by Doug Batchelor
The
12 apostles were a type of special-forces unit during the time of
Jesus' first coming. After three and one-half years of intensive
personal training with Jesus, God was able to use them to achieve great
victories. They were able to penetrate Satan's dominion and fulfill the great commission.
The book of Revelation tells us of another
special-forces unit that will do a mighty work in the last days. Daniel 11:32 Known
as the 144,000, they have a critical mission to prepare the world for
Jesus' second coming. They enjoy a special relationship with the Lamb,
sing a special song, and are sealed with a special name. Who is this
holy army? To find out, let's first look at the two main passages that
describe this grand assembly.
Who Are They?
Revelation
7:1-4 states: "After these things I saw four angels standing on the
four corners of the earth, holding the four winds of the earth, that the
wind should not blow on the earth, nor on the sea, nor on any tree. And
I saw another angel ascending from the east, having the seal of the
living God: and he cried with a loud voice to the four angels, to whom
it was given to hurt the earth and the sea, Saying, Hurt not the earth,
neither the sea, nor the trees, till we have sealed the servants of our
God in their foreheads. And I heard the number of them which were
sealed: and there were sealed an hundred and forty and four thousand of
all the tribes of the children of Israel."
Then the Scripture
lists 12,000 from each of the following 12 tribes: Judah, Reuben, Gad,
Asher, Naphtali, Manasseh, Simeon, Levi, Issachar, Zebulun, Joseph, and
Benjamin.
The next main passage that describes the 144,000 is
Revelation 14:1-5: "And I looked, and, lo, a Lamb stood on the mount
Sion [Mount Zion], and with him an hundred forty and four thousand,
having his Father's name written in their foreheads. And I heard a voice
from heaven, as the voice of many waters, and as the voice of a great
thunder: and I heard the voice of harpers harping with their harps: And
they sung as it were a new song before the throne, and before the four
beasts, and the elders: and no man could learn that song but the hundred
and forty and four thousand, which were redeemed from the earth. These
are they which were not defiled with women; for they are virgins. These
are they which follow the Lamb whithersoever he goeth. These were
redeemed from among men, being the firstfruits unto God and to the Lamb. Romans 8:23
And in their mouth was found no guile [deceit]: for they are without
fault before the throne of God."
I should mention that when we
explore these things, we venture on holy ground. I share the following
study with confidence, but I also realize and respect that others may
have a different interpretation.
The Twelve Tribes
Perhaps
one of the first things we should ask is whether or not the 144,000 are
actually 12,000 literal Israelites from each of these respective
tribes. I don't want to be tedious, but to really understand this
subject we should briefly review what the Bible says about the Old
Testament tribes. First, there were actually 13 tribes. Twelve tribes
came from the 12 sons of Jacob, who the Lord renamed Israel. But because
Joseph was sold into slavery by his older brothers, he was separated
from his family for many years. After Joseph finally reunited with his
father, Jacob promised to compensate by adopting Joseph's two sons as
his own, to be numbered with his sons in place of Joseph. "Now thy two
sons, Ephraim and Manasseh, which were born unto thee in the land of
Egypt before I came unto thee into Egypt, are mine; as Reuben and
Simeon, they shall be mine." Genesis 48:5. Hence, Joseph would be
numbered twice through his sons. Josephs two sons were born to a gentile mother.
One reason you still find only
12 tribes mentioned throughout the Bible is that after the Levites were
chosen to be the priests for Israel, they were excluded from receiving a
specific territory inheritance (Deuteronomy 10:8, 9; 18:1) and from
census figures (Numbers 1:49). Instead, they were to spread out among
all the tribes as teachers and priests.
There are several reasons
why the tribes mentioned in Revelation chapter 7 can't possibly be
literal Israelite tribes. The Old Testament reveals that 10 of the 12
tribes were carried away by the Assyrians in 722 B.C. "In the ninth year
of Hoshea, the king of Assyria took Samaria, and carried Israel away
into Assyria, and placed them in Halah and in Habor by the river of
Gozan, and in the cities of the Medes." 2 Kings 17:6.
History
records that long before the time of Jesus, some of the 10 tribes
returned to Samaria after intermarrying with the Assyrians. Their
descendants, known as Samaritans, were hated by the Jews because they
were no longer "pure" Israelites in blood or religion. In fact, because
the 10 tribes have been so thoroughly scattered around the world and
absorbed by their host nations, today a person would be hard pressed to
find even one pure descendant from the tribe of Gad, Asher, Naphtali,
Manasseh, or Simeon-much less 12,000 of them! Also God divorced Israel and would choose another people Jeremiah 3:8-10 the calling of the gentiles was to provoke Israel to jealously and Israels unbelieving branches would be broken off the olive tree and gentiles grafted in thus making them Israel just as Israel adopted Josephs sons.
Another strong clue
that Revelation is not speaking of the literal Israelite tribes is that
in the Old Testament, the 12 tribes were very unequal in population
numbers. Judah was very large, while Benjamin was very small. God
divided the promised land in proportion to each tribe's needs. But the
144,000 is composed of 12,000 per tribe, right across the board.
So
who does make up this group? I believe the answer to this question lies
in the fact that God's promises to literal Israel now apply to
spiritual Israel. Since the year A.D. 34, the prophecies and attention
of Scripture have focused on the children of faith-either Jew or
Gentile. "For he is not a Jew, which is one outwardly; neither is that
circumcision, which is outward in the flesh: But he is a Jew, which is
one inwardly; and circumcision is that of the heart, in the spirit."
Romans 2:28, 29. "And if ye be Christ's, then are ye Abraham's seed, and
heirs according to the promise." Galatians 3:29.
What's in a Name?
My
first clue that there must be a spiritual meaning to the 144,000 was
the way in which the tribes are listed in Revelation 7:5-8. This is the
only time in Scripture that the names of the tribes appear in this
order. Reuben, the firstborn of Jacob, is listed as second while Judah,
fourth in birth order, is listed as first. Joseph and Levi are included,
while Ephraim and Dan are left out. Why?
Because "Dan shall be a
serpent by the way, an adder [viper] in the path, that biteth the horse
heels, so that his rider shall fall backward" (Genesis 49:17), and
"Ephraim is joined to idols: let him alone" (Hosea 4:17).
In the
Bible, a serpent is a symbol of Satan. The critical, backbiting nature
of Dan aligned this tribe with the kingdom of Satan instead of the
kingdom of God. Likewise, the tribe of Ephraim had forsaken the God of
Israel and had embraced paganism. Hence, Ephraim and Dan are left out of
the 144,000.
Jewish names always had a meaning that depicted
some characteristic of the child or an event connected with his birth.
For example, Genesis 29:32-35 says: "Leah conceived, and bare a son, and
she called his name Reuben: for she said, Surely the Lord hath looked
upon my affliction; now therefore my husband will love me. And she
conceived again, and bare a son; and said, Because the Lord hath heard
that I was hated, he hath therefore given me this son also: and she
called his name Simeon. And she conceived again, and bare a son; and
said, Now this time will my husband be joined unto me, because I have
born him three sons: therefore was his name called Levi. And she
conceived again, and bare a son: and she said, Now I will praise the
Lord: therefore she called his name Judah."
In fact, Rachel and
Leah made prophetic statements for all 12 of Jacob's sons. Here are the
names of the tribes that make up the 144,000 (in the order listed in
Revelation chapter 7), together with the meaning of each name:
| 1. | Judah | = | "I will praise the Lord" |
| 2. | Reuben | = | "He has looked on me" |
| 3. | Gad | = | "Granted good fortune" |
| 4. | Asher | = | "Happy am I" |
| 5. | Naphtali | = | "My wrestling" |
| 6. | Manasseh | = | "Making me to forget" |
| 7. | Simeon | = | "God hears me" |
| 8. | Levi | = | "Joined to me" |
| 9. | Issachar | = | "Purchased Me" |
| 10. | Zebulun | = | "Dwelling" |
| 11. | Joseph | = | "God will add to me" |
| 12. | Benjamin | = | "Son of His right hand" |
Now notice what happens when the meaning of the names are combined, in the same order, into a paragraph:
"I
will praise the Lord for He has looked on me and granted good fortune.
Happy am I because my wrestling God is making me to forget. God hears me
and is joined to me. He has purchased me a dwelling. God will add to me
the Son of His right hand." (The words in italics are supplied to
complete each thought.)
These names describe the story of the church's struggle, redemption, victory, and marriage to the Lamb.
How Many?
Now
let's address the next big question. Is 144,000 a literal number? Well,
perhaps I should answer that question with another question. Are the
other numbers in Revelation literal? Will there be 12 gates and 12
foundations in the holy city? Are there really 12 different kinds of
fruit on the tree of life? Yes, of course. Our understanding of the
dimensions of the New Jerusalem is likewise based upon the assumption
that these numbers are real.
Even the numbers used to describe
prophetic time periods in the book of Revelation are precise measures.
The numbers would be useless for reckoning if they were merely symbolic.
Although
the number of the 144,000 may be exact, it will be humanly impossible
to identify the individuals who make up this special group. When Jesus
walked the earth, it was easy to determine His 12 most devoted
followers. But the 144,000 in the last days are spiritual Jews,
scattered across the circle of the earth.
Now some may be thinking, "How can you say
that the names are symbolic but the number is literal?" It's simple.
Jesus did. He did not seem to care which tribes the 12 apostles came
from, but He did purposely choose 12 of them. Also remember that all of
the numbers in Revelation depict a specific value, while all the proper
names in Revelation are symbols (the Lamb, the Dragon, the Lion, Balaam,
Jezebel, etc.).
For these reasons and others, I believe the
number 144,000 is a precise figure. Just as there were actually 12
literal tribes in the Old Testament and exactly 12 apostles in the New
Testament, there will be 12 times 12,000 spiritual apostles in the last
days.
Many have wondered, "If this number is not just a symbol,
then will the 144,000 be the only ones saved in the last days? And if
only 144,000 will be saved, then what are my chances?"
Let's do
some simple figuring. The ratio of 144,000 to six billion (the
approximate world population at the present time) would mean that one
person in 41,666 alive would be saved if Jesus were to come today. This
statistic is much better than the odds offered by most state lotteries,
but we would all agree that it's pretty slim for the hope of salvation.
The
Bible does not teach that the 144,000 are to be the only ones saved in
the last days. Immediately after listing the tribes of the 144,000, the
prophet sees that "a great multitude, which no man could number, of all
nations, and kindreds, and people, and tongues, stood before the throne,
and before the Lamb, clothed with white robes, and palms in their
hands." Revelation 7:9.
In verse 13, one of the 24 elders asks
John who these people are that are clothed in white robes, and from
where they came. Then in verse 14, he answers his own question: "These
are they which came out of great tribulation, and have washed their
robes, and made them white in the blood of the Lamb."
The "great tribulation" must refer to the time just
before Christ's second coming, as referred to in Daniel 12:1, 2: "And
there shall be a time of trouble, such as never was since there was a
nation even to that same time: and at that time thy people shall be
delivered, every one that shall be found written in the book. And many
of them that sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to
everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt."
The Number Twelve
The
key to understanding the 144,000 may be the number itself. In the
Bible, the number 12 almost always represents leadership of the church.
There were 12 patriarchs from Seth to Noah, then 12 from Shem to Jacob.
Twelve spies led the way to the promised land, and there were 12 judges
from Othniel to Samuel.
God's
church is also pictured in Revelation 12:1, which says: "And there
appeared a great wonder in heaven; a woman clothed with the sun, and the
moon under her feet, and upon her head a crown of twelve stars." The 12
stars above the woman's head are a symbol of the inspired leadership of
the church (1 Corinthians 11:10).
Exodus 39:14 tells us that
there were 12 precious stones on Aaron's breastplate, "according to the
names of the children of Israel, twelve, according to their names, like
the engravings of a signet, every one with his name, according to the
twelve tribes." These stones appear to be identical to the foundation
stones of the New Jerusalem (see Revelation 21:19, 20). "That great
city, the holy Jerusalem ... had a wall great and high, and had twelve
gates, and at the gates twelve angels, and names written thereon, which
are the names of the twelve tribes of the children of Israel." "And the
wall of the city had twelve foundations, and in them the names of the
twelve apostles of the Lamb." Revelation 21:10, 12, 14.
The
number 12 appears time after time throughout Scripture. King David
appointed 24 groups of 12 (a total of 288) to lead music of praise in
the temple (1 Chronicles chapter 25). Similarly, Revelation 4:4
describes two groups of 12 (a total of 24) elders who sit around the
throne of God. This represents the 12 tribes of the Old Testament and
the 12 apostles of the New Testament.
Jesus promised His
disciples, "Ye also shall sit upon twelve thrones, judging the twelve
tribes of Israel." Matthew 19:28. And in Revelation, Jesus makes a
similar promise to some who will come out of the last age of the church,
known as Laodicea (which means "judging the people"). He says, "To him
that overcometh will I grant to sit with me in my throne, even as I also
overcame, and am set down with my Father in his throne." Revelation
3:21.
In heaven, it seems there will be an expanding square
formation around God's throne. First there is God Himself on His throne.
Then the four creatures, then the 24 elders in a square around them
with six on each side, then the 144,000 in a perfect square with 36,000
on each side, then the great multitude all around them. The perfect
order and harmony of this assembly is astounding!
Their Mission
The 144,000 live during the last age of the church and share the experience of the early apostles.
At
the time of His first coming, Jesus chose 12 men whose primary mission
was to reach Israel. And as a result of the outpouring of the former
rain during the Pentecost revival, the 12 apostles reached thousands.
Matthew 10:5, 6 says: "These twelve Jesus sent forth, and commanded
them, saying, Go not into the way of the Gentiles, and into any city of
the Samaritans enter ye not: But go rather to the lost sheep of the
house of Israel."
In the last days, Jesus will use 144,000 (12
times 12,000) spiritual apostles, whose primary mission is to reach the
world with the news of His second coming. The great multitude spoken of
in Revelation chapter 7 includes those converted by the influence and
preaching of the 144,000 following the outpouring of the Holy Spirit in
the latter rain.
The prophet Joel referred to both of these
events when he wrote: "And it shall come to pass afterward, that I will
pour out my spirit on all flesh; and your sons and your daughters shall
prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, your young men shall see
visions: And also upon the servants and upon the handmaids in those days
will I pour out my spirit." Joel 2:28, 29.
Please keep in mind
that the 144,000 are not the only ones preaching the gospel in the last
days. Just as the 12 apostles were part of a larger group of 120
disciples leading out in the Pentecostal event, so the 144,000 are
leaders in the end-time event, but not the only ones preaching.
I
believe it is also significant to note that Jesus chose the 12 apostles
from ordinary Jews, not the priesthood. In the same way, the 144,000 will be composed only of the church.
Acts chapter 1 describes
an interesting sequence of events that took place just before the
outpouring of the Holy Spirit in the former rain. First, the disciples
focused on Jesus (verses 10, 11). Then they prayed and put aside their
differences (verses 13, 14). Finally, they chose Matthias to replace
Judas, the apostle who had died (verses 16-26). Notice that as soon as
the number 12 was complete, the Holy Spirit was poured out in the Upper
Room (Acts chapter 2).
Even now, Jesus is training an army of
special forces to lead in this final mission of rescuing God's children,
who have become Satan's prisoners of war. Revelation 14:4 proclaims of
the 144,000: "These are they which were not defiled with women; for they
are virgins. These are they which follow the Lamb whithersoever he
goeth."
It is God who calls and chooses the 144,000, only God added to the church such as should be saved. From the time of Jesus until today many men have crept in unawares and have defiled the church causing confusion and chaos that produced one splinter group after another. The degree of deception is immense, far beyond what people know. Even during the days of the Apostles the deception was growing as Paul, Jude and John wrote about. It was necessary for God to take over the church and teach His people directly by divine revelation as Ezekiel and Joel prophesied. This act by God is what Jesus called the Elijah to come and restore all things, it had to be done because of the great deception in the world. Revelation 12:9 God has provided four opportunities for salvation; today, during the great tribulation, in the millennium and finally the second resurrection. Currently God and Christ are working to call and choose the elect saints, the 144,000, and when this number is achieved only then can the great tribulation begin.
