the 144,000: Christians zealous for God; everyone else will be tortured in Tribulatio

[holyisthelord]

the 144,000 who are sealed in Revelation 7 are "spiritual Israel," not ethnic Jews, who are said by Jesus to be of the "synagogue of Satan" (Rev. 2,3): -"The real Jew" is the person who is "circumcized in the heart" (Romans 2:28) -Christians are children of "the heavenly Jerusalem" (Galatians 4), which represents the "city" (association) of true Christians. Israel means "has prevailed with God" [in gaining the "blessing" of eternal life which Jacob/Israel strove with Jesus "the angel of the LORD" for in Genesis 32]The 144,000 correspond to members of the Church of Philadelphia & Smyrna, the only two of the seven churches (which represents all people professing to be Christians today, throughout history, and in John's day) not rebuked by Jesus in Revelation 2-3 and threatened to be "cast" into terrible "Tribulation".These two witnesses will be witnessing about Jesus in all "the great cities" (Rev. 11:8)- i.e. the Babylons "the great city" (Rev. 17:18)- of the Earth, including Rome, New York City, Hollywood Babylon, Paris Babylon, San Francisco ("Babylon by the Bay"), etc. They will have miraculous powers like Moses & Aaron to testify to their truth! They will be resurrected to show the whole world that Jesus really rose from the dead! If you are not one of these 144,000 people because you are "lukewarm" for God & fellow humans (Rev. 3:15), you will have to suffer the immense pains described in Revelation & the rest of the Bible (ex. the plagues of Exodus) as a taste of Hell, so that you will depart from sin since "the fear of the LORD causes a man to depart from evil." God says "those whom I love, I discipline." (Rev. 3, Hebrews 12)"Pray at all times that you will be worthy to escape these things" (Luke 21) which "are about to come upon the whole habitable Earth" (Rev. 3:10) during the Great Tribulation.IF YOU ARE NOT A LITERAL VIRGIN, YOU WILL EXPERIENCE MUCH OF THE SUFFERING DESCRIBED IN THE BOOK OF REVELATION VERY SHORTLY. (Revelation 14:1-4 "These are they which were not defiled with women; for they are virgins", Revelation 7, 1 Corinthians 7:8-9, 1 Corinthians 7:27-28 (the word "tribulation" & "spare" appears here in the Greek, the same word applied to the Great Tribulation in Revelation), Isaiah 56 & Matthew 19 both say eunuchs for the Kingdom are rewarded more)"The letter kills, but the Spirit gives life." (2 Cor. 3:6) We often have to interpret the Bible metaphorically (not by "the letter"), and can only do so correctly by praying for the Holy Spirit's enlightenment.

 

[holyisthelord]

"those whom I love I discipline." (Hebrews 12, Revelation 3) "We must pass through many trials & tribulations to enter into the Kingdom of God." (Acts) Malachi 3 describes how spiritual Israel will be purified by "fire" during the Tribulation in order to offer to God in "righteousness."

 

[kkboldt]

QUOTE (holyisthelord @ Jan 8 2009, 08:15 PM) index.php?act=findpost&pid=67335
the 144,000 who are sealed in Revelation 7 are "spiritual Israel," not ethnic Jews, who are said by Jesus to be of the "synagogue of Satan" (Rev. 2,3): -"The real Jew" is the person who is "circumcized in the heart" (Romans 2:28) -Christians are children of "the heavenly Jerusalem" (Galatians 4), which represents the "city" (association) of true Christians. Israel means "has prevailed with God" [in gaining the "blessing" of eternal life which Jacob/Israel strove with Jesus "the angel of the LORD" for in Genesis 32]The 144,000 correspond to members of the Church of Philadelphia & Smyrna, the only two of the seven churches (which represents all people professing to be Christians today, throughout history, and in John's day) not rebuked by Jesus in Revelation 2-3 and threatened to be "cast" into terrible "Tribulation".These two witnesses will be witnessing about Jesus in all "the great cities" (Rev. 11:8)- i.e. the Babylons "the great city" (Rev. 17:18)- of the Earth, including Rome, New York City, Hollywood Babylon, Paris Babylon, San Francisco ("Babylon by the Bay"), etc. They will have miraculous powers like Moses & Aaron to testify to their truth! They will be resurrected to show the whole world that Jesus really rose from the dead! If you are not one of these 144,000 people because you are "lukewarm" for God & fellow humans (Rev. 3:15), you will have to suffer the immense pains described in Revelation & the rest of the Bible (ex. the plagues of Exodus) as a taste of Hell, so that you will depart from sin since "the fear of the LORD causes a man to depart from evil." God says "those whom I love, I discipline." (Rev. 3, Hebrews 12)"Pray at all times that you will be worthy to escape these things" (Luke 21) which "are about to come upon the whole habitable Earth" (Rev. 3:10) during the Great Tribulation.IF YOU ARE NOT A LITERAL VIRGIN, YOU WILL EXPERIENCE MUCH OF THE SUFFERING DESCRIBED IN THE BOOK OF REVELATION VERY SHORTLY. (Revelation 14:1-4 "These are they which were not defiled with women; for they are virgins", Revelation 7, 1 Corinthians 7:8-9, 1 Corinthians 7:27-28 (the word "tribulation" & "spare" appears here in the Greek, the same word applied to the Great Tribulation in Revelation), Isaiah 56 & Matthew 19 both say eunuchs for the Kingdom are rewarded more)"The letter kills, but the Spirit gives life." (2 Cor. 3:6) We often have to interpret the Bible metaphorically (not by "the letter"), and can only do so correctly by praying for the Holy Spirit's enlightenment.
To HolyistheLord,I've spent many years studying the "144,000". I've heard and read many theories and ideas. All of them interesting. But the best explanation I received is that the 144,000 is the "numbering of the tribes for war". It comes from the book of Leviticus where 12,000 men from each tribe were numbered for war.Therefore, I conclude this passage has to do with "war", "rumors of war", and the last great war, the battle of Armageddon coming to earth.It really has nothing to do with who is saved or not. One cannot fully understand the book of Revelation without reading the Old Testament. All the symbolism, figure of speech, metaphor, and prophecies can be found in the great prophets: Isaiah, Ezekiel, Daniel, Jeremiah, Zechariah, etc. Without these, you cannot fully understand the book of Revelation.IMHO, Kim.