The 144,000 in Rev. 7

[Merrily]

i was thinking about the 144,000 thousand chosen from the 12 tribes of israel to share the gospel during the tribulation. persons born when israel became a nation are in their 60's, their children are in their 40's and their children are in their 20's, approximately at least. if the 144,000 come from the children of the the children, and they are functioning as teachers, rabbis if you will in a way, to be a rabbi you have to be 30 years old. that correlates with why Jesus began his ministry at the age of 30.

so, not date setting or anything, but is one of the things that needs to happen that these people need to come of age? just something i was tossing around. :scratch

[mcowart]

makes sense to me

[Hootmon]

In 2008, there were about 5.5 million Jews in Israel. Plenty to have 144000 in the correct generation.

[mdcar1]

144,000 virgin 30 yr old's...:scratch

[Merrily]

they are going to be virgins regardless of their age.........a tall order in the society we live in. but it is God's plan.

[Tall Timbers]

I figure they'll come from all around the world, not just Israel. In that way they will speak the languages of the world which will enhance what will be their very successful ministry. It is exciting to think that all or many of the 144,000 could already be alive, and unbeknownst to them, being prepared for their blessed ministry.

[BarbT]

I once heard a Messianic Jewish teacher say it's possible the description "virgins" could be a metaphor regarding the spiritual status of the 144K .... i.e., they'll be "brand new creatures in Christ", untainted by false religion.

[KBKMNN]

I once heard a Messianic Jewish teacher say it's possible the description "virgins" could be a metaphor regarding the spiritual status of the 144K .... i.e., they'll be "brand new creatures in Christ", untainted by false religion.

The only thing is the bible says this:
These are the ones who were not defiled with women, for they are virgins. These are the ones who follow the Lamb wherever He goes. These were redeemed[a] from among men, being firstfruits to God and to the Lamb.
NKJV Revelation 14:4
So I don't believe it's referring to their spiritual status. Remembering the rule of taking what the bible says at face value UNLESS the meaning is unmistakably symbolic.

[iSong6:3]

...if the 144,000 come from the children of the the children, and they are functioning as teachers, rabbis if you will in a way, to be a rabbi you have to be 30 years old. that correlates with why Jesus began his ministry at the age of 30.

I believe the 144,000 will be more like on-fire evangelists preaching to the entire world than they will be like rabbis. If anything, I'd liken them more to Paul than to Jesus Himself. Paul did a great work of evangelizing the known world - was he considered more of a rabbi than an apostle? No. I believe they will be breaking out of what we know as the traditional Jewish religious establishment. There is no reason why they have to echo Jesus's age when He began His ministry at 30. They are something new.


...so, not date setting or anything, but is one of the things that needs to happen that these people need to come of age? just something i was tossing around. :scratch

The generation that started the State of Israel were not zero years old at that time :) and they are not sixty now. They are quite a bit older or already passed on. You're assuming that 20 years is a generation. Israeli men of 20 are in the military and it is hard to be married then also. Most wait until after they serve.

Interesting to think about the 144,000 though. It's hard to believe any but some of the ultra-religious men being virgins for any length of time (sorry for that). Yet it cannot be only the ultra-religious men who are suddenly brought to faith in Messiah Jesus, can it? :scratch Sometimes I wonder if it would be easier for the non-religious men in Israel to come to faith, they have less *baggage*.

Of course, God can do anything!! No doubt He's working on them - whoever they are - even now. :yeah

[Obadiah]

I'm wondering where you learned that one must be 30 years old to be a rabbi.

Aish.com (http://www.aish.com/atr/84010557.html) speaks of R. Elazar ben Azaryah being not only a rabbi but head of the Sanhedrin at age 18.

On the virginity issue... as kbkkmn pointed out, the text explains it so we don't have to. What's particularly interesting about this verse is that these men were virgins because they had not defiled themselves with women. I know of no other Scripture that presents virginity and defilement as alternatives, rather than virginity and marriage. Perhaps these individuals are those "who have made themselves eunuchs on behalf of the kingdom of heaven" (Matthew 19:12). For these individuals, then, marriage, ordinarily presented in very positive terms as the biblical norm, would constitute a self-defilement because it would be a violation of their extraordinary commitment to their ministry.