Who Are The 144,000 That Are Sealed?

And I heard the number of them which were sealed: 

and there were sealed an hundred and forty and four thousand of all the tribes of Israel. Of the 

tribe of Judah were sealed twelve thousand. 

Of the tribe of Reuben were sealed twelve thousand. 

Of the tribe of Gad were sealed twelve thousand. 

Of the tribe of Aser were sealed twelve thousand.

 Of the tribe of Nepthalim were sealed twelve thousand. 

Of the tribe of Manasses were sealed twelve thousand. 

Of the tribe of Simeon were sealed twelve thousand. 

Of the tribe of Levi were sealed twelve thousand. 

Of the tribe of Issachar were sealed twelve thousand. 

Of the tribe of Zabulon were sealed twelve thousand. 

Of the tribe of Joseph were sealed twelve thousand 

of the tribe of Benjamin were sealed twelve thousand.

Revelation 7:4-8 

     These verses about the 144,000 have about as many interpretations as there are interpreters so we must take careful time to examine these verses to come to what is the truth, not by me, or some man, but why God included these verses for us to learn about Him and His will for people. As mentioned in earlier blogs words, numbers, are often only symbols and those symbols represent something so we must learn what, if they are, these 144,000 as to who and why they are important for us to know. The number 12 in the Bible represents perfection, as well as God's authority and stands for completeness, a solid foundation for government. There are many references to the 12 tribes of Israel uses symbolically throughout the Bible. The word "sealed" is an interesting word in Greek as in this use it is a genitive, plural, participle, persons, passive: so what does this mean? The word is from the Greek word to stamp as with a signet, as seen by a ruler placing a stamp from his ring on some wax that has been applied to what he authorizes. So what this means is that those now that are to be mentioned have the seal, the authorization from God to receive from Him, in this case not to be harmed and to have God's protection, even eternal life. The number 144, 000 is derived at multiplying 12 by 1000, and you get 144,000. In other words, 12 representing completion, as with the 12 tribes of Israel, even in our day, the 12 jurors multiplied by 1000 a number that is complete in itself so the 144,000 that are sealed are the complete number, not an actual number, but symbolizing the completeness of God's people that are sealed by Him.     

     Let us look at a theological flaw. Jehovah Witnesses teach and take the number 144,000 to be literal and while I was with this organization the number that declared themselves to be of that 144,000 were dwindling to a few hundred but this number as of this date has not complete there are still some, even more than when I was a J.W. Here is another problem with their interpretation: they take the number in verse 4 to be literal but the explanation of these numbers in verses 5 through 8 they discard as figurative. Why do they do this? They see that those mentioned in those verses as to be of the tribes of Israel do not match the actual tribes of Israel. This is a convenient way to mislead or to teach a theology they hold to be true, but is it? NO! You cannot have your cake and eat it too! By taking the number literally in verses 5-8 as they do verse 4 then they, those who are not actually descendants of the tribes mentioned could not be part of the 144,000. This reasoning is picking and choosing verses to fit a person' presupposition or theological bent. 

     Who are the 12 sons of Jacob that make up the tribes of Israel: The twelve tribes are as follows: Reuben, Simeon, Levi, Judah, Dan, Naphtali, Gad, Asher, Issachar, Zebulun, Joseph, and Benjamin. In the verses 5-8 the list of the tribes of Israel are: Judah, Reuben, Gad, Aser, Nepthalim, Manasses, Simeon, Levi, Issachar, Zabulon, Joseph, Benjamin. There is a difference between these two lists, for in this list here in Revelation we have a tribe as the tribe of Dan is not listed here in Revelation 7:5-8. Here are three lists of the 12 tribes of Israel:

Genesis 29-30    Numbers 1    Revelation 7

Reuben           Reuben       Reuben
Simeon           Simeon       Simeon
Levi                          Levi
Judah            Judah        Judah
Dan              Dan
Naphtali         Naphtali     Naphtali
Gad              Gad          Gad
Asher            Asher        Asher
Isaachar         Isaachar     Isaachar
Zebulun          Zebulun      Zebulun
Joseph                        Joseph
                 Ephraim      
                 Manasseh     Manasseh

     We must remember our history as Jacob had twelve sons however when the Jacob have to Joseph a 'double portion' this then meant that each of his two sons, Ephraim, and Manasseh would become a tribe rather than just one tribe of Joseph (Genesis 48:5). This world mean then 13 tribes but Levi was not given land a portion of Israel so then only 12 sons, or grandsons were to be mentioned as a tribe. Joseph then was split into two, Ephraim, and Mannaseh but here is Revelation Levi is brought along side of the others and this must be a symbolic move indicating that the priesthood as was established in ancient Israel to be over. But we have an odd number as Dan should still be in this list and Ephraim and Manasseh should not as they are already in this list represented by Joseph.There must be some symbolic meaning so let us look closely at this oddness. Dan was not possibly in this list due to its idolatry (Judges 18:30-31), so then Manasseh is added to fill Dan's place and to keep the number 12. The tribes of Israel, the number 12 are to be taken not just literally, rather to have symbolic meaning therefore the lists are not a strict grouping at a given time in history, otherwise Joseph and one of his sons would not be on the same list.

     Jehovah Witnesses view of the 144,000 is absurd and does not have Biblical support. As absurd as it is let us look to them for in 1935 Jehovah Witnesses claimed that that number was fulfilled. If we assume that the average age of one of the 144,000 to be 35 years of age and stated by the Jehovah Witnesses: "Again from 1878 to 1935, tens of thousands attained the equally high standards that were required to receive the calling. We find that over 52,000 Jehovah's Witnesses claimed the heavenly calling by taking the emblems in 1935.

"Year ...... Att. ...... Part.
1935 ...... 63,146 ... 52,465"
Jehovah's Witnesses - Proclaimers of God's Kingdom p.717

For over 70 years it was held that the 144,000 were fully assigned by 1935.

"Logically, the calling of the little flock would draw to a close when the number was nearing completion, and the evidence is that the general gathering of these specially blessed ones ended in 1935." Watchtower 1995 Feb 15 p.19

and that number 52,465 were still alive in 1935 that means in 1985 the first number we have is 9,051 people with the average age of 85 and in 2004 8,570 of these people still alive the average would be 104 years of age. The number of partakers claiming to be of the 144,000 have gone up and down in number and now in 2015 there are 15,177 partakers. This is so confusing not only to those not of the Jehovah Witnesses but the Witnesses also so that they have had to write in the Watchtower magazine some reason for this number growing in number and not being fulfilled as stated that was complete in 1935. So, how do they explain this discrepancy? First, they speak as though some were mentally incompetent, or, they cannot know the exact number, (Watchtower 2016 Feb study ed pp. 25-26). Some they say, are emotionally imbalanced, and that they cannot know the exact number of anointed ones on earth, nor do they need to know, but they count do they not? Yes! (Watchtower 2011 Aug 15 p.22). Some were counted in error due to perhaps physical or mental strain and believe that they are in that number, they say that the number would decline but that is not what is happening and once again we can look for other explanations to explain the why. (Watchtower 1996 Aug 15 p. 31). Over the years this organization has made many claims only to have to give reasons as to why what they have stated did not hold water, and did not happen. 
     Let me end this: We must not make out what a symbol needs that cannot be explained by Scripture and this is what many have done. The Church is the Invisible Israel, you are a priest in the City of God, and God is protecting and calling all to who He will seal. Do you want to know if this applies to you? Good! It does when you accept and convert to Jesus Christ as your Savior and live for Him manifesting your faith in Him. God saves and God authorizes, seals forever His children to eternal life. Do not be misled, keep it K.I.S.S. (keep it simple stupid, and this goes for me as well).

Do they not err that devise evil?
     but mercy and truth shall be
to them that devise good.
                  Proverbs 14:22

You are sealed: Praise God

Richard L. Crumb