Chapter 14 begins talking about the 144,000 descendents of Israel, 12,000 from each of the 12 tribes (sons) of Jacob. We saw them in the 7th Chapter in verse 3 being sealed with the seal of God on their foreheads. This seal will alllow them not to be harmed during the tribulation period. John starts the Chapter in verse ;
" And I looked, and behold, the Lamb was standing on Mount Zion, and with Him
one hundred and forty four thousand, having His name and the name of His Father
written on their foreheads."
Isaiah wrote in his 10th Chapter, in verses 20 -22;
(20)"Now it will come about in that day that a remnant of Israel, and those of the
house of Jacob who have escaped, will never again rely on the one who struck them,
but will truly rely on the Lord, the Holy one of Israel. (21) A remnant will return, the
remnant og Jacob, to the mighty God.(22) For though your people, O Israel, may be
like the sand of the sea, only a remnant within them will return....."
Jesus is going to preserve these 144,000 from harm during the last 3 1/2 years of the seven year tribulation period. At the end of this period, Jesus is going to bring them back to Jerusalem. Satan is going to be so outraged at the fact that they were spared and are now back in Israel that he is going to get the armies of the world to gather in the valley of Har- Magedon for a two fold purpose. First, to destroy the remnant that has returned and the Second, in all futillity, he will try to stop Jesus from executing His wrath that will stop Satan from destoying the earth.
Isaiah wrote again in his 31st Chapter, in verses 4 and 5;
(4)"......So will the Lord of hosts come down to wage war on Mount Zion and
on its hill.(5) Like flying birds so the Lord of hosts will protect Jerusalem. He
will protect and deliver it; He will pass over and rescue it."
The seal on their foreheads, that protects them, is the name of the Lamb and the name of His Father. This means that the name on their foreheads is Jesus(Yeshua). Since Jesus and the Father are one and the same.
In John's gospel Chapter 10, verse 30, he quotes Jesus;
"I and the Father are one."
In verses 2 and 3 John continues;
(2)"And I heard a voice from heaven, like the sound of many waters and like
the sound of loud thunder, and the voice that I heard was like the sound of
harpists playing on their harps. (3) And they sang a new song before the throne
and before the four living creatures and elders; and no one could learn the song
except the one hundred and fourty-four thousand who have been purchased
from the earth."
In Revelations Chapter 1, verse 15, the voice that sounds like many waters was coming from Jesus. The interesting thing in these verses is that these 144,000 are singing before the thone. These 144,000 are sealed to be protected from harm, which would mean from being killed. These 144,000 will also be brought back by Jesus to Jerusalem. There are few possibilties, either they are brought for a moment into heaven like Enoch and Elijah were, or the throne came to the place they were brought, or their song was heard before the throne, like our worship and prayers are.
Psalm Chapter 100, verse 4
"We shall enter His gate with thanksgiving in our hearts, we shall enter His
courts with praise."
With thanksgiving we enter into the gates of heaven, His temple. Then when we give Jesus praise, we enter His court, this is were His throne is, the Holie of Holies.
This is how these 144,000 came to be selected. First of all, they are descendants of Jacob who came to believe in Jesus as their Messiah. They will be believers in the gospel of Jesus who have allowed themselves to be born of above by receiving what Jesus did for them on the cross. As the rest of the believers are resurrected, these 144,000 will remain to start the earthly rule of Jesus here on earth, while those who have been caught up to be with Jesus in the air, will help rule the earth from the heavenly Jerusalem that will reside above the skys of Israel. So verses 4 and 5 says this of them;
(4)"These are the ones who have not been defiled with women, for they have kept
themselves chaste. These are the ones who follow the Lamb wherever he goes.
These have been purchased from among men as first fruits of God and to the Lamb.
(5) And no lie was found in their mouth; they are blameless."
Like all other beleivers, they are purchased with the blood of Jesus and they are blameless because the blood of Jesus has covered their sins. The only difference is that they have been selected to do a special function of Jesus kingdom here on the earth, in the earthly Capital, Jerusalem. All other saints will help rule from the Heavenly Jerusalem. This is when Jesus' 1,000 year rule begins while Satan is locked up. There will be a small amount of people still left alive on earth. This is why Jesus
wrath has to come. His wrath is to destroy those who are destoying the earth, mainly Satans destruction. In Matthews gospel, Chapter 24, verse 22, Jesus said;
"And unless those days had been cut short, no life would have been saved;
but for the sake of the elect those days shall be cut short."
Jesus peace be with all of you.
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