I will study the Hundred and Forty four thousand. I contend they are believers who believed on the name of Jesus as their messiah and the Son of God. I also think the twelve disciples will be among them. I believe they will be raised from the dead in the same fashion as Lazarus; they won't be resurrected, but only risen. They won't be resurrected until after the tribulation.
[Revelation 7:3 KJV] "Saying, Hurt not the earth, neither the sea, nor the trees, till we have sealed the servants of our God in their foreheads."
[Revelation 7:4 KJV] "And I heard the number of them which were sealed: [and there were] sealed an hundred [and] forty [and] four thousand of all the tribes of the children of Israel."
[Revelation 14:1 KJV] "And I looked, and, lo, a Lamb stood on the mount Sion, and with him an hundred forty and four thousand, having his Father's name written in their foreheads."...........The 144 thousand are on the mount. Their location is significant. They are on the earth
[Revelation 14:2 KJV] "And I heard a voice from heaven, as the voice of many waters, and as the voice of a great thunder: and I heard the voice of harpers harping with their harps:"............The voice of harpers could be heard. Their location is significant as well. The harpers are in heaven.
[Revelation 14:3 KJV] "And they sung as it were a new song before the throne, and before the four beasts, and the elders: and no man could learn that song but the hundred [and] forty [and] four thousand, which were redeemed from the earth."............The harpers sang a new song. Only the 144 thousand could learn this song.
[Revelation 14:4 KJV] "These are they which were not defiled with women; for they are virgins. These are they which follow the Lamb whithersoever he goeth. These were redeemed from among men, [being] the firstfruits unto God and to the lamb." ............They which were virgins are THE HARPERS. They are the ones who sang a new song in HEAVEN (not on the earth where the 144 thousand are)
[Revelation 14:5 KJV] "And in their mouth was found no guile: for they are without fault before the throne of God."................The harpers had no guile found in their mouths.
I have found that when we read scripture initially, we don't get full understanding. At the first reading I thought that the 144 thousand were virgins. Our initial reading misses nuances in the text. Further examination gives us a new insight into the text to fully understand the passage as revealed by the Spirit.
[Matthew 24:14 KJV] "And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations; and then shall the end come."...........The twelve did not preach the gospel of the kingdom in all the world. The gospel of the kingdom was that the prophetic Davidic kingdom on earth was at hand and that believing Israel would reign with Christ for a thousand years.
[Mark 16:15 KJV] "And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature.".........The only gospel the twelve preached was that the earthly kingdom was at hand.
[Mark 16:16 KJV] "He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned."............Israel had to be water baptized to enter the earthly kingdom.
[Mark 16:17 KJV] "And these signs shall follow them that believe; In my name shall they cast out devils; they shall speak with new tongues;".........this was accomplished by the twelve.
[Mark 16:18 KJV] "They shall take up serpents; and if they drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt them; they shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover."..........Taking up serpents and drinking poison was not seen yet. These could be seen in the tribulation as protection from the plagues.
I believe Mark 16 was partly fulfilled, but was interrupted by the withdrawal of the kingdom offer and by the dispensation of grace. I believe Mark 16 will be fulfilled completely in the tribulation when the twelve are raised as part of the 144 thousand.
[Revelation 7:3 KJV] "Saying, Hurt not the earth, neither the sea, nor the trees, till we have sealed the servants of our God in their foreheads."
[Revelation 7:4 KJV] "And I heard the number of them which were sealed: [and there were] sealed an hundred [and] forty [and] four thousand of all the tribes of the children of Israel."
[Revelation 14:1 KJV] "And I looked, and, lo, a Lamb stood on the mount Sion, and with him an hundred forty and four thousand, having his Father's name written in their foreheads."...........The 144 thousand are on the mount. Their location is significant. They are on the earth
[Revelation 14:2 KJV] "And I heard a voice from heaven, as the voice of many waters, and as the voice of a great thunder: and I heard the voice of harpers harping with their harps:"............The voice of harpers could be heard. Their location is significant as well. The harpers are in heaven.
[Revelation 14:3 KJV] "And they sung as it were a new song before the throne, and before the four beasts, and the elders: and no man could learn that song but the hundred [and] forty [and] four thousand, which were redeemed from the earth."............The harpers sang a new song. Only the 144 thousand could learn this song.
[Revelation 14:4 KJV] "These are they which were not defiled with women; for they are virgins. These are they which follow the Lamb whithersoever he goeth. These were redeemed from among men, [being] the firstfruits unto God and to the lamb." ............They which were virgins are THE HARPERS. They are the ones who sang a new song in HEAVEN (not on the earth where the 144 thousand are)
[Revelation 14:5 KJV] "And in their mouth was found no guile: for they are without fault before the throne of God."................The harpers had no guile found in their mouths.
I have found that when we read scripture initially, we don't get full understanding. At the first reading I thought that the 144 thousand were virgins. Our initial reading misses nuances in the text. Further examination gives us a new insight into the text to fully understand the passage as revealed by the Spirit.
[Matthew 24:14 KJV] "And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations; and then shall the end come."...........The twelve did not preach the gospel of the kingdom in all the world. The gospel of the kingdom was that the prophetic Davidic kingdom on earth was at hand and that believing Israel would reign with Christ for a thousand years.
[Mark 16:15 KJV] "And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature.".........The only gospel the twelve preached was that the earthly kingdom was at hand.
[Mark 16:16 KJV] "He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned."............Israel had to be water baptized to enter the earthly kingdom.
[Mark 16:17 KJV] "And these signs shall follow them that believe; In my name shall they cast out devils; they shall speak with new tongues;".........this was accomplished by the twelve.
[Mark 16:18 KJV] "They shall take up serpents; and if they drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt them; they shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover."..........Taking up serpents and drinking poison was not seen yet. These could be seen in the tribulation as protection from the plagues.
I believe Mark 16 was partly fulfilled, but was interrupted by the withdrawal of the kingdom offer and by the dispensation of grace. I believe Mark 16 will be fulfilled completely in the tribulation when the twelve are raised as part of the 144 thousand.
