As some readers know I sometimes do not take the majority positions on certain passages in the Bible. For example, I took the position that the fulfillment of Ezekiel 37’s dry bones prophecy could be about a literal resurrection of the house of Israel and not just a metaphor for the return of the Jews occurring in our time. Now I will give a view on the 144,000 Israelites of Revelation that will never be taught in your church. Even so, differences on the interpretation of the 144,000 are quite common. If you do a Google search on the meaning of the 144,000 Israelites of Revelation, the first 50 search results will give you almost 50 different explanations.
The 144,000 are first mentioned in Revelation Chapter 7. That chapter starts by answering the question about who is able to stand in the great day of His wrath asked in the last verse of chapter 6. (There are no chapter breaks in scripture.) It is these sealed 144,000 Israelites that will be able to stand in the Day of the Lord.
Rev 6:17 For the great day of his wrath is come; and who shall be able to stand?
Rev 7:1 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.
The rest of the chapter names the twelve tribes they came from and then it talks about the great number seen around the throne who washed their robes in the blood of the Lamb and came out of the great tribulation. These tribulation saints apparently were converted because of the witness of the 144.000. Revelation Chapter 14 gives us further details about the 144,000 Israelites.
14:1 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.
The sealed have the Father’s name written in their foreheads. These identified with Father God in their foreheads will be exempt from the Trumpet Judgments of God that fall after these people are sealed.
Chapter 14 indicates that the 144,000 Israelites sealed in chapter 7 are now in heaven. They must have got there either through death or by being taken alive to be with the Lord. I don’t see why God would seal these men with His name to protect them from the Trumpet Judgments only to let them be killed by the forces of the Beast. Therefore, I think the 144,000 will be gathered when God sends His angels to gather His elect (Mt 24:31). This gathering is not the same gathering as the Rapture of the Church. This gathering of believers occurs after the tribulation of those days but before the final bowls of wrath are poured out (Matt 24:31).
Some claim that these 144,000 are Christians but that requires spiritualizing of the passages. If these passages are to be taken literally, it is clear that they come from 12 tribes of Israel. In all of today’s world can 144,000 Jewish adult virgin men even be found? Further, with the lost tribes, and all the intermarrying that took place over three millennia, do men that can be identified with some of these tribes even exist? That leads some to speculate that the narrative should not be taken literally.
One thing is certain. The 144,000 Israelites become firstfruits, without guile and without fault before God. That eliminates anyone that is walking in our flesh nature. Some believe these elect of God are Jews who were converted to Christ by hearing the message of the two witnesses or that they receive direct revelation like Paul. That may be true, but that still does not explain their tribal identify and their purity.
A couple of teachers have suggested that these 144,000 firstfruits are the children killed by King Herold. Supposedly, these innocent contemporaries of Jesus were taken to heaven with Jesus when He arose. The problem with that theory is there is no historical record of any slaughter of children of such a magnitude. The Bible narrative limits the babies killed to areas around Bethlehem. In those days there were not more than a few thousand people living in that whole region. The soldiers of King Herold probably did not kill more than a few dozen children. Even so, the thinking that the 144,000 are resurrected Israelites might be on the right tract.
These 144,000 come from twelve tribes. We cannot make such an identification from the Jews of today. Any literal general resurrection of Israel that I have claimed may occur (Ezekiel 37) does not happen until after the time of Jacob’s trouble is over, so, that is not where these Israelites come from either. The problem might be solved in the “firstfruits” description. Firstfruits are picked before the general harvest. These might be called back like Lazarus and sealed before the time of Jacob’s trouble even begins.
We know from scripture that the righteous of Israel went to Abraham’s blossom. Jesus emptied that place and took those souls with Him to heaven. Those that went with Jesus certainly would have been spiritually changed into His likeness and would fit the narrative about the pure nature of these 144,000 Israelites. They go out to all the world with a two-fold mission to lead all Jews out of the nations and to proclaim the coming Kingdom of the Lord to the whole world. It will be a second exodus and yes they will take much of the world’s gold and their gifts with them. (That may be why Gog comes down to take a spoil).
So are the 144,000 Israelites risen men? Who really knows? The usual explanations about these Israelites seem to fall short and those giving their conjectures generally do not consider the possibility of the supernatural. Yet, we know other figures in Revelation are supernatural in one way or another. The two prophets have supernatural powers and nobody can kill them until their testimony is complete. The Beast and False Prophet have supernatural powers and nobody can kill them. Revelation tells us the Abyss is opened and supernatural beings come out of it to torment people on earth. There obviously are many events in Revelation that defies usual natural explanations. So a supernatural appearance of the 144,000 is no more illogical than some other Revelation fulfillment’s.
The 144,000 Jews apparently go out into all the world to fulfill Israel’s commission to take the revelation given about God to all nations. It is not until the gospel of the kingdom is preached to all the world that the actual end comes (Matt 24:6). The gospel of grace to all given during the Church age is not the same as the gospel of the kingdom. The gospel of the kingdom is the same gospel that John and Jesus gave. This gospel tells everyone on earth to repent because the Kingdom of God is at hand. The gospel of the kingdom will first be preached as a witness and then the judgment of God falls on the world because Satan and his followers try to prevent this Kingdom from coming.
The 144,000 will do in the whole world what the Lord’s disciples did in Israel. It could be a greater fulfillment of Luke Chapter 10. Most of those that believe the message of the 144,000 will lose their lives because they will be killed by the Beast. They are the great number seen around the throne in Revelation 14. These came out of the great tribulation. Those that do not believe the message of the 144,000 Israelites will be among those gathered against Jerusalem and the Lord’s return.
God choose Israel to fulfill His purpose on earth for mankind and the revelation of Himself. Nothing can stop God from accomplishing what He set out to do through Abraham, Issac and Jacob. The Israelites and the 144,000 will play a huge role at the end of this age even if God has to raise them from the dead to accomplish it. My conjectures are written as food for thought. The fulfillment of the 144,000 sealed Israelites may not happen as I suggest. Nevertheless, literal fulfillment’s of scripture do happen. Other reasonable conjectures about these 144,000 Israelites can be added to the comments below.
Don,
curious of your opinion if the people who fall under 2 Thessalonians 2:11 will be eligible to receive the truth from the 144,000 or is the fate sealed due to their wickedness? North Carolina changed their bathroom bill when they decided to serve Mammon (NBA, NCAA & Conventions leaving state) and now the most catastrophic hurricane in their history is about sit over them for days. The flood is coming, North Carolinian’s broke the Rainbow Covenant not God! Do not shake your fist at God!!
Hi Stephen,
2 Th 2:11 is talking about those that will not receive the love of the truth. Since there is a number that nobody can count around the throne that came out of the great tribulation it is obvious to me that countless people will believe the truth. The 144,000 will tell the world the truth. About half of the population believes it and about half of the world population goes with the Antichrist. However siding with the the God of heaven will cost most of the believers their life so by the end of the great tribulation the world will have few believers and be like Sodom and Gomorrah. That is when the seven bowls are poured out.
The thought of the 144,000 being the resurrected male babies that Herod killed had never occured to me before. It is quite intriguing. I had always thought that a large number of male babies were killed but I have never researched it.
Do you have more info on this?
Hi Don,
I recently watched an article from a YouTube preacher named Robert Breaker that claimed that someone else taught him this theory about the identity of the 144,000 male virgins. I also noticed a similar explanation on the 144,000 from a Google search that I did. That one came from a Baptist Church preacher and not Breaker. Of course one could just be repeating the other.
The major problem I see with that explanation is that historians believe that no more than a couple of dozen male babies were killed. Breaker claims the children may have been killed along the entire coast lands of the land of Israel and it would include the lands of the twelve tribes. He claims there were no children of Jesus age left in Israel. That does not seem logical. Ancient records would have recorded such a slaughter of such magnitude but nothing is said. Besides, why name Bethlehem if babies were kill in all Israel? Even so, in my research one post claims that the Orthodox church says that 10,000 children were killed and one account coming from the Orthodox claims that as many as 66,000 children were killed.
The following is all that scripture says about this.
Verse 17 in Jeremiah could make it interesting and verse 2 in Matthew calls it coast thereof, but the Greek here literally probably should say borders. Meaning the borders of the region around Bethlehem. By the way Ramah is near Bethlehem.
If you or anyone else does deeper research on the number of children killed by King Herod, come back here and let us know what you found.
Don,
I think your food for thought is more realistic in light of certain scripture you mention, that I must have missed in previous studies. I agree, that finding 144k from 12 tribes would certainly present an issue, in this day and age, but as you suggested, a supernatural solution to that could also be in Play, but not as likely as your top idea. Since the two witnesses are brought back, I think the 144k are also resurrected too. As you point out, there is precedent for it already written. It solves every point I think too. Thanks for that brilliant insight.
Don
I take a more literal approach in my writings. I believe that these are actually 144,000 virgin “men” of Israel. They have obviously have claimed faith in Jesus the Christ as their Messiah. Now this hasn’t happened publicly yet – but neither has the appearance of the anti-Christ. We certainly are through the end of this age yet.
Can this be done in the literal world today? Yes! In researching for my upcoming commentary on Revelation, I have calculated the real world way it will most likely occur.
First, the total number of Jews in the world today (as of April 2018 were 14,500,000). Worldwide, the current ratio of men to women in the world is 1.017 males to 1.000 females. That means there are around 7,311,105 Jewish males (of all ages) in the world today.
Now by age groupings: the mid 2018 population of the world was 26% below 15 years of age. 15% between 15 and 24. 50% between 25 and 64. 9% are age 65 and up.
This would give us around 1,096,665 Jewish males between 15 and 24 years old. To get to 144,000 would be 13% of their total. I do believe I see God continuing to love His portion as the tithe – 10% – so I think 10% of the 15 to 24 age bracket will be chosen (almost 110,000). The remaining about 34,000 needed to get to 144,000 will be coming mostly from the 13 & 14 group and some from the 25 and over groups.
This presents a very reasonable case for currently living Jewish males to make up the 144,000 as seen in both Revelation 7 & 14.
Now, how do we get to the 12,000 for each of the 12 Tribes? Well, as in almost every other step of Revelation – “we” people CANNOT get there. But, for God, this will be easy. He has the perfect knowledge of who came from where and since He devoted so much of Revelation showing His knowledge and precision to us – well, I am of the opinion God will do literally what He said He would do in this case.
So, as a multi-decade financial expert, I stand behind the numbers. As a born again Christian studying Revelation for almost as many years – I stand behind what God says will happen.
Maranatha!
Hi Don,
Do you see any connection or clues between Paul and the 144,000? Also, what do you make of Paul making a point to say “as to the child born at the wrong time”? Thank you for your time.
Paul was a single, sexually pure Jewish man (1 Cor. 7:7–9)
Then He appeared to James, then to all the apostles, and last of all, as to the child born at the wrong time, He appeared to me also. (1 Corinthians 15)
• Paul was transformed after meeting Christ in a vision (Acts 22:7–10).
• Paul traveled the world to boldly proclaim the gospel (Acts 13–28).
• Paul had divine protection during his ministry (Acts 28:1–6).
• When his job was done, Paul was martyred (early church historians).
Hi Teresa,
I acknowledge in the article that some believe the 144,000 will receive divine revelation like Paul. Those that believe that sometimes use the argument that you suggested that Paul was born out of due time and should be part of the 144,000. However, the context suggests that Paul was just saying that he encounter Jesus later then the previous people he identified in the previous verses.
1 Cor 15:3 For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures;
4 And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures:
5 And that he was seen of Cephas, then of the twelve:
6 After that, he was seen of above five hundred brethren at once; of whom the greater part remain unto this present, but some are fallen asleep.
7 After that, he was seen of James; then of all the apostles.
8 And last of all he was seen of me also, as of one born out of due time.
Hi Fount,
God can certainly fulfill the passage in the way they He has in mind to fulfill it. I do not rule out that He may use contemporary Jews to fulfill that. However, it seems to me that you are assuming that anyone with an ounce of blood that God can trace back to any of the mentioned tribes are qualified to be called members of that tribe. I don’t believe the Bible teaches that.
I also am not at all suggesting that the scripture will not be literally fulfilled. I am merely suggesting a way that it could be literally fulfilled.
One additional problem with what you are suggesting is how do the 144,000 get converted to follow Jesus before the time of Jacob’s trouble even begins? This sealing clearly takes place just before the start of the great tribulation that is also called the time of Jacob’s trouble. Why would God seal Jews before the nation of Israel believes in Him and says blessed is He that comes in the name of the Lord?
Otherwise, good try but I am not convinced.
Don, Just a suggestion for your next post. Didn’t know if you had any thoughts on the recent birth of the sacred red cow needed for sacrifice?
Hi Luke,
Nothing much to say about that. They have been breeding these reddish cattle for decades. There will be more and more red heifers being born in the future. Just because a pure one appears now does not mean that will be the one that will be used for the Temple sacrifice ceremony. By the way, the red heifer without defect has already been given. The Jews will be only fooling themselves to believe that God will accept their own sacrifices.
Just food for thought Teresa. Vernon McGee always said that he thought Paul had been married and was a widower and he gave his reason why I can’t remember right now I will look it up just thought I’d put that out there
Hi Don-
I think your “theory” is better than a theory because it fits the description of the 144,00 closer than anything else. Here’s another possibility of where they came from : the kids who were killed in Moses day. When God gets ready to raise a deliverer, Satan opposes it, and in these instances (Herod & Pharaoh) it was by killing innocent Israeli male babies. These little ones never had a chance to testify of their Messiah, yet it could be a literal fulfillment of Matt. 21:16; Jer.31:16,17 (also see Lk.18:15-17). Besides, all the kids below the age of accountability will have gone in the Rapture, so a child will be rare on earth during the Tribulation. They will garner much attention wherever and whenever they are seen. It just seems to fit well with God’s character to allow these little ones to testify of Him.
I eagerly look forward to your articles each week. Keep up the good work.
Paul Simmons
I read your
Wouldn’t all humans, even babies be considered impure from conception from their sin nature? Can they technically be called blameless? They are also called redeemed men which is usually a reference to those who become Christians since they are redeemed from sin. I think God knows who is from which tribe and will seal them accordingly without DNA tests. I also don’t believe these men will be killed as for reasons already mentioned. The vast group of people around the throne are most likely tribulation martyrs that gain eternal life through forfeiting their earthly ones. It makes sense to me that these firstftuits are among the first saved after the rapture and around the beginning of the last 7 years. In regard to them being virgins, maybe these are young men like teenagers or something.
Hi Jim,
They are blameless because they are redeemed.
If they were taken from Abraham’s bosom with Jesus they would be redeemed. More than the Church the bride of Christ is among the redeemed.
What percent of genetics from the tribe makes them of the tribe? Other than those from Judah and Levi I doubt if there are 144,000 men in the world that have even a quarter of their genetics coming from any one of the tribes. However, if they are those that lived in Israel in ancient times they would be from one of the tribes.
Don,
Yea I’m not disputing that it is very unlikely that 144k Jewish men could trace their lineage to specific tribes. In fact, I believe you that either way it will take supernatural events to gather and identify these people.
The word firstftuits is confusing as it sounds like they were/will be among the first saved or sealed and I don’t know what time period it is referring to.
“By the way, the red heifer without defect has already been given. The Jews will be only fooling themselves to believe that God will accept their own sacrifices.”
What did you mean by this?
Hi Donovan,
Jesus was the acceptable sacrifice. The Jews will build the temple and start the sacrifice system but the blood of animals can no longer cover their sins. The Jews will receive the Beast Antichrist as their Messiah and inherit the time called Jacob’s trouble.
So there’s nothing significant with about this Red Heifer being born? You said they’ve been breeding them for decades
Donovan,
It would be significant to those intending to restart Temple sacrifices. The rabbinic Jews believe that a Red Heifer is necessary for that. That is why they have been trying to breed red heifers. It is not that red heifers are never found. The problem has been that they have not found one that meets their spotless requirements. So far this new calf meets their requirements. There have been Red Heifer claims before. This one also will mean nothing to anyone if it develops a blemish or dies before the Jews are allowed to restart their animal sacrifices on the Temple mount.
Don, In complete agreement on that the sacrifice means nothing… sacrifices were and always will be incomplete and were only meant to point forward or backward to the sacrifice that Christ made. My question was more in relation to the hope/push the Jewish people have to rebuild the temple.
Thanks for your input!
Luke
Youre right. They’re claiming it’s the 1st in 2,000 years but there were others born in Israel in 96, 04 etc and they said the same thing then
Hi Don!
You completely ignore one interpretation that has been prevalent here in Finland among conservative pentecostals.
The 144,000 are the man child of Rev. 12. In verse 5 they are raptured and in chapter 14 they show up in heaven on Mount Sion. Most Americans say man child is Jesus, which contradicts futurism. See also Isa 66:7.
Samuel Korhonen
Hi Samuel,
Yeah, I completely ignored hyper Pentecostal delusions along with cults claiming to be the 144,000 as being possible explanations. Except I did say that if you do a Google search on the 144,000 you will get almost as many different explanations as you get search results. Isa 66 probably has nothing to do with the man child of Rev 12. Isa 66 seems to be talking about the birth of the kingdom on earth at Zion.
Since we are all speculating, I believe these will be the decedents of Abraham. James chapter 2 is to the twelve tribes of Israel scattered abroad. Revelation 7?
Will they be taken to a place away that God has provided for them to escape Israel when all the nations of the earth come against their land? Matthew 24:15-20.The mid point of Daniel’s 70th week.
Even more unsettled is there a gap between the rapture, and the start of the 7 year tribulation? I for one am ready for the new sinless body that will be like Christ’s body. This one I have is pretty well worn out.
Hey Fount,
I completely agree with you on the 12 tribes. Read Jeremy James’ article about the 2 witnesses on Zephaniah.eu He makes a credible argument that the two witnesses are instrumental in identifying these 144,000 virgin guys as well as the Levites and that they (the 2 witnesses) will also be somehow “over” the proper conduction of temple worship – at least until the Antichrist puts a stop to it.
Hi Susan,
The two witnesses are witnesses of God. They will teach that Jesus was the blood sacrifice for sin. They will not be promoting anything from Rabbinic Jews that is not pleasing to God.
Hi Don,
I respectively submit that sacrifices were being done in the temple according to Revelation until the Antichrist intervenes mid way thru the 7 year Trib. and stops them, so someone or several people got this system going again. More importantly, Satan is very deceptive and the Baphomet religious system believes that God is both male and female, Adam and Eve were actually one person with 2 sexes – according to them. I don’t have problems with Jews, just these Babylonian (dare I say Pharisees like Jesus did) types who usurp God’s laws and offer unlimited interpretations of laws which God never intended for them to do. I don’t have problems with homosexuals or transgenders who are open about what they are doing. Obviously, they are sinners, like I am, but at least they aren’t trying to hide it. I asked God to show me how close we are to the end and I couldn’t understand how we could be close to the end since homosexuality was rare and sexual immorality wasn’t even close to Sodom and Gomorrah or the time of Noah. Well, God showed me alright. It is way more prevalent than you can imagine. And like all good conspiracies or the occult – it is hidden in plain site. See: Closet Androgynes are Redefining Our Society by Jeremy James at Zephaniah.eu Like I said before “If they are on TV, magazines, models, Playboy, Victoria’s Secret runway models, movies, the news, etc. they are transgendered often from birth, and in some cases in the womb. This is the secret of Skull and Bones. They can’t change the basic differences between males and females thru surgery and/or hormones – God created them male and female and we have many different structural differences. Once you educate yourself about these differences you will be able to spot these liars a mile away. And it will be shocking. It is transgenderism that will lead to persecution not transhumanism.
Susan,
I think almost a third of millennial’s now say they are bisexual so homosexuality is getting as prevalent as it was back in the days of Sodom. I think you are seeing things with transgenders. Dressing or acting unisex sex does make someone transgender. I have noticed that young people are picking up speech patterns and mannerisms of the homosexual culture but that is occurring because of mass indoctrination not because there are a great numbers of people that are transgender from birth. It is antichrist people who will lead to persecution not transgenderism.
In any case, the Noahide laws have nothing to do with the modern sexual perversion. This is the last comment that will be allowed from you down this rabbit trail. Read my commenting policy.
i don’t recall seeing anything about 144,000 jews going throughout the world during a “great tribulation” anywhere in scripture. This seems to be nothing more than an imposition by those who have been indoctrinated by contemporaneous revisionists like John Nelson Darby, C. i. Scofield,, and even more recent Hal Lindsay, and the “Left Behind” authors: Jerry Jenkins and Tim Lehay.
Ron,
I would hardly call dispensational teachers revisionists. The truth is quite the opposite. In end time matters they have returned to what the Bible actually teaches and what the Church taught until the Gnostic’s and Augustine made future Bible prophecy all allegory.
What we really do is take what the Bible says related to eschatology literally rather than allegorically like Christianity has done since Augustine.
It is true that nothing is said about the specific role of the 144,000. Their evangelism is surmised, because right after they are mentioned, the context says that countless people are seen around the throne and we are told that these people came out of the great tribulation. The context suggests that these people got there through the testimony of the 144,000.
In any case, this is a dispensational premillennial website. If you want to argue allegorical interpretations of Bible prophecy they will not be welcome here.
It is interesting to me to see such a Smug comment coming from Ron. He is so typical of the “Christian left” that come across as condescending with their familiar comments about John Darby and Scofield etc. To me it appears that they have very little true biblical knowledge to make a comment like that. They are just repeating what they have heard from other illiterate people.
just saying…
Hi Don,
I wish people would study the Bible for themselves instead of just repeating the traditional views that their dominations pass down. These dominations claimed that the Roman Catholic Church became antichrist but in the area of eschatology they held on to much of the Roman Catholic antichrist teaching. Jesus did not have much good to say about those that disregard scripture and replaced it with traditions of religion.
In the past people did not have Bibles and getting Bible prophecy correct may not have been critical. However, in these last days people have no excuse for not knowing the prophetic scriptures. They need to pray for understanding so they can learn what God really said.
I offer you some different food for thought about the 144,000. No where in scripture does it say that the 144,000 are strictly ” jewish” and “male” . Firstly, the “jews” were but one of the 12 tribes of Israel that come specifically from the tribe of ” judah”. That still leaves the 11 other tribes that the 144,000 come from. Rev 7 says that the 144,000 come from ALL the tribes of Israel. Secondly, scripture never says they are ” men” only. What it does say is they are virgins, servants of God and they are not defiled with woman. And WHO symbolises a ” good” woman and a ” bad” woman in scripture? The church is symbolised in scripture as the ” good woman” and the harlot babylonian mystery church religion is symbolised as the ” bad woman.”
So you see here when scripture is discussing ” not being defiled with woman for they are virgins” this does not mean men who are virgins physically. What this does mean is that the 144,000 are individuals, both men and women, servants of God, who have not been defiled with the false religion of mystery babylon which is represented symbolically by the whore of babylon.
Remember that we see this idea of ” virgins” in the parable of the wise and foolish virgins. Scripture does not say what sex these virgins are. Just that the word virgin is a symbol of God’s people who have kept themselves holy and have their lamps full of oil- at least the wise ones do.
Perhaps with this understanding, you can see the role the 144,000 play in these end times as servants, male and female, who follow the lamb whereever He goes and are without guile-meaning they are without hypocrisy. The hypocrisy that buys into the hypocritical false churches teaching or the hypocritical world beast system.
Hi Heidi,
I see no reason to accept such allegorical conjectures or such use of semantics. God is dealing with Israel for its last week of years in these chapters in Revelation. Obviously then the men He is sealing are Israelite’s from the 12 tribes listed. The wording makes that quite clear to anyone except maybe those who for their own reasons want to make the 144,000 some sort of Christian elite.