Who Are the 144, 000 in the Book of Revelation?

 Click Here to Listen to or Read the One Year Bible Lessons

14 Then I saw the Lamb standing on Mount Zion, and with him were 144,000 who had his name and his Father’s name written on their foreheads. 2 And I heard a sound from heaven like the roar of mighty ocean waves or the rolling of loud thunder. It was like the sound of many harpists playing together. 3 This great choir sang a wonderful new song in front of the throne of God and before the four living beings and the twenty-four elders. No one could learn this song except the 144,000 who had been redeemed from the earth. 4 They have kept themselves as pure as virgins, following the Lamb wherever he goes. They have been purchased from among the people on the earth as a special offering to God and to the Lamb. 5 They have told no lies; they are without blame.

Over the years there has been much speculation about the 144,000 persons mentioned in Revelation chapters 7 and 14. These are the ones who have been sealed on their foreheads and thus will escape the wrath of God. In Revelation 7, John also refers to the 144,000 and lists 12,000 from each of the 12 Tribes of Israel. 

Then I heard the number of those who were sealed: 144,000 from all the tribes of Israel.

5 From the tribe of Judah 12,000 were sealed,

from the tribe of Reuben 12,000,

from the tribe of Gad 12,000,

6 from the tribe of Asher 12,000,

from the tribe of Naphtali 12,000,

from the tribe of Manasseh 12,000,

7 from the tribe of Simeon 12,000,

from the tribe of Levi 12,000,

from the tribe of Issachar 12,000,

8 from the tribe of Zebulun 12,000,

from the tribe of Joseph 12,000,

from the tribe of Benjamin 12,000.

Whenever we have difficult passages like this we need to use other passages of scripture to interpret its meaning and also look at the historical and literary context of the book. 

In this case the apostle John is on island of Patmos due to persecution, where he has escaped from the persecution of the Roman empire against the early church. John is Jewish so obviously he would direct his writings toward the Jewish people, though the book also has application for "non-Jews", which we call "Gentiles" as well.

One view that I think we can dismiss fairly summarily is the view that only 144,000 will be saved. This is negated in a passage right after the passage above from Revelation 7.

9 After this I looked, and there before me was a great multitude that no one could count, from every nation, tribe, people and language, standing before the throne and before the Lamb. They were wearing white robes and were holding palm branches in their hands. 

So, we know that it doesn't mean that only 144,000 total people would be saved. Secondly, if we agree it represents Jewish Christians who will be saved it is pretty hard to stomach as well. 144,000 is small number of Jews considering how many Jews who have become Christians over the last 20 centuries. The only other two inteprations would be that the 144,000 represented the number of Jewish Christians who would be saved in John's generation before they died. Or, the 144,000 represent Jewish Christians who will be saved during the end times when Jesus returns. 

How you answer this question depends on what interpretive approach you take with the book of Revelation. There are 4 general interpretive stances people use to interpret the book of Revelation.

1. Preterist - These events have already happened before John wrote.

2. Historicist - The events in Revelation present a sweeping view of all of church history. For instance some Reformers in the 16th century thought the pope was the beast spoken of in Revelation who tried to deceive the saints.

3. Spiritual - The writings in Revelation are metaphorical in nature and therefore not meant to be taken literally.

4. Futurist - The writings, after chapters 1-2, predict what will happen in the end times when Jesus returns. 

So if you belonged to the "Historicist" camp of interpretation, you might say that these are 144,000 Jewish Christians in that particular time of church history. If you belonged to the "Futurist" camp of interpretation, you would say that the 144,000 refers to the Jewish Christians who will be saved at the end of time. 

Next, many believe the number 144,000 is not meant to be taken literally. They would point to the fact that many numbers in the Jewish faith and culture were symbolic in nature. I.e. 7 and 12 refer to fullness or completion. I.e. 12 tribes of Israel.  The number of 6 is the numbers of days of Creation. Five is the five books of the Torah. We know 40 is important number, as Moses and the Israelites were in the wilderness for 40 years. Jesus is in the wilderness for 40 days. 

So should the number be taken literally or figuratively? Different denominations and different Christians will argue this point, both having an equally high view of scripture. 

If God is God everyone of these numbers could be literal. But if you didn't believe they are literal it wouldn't necessarily take away the truth or meaning of the passage. 

If you believe every number and metaphor of the bible need to be taken literally you can run into some problems. I.e. When Jesus says, "If your hand causes you to sin cut it off", we don't take it literally. Although there was one poor soul who did it a long time ago. 

At the end the day whether it is a literal 144,000, or whether it represents people living in Jesus' day, or when he comes back, there are several important truths we can extract from this passage. 

1. All throughout history Christian are tempted to worship other gods. Each Christian faces different trials and tribulations that test our faith. But if we believe that when we come to faith, we are born again and sealed with the Holy Spirit, then it is the Holy Spirit who will keep us in true faith until the end. 

2. If the number 144,000 is literal, we don't know who those people are, so it should not change how we do evangelism. For God does not want anyone to perish but all to come to a knowledge of the truth. 

Though it may be interesting to try and figure what this number means at the end of the day we won't find out exactly what it means until we get to heaven. Most importantly let's give thanks to God, for we are saved by grace not by works lest any of us might boast!