Bible Basics

The 144,000

As pointed out last week, if we are to understand the book Revelation we must recognize the symbolic use of numbers in the book.  For instance, Revelation 7:4 says that “the number of those who were sealed” was 144,000.  Many have taken this number literally believing it refers to the number of people who will be in heaven, or that this number of people will have a special place in heaven. The number twelve represents God’s people.  In the Old Testament there were twelve patriarchs, and thus the twelve tribes of Israel constituted God’s nation, and in the New Testament the twelve apostles were the ambassadors of Christ.  The number ten came to mean “completeness.”  A person with ten fingers and ten toes has a complete number of fingers and toes.  When multiplied by itself three times (10 x 10x 10) the number becomes one thousand and signifies complete fullness.  One Hundred Forty Four Thousand is a multiple of the number representing fullness (10 x 10x 10 = 1000) and the number representing God’s people (12 x 12 = 144).  Multiply these together and 144,000 is reached (1000 x 144 = 144,00), signifying the full number of God’s people or the total number of God’s faithful servants.  If we understand the number 144,000 to be literal we misunderstand the teaching of the book.

                                                                                                               -- Clark Dugger

Bible Basics