The Book Of All Prophecy: The 144,000

Before the first resurrection of the dead in Christ, there was a resurrection, it is a Biblical fact that should not be ignored. But, I wanted to start here with those of the first resurrection of the dead in Christ:

(Rev 20:4-6) Then I saw thrones, and seated on them were those to whom the authority to judge was committed. Also I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded for the testimony of Jesus and for the word of God, and who had not worshiped the beast or its image and had not received its mark on their foreheads or their hands. They came to life and reigned with Christ for a thousand years. The rest of the dead did not come to life until the thousand years were ended. This is the first resurrection. Blessed and holy is the one who shares in the first resurrection! Over such the second death has no power, but they will be priests of God and of Christ, and they will reign with him for a thousand years.

See The Millennial reign for a detailed look into the above scripture.

The "144,000" are not those of the first resurrection, those of the first resurrection died for preaching the gospel of Jesus Christ, the 144,000 were redeemed from the earth before the gospel was preached (see below), and hence, those of the "first resurrection" were resurrected at a later time. Those of the first resurrection are of dead in Christ, for preaching the gospel of Christ. But the 144,000 are "morally blameless" (that's what the Greek word used for "saints" means), "firstfruits". They were virgins, they were male, they were morally blameless firstfruits, seeds of Abraham, of the tribes of Israel. That's what the BIBLE says.

Concerning those who were raised from their graves when Christ was crucified, There was a resurrection of "morally blameless"/ "saints" in the first century. Who were they?...

*Matthew 27:50-53 Jesus, when he had cried again with a loud voice, yielded up the ghost. And, behold, the veil of the temple was rent in twain from the top to the bottom; and the earth did quake, and the rocks rent; And the graves were opened; and many bodies of the saints [G40] which slept arose, And came out of the graves after his resurrection, and went into the holy city, and appeared unto many.

[G40] -Strong's Concordance:
ἅγιος
hagios
hag'-ee-os
From ἅγος hagos (an awful thing) compare G53, [H2282]; sacred (physically pure, morally blameless or religious, ceremonially consecrated): - (most) holy (one, thing), saint.

The 144,000 were morally blameless "firstfruits":

Rev 14:1 And I looked, and, lo, a Lamb stood on the mount Zion, and with him a hundred forty and four thousand, having his Father's name written in their foreheads.
Rev 14:2 And I heard a voice from heaven, as the voice of many waters, and as the voice of a great thunder: and I heard the voice of harpers harping with their harps:
Rev 14:3 And they sung as it were a new song before the throne, and before the four beasts, and the elders: and no man could learn that song but the hundred and forty and four thousand, which were redeemed from the earth.
Rev 14:4 These are they which were not defiled with women; for they are virgins. These are they which follow the Lamb whithersoever he goeth. These were redeemed from among men, being the firstfruits unto God and to the Lamb.
Rev 14:5 And in their mouth was found no guile: for they are without fault before the throne of God.

(cont. below)

They have their Fathers name written on their foreheads.

Heb 2:14-16 Forasmuch then as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, he also himself likewise took part of the same; that through death he might destroy him that had the power of death, that is, the devil, And deliver them who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage. For verily he took not on him the nature of angels; but he took on him the seed of Abraham.

Mat 12:40 For as Jonas was three days and three nights in the whale's belly; so shall the Son of man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth.

We know that Jesus was not speaking of being buried in the ground, for He was laid in a tomb above ground. He was speaking of descending into the heart of the earth to get the keys of death and the grave, bind the devil, and gather the blessed firstfruit seeds of Abraham from the grave, and rise from the dead. He has the keys!:

(ESV)REVELATION 1:17-18 When I saw him, I fell at his feet as though dead. But he laid his right hand on me, saying, "Fear not, I am the first and the last, and the living one. I died, and behold I am alive forevermore, and I have the keys of Death and Hades.

The seeds of Abraham being risen by God to witness the rise of Christ three days later, they have a song no others can possibly sing, and join the Father and Son in the great and high mountain that no beast can touch, Zion, the new heaven, the new kingdom of God and the Lamb, a new Israel, a new Jerusalem.

The old Jerusalem below was in bondage with her children, and in for a whole lot of trouble, double trouble, for the blood of all the prophets and apostles, and because she was a harlot, the mother of harlots. Check out the timing of this chapter, it really does say a lot.

Then, AFTER the 144,000 are caught up, the gospel is to be preached to every creature under heaven. This is very revealing, it reveals the timing.

(cont)
Rev 14:6 And I saw another angel fly in the midst of heaven, having the everlasting gospel to preach unto them that dwell on the earth, and to every nation, and kindred, and tongue, and people,
Rev 14:7 Saying with a loud voice, Fear God, and give glory to him; for the hour of his judgment is come: and worship him that made heaven, and earth, and the sea, and the fountains of waters.
(cont)

For about 40 years they preached, and the gospel WAS preached to "every creature under heaven", and all this as Jerusalem sat upon the Roman Empire as scarlet as blood in the first century, and the beast who hated her ravaged her for three and a half years, 66.5 - 70A.D, and Babylon fell. The timing fits very well for these to be the hundred and forty four thousand, BEFORE the gospel was preached to every creature in heaven, and BEFORE Babylon fell...

(cont.)
Rev 14:8 And there followed another angel, saying, Babylon is fallen, is fallen, that great city, because she made all nations drink of the wine of the wrath of her fornication.

So the timing of the 144,000 is BEFORE the gospel of Christ was preached to every creature under heaven, and BEFORE Babylon fell. The timing is when Jesus rose from the dead. Behold, the blessed firstfruit saints, redeemed from the earth, rising up with the risen savior:

*Matthew 27:50-53 Jesus, when he had cried again with a loud voice, yielded up the ghost. And, behold, the veil of the temple was rent in twain from the top to the bottom; and the earth did quake, and the rocks rent; And the graves were opened; and many bodies of the saints [G40] which slept arose, And came out of the graves after his resurrection, and went into the holy city, and appeared unto many.

Only the dead are in need of resurrection. And because eternal life is the promise, there is no more death. That is what Christ has done for us. And after all, Jesus had spoke of this:

Joh 5:25 Verily, verily, I say unto you, The hour is coming, and now is, when the dead shall hear the voice of the Son of God: and they that hear shall live.

John 12:31-32 NOW is the judgment of this world: NOW shall the prince of this world be cast out. And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men unto me.

Jesus said "Now" is the judgment of this world, and "Now" was then. Jesus said that as he would rise from the dead, he would draw all men unto himself. And so it was, starting with those blessed OT saints even as he rose from the dead.

In Revelation chapter 7 the 144,000 are mentioned again. And Yes, there are two groups. This is shown in the way John said "after this I behald", and they cannot be numbered, as the 144000 clearly were...

Rev 7:9 After this I beheld, and, lo, a great multitude, which no man could number, of all nations, and kindreds, and people, and tongues, stood before the throne, and before the Lamb, clothed with white robes, and palms in their hands;
Rev 7:10 And cried with a loud voice, saying, Salvation to our God which sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb.

This is how I see it. GOD plucked them out of the grave! God sent His Word to find lost sons of Israel, seeds of Abraham, seeking out tribesman and groomsmen amongst the living in Jerusalem, Jesus was looking all over! The LORD could not gather all the guests, and as He died on the cross and rose from the dead, the curse of the ground was lifted up from the earth, the earth shook, the veil of the temple tore right down the middle, and as I see it, God raised a perfect number from each tribe, represented by 12,000, morally blameless seeds raised up from the dust as firstfruits, redeemed from the earth. The Word had called them, and they joined him in victory, victory in the highest mountain, unto the Father.

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