Are there 12 tribes in Israel? If so, Jehovah's Witnesses, Is it possible that the 144, 000?

Question

going to heaven actually be speaking of these 12 tribes..since I beieve it says 12, 000 of each tribe? I could be wrong..but wondering how you come to the conclusion that 144, 000 out of billions of people past and present are the only ones worthy or going to heaven?

Answer 1

It is not a matter of being "worthy" for a particular privilege, but simply of being selected (according to God's divine wisdom). By comparison, consider that the United States Congress only has 535 members; are these the only worthy persons out of a population of 300 million?

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/jt/

Answer 2

It is referring to Spiritual Jews rather then actual Jews.

the fact that the 144,000 are being sealed prior to the seven trumpets, indicates physical people involved starting with Jesus disciples.

The Tribes are symbolic.

Of the twelve tribes the two tribes of Dan and Ephraim are missing, to be replaced by Joseph and Levi. In most of the OT lists Joseph is replaced by his sons Ephraim and Manasseh (Gen 48:5, Josh 14:3-4). Since both Joseph and Manasseh are listed then you could say that Manasseh is listed twice. Levi is excluded from most lists because he should not be included in a census (Num 1:49). In the lists of the inheritance of land Levi is missing because the priestly tribe of Levi did not have its own inheritance of Land (Deu 10:9), but was kept by means of the tithes of the other tribes (Deu 18:1). Instead the Lord was their inheritance (Deu 10:9).

The fact that two out of the twelve tribes are missing is a major problem for those who take this list literally.

New Jerusalem will descend from heaven to the Earth and God will make the Earth a paradise again.

Rev 21:2 And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband.

Psa 37:11 But the meek shall inherit the earth; and shall delight themselves in the abundance of peace.

Those who are not of the 144,000 standing in front of Jesus when New Jerusalem is on Earth.

Rev 7:9 After this I beheld, and, lo, a great multitude, which no man could number, of all nations, and kindreds, and people, and tongues, stood before the throne, and before the Lamb, clothed with white robes, and palms in their hands;

Answer 3

Remember, it wasn't until that after that last Passover in 33CE that people first got the heavenly hope. Before then, we just had the hope of Resurrection to earth not heaven.

After Jesus' sacrifice, Israel had proved to reject the Messiah. A few years later, the Gentiles were given the faith. Those non-Jews also now had the heavenly hope. Incidentally, it is not for men only, women also are included.

I purposely left off the Bible references. My brothers & sisters will add those.

Answer 4

Why do people want to go to heaven? Why are they so obsessed with that?

They don't even know what it is about or what they will do there.

I say: Grow up people and forget about heaven. If you are one of the 144,000 then you will know the truth about it.

Now on to your question: There were 12 tribes in Israel. 12*12,000=144,000.

Going to heaven is not about being worthy.

It is about Jehovah God anointing people with holy spirit to be a priest and king with Jesus.

Answer 5

J.J. Dewey -

"I've stated this in the book but I want to repeat that 144,000 is not a limiting number. It is the number of a cell in the kingdom of God, and there are many cells, but none yet exist among humanity upon the earth."

GLENYS WRITES: With the Lamb is the 144,000 who have the Father's name written on their foreheads - God's seal as opposed to the beast's Mark. I think Rick's already talked about the symbolic nature of the number 144,000 really well - the number is symbolic of the multitude known by God which cannot be numbered (see Chapt 7) and whose names have been written in the Book of Life since the beginning (Chapt 13). The name of God written on their foreheads guarantees safety and security and enables them to escape the beast. We obtain it by following the true teachings of Spirit and not following blind authority of the beast but rather the authority of our inner witness.

Taken from The Keys of Knowledge Archives an Internet Spiritual Classroom Headed by Teacher/Author J.J. Dewey
You can find his books and thousands of free articles at www.freeread.com

Answer 6

I am not a Jehovah's Witness, but it is my understanding that you are right about those going to heaven. The remainder will be left on earth to rule over the new creation here, eternally.

Answer 7

Friend the JW has no revelation to these verses, These 144,000 will be JEWS, & not Gentiles, These 144,000 will be the results of the 2 Prophets for Israel, Grace age is over for the gentiles, God is now working with Israel at that time,Therefore we know that there will be more then 144,000 that will make it to heaven, & it is true, these 144,000 is the Tribes of Israel & not Gentiles, You will have 12,000 from each tribe. I have had many JW come to my house & if I started to open my bible, they want to leave, But I fooled one man one time, I told him That I will let him tlk first, & then he will give me time to tlk also, this is the only JW that one that, but hen it was my time to open the bible & tlk, he try to cut it short.

Answer 8

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 9

I thought the exact same thing when I first read this in revelation chapter 7. These tribes that are mentioned are those from the tribes of Isreal like you've already said. I have attached the versus after the tribes are mentioned please review:

Answer 10

Well you might consider looking at the names of the twelve tribes mentioned in Revelations as compared to the actual twelve sons of Jacob.

Genesis 35:22-26

So there came to be twelve sons of Jacob. 23 The sons by Le′ah
were Jacob’s firstborn Reu′ben and Sim′e‧on and Le′vi and Judah
and Is′sa‧char and Zeb′u‧lun. 24 The sons by Rachel were Joseph
and Benjamin. 25 And the sons by Bil′hah, Rachel’s maidservant,
were Dan and Naph′ta‧li. 26 And the sons by Zil′pah, Le′ah’s
maidservant, were Gad and Ash′er.

Rev 7:4 And I heard the number of them that were sealed, a hundred
and forty and four thousand, sealed out of every tribe of the children
of Israel:
Rev 7:5 Of the tribe of Judah were sealed twelve thousand: Of the
tribe of Reuben twelve thousand; Of the tribe of Gad twelve thousand;

Rev 7:6 Of the tribe of Asher twelve thousand; Of the tribe of Naphtali
twelve thousand; Of the tribe of Manasseh twelve thousand;
Rev 7:7 Of the tribe of Simeon twelve thousand; Of the tribe of Levi
twelve thousand; Of the tribe of Issachar twelve thousand;
Rev 7:8 Of the tribe of Zebulun twelve thousand; Of the tribe of Joseph
twelve thousand; Of the tribe of Benjamin were sealed twelve thousand


What happened to Dan in the book of Revelations and why is Manasseh listed in his place?

Also if you were to ask a Jewish person which tribe he was from in all likely hood he couldn't tell you.