WILL EXACTLY 144

UNION GROVE CHURCH OF CHRIST, CLEVELAND TN.

WILL EXACTLY 144,000 PEOPLE GO TO HEAVEN?

In Revelation 14:1-3 it is written,

And I looked, and, lo, a Lamb stood on the mount Sion, and with him an hundred forty and four thousand, having his Father’s name written in their foreheads. And I heard a voice form heaven, as the voice of many waters, and as the voice of a greater thunder: and I heard the voice of harpers harping with their harps: 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." One hundred forty-four thousand are also mentioned in Revelation 7:4: "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 the children of Israel.

Some interpret the above passage to mean that exactly 144,000, no more and no less, will go to heaven. Among those who so teach are those that call themselves "Jehovah’s Witnesses." Under the heading "How Many Go To Heaven," the doctrine of the "J.W.’s" states:

Those who are called by God to share in such heavenly service are few in number. As Jesus said, they are a ‘little flock.’ Years after his return to heaven, Jesus made known the exact number [emphasis mine, rdc]in a vision to the apostle John, who wrote: ‘I saw, and, look! The Lamb standing upon the Mount Zion, and with him a hundred and forty-four thousand . . . who have been bought from the earth’ (Revelation 14:1,3). The ‘Lamb’ referred to here is, of course, Jesus Christ; and this ‘Mount Zion’ is not on earth, but in heaven where Jesus is (John 1:29; Hebrews 12:22). So the 144,000 are the persons who die on earth as humans and are resurrected to heavenly life as spirit creatures, as Jesus was (Romans 6:5). When compared with the thousands of millions of persons who live on earth, they are, indeed, a ‘little flock.’ ¹

There can be no argument with the idea that few will be saved in heaven for Jesus said that "few" will find or enter into life (Matthew 7:13,14). It is also true that the Bible does speak of 144,000 that were redeemed from the earth (Revelation 14:1,3; 7:4). However, does this mean that exactly 144,000 people, no more and no less, will go to heaven? In other words, is the 144,000 figure to be interpreted as a literal number? If the "Witnesses" insist that the 144,000 must be a literal number, then we would ask:

Is the "Lamb" (14:1) a literal animal with four literal legs and literal wool? Do those that "follow the Lamb" literally walk around behind a four-legged creature (14:4)? If not, why not?

Is the "mount Sion" on which John saw "a Lamb" a literal mountain composed of literal earth, rocks, etc.? If not, why not?

Are the 144,000 all males? If not, why not? The text says they are those "which were not defiled with women" (14:4).

Are the 144,000 all literally unmarried or literal virgins (14:4). If not, why not?

There is no sound reason to interpret the 144,000 as being a literal number, but then at the same time say that the Lamb, Mount Sion, and the virgins are symbolic. If one is literal, then why would not all of them be literal? We know for sure that Jesus is no more a literal Lamb than He is a literal Lion (Revelation 5:5). Thus, there is no logical reason to believe that 144,000 is the literal number of those that will be in heaven.

When we consider what is said about the 144,000 in Revelation 7:3-10, what do we see?

All of the 144,000 are from "the tribes of the children of Israel" (7:4). Will only those who are Israelites go to heaven? Answer: No. The 144,000 are "redeemed" (14:3). Who will be among the redeemed? Not just Israelites, but those "out of every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation" (5:9).

The tribe of "Dan" is not mentioned in the listing – will all Danites be left out?

Ephraim is not mentioned in the listing – will all Ephraimites, including Joshua, the son of Nun, be left out? Instead of Ephraim, the tribe of Joseph is named. What literal tribe is this, if the descendants of Manasseh, Joseph’s son, are already listed in verse six?

The number from each tribe is exactly the same – 12,000. Should we think that exactly 12,000 will be in heaven from each tribe that is listed?

These observations point to the conclusion that the 144,000 must be a symbolic figure. This raises the obvious question: "What then, is meant by ‘144,000,’ or just what is the true explanation of these verses?"

First, John saw that "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" (Revelation 7:9). Where is the throne? A: The throne is in heaven (4:2,6,10; 14:3,5). Thus, the great multitude that cannot be numbered and is made up of the redeemed of all nations (7:9), is in heaven, where the throne is.

Consider another way of showing the same thing. Those that will be before God’s throne will serve Him day and night "in his temple" (7:15). John later stated that the temple of God is in heaven (11:19). Thus, the unnumbered multitude will be in heaven. Since there will be a numberless multitude in heaven, then it is false to say that exactly 144,000 will be in heaven.

What is the distinction, if any, between the sealed 144,000 (7:4) and the "great multitude?" (7:9). Some students of the scriptures suggest that they are the same people, but are simply described in different words or terms. Others think that the 144,000 symbolize the saved among the Jews, while the great multitude represents the redeemed Gentiles. Please consider what some have written in an effort to properly identify the 144,000. These men are uninspired, and thus do not serve as our authority for anything. Their thoughts are given here simply with the hope of encouraging all of us to give further study to this topic. One wrote:

The 144,000 represents saints of the kingdom, as does the great multitude of Revelation 7:9. The first picture is to assure them that they are carefully protected or sealed. Though 144,000 is a symbolic number, it is to show they are precisely noticed and none are left out. The ‘great multitude’ views the saints from a different perspective – that of number and purity. So in one vision they are seen from the point of view of safety. In the other vision they are seen from the vantage point of their vast numbers and with symbolism of purity.²

Regarding Revelation 7, another writes:

. . . John sees a vision of two parts . . . The saints on earth are sealed unto God and those who had died for Him are before His throne praising Him in glory. In these two scenes God assures His saints that He watches after each one, keeping an accurate account. In ancient times He had assured His people by pointing to the host of heaven and declaring that He brings them out by number, calling each by name, and that for all their number, not one was lacking (Isa 40:26). In the same way He assures His suffering saints that he is mindful of each one, whether living on earth or having died in the faith. Not one is lacking now.³

Hailey further expressed the idea that the 144,000:

. . . represented the total number of the redeemed on earth, spiritual Israel . . . These who are sealed are upon earth; the ‘great multitude’ are those who are victorious and are before the heavenly throne . . . The hundred and forty-four thousand who are sealed to God probably represent the active faithful church on earth at any time, called by some expositors ‘the militant church on earth.’ Under an entirely different circumstance and setting, the same group is presented again in chapter 14.⁴

Here is another take on just what is meant by the figure "144,000":

The 144,000 of chapter 14 likely signifies the entire body of the redeemed. They were ‘purchased’ from among men. The only purchase price ultimately available for human salvation is that of the blood of Jesus Christ. His blood was effective for the obedient who lived before the cross (Gal. 4:5; Heb. 9:15-17), and for those who have lived since that historic event (1 Pet. 1:18,19; Acts 20:28).⁵

Will exactly 144,000 go to heaven? The "Jehovah’s Witnesses" answer "yes," but there is no Bible proof that this is true. May we all be serious and diligent in our study of the Bible, using the sword of the Spirit to refute the false theories of men.

-- Roger D. Campbell