the 144,000...who do you believe they will be?

Question

I know that the Jehovas' Witnesses believe it will be composed of Witnesses...BUT I would like to know what others believe. Thanks

Andrew w..ha ha..I hope not! cause Simon Cowell is always right, isn't he!!!;~) ( look how right he was about Jennifer Hudson who is a star now in "Dreamgirls"!)

to "Captain Jack".. I wouldn't ever try to convert you! That is God's job, and not ours. Maybe you are not called, yet, but I hope you will be. Blessings!

Answer 1

The first of the 144,000 was the apostles. There have been others added since then and there are still about 8,000 alive today.

Revelation14:1-5: "And I saw, and, look! the Lamb standing upon the Mount Zion, and with him a hundred and forty-four thousand having his name and the name of his Father written on their foreheads. 2 And I heard a sound out of heaven as the sound of many waters and as the sound of loud thunder; and the sound that I heard was as of singers who accompany themselves on the harp playing on their harps. 3 And they are singing as if a new song before the throne and before the four living creatures and the elders; and no one was able to master that song but the hundred and forty-four thousand, who have been bought from the earth. 4 These are the ones that did not defile themselves with women; in fact, they are virgins. These are the ones that keep following the Lamb no matter where he goes. These were bought from among mankind as firstfruits to God and to the Lamb, 5 and no falsehood was found in their mouths; they are without blemish.

Now, listen to the following Scripture carefully. Paul is talking to the members of this elite group of men and women, the anointed, when he wrote this...

1 Corintians 6: 9-12: "What! Do YOU not know that unrighteous persons will not inherit God’s kingdom? Do not be misled. Neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor men kept for unnatural purposes, nor men who lie with men, 10 nor thieves, nor greedy persons, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners will inherit God’s kingdom. 11 And yet that is what some of YOU were. But YOU have been washed clean, but YOU have been sanctified, but YOU have been declared righteous in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ and with the spirit of our God.

From the point of their being sanctified, they remained undefiled, without blemish as stated in Revelations, but prior to that point, they were just normal everyday people.

Also these people were not only Jews but Gentiles as well. They make up the Israel of God, or Spiritual Israel...

Acts 2:1-11: "Now while the day of the [festival of] Pentecost was in progress they were all together at the same place, 2 and suddenly there occurred from heaven a noise just like that of a rushing stiff breeze, and it filled the whole house in which they were sitting. 3 And tongues as if of fire became visible to them and were distributed about, and one sat upon each one of them, 4 and they all became filled with holy spirit and started to speak with different tongues, just as the spirit was granting them to make utterance.

5 As it was, there were dwelling in Jerusalem Jews, reverent men, from every nation of those under heaven. 6 So, when this sound occurred, the multitude came together and were bewildered, because each one heard them speaking in his own language. 7 Indeed, they were astonished and began to wonder and say: “See here, all these who are speaking are Gal·i·le´ans, are they not? 8 And yet how is it we are hearing, each one of us, his own language in which we were born? 9 Par´thi·ans and Medes and E´lam·ites, and the inhabitants of Mes·o·po·ta´mi·a, and Ju·de´a and Cap·pa·do´ci·a, Pon´tus and the [district of] Asia, 10 and Phryg´i·a and Pam·phyl´i·a, Egypt and the parts of Lib´y·a, which is toward Cy·re´ne, and sojourners from Rome, both Jews and proselytes, 11 Cre´tans and Arabians, we hear them speaking in our tongues about the magnificent things of God.”

All these who became believers at this point in time had the heavenly hope...are part of the 144,000...but that number is complete now, although some of them are still alive on earth at this moment, they are pretty old now...and will soon all be in heaven.

Answer 2

I agree this is an interesting question. When I first found out about the 'elect' I was curious about that. I've also heard the12000 from each of the tribes of Isreal. there's also the idea that God didn't go back on his word, and (orthodox) Jews are the chosen people. Another question does it mean 144,00 since the book was written, or only that number that has been on the earth now. Because that means the elect is verrrrry small. The Left Behind opening scenario wouldn't be true. Even with the number of people alive in the world today, we'd barely feel 144000 raptured people (unless they all happened to be piloting planes and traines simultaneously). we'd really barely notice if it ranged the span of mankind.

Answer 3

To answer this question it must be understood that the Bible speaks of two classes of people
(1)"Little Flock" -Luke 12:32.These are the ones with the heavenly calling.The ones that Rev.14:1-4 speaks of as numbering 144,000.Taken from the earth to rule as kings and priests with Christ Jesus in God's Heavenly Kingdom.Many misunderstand the term 'virgin' applied to these ones as being unmarried in the flesh.But what characterizes this class is a spiritual viriginity.They have avoided spiritual adultery with worldy politics and with false religion.(James4:4;Rev.17:5).
Then others,confuse these ones with fleshly Jews because Rev.7:4 refers to these ones as being 'sealed out of every tribe of Israel'.However,examination of this verse shows that this listing does not match that of natural Israel at Numbers,chapter 1.Also Jerusalems temple,priesthood and all records were long destroyed before John penned these words.These 12 tribes listed in Revelation must refer to spiritual Israel.
The ingathering of this 'spiritual Israel' began in Pentecost 33CE where 120 faithful men and women were gathered in the upper room and Holy Spirit annointed them.They then zealously preached and another 4000 were baptized and that number keeps growing until Jehovah God seals 144,000 faithful ones.
The other group or class mentioned in the Bible is
(2)'Other Sheep'or 'Great Crowd' (Rev.7:9;John10:!6).These are the ones who will reside on the earth.
The Bible does not teach that all good people go to heaven.On the contrary it was God's original purpose to have man live on the earth.And even though Satan has put a "hiccup" so to speak in God's plan,it will be accomplished.(Ps37:9-11,29:
Pr.2:21;Dan.2:44;Rev.21:3,4)
Jehovah's Witnesses believe this because this is what the Bible TEACHES,not what they think or imagine.

Answer 4

Some answers take it to literally mean Jews descended from Abraham, Isaac, Jacob.

It is interesting to note that there were 13 tribes of Israel; two of Joseph's sons were blessed by Jacob and each had their own tribe. 12 tribes received a land inheritance when the Israelites entered the promised land, Levi did not. Perhaps why they are commonly referred to as the twelve tribes of Israel, when there were actually 13.

The listing of tribes in Revelation 7:4-8 includes the tribe of Joseph (instead of his son Ephraim), includes Manasseh (the other of Joseph's sons), excludes Dan, and includes Levi. Including Levi may indicate there is no special priesthood class in this group, they are all a "royal priesthood", kings and priests ruling with Christ (1 Peter 2: 9; Revelation 20:6)

What does it mean that the listing of tribes doesn't fit with the traditional OT listing?

Answer 5

Read the BIBLE. The 144,000 are Jewish men who are raised up during the Tribulation. These men have not defiled themselves with women and are studied in the Scriptures which probably means that they will come out of Yeshivas. Yeshivas are schools for Jewish men who spent their whole life studying the Torah and live a strict life according to Old Testament teachings.
The 144,000 are NOT Jehovah's' Witnesses. The Jehovah's' people are Gentiles not Jews. This false religion preaches Replacement Theology which says that God has turned His back on the Jewish Nation and now favors the Gentiles. The truth is that God will complete EVERY one of HIS promises to the Jewish people,not because the Jews have done some great thing but because of the fact that GOD placed HIS name there. HE promised certain things to the Jewish people and HE will carry them out for HIS NAME'S sake. GOD does not lie.

Answer 6

Harpazo = Rapture

END-TIME BIBLE PROPHECY

The Messiah Lord Jesus said BIRTH PANGS would signal the time of the end (Matthew 24:8). There are NINE birth pangs, they are all PRE-TRIBULATIONAL and the 1st three already occurred.

The first birth pang was worldwide conflict coupled with famines and earthquakes (Matthew 24:7-8). Worldwide conflict was fulfilled in 1914-1918, major famines happened in 1918-1921 and most of the world’s major earthquakes began to occur since 1900.

The second birth pang was the restoration of a Jewish State (Ezekiel 20:33-38; Ezekiel 22:17-22; Ezekiel 36:22-24; Zephaniah 2:1-2). This was fulfilled in 1948.

The third birth pang was Jewish control of the Old City of Jerusalem (Revelation 11:1-2). For the third Jewish Temple (Tribulation Temple) to be rebuilt, Jerusalem needs to be under Jewish control and this was accomplished in the Six Day War in 1967.

The fourth birth pang will be the Ezekiel 38 war. Russia, allied states of Iran, Ethiopia, Somalia, Germany and Armenia will invade Israel. God will miraculously destroy the invading army by earthquake, civil war among the invading soldiers, pestilence, blood, flood, hailstones, fire and brimstone. This will bring a revival in Israel where many Jews will turn to the Lord, and Israel will spend 7 years and 7 months burying the bodies and burning for fuel the military equipment left behind (Ezekiel 39:9-16).

The 5th birth pang will be the development of a one world government (Daniel 7:23-24).

The 6th birth pang will be the splitting of the one world government into 10 kingdoms and this Ten Kingdom Stage will continue until mid-Tribulation (Daniel 7:24).

The 7th birth pang will be the revelation of the Antichrist (II Thessalonians 2:1-3; Daniel 7:24).

The 8th birth pang will be a period of peace and false security that will be shattered by the Tribulation (1 Thessalonians 5:1-3).

The 9th and final birth pang before the Tribulation is the signing of the 7-year covenant between Israel and the Antichrist. THIS EVENT IS WHAT BEGINS THE (7-year) TRIBULATION - NOT THE RAPTURE!

The Rapture of the Church (1 Thessalonians 4:16-18) is also a pre-tribulational event (Luke 21:34-37; 1 Thessalonians 1:9-10; 1 Thessalonians 5:1-10; Revelation 3:10; Revelation 19:6-8). The fact that the Church is not mentioned in any of the Tribulation Scriptures proves the Rapture is pre-tribulational. All raptured Christians will receive glorified bodies (Romans 8:22-23; 1 Corinthians 15:50-54)) and it can happen at any second.


THE FIRST HALF OF THE TRIBULATION (SUPPORTING VERSES IN REVELATION 6-9 AND 17)

The Ministry of 144,000 sealed Jewish believers will bring many throughout the world to accept Christ.

There will be a powerful Ministry of Two Witnesses who will also be anointed Jewish believers.

A one world religious system (Babylon the Harlot) will rule. Under this one world religious system, many who are saved during the Tribulation will suffer persecution and death.

The Political system of the 10 kings of the one world government will continue.

During the first half of the Tribulation there will also be war, worldwide famine, death (1/4 of the world’s population will die), a huge earthquake, a blackout and a meteor shower. 1/3 of earth’s dry surface will be destroyed, 1/3 sea life and salt water will be destroyed, a fallen angel called Wormwood will make 1/3 of earth’s fresh water bitter, 1/3 of earth’s natural light sources will be destroyed, there will be another blackout and demons in the form of “locust-scorpions” will come up out of the abyss led by Abaddon their king and they will inflict harm and pain for five months upon those who are not sealed by God (unbelievers). Another demonic invasion will occur and the demons involved will be led by four fallen angels who will be released from the Euphrates River and this army will kill 1/3 of the earth’s population.


MID-TRIBULATION (SUPPORTING VERSES IN REVELATION 10-14 AND 17)

The Antichrist will war against the 10 kings, and during the war the Antichrist will be killed.

Satan will be cast out of the atmospheric heavens onto earth and will resurrect the Antichrist.

The Antichrist will kill 3 kings (the kings of Syria, Egypt and Mesopotamia) and the 7 other kings will submit to him.

The Antichrist will kill the Two Witnesses in Jerusalem and the wicked people will celebrate this event. Three and a half days afterwards, God will resurrect the Two Witnesses and take them up to Heaven and the people who celebrated will become terrified. The city of Jerusalem where the murder of the Two Witnesses occurred will then suffer an earthquake which will kill 7,000 people.

The False Prophet will receive from Satan the power to perform great miracles and will deceive many. The False Prophet will command all people to worship the Antichrist and have persons create an image to the Antichrist. The False Prophet will use his satanic powers to give it life and the ability to speak. The False Prophet will cause those who refuse to worship the Antichrist and the image to be killed.

The False Prophet will issue his own counterfeit seal known as the Mark of the Beast and it will be placed on all those who surrender to the Antichrist’s authority and accept him as god. Those who refuse to take this mark will not be able to buy or sell. Those who take this mark will spend eternity in the Lake of Fire.

The Antichrist will break the seven-year covenant he made with Israel, cause the sacrifices to stop, sit in the Jewish Temple, declare to the world that he is really God and set up an idol called the Abomination of Desolation in the Temple (Daniel 9:27; Daniel 12:11; Matthew 24:15-16; 11Thessalonians 2:3-4; Revelation 13:11-15).

Through the Antichrist and the False Prophet, Satan will attempt to destroy the Jews once and for all but he will fail because 1/3 of the Jews will succeed in fleeing into the wilderness. These Jews who escape will accept the Lord Jesus as their Saviour during the Tribulation (Zechariah 13:7-9) and while they are in hiding, God will miraculously provide for them (Zechariah 13:8-9; Isaiah 41:17-20). Divine intervention will also destroy the pursuing army.


THE SECOND HALF OF THE TRIBULATION (SUPPORTING VERSES FOUND IN REVELATION 15, 16, 18, 19, 20)

In the second half of the Tribulation, those with the Mark of the Beast will suffer skin sores, the remainder of sea water and fresh water will be destroyed, the sun will cause terrible burns and the wicked will blaspheme God. There will be yet another blackout and persons will suffer gnawing pains.

Babylon will be the center of world economy and political system but Babylon will be swiftly destroyed by fire and become uninhabitable for man.

The Antichrist will locate the Jews who sought refuge in the wilderness and surround them with his armies to wipe them out. The Lord Jesus will then descend from Heaven with His angels and Saints. He will come with great glory riding upon a horse and will destroy the Antichrist, the False Prophet and all of their armies. After this, a loud voice will cry out “It is done!” followed by the greatest earthquake in the earth’s history and hail weighing 120 pounds will fall.

At the end of the Tribulation, there will be another blackout, the stars will fall from the sky and the heavenly bodies will be shaken (Matthew 24:29), the Antichrist and the False Prophet will be thrown into the eternal Lake of Fire and Satan will be cast into the Abyss and bound for 1,000 years.


THE MILLENNIUM

The Lord Jesus will reign over the entire earth during the Millennium. The Jewish and Gentile believers who survive the Tribulation will go on to populate the Millennium. Believers who died before and during the Tribulation and believers who were raptured will be present on earth during the Millennium and because they will have glorified bodies they will not reproduce. All believers will be given special tasks by the Lord Jesus (Revelation 20:4-6). There will be no wars (Isaiah 2:2-4), animals will return to the Edenic state and become vegetarians (Isaiah 11:6-9), people will not labour in vain but eat what they plant and inhabit what they build, there will be renovations in the heavens and earth and there will be righteous and unrighteous children born during the Millennium (Isaiah 65:17-25).

At the end of the Millennium, Satan will be loosed from the Abyss and will deceive and gather the unrighteous for a war against the righteous. This will be his final attempt to destroy the righteous and when the unrighteous of the Millennium surround the good people, God will send fire down from Heaven which will suddenly and massively annihilate all of the wicked people. Satan will then be cast into the Lake of Fire where he will remain in torment for eternity (Revelation 20:7-10).


THE GREAT WHITE THRONE JUDGMENT

The Great White Throne Judgment will be the next main event. The old heavens and earth will be done away with and all will stand before God’s throne to be judged (Revelation 20:11-12). Those whose names are not found written in the Book of Life will be cast into the Lake of Fire which will be their final and eternal abode (Revelation 20:14-15).


THE ETERNAL ORDER (REVELATION 21 AND 22)

Those whose names are found in the Book of Life will enjoy paradise with God forever. The heavens and earth will be made new and the New Jerusalem will come down upon the earth making the earth like Heaven. All curses from the fall will be removed and the earth will be inhabited by the Triune God (The Father, Son and Holy Spirit), all angels and all of the righteous. The seas, moon, night and sun will be done away with and the glory of God will illuminate the earth. The River of Life will flow from God’s throne, the Tree of Life will bear health-giving fruits and leaves and the name of Jesus will be on the foreheads of all of the righteous.


God’s Plan of Salvation for Us
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aZkDk1GZ7do

Answer 7

The #12 symbolizes 12 vortexes at work on our world. Spirals of energy,
that keep Life on world in existence.
!44,000 is a multiple of 12. 12,000 from each "tribe" of Israel. Jacob
actually had 70 children, but 12 are used to symbolize this spiritual reality.
!2 symbolizes all of humanity, not some special few. The chosen will come
out of all peoples on the Earth.
It says the 144,000 will be called from the four corners of "Heaven"! Matthew 24. These are highly placed spiritual beings that will create a very
real spiritual power structure of some sort. That will help the forces of good
to achieve their goal of fighting the forces of evil!

Answer 8

Actually, Jehovah's Witnesses expect that many thousands of the 144,000 have never set foot in a Kingdom Hall or read 'The Watchtower'.

The fact is that the vast majority of Witnesses hope to enjoy life ON EARTH forever, rather than in heaven. Jehovah's Witnesses understand heaven to refer to the dwelling place of spirit creatures such as Jesus and the angels. They understand the Scriptures to teach that exactly 144,000 humans will join Christ Jesus as kings and priests to administer God's Kingdom (which will soon replace all earthly governments).
(Daniel 2:44) God of heaven will set up a kingdom... It will crush and put an end to all these kingdoms, and it itself will stand to times indefinite
(Revelation 14:1) Lamb [Jesus] standing upon the Mount Zion, and with him a hundred and forty-four thousand
(Revelation 20:6) they will be priests of God and of the Christ, and will rule as kings with him

The men and women who make up the 144,000 are selected by God from among two thousand years of Christians. Over whom will they rule? Over the vast majority of mankind, most of whom will have been raised from the dead after Armageddon.
(John 11:23,24) Jesus said to her: “Your brother will rise.” Martha said to him: “I know he will rise in the resurrection on the last day.”

Hell is NOT someplace/something mankind needs to fear; there is no suffering in the grave. Sometime after the resurrection, death and "hell" will themselves be destroyed.
(Ecclesiastes 9:5) For the living are conscious that they will die; but as for the dead, they are conscious of nothing at all
(Ecclesiastes 9:10) there is no work nor devising nor knowledge nor wisdom in Sheol ["hell"]
(Revelation 20:14) And death and Hades ["hell"] were hurled into the lake of fire


Almighty Jehovah God selects those few who have the heavenly calling. Each person "feels" his own hope and each person's hope remains unquestioned by his fellow Christians. Still the vast majority (literally more than 99.9%*) of Jehovah's Witnesses expect an EARTHLY hope, the same hope given to Adam and Eve.
(Genesis 1:28) God blessed them and God said to them: “Be fruitful and become many and fill THE EARTH and subdue it [caps added]
(Genesis 2:17) You must not eat from it, for in the day you eat from it you will positively die [so never eating from that tree means never dying]

Learn more:
http://watchtower.org/e/20001001/article_02.htm
http://watchtower.org/e/20001001/
http://watchtower.org/e/jt/

Answer 9

If you look in the Bible, the book of Revelation, it states that the 144,000 will come from the 12 tribes of Israel.

Answer 10

Okay, I don't believe any of that, but this burns another question in me.

If there will only be 144,000, why do you keep trying to recruit me? Aren't you afraid if you get too many than you'll be left out of the number?