ARLENE WROTE:

FOR FAIR USE AND EDUCATION AND DISCUSSION PURPOSES



Sometimes God takes a long time to answer questions. And He hides things in ways that are difficult to "dig through" for the "nuggets of gold" waiting for those who don't give up.

I asked a question of God a long time ago, but today He showed me the answer I needed.

In Revelation 21:17, there is a very "curious" statement. Nobody has ever answered it (to my satisfaction, which has to pass extremely rigid tests to fit ALL of Scripture). This verse is "And he measured the wall thereof, and hundred and forty and four (144) cubits, according to the MEASURE OF A MAN, THAT IS, OF THE ANGEL."

I needed PROOF that New Jerusalem refers to the CHURCH, or "body of Christ"...and it can refer to nothing else. The "144" is the "measurement" (or number of) the COMPLETED New Jerusalem. And it is according to the MEASURE (number) of the "body" (Christians) of JESUS CHRIST (the "MAN" who is also "God" and who was seen as an "ANGEL" by Abraham and others in the OT).

He (Jesus Christ) is also the "ANGEL" in Revelation 20:1 who has the KEY TO THE BOTTOMLESS PIT. Only Jesus Christ has the "KEYS" to His Kingdom, and NOWHERE in Scripture does He give these "keys" to anyone else. So this "angel" from heaven is actually Jesus Christ Who sets all these events in motion. Jesus Christ is the "Son of MAN" as well as the "Son of God"...John 3:13. The "Head" is now joined to the "body" of Christ, according to the vision of New Jerusalem. The number "144" (12 X 12 = 144 X 1000 = 144,000) is the SYMBOLIC NUMBER OF ALL WHO ARE "IN" JESUS CHRIST.


An "angel" is simply the name for a "messenger" sent by God. And Jesus Christ came to give His message from God the Father. In the Bible, He is called a "witness" (Rev.1:5) as well as an "angel" (messenger).

The number "12" is symbolic of the government of God.


The "1000" is the highest number, symbolically, that is possible. All who are saved, at that time, are included in the 144,000 at the end. The 144,000 in Rev. chapter 7 are ALL those saved who are "sealed" by God and do not endure the torments that others will have to endure in testing and trial (tribulation). They will "witness" the Gospel of Jesus Christ via the Holy Spirit throughout the world....because they will come out of ALL NATIONS, AND PEOPLES, THROUGHOUT THE WORLD....the "redeemed" of the earth (Rev.14:3) These are all the "Israel of God"....Galatians 6:16.

In Matthew 16:19, Jesus told Peter that the "KEYS" to the Kingdom would SOME DAY (in the future) be given to those who become the "Temple" built upon the "Rock" of Jesus Christ. This "Temple" is the "body of Christ" ("know ye not that ye are the Temple of God?") which, when completed, and joined to the "Head" becomes symbolic of New Jerusalem.

DON'T FORGET THAT THE BOOK OF REVELATION IS SIGNIFIED AND ALL THE "SIGNS" MUST BE INTERPRETED AS "SPIRITUAL" REALITIES....and New Jerusalem is no different.

This even checks out according to the amazing "Bible Wheel". This is a book I have and have studied as well. It is not "perfect", but it brings out some amazing things:


http://www.biblewheel.com/GR/GR_144.php


And today, I was not looking for this information. I had just completed commenting on who the 144,000 of Rev.7 and Rev.14 were NOT (the Jews).

I have no further question on "who are the 144,000"....God has answered my questions....all of them. And he has hidden this one very well....Proverbs 25:2.

May more eyes be opened to the truth.

Arlene

For Fair Use Discussion and Educational Purposes
Link: http://www.fivedoves.com/letters/july2013/johnb78-1.htm
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John B (8 July2013)
"Gail....your post concerning the identity of the 144,000..... and why I disagree"



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Gail, http://www.fivedoves.com/letters/july2013/gail72-1.htm



You and Mr. Perkins may be 100% correct as to who the Jewish 144,000 first fruits will be (as per your post) but that's not the way I see it and I believe you have made your selection group for these 144,000 way too narrow.



Let me explain.......



In Matthew 24 Jesus is talking to Jews concerning the outcome of Jews in the end times. Jesus uses terminology to speak to His disciples at that time that they would understand......"buzz words" if you will.



In verse 31 Jesus said....."And He will send His angels with a great sound of the trumpet, and they will gather together His elect from the four winds, from one end of the earth to the other."



When Jesus made this statement the Jews of that day would have picked up on the term "four winds" and related it back to the prophecy of Ezekiel in Ezekiel 37. They.....the Jews of that day...would have known that Jesus was talking about the huge resurrection of the Jews from the "whole house of Israel" spoken of in Ezekiel 37 that God had promised would happen........... now Jesus is telling them that this will happen at the end of the age.



Remember Jesus in Matthew 24 is focused only on the Jews. He is talking to Jews about the fate of Jews.......the Christian Church was not even established yet so there was no need to include them in the discussion of Matthew 24. The focus was completely on the "whole house of Israel (Jacob).



We learn from Ezekiel 37, Joel 2 and Rev.9 that this huge resurrection consists of hundreds of millions of resurrected Jews who lived from the time of Jacob all the way until this present time.



And I believe that it is these hundreds of millions of Jews plusthe present time livings Jews (of which you spoke) that will make up the "selection pool" from which God will select His first fruits or "the cream of the crop" of His Jewish creation......the 144,000.



Out of these hundreds of millions of people that span multiple centuries God will choose 12,000 from all the 12 tribes......the pick of the litter.



I see no placein scripture that indicates that these 144,000 are evangelists that go around the whole proclaiming the gospel.



What I do see from Rev.14 is that they are the first fruits to God and the Lamb and are the personal entourage to Jesus and follow Him where ever He goes. If they follow Jesus where ever He goes, how can they be all over the planet evangelizing?



There will be God's two end time witnesses (Rev.11) who preach the gospel for 42 months around the planet and an angel who flies over earth preaching the everlasting gospel to those who dwell on planet earth. Rev.14:6



It appears to me that at the opening of the sixth seal (immediately prior to God's great wrath starting in those same verses) that there will be a hugecombined resurrection. Who is in this great resurrection?

1) The whole house of Israel (Jacob), untold millions of Jews from over the centuries

2) The dead in Christ....all those who have chosen Christ and His message as their savior from over the centuries

3) The alive in Christ....Jew and Gentile alike that have accepted Jesus and His gospel



The first thing that happens at this combined resurrection is God and the Lamb's selection of the first fruits...... the honor society of the graduatingclass of God's chosen elect........the 144,000 of all the tribes from the whole house of Israel. To honor them God puts His personal seal on their foreheads denoting the status they have achieved. Rev.7:3



The second thing that happens (in the next verses of Rev.7) is that we the alive and dead in Christ with great fanfare show up in heaven.



The third thing that happens is a delayed happening. As per Ezek.37, Rev.7, Joel 2 and Rev.9 God chooses an exceeding great "end times" army (Ezek.37:10) for Himself out of this huge Jewish resurrection. I say delayed happening because God delays the "four winds"(Ezek.37:9-10) from blowing life back into this huge army until the hour day month and year is correct (Rev.9:15). Then as per Rev.7, Rev.9:15 God instructs His four angels who have been holding back the four winds to release these four winds breathing life back into an army of two hundred million resurrected spirit beings who become God's end time army and are tasked to kill one third of the planet with fire, smoke and brimstone.



Anyone interested in the "end time" exploits or the ride (horses) of this army can read Joel 2:1-11 and Rev.9:15-19. Note verse 11 in Joel 2 where it is specifically stated that this is God's army.......His resurrected army of spirit beings who can't be killed and dispense His wrath on and kill 2+ billion people. This will happen during the period of what is called God's great wrath starting when the sixth seal is opened and lasting for an unknown period of time. Some speculate using certain scripture verses that God's portion of the end time tribulation, His personal wrath, will last one year but that the total tribulation will last 1260 days.



I guess I got a little off the 144,000 but I needed to give you the whole picture of what I believe will happen within the next few years.



Blessings........John B

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Zechariah 12:3,9:
And in that day will I make Jerusalem a burdensome stone for all people; And it shall come to pass in that day, that I will seek to destroy all the nations that come against Jerusalem.
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