Who were the 144,000?
A Response to the Watchtower by D. Adams (09/26/2008).
The Watchtower uses the following scriptures for the definition of the 144,000:
A Response to the Watchtower by D. Adams (09/26/2008).
The Watchtower uses the following scriptures for the definition of the 144,000:
Only a little flock of 144,000 goes to heaven and rule with Christ (Luke 12:32; Rev. 14:1, 3; 1 Cor. 15:40-53; Rev. 5:9, 10)
And also they believe that the 144,000 are born again as spiritual sons of God (1 Pet. 1:23; John 3:3; Rev. 7:3, 4)
Part I Only a little flock of 144,000 go to heaven and rule with Christ
Luke 12:32 “Do not be afraid, little flock, for your Father is well pleased to give you the kingdom. 12:33 Sell your possessions and give to the poor.
Who is this little flock? Is it the disciples in this paragraph?
12:22 Then Jesus said to his disciples, “Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat, or about your body, what you will wear.
Rev 14:1 Then I looked, and here was the Lamb standing on Mount Zion, and with him were one hundred and forty-four thousand, who had his name and his Father’s name written on their foreheads. 14:2 I also heard a sound coming out of heaven like the sound of many waters and like the sound of loud thunder. Now the sound I heard was like that made by harpists playing their harps, 14:3 and they were singing a new song before the throne and before the four living creatures and the elders. No one was able to learn the song except the one hundred and forty-four thousand who had been redeemed from the earth.
14:4 These are the ones who have not defiled themselves with women, for they are virgins. These are the ones who follow the Lamb wherever he goes. These were redeemed from humanity as firstfruits to God and to the Lamb, 14:5 and no lie was found on their lips; they are blameless.
1 Cor. 15:40-53 has nothing to do with the 144,000.
Rev 5:9, 10 has nothing to do with the 144,000.
Rev 7:4 Now I heard the number of those who were marked with the seal, one hundred and forty-four thousand, sealed from all the tribes of the people of Israel:
7:5 From the tribe of Judah, twelve thousand were sealed, from the tribe of Reuben, twelve thousand, from the tribe of Gad, twelve thousand,
7:6 from the tribe of Asher, twelve thousand, from the tribe of Naphtali, twelve thousand, from the tribe of Manasseh, twelve thousand,
7:7 from the tribe of Simeon, twelve thousand, from the tribe of Levi, twelve thousand, from the tribe of Issachar, twelve thousand,
7:8 from the tribe of Zebulun, twelve thousand, from the tribe of Joseph, twelve thousand, from the tribe of Benjamin, twelve thousand were sealed.
7:8 from the tribe of Zebulun, twelve thousand, from the tribe of Joseph, twelve thousand, from the tribe of Benjamin, twelve thousand were sealed.
First question, since the JW had their start in 1870 how can they be from any of those tribes? (Lesson 14, 1996) “Jehovah's Witnesses had their modern-day start in the 1870's. At first, they were called Bible Students. But in 1931 they adopted the Scriptural name Jehovah's Witnesses.” These 144,000 are virgins, so any JW that is not male and not a Virgin are not in heaven, according to their rhetoric.
However, who are these others in Heaven?
7:9 After these things I looked, and here was an enormous crowd that no one could count, made up of persons from every nation, tribe, people, and language, standing before the throne and before the Lamb dressed in long white robes, and with palm branches in their hands. 7:10 They were shouting out in a loud voice, “Salvation belongs to our God, to the one seated on the throne, and to the Lamb!”
Rev 7:13 Then one of the elders asked me, “These dressed in long white robes – who are they and where have they come from?” 7:14 So I said to him, “My lord, you know the answer.” Then he said to me, “These are the ones who have come out of the great tribulation. They have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb! 7:15 For this reason they are before the throne of God, and they serve him day and night in his temple, and the one seated on the throne will shelter them.
So it is an enormous crowd that no one could count? I thought only the 144,000 (male virgins telling no lies) were the only ones in heaven?
Key location indicators (in heaven):
• This context is within Rev 7
• Standing before the throne (7:9, 7:15)
• One of the elders asked (he can see them in 7:13)
• Serve God day and night in his temple (7:15)
References:
Jehovah's Witnesses—Who Are They? What Do They Believe?
What Do They Believe? Published in 2000
Copyright © 2006 Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society of Pennsylvania
http://www.watchtower.org/e/jt/index.htm
Accessed 9/26/2008
What Does God Require of Us?
Lesson 14
How Jehovah's Witnesses Are Organized published 1996
Copyright © 2006 Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society of Pennsylvania. All rights reserved.
http://watchtower.org/e/rq/article_14.htm
Accessed 9/26/2008
