In your opinion

[Bookends]

You first must recognize that Scripture was written by Jews. What you struggle to comprehend as gentiles is easy to recognize when you understand we are adopted Jews. Natural vines were cut off so we could be grafted in.

Now considering myself an adopted Jew understanding scripture from a Hebrew's point of view only comes from understanding their customs and culture. If you know what they thought it is easy to understand the text. Hebrews had a type of language expressed by numbers. We would call it symbolism but it was more literal than symbolic if you are a Jew. IF you consider this
Jewish symbolism - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Few people who consider themselves Christian even try to comprehend what it means to be Jewish or how our(yes OUR) historical thought pattern can clarify the meaning of scripture to us who are so long separated from our heritage. Anyway, There are answers here that are very close to the truth.

This is a quote from the page I linked:
"The number twelve, being the product of three and four, typified the union of the people with God.[SUP][6][/SUP][SUP][7][/SUP][SUP][8][/SUP] On the table were twelve loaves of show-bread, and the breastplate of the priest contained twelve precious stones as emblems of the twelve tribes of Israel, which camped round about the Sanctuary.

From this it is clear. The entirety of Chapter 7 in Revelation is talking about one people. The 144,000 and the multitude are one in the same people. When we read King of Kings most of us recognize that it means The utmost King or the king that rules over all...or the King who is the completion of kings. We see this throughout scripture. When something is complete or utmost the name is doubled. Since we don't consider numerology to be a language the numbers were not translated(which to be certain God has a perfect purpose for this) IF they had been translated, we would read the first part of chapter 7 differently.

[SUP]4 [/SUP]Then I heard the number of those who were sealed: 144,000(the completion of the completion of those united with God) from all the tribes of Israel.

[SUP]5 [/SUP]From the tribe of Judah 12,000(the completion of those united with God) were sealed,

AS was stated in a previous reply, the number 1000 is used in scripture to describe a multitude...like a number that is uncountable. Consider all these things and the text is perfectly clear. The 144,000(the completion of the completion of those united with God) and the multitude are one in the same. It is the same thing being said twice...just as was typical of Jewish writings King of Kings, Lord of Lords, I am who I am, holy of holy and so on.

First you have to recognize is the bible was written by God!

 

[john832]

After the rapture, whose left to preach to them?

Don't worry, there will be lots of folks who believed in the rapture who are still here (in fact all of them).

 

[john832]

Would like to get view of what it means that 144,000 are SEALED. I know that the Bible says 12 from each of the 12 tribes of Isreal, but I thought we were all sealed by God when we become Christians, Give our lives to God. Curious here

Only 144,000?

Rev 7:9 After this I beheld, and, lo, 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;

 

[reject-tech]

2 John 1:1

 

[joeyruready]

First you have to recognize is the bible was written by God!

Do you think God is protestant? My King is Jesus. HE is King of the Jews. The word flowed from his mouth. By His spirit. Yes of course written by God. Written by a Jew for Jews. He is the vine, we are the branches. IF we want to understand scripture it helps to understand our own heritage.

I am not into numerology. It doesn't matter what I am into. It matters what was in the mind of the author and how his audience would recognize the meaning of the text. The 144,000 and the multitudes are one in the same people.