Where are the 144,000?

Question

Have you ever been to a college stadium that's sold out?

Based on the current population of the Earth: if you stood in a full stadium of about 80,000 (that's a lot of people), and you scanned the crowd for the Elect, you would be looking for two people - that's it.

I used to think that that proportion could not be correct for there are so many good and rightous people that I run across in this world. However, after following these forums for awhile, I'm beginning to understand why that number could be so low. The questions, answers, and avatars that I see in here make my heart drop. I found this forum looking for serious questions and enlightening answers, but this is a haystack.

If you read this and laugh, if you're thinking of some foul and cutsie way to respond without actually using the f word, or if you feel you're too far down the rabbit hole to get out: ...I'm praying for you.

May God find your heart open at the moment you need him most. Can I get an amen!

ps. I believe the Elect can be JW or anybody chosen by God (no boundaries), and I hope that most of the people in the stadium go to Heaven - but the number of God's Elect used to seem so very small. After looking around and 'researching', I'm beginning to see the closed, simple nature of most. Oh, I'm just being too hard...don't listen to my ranting - I'm just too harsh (at least I thought so...until I read the bible). hmm...

Answer 1

And you don't see the problems with your question, right? I'll thank you to not pray for me, by the way. I'd hate to see someone wasting their time for me.

Answer 2

THE 144,000 ARE IN HEAVEN WITH THE LAMB OF GOD

Jesus could have had 12 legions of angels or 72,000, but instead he was crucified.
Jesus did not need every angel in the heavens, but only 72,000. He does not need every apostle, disciple or saint, Matt.20:22,23; he just needs who God will ELECT.
Rev.12:1-12;
Michael of Jude 9; and Daniel 12:1-13 end times with holy angels will cast Satan and unholy angels as 1/3 out of heaven. SATAN HAS A SHORT TIME IN THE END TIME.
John 6:39,40,44; 14:3; Mark 13:27;
Heb.12:22-24; Rev.3:12;
THE RAISED UP AT THE LAST DAY HAS A PLACE PREPARED. Rev.14:1-6,7;
Rev.20:1-6,12,13; No Satan 1000 years.
1Cor.15:22-28,51-53; Heb.9:27;
The heavenly for the new heavens is with Jesus, to resurrect the earthy for the new earth.

Eph.2:7; 3:21; The world with Jesus is without end. John 3:16; 2Pet.3:13; All made new
Rev.21:1-5;

Answer 3

Other Witness teachings include the recognition and use of a personal name for God, translated as Jehovah in English, as vital for acceptable worship. They believe that Jesus' death was necessary to atone for the sin brought into the world by the first man, Adam, thus opening the way for the hope of everlasting life for mankind. It is also taught that 144,000 people will receive immortal life in heaven with Jesus Christ as co-rulers over the rest of perfected humankind on a paradise earth

Answer 4

The 144,00 had its beginning at Pentacost 33 c.e..

Some of them are in heaven at this time. The remaining are waiting to finish there life course here on earth. At there time of death they will be caught away with a twinkling of an eye.

Many people have a misconception on the 144,000. Witnesses don't say it is only them are of the 144,000.
However Isaiah 43:10 says, you are my witnesses is the utterance of God. Isaiah 44:8 once again says you are my witnesses. So these ones are witnesses of God.
What is God's name. Exodus 6:3; Psalm 83:18; Isaiah 12:2; 26:4
so these ones are Christian Witnesses of God.
I encourage all to read there own personal bibles and find out for themselves what the Witnesses share with others and don't limp on others opinions.
Also take the time, one time and invite them into your house and listen to them and there message. We encourage bible reading. That is our objective!
Matthew 5:39

Answer 5

I believe many many more than 144,000 thousand people are to be saved and to go to Heaven as certain and chosen people from all generations have been chosen and received the gift of salvation.

I think you mis-understand what revelation is saying. It is talking about those who come out of the great tribulation and there is 12 thousand each from the 12 tribes of Israel. Well Israel has to do allot with end time prophecy's and the days leading up to Christ's return but let me give you my interpretation as to why these 144,000 people spoken of are from and taken out of Israel

There is a prophecy in Romans that says

And if they (Israel) do not persist in unbelief, they will be grafted in, for God is able to graft them in again. After all, if you were cut out of an olive tree that is wild by nature, and contrary to nature were grafted into a cultivated olive tree, how much more readily will these, the natural branches (Israel), be grafted into their own olive tree!

I do not want you to be ignorant of this mystery, brothers, so that you may not be conceited: Israel has experienced a hardening in part until the full number of the Gentiles has come in. And so all Israel will be saved, as it is written:
"The deliverer will come from Zion;
he will turn godlessness away from Jacob.
And this is[f] my covenant with them
when I take away their sins."

So when the full number of gentiles (anyone not a Jew) have been saved then the natural Branch's (Israel) in the end days will be grafted back in and so the 144,000 saved from the tribes of Israel will be people in Israel

Another verse is Luke 21:24

Jerusalem will be trampled on by the Gentiles until the times of the Gentiles are fulfilled.

So when that time is fulfilled then Israel (or the chosen 144,000) in the last days will be saved

My take on it anyways

Answer 6

A lot of religious groups believe that they are the 144000, some of them don't even worship God if you ask me. They even try and say Hell doesn't exist, i cant believe their so lost. I think it's more acceptance they want than truth. Delusional.The Sons of
God will be salted with fire. Hell exists bay-be and more places of punishment than that. Back to the 144000, no lying, no sex, no sin. Do you think that would count most everyone out.We'll at least it talks about the myriads of myriads in white robes which come out of the great tribulation which stand before the thrown of the God.

Answer 7

Amen. There really are a lot of deceivers and false groups out in the world. The number you listed is low, but understandable. How about the people that are supposed to live on earth where everything is great! Maybe that's where your good and righteous people are going to go. I hope I get the priviledge of living on earth with them.

Answer 8

I'm not sure of what you're asking? I have an answer but somehow i cant get your tone nor what are you seriously asking!!

The Bible speaks of two classes of people the 144,000 and a crowd to great to number. But, honestly, i cant answer you, because i dont know what you mean by "where are they?'

OK, I'M STILL WAITING FOR THE QUESTION!!!!!!!!!!

Answer 9

Can I answer you very honestly here? Ok, you have to have a full understanding of what the 144,000 was referring to. Many come on here with that number and honestly believe they're making some giant point. But the reality is that until you fully understand what God meant by that number, you're making no point at all, and I can tell by your statement/question here that you're a tad off on your understanding.

Answer 10

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