Tag: 144000

Revelation at a Glance – Day 32

On July 1, 2022

Rev 14:1-5 And I looked, and, lo, a Lamb stood on the mount Sion, and with him an hundred forty and four thousand, having his Father’s name written in their foreheads. (2) And I heard a voice from heaven, as the voice of many waters, and as the voice of a great thunder: and I heard the voice of harpers harping with their harps: (3) And they sung as it were a new song before the throne, and before the four beasts, and the elders: and no man could learn that song but the hundred and forty and four thousand, which were redeemed from the earth. (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. (5) And in their mouth was found no guile: for they are without fault before the throne of God.

It’s a new day and we have another opportunity to learn a bit more about what is to come upon the entire earth during the Tribulation period! The last time God judged the entire earth was with the Great Flood where Noah, his wife, three sons and their wives were saved from destruction. We also know that God promised not to destroy the whole earth by giving us the rainbow as His sign of that promise. However, He may not destroy the entire earth during His judgments during the Tribulation, but He will allow much death and destruction in order to waken the spiritually sleeping hearts!

As Christians in 2022, we can clearly see the demonic forces through the changes which have occurred in just the past two years. It is our responsibility to warn those in our circle of family and friends that the time is ever so near! Once the Rapture happens, the influence of the Holy Spirit will be removed and it will open the door to Satan and his minions. Their influence will now take over and if we think times have gotten bad now, wait and see! Christian’s possess the Holy Spirit and it is His influence within us that restrains the Antichrist from making his appearance to the world.

This chapter isn’t chronological but more parenthetical so we can see what happens in Heaven during the Antichrist’s reign. It’s as though the Apostle John wants to insert some ray of hope in the midst of God’s wrath. We know that the Lord is near to His child (Matthew 28:20). But these Tribulation Saints won’t possess the Holy Spirit as we do in the current Church age. The Spirit’s role will be as it was in the Old Testament, empowering some like Moses, David and others for their task at hand.

Tribulation Saints will need all the encouragement they can get from each other as they gather together in secret to worship God. If you don’t think this is possible, this has already happened in our own country and it can easily happen again! I used to go to church with an elderly lady whose grandmother was a slave in New Market, Virginia during the Civil War. Her grandmother told her many stories of her life growing up during this terrible time. Their entire family consisted of born again believers who had a few tattered pages from the Book of Psalms. They treasured these pages and hid them under the floor boards of their one room cabin. In order to worship God as a “church,” they would gather together in the woods in the middle of the night so they wouldn’t be seen. Each family brought whatever Bible pages they had and would share the Blessed Word with the others. They would quietly sing hymns and encourage one another in the Lord. Reader, this happened in our own country just a little over 160 years ago! We don’t hear about this on the liberal news but Christian persecution exists around the world today! Christianity is the most persecuted religion in the world. As of 2019, the top ten countries persecuting Christians in the world are:

1. North Korea, East Asia (Communist) – Population 25.4 million (1.7% Christian)
2. Afghanistan, South Central Asia (Islamic) – Population 31.6 million (99.7% Muslim)
3. Somalia, The Horn of Africa (Islamic) – Population 11 million (99.8% Muslim)
4. Libya, North Africa (Islamic) – Population 7.2 million (97% Muslim)
5. Pakistan, South Asia (Islamic) – Population 213 million (96% Muslim)
6. Eritrea, The Horn of Africa (Christian/Islamic) – Population 5 million (36% Muslim)
7. Yemen, Western Asia (Islamic) – Population 27.6 million (99.6% Muslim)
8. Iran, Western Asia (Islamic) – 81.6 million (99.5% Muslim)
9. Nigeria, Western Africa (Mixed) – 206.2 million (46.3% Christian)
10. India, South Asia (Hindu) – 1.35 billion (79.8% Hindu, 14.23% Muslim)

It will be much worse than this during the Tribulation! It won’t just be selected countries but the entire world will be against Christianity! Jesus said:

Mar 13:9-13 But take heed to yourselves: for they shall deliver you up to councils; and in the synagogues ye shall be beaten: and ye shall be brought before rulers and kings for my sake, for a testimony against them. (10) And the gospel must first be published among all nations. (11) But when they shall lead you, and deliver you up, take no thought beforehand what ye shall speak, neither do ye premeditate: but whatsoever shall be given you in that hour, that speak ye: for it is not ye that speak, but the Holy Ghost. (12) Now the brother shall betray the brother to death, and the father the son; and children shall rise up against their parents, and shall cause them to be put to death. (13) And ye shall be hated of all men for my name’s sake: but he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved.

During the Tribulation, Christian persecution will be so great that even children will turn in their parents and vice versa! When those in your own family betray you, that’s pretty bad!

The hope of these remaining Tribulation Saints is that they remain strong, not receiving the mark of the Beast, and live to see Christ’s return to earth to conquer Satan and his followers! As we saw in chapter 13, our planet is already headed toward a one world government and a one world economy. Author Allan Bloom said:

“The essential component to establishing globalism is to eliminate any system of absolutes.”
The Closing of the American Mind

This sets the stage for globalism. Everything becomes relative; it removes absolute truth. Today, it is said that “Your truth says this but my truth says that.” There aren’t two versions of the truth, friend. There is only one truth and the other is false. Jesus said in John 14:6 Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me. The devil is the father of lies (John 8:44) and his earthly reign is devoid of truth. He cannot speak the truth because his pride wants everything to revolve around him. He is the ultimate narcissist!

We are currently moving forward and are very close to this one world government. We hear more and more prominent leaders saying things like Nobel prize winning economist, Jan Tinbergen:

“Mankind’s problems can no longer be solved by national governments. What is needed is world government.”

As well, Hillary Clinton stated:

“My dream is a hemispheric common market, with open trade and open borders, some time in the future with energy that is as green and sustainable as we can get it, powering growth and opportunity for every person in the hemisphere.”
Paid speech in 2013 at Brazil-based Banco Itau

The far left wing proponents want this one world government and are pouring vast amounts of money into achieving this very goal. The stage has been set and the mindset for globalism is currently at work through liberal leadership and the world’s most wealthy people. You can’t put your head in the sand and think this could never happen today! Friend, it is already happening! As the world lies asleep spiritually, mentally and intellectually, the powers that be are diligently working.

This will all come together with the Antichrist and false prophet to promote a one world religion. But God will still get His gospel out one way or another. As we look into chapter 14, note that it is divided into three parts:

Verse 1 – And I looked – Jesus’ return with the 144,000
Verse 6 – And I saw – Three angels to proclaim the Gospel and judge the world
Verse 14 – And I looked – Three angels to harvest the world by separating believers from unbelievers

In the first five verses, John sees a Lamb (Jesus), who is the ultimate atonement for all people for all time. He’s standing on Mount Zion, which is a preview of Christ in chapter 19. John also sees the 144,000 servants of God (also see Revelation 7:3-4) who were sealed on the foreheads with the Father’s name. This brought to mind the Tefillin, which looks like a little box that orthodox Jews put on their arm and forehead. It is a reminder to the orthodox Jew to think about the Torah (first five books of Moses in the Old Testament). I love that God would mark His servants on their forehead! These 144,000 are virgins (Revelation 14:4) which I believe describes to us the purity of their faith. They followed the Lamb wherever He went and they were redeemed by Him. This is the same truth applied to us in Jude 1:24. We stand in Christ’s righteousness and our sin is not held against us. We will stand faultless before the Throne and we will sing a new song! Praise Him!! \o/ I long for the day when we no longer have to fight sin in our flesh.

Can you say the same, reader? Have you received Christ as your Saviour? If no, your sins are not covered by His sacrificial offering of Himself. You have not been redeemed by His blood. It is no coincidence that God has placed you here for such a time as this so that you may be saved if you are not already. Please click here and the link will open up in a separate tab to You Can Be Born Again and Know It!

Revelation at a Glance – Day 18

By Kate Plourde

On May 30, 2022

In Devotionals, Revelation at a Glance

Rev 7:1-8 And after these things I saw four angels standing on the four corners of the earth, holding the four winds of the earth, that the wind should not blow on the earth, nor on the sea, nor on any tree. (2) And I saw another angel ascending from the east, having the seal of the living God: and he cried with a loud voice to the four angels, to whom it was given to hurt the earth and the sea, (3) Saying, Hurt not the earth, neither the sea, nor the trees, till we have sealed the servants of our God in their foreheads. (4) And I heard the number of them which were sealed: and there were sealed an hundred and forty and four thousand of all the tribes of the children of Israel. (5) Of the tribe of Juda were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Reuben were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Gad were sealed twelve thousand. (6) Of the tribe of Aser were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Nepthalim were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Manasses were sealed twelve thousand. (7) Of the tribe of Simeon were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Levi were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Issachar were sealed twelve thousand. (8) Of the tribe of Zabulon were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Joseph were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Benjamin were sealed twelve thousand.

It’s a new day and people are scurrying around getting their tasks accomplished. Some are going to work; some are retired (like me) and enjoying a slower-paced life. But what will it be like for those who are alive during the Tribulation?

We have seen through this series thus far, God’s reasons for allowing the Tribulation to occur:

to wake up unbelievers
to shake up the nation of Israel, and
to make up the Kingdom of God

Each judgment is progressively worse. Just as a crescendo indicates an increase in loudness, during a piece of music to capture the listeners’ attention, so will each of the judgments. Here’s a short review of what we’ve covered follows:

The Antichrist rises to prominence (Revelation 6:1-2)
Wars (Revelation 6:3-4)
Famine and economic collapse (Revelation 6:5-6)
Death of many unbelievers (Revelation 6:7-8)
Death of some believers (Revelation 6:9-11), and
Universal natural catastrophes (Revelation 6:12-14)

Chapter 7 and 8 seem to remove the focus from earth’s judgments and appear parenthetical, a pause if you will. But this pause packs quite the punch! Judgments on earth have ceased in order to introduce a special people; they will receive the seal of God on their foreheads. It doesn’t say what the seal will look like. But we do know that it will set them apart from everyone else on earth. We will see later that the Antichrist’s mark will be on the right hand or forehead (Revelation 13:16). The devil’s attempt to be “god” is revealed as he tries to duplicate his own counterfeit mark. Who are these people? This chapter introduces them as the 144,000 who will be anointed in a unique and powerful way in order to preach the Gospel.

At the beginning of this chapter, we read that John has two visions. He sees four angels holding four winds; wind is often an indication of judgment, as we see here. However, we don’t see any mention of judgments in this or the next chapter. John then hears the number of those who will be sealed. Notice these are 12,000 men from each tribe of Israel, except the tribe of Dan. These are not Jehovah’s Witnesses, as believed in their doctrine. (They cannot be Jehovah’s Witnesses as they are not form the twelve tribes of Israel.) Since the tribe of Dan is not included, it makes me wonder if this is a fulfillment of Jacob’s prophecy over each tribe (Genesis 49:17): Dan shall be a serpent? Very interesting 😀

These 144,000 will be redeemed from the earth (as told to us in Revelation 14:3), and nothing will be able to overcome them until their evangelizing mission is complete. Because they are men from the tribes of Israel, they will be evangelizing to Jews. Naturally, Gentiles will hear the Gospel and will get saved as well but the main target will be Israel. The whole purpose of the Tribulation is to call the Jews back to God. This parenthetical chapter once again reveals God’s mercy in the midst of judgment! What a loving God we serve! People look at the negativity of the judgments rather than the Lord’s beautiful mercy! We will see later what will happen to those people who accept Christ as the Messiah. It will not bode well for them at all.

Where will you be during this period, reader? Will you be safe in Heaven with our Groom or will you be on earth, serving Satan and his beast? Friend, it is no coincidence that God has placed you here for such a time as this so that you may be saved if you are not already. Please click here and the link will open up in a separate tab to You Can Be Born Again and Know It!