Surely this Bible number is quite low for the number of people who are going to Heaven
2006-12-20 07:06:16 · 33 answers · asked by Knobby Knobville 4 in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
You've hit the nail on the head! It's so blindingly, glaringly obvious that 144,000 is a tiny fraction of all the God-fearing, Bible believing Saints who have walked this planet since the Gospel message was delivered that I am amazed and astounded that ANYONE could possibly think God's grace is so mean.
JW's claim the book of Revelation is symbolic (the Harlot, the Beast etc) but they then say the number (144,000) is literal. Oh, come on! Get real! NOWHERE in the Bible does it teach that only a select few will go to heaven and that there is a consolation prize for those who come second.
I am so glad you asked this question! Everyone look out for sub-zero ratings to those persons who disagree with the Witnesses!
2006-12-21 05:06:16 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 1⤋
Yes, that is the pre determined number of people who are going to heaven. So let me ask you this, whats the point of being a good person if I may not be on that list? Perhaps if someone didn't tell me about that number I would try harder to get into heaven since I might believe I actually have a chance.
I think it goes against all rational to even begin to believe that that number is accurate or even true.
2006-12-20 07:25:36 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
The ancient Hebrew and Chaldean languages were rather skimpy when it came to what a word meant or could mean depending on the recipient and sender's understanding.
Today: My sister still says, "thanks a million". She doesn't really mean a million, she means "thanks a lot"
Numerology really gets involved when trying to understand the meaning on numbers in the Bible.
In the Bible 7 was a lot, so when Jesus was asked if we should forgive someone 7 times, he said forgive them 7 time 7. Which certainly didn't mean that we should count how many times a person makes mistakes and when that number reaches 49, we should shoot them.
Same with the number 144,000.
12 tribes time 1000 equals 12 thousand , 12 x 12 x 10000 equals 144,000 ................ which means not a particular head count, but a lot of Jews will be set aside.
Clue: All parents love a child who is harmony-loving.
Does "our father in Heaven" ring a bell?
2006-12-20 07:21:16 · answer #3 · answered by MrsOcultyThomas 6 · 1⤊ 1⤋
This bible number has nothing to do with the number of people that are going to heaven. This number has to do with the 12 tribes of Isreal. Revelations 7:4-8
Revelations 7:9 says that there was a great multitude, more than could be counted, before the Lord.
2006-12-20 07:19:27 · answer #4 · answered by David R 3 · 1⤊ 1⤋
It is only a figurative expression, meaning a great number. It is not meant to be an exact figure. Many of the numbers in the Bible have special mathematical qualities, and are used for this reason. Remember that God's special numbers are: 3 (representing the Trinity) and 7 (representing the Sabbath). Some experimentation using these numbers often gives some surprising and amazing results. Try, for example (on a calculator) dividing 144,000 by 37, and then try dividing 144,000 by 73, the answers respectively are: 3891.891891891891891891891891
and 1972.60273972602739726027397260273972.
Some other interesting maths using God's numbers are:
37x(3x1)=111, 37x (3x2)=222, 37x(3x3)=333, 37x(3x4)=444,
37x(3x5)=555, 37x(3x6)=666, 37x(3x7)=777, 37x(3x8)=888,
37x(3x9)=999, 37x(3x10)=1110, 37x(3x11)=1212, 37x(3x12)=1332, etc. etc.Note that the products of all these are multiples of 3, God's number.
2006-12-20 07:58:16 · answer #5 · answered by A.M.D.G 6 · 1⤊ 2⤋
Show me where in the Bible it says that only 144,000 go to heaven. That number is used to show how many Jews will be left on the earth during the Great Tribulation.
2006-12-20 07:15:03 · answer #6 · answered by David 3 · 1⤊ 2⤋
You would think so! But look around you, how many in your peer group will cheat if they can get ahead or take advantage?
How many think they are better than others or use negative words to describe others?
How many lie? Belittle relationships? Do ugly things to those that they disagree with? How many business cheat, government officials lie? Land owners over charge for rents or property use?
Are we not at war killing? When you look at the picture, it is not very beautiful! Males that bring children into the world but are not fathers! Females that bring children into the world but are not mothers! RACE, ethnics, cultural, religious hatred! Should I go On? Will there even be 144,000?
Even the religious sector leaves much to be desired!
If you were Jesus, which five, that you know, would you chose?
2006-12-20 07:42:17 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 1⤋
yes but in his house there are many mansions, that 144000 is only the most pure andtrue and maybe almost perfect, salvation comes to these written beneath, many of those who were wrong will be saved because they were genuinly fooled, those who believed but was not very valiant,there will be degrees of glory and and reward depending how much we put into it. those who never had a chance to hear the truth in full. many of the unrightcheous shall be saved for the sake of the rightcheous.
I take this to mean right people pleading with god to save their loved one perhaps, and being granted. little children those who are poor in spirit, and that great multitude that survives the great tribulation that we are in now, and stays faithjful to the end. So that is going to be quite a few.
2006-12-20 07:43:16 · answer #8 · answered by trucker 5 · 0⤊ 1⤋
There are going to be so many people in Heaven, you and I would be unable to count them. The Bible book of Revelation speaks of "a great multitude that no-one could count, from every nation, tribe, people and language, standing before the throne of God and in front of the Lamb."
Those who take the 144,000 number literally, and insist they are the only humans who get to Heaven, have to interpret that scripture as only symbolising the great crowd's worship of God in Heaven; they say they're actually on the earth! Well, in my Bible the throne of God is in Heaven and stays there. It is the Holy City, the new Jerusalem, that comes down from heaven, not God's throne.
2006-12-20 07:59:48 · answer #9 · answered by Anonymous · 3⤊ 3⤋
Because the Bible says it is 144,000 Hebrew Witnesses to the whole nation of Israel during the "time of Jacob's trouble", the "Great Tribulation". 12,000 of each of the 12 tribes.
It is some "denominations" or "cults" who have said it is the number of people who are going to Heaven. Even they, I think, say that the number of people that will be in the Kingdom will be much greater than the number that get to heaven first ... for the Kingdom is on Earth, in the coming Age.
2006-12-20 07:10:34 · answer #10 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 5⤋