The 144,000 (Earth, Kingdom, Jehovah, Isaiah, Revelation)

[Lightkeeper]

One poster said that the Bible says 144,000 will go to heaven. These are descendents of Abraham and have already been chosen. If this were true, why do Christians, etc. spread the word of Christianity, trying for new recruits? Why be a Christian or a Jehovah's Witness?

[SK2005]

"The 144,000 people that will go to heaven" is in The book of Revelation and you cannot take the everything that you read in Revelations literally. To understand Revelation you need to understand the symbolism of its numbers and colors, it is totally symbolic. How many times have you seen a "great red dragon, with seven heads and ten horns, and even diadems on his heads"? As for Jehovah's Witnessess, I was always confused about that too.

[cardero]

In the Jehovah Witness faith the 144,000 or chosen by God to reside with him in heaven the other Jehovah Witness' believe they will reside peacefully on the earth under God's new kingdom.

[arthra]

Over the years I've also heard this number 144,000 used a lot...and it's found in the Book of Revelation in three places: Rev. 7:4; 14:1 and 3.

I've heard that the number 144,000 when you add up all the numbers together according to Cabalistic system comes to 9 and means the "firstfruits".

In the Baha'i Faith the number "9" has significance and in the abjad reckoning for the name "Baha" and you will find nine entrances to all Baha'i Houses of Worship around the world.

But I think it's a mistake to interpret this number literally...that it has to represent exactly 144,000 sealed believers from the twelve tribes of Israel. I believe it is allegorical. It means by thousands the saints and holy ones will respond to God's message.

But here are also some interesting references to "9":

http://www.chinavista.com/experience/build9/build9.html

- Art

[t3gah]

Originally Posted by Lightkeeper

One poster said that the Bible says 144,000 will go to heaven. These are descendents of Abraham and have already been chosen. If this were true, why do Christians, etc. spread the word of Christianity, trying for new recruits? Why be a Christian or a Jehovah's Witness?

Jehovah's Witnesses are Christians. These "Christians" maintain that God's name is Jehovah and that they, the witnesses of Jehovah, are like the witnesses in Isaiah 43:10-12.

Jehovah's Witnesses—Who Are They? What Do They Believe?
(http://www.watchtower.org/library/jt/article_01.htm)

Definition of "Christian" @ dictionary.com
http://dictionary.reference.com/search?q=christian

[Scott1]

Please stay on topic t3gah...... if you would like to start a new thread about the definition of a Christian, please do so.

Thanks,
Scott

[t3gah]

Originally Posted by arthra

But here are also some interesting references to "9":

http://www.chinavista.com/experience/build9/build9.html

- Art

The Chinese are obsessed with the number 9. Check out this wall I saw a while back. The Nine Dragons Wall.

http://www.chinaplanner.com/gardens/...n/imp_niwa.htm

[arthra]

Originally Posted by t3gah

The Chinese are obsessed with the number 9. Check out this wall I saw a while back. The Nine Dragons Wall.

http://www.chinaplanner.com/gardens/...n/imp_niwa.htm

Thanks very much t3gah for sharing that! The nine dragons wall and Beihai Lake! I like it.

- Art

[linwood]

Originally Posted by Lightkeeper

One poster said that the Bible says 144,000 will go to heaven. These are descendents of Abraham and have already been chosen. If this were true, why do Christians, etc. spread the word of Christianity, trying for new recruits? Why be a Christian or a Jehovah's Witness?

Because although only that 144k get to rule in heaven the rest of the witnesses will live on this earth forever.

After the 1k year reign and eternal everlasting warm puppy dog eyed peace this planet will be a literal heaven unto itself, so technically every "true Christian" gets paradise any way.

So..why not?

[t3gah]

the humble will inherit the earth. Note, "inherit the earth", not "go to heaven".

Matthew 5:5

"Blessed are the humble, for they shall inherit the earth.

These are the eartly class. Those who will reside on earth for all eternity. OR so Jehovah's Witnesses claim but I have yet to find the scripture that states that the resurrected and those that walk through Armageddon live forever.




The 144,000 from the twelve tribes of Israel go to heaven. Twelve thousand from each of the twelve tribes. Each tribe is named after the name of each sons of Jacob. Jacob was renamed Israel by the Christian God.

Revelation 7:4 I heard the number of those who were sealed, one hundred forty-four thousand, sealed out of every tribe of the children of Israel:

Revelation 7:5
Of the tribe of Judah were sealed twelve thousand, Of the tribe of Reuben twelve thousand, Of the tribe of Gad twelve thousand,

Revelation 7:6
Of the tribe of Asher twelve thousand, Of the tribe of Naphtali twelve thousand, Of the tribe of Manasseh twelve thousand,

Revelation 7:7
Of the tribe of Simeon twelve thousand, Of the tribe of Levi twelve thousand, Of the tribe of Issachar twelve thousand,

Revelation 7:8
Of the tribe of Zebulun twelve thousand, Of the tribe of Joseph twelve thousand, Of the tribe of Benjamin were sealed twelve thousand.