Then I looked, and there before me was the Lamb, standing on Mount Zion, and with him 144,000 who had his name and his Father's name written on their foreheads. And I heard, a sound from heaven like the roar of rushing waters and like a loud peal of thunder. The sound I heard was like that of harpists playing their harps. And they sang a new song before the throne and before the four living creatures and the elders. No one could learn the song except the 144,000 who had been redeemed from the earth. These are those who did not defile themselves with women, for they kept themselves pure. They follow the Lamb wherever he goes. They were purchsed from among men and offered as firstfruits to God and the Lamb. No lie was found in their mouths they are blameless.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FObjd5wrgZ8...ted&search=

With the Scripture you posted and the words to the praise song you put the link to. What does all of that mean to you?

Revelation Song Lyrics

Worthy is the, Lamb who was slain
Holy, Holy, is He
Sing a new song, to him who sits
on Heaven's mercy seat [2X]

Holy, Holy, Holy
Is the Lord God Almighty
Who was, and is, and is to come
With all creation I sing
Praise to the King of Kings
You are my everything
And I will adore You

Clothed in rainbows, of living color
Flashes of lightning, rolls of thunder
Blessing and honor, strength and glory and power be to
You the only wise King

Holy, Holy, Holy
Is the Lord God Almighty
Who was, and is, and is to come
With all creation I sing
Praise to the King of Kings
You are my everything
And I will adore You

Filled with wonder, awestruck wonder
At the mention of your name
Jesus your name is power
Breath, and living water
Such a marvelous mystery
Yeah...

Holy, Holy, Holy
Is the Lord God Almighty
Who was, and is, and is to come, yeah
With all creation I sing
Praise to the King of Kings
You are my everything
And I will adore You [3X]

I have a possible explanation to who the 144,000 are or were. Could they have been the ones that did not die in Christ,but died before the cross?
In The Works of Josephus he mentions a place called Abrahams Bossom, in his discourse concerning Hades to the greeks, what he describes parallels The Story of the Rich Man and Lazarus. Would Jesus have used this anology if there was no such place?
Since the only way to the Father is through the Son where would the souls of King David, Moses, Noah, etc.,have gone? Abrahams Bossom would have been a waiting place of sourts(DEFINITELY NOT A PERGUTORY TYPE SITUATION) for the Messiah to redeem them
This redemption occured at the cross of course, allowing them to enter into Heaven as the First fruits.

Any way this is my take on this,and just my opinion. .

Considering the prophetic events that are lying on the table before us,...there's a strong possibility that are to be sealed during the tribulation are alive today......as far as the deal with abraham's bosom......When the Lord died on the Cross of Calvary.....He descended and set the captives free....and took them to heaven....in one compartment it was called abraham's bosom.....the other compartment was called sheol........when the Lord took the captives from abraham's bosom to heaven......Sheol had enlarged itself....I hope that helps.......benny

Yes I agree, but why would these captives not be the Firstfruits?

Multiple Resurrections
Concerning resurrection, Jesus clearly taught that there would be more than one resurrection. In John 5:29 He refers to a "resurrection of life" and a "resurrection of judgment." The apostle Paul confirmed this concept in his defense before Felix when he stated that he believed the teaching of the prophets "that there shall certainly be a resurrection of both the righteous and the wicked" (Acts 24:15).

Of course, it could be argued that the two resurrections referred to in these scriptures will occur at the same time. Thus, because they will happen simultaneously, there is, in effect, only one resurrection. However, the Scriptures establish the fact that the resurrection of the righteous will occur in stages.

In other words, the Bible does not teach one resurrection or even two resurrections in number. Rather, it teaches that there will be two resurrections in type which will be conducted in stages, resulting in several resurrections — at least four, to be specific.



The Resurrection of the Just
That the resurrection of the righteous will occur in stages is clearly taught in 1 Corinthians 15:20-24. In fact, the first stage of the resurrection of the righteous has already happened, for verse 20 says that "Christ has been raised from the dead, the first fruits of those who are asleep."

Verses 22 and 23 go on to explain that all who have died in Christ shall be made alive, "but each in his own order: Christ, the first fruits, after that those who are Christ's at His coming."

The imagery of the harvest that is used in these verses is a key to understanding the first resurrection — the resurrection of the righteous.

The Harvest Imagery
In Bible times the harvest was conducted in three stages. It began with the gathering of the first fruits which were offered as a sacrifice of thanksgiving to God.

It proceeded with the general harvest. But not all was taken in this harvest. Some of the crop was left in the field to be gathered by the poor and the needy. This was called the gleanings (Leviticus 19:9-10).

Using this imagery, the Bible presents the resurrection of Jesus as the "first fruits" of the resurrection of the righteous. The gathering of the Church Age saints, living and dead, at the appearing of the Lord (the Rapture) is thus the general harvest stage of the resurrection of the righteous (John 14:1-3 and 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18).

But there is a third and final stage to this resurrection of the righteous. It is the gleanings, and it occurs at the end of the Tribulation when the Lord's Second Coming takes place. At that time two final groups of the righteous will be resurrected: 1) the Tribulation martyrs (Revelation 20:4), and 2) the Old Testament saints (Dan 12:2).

Some people are startled by the thought that the Old Testament saints will not be resurrected until the end of the Tribulation. But keep in mind that the Rapture is a promise to the Church, and the Church only. Also, the book of Daniel makes it clear that the Old Testament saints will be resurrected at the end of the "time of distress" (Daniel 12:1-2).

So the first resurrection, the resurrection of the righteous, occurs in three stages, beginning with Christ, continuing with the Church at the Rapture, and culminating with the Tribulation martyrs and the Old Testament saints at the return of Jesus.

The Resurrection of the Unjust
The second type of resurrection, "the resurrection of the wicked" (Acts 24:15), will take place all at one time at the end of the millennial reign of Jesus. This is at the time of the Great White Throne Judgment, the judgment of the damned (Revelation 20:11-15).

Every person who ever failed to relate to God in faith will be resurrected at this time, regardless of when he or she may have lived and died — whether before or after the Cross. This resurrection will also include the unjust who died during the Tribulation and the Millennium.

There will be no need for an additional resurrection of the righteous at the end of the Millennium, because all those born during that time who accept Jesus as their Savior will live to the end of the Lord's reign (Isaiah 65:19-20). "'As the lifetime of a tree, so shall be the days of My people,'. . . says the Lord" (Isaiah 65:22,25). In other words, life spans during the Millennium will be returned to what they were at the beginning of time, before the flood.

The Certainty of Judgment
Resurrection will be followed by judgment. Solomon wrote, "Fear God and keep His commandments . . . For God will bring every act to judgment, everything which is hidden, whether it is good or evil" (Ecclesiastes 12:13-14).

The apostle Paul emphasized the certainty of judgment. In Romans 2:16 he wrote, "God will judge the secrets of men through Christ Jesus." And in Romans 14:10,12 he stated, "We shall all stand before the judgment seat of God . . . So then each one of us shall give account of himself to God." The writer to the Hebrews summed it up succinctly: "It is appointed for men to die once and after this comes judgment" (Hebrews 9:27).

The Completed Judgment
But not all people are going to be judged at the same time. Just as there are going to be several resurrections, there are also going to be several judgments.

One judgment has already taken place. It is the judgment of believers for their sins.

This comes as a surprise to most Christians. Some find it hard to believe. I'll never forget when I realized it from my study of Scripture. I became filled with so much joy that I felt like jumping pews all day!

Let me put it to you in another way. If you are truly born again, then you will never stand before the Lord and be judged of your sins. That's because the judgment for your sins took place at the Cross.

You see, all your sins, and mine, were placed upon Jesus as He hung upon the Cross, and the wrath we deserve was poured out upon Him (2 Corinthians 5:21). He became our substitute. He took our judgment for sin (Romans 8:3 and Galatians 3:13).

If you have appropriated the blood of Jesus to your life by accepting Him as your Lord and Savior, then your sins have been forgiven. They have also been forgotten in the sense that God will never remember them against you again (Isaiah 43:25 and Hebrews 8:12).

Think of it — forgiven and forgotten! That is grace!

The Judgment of the Just
If the Redeemed will never be judged of their sins, then what will they be judged of, and when will the judgment take place?

The Bible teaches that the Redeemed will be judged of their works, not to determine their eternal destiny, but to determine their degrees of reward.

Christians do not work to be saved; they work because they are saved. In fact, the Bible says they are saved to do good works (Ephesians 2:10 and Titus 2:14). Such good works, if properly done, will be done in the power of the Holy Spirit (1 Peter 4:11) and for the glory of God (1 Corinthians 10:31).

The Significance of Spiritual Gifts
Paul says in 1 Corinthians 12 that every person who is born again receives at least one supernatural spiritual gift from the Holy Spirit. A person may receive more than one gift. And, if you are a good steward of the gifts you receive, then you may receive additional gifts as you develop spiritually (Luke 19:26).

God expects us to use our spiritual gifts to advance His kingdom. This is what the judgment of works will be all about. Each of us who are redeemed will stand before the Lord Jesus and give an accounting of how we used our gifts to advance the kingdom of God on earth.

We will be judged as to the quantity of our works (Luke 19:11-27; Romans 2:6-7). We will be judged as to the quality of our works (1 Corinthians 3:10-14). Finally, we will be judged as to the motivation of our works ( 1 Corinthians 4:5).

I can imagine some famous evangelist being brought before the Lord for judgment.

"How did you use your spiritual gifts to advance my kingdom?" asks the Lord.

"I used my gifts as a teacher and evangelist to preach the gospel to millions," replies the preacher.

"Yes," says the Lord, "you certainly did that. But, I know your heart, and thus I know your motivation. You preached not because you loved Me but because you wanted to become famous. You wanted to have your picture published on the cover of Time magazine. You accomplished that in February of 1953. Here's your picture. That's all the reward I have for you!"

And then I can imagine the Lord calling up a little old lady that no one has ever heard of.

"Dear, on the day you accepted Me as your Lord and Savior, I gave you one gift — the gift of mercy. And every time someone was ill, you were the first to offer comfort and encouragement. You were the one who organized the prayer chain. Every time someone went to the hospital, you were the first to visit them. Every time someone died, you were the one who organized the meals. And you did all of these things simply because you loved me."

The Lord will give her a crown full of so many jewels that she will have a neck ache for eternity!

Seriously, there will be degrees of rewards. They will be manifested in the crowns we receive (2 Timothy 4:7-8), the robes we wear (Revelation 19:8), and the degrees of ruling authority which we exercise with the Lord (Luke 19:11-27).

The Timing of the Judgments
When and where will the judgment of the Redeemed take place? The Bible indicates the judgment of believers who have lived and died during the Church Age will occur in Heaven before the judgment seat of Jesus, immediately following the Rapture of the Church (2 Corinthians 5:10 and Revelation 19:6-9).

Those who are saved and martyred during the Tribulation will be judged at the end of that period when they are resurrected at the Second Coming of Christ (Revelation 20:4). The Tribulation saints who live to the end of that terrible period are another group that will be judged at the Second Coming of Jesus in "the sheep and goat judgment" portrayed in Matthew 25:31-46. The Old Testament saints will also be judged at the time of the Second Coming (Ezekiel 20:34-38).

All the unrighteous who have ever lived will be resurrected and judged at the end of the millennial reign of Jesus.

The Judgment of the Unjust
The terrible judgment of the unrighteous is pictured in Revelation 20:11-15. It is called the "Great White Throne" judgment.

We are told that the wicked also will be judged of their works. But their judgment will be radically different from the judgment of the Redeemed. Whereas the Redeemed are judged of their works to determine their degrees of reward, the lost are judged of their works to determine their eternal destiny.

And since no one can be justified before God by their works (Isaiah 64:6 and Ephesians 2:8-10), all will be condemned to Hell. That's why I call this judgment "the judgment of the damned."

The unjust are also judged for another reason. There are going to be degrees of punishment (Luke 12:35-48; 20:45-47).

There is a popular myth in Christendom that says, "All sin is equal in the eyes of God." That is not true. The only way in which all sin is equal is that any sin, whether a white lie or murder, condemns us before God and necessitates a Savior.

But all sin is not equal in the eyes of God. For example, Proverbs 6:16-19 lists seven sins that the Lord particularly hates, including "hands that shed innocent blood." And the Bible makes it very clear that idolatry is a sin that is especially heinous in the eyes of God (Exodus 20:3-5).

Because God considers some sins worse than others, there will be degrees of punishment (Revelation 22:12), and these degrees will be specified at the Great White Throne judgment.

A Call to Repentance
Where do you stand with respect to the inevitable judgment which you will face before the Lord?

If you are a Christian, do you know what spiritual gifts you have been given? Are you using them to advance the Lord's kingdom? Is your motivation a love of the Lord?

If you have never confessed Jesus as your Lord and Savior, do you really want to participate in the judgment of the damned? Do you realize that the Bible says, "Every knee shall bow and every tongue confess that Jesus is Lord"? That means Hitler and every vile person like him who has ever lived will one day make the confession of Jesus' lordship. You will too.

I urge you to make that confession now so that you can participate in the resurrection and judgment of the righteous. As you consider your decision, weigh carefully the following words from the book of Hebrews:

"Christ also, having been offered once to bear the sins of many, shall appear a second time for salvation without reference to sin, to those who eagerly await Him" — Hebrews 9:28

Notice carefully that this verse promises that for those who are ready for Him, Jesus will come "without reference to sin." That is a wonderful promise.
.................................................benny

I see what your saying but the Old Testament Saints died not relying on their own righteousness, they died waiting for their Redeemer. This was accomplished at his ressurection were he conquered Death and Hades.
I see Revelation chapter 5 not as a future event, but as The Conquering Kings return home. He accomplished redemption verse 6, he had earned the right to take the scroll because he was spotless.
You see the scroll represents his power and authority over everything (sort of like Pharoah to Joseph) and he has that power and authority now, not later.

Sorry, I do not follow you.....explain in more detail...........benny

Sorry I'm a little scatterbrained!
What I'm saying is that Old Testament prophecy deals mainly with Our Lords life, death, and resurection not with end times as we Christians see or think we see it.
To me the apex of it all was that 33 years that changed the world, not some end times battle or whatever.
For example Rev. chpt 12 Satan was hurled to the earth ... this is stating he lost his power to accuse us before God (Job chpt 1, Zech. chpt 3) For the accuser of our brothers, who accuses them before our God day and night, has been hurled down.
When was this power lost ... AT CALVARY!
That's what the O.T Saints waited on. I think their possibly the Firstfruits.
Now satan has been hurled to earth to spew a false gospel that many have and will be blinded by.
Just as the Jews were blinded.
You see when Nicodemus came to Jesus, he came representing the ruling council. This was after The Passover when many sought to put him in power. Jesus, knowing his destiny, told him,in a nutshell, that his Kingdom was not of this world. He also told him that the Messiah must suffer(John 3:14-16).
So when I hear someone say how they think the end will come about I listen, taking into account how some were blinded by the first time he came.
Correction: When I wrote "Just as the Jews were blinded" I meant Just as some Jews were blinded.

What happened to Jesus and the OT Saints at the death and resurrection of the physical Jesus, is a foreshadow of the resurrection of the firstfruits of Ingathering (end time harvest). The 144000. Then like at Pentacost (the first fruits of the wheat harvest) many were added daily etc.

Jesus was the the last to die under the spring harvest, and became the firstfruit of the dead (first born)

Likewise, Jesus returns with the NT saints from Heaven (spirits) to resurrect on earth. And those alive will never die (spiritual death 2nd death)....

MMarc....

Your interpretation of who the 144,000 is interesting....but I think this group is going to be JEWISH converts in the end days who will go around and tell the world about Him.

There is a young Orthodox man that I know of in NY....and sometimes I wonder if he is not going to be one of them. There is something about this one.

He loves God...very much. But he is not sold on Yeshua yet. But I think he is searching...carefully. He is a little fireball though. I have a soft heart for this one.

But I do think the the scripture was speaking about God sealing Jewish converts that will be empowered to spread the gospel. I just wonder if that sealing has begun?

The Old Testament is absolutely about the end times, as well as all about the sacrifice of Jesus Christ
at calvary. But, there are so many scriptures from the OT that have everything to do with end-time events. From the very first words in Isaiah to the last words in Malachi, it is filled with end time wording.

in Christ,
Chris

They died relying on the righteousness of the Lord that He taught to them. The same righteousness that all who would see life need to find.




The Lords and His 144,000 saints will set up the thousand year reign here on earth on Mount Zion. Once the Lord catches up His saints to mount up with wings like eagles in the air.

Psalms 48
2 Beautiful in elevation, The joy of the whole earth, Is Mount Zion on the sides of the north, The city of the great King.

Matthew 13
41 The Son of Man will send out His messengers, and they will gather out of His kingdom all things that offend, and those who practice lawlessness,
42 and will cast them into the furnace of fire. There will be wailing and gnashing of teeth.
43 Then the righteous will shine forth as the sun in the kingdom of their Father. He who has ears to hear, let him hear!

Jude 1
14 Now Enoch, the seventh from Adam, prophesied about these men also, saying, "Behold, the Lord comes with ten thousands of His saints,
15 to execute judgment on all, to convict all who are ungodly among them of all their ungodly deeds which they have committed in an ungodly way, and of all the harsh things which ungodly sinners have spoken against Him."

2 Do you not know that the saints will judge the world? And if the world will be judged by you, are you unworthy to judge the smallest matters?

the time is drawing near.

Hi All,

Here's the conclusion I have come to from my study of who the 144,000 are.

For one to try and understand who the 144,000 Jews, sealed with the seal of the living God, from the 12 tribes of Israel are, one must first look into the book of Revelation and find out who qualifies. The first mention of the 144,000 is in Rev. 7:3-4 where it says they are servants of God who are from the 12 tribes of Israel.

Rev. 7:3-4 “Saying, Hurt not the earth, neither the sea, nor the trees, till we have sealed the servants of our God in their foreheads. And I heard the number of them which were sealed: [and there were] sealed an hundred [and] forty [and] four thousand (144,000) of all the tribes of the children of Israel.”

The second time they are mentioned is in Rev. 14:1-5 where it says they are redeemed from among men, and are the firstfruits unto God and Christ.

Rev. 14:1-5 “And I looked, and, lo, a Lamb stood on the mount Zion, and with Him an hundred forty [and] four thousand (144,000), having His Father's name written in their foreheads. And I heard a voice from heaven, as the voice of many waters, and as the voice of a great thunder: and I heard the voice of harpers harping with their harps: And they sung as it were a new song before the throne, and before the four creatures, and the elders: and no man could learn that song but the hundred [and] forty [and] four thousand (144,000) , which were redeemed from the earth. These are they which were not defiled with women; for they are virgins. These are they which follow the Lamb whithersoever he goes. These were redeemed from among men, [being] the firstfruits unto God and to the Lamb. And in their mouth was found no guile: for they are without fault before the throne of God.

Taking those points as “qualifiers” there is only one period in history when 144,000 (12,000 from each tribe, the exact number is most likely symbolic deriving its meaning from there being 12 tribes) Jews could have been sealed, and that is at Pentecost. Revelation clearly says that these Jews are redeemed from the earth, and are the Firstfruits unto God and the Lamb.

We know from reading Acts that the Church began at Pentecost when the New Believers were sealed with the Holy Spirit of Promise. It was the 120 Jews that were gathered in the “Upper Room” who were sealed first, and then the devout Jews who were assembled from all the surrounding nations (16 different countries are named) for the Feast of Pentecost (which is a Feast of the First Fruits, Lev.23:17 & 20).

Acts 2:4-5 “And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance. And there were dwelling at Jerusalem Jews, devout men, out of every nation under heaven. 8-10) And how hear we every man in our own tongue, wherein we were born? Parthians, and Medes, and Elamites, and the dwellers in Mesopotamia, and in Judaea, and Cappadocia, in Pontus, and Asia, Phrygia, and Pamphylia, in Egypt, and in the parts of Libya about Cyrene, and strangers of Rome,Jews and proselytes,” Cretes and Arabians, we do hear them speak in our tongues the wonderful works of God.”

In Revelation it says that the 144,000 were the Firstfruits unto God and Christ, in 1 Corinthians it says:

1 Cor. 15:23 “But every man in his own order: Christ the firstfruits; afterward they that are Christ's at his coming.

There was only one time in history when those being sealed with the Holy Spirit could be considered “Firstfruits” and that was when Christ sent the Holy Spirit to seal the New Church (every believer who was sealed at Pentecost was a Jew). That was the Church of the Firstborn.

Heb.12:22-23 “But ye are come unto mount Zion, and unto the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to an innumerable company of angels, To the general assembly and church of the firstborn, which are written in heaven, and to God the Judge of all, and to the spirits of just men made perfect”

From the information presented, the conclusion I am forced to come to is: The 144,000 from the 12 tribes of Israel are, the first Jews who were sealed at Pentecost with the Holy Spirit. They were the “Firstfruits unto God” the remnant of the House of Israel, who were redeemed from the earth, the foundation upon which the Church was built.

Ann

When you say "Jewish converts" do you mean the 144 000? Jews are from the tribe of Judah. Judah is one ot the 12 tribes of Israel. There are 11 other tribes who are not of Judah or jews if you will. They represent 12 000 from the tribe of Judah.

As per the firstfruits they are the first fruits of the Ingathering the end time harvest.

This is represented on earth through the feast of Ingathering or Tabernacles....

Jesus said to the apostles "you say the harvest is in four months", when you look at the pattern of God.
after 400 (4) years Israle was delivered. Jesus came the first after 4000 years after Adam.

It now has been 4000 years since God made the covenant with Abraham. We are at the beginning of the 5 millenium since Abraham (who is a foreshadow of God the Father, like Isaac foreshadowed Jesus).

So we are in a Jubilee Millenium, just like it was a Jubilee millenium from Adam when Jesus came the first time.


Jesus led us out of Egypt the first time, now He will lead us out of Babylon...."Get out of her my people"
to rebuild the NEW JERUSALEM ON EARTH AS IT IS IN HEAVEN....

I believe all the tribes are Jewish. Judah is only one of them.

And it is racist to say otherwise, right Chloé/Cindy?

I believe all the tribes are Israel....only Judah and Benjamin are properly called "Jews." The house of Israel and the house of Judah are still separate.

But when Israel was refered to in the Bible....it was speaking of the Jews....no?




What?