Finding the 144,000 in the scriptures

[Zao is life]

Since the late 1800's there has been a growing tendency among Christians to retain an unwarranted awareness of genetic ancestry in their identification of Israel. It's almost been entirely forgotten by some that the New Covenant makes genetic ancestry count nothing, but only faith in Christ, who is the seed of Abraham to whom all the promises pertain (Galatians 3:16) and in whom all the families of the earth are blessed (Genesis 12:3; Genesis 28:14). These first four posts in this thread will make this fact abundantly clear.

This is going to have to be divided into 4 posts, because it involves a great deal of Biblical information which we have all been given, but it's time this heresy of "two Israels" - i.e one the genetic seed and one the church - be exposed for the lie that it is.

MANY NATIONS ​

Genesis 17:3-6
"And Abram fell on his face. And God talked with him, saying, As for Me, behold! My covenant is with you, and you shall be a father of many nations (gôy). Neither shall your name any more be called Abram, but your name shall be Abraham. For I have made you a father of many nations (gôy). And I will make you exceedingly fruitful, greatly so, and I will make nations of you, and kings shall come out of you."

[Strongs Hebrew Dictionary H01471] gôy Apparently from the same root as H1465 (in the sense of massing); a foreign nation; hence a Gentile; also (figuratively) a troop of {animals} or a flight of locusts: - {Gentile} {heathen} {nation} people.

FULLNESS OF THE GENTILES​

When Jacob (the father of the twelve tribes of Israel) was on his death-bed and was prophesying to his son, Joseph, regarding Joseph's elder son, Manasseh, and younger son, Ephraim, this is what he said:

Genesis 48:19 Young's Literal Translation
And his father refuseth, and saith, `I have known, my son, I have known; he (Manasseh) also becometh a people, and he also is great, and yet, his young brother (Ephraim) is greater than he, and his seed is the fulness of the nations (gôy);'

"The fulness of the nations" (in the Hebrew in which it was written) is a translation of the Hebrew words melô' (fullness), and gôy (Gentiles).

[Strongs Hebrew Dictionary H04393] melô' From H4390; fulness (literally or figuratively): - X all {along} X all that is (there-) {in} {fill} (X that whereof . . . was) {full} {fulness} [hand-] {full} multitude.

In the KJV and most English translations, melô and gôy are translated as "a multitude of nations":

Genesis 49:19
"And his father refused, and said, I know it, my son, I know it: he also shall become a people, and he also shall be great: but truly his younger brother shall be greater than he, and his seed shall become a multitude of nations." (Updated King James Version).

ISRAEL​

Israel split into two kingdoms after the time of king Solomon: The northern kingdom of Israel, and the southern kingdom of Judah. From then onward if the prophets were speaking about all of Israel, it would include both:-

(a) The ten northern tribes of the kingdom of Israel, which are (frequently) collectively called Ephraim in scripture, but also called "the house of Israel"; and

(b) The two southern tribes (Judah a.k.a the Jews, and Benjamin, whom scripture frequently calls Judah or "the house of Judah".

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[Zao is life]

Depending on the context of the passage and who is being spoken to in the writings of the prophets, the name "Israel" could be referring to
* The northern kingdom only; or
* To both kingdoms (i.e both the house of Israel and the house of Judah); or
* It could also be referring to the Jews or "the house of Judah" only.

Therefore when reading Old Testament prophecy it's important to know the historical background, and to pay attention to what the prophet is saying (or what God is saying through the prophet), so that the reader is aware of which kingdom is being spoken about, or spoken to.

In Isaiah 7:8-9 (and many other passages in the books of the prophets) it's easy, because the ten northern tribes of the house of Israel are collectively called Ephraim in these verses:

Isaiah 7:8-9
"For the head of Syria is Damascus, and the head of Damascus is Rezin; and within sixty-five years Ephraim shall be broken so that it shall not be a people. And the head of Ephraim is Samaria, and the head of Samaria is Remaliah's son."

Over 700 years before the time of Christ, when God judged the house of Israel (a.k.a Ephraim) at the hand of the Assyrian king, the overwhelming majority of the ten northern tribes of Israel were exiled, but God continued, at the time, to have mercy upon the southern kingdom, a.k.a the house of Judah.

A judgement later came upon the house of Judah also, at the hand of the king of Babylon, and they too were exiled to Babylon for 70 years, from about 597 B.C (the remaining Jews being exiled to Babylon in 587 B.C). Over 500 hundred years following their return from captivity in Babylon, the house of Judah (a.k.a the Jews) were judged again, going into exile again in A.D 70, this time, to Rome.

In their Old Testament context the above prophecy (Isaiah 7:8-9) and the prophecy below were referring only to "Ephraim" a.k.a "the house of Israel" (not to the Jews or "house of Judah"):

Hosea 1:6b-11a
“For I will no more have mercy on the house of Israel. But I will utterly take them away.
But I will have mercy on the house of Judah, and will save them by the LORD their God, and will not save them by bow, nor by sword, nor by battle, by horses, nor by horsemen.
Now when she had weaned Loruhamah, she conceived, and bare a son. Then said God, Call his name Loammi: for all of you are not my people, and I will not be your God.
Yet the number of the children of Israel shall be as the sand of the sea, which cannot be measured nor numbered;
and it shall come to pass, that in the place where it was said unto them, All of you are not my people, there it shall be said unto them, All of you are the sons of the living God.
Then shall the children of Judah and the children of Israel be gathered together, and appoint themselves one head"

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Note: There was a small remnant of the house of Israel that escaped to Judah when the above prophecy was fulfilled, but the above prophecy is not referring to them.

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[Zao is life]

With the exception of the small remnant, from circa AD 725, and following their exile, the house of Israel became scattered among the nations, where their descendants intermarried with Gentiles. The seed of Ephraim/the house of Israel had become mixed with the seed of the Gentiles by the time of Christ.

FULLNESS OF THE GENTILES MENTIONED THE SECOND AND LAST TIME IN SCRIPTURE​

In his epistle to the Ephesians Paul wrote,

Ephesians 2:19
"Now therefore all of you are no more strangers and foreigners, but fellow citizens with the saints, and of the household of God."

In his epistle to the Romans, Paul quotes Hosea (Hosea 1:6b-11a), and includes all Gentiles who believe in Christ in the fulfilment of this part:

Romans 9:24-32
"..whom He also called, not only us, of Jews, but also of the nations? As He also says in Hosea, "I will call those not My people, My people; and those not beloved, Beloved." And it shall be, in the place where it was said to them (i.e to the house of Israel) "You are not My people; there they shall be called sons of the living God."

Later in the same book, Paul speaks of Gentiles who believe in Jesus as "unnatural branches from a wild olive tree" who have been "grafted into Israel among the remnant of the Jews who believe in Jesus, saying, "And if some of the branches be broken off, and you, being a wild olive tree, were grafted in among them, and with them partake of the root and fatness of the olive tree;" (Romans 11:17).

Later in the same passage, Paul says,

Romans 11:25-26
"For I would not, brethren, that all of you should be ignorant of this mystery, lest all of you should be wise in your own conceits; that blindness in part is happened to Israel, until the fullness of the Gentiles be come in. And so all Israel shall be saved: as it is written, There shall come out of Sion the Deliverer, and shall turn away ungodliness from Jacob.

It's quite clear from all the above statements that regardless of any genetic ancestry, Paul included all Gentiles who believe in Jesus, in "the house of Israel".

 

[Zao is life]

When the 144,000 of all the tribes of Israel are listed in Revelation 7:1-8, the tribe of Dan is omitted, and Joseph's son, Manasseh, is put in Dan's place, but his brother Ephraim appears to have been left out.

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Only two of the tribes listed in Revelation 7 are "the house of Judah".
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The other ten tribes are those of whom Paul said,

Romans 9:24-32
"..whom He also called, not only us, of Jews, but also of the nations? As He also says in Hosea, "I will call those not My people, My people; and those not beloved, Beloved." And it shall be, in the place where it was said to them (i.e to the house of Israel) "You are not My people; there they shall be called sons of the living God."

The prophecy Paul quoted is from Hosea 1:10-11, and in its Old Testament context was referring only to the ten tribes of the house of Israel. But Paul included all Gentiles who believe in Jesus in it.

After listing the twelve tribes of Israel in Revelation 7:1-8, the very next verse says,

"After this I beheld, and, lo, a great multitude, which no man could number, of all nations, and families, and people, and tongues, stood before the throne, and before the Lamb, clothed with white robes, and palms in their hands." (Revelation 7:9).

It suggests, I believe, that the 144,000 is a symbolic number, comprised of a faithful remnant of Jews and Gentiles who believe in Christ, and genetic ancestry does not qualify anyone, but only faith in Christ.

Ephesians 2:19
"Now therefore all of you are no more strangers and foreigners, but fellow citizens with the saints, and of the household of God."

It also suggests that the 144,000 should be understood only in terms of "all Israel", which Paul mentioned in Romans 11:26:

Romans 11:25-26
"For I would not, brethren, that all of you should be ignorant of this mystery, lest all of you should be wise in your own conceits; that blindness in part is happened to Israel, until the fullness of the Gentiles be come in. And so all Israel shall be saved: as it is written, There shall come out of Sion the Deliverer, and shall turn away ungodliness from Jacob.

FAITHFUL REMNANT​

The apostasy is coming. See Post #1, 2 & 3 here The son of perdition and the Tabernacle of God

 

[Zao is life]

New Jerusalem, Revelation 21

Verse 12: 12 gates: 12 tribes.
Verse 14: 12 foundations of the wall: 12 apostles.
Verse 16: 12 thousand furlongs (size of the city, which is foursquare). Length, breadth, height are equal. (So it’s a cube).

Whether incidentally or coincidentally, 12 foundations x 12,000 = 144,000.

Revelation 7:16-17 (The multitude who came out of great tribulation).
Revelation 21:4-6 (the former things have passed away and all things made new).​

THEY WHO OVERCOME​

Revelation 21:7-8
He that overcomes shall inherit all things; and I will be his God, and he shall be my son. But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burns with fire and brimstone: which is the second death.”

Revelation 20:14-15
“And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death. And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.”

THE PROMISES TO THOSE WHO OVERCOME:-​

(1) They will eat of the Tree of Life (Revelation 2:7)
(2) They will not be hurt by the Second Death (Revelation 2:11)
(3) They will eat Hidden Manna and receive a New Name (Revelation 2:17)
(4) Their names will not be blotted out of the Book of Life (Revelation 3:5)
(5) They will be made a Pillar in the Temple of God (Revelation 3:12)
(6) They will inherit All Things (Revelation 21:7)

(7) They will sit with Christ in His Throne (Revelation 3:21)
(8) They will be given power over the nations (Revelation 2:26)

βασιλεύσει (He will reign) forever and ever: Revelation 11:15 (Christ).
βασιλεύσουσιν (They will reign) on the earth: Revelation 5:10 (those who overcome).
βασιλεύσουσιν (They will reign) with Christ a thousand years: Revelation 20:6 (those who overcome).
βασιλεύσουσιν (They will reign) forever and ever: Revelation 22:5.

Revelation 22:5 (new heavens & earth)
“And there shall be no more curse: but the throne of God and of the Lamb shall be in it; and his servants shall serve him: And they shall see his face; and his name shall be in their foreheads. And there shall be no night there; and they need no candle, neither light of the sun; for the Lord God gives them light: and they will reign (βασιλεύσουσιν) for ever and ever.”

1. Who are "they" that Revelation 22:5 says will reign forever and ever?
2. Are they reigning now?
3. Will they reign after Christ returns?
4. How long will they reign?
5. What about what Paul said in 1 Corinthians 15:24?

Let's see if we can find some answers to the above questions:

The nations​

The New Jerusalem symbolizes the bride of Christ, who has now become the Lamb's wife (Revelation 21:9-10). Revelation 21:24-27 speaks of nations and kings bringing their glory and tribute into the New Jerusalem:

Revelation 21
24-27 “And the nations (éthnos) of them which are saved shall walk in the light of it: and the kings of the earth do bring their glory (dóxa) and honour (timḗ) into it.

And the gates of it shall not be shut at all by day: for there shall be no night there. And they shall bring the glory (dóxa) and honour (timḗ) of the nations into it. And there shall in no wise enter into it any thing that defiles, neither whatsoever works abomination, or makes a lie: but they which are written in the Lamb's book of life.”

Revelation 20 speaks of "the souls of those who had been beheaded for the witness of Jesus and for the Word of God, and who had not worshiped the beast nor his image, nor had received his mark on their foreheads, nor in their hands." They are seen reigning over the nations in Revelation 20, and the second death has no power over them.

Revelation 20 speaks of the first one thousand years as though the one thousand years is a literal one thousand years, using the Greek word chílioi, which means one thousand only:

1,000 (a thousand, one-thousand): χιλιάς chiliás.
2,000: δισχίλιοι dischílioi, example Mark 5:13.
3,000: τρισχίλιοι trischílioi, example Acts 2:41.
4,000: τετρακισχίλιοι tetrakischílioi, example Matthew 15:38.
5,000: πεντακισχίλιοι pentakischílioi, example Matthew 14:21,
OR pénte chiliás (5 x 1,000), example Acts 4:4.

7,000: ἑπτακισχίλιοι heptakischílioi, example Romans 11:4.
10,000 déka chiliás (10 x 1,000), example Luke 14:31.
12,000 dṓdeka chiliás (12 x 1,000), example Revelation 7:5.
20,000 eíkosi chiliás (20 x 1,000), example Luke 14:31.

The above suggests that Revelation 20 & 21 both follow the return of Christ: Revelation 22 speaks of the new heavens & earth from a point in time following the second death which is spoken of in Revelation 20:14 & 21:8.