Who Are the 144,000?

In today's world, he wear people such as Jehovah's Witnesses claiming to be the 144,000 talked about in the book of Revelation. We hear various communities claiming to exclusively be the 144,000. But what does Scripture actually tell us about these mysterious people? Are the Jehovah's Witnesses actually the prophesied 144,000, or is there something else to this? Let's find out. (Photo credit to EddieHolmes.com)

Most of us have had Jehovah's Witnesses come door to door teaching that they are the chosen 144,000 Witnesses of Revelation. Typically, the teach that others cannot be saved aside from their group, and that they are the 144,000 mentioned in Revelation. Let's look at the text itself.

Revelation 7:3-4 says, "'Do not harm the land or sea or the trees until we put a seal on the foreheads of the servants of our God.' Then I heard the number of those who were sealed: 144,000 from all the tribes of Israel." Before I go any further, I want to point two things out. One, Jehovah's Witnesses has reached over 144,000 in number of members. Two, most members are not "from all the tribes of Israel."

They are not Jewish. How can we know for sure this is what it means? Look at the next passage, "From the tribe of Judah 12,000 were sealed, from the tribe of Reuben 12,000, from the tribe of Gad 12,000, from the tribe of Asher 12,000, from the tribe of Naphtali 12,000, from the tribe of Manasseh 12,000, from the tribe of Simeon 12,000, from the tribe of Levi 12,000, from the tribe of Issachar 12,000, from the tribe of Zebulun 12,000, from the tribe of Joseph 12,000, from the tribe of Benjamin 12,000." (Revelation 7:5-8)

Now, there is more. Revelation 14:1-5. "Then I looked, and there before me was the Lamb, standing on Mount Zion, and with him 144,000 who had his name and his Father's name written on their fore heads. And I heard a sound from heaven like the roar of rushing waters and like a loud peal of thunder. The sound I heard was like that of harpists playing their harps. And they sang a new song before the throne and before the four living creatures and the elders." "No one could learn the song except the 144,000 who had been redeemed from the earth. These are those who did not defile themselves with women, for they remained virgins. They follow the Lamb wherever he goes, They were purchased from among the human race and offered as firstfruits to God and the Lamb. No lie was found in their mouths; they are blameless."

What conclusion can we draw? We see from Revelation 7:4 that the 144,000 are Jews, all virgins. Within the narrative, these witnesses are converted after the period of tribulation begins. If someone tells you that they are a part of the 144,000, remember that the 144,000 would be Jews from each tribe, and frankly, no group claiming to be the 144,000 is all-Jewish.

Troy Hillman