Well, yes the Rev.7 Scripture about the 144,000 DOES DECLARE to be ONLY about the literal 'seed' of the children of Israel, even 12,000 out of each tribe of Israel mentioned there.
What you are wanting to believe instead is a speculated theory that the 144,000 represents just any believer on Christ. Maybe you want to believe that too about Christ's promise ONLY for His 12 Apostles that they each would sit upon a future throne over the 12 tribes of Israel? Or maybe you're one those nuts that doesn't even believe the nation of Israel will even exist in Christ's future Kingdom!
If you don't mind me stepping in,
@covenantee, I will show how misunderstood
@Davy is about the judging the twelve tribes of Israel...
Davy,
Not only you, but Luke 22:29-30 is so
widely misunderstood, it's indeed difficult to explain. They were appointed to receive this in the "
regeneration," which is man's being born from above a child of God. Regeneration is a re-genesis. A rebirth.
Luke 22:29-30
- "And I appoint unto you a kingdom, as my Father hath appointed unto me;
- That ye may eat and drink at my table in my kingdom, and sit on thrones judging the twelve tribes of Israel."
The table is furniture that holds food and drink, and in the
symbolism of scripture represents
a gathering place for spiritual nourishment that the Lord provides for His servants! That's why we "give thanks" at the table, because it represents our partaking of what God has provided for the life-giving sustenance of Salvation. It is
a representation of His care over the believers, (Psalms 23:5) not only physically in physical food and drink, but
in our spiritual well-being unto salvation.
Christ is explaining that the Kingdom of God, THROUGH THE CHURCH, "is come" and they would sit at the Lord's table and eat the flesh of Christ and drink His blood, a "signification" of their provision in salvation as they are spiritually translated into that Kingdom. Spiritually "regenerated!" When Christ said, "that ye may eat and drink at
my table, this is what it refers to! The Lord's table.
Matthew 26:26-28
- "And as they were eating, Jesus took bread, and blessed it, and brake it, and gave it to the disciples, and said, Take, eat; this is my body.
- And he took the cup, and gave thanks, and gave it to them, saying, Drink ye all of it;
- For this is my blood of the new testament, which is shed for many for the remission of sins."
God has appointed to Christ a kingdom already, and Christ is illustrating that He hath also
appointed us, the Elect, this kingdom that we "reign with Him." We
reign in being regenerated by the spirit. That is why we were born again! We are appointed, sanctified, or set apart unto the service of God when we become saved, that we are a
ruling body in Christ. When we are appointed to His kingdom, that is the regeneration act of the spirit.
Matthew 19:28-29
- "And Jesus said unto them, Verily I say unto you, That ye which have followed me, in the regeneration when the Son of man shall sit in the throne of his glory, ye also shall sit upon twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel.
- And every one that hath forsaken houses, or brethren, or sisters, or father, or mother, or wife, or children, or lands, for my name's sake, shall receive an hundredfold, and shall inherit everlasting life."
Now, exactly when did the Son of man actually shall sit in the throne of his glory? It was right after His death and resurrection to HIS Throne (Revelation 12:5). Christ was put to death, regenerated, ascended to heaven and the throne by God the father, and
because of this we also are regenerated and appointed a kingdom! The Greek word for "regeneration" is [
paliggenesia], and means "re-birth" or the act of being
"born again". Is that not the Christian regeneration? It is from the two root words [
palin], meaning a repetition or to repeat (and by implication, "again"), and [
genesis] meaning birth or nativity. For example, re-birth or as Christians say, to be born again. The regeneration is the act of Christians being made alive again or "regenerated" from being dead in trespass and sin. They are regenerated to life and
reign as Kings and Priests with Christ (Romans 8:10-11). "This" is the Kingdom Christ has appointed to His born again people, and this is the principality in which we rule as kings, having been regenerated!
Granted, there are some Theologians that don't understand how this judgment we were given could possibly be fulfilled, but they neglect that we were "clearly" given "judgment" if we understand Christ's First Resurrection. This was at Christ's first advent when we were given the Spirit of the Word of the living God. As the 12, we were given rule and judgment. And indeed, the Amillennial position would
of necessity require this belief if we are going to be faithful and consistent with the context of Revelation chapter 20. Because clearly it says:
Revelation 20:4
- "And I saw thrones, and they sat upon them, and judgment was given unto them: and I saw the souls of them that were beheaded for the witness of Jesus, and for the word of God, and which had not worshipped the beast, neither his image, neither had received his mark upon their foreheads, or in their hands; and they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years."
There is the fulfillment of Christ's words of the regeneration, the kingdom sitting, and judgment of the twelve tribes. Since Amillennialists believe this refers to Christ's first advent, then of necessity the saints have
already been given Judgment when they were given the kingdom here (Rev. 20:4), and we have already been given the kingdom (Col. 1:13), and we have already been "regenerated" or reborn from the dead (Titus 3:5), and are already kings who sit at the Lord's table! None of these things are things which has not already been fulfilled if we faithfully follow the scriptures.
Revelation 1:5-6
- "And from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness, and the first begotten of the dead, and the Prince of the kings of the earth. Unto him that loved us, and washed us from our sins in his own blood,
- And hath made us kings and priests unto God and his Father; to him be glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen."
Because Christ is the first resurrection from the dead, we also died with Him and in "
that" regeneration were given a kingdom, and sit at His table, and eat and drink, and been given judgment!
Titus 3:4-5
- "But after that the kindness and love of God our Saviour toward man appeared,
- Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy He saved us, by the washing of REGENERATION, and renewing of the Holy Ghost;"
Allowing the Bible to be its own interpreter, we see how God defines the re-generation He spoke of to His apostles. This is the exact same Greek word regenerated [
paliggenesia] found in Christ's promise in Matthew 19:28-29 of a kingdom and rule for the Apostles, and indeed us. Because it refers to the Spiritual rebirth of salvation, not a future event or anything to do with the physical nation of Israel.
SELAH! 
