David Rendon

I know there is much contention and debate as to the
question; is the 144,000 literal or symbolic? Now I can
appreciate the zeal one has for the literal nature of the
word of God, but do you really want that to be a literal
number? (With a membership of 21Million the odds are
slim that there is even one in Texas its actually less than
one percent) Revelation was written down in symbols and
literal language; so how do we tell when to read it as one
or the other? Rules of interpretation say if a symbol is introduced
then the context is symbolic. Rev 7:1-8 and Rev
14:1-5 the 2 places we find the 144,000 are highly symbolic
in nature and each symbol has a concrete interpretation
(not enough space here to examine all the symbols.).

Revelation is full of ideas and references to Old Testament
scriptures and to understand the 144,000 we must understand,
why people are numbered in the bible at all. The
bible numbers people in 2Samuel 18:1 and in the book of
Numbers. David numbers his people with the intention for
war and in numbers 1:20 we read “….according to the
number….all that were able to go forth to war.” In the
numbering of the 144,000 God is making up his army so
they can receive the seal of God.

Now let’s examine whether or not God is just waiting for
that magical number to be arrived at. What if it isn’t so
cut and dry as to whether it is literal or symbolic? What if
God is trying to teach us something? The Old Testament
reference for Revelation chapter seven is Numbers chapter
one because these are the only places the individual tribes
are numbered to reach a sum total. The total being
144,000 in Rev 7 and the total being 603,550 in Numbers
1:44-46 “…all…numbered…able to go forth to war…”.
Now if we connect these passages we see that God would
be teaching us that only a fraction are ready to go to war
when the time comes (144,000 of 603,550). Fifty percent
of the virgins were ready, and only one leper out of the ten
turned to say thank you, but I also know God is working
on us all and does not want anyone to perish. But many of
us shrink at the thought of war and rightly so if we are not
properly trained. But let’s think about the greatest heathen
captain to walk the earth, spoken of as such in Daniel
Ch. 2,7,8 and 11; Alexander the Great.

This man never was defeated in battle winning every battle
with unrivaled speed. Think of his soldiers as they woke
up each morning of battle, do you see them trembling in
there armor, hiding behind their comrades for shelter. Or
do you see them with courage going into battle knowing
that today will only end in victory. Shouldn’t we go forth
with much more courage than these knowing we have Jesus
as our captain? May God Grant us more faith to be a
part of the 144,000. “Being confident of this very thing,
that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform
it until the day of Jesus Christ” (Philippians 1:6). God can
and will finish this work in you if you will cooperate with
him.