Identifying The 144,000

Of the 144,000,we are told: 'These are they which were not defiled with women; for they are virgins...'{Revelation 14:4}

Whoever these people are,we know that they are 'virgins' because they have not defiled themselves with 'women'.Now, are we dealing with literal women and virgins, or are these symbolic terminologies for something else? Well let's investigate.

There is a rule in Bible prophecy, which, when used will always lead you to the correct interpretation of prophecy:

When you come across a word or a phrase in the Bible,that is questionable, the first thing you find out is if that Bible author uses that term in his books.

So let's ask ourselves this question: Does John speak of women in his writings? And if so, what does he mean?

Revelation 2:20- Jezebel

Revelation 12:1-A pure woman

Revelation 17:3-7-A defiled woman

So what does he mean by these women in these chapters? Here lies the foundation for all the prophecies in the book of Revelation:

'The Revelation of Jesus Christ,which God gave unto him, to shew unto His servants things which must shortly come to pass; and He sent and SIGNIFIED it..'{Rev 1:1}

The introduction of the book tells us how to correctly interpret the prophecies found therein. To signify,means to put information in the form of signs, symbols. So straight off, we can settle in our minds that the women in Revelation 14, are SYMBOLIC.

We need not guess what God uses a woman to represent in the Bible:

Jeremiah 6:2; Ephesians 5:23-28; 2Cor 11:2; Isa 37:22:GOD'S PEOPLE.

A defiled woman, is when God's people become corrupted:

Isaiah 1:21; Jeremiah 2:20; Jeremiah 3; Ezekiel 16:28.

Please take special notice of Ezekiel 16:28. God doesn't just tell us that a defiled woman represents a defiled church, but explains how His people become corrupted:

'Thou hast played the whore also with the Assyrians..'

The Assyrians,were the BABYLONIANS.

Do we see these two types of women in the book of Revelation?

Revelation 2:20 'Notwithstanding I have a few things against thee, because thou sufferest that woman Jezebel,which calleth herself a prophetess, to teach and to seduce my servants to commit fornication, and to eat things sacrificed unto idols.'

In chapter 2,the woman under discussion was not the literal Jezebel, who was alive during the time of Elijah. She was dead and gone by the time John wrote this. The era he was dealing with,was the Dark Ages when God's servants were being defiled with the false doctrines of ROMAN CATHOLICISM.

Revelation 12:1: 'And there appeared a great wonder[SIGN]in heaven; a woman clothed with the sun, and the moon under her feet, and upon her head a crown of twelve stars.' A pure Church.

Revelation 17:1-7-{The great whore}. A defiled church.

The 144,000 are a people who have been redeemed from the earth-translated. In other words, these are a people who are alive and pass through the Time of Trouble without seeing death. They are around when Rome(according to Bible prophecy), is defiling the inhabitants of the earth with her false corrupted doctrines. But the 144,000, though they pass through all of this, THEY ARE NOT DEFILED WITH 'WOMEN'. What 'women'?

According to Revelation 17, Rome is the Mother of Harlots...

She has DAUGHTERS. The daughters are those who came out from her during the Reformation; but didn't let go off of all her false teachings.

That is why the 144,000 are virgins:Because they have NOT DEFILED THEMSELVES WITH ROME AND HER DAUGHTERS during the Time of Trouble.

There are two groups of people who will make it to heaven at the end:

1.The 144,000 who will not see death.

2.The great multitude who will be put to sleep during that time.

The 144,000 have no guile in their mouth...The same for the great multitude.

The 144,000 are without fault before God...The same for the great multitude.

The 144,000 are virgins...The same for the great multitude.

I'm saying this, because someone can make the argument that if I'm saying that the 144,000 represent those having a pure religion;then by default I am saying that the great multitude have not a pure religion. But that logic can't work. As I said, they are without guile, so am I by default saying that the great multitude have guile? No! They are just two groups going through different experiences.

Let us strive with all the power that God has given us to be among the hundred and forty-four thousand (The Review and Herald, March 9, 1905)