Meaning of Numbers: The Number 144000
What is the meaning of number 144000 (144 x 1000) in the Bible? Who are these mysterious people found in the book of Revelation? Do they constitute the entirety of God's church throughout the years? Could they be living today?
Could the 144000 be a set of people designated by some Christian group or denomination as being special? What does God's word say about this fascinating prophetic subject?
[See Outline of Book of Revelation!]
These people are specifically referenced only twice in Scripture. In the end time, after God commands a temporary ceasing of earth's calamities (Revelation 6, 7:1 - 3), he sends a powerful angel on a special mission. The angel is not to allow the sea or even earth's trees to be damage until a unique group of folks are set apart.
Revelation then states the following.
Then I saw another angel ascending from the rising of the sun, having the seal of the living God; and he cried out with a loud voice to the four angels, to whom it was given to damage the earth and the sea, saying, "Do not damage the earth, or the sea, or the trees until we have sealed the servants of our God in their foreheads."
And I heard the number of those who were sealed: one hundred forty-four thousand (144000), sealed out of every tribe of the children of Israel (Revelation 7:2 - 4, HBFV).
The 144000 are mentioned again later in Revelation. The Apostle John, in a vision, sees a group of resurrected believers standing with Jesus Christ. They have been called and converted by God during the great tribulation period. John then states the following.
And I looked, and I beheld the Lamb standing on Mount Sion, and with Him one hundred and forty-four thousand, having His Father's name written on their foreheads.
Then I heard a voice from heaven, like the sound of many waters, and like the sound of great thunder; and I heard the sound of lyre players playing their lyres. And they were singing a new song before the throne . . . (Revelation 14:1 - 3, HBFV).
Physical Descendants
This special group, found in Revelation 7 and 14, are composed entirely of physical descendants of Israel. Scripture takes great pains to enumerate twelve of Israel's tribes from which 12,000 people each will be converted (or sealed, see Revelation 7:5 - 8).
Two Israelite tribes are not specifically listed as being part of the 144000. The first missing tribe is Dan. The second missing tribe is Ephraim.
The Bible does not state why Ephraim, one of Joseph's two sons, is not directly named as contributing toward the 144000 as his other son Manasseh is listed (Revelation 7:6). It is possible that the people of Ephraim are "hidden" within the distinct naming of the tribe of Joseph (verse 8).
When Are the 144000 Sealed?
When are the 144000 sealed (a spiritual mark to denote their conversion, a possible allusion to Ezekiel 9:4) by a mighty angel? How does their sealing fit into prophetic end time events?
After a great martyrdom of saints instigated by the Satan-inspired one world government, God will cause signs to appear in the heavens (Revelation 6:12 - 14). It is after these signs, and just before the prophetic "Day of the Lord," that 144000 descendants of Israel and "a great multitude" from around the world become converted.
The 144000 are unconverted physical descendants of Israel who repent and become Christians near the middle of the Great Tribulation period. At the start of this time of global trial and trouble (Matthew 24) they are not Christians! If they were, they would have either been taken to a "place of safety" (1Thessalonians 4:16 - 17, Revelation 12:6) or would have been martyred by Satan the devil for their faith.
Biblical Meaning of Number 144000
All the above means that any Christians living today will not be considered by God to be one of those in this select group! The 144000 (144 x 1000) are part of, but not all, of God's church converted during the tribulation period. They will ultimately be changed into spirit beings at Jesus' Second Coming (Revelation 5:10).
144000 is equal to 8 x 8 (8 squared) x 15 x 15 (15 squared) x 10.