Segment XI
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Specification #7

The Bible says the 144,000 will visibly wear the names of the Father and Son on their foreheads after they are taken to Heaven. (Revelation 14:1; Revelation 22:3,4) John does not indicate the names of the Father and Son are written on crowns that are worn on their foreheads, although that might be possible. I prefer to view John’s comments as though the 144,000 will have the signatures of the Father and the Lamb, as medals of honor, literally written on their foreheads. The names of the Father and Son will indicate their high rank in God’s government throughout eternity. Notice these two texts:

 

1. “Then I looked, and there before me was the Lamb, standing on Mount Zion, and with him 144,000 who had his name and his Father’s name written on their foreheads.” (Revelation 14:1)

 

2. “No longer will there be any curse. The throne of God and of the Lamb will be in the city, and his servants will serve him. They will see his face, and his name will be on their foreheads.” (Revelation 22:3,4)

 

There are levels of authority in Heaven. For example, there are seven powerful angels that stand before God. (Revelation 8:2) We know that Gabriel is a highly exalted angel and he stands in God’s presence. (Luke 1:19) We know that Lucifer was anointed as a guardian cherub and he wore beautiful stones signifying his high rank. (Ezekiel 28:13,14) The 144,000 will also be highly exalted after they are taken to Heaven. Their exalted position will be noticed every time we look on their faces.

 

We have a similar way of exalting authority on Earth. Military officers have worn their rank on their foreheads (hats and helmets) for centuries. Field grade officers in the United States military are distinguished above lower grades by the gold webbing that is located on the brims of their hats. This gold webbing is designed to be visible at a distance because a field grade officer merits a higher level of attention and respect from his subordinates.

 

Many Christians tend to overlook the importance of the names of the Father and Son written on their foreheads of the 144,000. This specification is highly important because there is an evil parallel. The Bible indicates the devil will establish his kingdom on Earth during the sixth trumpet. After killing one-third of mankind, he will require his loyal survivors to wear a mark. Ordinary people will wear a tattoo showing “666” on their right hand, but the “exalted” leaders of Lucifer’s government will wear the devil’s name tattooed on their foreheads! Notice this text: “He also forced everyone, small and great, rich and poor, free and slave, to receive a mark on his right hand or on his forehead, so that no one could buy or sell unless he had the mark, which is the name of the beast or the number of his name. This calls for wisdom. If anyone has insight, let him calculate the number of the beast, for it is a man’s number. His number is 666.”(Revelation 13:16-18), italics mine) The mark of the beast is both a number or a name. The mark of the beast is worn on the right hand or on the forehead. The parallel is obvious. Satan will counterfeit the 144,000 with 144,000 of his own servants. The counterfeits will wear the devil’s name tattooed on their foreheads. Of course, the 144,000 will not wear the signatures of the Father and Son on their foreheads before they go to Heaven, but they will be highly exalted after they get to Heaven for declaring the truth about the devil and his deceptions under the most distressing circumstances. Throughout eternity, the saints will see the 144,000 and each time we see them, we will remember their total devotion and sacrifices for the calling of Jesus.

 

Specification #8 

 

Note: If, out of curiosity, you have jumped over the other specifications to read this one first, I hope you will be sure to read the other seven specifications in their order because there is a progressive order to this presentation on the 144,000.

 

The Bible clearly indicates that the 144,000 will be Jews, coming from the twelve tribes of Israel. Revelation 7:5-8 says, “From the tribe of Judah 12,000 were sealed, from the tribe of Rueben 12,000, from the tribe of Gad 12,000, from the tribe of Asher 12,000, from the tribe of Naphtali 12,000, from the tribe of Manasseh 12,000, from the tribe of Simeon 12,000, from the tribe of Levi 12,000, from the tribe of Issachar 12,000, from the tribe of Zebulon 12,000, from the tribe of Joseph 12,000, from the tribe of Benjamin 12,000.”  Understandably, these verses give some people the idea that the 144,000 will come out of the “Jewish race.” There is an important difference between being a member of the Jewish race and being a Jew.

 

1. “A man is not a Jew if he is only one outwardly, nor is circumcision merely outward and physical. No, a man is a Jew if he is one inwardly; and circumcision is circumcision of the heart, by the Spirit, not by written code. Such a man’s praise is not from men, but from God.” (Romans 2:28,29)
2. “In reading this, then you will be able to understand my insight into the mystery of Christ, which was not made known to men in other generations as it has now been revealed by the Spirit to God’s holy apostles and prophets. This mystery is that through the gospel the Gentiles are heirs together with Israel, members of one body, and sharers together in the promise in Jesus Christ.” (Ephesians 3:4-6, italics mine)

 

3. “If you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham’s seed [Greek: sperma], and heirs according to the promise.” (Galatians 3:29, insertion mine)

 

With these texts in mind, please consider the following ten paragraphs:

 

1. God called Abraham to leave his home in Ur of the Chaldees and travel to a land that He would give to Abraham and his descendants. (Genesis 12) When Abraham arrived in the land, God made an unconditional promise to Abraham that his descendants would inherit the land for generations to come. (Genesis 13:15; 15:18-21) Centuries later, God honored His promise and gave the land of Canaan to the twelve tribes of Israel at the time of the Exodus. (Exodus 12)

 

2. While in the wilderness, God informed Israel that even though they would possess the land of Canaan, it would not belong to them. (Leviticus 25:23) They were granted the privilege of living in the land for as long as they obeyed the Lord. If they choose to rebel against the Lord, He promised to evict them from the land. (Leviticus 18:28; 26:33,34) Knowing they would eventually be evicted from the land, God also promised to restore them to the land of Canaan if they would repent of their sins while in exile. (Leviticus 26:40-42)

 

3. Over the course of centuries, Israel repeatedly rebelled against God. (Ezekiel 23) In fact, Israel defiantly refused to fulfill the purpose for which God had separated them from all other nations! (Exodus 19) Therefore, God had the ten tribes in the northern part of the country evicted by Shalmanesser V in 722 B.C. (2 Kings 17) and Nebuchadnezzar evicted the two tribes in the southern part of the country in 605 B.C. (2 Kings 24)

 

4. Near the end of the seventy years in Babylonian captivity, the prophet Daniel confessed the sins of his people and he asked God to fulfill the words of Jeremiah (Jeremiah 25:11,12) by restoring the nation of Israel to its homeland. (Daniel 9:1-23) God heard Daniel’s prayer and responded according to the provisions stated in His covenant. (Leviticus 26:40-42) God granted Israel a measure of time, seventy weeks, to “straighten up” and prepare for the appearing of Messiah. (Daniel 9:24) The decree that marked the beginning of the Seventy Weeks, issued by the Persian King, Artaxerses, was in the Jubilee year of 457 B.C. (Ezra 7) 

 

5. According to the prophecy in Daniel 9, Jesus arrived on time. He was baptized at the beginning of the seventieth week, the Wednesday year of A.D. 30. Because Israel had fallen into defiant apostasy again, they rejected and crucified the Messiah. (Luke 23, Acts 3)

 

6. Because Israel rejected Messiah, God put a new plan in place. I call this new covenant, “Plan B.” “Plan B” was made better than “Plan A” for several reasons. (Hebrews 8:6) For one, God redefined Israel under “Plan B” to consist of everyone who received Jesus as Lord and Master. (John 1:12; 3:16, 13:13 KJV)

 

7. The disciples heard Jesus annul God’s covenant with biological Israel (Matthew 23:37-39) and they heard Jesus implement a new covenant that was based on submission to the authority of Jesus – as opposed to the authority of Moses. (Luke 22:20) In essence, the followers of Jesus received “the trusteeship of preaching the gospel” that once belonged to the Jews. (Acts 13)

 

8. After the outpouring of the Holy Spirit at the Feast of Pentecost (Acts 2), early Christians came to understand that a “new Israel” had been raised to replace “old Israel.” The new Israel consisted of believers in Christ. In fact, the apostle James called early Christians, “the twelve tribes of Israel.” “James, a servant of God and of our Lord Jesus Christ, To the twelve tribes scattered among the nations: Greetings … My brothers, as believers in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ, do not show favoritism.” (James 1:1, 2:1)

 

9. God revealed to Peter and the apostle Paul that in His sight there is neither Jew nor Gentile anymore. However, His unconditional covenant to Abraham still remains, and everyone who receives Christ, as his or her Savior will be counted as the offspring of Abraham. (Galatians 3 and 4; Ephesians 2 and 3) God also made it clear that in His sight, a Jew (a chosen person) is not determined by biological birth or physical circumcision. (Romans 2:28,29; Romans 9:6) Instead, the twelve tribes consist of people who have faith in God and a circumcised heart (Jeremiah 4:4; Romans 2:29), as did Abraham their father. (John 8:39) The bottom line is that the only people going to Heaven are those who lived as Abraham did – by faith! Thus, all Israel will be saved in the end because Israel consists of believers! (Romans 11:26) Because believers in Christ have been “grafted in” to the promises made to Abraham, God’s promise will be fulfilled. (Romans 10 and 11)

 

10. After Earth is purified by fire at the end of the thousand years (Revelation 20), the Holy City will descend to Earth. (Revelation 21) It is so large that it will encompass the whole land of Canaan! (Revelation 21:16) The Promised Land will be located inside the Holy City! When the Holy City descends, two wonderful promised will be fulfilled. The heirs of Abraham will inherit the undefiled land of Canaan forever (“Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the Earth” Matthew 5:5) and Abraham will actually live within the city that he longed to see: “For he [Abraham] was looking forward to the city with foundations, whose architect and builder is God.” (Hebrews 11:10)

 

The bottom line is this: The 144,000 will be descendants of Abraham! Nevertheless, the 144,000 will not necessarily be members of the Jewish race. The 144,000 will come from every race of people! Furthermore, the Bible says the numberless multitude that go through the Great Tribulation will come form all nations, kindred’s, tongues and people. God promised Abraham that he would be the father of many nations and Revelation 7 affirms this! Because of the numberless multitude will be multinational, the firstfruits of the same harvest (the 144,000) will be multinational. Remember, the firstfruits are a sample of the coming harvest!

 

Summary

 

There is no question that the 144,000 will come from the twelve tribes of Israel. The problem that many Christians do not understand is the identity of Israel. The New Testament teaches that God redefined Israel at the end of the seventieth week when it became evident that Israel would not accept His Son and fulfill their calling as a holy nation of priests. When the seventy weeks expired, the apostle Paul was converted (A.D. 34). Through the revelations God gave him, we have confirmation of this truth. Many bible writers point to the redefinition of Israel. God made several unconditional covenants with Abraham, and He will keep them. Israel’s rejection of Messiah has not thwarted God; instead, it has made Him more determined to gloriously fulfill everything He promised. Therefore, everyone who puts faith in Jesus is declared Abraham’s seed, and as such, we become heirs to the promise!

 

Closing Statements

 

We have examined eight specifications about the 144,000. I have presented the following conclusions:

 

1. The 144,000 will be men and women. They will be spokespersons for God during the Great Tribulation.

 

2. The Great Tribulation will begin immediately after they are selected and sealed.

 

3. The 144,000 will be the first to have their carnal natures mysteriously removed. Family relations will not compromise their devotion to Jesus.

 

4. As firstfruits, the 144,000 are numbered. They are set apart from the numberless multitude. In addition, the end time harvest, which is the fruit of their labor.

 

5. The 144,000 will experience and endure the sufferings of Christ. No one else will be able to sing their song.

 

6. The 144,000 will not compromise the words that Jesus gives them to speak. They will speak the truth without regard for the consequences.

 

7. The 144,000 will visibly wear the names of the Father and Son on their foreheads throughout eternity.

 

The 144,000 will be Jews, the seed of Abraham, heirs of the promise through Christ.

 

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