144k My personal study Email to ruthie Immediately I saw Four Angels standing at the four corners of earth, standing steady with a firm grip on the four winds so no wind would blow on earth or sea, not even rustle a tree. Then I saw another Angel rising from where the sun rose, carrying the seal of the Living God. He thundered to the Four Angels assigned the task of hurting earth and sea, “Don’t hurt the earth! Don’t hurt the sea! Don’t so much as hurt a tree until I’ve sealed the servants of our God on their foreheads!” I heard the count of those who were sealed: 144,000! They were sealed out of every Tribe of Israel: 12,000 sealed from Judah, 12,000 from Reuben, 12,000 from Gad, 12,000 from Asher, 12,000 from Naphtali, 12,000 from Manasseh, 12,000 from Simeon, 12,000 from Levi, 12,000 from Issachar, 12,000 from Zebulun, 12,000 from Joseph, 12,000 sealed from Benjamin. —Revelation 7:1-8 MSG Who are the 144,000? Contextual Analysis // who were they to the first readers of the letter? the 10 tribes of Israel (the northern kingdom, as opposed to the southern kingdom of Judah) were dispersed around 700 BC (Hosea). Jesus came for the lost sheep of the house of Israel—the Jews (members of the tribes of Judah, Benjamin and Levi in the southern kingdom) rejected the Messiah, while 10 tribes embraced him. After Christs death, in 70 AD the Jews were dispersed out of the land as centuries earlier the 10 tribes had been. They said to him, “We neither received letters from Judea concerning you, nor did any of the brothers come here and report or speak any evil of you. But we desire to hear from you what you think. For, as concerning this sect, it is known to us that everywhere it is spoken against.” Some believed the things which were spoken, and some disbelieved. When they didn’t agree among themselves, they departed after Paul had spoken one word, “The Holy Spirit spoke rightly through Isaiah, the prophet, to our fathers, saying, ‘Go to this people, and say, in hearing, you will hear, but will in no way understand. In seeing, you will see, but will in no way perceive. For this people’s heart has grown callous. Their ears are dull of hearing. Their eyes they have closed. Lest they should see with their eyes, hear with their ears, understand with their heart, and would turn again, and I would heal them.’ “Be it known therefore to you, that the salvation of God is sent to the nations [literal:Greek ethnesin: pl. the nations (as distinct from Isr.); usually referring to unbelieving Gentiles (non-Jews) ], and they will listen.” When he had said these words, the Jews departed, having a great dispute among themselves. Paul stayed two whole years in his own rented house, and received all who were coming to him, preaching God’s Kingdom, and teaching the things concerning the Lord Jesus Christ with all boldness, without hindrance. (Acts 28:21-22, 24-31 WEB) Descendants of the Diaspora: The Twelve Tribes of Israel Paul had been chosen by Christ as an apostle (the apostles chose Mathias, while Christ appointed Paul) to the nations. At the same time James and Peter meanwhile addressed letters to the twelve tribes in dispersion among these nations: • James… to the 12 tribes in the Dispersion. Greetings. (James 1:1 HCSB) • Peter … to the chosen ones who are living as foreigners in the Dispersion in Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia, (HINT: all cities in modern Turkey outwards to the crossroads to Europe & Asia Minor) according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, in sanctification of the Spirit, that you may obey Jesus Christ and be sprinkled with his blood: Grace to you and peace be multiplied. (1 Peter 1:1-2 WEB) First century Jewish historian Josephus (37-c.100) makes note regarding the Babylonian exile of Judah, the entire body of the people of Israel remained in that country; wherefore there are but two tribes in Asia and Europe subject to the Romans, *while the ten tribes are beyond the Euphrates til now, and are an immense multitude not to be estimated by numbers. (Map illustrating migration // Euphrates) 2. When Esdras had received this epistle, he was very joyful, and began to worship God, and confessed that he had been the cause of the kings great favor to him, and that for the same reason he gave all the thanks to God. So he read the epistle at Babylon to those Jews that were there; but he kept the epistle itself, and sent a copy of it to all those of his own nation that were in Media. And when these Jews had understood what piety the king had towards God, and what kindness he had for Esdras, they were all greatly pleased; nay, many of them took their effects with them, and came to Babylon, as very desirous of going down to Jerusalem; but then the entire body of the people of Israel remained in that country; wherefore there are but two tribes in Asia and Europe subject to the Iomans, while the ten tribes are beyond Euphrates till now, and are an immense multitude, and not to be estimated by numbers. Now there came a great number of priests, and Levites, and porters, and sacred singers, and sacred servants to Esdras. So he gathered those that were in the captivity together beyond Euphrates, and staid there three days, and ordained a fast for them, that they might make their prayers to God for their preservation, that they might suffer no misfortunes by the way, either from their enemies, or from any other ill accident; for Esdras had said beforehand that he had told the king how God would preserve them, and so he had not thought fit to request that he would send horsemen to conduct them. So when they had finished their prayers, they removed from Euphrates on the twelfth day of the first month of the seventh year of the reign of Xerxes, and they came to Jerusalem on the fifth month of the same year. Now Esdras presented the sacred money to the treasurers, who were of the family of the priests, of silver six hundred and fifty talents, vessels of silver one hundred talents, vessels of gold twenty talents, vessels of brass, that was more precious than gold,(8) twelve talents by weight; for these Presents had been made by the king and his counselors, and by all the Israelites that staid at Babylon. So when Esdras had delivered these things to the priests, he gave to God, as the appointed sacrifices of whole burnt-offerings, twelve bulls on account of the common preservation of the people, ninety rams, seventy-two lambs, and twelve kids of the goats, for the remission of sins. He also delivered the kings epistle to the kings officers, and to the governors of Celesyria and Phoenicia; and as they were under a necessity of doing what was enjoined by him, they honored our nation, and were assistant to them in all their necessities. Now, as to the identity of the 144,00 we are further able to contrast another number spoken of as a great multitude: After these things I looked, and behold, a great multitude which no one could number, of all nations, tribes, peoples, and tongues, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed with white robes, with palm branches in their hands, and crying out with a loud voice, saying, “Salvation belongs to our God who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb!” (Revelation 7:9-10 NKJV) So we are able to conclude then that there are two groups, one being 144,000 people out of the 12 tribes of Israel as identified in the text of Revelation, and a great crowd that no one can number of all tribes and people of the earth. All nations, tribes, peoples, and tongues would thus includes other descendants of the twelve tribes of Israel. The first readers of Revelation would therefore have understood the 144,000 as being members of the twelve tribes literally, out of the twelve tribes in dispersion (Israel in 700BC & Judah in 70AD) to whom James and Peter addressed their letters. (1 Peter 1:1; James 1) Gender And I looked and saw a Lamb standing on Mount Tsiyon, and with Him one hundred and forty-four thousand, having His Father’s Name written upon their foreheads. And I heard a voice out of the heaven, like the voice of many waters, and like the voice of loud thunder, and I heard the sound of harpists playing their harps. And they sang a renewed song before the throne, and before the four living creatures, and the elders. And no one was able to learn that song except the hundred and forty-four thousand who were redeemed from the earth. They are those who were not defiled with women, for they are maidens. They are those following the Lamb wherever He leads them on. They were redeemed from among men, being first-fruits to Elohim and to the Lamb. (Revelation of John 14:1-4 ISR98) Maidens compare rendering of ISR98 (above) to The Message (below): I saw—it took my breath away!—the Lamb standing on Mount Zion, 144,000 standing there with him, his Name and the Name of his Father inscribed on their foreheads. And I heard a voice out of Heaven, the sound like a cataract, like the crash of thunder. And then I heard music, harp music and the harpists singing a new song before the Throne and the Four Animals and the Elders. Only the 144,000 could learn to sing the song. They were bought from earth, lived without compromise, virgin-fresh before God. Wherever the Lamb went, they followed. They were bought from humankind, firstfruits of the harvest for God and the Lamb. Not a false word in their mouths. A perfect offering. And then I heard music, harp music and the harpists singing a new song before the Throne and the Four Animals and the Elders. Only the 144,000 could learn to sing the song. They were bought from earth, lived without compromise, virgin-fresh before God. Wherever the Lamb went, they followed. They were bought from humankind, firstfruits of the harvest for God and the Lamb. Not a false word in their mouths. A perfect offering. (Revelation 14:2-5 MSG) This spiritual virginity is contrasted with the fornication of Babylon in the verses that follow the description of the 144,000: A second Angel followed, calling out, “Ruined, ruined, Great Babylon ruined! She made all the nations drunk on the wine of her whoring!” (Revelation 14:6-8 MSG) Aside: purity in worship has been illustrated in scripture using the marriage relationship and infidelity as shown in Hoseas literal representation of prophecy. 2 Cor. 11:2-4 Paul warns to present [you] as pure virgin to Christ, betrothed to one husband. Obviously the congregation was not to remain celibate. Indeed Paul explains: For you are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus. For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ. There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus. (Galatians 3:26-28 NKJV) (Sons, neither gender) what about male virgins in Hebrew Scriptures? Any precedent?
Posted on: Wed, 24 Dec 2014 14:56:25 +0000
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