in Rev. 1:19, Jesus told John to write, what was, What is now, and what will happen later, chapters 4-22 are about what will happen later. Greek word for Revelation is Apokalypses, which means uncovering or revealing of events which will happen in the last days, and end times. I believe the Eschaton is imminent, looming. We don’t know the day or the hour, but Bible tells us we may look for these evidences or signs which will precede the eschaton, I sense an urgency in these days, multiple signs converging.
Who is who in Revelation, is message designed for inspecting much like using a magnifying glass to look more closely at the details of what John writes in his apokalyptos, there is a 7 year period of tribulation, all kinds of suffering on the earth and its inhabitants. John had asked a question Rev. 6:13, Who can survive the trib?
Last week we took the magnifying glass to Rev. 13, a blasphemous counterfeit has imposed itself, its an unholy trinity, Satan, antichrist and false prophet, they begin one world religion, must worship the beast and must receive the mark of the beast, they have enforced it by one world economic system! Now for Christians, this will have results in great persecution, for we worship God alone, no other gods. John gets it, he asks who is able to stand, how can Christians survive, not compromise? In Rev. 14, we hear good news, in the midst of darkness an incredible word about some who will not receive the mark of the beast, instead they are sealed with the mark of God, "who are the 144,000?" Read Rev. 14:1-13
Play video WHEN THE SAINTS COME MARCHING IN. invite people to sing along.
That is one of my favorites with one of the best messages, before it was a jazz hit, it was a black spiritual and gospel favorite, i love the lyrics, they describe many apocalyptic images, they refer to last days events, solar and lunar eclipses, and trumpets on Judgement Day. The lyrics “I want to be in that number” I read the original meaning of that number, refers to details of the prophecy in the Bible’s Book of Revelation, in which 144,000 people will be redeemed from the Wrath of the Beast and the judgment of God; Yeah! I want to be in that number! gets me Passionate, I don’t want to do anything that would cause me to be disqualified, don’t want there to be 143,999,
I dug a bit deeper, here is what I discover about the 144,000; its not simple in fact rather troubling, From Rev. 7, I discovered some distressing and probably some facts that suggest I am disqualified,
1. These 144K are Jews, all can trace their lineage to the tribes of Israel, 12k from each of 12 tribes of Israel, that is not too hopeful for me?
2. they are all described as men. What about women, won’t they be able to survive triB?
3. And then he said they are all virgins, what about married men?
4. And then he also describes them no lie was found in their mouth, they are blameless, I am disqualified.
5. Survey of world’s population, about 8 billion people, planet earth. 144,000/8 billion is a ratio of 1 in 5000! small percent of world's population included in that number. frankly those are not good odds!
But Rev. 7:9; after this I looked and saw a great uncountable multitude in heaven. who are they? In rev. 7, they are described as the remnant of Israel, I believe they may be the answer to John question in Rev. 6, “Who is able to stand? Who will be delivered from the judgment of God, and the tribulation of the beast?"
An answer comes in chap 7 prerequisite before the trumpet judgments, angel puts a seal on the forehead of these 144,000 they are sealed with the mark of God. Who are these 144 k? where do they come from and what is their purpose and why are they necessary? are you curious? let's dig deeper, to understand what John is trying to describe in Revelation, its important to interpret prophecy from the roots found in the Old Testament. what we hear from this Rev. points back to a series of other prophecies in o.t. which shed light on these events,
So if you take your Bible and turn to Micah 2:12-13, here we discover a parallel prophesy of events at the end time. “I will surely bring together the remnant of Israel, … one who breaks open the way will go up before them, their king will pass through before them, the LORD at their head.” Micah 5:8 adds a bit more information, “the remnant of Jacob will be among the nations in the midst of many peoples, like a lion among the beasts of the forest, like a young lion among flocks of sheep, which mauls and mangles as it goes.”
First clue @ 144k, where are they from? they are a Remnant from Not just one nation but many nations, across the earth. God will raise up his agents of the apocalypse from many lands, tribes, ethnic backgrounds.
2nd idea as they move, the almighty, omnipotent Lord will be with them, they are invincible they have power and authority, metaphor God uses here is they are like lions walking thru flocks of sheep! When these 144 k sealed by God move, they’re invincible they move about without fear, like lions walking through a herd of sheep, what a powerful image, I read a story about A missionary walking in Africa when he heard the ominous sound of a lion. He ran, fast, realized it wasn’t going to be fast enough, in desperation, missionary dropped to his knees, "Lord, Grant in Thy goodness, would you transform this beast chasing me into a Christian lion. amen" The missionary turned around, saw the lion also on his knees, lion was praying too: he listened, "Oh Lord, I thank Thee for the food which I am about to receive." Prophesy of 144K they will be like lions walking thru a flock of sheep, some conversations that never happen among lions, wow that is a lot of sheep, we better not go near that herd or something bad could happen. They are called the beasts of the jungle because they don’t have those kind of fears. They are invincible, that is what these 144,000 agents of the apocalypse will be, nothing can harm them.
Third: will you turn in your Bible to another prophetic allusion to Rev. 14 its in Ezekiel 14:12-21, so Ezek. 14 is section of prophesy about the tribulation to come in the end times and refers to 3 heroes of faith, Noah, Daniel and Job, what is significant, they were all delivered from a time of judgment, Noah is introduced because he was delivered from God’s judgment of the flood, thru an ark, Daniel was delivered from the judgment of a king, God delivered Daniel out of a lions den, Job was delivered from unfair judgment of Satan himself, these 3 men Noah, Daniel, and Job are powerful examples of how God delivers, Ezekiel's prophesy reveals dynamics of this trib described in Revelation. John described and its incredibly relevant and fascinating that 4 judgments described in Ezek 14 align with the first 4 seal judgments in Rev. 6:1-8. In Ezek 14:13 if a country sins against me, I bring famine on a nation, even if Noah. Daniel and Job were in it, even these great heroes who were delivered, they could only save themselves, in Ezek 14:15, if I release judgment of wild beasts on a nation, i.e. wild beasts go rogue, if N.D.J. were in it they could not save their family, they could only save themselves, 17 if I bring a sword judgment, i.e. war if NDJ were in it, they could only save selves, not their families. Vs. 19 if I send plague as a judgment, and if NDJ were in it, they couldn’t save their families only themselves. Ezek. 14:21, check this out, How much worse will it be when I send all 4 judgments war, famine, wild animals, and plagues. John reveals these are the first 4 judgments I am seeing in the tribulation, all 4 happening at once, NDJ could only deliver themselves from one, and they could not deliver those they love, John asks in Rev. 6:17 the great tribulation, who is able to stand? Who can make it? We read in Revelation 7 & 14, an angel will seal 144k, they have power to not only survive trib, but get this, N, D & J could only deliver themselves, the 144k will have power to deliver others, children also. In this tribulation, God’s deliverance His salvation will be greater than any deliverance we’ve ever heard before! Here is where it gets really good, Ezekiel 14:22-23. Critical words, the role and purpose of these 144K you will be consoledin the disaster, I bring upon Jeruslaem, every disaster, you will be consoled, root word Hebrew, “nacham” it also translates to comfort. Comfort means come into the fortress. It means these 144k will serve to protect, to say come into the fortress, they will become a wall or hedge of protection for those they love. That is what the 144k will do! They will serve as a wall of protection, they will say come into the fortress, church find sanctuary. Let me take you to another scripture that ties together all this prophesy, turn with me to Isaiah 40: (page 1120) first words “comfort, comfort my people,” (nacham) come into the fortress. Who is doing this comfort? 40:3 “a voice calling in the wilderness,” that’s John the Baptist, prepare the way, God’s glory will be revealed. That voice is John announcing the first coming of Christ. 40:6-8; is the voice of apostles, all men are like grass, Peter even quotes this as their mission. Is 40:9ff addresses the role of the 144k the prophet is describing the 2nd coming, When the Lord returns, the sovereign Lord who comes with power. who will do that, who will comfort, who will say come into the fortress, who will protect my people? That’s the assignment of the 144k agents of the apocalypse! They will Comfort literally serve as a sanctuary, wall of protection, to say I will be a fortress, come, get on the other side of the wall, you will be sealed, find comfort and you will feel safe, I will be your wall of protection in the days of wrath, Who are these 144k? They are god’s agents, comforters, you will be protected by them! Ezek 14, contrasts deliverance, with N, D, Job great heroes of faith, but they could only deliver themselves, But there is coming in the trib. 144k will be invincible to survive and deliver themselves, but in addition they have power to deliver those they love, all who get in the fortress with them will be safe. Here is the last thing, in vs. 9, at the mountain of zion, in Jerusalem, these 144k announce, “here is your God,” don’t compromise, don’t cave counterfeits, the sovereign Lord comes, see, his reward is with him, and his recompense accompanies Him. what a strong word of encouragement, John in prison, all the apostles are dead, Christians are persecuted, many abandoning the faith, outlook is bleak, how is this all going to end, doesn’t look hopeful. Jesus annonces, my 2nd coming will be in triumph. In this coming I will reward, Rev. 14:13 Blessed are the dead, who die in the Lord, the Holy spirit says, they will rest from their labor, their deeds will follow them. What matters. When you get to the end of your way, what doesn’t matter. Not what house you lived in, car, money, friends or high you rose in social circles. When you get to the end of your life, these don’t matter, one thing will matter, your relationship with Jesus Christ, if he is savior and Lord, you have hope.
