TODAY'S TECHNOLOGY IN BIBLE PROPHECY
Lesson 41: The timing of the 144,000 "sealed" Jews' conversion
to Christianity.
I The 144,000 "sealed" Jews will make their entrance on the
world scene during the days when the events of the great
tribulation will be gaining momentum.
A Despite Mystery Babylon's employment of a computerized
international financial system to silence those naming
the name of Christ, the gospel will go forth with vigor
during the days of the great tribulation.
B Revelation 14 highlights the dedicated effort the 144,000
"sealed" Jews, "from all the tribes of Israel"
(Rev. 7:4, NIV), will put forth to help reach the lost
for Christ during the closing days of the tribulation era.
1 And I looked, and behold, the Lamb was standing on Mount
Zion, and with Him one hundred and forty-four thousand,
having His name and the name of His Father written on their
foreheads (Rev. 14:1, NASB).
A The 144,000 identified here are the same persons first
introduced in the Sixth Seal Atomic War prophecy.
1 According to that initial overview:
a "Another angel ascending from the rising of the sun,
having the seal of the living God" (Rev. 7:2, NASB),
b Commanded four angels "standing at the four corners
of the earth, holding back the four winds of the
earth, so that no wind should blow on the earth or on
the sea or on any tree" (Rev. 7:1, NASB),
c "saying, 'Do not harm the earth or the sea or the
trees, until we have sealed the bond-servants of
our God on their foreheads'" (Rev. 7:3, NASB).
2 By way of review, the four-angel team assumed bodily
positions at the four points of the compass to
project the idea of the four winds of the Earth being
held back by a future nuclear war-induced temperature
inversion.
3 Independently, their team leader deliberately
ascended "from the rising of the sun" to call
attention to some special influence in "sealing" the
servants of God going out from the East, in the
post-AWWI period.
B With this background review in place, what does the
Rev. 14:1 reference to the 144,000 "having His name and
the name of His Father written on their foreheads"
reveal about the task of "sealing" the 144,000 with
Christ's everlasting seal of salvation?
1 It shows that the task will be completed at this
point in the prophetic flow of Revelation events.
2 This means that the special contribution from the
East to the process of influencing the 144,000 to
accept Christ's "seal" of salvation, must already be
explained in the passages leading up to this text.
3 A recheck of the main message of the two preceding
chapters--Red China's victorious emergence from the
Sixth Trumpet World War as the planet's number one
power and her subsequent establishment of a
Chinese-Backed governing body over the
nations--confirms this assumption.
C How will the 144,000 be persuaded to turn to Christ in
the post-AWWI period?
1 According to Rev. 8:13, the day after AWWI burns up a
third of the Earth U.S. Christians will launch a
successful satellite-based evangelistic outreach to
every corner of the planet.
2 These "Flying Eagle" broadcasts will explain that the
post-AWWI global hot-air inversion, and Red China's
dispatch of a 200-million man army into the Middle
East, and subsequent Sixth Trumpet World War victory,
are the fulfillment of Bible prophecy.
3 The 144,000 will be among the multitudes around the
globe who will hear the U.S. satellite broadcasts.
4 With the dramatic fulfillment of the trumpet events
unfolding before them, the 144,000 will finally
embrace the U.S. Christian broadcasters' claims that
Jesus Christ is the Savior of the world.
5 Thus, it will take the fulfillment of the four-angel
team's stopped winds presentation and the fulfillment
of their team commander's specific reference to a
major post-AWWI development in the east--Red China's
spectacular rise to world power--to convince the
144,000 to make a personal commitment to Christ.
D John's report on the 144,000's conversion to
Christianity provides insight into when the
winds will begin to blow again after AWWI.
1 Once the 144,000 Jews have been "sealed"--according
to the four-angel team leader's command to "not harm
the earth or the sea or the trees, until we have
sealed the bond-servants of our God on their
foreheads" (Rev. 7:3, NASB)--the planet's winds will
begin to blow again.
2 The question that comes to mind here is how much time
will pass after AWWI, before the winds begin to blow
again?
a The Revelation does not specifically say but it is
clear that the global temperature inversion will
last somewhat longer than five months, since the
text describes the worst five months of the Fifth
Trumpet Nuclear Winter before the subject of the
Sixth Trumpet World War is introduced.
b This means the global temperature inversion will
last five months, plus whatever length of time it
will take to fight the Sixth Trumpet War.
c Moreover, since John announced the completion of
the task of "sealing" the 144,000 directly
following his report on the establishment of the
Fourth Beast and the workings of its computerized
international financial system, it follows that
the global hot-air inversion will also continue
through the length of time it will take to set up
a world government after the Sixth Trumpet War.
d (Whether it will take a few months, or several
years, to fight the Sixth Trumpet War and set up a
world government afterwards, remains to be seen.)
e All things considered, the question as to when the
winds will begin to blow again remains open.
II How does the emblematic language of John's vision sketch the
144,000's conversion to Christianity, and their unique
spiritual relationship with Christ, during the closing years of
the great tribulation epoch?
A In the statement "And I looked, and behold, the Lamb was
standing on Mount Zion," "the Lamb" symbolically
represents Christ, who is "the Lamb of God, which taketh
away the sin of the world" (John 1:29).
B Mount Zion, the southwestern hill in the city of
Jerusalem, was a name also used for the whole city.
C Since it was the center of worship, it became an
emblem of heaven--the dwelling-place of God.
22 But ye are come unto Mount Sion, and unto the city
of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to an
innumerable company of angels,
23 To the general assembly and church of the first-
born, which are written in heaven, (Heb. 12:22-23b).
1 Paul's statement that "ye are come unto Mount
Sion," represents the everlasting spiritual
position of those who accept Jesus Christ as
Savior; it does not mean they enter into heaven at
the time of their conversion.
2 The reference to the new Christian as a member of
"the general assembly and church of the firstborn,
which are written in heaven," supports this
understanding.
3 Just as the firstborn among the Hebrews enjoyed
special privileges and pre-eminence of rank, so do
those born-again through faith in Christ become a
firstborn member of the family of God, with all
the everlasting blessings of a citizen of heaven.
18 For through him we both have access by one
Spirit unto the Father.
19 Now therefore ye are no more strangers and
foreigners, but fellowcitizens with the saints,
and of the household of God (Eph. 2:18-19).
D Therefore John's statement that "the Lamb was standing
on Mount Zion, and with Him one hundred and forty-four
thousand," means the 144,000 are newly accepted members
of Christ's heavenly Jerusalem, "the city of the living
God" (Heb. 12:22).
E At this point in the prophetic flow of Revelation
events, the 144,000 will not be in heaven, but on the
earth with Christ in spirit and in truth, following
Christ's directives to preach the gospel to a lost and
dying world.
2 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
(Rev. 14:2, NIV).
A "And I heard a sound from heaven" establishes the
material point that John was on the Earth when he
heard the sound from heaven.
B John's location, on the Earth, serves to properly
position the location of the main subject of the vision
(the 144,000) on the Earth.
3 And they sang a new song before the throne and before the
four living creatures and the elders; and no one could learn
the song except the one hundred and forty-four thousand who had
been purchased from the earth (Rev. 14:3, NASB).
A The history of the Jewish people, in the intervening
centuries since Christ's first coming, provides some
insight into why no one other than the 144,000 will be
able to learn the "new song."
B For only a person raised in the powerless traditions and
perplexing trappings of Judaism (a religion which fails
to provide a man any assurance on the destiny of his
soul), whose Jewish forbearers had been enslaved, per-
secuted, hunted and killed, from one end of the planet
to the other, could possibly comprehend, let alone sing
a song about, the relief found in the realization that
Jesus Christ is the promised Savior of the world!
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
(Rev. 14:4).
A John used figurative language here to describe the
spiritual character of the 144,000.
B Why are the 144,000 referred to as "virgins"?
1 It does not mean the 144,000 will shun marriage, but
that they will shun doctrines and principles that do
not adhere to the spiritual truths Christ established.
2 This interpretation is in keeping with Paul's use of
this same symbolic language to convey his thoughts to
the Corinthians concerning their spiritual
relationship with Christ.
2 I am jealous for you with a godly jealously. I
promised you to one husband, to Christ, so that I
might present you as a pure virgin to him.
3 But I am afraid that just as Eve was deceived by
the serpent's cunning, your minds may somehow be led
astray from your sincere and pure devotion to Christ
(II Cor. 11:2-3, NIV).
C What is the meaning of the statement "these are they
which were not defiled with women"?
1 It is a symbolic way of saying that the 144,000 will
not defile their spiritual relationship with Christ
through the process of incorporating inconsistent
doctrines and philosophies spawned by men.
2 This means the 144,000 will not become a part of
"Mystery Babylon, THE MOTHER OF HARLOTS" (Rev. 17:5)
ecumenical "One Church" movement, nor will they be
defiled by any of her sensational religious teachings.
3 Instead, they will follow the Lamb withersoever he
goeth, "in doctrine, in reproof, in correction and in
instruction in righteousness" (II Tim. 3:16).
D What conclusions can be drawn from the statement "These
were redeemed from among men, being the firstfruits unto
God and to the Lamb?"
1 It shows that the 144,000 Jews, "from all the tribes
of Israel," will not only hear the American "Flying
Eagle" broadcasts explaining the unfolding trumpet
prophecies, but also that they will be the first
"from among men" around the globe to accept the
broadcasters' claims that Jesus Christ is the Son of
God, the Savior of the world.
2 Thus, even as the first ripe strawberries, apples,
oranges, etc., are referred to as the firstfruits of
the greater harvest which will soon follow, so also
will the 144,000 Jews be the first of the larger
harvest "from among men" (both Jews and gentiles) to
come to Christ during the post-AWWI period.
5 and in the mouth of them was not found a lie; they are
unblemished (Rev. 14:5, IGENT).
A According to the statement "and in the mouth of them was
not found a lie," the 144,000 will actively tell others
about their new found faith in Jesus Christ.
B "They are unblemished," means that incorrect teachings
and doctrines constructed by the Fourth Beast's false
religious movement will not weaken or compromise them.