Do Jehovah's Witnesses believe that only 144,000 people will go to Heaven?

Question

Do Jehovah's Witnesses believe that only 144,000 people will have everlasting life and go to Heaven?

And, if so, what do they believe is the fate of the billions and billions of other souls?

This is clearly not a Christian belief, as Christianity says that any person who believes in Christ will be saved.

I am very curious about this, and would appreciate any information?

Do any other religions share this same doctrine about 144,000?

Answer 1

Yes. That is true. Scripturally speaking, only 144,000 will go to heaven to rule with Christ.

What else would be the reason for the Psalm that says the meek will inherit THE EARTH!?

What is the fate of the rest? For obedient mankind, the reward would be the life Adam & Eve threw away. Everlasting life on a paradise earth.

I won't quote scriptures that describe what that life will be like but I would encourage you to look up

Isaiah 33:24
Revelation 21:3,4 (my absolute favorite scripture.. well one of em :)
Isaiah 65:21-23

AnnaMichelle: With respect, I seriously doubt that any witness that came to your door would be unprepared to answer such an absolutely basic question for us. It is probably the second basic scriptural truth we all learn... after learning that God's name is Jehovah, and is actually one of the main reasons people are drawn to him.

Zucker: To answer your question? Why do we keep knocking.? Because Jesus opened the way of salvation to all mankind, not just to 144,000. They are referred to as "a great crowd that no one was able to number"

David: With respect. Out of context? Perhaps you've missed the context of Revelation 7. Verse 4 says that "I heard the number of those sealed, a hundred and forty-four thousand". If you take a moment to glance down to verse 9, THAT says "AFTER THESE things I saw, and look, a great crowd which no one was able to number ..." Clearly it is two different groups that John wrote about. This ties in with "the other sheep that are not of this fold" that Jesus referred to at John 10:16. He said those also would listen to his voice. And I honestly don't see where Revelation 3:19,20 comes into play in this conversation. The fact that Jesus says that if ANYONE hears his voice, he would come into their house, in NO WAY negates the concept of a select group going to heaven. Jesus can come into the "house" of whomever he chooses, whether they be those with a heavenly hope or those with an earthly hope.

Answer 2

As Jehovah's Witnesses we believe what the Bible teaches, that the majority of faithful mankind will not go to heaven but will experience everlasting life on a paradise earth. God's original purpose for the earth has not changed since the creation of it and the humans upon it. The earth will become a paradise filled with righteous mankind. I look forward to living forever on an earth cleansed of all wickedness and evil influence. Here are some scriptures that may help you.
Malachi 3:6 -God does not change
Isaiah 55:9-11 -What God purposes will absolutely be fulfilled
Isaiah 65:17 and 2Peter 3:13 - A new heavens and new earth
This new heavens represents rulership over the earth by Christ Jesus and the 144,000 who are bought from the earth. The new earth represents a new earthly society, a righteous one who will obediently work in harmony with God's purpose to make the earth a paradise.
Revelation 21:1-4 - The conditions that will exist on earth under the new heavens.

I know of no other religion that teaches this. These teachings are ones that my grandmother learned from her personal study of the Bible before she ever heard of Jehovah's Witnesses. She had grown up Catholic. She had given up on finding a religion that actually believed what the Bible said when an elderly man called on her and gave her a tract.

Answer 3

>Do Jehovah's Witnesses believe that only 144,000 people will have everlasting life and go to Heaven?

Yes.

Rev 14:1 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.

>And, if so, what do they believe is the fate of the billions and billions of other souls?

At the time of Jesus death shows us what will happen to people who are saved, they will be resurrected here on earth.

Mat 27:52 And the graves were opened; and many bodies of the saints which slept arose, And came out of the graves after his resurrection, and went into the holy city, and appeared unto many.

>This is clearly not a Christian belief, as Christianity says that any person who believes in Christ will be saved.

More then faith is expected of us. We are to show our faith publicly by works.

Jam 2:17 Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone.

Answer 4

You have everlasting life and heaven confused.

Rev 21:3,4 talks about God being with mankind and doing away with sickness and death.

Thus mankind will have endless or everlasting life on earth.

Ps 37:9-11 talks about the meek inheriting the earth and living forever on it.

So does Prov. 2: 21 For the upright are the ones that will reside in the earth, and the blameless are the ones that will be left over in it. 22 As regards the wicked, they will be cut off from the very earth; and as for the treacherous, they will be torn away from it.

Everlasting life does not mean heaven.

Revelation Chapters 5, 7 & 14 show that those who go to heaven will number 144,000.

This not a teaching of JW's, this is what Jehovah told Jesus, who told the angel, who told John, who wrote it down for us.

Answer 5

Yes, it is true they believe only 144,000 will go to Heaven. After all, if you are a literalist, that's what the book says, is it not?

However, they don't abandon the others. Instead of going to Heaven, the rest of the saved people spend Eternity living on Paradise Earth in New Jerusalem. After all, they figure, why would a restored Jerusalem come down from Heaven if there was to be no one on the planet to live in it?

Frankly, anyone who believes in Creationism has no way to justify not believing that only 144,000 will go to Heaven.

Answer 6

“And with him a hundred and forty-four thousand.” This is the number of the associates with Christ in his heavenly rulership, once stated as a number as unknown to man as the stars of heaven and the sands of the seashore, but here revealed. That it is a literal number is shown in Revelation chapter 7, where, after giving the definite number of 144,000, at verse 9 it speaks of another group, a “great crowd” whom no man was able to number. The number 144,000 could not be symbolic, for, if so, it would mean nothing. It might as well have no number at all, for there would be no contrast between it and the later-mentioned “great crowd,” which is numberless.

Answer 7

Ridiculous. These are Jews, not JWs. (Rev. 7:4) What tribe do each of these Jehovah Witnesses think they are from? Show me the lineage chart. It also says they are all chaste (Rev.14:4). I think that rules out quite a few Jehovah Witnesses right there.

For those who don't know, the 144,000 are a chosen number of Messianic believers (Jews that believe Yeshua is Messiah) that will fulfill the original destiny of the Jews to bring the Light of the Gospel to the gentiles. Yes, they are Jewish, and yes, they will be virgins.

Answer 8

Jehovah's Witnesses believe Jesus was not God, but an angel.
True Christians believe Jesus was God.

Jesus is Almighty God manifest in the flesh.

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made. John 1:1-3

And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth. John 1:14

He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. For by Him all things were created that are in heaven and that are on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers. All things were created through Him and for Him. And He is before all things, and in Him all things consist. Colossians 1:15-17

And without controversy great is the mystery of godliness:

God was manifested in the flesh,
Justified in the Spirit,
Seen by angels,
Preached among the Gentiles,
Believed on in the world,
Received up in glory. 1 Timothy 3:16

Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus, who, being in the form of God, did not consider it robbery to be equal with God, but made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant, and coming in the likeness of men. Philippians 2:5-7
He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. (Colossians 1:15) If you stop here and listen to what you are told this means you could fall trap to this think of jesus is not God. if you keep reading what the bible says after this verse you will not think you will know Jesus is God.
He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. For by Him all things were created that are in heaven and that are on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers. All things were created through Him and for Him. And He is before all things, and in Him all things consist. Colossians 1:15-17
Here is the big verse you are missing to Think Jesus was Born and not God: And He is the head of the body, the church, who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in all things He may have the preeminence. Colossians 1:18 This verse tells us that Jesus was firstborn from the dead and Jesus is the beginning.

He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. (Colossians 1:15) So, this verse just means Jesus is first born of the dead. It proves He was God and was risen from the dead in verse Colossians 1:18

Answer 9

For logician - we've not any way of understanding who's to stay to tell the story Armageddon or no longer. the only prerequisite the Bible set on this is they might desire to have a great coronary heart and be keen to earnings and settle for what the Bible teaches. If Jehovah God, via his Son, Jesus sees that in the time of an a individual who isn't one in each of Jehovah's Witnesses, then they'll stay to tell the story. If Jehovah God sees that in the time of many folk that are no longer Jehovah's Witnesses, they'll stay to tell the story. Jehovah's Witnesses have never suggested they have the suited say with the intention to who survives and who does not. we are no longer the choose. Jesus Christ is. And he will do a superb job. And any who will stay to tell the story would be welcomed as worth of existence. All survivors will discover out how their deliverance got here, via God's Son, Jesus, and could be so grateful to abide via what the Bible teaches. It potential their eternal existence. and that they are going to be continuously grateful. Questioner - it is not a rely of heaven being finished. If Adam and Eve had never sinned, there could never be ANY human who could have stepped foot into heaven. as a results of disobedience of guy, God has made an allowance for a small sort of elect people to take part in a sparkling government of God's making, referred to as God's kingdom, which will help carry the earth decrease back to the paradise and perfection which it so rightly merits. Jesus , and this small team of chosen people, would be those used via God to work out his purpose fulfilled in direction of the earth and its inhabitants. Adam, mutually as on earth, in the previous his sin, had verbal replace with God. What a privilege he had. And he gave that up while he chosen disobedience. So for people who would be chosen to outlive the earth continuously, they have this threat to alter into God's toddlers returned, perfect right here on earth. and have a mind-blowing courting with their heavenly Father, that even surpasses what they are in a position to have as we communicate as sinful people. that's what's introduced out in Romans 8:21 which states they are going to be set loose from the "enslavement to corruption and have the remarkable freedom of the toddlers of God." that does no longer sound like a existence with "no wish".

Answer 10

That's what I understand about it. They think the rest will be busy creating a new Eden here on earth, and that will be almost as good as heaven. The interesting thing is that they generally speak as though the 144,000 are already known to God, but NOT to themselves. So everyone must be hoping that they are in fact one of the elect, while at the same time trying to accept the "consolation prize" of a really nice earthly paradise.