Day 133

“And I heard the number of those who were sealed: 144,000, sealed from every tribe of the sons of Israel” – REV 7:4. NASB

One of the most fascinating puzzles in the Book of Revelation is what to do with the eye-catching number 144,000. What or who does this group represent and what difference might that make to those of us who read this text today?
The most obvious thing in the text, perhaps, is that the number is derived by multiplying 12x 12x 1000. The 12s represent the 12 tribes of OT Israel, 12,000 coming from each tribe, thus reaching a total of 144,000.

The context of the number is symbols and so the number should be understood to be the same. 12 is the kingdom number. In V:4 John hears a number and in V9 he looks and sees a great multitude that could not be numbered.
A point of interest is the names: the list is out of order. In the four lists given in the OT Reuben, the oldest son is always first. Here also Dan (the idolater) is missed out and one of the sons of Joseph (Manasseh) is put in his place. Hebrew names all have meanings. If you place the names in the order presented here, you get a sentence that reads something like this: “Praise. Behold a group of sons, a blessed company who are happy after wresting with (sin or God), forgetting the past and now hearing God’s word, being joined to him and about to receive the reward of dwelling in God’s presence with added joys as sons of His right hand.”

So the 144,000 represents the people of God as a whole. In the Book of Revelation Israel is expanded to include those who are disciples of the Lamb in their allegiance to the Messiah. In the New Jerusalem (see Revelation 21) each gate represents one of the twelve tribes of Israel and each foundation represents one of the twelve apostles (see Matt 19:28). So the 144,000 is not some elite group that leaves most of us out. It is a symbol of everyone who has ever been faithful to the God of Israel, no matter when or where (Rev 7:9).