There is ground to think, at first, that the Company of 144,000 of Revelation 7 is the same Company as found in Chapter 14. But on close examination they are completely different. Let us first examine what is similar, and then what is different.
SIMILAR
The most telling similarity is the number 144,000. All indications lead us to believe that this is a REPRESENTATIVE number. The first reason is that Dan is missing for the twelve Tribes. The second is that if we interpret scripture with scripture, in all Old Testament reports, the number of Israelites was never a round number. 144 is a multiple of 12 - the number of God's People. In both Testaments God chose 12 - 12 Tribes and 12 Apostles.
The other similarity is that they are a REMNANT. Israel's number is "as the sand of the sea shore". Those of Chapter 7 and 14 are not the COMPLETE number. In the wilderness Israel numbered 2 million and today they number about 14.7 million,. So whoever they are, they are a Remnant. But this fact does not help in NAMING who they are because in the letters to the seven Churches God is looking for a REMNANT - the Overcomers.
DIFFERENT
The differences are severe
- Those of 7 stand on the earth - those of 14 are in heaven (the setting is the same as Chapter 4)
- Those of 7 are sealed in their foreheads - those of 14 have the Father's Name in their foreheads
- The seal is to protect those of 7 on earth (Rev.9:4) - those of 14 miss what is happening on earth
- Those of 7 are on earth - those in 14 are "redeemed from the earth"
- Those of 7 are Israelites - those of 14 are "redeemed from among men"
- Those of 7 do not sing - those of 14 sing
- Israel is called a whore for her idolatry - those of 14 are "virgins"
- Israel was defiled by idolatry - those of 14 are "NOT defiled with women
- Israel rejected the Lamb and killed Him - those of 14 "follow the Lamb wherever He goes"
- Israel blasphemed and lied - those of 14 have no guile in their mouths
- Israel iniquities are like scarlet - those of 14 are "without fault"
That they are
two different Companies, but both attached to God, is obvious. But who are they?
Israel of Chapter 7
Those of Chapter 7 are already defined. They are Israelites. Why are they sealed? Revelation 9:4 tells. They will pass through the great Tribulation but the seal causes the makers of the catastrophes on earth to pass them over, just as God's faithful were protected by a seal in Jeremiah's time when Jerusalem was given over to the Chaldeans (Ezek.9:4-6). Dan is missing. The reason is not given, but his omission is a further proof that these 144,000 are literal Israelites from a literal Israel. But why are they preserved?
God, in Deuteronomy 28, outlines all the blessing for Israel if they keep the Law, and all the curses if they break it. At the beginning of Chapter 30, God knew that the curses would come upon Israel. The final and most serious was that they would be deported, dispersed among all nations and ruled by foreign kings. In verse 1-5 God outlines the requirements for this diaspora to be REVERSED. The requirement for Israel to be restored to favor with God and restored to their Land was to return to "that which Moses expounded THAT DAY". And THAT DAY, Moses was expounding the Law. God knew that (i) Israel would completely break the Law, and (ii) not believe in their Messiah as revealed in Deuteronomy 18:16-19. So God sets forth the requirement that Israel RETURN WITH THEIR WHOLE HEARTS TO THE LAW OF MOSES - THE CONTENTS OF THE COVENANT OF SINAI.
In Romans 9 and 11, this restoration of Israel is the context. Israel's last great crisis was when Jezebel provoked Israel to full give themselves over to her gods. God's man was Elijah. Elijah is famous because he "was jealous over God Covenant". Elijah complained that he was the only man jealous for God's Covenant. But God said that He had reserved 7,000 more like Elijah - a REMNANT of all Israel. God knew that Israel would embrace the Beast. At His trial Israel called for "Caesar" - a Gentile king. So God is prepared, just like Sodom, to save the WHOLE if a REMNANT fulfill the requirements.
The REMNANT of Israel who turn back to the Law are the 144,000 of Revelation Chapter 7. They are God's people (12X12), they stay on earth, they are from the 12 tribes (less Dan), and like in Ezekiel, they are MARKED so that the catastrophes that overtake earth do not kill them (Rev.9:4). They turn back to the Law with all their hearts and must LIVE, or God will lose His requirement for restoring Israel. There is NO INDICATION that they turn to Jesus. And turning to Jesus is NOT a requirement for Israel to be restored.
The Overcomers of Revelation 14
From all the Parables, from the gospels and from the letters of the New Testament, it is abundantly clear that not all Christians are equally diligent. If these Parables, statements by Jesus and the threats of the letters are carefully read, it seems that the BULK of Christianity will become APOSTATE. Of SEVEN Churches in Revelation, only TWO are commended. From the letters of Paul and Peter, it is clear that Christians all over has massive problems with holiness. So God, in His wisdom, sets forth REWARDS for the diligent Christians. For ALL Christians, the grand reward is (i) to be named co-heir and co-king with Christ in the first 1,000 years of His Kingdom, when He sets it up on earth, and (ii) to be allowed into the Wedding Feast of Christ at His second coming. But the question remains, what will happen to the LIVING Christians when the Beast takes power over the whole earth and the wrath of God is spewed out over ALL THE EARTH.
In three scriptures, the Holy Spirit PLAINLY says that the DILIGENT and INTIMATE Christians will be Raptured OFF the earth to Christ's PRESENCE in the clouds. They are;
- Philippians 3:10-14 where it says that there is a special resurrection that must be ATTAINED to, and an "UPWARD CALL" (lit. Gk.) that is a PRIZE, if you have (i) given up all things to gain Christ, (ii) a righteousness, and (iii) an intimacy with Christ
- Luke 21:36 where the context is the Second Coming of Christ and the trials that will come upon the earth. Verse 36 says that SOME will be ACCOUNTED WORTHY to miss this travail of the earth and "STAND BEFORE THE SON OF MAN". Since Matthew 24:29-30 shows that Jesus only returns to earth AFTER the Tribulation, to miss the Tribulation and "stand before" the Son of man" means you will be in heaven or the air with clouds - because that is where Jesus is at that time.
- Revelation 3:10 where the context is Overcomers who have kept themselves during our Lords delay in returning. Our Lord says; "BECAUSE you have done this, I will keep you from the HOUR of trial on the whole earth". The word "BECAUSE" is CONDITIONAL. That is, "as a reward for this, I will do that." Now, the grammar does NOT SAY; "kept IN the trial". It says "kept FROM THE HOUR of trial". This has TWO IMPLICATIONS. (i) "FROM" means "AWAY FROM" implying a distance from the trial, and (ii) "THE HOUR" means that for the DURATION of the trial you are missing. Now, in the creation, a man can only be in ONE of THREE places. Either he is (i) on earth, (ii) or he is dead and under the earth in Hades, (iii) or he is alive and in the sky or heaven. Since we talk of the LIVING, there is only one place that a man who is missing from the earth and missing for the duration of the trial, can be. That is UP IN THE SKY OR LOWER HEAVEN.
I you look at the qualities of those in Revelation 14:1-5 you will immediately see that (i) they are Sons of God because He is their FATHER, (ii) that they are in morally sound condition, (iii) that they have been redeemed from among men, and that (iv) they have been "redeemed FROM THE EARTH."
The evidence is conclusive. Those of Revelation 14 are God's people (12X12), they have God as their Father (born again), are redeemed, are in a state of holiness, belong to the Lamb and are above the earth.
The 144,000 of Revelation Chapter 14 are the Overcomers of the Church.
1
