Showing posts with label 144. Show all posts
Showing posts with label 144. Show all posts

Wednesday, June 6, 2007

Do the 144,00 Survive the Tribulation?


Dr. Couch, since about one third of faithful Jews are left at the end of the tribulation, does this include the 144,000 witnessing Jews mentioned in Revelation 7? 
 
    The 144,000 Jews of Revelation 7:4-8 are sealed and protected for a period of time for a witness during the beginning stages of the tribulation. However God removes His protection of them later on during this terrible period of the wrath. They are mentioned as martyrs in 14:1-5. They are seen worshipping the Lord in glory, singing a new song around the heavenly throne. No one who had not experienced what they did could join in with them in this chorus of praise (v. 3).

    By the time of chapter 14, they have been “purchased from the earth” and taken heavenward. They were “purchased from among men [on earth] as first fruits to God and to the Lamb” (v. 4). In glory they will stand as examples of faithfulness during the awful days of the seven-year tribulation horrors! 

    Covenant and allegorical guys reading this foolishly call this group of 144,000 “Jews” the church, even though John makes it clear they constitute 12,000 Jews from each tribe of Israel! How they do this is beyond me, except the only answer is that they have no clue as to how to practice sound interpretation! But too, they want to replace the Jewish people with the church, and you just can’t do that! Sounds like a tinge of anti-Semitism to me! 

Thanks for asking.

Dr. Mal Couch

Thursday, April 12, 2007

Are Those Who Hear the 144,000's Message Also Sealed?


Dr. Couch, in Revelation 7:3 and in 9:4 it is mentioned that the servants of the Lord are sealed with a seal on their foreheads. My question, if the 144,000 Jewish witnesses are sealed, what about those who hear and believe their message? Are they sealed also? What’s your answer? 
 
    ANSWER: The sealing of the 144,000 mentioned in chapter 7 were to be protected during their period of witnessing to the earth. But the protection over them is but temporary. In 14:1 we see the 144,000 in glory standing together in the heavenly Mt. Zion with the Lord Jesus. They had a special protection (v.3) but were finally “purchased” from the earth, probably martyred, as mentioned in vs. 3-4. There were considered special “first fruits” (the first crops) of the tribulation and were especially dedicated to God the Father and Christ the Lamb. 

    Chapter 9 is about the release of the demonic horde from the “shaft of the abyss.” For a period the demons were permitted to harm all men except those who had received “the seal of God on their foreheads” (v. 4). Since the passage does not refer to the 144,000 I take it that “the men” referred to would be new believers coming to Christ during the witness of the blessed 144,000 Jewish evangelists. Many, many who are saved during the tribulation, i.e. the tribulation (not church) saints, will towards the end by martyred. The martyred are vividly pictured in chapter 15 and in 16:4-7. 

    I hope this helps. Thanks for asking.

    Dr. Mal Couch