The 144,000 and the “Great Crowd”
WHO ARE THE 144,000?
All the Bible teaches concerning the 144,000 is found in just thirteen verses, Revelation 7:1-8 and 14:1-5:
A. Revelation 7:1-8: A 144,000 Israelites are sealed while the angels are about to “harm the earth”.
B. Revelation 14:1-5: They came from the earth, are faultless, and are before the throne with Christ.
The Watchtower Society teaches:
They are a literal group of 144,000 true Christians who lived and were sealed since the time of Christ.
The Bible teaches they are sealed:
Revelation 7:1-3 just before the angels “harm the earth”.
All the Bible teaches concerning the 144,000 is found in just thirteen verses, Revelation 7:1-8 and 14:1-5:
A. Revelation 7:1-8: A 144,000 Israelites are sealed while the angels are about to “harm the earth”.
B. Revelation 14:1-5: They came from the earth, are faultless, and are before the throne with Christ.
The Watchtower Society teaches:
They are a literal group of 144,000 true Christians who lived and were sealed since the time of Christ.
The Bible teaches they are sealed:
Revelation 7:1-3 just before the angels “harm the earth”.
IS IT A LITERAL NUMBER?
Revelation 7:4-8 states the 144,000 are 12,000 from each of the 12 tribes of Israel. Is this literal or spiritual? To be consistent it cannot be both!
But the Society teaches it is a literal number of spiritual Israelites.
The Bible and history prove the number could not be literal:
Col. 1:23 The gospel was preached to everyone by the early church.
Hundreds of thousands of true Christians were raised up in the first three centuries before Constantine. Many died for their faith.
This number alone would exceed 144,000 without adding that of modem day Jehovah’s Witnesses!
Revelation 7:4-8 states the 144,000 are 12,000 from each of the 12 tribes of Israel. Is this literal or spiritual? To be consistent it cannot be both!
But the Society teaches it is a literal number of spiritual Israelites.
The Bible and history prove the number could not be literal:
Col. 1:23 The gospel was preached to everyone by the early church.
Hundreds of thousands of true Christians were raised up in the first three centuries before Constantine. Many died for their faith.
This number alone would exceed 144,000 without adding that of modem day Jehovah’s Witnesses!
GREAT CROWD IN HEAVEN!
In Rev. 7:9-17 (NW) there is a “great crowd” who: V.15(NW)”...are before the throne of God; and they are rendering him sacred service... in his temple;”
The Kingdom Interlinear translates:
…"before the throne” as “in sight of the throne” Rev. 14:3,(144,000 also) …“temple” (from Gr. Naos) as “divine habitation”.
Revelation 19:1(NW) clearly shows the “great crowd in heaven”. They are people who came from the earth because they sing a song of salvation, which angels cannot sing.
The Society teaches that no one before Christ can go to heaven.
However, the Bible teaches Old Testament people will be in heaven:
Matt. 8:11 “Abraham and Isaac and Jacob in the kingdom of the heavens”
See also: Hebrews 11:10,16, 13:14.
In Rev. 7:9-17 (NW) there is a “great crowd” who: V.15(NW)”...are before the throne of God; and they are rendering him sacred service... in his temple;”
The Kingdom Interlinear translates:
…"before the throne” as “in sight of the throne” Rev. 14:3,(144,000 also) …“temple” (from Gr. Naos) as “divine habitation”.
Revelation 19:1(NW) clearly shows the “great crowd in heaven”. They are people who came from the earth because they sing a song of salvation, which angels cannot sing.
The Society teaches that no one before Christ can go to heaven.
However, the Bible teaches Old Testament people will be in heaven:
Matt. 8:11 “Abraham and Isaac and Jacob in the kingdom of the heavens”
See also: Hebrews 11:10,16, 13:14.
FLESH AND BLOOD:
1 Corinthians 15:50-51 states that nothing corrupt or impure can go to heaven. So our imperfect bodies and our blood streams carrying broken down cells must all be changed.
Philippians 3:20,21 “the Lord Jesus Christ, who will refashion our humiliated body to be conformed to his glorious body”
All the saved will have bodies!
We do not know exactly “what we shall be” 1 John 3:2 (NW) but “we shall be like him because we shall see him just as he is.”
PRIESTS AND KINGS:
Revelation 5:10. (KJV) “And hast made us ... kings and priests:”
1 Peter 2:9. The Bible says all Christians are: A royal priesthood
Romans 8:17. Joint heirs with Christ,
In ancient times kings and priests did a work of judging. In heaven all the saved will be judging the wicked. Rev. 20:4, 1 Cor.6:1-3.
1 Corinthians 15:50-51 states that nothing corrupt or impure can go to heaven. So our imperfect bodies and our blood streams carrying broken down cells must all be changed.
Philippians 3:20,21 “the Lord Jesus Christ, who will refashion our humiliated body to be conformed to his glorious body”
All the saved will have bodies!
We do not know exactly “what we shall be” 1 John 3:2 (NW) but “we shall be like him because we shall see him just as he is.”
PRIESTS AND KINGS:
Revelation 5:10. (KJV) “And hast made us ... kings and priests:”
1 Peter 2:9. The Bible says all Christians are: A royal priesthood
Romans 8:17. Joint heirs with Christ,
In ancient times kings and priests did a work of judging. In heaven all the saved will be judging the wicked. Rev. 20:4, 1 Cor.6:1-3.
The Watchtower teaches there is Less than 20,00 of this 144,00 class left on earth in 1958. (Read below).
From Paradise Lost to Paradise Regained.
From Paradise Lost to Paradise Regained.
Less than twenty thousand of the last ones of God's spiritual nation are now left on earth. Page 192.
They cannot show this number from the scripture.
They cannot show this number from the scripture.