GRACE_ambassador {ChrisE} - In Reply on Mark 1 - 3 years ago
Glenn, thanks for your response: "If Jesus is coming here ,. An preparing for our Father to set up his kingdom, in Jerusalem, where is anyone being raptured to ? Where ya going ? I've heard of one rapture,.. but now 3 ? This is very confusing,.."
Precious friend, actually the confusion disappears when the THREE raptures "are LEFT In God's Contexts, Where HE Placed Them!" Amen? ie:
PRE-TOJT rapture:
(1) Body Of CHRIST Departure TO Heaven (Read/study Romans - Philemon) = God's 'Context' is ALL 'Spiritual!' We are not "looking for the man of sin/signs to enter into The Time of Jacob's Trouble." ( 2 Corinthians 5:7); We are "looking, watching, and Patiently waiting For CHRIST, Who Will Present ALL of The Body Of CHRIST, holy and unblameable and unreproveable, In His Sight, TO His Father, In Heaven, Where we Will Live Forever And Ever! ( 1 Thessalonians 3:13; Colossians 1:5, 22; 1 Corinthians 6:3; 2 Corinthians 5:1-2) Amen?
MID-TOJT raptures:
(2) During The Time {God's 'Context'} of JACOB's {ISRAEL's} Trouble, there Will Be TWO "raptures":
a) one departure is of the TWO witnesses, killed, resurrected, and taken up ( Revelation 11:1-12)
b) the other departure is of the 144,000 "sealed virgins of TWELVE tribes ( Revelation 7:1-8) redeemed from the earth," and were "without fault before The Throne of God!" ( Revelation 14:1-5)
Please refrain from listening to those who "MIX these up" in confusion. And:
Please Be RichlyEncouraged, Enlightened,Exhorted, and Edified In JESUS CHRIST!
The 5th seal saints are the fellowservants of the one hundred forty four thousand sealed saints, also dressed in white robes. The 2 witnesses die in the same manner as their 5th seal fellowservants, and are taken up to heaven ( Revelation 7:9).
( Revelation 6:9-11) And when he had opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of them that were slain for the word of God, and for the testimony which they held:
10 And they cried with a loud voice, saying, How long, O Lord, holy and true, dost thou not judge and avenge our blood on them that dwell on the earth?
11 And white robes were given unto every one of them; and it was said unto them, that they should rest yet for a little season, until their fellowservants also and their brethren, that should be killed as they were, should be fulfilled.
The witnesses are the one hundred and forty four thousand sealed from death for 42 months. They are showcased in 7 different chapters of Revelation, in different capacities, allegories and metaphors. Like their appearance in Chapter 12; only the witnesses, (the 12 tribes) are sealed and protected for 42 months.
When the witness are called up to heaven ( Revelation 11:12) and they appear in heaven as the one hundred forty four thousand ( Revelation 7:13-14) after being sealed 42 months prior ( Revelation 7:1-8) They come out of the great tribulation!!!
( Revelation 11:4) These are the two olive trees, and the two candlesticks standing before the God of the earth. These 2 olive trees and 2 candlesticks are both houses of Israel, 2 nations, before God.
There is no separation between the witnesses and the sealed tribes, they are one in the same.
Christian Greetings! There are other interpretations to consider thinking of the mark.
Here is one: A government that persecutes or suppresses the children of God may fall into the area of a beast government. This can be true even while the government performs services of law and order under God's will.
A person that joins themselves to a spirit of suppression or persecution by using the government as force, they maybe giving them their mind or forehead to this fellowship and if the government becomes their life; then it is like giving the right hand to this fellowship.
Christ Jesus wants his lambs to fellowship with him with their foreheads and right hands.
Revelation 7:3 adds to this interpretation.
It is possibly later than many think and chose to believe.
How to get started as a precious child of God - In Reply on Revelation 7 - 3 years ago
Romans 10:17
So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.
Galatians 3:2
This only would I learn of you, Received ye the Spirit by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith?
The more Bible you can get inside of you, the stronger you will be in your faith. Read John 3, ask to receive the Holy Spirit. Ask HIM to teach you what the scriptures mean. Ask for what you need.
There are things you can do also, it depends on your persistence to pursue everything the Holy Spirit has for you.
Personally I gorge myself on Bible Reading every day almost. When I wash dishes I listen to FM RADIO, Christian radio teaching ministers; sometimes on AM radio too. I like Paul Shepherd and Greg Laurie.
Sometimes when the news is shocking, I listen on YouTube to King James Bible: Faith verses, healing verses, spiritual warfare Bible verses.
Sometimes I may listen to some Isaac Air Freight to enjoy some comedy from a Biblical perspective. The more you get inside of you, the quicker you will grow up. We're to be sober minded for sure, heavenly minded, but able to not lose our sense of humor.
Sometimes talking to our friends and family is less frightening if we have a balance of everything in our "quiver". A quiver is the sling we wear with our arrows in it. God uses arrows guided by the Holy Spirit. They change us on the inside first, and then the Lord uses us to be witnesses. He leads; we follow Him.
14 And I said unto him, Sir, thou knowest. And he said to me, These are they which came out of great tribulation, and have washed their robes, and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.
15 Therefore are they before the throne of God, and serve him day and night in his temple: and he that sitteth on the throne shall dwell among them.
( Revelation 21:3-7) The second resurrection:
1 And I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away; and there was no more sea.
2 And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband.
3 And I heard a great voice out of heaven saying, Behold, the tabernacle of Godiswith men, and he will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself shall be with them,and betheir God.
4 And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away.
5 And he that sat upon the throne said, Behold, I make all things new. And he said unto me, Write: for these words are true and faithful.
6 And he said unto me, It is done. I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end. I will give unto him that is athirst of the fountain of the water of life freely.
7 He that overcometh shall inherit all things; and I will be his God, and he shall be my son.
"One of Us" comes full circle:
Genesis1:26 And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness...
Genesis 3:22And the LORD God said, Behold, the man is become as one of us...
I have not heard back from you about who the people of many tongues are? I was expecting you to clear this up since you're familiar with it, and willing to talk about what scripture says.
I want to add scripture that solidifies my belief. Please compare these 2 similar scriptures, one of which you used below, and note how spot on they are to ID the 144k:
( Revelation 5:9:11). You said "It directly says they're out of every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation;"
And they sung a new song, saying, Thou art worthy to take the book, and to open the seals thereof: for thou wast slain, and hast redeemed us to God by thy blood out of every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation;
&
( Revelation 7:8-9) 8 Of the tribe of Zabulon were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Joseph were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Benjamin were sealed twelve thousand.
9 After this I beheld, and, lo, a great multitude, which no man could number, of all nations, and kindreds, and people, and tongues, stood before the throne, and before the Lamb, clothed with white robes, and palms in their hands;
These are the 144k going from being sealed, to being in heaven. They are the fellowservants of the Revelation 6 fifth seal saints who were told to rest for a little season, and given white robes. The 144k are wearing white robes. It is safe to say that the group in Revelation 5 is the same group that's spread throughout the narrative.
Let me know if this make sense to you, who they are.
"The group in Revelation is not reigning on the earth"
I said "alluding" because it's not so obvious who they are, but it is obvious from what they do. Yeah, I know they're in heaven, and will reign on earth. Read it again.
"And they're not the 144 thousand seen in Revelation Ch. 7 and 14. In Revelation 7 and 14 they're 12000 out of every tribe of Israel."
How many times do you want God to tell you who they are, and in how many ways? There's something called a rough number. If you can't see the likeness between those 2 figures, math is not your calling.
"In Revelation 5:9:11. It directly says they're out of every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation;"
Seriously? That is them!!! Israel was scattered all over the earth, Israel's seed is everywhere, and from those nations and tongues are where the 144K are gathered from. THEY LOST THEIR IDENTITY, THEY HAVE NO IDEA WHO THEY ARE be it Dan, Ruben, or Gad. They're sealed out of every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation, that's who Israel has become. Israel represents EVERYONE.
"I believe this is the Church that has been raptured up."
Did you add that number up? It comes out to roughly 144k. depending on what thousands of thousands is, That amount of people would only cover a medium city. What would you do in the first resurrection anyways. ( Revelation 7:15) witnesses have taken up all the jobs. I thought like you because someone told me about a rapture, so I studied up. What speculation I have is backed up by scripture, you'll always have doubt. Be thankful for ( Ezekiel 37:1-14).
I don't see evidence supporting anyone other than the 144k firstfruits being of the first resurrection. The group in Revelation 5 that live as kings and priests, are the 144k. What the 144k do for a thousand years is symbolic ( Revelation 7:15) Therefore are they before the throne of God, and serve him day and night in his temple: and he that sitteth on the throne shall dwell among them. The 144k are the church, they are the bride. They are Christ-like. They are the only group officially sealed. Revelation is peppered with them in 7 chapters, illustrated in allegory or metaphor to subtly let you know something is afoot.
I found a scripture that would bolster your belief ( Isaiah 13:15). It's for pre-tribbers, but don't tell them.
( 1 Thessalonians 4:17) Everything hinges on this description, then weighing out the billions of people who will attend. It could be that Paul, who's part of the elect 24, was describing his fellow saints rising. I understand your position, better to be a seventh trumpet riser, than the others. What other scripture supports your doctrine? I will spend some time researching this and other scriptures that lend clarity.
In summary, it all depends on how you interpret scripture, or if you're strongly committed to an ideology to alter. I have looked in the web at what others think about prophesy, scholars, and my interpretations all all to myself. I want God to grade my Bible IQ when we're face to face (2nd resurrection).
The group in Revelation is not reigning on the earth. They're in heaven in the midst around the Throne! Revelation 5:6. And I beheld, and, lo, in the midst of the throne and of the four beasts, and in the midst of the elders, stood a Lamb as it had been slain, having seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven Spirits of God sent forth into all the earth.
And they're not the 144 thousand seen in Revelation Ch. 7 and 14. In Revelation 7 and 14 they're 12000 out of every tribe of Israel.
Revelation 7:4. And I heard the number of them which were sealed: and there were sealed an hundred and forty and four thousand of all the tribes of the children of Israel.
In Revelation 5:9:11. It directly says they're out of every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation;
And they sung a new song, saying, Thou art worthy to take the book, and to open the seals thereof: for thou wast slain, and hast redeemed us to God by thy blood out of every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation;
And hast made us unto our God kings and priests: and we shall reign on the earth.
And I beheld, and I heard the voice of many angels round about the throne and the beasts and the elders: and the number of them was ten thousand times ten thousand, and thousands of thousands;
I believe this is the Church that has been raptured up.
Look at this piece of the mystery, then tell me about it.
Revelation 7 begins with the 144K being sealed for 42 months (vs 4), immediately after this (vs 9) 42 months have passed, and the 144k are in heaven (vs 14). These 144k are the only firstfruits ever spoken of. Their purpose is far greater than what they are given credit for simply because they are concealed in allegory.
( Revelation 7:4) And I heard the number of them which were sealed: and there were sealed an hundred and forty and four thousand of all the tribes of the children of Israel.
vs 9 After this I beheld, and, lo, a great multitude, which no man could number, of all nations, and kindreds, and people, and tongues, stood before the throne, and before the Lamb, clothed with WHITE ROBES, and palms in their hands;
vs 14 And I said unto him, Sir, thou knowest. And he said to me, These are they which came out of great tribulation, and have washed their robes, and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.
Two witnesses are the 144k in heaven ( Revelation 11:12) ( 1 Thessalonians 4:17) ( Revelation 14:1-4)
There's more to reveal between the 144K and the fifth seal saints:
( Revelation 6:9-11) And when he had opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of them that were slain for the word of God, and for the testimony which they held:
10 And they cried with a loud voice, saying, How long, O Lord, holy and true, dost thou not judge and avenge our blood on them that dwell on the earth?
11 And WHITE ROBES were given unto every one of them; and it was said unto them, that they should rest yet for a little season, until their fellowservants also and their brethren, that should be killed as they were, should be fulfilled.
A little season = fifth seal-seventh trumpet
( Revelation 7:13) And one of the elders answered, saying unto me, What are these which are arrayed in WHITE ROBES? and whence came they? (fellowservants)
Revelation 10:4 And when the seven thunders had uttered their voices, I was about to write: and I heard a voice from heaven saying unto me, (Seal up those things which the seven thunders uttered, and write them not.)
There are some things that no one knows or will know until that great day.
You didn't answer my questions. You said I was "wrong" about the 2 witnesses, but not why. You had to Google it, I recognized the script you copied. Therefore, I will answer the questions for you:
The 144K are the church, they are Christ's bride. The 2 witnesses, the two candlesticks & two olive trees, the woman from Revelation 12, are all symbolism, metaphors, and allegory describing the 144K. The 2 witnesses and the 144K have the same mission, within the same time frame. You still can't make the connection?
( Psalms 52:8) But I am like a green olive tree in the house of God: I trust in the mercy of God for ever and ever.
A single nation was an olive tree. A nation divided became two olive trees, two houses, two witnesses.
Below are 5 scripture depictions of the 144K on route to or in heaven. After being called up to heaven, the firstfruits are gathered for their judgment. The 144K "witnesses" are judged and resurrected in the twinkling of an eye. Look how the Rev 7 & Rev 11 stories parallel each other.
( Revelation 11:12) And they heard a great voice from heaven saying unto them, Come up hither. And they ascended up to heaven in a cloud; and their enemies beheld them.
( Revelation 7:9) After this I beheld, and, lo, a great multitude, which no man could number, of all nations, and kindreds, and people, and tongues, stood before the throne, and before the Lamb, clothed with white robes, and palms in their hands;
( Revelation 7:14)...These are they which came out of great tribulation, and have washed their robes, and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.
Revelation 14:1-4
Revelation 20:4
Can it get any clearer? The 2 witnesses die, and no sooner do they appear in heaven as the coveted 144K. I have no idea where you stand, but, If you're going to dismiss my interpretation, the burden is on you to back it up with facts. Can you post your own ideas about the 2 witnesses for me to review?
Let's use the Bible to define who the witnesses are by association. Their mission is to record antichrists exploits; Jesus said 2 are needed to bare witness. These 2 are the sealed 12 tribes from Israel and Judah. The witnesses are in Revelation 5, 7, 11, 12, 14 & more.
Who are the candlesticks and olive trees?
( Jeremiah 11:16)
The LORD called thy name, A green olive tree, fair, and of goodly fruit: with the noise of a great tumult he hath kindled fire upon it, and the branches of it are broken.
(Zachariah 4:11-14)
11 Then answered I, and said unto him, What are these two olive trees upon the right side of the candlestick and upon the left side thereof?
14 Then said he, These are the two anointed ones, that stand by the Lord of the whole earth.
The OT saints were given white robes and told to wait a "little season" (5th seal through 7th trumpet) when their fellowservants (144K) are killed in the great tribulation.
( Revelation 6:9-11)
9 And when he had opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of them that were slain for the word of God, and for the testimony which they held:
10 And they cried with a loud voice, saying, How long, O Lord, holy and true, dost thou not judge and avenge our blood on them that dwell on the earth?
11 And WHITE ROBES were given unto every one of them; and it was said unto them, that they should rest yet for a little season, until their FELLOWSERVANTS also and their brethren, that should be killed as they were, should be fulfilled.
( Revelation 7:13-14)
13 And one of the elders answered, saying unto me, What are these which are arrayed in WHITE ROBES? and whence came they?
14 And I said unto him, Sir, thou knowest. And he said to me, These are they which came out of GREAT TRIBULATION, and have washed their robes, and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.
The 144K sealed are the two witnesses from each house.
As I'm not here to say who is going to Heaven and who isn't. Just to put my view to your question with a couple verses. First off there are no surprises with God and He knows exactly who is going to spend eternity with Him. As in Ephesians 1:4-6.
I believe us in the Lord who are His and worthy to be with Him for eternity go to be with Him when our physical body dies. A couple verses: 2 Corinthians 5:1-10, Philippians 1:21-23.
As it is written there are two resurrections. Here in Revelation 7:9-17 are all types of people in Heaven around the throne of God and Christ. Also Revelation 20:4-6 which speaks of those who are worthy of the first resurrection who live and reign with Christ and shall not see the second death. This is before the great judgement which is the end of the chapter.
As also that confirms that not all shall go to be with Christ right after our physical death. Only those worthy of the first resurrection and the rest of the dead lived not until the second resurrection before the great judgement.
Even if you have read Revelation 7 hundreds of times, you may not have noticed something peculiar. After the tribes are sealed, vs 1-8, time skips forward 3.5 years, showing the same 144K resurrected and standing about the throne.
9 After this I beheld, and, lo, a great multitude, which no man could number, of all nations, and kindreds, and people, and tongues, stood before the throne, and before the Lamb, clothed with white robes, and palms in their hands;
13 And one of the elders answered, saying unto me, What are these which are arrayed in white robes? and whence came they?
14 And I said unto him, Sir, thou knowest. And he said to me, These are they which came out of great tribulation, and have washed their robes, and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.
Revelation 14:4 These are they which were not defiled with women; for they are virgins. These are they which follow the Lamb whithersoever he goeth. These were redeemed from among men, being the firstfruits unto God and to the Lamb. These are the firstfruits who will serve a thousand years with Jesus Christ.
Yes, knowing the time stamps are crucial because the text skips back and forth. You said "There are many more passages that point to the church being raptured up before the tribulation period."
Can you show me in scripture where rapture happens before tribulation? Don't you mean before the great tribulation, before Jesus comes like a thief?
The 144K sealed are the church that is resurrected, depicted standing before the alter as redeemed from the earth. Show me where anyone else besides the 144K are resurrected. Who are like these? Revelation 14:1-5
Revelation 7:13-14
13 And one of the elders answered, saying unto me, What are these which are arrayed in white robes? and whence came they?
14 And I said unto him, Sir, thou knowest. And he said to me, These are they which came out of great tribulation, and have washed their robes, and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.
In the field of 14 tribes, 12 are sealed; Dan and Ephraim have been left out. Joseph still represents two tribes, but in this case, for their apostasy, he replaces both Dan and Ephraim . Their seal exclusion implies that the 144K elect will be pure and righteous, having a strong testament of God's word.
In Judges 17-21, before Israel had a king, and in their territories, Dan and Ephraim refused to conform to religious standards. Moreover, Dan was not pleased with the land God gave them, and they with Ephraim chased after idols.
The Bible Commentary feature on this website is accessed through the Search Box. Put the scripture in the search box. Touch the verse and it will highlight in yellow. Drop down until you see the Commentary Box. Select Commentary.
The same thing can be done through Google. Put in Book, chapter and verse to see commentaries.
Your verse:
Wesley's Notes for Revelation 7:10
7:10 Salvation to our God - Who hath saved us from all evil into all the happiness of heaven. The salvation for which they praise God is described, verse 15; # Rev 7:15 that for which| they praise the Lamb, verse 14; # Rev 7:14 and both|, in the sixteenth and seventeenth verses. # Rev 7:16|,17
People's Bible Notes for Revelation 7:10
Re 7:10 Salvation to our God . . . and unto the Lamb. The praise of our salvation be given to God and to the Lamb.
In this scripture, God and Jesus are being praised for salvation of the earth, and humankind.
Something that I do when a scripture seems unclear, is to ask The Holy Spirit to explain it. He desires to be our Teacher. Jesus sent him to all believers on the Day of Pentecost. We all should ask for help.
It may involve being still before the Lord. Which generally means turn off the media in the room and listening intently.
If you read the story of the two women both named Martha: one was scurrying around serving the company. The other Martha was sitting at the feet of Jesus, totally engaged with what He was teaching. The 2nd Martha is the one that was remarked upon.
Point: being busy and distracted is not really a good thing if you cannot hear what Jesus is saying.
My comment: hearing an answer or reply from the Holy Spirit, will create a hunger within your spirit to spend time with Him.
Don't ask things you can easily look up in a Bible Encyclopedia, a Commentary or googling History. Do you see my suggestion? If you are still not understanding something, ask, believe, and you shall receive.
In Revelation 7:10 it says "salvation to our God" ... I am baffled as to how our God needs salvation? This is really throwing me for a loop . Thanks for any clarification, Tamara
I'd be happy to look into that for you. As I understand how it kind of looks a little backwards in that it is us who need Salvation not God.
First I looked in to the Greek word for Salvation. It is the word "soteria" G4991 with some definitions of "deliverance, preservation, safety, salvation , rescue". That checked out. As there was one variation between Textus Receptus versions I'll post at the end which didn't really answer anything as the differences are minor.
I believe I found why the verse is a little off in the translation. I found this by going over the "article or adverb" right after the word Salvation. As the translation from Greek to English removes a lot of the adverbs and puts them all together. What I found was the one adverb G3588 used five times in the Greek, though only twice in English as "the", was actually three different Greek words in this one verse of Revelation 7:10. So using a translator I took that article right after Salvation and what I got was "of the". That gave me the answer we were looking for as Salvation "of" the one sitting upon the throne. Is what it should be and it is correct in the Greek. That's the best I could do as you noted another little flaw in the translation. Really no big deal as we know Salvation is of God not "to" Him. Though as you noticed It could be confusing to some.
The one variant of the Textus Receptus that did not fully support this verse is the Stephanus. It reads "Salvation to him which sitteth upon the throne of our God, even unto the Lamb" instead of "Salvation to our God which sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb." Though it still uses "Salvation to him" so it has the same little flaw.
That was a very good question Lauren and I always enjoy looking over the Scriptures to find details.
Richard, That is an interesting phrase from Revelation 7:9-10, "Salvation to our God, which sitteth upon the throne...." as we almost exclusively hear of "salvation for sinners," not to our God. Any comment? Thank you for all you share!
The witnesses are special enough to be the subject of 5 Chapters, and that they're hidden from you until I come along. Just prior to the 6th trumpet ( Revelation 7:1-3), the elect 144,000 are sealed for 3.5 years (42 months) against death. At the end of their testimony, these elect will lay dead in the street for 3.5 days, then taken up in the clouds at the seventh trumpet, second coming of Jesus Christ. Since antichrist is revealed at the start of the sixth trumpet, ( 2 Thessalonians 2:3) the day of the Lord, his 3.5 years expire at the start of the seventh trumpet. The elect die 3.5 days before the seventh trumpet resurrection, while antichrist's time hasn't come yet. This leaves a 3.5 day gap between the tribes being sealed, and the sixth trumpet. For prophesy to be fulfilled, the 144,000 must receive a full 1,260 days of sealed protection.
The tribes are sealed 3.5 days prior to the sixth trumpet, day of the Lord. What will they do in that 3.5 day day window?
( Joel 2:28-31) And it shall come to pass afterward [( Acts 2:17-21) And it shall come to pass in the last days], that I will pour out my spirit upon all flesh; and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, your young men shall see visions:...
Could this Holy Ghost outpour occur during the 3.5 day "gap" prior to the day of the Lord, so that we, with the elect, should all (flesh) receive the Holy Ghost?
We also have the promise of ( Malachi 4:5) Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the LORD: [between Revelation 6:14 & Revelation 6:12?]
THE FIRST RESURRECTION: The seventh trumpet resurrection happens in the twinkling of an eye. ( 1 Corinthians 15:51-52) Judgment for these resurrected Christians takes place in the space between the seventh trumpet and before the twinkling, rather simultaneously.
The 144,000 out of great tribulation are judged ( Revelation 20:4) and made whole. These are the elect only, no others. Resurrection scriptures were tailored for the elect, of the great tribulation, who rise first.
The resurrection accounts of the 144,000 are on record, and their numbers add up: "10,000 x 10,000 = 100,000 + thousands and thousands" is another way of saying 144,000. ( Revelation 7:9 [that's them]) ...a great multitude...in white robes...out of the great tribulation. ( Revelation 11:12)
( Revelation 5:11) And I beheld, and I heard the voice of many angels round about the throne and the beasts and the elders: and the number of them was ten thousand times ten thousand, and thousands of thousands.
( Revelation 7:13-14) And one of the elders answered, saying unto me, What are these which are arrayed in white robes (fifth seal brethren) and whence came they?....they which came out of great tribulation, and have washed their robes...
It makes sense for the 144,000 to rule the world with Christ for the 1,000 years. Then bring up the balance for the new heaven and new earth.
For resurrection perspective, the current world population is 7.8 billion people.
Conservatively speaking, 25 billion Christians have lived since the first century AD.
If these 25 billion dead in Christ are resurrected at the last trumpet, where will they go?
25 billion (physically) are not sustainable, suggesting that the first fruits are a small body of the core church. Many will remain asleep.
THE SECOND RESURRECTION: God's balance of 108 billion souls will come to the table. ( Ecclesiastes 12:7) The new earth & new heaven will accommodate all.
Precious friend, actually the confusion disappears when the THREE raptures "are LEFT In God's Contexts, Where HE Placed Them!" Amen? ie:
PRE-TOJT rapture:
(1) Body Of CHRIST Departure TO Heaven (Read/study Romans - Philemon) = God's 'Context' is ALL 'Spiritual!' We are not "looking for the man of sin/signs to enter into The Time of Jacob's Trouble." ( 2 Corinthians 5:7); We are "looking, watching, and Patiently waiting For CHRIST, Who Will Present ALL of The Body Of CHRIST, holy and unblameable and unreproveable, In His Sight, TO His Father, In Heaven, Where we Will Live Forever And Ever! ( 1 Thessalonians 3:13; Colossians 1:5, 22; 1 Corinthians 6:3; 2 Corinthians 5:1-2) Amen?
MID-TOJT raptures:
(2) During The Time {God's 'Context'} of JACOB's {ISRAEL's} Trouble, there Will Be TWO "raptures":
a) one departure is of the TWO witnesses, killed, resurrected, and taken up ( Revelation 11:1-12)
b) the other departure is of the 144,000 "sealed virgins of TWELVE tribes ( Revelation 7:1-8) redeemed from the earth," and were "without fault before The Throne of God!" ( Revelation 14:1-5)
Please refrain from listening to those who "MIX these up" in confusion. And:
Please Be RichlyEncouraged, Enlightened,Exhorted, and Edified In JESUS CHRIST!
( 2 Timothy 2:15; Romans 16:25; Ephesians 1:3-9; Ephesians 3:9 = Grace/Mystery fellowship, today?)
( Revelation 6:9-11) And when he had opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of them that were slain for the word of God, and for the testimony which they held:
10 And they cried with a loud voice, saying, How long, O Lord, holy and true, dost thou not judge and avenge our blood on them that dwell on the earth?
11 And white robes were given unto every one of them; and it was said unto them, that they should rest yet for a little season, until their fellowservants also and their brethren, that should be killed as they were, should be fulfilled.
When the witness are called up to heaven ( Revelation 11:12) and they appear in heaven as the one hundred forty four thousand ( Revelation 7:13-14) after being sealed 42 months prior ( Revelation 7:1-8) They come out of the great tribulation!!!
( Revelation 11:4) These are the two olive trees, and the two candlesticks standing before the God of the earth. These 2 olive trees and 2 candlesticks are both houses of Israel, 2 nations, before God.
There is no separation between the witnesses and the sealed tribes, they are one in the same.
Here is one: A government that persecutes or suppresses the children of God may fall into the area of a beast government. This can be true even while the government performs services of law and order under God's will.
A person that joins themselves to a spirit of suppression or persecution by using the government as force, they maybe giving them their mind or forehead to this fellowship and if the government becomes their life; then it is like giving the right hand to this fellowship.
Christ Jesus wants his lambs to fellowship with him with their foreheads and right hands.
Revelation 7:3 adds to this interpretation.
It is possibly later than many think and chose to believe.
So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.
Galatians 3:2
This only would I learn of you, Received ye the Spirit by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith?
The more Bible you can get inside of you, the stronger you will be in your faith. Read John 3, ask to receive the Holy Spirit. Ask HIM to teach you what the scriptures mean. Ask for what you need.
There are things you can do also, it depends on your persistence to pursue everything the Holy Spirit has for you.
Personally I gorge myself on Bible Reading every day almost. When I wash dishes I listen to FM RADIO, Christian radio teaching ministers; sometimes on AM radio too. I like Paul Shepherd and Greg Laurie.
Sometimes when the news is shocking, I listen on YouTube to King James Bible: Faith verses, healing verses, spiritual warfare Bible verses.
Sometimes I may listen to some Isaac Air Freight to enjoy some comedy from a Biblical perspective. The more you get inside of you, the quicker you will grow up. We're to be sober minded for sure, heavenly minded, but able to not lose our sense of humor.
Sometimes talking to our friends and family is less frightening if we have a balance of everything in our "quiver". A quiver is the sling we wear with our arrows in it. God uses arrows guided by the Holy Spirit. They change us on the inside first, and then the Lord uses us to be witnesses. He leads; we follow Him.
Mishael
14 And I said unto him, Sir, thou knowest. And he said to me, These are they which came out of great tribulation, and have washed their robes, and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.
15 Therefore are they before the throne of God, and serve him day and night in his temple: and he that sitteth on the throne shall dwell among them.
( Revelation 21:3-7) The second resurrection:
1 And I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away; and there was no more sea.
2 And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband.
3 And I heard a great voice out of heaven saying, Behold, the tabernacle of Godiswith men, and he will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself shall be with them,and betheir God.
4 And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away.
5 And he that sat upon the throne said, Behold, I make all things new. And he said unto me, Write: for these words are true and faithful.
6 And he said unto me, It is done. I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end. I will give unto him that is athirst of the fountain of the water of life freely.
7 He that overcometh shall inherit all things; and I will be his God, and he shall be my son.
"One of Us" comes full circle:
Genesis1:26 And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness...
Genesis 3:22And the LORD God said, Behold, the man is become as one of us...
I have not heard back from you about who the people of many tongues are? I was expecting you to clear this up since you're familiar with it, and willing to talk about what scripture says.
I want to add scripture that solidifies my belief. Please compare these 2 similar scriptures, one of which you used below, and note how spot on they are to ID the 144k:
( Revelation 5:9:11). You said "It directly says they're out of every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation;"
And they sung a new song, saying, Thou art worthy to take the book, and to open the seals thereof: for thou wast slain, and hast redeemed us to God by thy blood out of every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation;
&
( Revelation 7:8-9) 8 Of the tribe of Zabulon were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Joseph were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Benjamin were sealed twelve thousand.
9 After this I beheld, and, lo, a great multitude, which no man could number, of all nations, and kindreds, and people, and tongues, stood before the throne, and before the Lamb, clothed with white robes, and palms in their hands;
These are the 144k going from being sealed, to being in heaven. They are the fellowservants of the Revelation 6 fifth seal saints who were told to rest for a little season, and given white robes. The 144k are wearing white robes. It is safe to say that the group in Revelation 5 is the same group that's spread throughout the narrative.
Let me know if this make sense to you, who they are.
"The group in Revelation is not reigning on the earth"
I said "alluding" because it's not so obvious who they are, but it is obvious from what they do. Yeah, I know they're in heaven, and will reign on earth. Read it again.
"And they're not the 144 thousand seen in Revelation Ch. 7 and 14. In Revelation 7 and 14 they're 12000 out of every tribe of Israel."
How many times do you want God to tell you who they are, and in how many ways? There's something called a rough number. If you can't see the likeness between those 2 figures, math is not your calling.
"In Revelation 5:9:11. It directly says they're out of every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation;"
Seriously? That is them!!! Israel was scattered all over the earth, Israel's seed is everywhere, and from those nations and tongues are where the 144K are gathered from. THEY LOST THEIR IDENTITY, THEY HAVE NO IDEA WHO THEY ARE be it Dan, Ruben, or Gad. They're sealed out of every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation, that's who Israel has become. Israel represents EVERYONE.
"I believe this is the Church that has been raptured up."
Did you add that number up? It comes out to roughly 144k. depending on what thousands of thousands is, That amount of people would only cover a medium city. What would you do in the first resurrection anyways. ( Revelation 7:15) witnesses have taken up all the jobs. I thought like you because someone told me about a rapture, so I studied up. What speculation I have is backed up by scripture, you'll always have doubt. Be thankful for ( Ezekiel 37:1-14).
I don't see evidence supporting anyone other than the 144k firstfruits being of the first resurrection. The group in Revelation 5 that live as kings and priests, are the 144k. What the 144k do for a thousand years is symbolic ( Revelation 7:15) Therefore are they before the throne of God, and serve him day and night in his temple: and he that sitteth on the throne shall dwell among them. The 144k are the church, they are the bride. They are Christ-like. They are the only group officially sealed. Revelation is peppered with them in 7 chapters, illustrated in allegory or metaphor to subtly let you know something is afoot.
I found a scripture that would bolster your belief ( Isaiah 13:15). It's for pre-tribbers, but don't tell them.
( 1 Thessalonians 4:17) Everything hinges on this description, then weighing out the billions of people who will attend. It could be that Paul, who's part of the elect 24, was describing his fellow saints rising. I understand your position, better to be a seventh trumpet riser, than the others. What other scripture supports your doctrine? I will spend some time researching this and other scriptures that lend clarity.
In summary, it all depends on how you interpret scripture, or if you're strongly committed to an ideology to alter. I have looked in the web at what others think about prophesy, scholars, and my interpretations all all to myself. I want God to grade my Bible IQ when we're face to face (2nd resurrection).
The group in Revelation is not reigning on the earth. They're in heaven in the midst around the Throne! Revelation 5:6. And I beheld, and, lo, in the midst of the throne and of the four beasts, and in the midst of the elders, stood a Lamb as it had been slain, having seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven Spirits of God sent forth into all the earth.
And they're not the 144 thousand seen in Revelation Ch. 7 and 14. In Revelation 7 and 14 they're 12000 out of every tribe of Israel.
Revelation 7:4. And I heard the number of them which were sealed: and there were sealed an hundred and forty and four thousand of all the tribes of the children of Israel.
In Revelation 5:9:11. It directly says they're out of every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation;
And they sung a new song, saying, Thou art worthy to take the book, and to open the seals thereof: for thou wast slain, and hast redeemed us to God by thy blood out of every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation;
And hast made us unto our God kings and priests: and we shall reign on the earth.
And I beheld, and I heard the voice of many angels round about the throne and the beasts and the elders: and the number of them was ten thousand times ten thousand, and thousands of thousands;
I believe this is the Church that has been raptured up.
God bless.
Look at this piece of the mystery, then tell me about it.
Revelation 7 begins with the 144K being sealed for 42 months (vs 4), immediately after this (vs 9) 42 months have passed, and the 144k are in heaven (vs 14). These 144k are the only firstfruits ever spoken of. Their purpose is far greater than what they are given credit for simply because they are concealed in allegory.
( Revelation 7:4) And I heard the number of them which were sealed: and there were sealed an hundred and forty and four thousand of all the tribes of the children of Israel.
vs 9 After this I beheld, and, lo, a great multitude, which no man could number, of all nations, and kindreds, and people, and tongues, stood before the throne, and before the Lamb, clothed with WHITE ROBES, and palms in their hands;
vs 14 And I said unto him, Sir, thou knowest. And he said to me, These are they which came out of great tribulation, and have washed their robes, and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.
Two witnesses are the 144k in heaven ( Revelation 11:12) ( 1 Thessalonians 4:17) ( Revelation 14:1-4)
There's more to reveal between the 144K and the fifth seal saints:
( Revelation 6:9-11) And when he had opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of them that were slain for the word of God, and for the testimony which they held:
10 And they cried with a loud voice, saying, How long, O Lord, holy and true, dost thou not judge and avenge our blood on them that dwell on the earth?
11 And WHITE ROBES were given unto every one of them; and it was said unto them, that they should rest yet for a little season, until their fellowservants also and their brethren, that should be killed as they were, should be fulfilled.
A little season = fifth seal-seventh trumpet
( Revelation 7:13) And one of the elders answered, saying unto me, What are these which are arrayed in WHITE ROBES? and whence came they? (fellowservants)
144k = ( Revelation 7:15)
There are some things that no one knows or will know until that great day.
You didn't answer my questions. You said I was "wrong" about the 2 witnesses, but not why. You had to Google it, I recognized the script you copied. Therefore, I will answer the questions for you:
The 144K are the church, they are Christ's bride. The 2 witnesses, the two candlesticks & two olive trees, the woman from Revelation 12, are all symbolism, metaphors, and allegory describing the 144K. The 2 witnesses and the 144K have the same mission, within the same time frame. You still can't make the connection?
( Psalms 52:8) But I am like a green olive tree in the house of God: I trust in the mercy of God for ever and ever.
A single nation was an olive tree. A nation divided became two olive trees, two houses, two witnesses.
Below are 5 scripture depictions of the 144K on route to or in heaven. After being called up to heaven, the firstfruits are gathered for their judgment. The 144K "witnesses" are judged and resurrected in the twinkling of an eye. Look how the Rev 7 & Rev 11 stories parallel each other.
( Revelation 11:12) And they heard a great voice from heaven saying unto them, Come up hither. And they ascended up to heaven in a cloud; and their enemies beheld them.
( Revelation 7:9) After this I beheld, and, lo, a great multitude, which no man could number, of all nations, and kindreds, and people, and tongues, stood before the throne, and before the Lamb, clothed with white robes, and palms in their hands;
( Revelation 7:14)...These are they which came out of great tribulation, and have washed their robes, and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.
Revelation 14:1-4
Revelation 20:4
Can it get any clearer? The 2 witnesses die, and no sooner do they appear in heaven as the coveted 144K. I have no idea where you stand, but, If you're going to dismiss my interpretation, the burden is on you to back it up with facts. Can you post your own ideas about the 2 witnesses for me to review?
No, Robert, the 144K are not the two witnesses, absolutely, and they will not "be killed in the
great tribulation", as you said. The 144K will be sealed in their foreheads as the servants of
our God from now on- Revelation 7:v.1-4. These are the remnant of Israel that will be saved
-Is.10:v.20-22. These will be redeemed from among men, being the firstfruits unto God and
to the Lamb, for they are without fault before the throne of God.
You quoted Jeremiah 11:v.16 that refers to "A green olive tree"
and discerned not in the same verse that its branches were broken. Why? Verse 17 explains
the why: -The Lord of hosts, that planted thee, pronounced evil against thee, for the evil of
the house of Israel and of the house of Judah, which they have done against themselves to
provoke me to anger in offering incense unto Baal.
You quoted Zachariah 4:11- Then answered I, and said unto him, What are these two olive
trees upon the right side of the candlestick and upon the left side thereof?
Didn't you see? In the time of Zechariah there was only and only one candlestick, and two olive
trees, (one candlestick has nothing to do with Israel and Judah, now in the current time there
are two candlesticks, and refers to two aproved Churches of the Lord-one Gentile and one Jewish,
and the two OLIVE TREES are a source of Oil for the two candlesticks standing before the God of
the earth. Revelation 11:v.4.
We can say the two Olive Trees gave rise to the Old Testament-the Torah-and to the New Testament.
The Bible is a product originating from two Olive Trees written in two parts, in two different periods,
God uses the OLD and NEW TESTAMENTS as His powerful witnesses within the two candlesticks.
Remember: The WORD is GOD. Yeah, the Word is GOD.
Let's use the Bible to define who the witnesses are by association. Their mission is to record antichrists exploits; Jesus said 2 are needed to bare witness. These 2 are the sealed 12 tribes from Israel and Judah. The witnesses are in Revelation 5, 7, 11, 12, 14 & more.
Who are the candlesticks and olive trees?
( Jeremiah 11:16)
The LORD called thy name, A green olive tree, fair, and of goodly fruit: with the noise of a great tumult he hath kindled fire upon it, and the branches of it are broken.
(Zachariah 4:11-14)
11 Then answered I, and said unto him, What are these two olive trees upon the right side of the candlestick and upon the left side thereof?
14 Then said he, These are the two anointed ones, that stand by the Lord of the whole earth.
The OT saints were given white robes and told to wait a "little season" (5th seal through 7th trumpet) when their fellowservants (144K) are killed in the great tribulation.
( Revelation 6:9-11)
9 And when he had opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of them that were slain for the word of God, and for the testimony which they held:
10 And they cried with a loud voice, saying, How long, O Lord, holy and true, dost thou not judge and avenge our blood on them that dwell on the earth?
11 And WHITE ROBES were given unto every one of them; and it was said unto them, that they should rest yet for a little season, until their FELLOWSERVANTS also and their brethren, that should be killed as they were, should be fulfilled.
( Revelation 7:13-14)
13 And one of the elders answered, saying unto me, What are these which are arrayed in WHITE ROBES? and whence came they?
14 And I said unto him, Sir, thou knowest. And he said to me, These are they which came out of GREAT TRIBULATION, and have washed their robes, and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.
The 144K sealed are the two witnesses from each house.
As I'm not here to say who is going to Heaven and who isn't. Just to put my view to your question with a couple verses. First off there are no surprises with God and He knows exactly who is going to spend eternity with Him. As in Ephesians 1:4-6.
I believe us in the Lord who are His and worthy to be with Him for eternity go to be with Him when our physical body dies. A couple verses: 2 Corinthians 5:1-10, Philippians 1:21-23.
As it is written there are two resurrections. Here in Revelation 7:9-17 are all types of people in Heaven around the throne of God and Christ. Also Revelation 20:4-6 which speaks of those who are worthy of the first resurrection who live and reign with Christ and shall not see the second death. This is before the great judgement which is the end of the chapter.
As also that confirms that not all shall go to be with Christ right after our physical death. Only those worthy of the first resurrection and the rest of the dead lived not until the second resurrection before the great judgement.
God Bless.
Even if you have read Revelation 7 hundreds of times, you may not have noticed something peculiar. After the tribes are sealed, vs 1-8, time skips forward 3.5 years, showing the same 144K resurrected and standing about the throne.
9 After this I beheld, and, lo, a great multitude, which no man could number, of all nations, and kindreds, and people, and tongues, stood before the throne, and before the Lamb, clothed with white robes, and palms in their hands;
13 And one of the elders answered, saying unto me, What are these which are arrayed in white robes? and whence came they?
14 And I said unto him, Sir, thou knowest. And he said to me, These are they which came out of great tribulation, and have washed their robes, and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.
Revelation 14:4 These are they which were not defiled with women; for they are virgins. These are they which follow the Lamb whithersoever he goeth. These were redeemed from among men, being the firstfruits unto God and to the Lamb. These are the firstfruits who will serve a thousand years with Jesus Christ.
Yes, knowing the time stamps are crucial because the text skips back and forth. You said "There are many more passages that point to the church being raptured up before the tribulation period."
Can you show me in scripture where rapture happens before tribulation? Don't you mean before the great tribulation, before Jesus comes like a thief?
The 144K sealed are the church that is resurrected, depicted standing before the alter as redeemed from the earth. Show me where anyone else besides the 144K are resurrected. Who are like these? Revelation 14:1-5
Revelation 7:13-14
13 And one of the elders answered, saying unto me, What are these which are arrayed in white robes? and whence came they?
14 And I said unto him, Sir, thou knowest. And he said to me, These are they which came out of great tribulation, and have washed their robes, and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.
God bless you Barney
The sealing of 12 tribes: The Elect
Jacob's 12 sons in order of birth: Reuben, Simeon, Levi, Judah, Dan, Naphtali, Gad, Asher, Issachar, Zebulun, Joseph and Benjamin.
Prior to the 6th trumpet, day of the Lord battle, 12 tribes of Israel are sealed 42 months from death, and witnesses to antichrist's atrocities.
Revelation 7 tribe sealing in order: Judah, Reuben, Gad, Asher, Naphtali, Manasseh, Simeon, Levi, Issachar, Zebulun, Joseph, Benjamin.
In the field of 14 tribes, 12 are sealed; Dan and Ephraim have been left out. Joseph still represents two tribes, but in this case, for their apostasy, he replaces both Dan and Ephraim . Their seal exclusion implies that the 144K elect will be pure and righteous, having a strong testament of God's word.
In Judges 17-21, before Israel had a king, and in their territories, Dan and Ephraim refused to conform to religious standards. Moreover, Dan was not pleased with the land God gave them, and they with Ephraim chased after idols.
The same thing can be done through Google. Put in Book, chapter and verse to see commentaries.
Your verse:
Wesley's Notes for Revelation 7:10
7:10 Salvation to our God - Who hath saved us from all evil into all the happiness of heaven. The salvation for which they praise God is described, verse 15; # Rev 7:15 that for which| they praise the Lamb, verse 14; # Rev 7:14 and both|, in the sixteenth and seventeenth verses. # Rev 7:16|,17
People's Bible Notes for Revelation 7:10
Re 7:10 Salvation to our God . . . and unto the Lamb. The praise of our salvation be given to God and to the Lamb.
In this scripture, God and Jesus are being praised for salvation of the earth, and humankind.
Something that I do when a scripture seems unclear, is to ask The Holy Spirit to explain it. He desires to be our Teacher. Jesus sent him to all believers on the Day of Pentecost. We all should ask for help.
It may involve being still before the Lord. Which generally means turn off the media in the room and listening intently.
If you read the story of the two women both named Martha: one was scurrying around serving the company. The other Martha was sitting at the feet of Jesus, totally engaged with what He was teaching. The 2nd Martha is the one that was remarked upon.
Point: being busy and distracted is not really a good thing if you cannot hear what Jesus is saying.
My comment: hearing an answer or reply from the Holy Spirit, will create a hunger within your spirit to spend time with Him.
Don't ask things you can easily look up in a Bible Encyclopedia, a Commentary or googling History. Do you see my suggestion? If you are still not understanding something, ask, believe, and you shall receive.
Mishael
I'd be happy to look into that for you. As I understand how it kind of looks a little backwards in that it is us who need Salvation not God.
First I looked in to the Greek word for Salvation. It is the word "soteria" G4991 with some definitions of "deliverance, preservation, safety, salvation , rescue". That checked out. As there was one variation between Textus Receptus versions I'll post at the end which didn't really answer anything as the differences are minor.
I believe I found why the verse is a little off in the translation. I found this by going over the "article or adverb" right after the word Salvation. As the translation from Greek to English removes a lot of the adverbs and puts them all together. What I found was the one adverb G3588 used five times in the Greek, though only twice in English as "the", was actually three different Greek words in this one verse of Revelation 7:10. So using a translator I took that article right after Salvation and what I got was "of the". That gave me the answer we were looking for as Salvation "of" the one sitting upon the throne. Is what it should be and it is correct in the Greek. That's the best I could do as you noted another little flaw in the translation. Really no big deal as we know Salvation is of God not "to" Him. Though as you noticed It could be confusing to some.
The one variant of the Textus Receptus that did not fully support this verse is the Stephanus. It reads "Salvation to him which sitteth upon the throne of our God, even unto the Lamb" instead of "Salvation to our God which sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb." Though it still uses "Salvation to him" so it has the same little flaw.
That was a very good question Lauren and I always enjoy looking over the Scriptures to find details.
God Bless.
Many Blessings, Lauren
Peace and Blessing be upon you.
Revelation 7
Revelation 11
Revelation 12
Revelation 14
The witnesses are special enough to be the subject of 5 Chapters, and that they're hidden from you until I come along. Just prior to the 6th trumpet ( Revelation 7:1-3), the elect 144,000 are sealed for 3.5 years (42 months) against death. At the end of their testimony, these elect will lay dead in the street for 3.5 days, then taken up in the clouds at the seventh trumpet, second coming of Jesus Christ. Since antichrist is revealed at the start of the sixth trumpet, ( 2 Thessalonians 2:3) the day of the Lord, his 3.5 years expire at the start of the seventh trumpet. The elect die 3.5 days before the seventh trumpet resurrection, while antichrist's time hasn't come yet. This leaves a 3.5 day gap between the tribes being sealed, and the sixth trumpet. For prophesy to be fulfilled, the 144,000 must receive a full 1,260 days of sealed protection.
The tribes are sealed 3.5 days prior to the sixth trumpet, day of the Lord. What will they do in that 3.5 day day window?
( Joel 2:28-31) And it shall come to pass afterward [( Acts 2:17-21) And it shall come to pass in the last days], that I will pour out my spirit upon all flesh; and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, your young men shall see visions:...
Could this Holy Ghost outpour occur during the 3.5 day "gap" prior to the day of the Lord, so that we, with the elect, should all (flesh) receive the Holy Ghost?
We also have the promise of ( Malachi 4:5) Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the LORD: [between Revelation 6:14 & Revelation 6:12?]
The 144,000 out of great tribulation are judged ( Revelation 20:4) and made whole. These are the elect only, no others. Resurrection scriptures were tailored for the elect, of the great tribulation, who rise first.
The resurrection accounts of the 144,000 are on record, and their numbers add up: "10,000 x 10,000 = 100,000 + thousands and thousands" is another way of saying 144,000. ( Revelation 7:9 [that's them]) ...a great multitude...in white robes...out of the great tribulation. ( Revelation 11:12)
( Revelation 5:11) And I beheld, and I heard the voice of many angels round about the throne and the beasts and the elders: and the number of them was ten thousand times ten thousand, and thousands of thousands.
( Revelation 7:13-14) And one of the elders answered, saying unto me, What are these which are arrayed in white robes (fifth seal brethren) and whence came they?....they which came out of great tribulation, and have washed their robes...
It makes sense for the 144,000 to rule the world with Christ for the 1,000 years. Then bring up the balance for the new heaven and new earth.
For resurrection perspective, the current world population is 7.8 billion people.
Conservatively speaking, 25 billion Christians have lived since the first century AD.
If these 25 billion dead in Christ are resurrected at the last trumpet, where will they go?
25 billion (physically) are not sustainable, suggesting that the first fruits are a small body of the core church. Many will remain asleep.
THE SECOND RESURRECTION: God's balance of 108 billion souls will come to the table. ( Ecclesiastes 12:7) The new earth & new heaven will accommodate all.