19 Now Jesus knew that they were desirous to ask him, and said unto them, Do ye enquire among yourselves of that I said, A little while, and ye shall not see me: and again, a little while, and ye shall see me? 20 Verily, verily, I say unto you, that ye shall weep and lament, but the world shall rejoice [tribulation]: and ye shall be sorrowful, but your sorrow shall be turned into joy. 21 A woman when she is in travail hath sorrow, because her hour is come: but as soon as she is delivered of the child, she remembereth no more the anguish, for joy that a man is born into the world. 22 And ye now therefore have sorrow: but I will see you again, and your heart shall rejoice, and your joy no man taketh from you. 23 And in that day [millennial kingdom] ye shall ask me nothing. Verily, verily, I say unto you, Whatsoever ye shall ask the Father in my name, he will give it you.
Correlation to Jesus ministry and the 12 Apostles
The 'man child' that is born from the woman (Israel) has a
ministry that is compared to that of Jesus and the twelve apostles.
·
They are sealed by the Spirit in the beginning
of their ministry, similar to how the 12 apostles were sealed on the day of
Pentecost.
·
They are identified (chosen) BEFORE
Israel goes into travail (suffering).
o
Isa 66:7 Before she travailed, she
brought forth; before her pain came, she was delivered of a man child.
(144000)
The twelve apostles ministered to Israel before the fall
of Jerusalem in 70AD. In the same way, the 144,000 minister in the period of
tribulation under the man of sin who brings peace and is presumed the
'messiah'. Thereafter, Satan possesses this man and becomes the Son of
Perdition and is set on destroying the Jews and Jerusalem.
·
The 144,000 have traits similar to the 12
apostles
o
They followed the lamb (Rev.14:4, criteria for
apostleship)
o
Preached the Kingdom gospel
o
Producing a remnant (who will flee into
wilderness)
o Special reward, reign with Christ
· They are identified as overcomers which come
out of the Jewish churches of the tribulation (Rev. 2 and 3). Characteristics
of the overcomers are similar to characteristics of the 144,000:
o
Rev 2:26 ...And he that overcometh, and keepeth
my works unto the end, to him will I give power over the nations: 27 And he
shall rule them with a rod of iron...
This
is consistent with Rev.12:10 which says,
Rev.12:10
And I heard a loud voice saying in heaven, Now is come salvation, and strength,
and the kingdom of our God, and the power of his Christ: for the accuser of our
brethren is cast down, which accused them before our God, day and night. 11 And
they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their
testimony; and they loved not their lives unto the death.
And
also agrees with the attribute of Christ himself in Rev.19:15,
Revelation 19:15 And out of his mouth
goeth a sharp sword, that with it he should smite the nations: and he shall rule
them with a rod of iron: and he treadeth the winepress of the fierceness
and wrath of Almighty God.
o Rev.3:11
Behold, I come quickly: hold that fast which thou hast, that no man take thy
crown. 12 Him that overcometh will I make a pillar in the temple of my God, and
he shall go no more out: and I will write upon him the name of my God, and
the name of the city of my God, which is new Jerusalem, which cometh down out
of heaven from my God: and I will write upon him my new name.
The verse above tells us they will serve
in the temple of God (in the New Jerusalem) and that the name of God is written
upon him. They will take the position of priests, as was prophesied in Exodus
19:5-6 and in Zechariah 8:20-23.
The characteristics of this man child?
First, these 144,000 are 12,000 from each tribe of
Israel. Revelation 7:4 notes that each of these individuals are sealed by God
as Revelation 9:4 says that those who do not have the seal will be harmed. This
is a term used throughout Scripture to indicate a person who belongs to God or
who has received salvation. This sealing is reminiscent of Ezekiel 9 when a
mark is put on faithful Israelites before Babylon comes to destroy Jerusalem.
Ezek.9:4 And the Lord said unto him, go through the midst of the city, through the midst of Jerusalem, and set a mark upon the foreheads of the men that sigh and that cry for all the abominations that be done in the midst thereof. 5 And to the others he said in mine hearing, go ye after him through the city, and smite: let not your eye spare, neither have ye pity:
Second, the 144,000 will be men. Revelation 14:4 indicates they "did not defile themselves with women," indicating either that these Jewish males will remain celibate to serve the Lord in the last days, or that in a spiritual sense, they had kept themselves pure by not subjecting themselves to Babylon, to idolatry, and to the beast system.
Third, the 144,000 will be faithful believers.
Revelation 14:5 indicates, "No lie was found in their mouths; they are
blameless." They were also the "first fruits for God and the Lamb"
and known as those who "follow the Lamb wherever he goes" (14:4).
Fourth, the 144,000 will minister and share the
message of Jesus as Messiah during the tribulation. Both the specific number
and their work appear to indicate a representative group who will lead in
sharing the message of Jesus as the Messiah with many others. After this, John sees
a great multitude that cannot be counted from every tribe and tongue of the
earth (7:9-14). This great multitude is in heaven (martyrs), while the 144,000
are protected on the earth.
Fifth, their ministry will end at the mid-point of the tribulation. These 144,000 are mentioned again in Revelation 14, standing with the Lamb (raptured up) on Mount Zion (the New Jerusalem that descended down from heaven into the proximity of earth), and they sang a song (14:3), being said to be "redeemed from the earth". The everlasting gospel will them be preached to the remaining people of earth by angelic beings who circumvent the earth with a new message, different from the Kingdom gospel preached by the 144,000.
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