144,000

[lentz]

Greetings, Brother Chad, in the precious name of Jesus.

I have read your opening post with very much interest. I am sure you realise some other Christians would not go along with how you understand 144,000 and the tribulation.

First, we must be careful when we speak catagorically of the Tribulation as something in the future. Scripture does not use the words 'The Tribulation' (Please, no-one come back with the old chestnut that the word 'Trinity' is not in the Bible; there are different criterium applying.)

Secondly, I believe that The Book of Revelation, must be seen for what it is; not what it is not. It is not recording events sequentially within our human sequential time frame mindset.

Once we try to understand that Almighty God sees everything in a kind of eternally panoramic view i.e., 'all peoples, all things, all ages, all events - past present and future -all at the same time and eternally' then we will grasp a better understanding of what God is saying to us in the Book of Revelation, especially concerning what the 'last days' are and what 'tribulation' is.

Your brother in Jesus.
David

Tribulation is mentioned in scripture.
As far as the book of Revelation is concerned. Christ told John to write the book in 3 categories. The things that were,the things that are present,and things to come.
As for the 144,000 they will indeed be witnesses during the tribulation,day of the lord,days of Jacobs troubke,etc.

 

[lentz]

As a footnote....the new heaven and the new earth will be after the millennium.

 

[NoHype]

Who are the 144,000 in Book of Revelation?

Like in the Books of God's prophet Isaiah, the seed of Israel and Gentiles are often mentioned separately in God's Salvation Plan (like Isaiah 54:3). Likewise in Revelation 7 with the 144,000 literal Israelites that are 'sealed', and then the "great multitude" representing Gentiles that are 'sealed'.

That idea of being 'sealed' is about being sealed by The Holy Spirit (Ephesians 4:30; Ephesians 1:12-13; 2 Corinthians 1:21-22).

The purpose for God's seal at the end of this world is revealed in Revelation 9, in contrast with those who are 'not'... sealed allowed to be stung for five months. That stinging by the metaphorical scorpions is about deception to lies. Christ's elect are 'sealed' against that for the tribulation.

Therefore, all... of these of Revelation 7, both the 144,000 Israelites that are 'sealed', and the "great multitude" of Gentiles that are also 'sealed', represent Christ's Church for the end.

And that sealing happens PRIOR to the "great tribulation". So men's doctrine often taught by the Pre-trib Rapture doctors that the 144,000 only convert to Jesus sometime 'during' the great tribulation, is a false idea.

When the time of "great tribulation" starts, everyone will be divided into either a believer or a non-believer, and will remain that way all the way up until Christ's return at the end of the tribulation. The conversion of some Jews to Jesus during the tribulation is not Biblical, but is only supposition mainly by the Pre-trib Rapture school.