The 144 Thousand
Their Supernatural Calling
The spiritual condition of these young Hebrew men at the time of their sealing (Revelation 7:3-8) with the name of God and the Lamb (Revelation 14:1) is established by the Biblical record based upon the following truths:
1. Their descriptive title: "The servants [bond-slaves] of our God" (Revelation 7:3) before they are sealed
2. Three Bible examples of other redeemed men marked by God
a. Old Testament example: (Ezekiel 9:4-7)
b. New Testament example #1: (Revelation 3:12)
c. New Testament example #2: (Revelation 22:4)
3. The Lord would never place His holy name (Revelation 7:3, 14:1)
upon unredeemed men.
These truths establish the fact of their redemption prior to their sealing. Therefore, it is necessary to consider the impact that their redemption and subsequent preparation has upon the Church of Jesus Christ for the Church will be the source or seedbed for many of these young Jewish disciples of the Lord Jesus Christ
(Revelation 14:4).
The Church must now focus its evangelistic efforts upon “the Jew first” as was the priority of the Lord Jesus Christ and the Apostle Paul (Matthew 15:24; Romans 1:15, 16) for these 144 Thousand young Jewish servants of God must be redeemed and prepared for their end times Redemption Ministry.
It is possible that many present-day Jews are unaware of their lineage as demonstrated by the following brief but illustrative true account: Two brothers were recently made aware of their real estate ownership in Austria. A multi-million dollar structure belonged to their family prior to World War II and was seized by the Nazis in the late 1930’s. A recent investigation of the rightful ownership took place and they were told of their good fortune.
Through the unfolding of these events they found out that their mother, now deceased, who had brought them to the U.S.A. before full-scale war had broken out, was a Jewess and kept her background secret when they fled the Nazis and found refuge in the U.S.A.
It was not until they, the two brothers, as the surviving property owners, were sought out that they were made aware of their Jewish lineage which had been lost and unknown to them in merely one generation. This scenario has likely been repeated down through the ages, as the Jews have been the targets of various purges and persecutions from the beginning of their existence.
This type of event would cause many others whose bloodline descends from the twelve sons of Jacob to be lost through the ages…lost, that is, to man, but definitely not lost in the eyes and heart of Almighty God.
Moses was a man who descended from the tribe of Levi, but was raised from an infant in the palace of the Pharaoh of Egypt. How long was it until he realized his lineage and God called him to deliver his people from bondage? He may have remained unaware of his bloodline well into adulthood.
Many generations have come and gone since 70 A.D. when the Jews were scattered after the destruction of the temple and the city of Jerusalem which destruction also eliminated any and all written ancestry records of the twelve tribes of Israel
The ascertaining of exactly who is a Jew and the tribe of Israel from whence they came can only be determined by Almighty God. Just as in the past Biblical record, the Lord will continue His practice of choosing out from among His people those whom He calls and prepares as His servants.
Like Moses, the servant of God (Exodus 14:31), the 144 Thousand may be initially unaware that their bloodline comes directly from one of the twelve sons of Israel who are listed in Revelation 7:3-8. However, when God calls, He will also make them aware of His plan for their lives in much the same manner that He has done with His servants of old that He has called, prepared and mightily used for His service down through the centuries.
The Lord definitely has spoken to His past servants through supernatural communication:
1. Abraham: (Genesis 12:1-3, 7, 13:14-17, 15:1-21, 17:1-22,
18:1-33, 21:12, 13, 22:1-18)
2. Isaac: (Genesis 26:24, 25)
3. Jacob: (Genesis 28:10-22, 32:1, 2, 24-32, 35:1)
4. Moses: (Exodus 3:1-4:26)
5. Samuel: (I Samuel 3:1-21)
6. Isaiah: (Isaiah 6:1-13)
7. Jeremiah: (Jeremiah 1:1-19)
8. Ezekiel: (Ezekiel 1:1-28, 2:1-3:27)
9. Daniel: (Daniel 7:1-28, 8:1-27, 9:20-27, 10:1-12:13)
10. John the Baptist: (John 1:23-34)
11. Paul the Apostle: (Acts 9:3-16, 16:6-10)
12. John the Apostle: (Revelation 1:1, 10-20)
When these supernatural communications are surveyed a number of common practices of God unfold:
1. He gives promises and blessings to His servants.
2. He foretells the ministry of His servants.
3. He gives explicit personal details to His servants.
Three economies are covered in this list of God’s servants, promise, law and grace with John the Baptist the transitional prophet (Matthew 11:13) between law and grace who knew exactly who he was (Isaiah 40:3; John 1:23) and specifically what he came to accomplish (John 1:23-34).
These future servants of God, the 144 Thousand, are entitled: “the first-fruits unto God and to the Lamb” (Revelation 14:4) indicating that they are the first Jews to be redeemed during the restored “holy covenant” (Daniel 11:28-32) period, which is the 70th Week of Daniel.
They are the first of a great company of Jews who will follow (Isaiah 59:20; Romans 11:25, 26) when they are redeemed at the end of those seven years when the Lord will “bring in everlasting righteousness”
(Daniel 9:24).
This period of time has been called by some “The last Jewish dispensation” when God will once again deal with His earthly people, the Jews by reverting to the Old Covenant. This Old Covenant period will bring with it similar circumstances and practices that were prevalent during the first 483 years of this 490 year period as evidenced by the following Old and New Testament prophetic texts:
1. The Jews will be a “people”/nation (Daniel 9:24)
2. The Jews will be in their Promised Land (Deuteronomy 30:5-9;
Daniel 9:24; Matthew 24:16)
3. The Jews will occupy their "holy city" Jerusalem (Daniel 9:24)
4. The Lord will send "Elijah" to revive/restore
(Malachi 4:5, 6; Matthew 17:11; Mark 9:12)
5. "The holy covenant" will be restored (Daniel 11:28-32)
6. "The temple of God" will be rebuilt (Daniel 11:31;
II Thessalonians 2:1- 4; Revelation 11:1, 2)
7. "The holy place" included (Matthew 24:15)
8. "The regular sacrifices" will be instituted
(Daniel 8:11, 12, 9:27, 11:31, 12:11)
9. The Jews will "worship" in "the temple of God" (Revelation 11:1.2)
10. "The Sabbath" will be reinstated (Matthew 24:20)
11. The Lord will send His "prophet[s]" to His people
(Malachi 4:5, 6; Revelation 11:3-17)
12. "The tribes of Israel" will be recognized (Revelation 7:3-8)
During this last seven year period, the 70th Week of Daniel, the 144 Thousand will be redeemed, called, trained and serve the Lord. They too will receive supernatural communication from the Lord just as His servants of old who were told of their calling and future ministry as faithful “servants of our God” (Revelation 7:3). They will provide their vital Redemption Ministry as the end of the age kingdom of priests unto those whom God will call
