#DailyDevotion So, Are Only 144,000 Israelites Going To Be Saved?

December 19th
Read Rev 7:1–17
Rev 7:4 And I heard the number of the sealed, 144,000, sealed from every tribe of the sons of Israel:
Rev 7:9-10 After this I looked, and behold, a great multitude that no one could number, from every nation, from all tribes and peoples and languages, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed in white robes, with palm branches in their hands, (10) and crying out with a loud voice, “Salvation belongs to our God who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb!”
Rev 7:15-17 “Therefore they are before the throne of God, and serve him day and night in his temple; and he who sits on the throne will shelter them with his presence. (16) They shall hunger no more, neither thirst anymore; the sun shall not strike them, nor any scorching heat. (17) For the Lamb in the midst of the throne will be their shepherd, and he will guide them to springs of living water, and God will wipe away every tear from their eyes.”

In the text for today it says “after this” a couple of times. These are not sequential for time of the vision but after this in the vision.

Now the 144,000 are not the only Israelites that would be saved. There were more than that who followed Joshua into the promised land. As always in Revelation, if you can find a symbolic meaning for anything then should follow that meaning rather than a literal one. Here we have a symbolic number with a symbolic people. 12 is the number of God’s people. 12 patriarchs, 12 apostles, if you multiply them you get 144. Ten is the number of completion. Ten times 144 and you get the number 144,000. This is a representation of the whole people of God, old and new testament. We see that in verses 9-10 where we see a more literal description of the Church, a great number of every language, tribe, people and nation. Why are these verses more literal? Because they are testified elsewhere in clearer passages of scripture where they are not symbolic.

This chapter may also be a whole salvation history of the world where the people of God are sealed first before the tribulation. We see that in Noah. We see that with Lot. We see that with the Israelites in Egypt. We see it with the remnant of Judah. It is true with the New Testament people in that they are not afflicted with the spiritual plagues of unbelievers.

Finally as we look to verses 15-17 all this language is last day language. In the temple, not hungering or thirsting anymore. Nature no longer an enemy, springs of living water and our tears being wiped away are all language of Rev. 22! So either this is a salvation history chapter in itself or is filling out the salvation history describe in and with the seven seal salvation history of the world.

Lord Jesus Christ, we thank you that we have been sealed in the waters of baptism by your Holy Spirit and your name. Keep us blameless unto the end as you have promised so may enter your kingdom. Amen.