QUESTION:
Who are the 144,000 as described in Revelation 7:4 and 14:1-5?
ANSWER:
“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.” [Revelation 7:4]
“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. 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: 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. 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. And in their mouth was found no guile: for they are without fault before the throne of God.” [Revelation 14:1-5]
“He said, “Hold. Stop it, until we have seal the servants of our God.” Other words, "We're ganging them in from all the nations, everywhere, bringing them in, 'cause we got to get them right in here to seal that 144,000. Hold it." And the World War I stopped on the eleventh month of the year, the eleventh day in the month, the eleventh hour in the day, that the eleventh-hour people could come in, the last call for the Jew. and he's going to receive the same baptism of the Holy Ghost that they got back at the beginning back yonder at Pentecost, be baptized the same way, and everything, the eleventh-hour people moving in. He said, "Hold it now, until we have sealed." "How long You going to hold it?" "Until we have sealed the servants of our God." Now, we--we're sealing the Gentiles; they've been sealed away, thousands times thousands through these persecutions and tribulations; they're sealed away. But wait a minute, just a minute. Don't let the per... Don't let the time come till we seal these servants." And he sealed a 144,000. Then the winds was let loose again.” [Questions and Answers, Jeffersonville, IN 54-0103M]
“Here they are, there's three tribes. Always keep them three in mind. And here we seen, around, this 144,000 around that great redeemed Bride. And just remnant was left, there they are; there's the Jews; there's sealed a 144,000. Here's the ones that's sanctified that refused to get the Holy Ghost. The church will persecute against... The--the Roman church and them will persecute them. But the Bride's already raptured and in heaven. There they are, placed exactly the way the Bible said they would be. See? So the 144,000 are Jews, God's servants. and when the Holy Ghost Gospel is preached to them, and they receive the baptism of the Holy Ghost just exactly like they did in the beginning, the Gentile dispensation is finished, the Church is sealed away, the Rapture comes.” [Questions and Answers, Jeffersonville, IN 54-0103M]
“Then the Gospel goes back to the Jews right there at that time. then there'll be a revival amongst those Jews right there that'll carry thousands and tens of thousands and... a 144,000 into the Kingdom of God, will be sealed by the sealing Angel. I trust that He's coming from the east. That's the way He is from us now, with His seal in His hand. Then, oh, I want to be gathered in there. "I've sent a persecution here and a persecution there, and I've run the Jews and drove them as hard as I could. And they've drove back in. Many Jews in the United States (which they won't escape from) has already received the Holy Ghost.
But i've got all of the 144,000 standing there that's going to receive the baptism of the Holy Ghost." And right there, as soon as that sealing Angel begins to seal that 144,000, the Gentile Church door is closed, and the Jews take the Holy Ghost to the Jews. and they'll have a revival that'll sweep the entire world. Hallelujah. And the power of God will be manifested amongst the Jews. Oh, how marvelous!” [Questions and Answers, Jeffersonville, IN 54-0103M]
“Now we find thousands times thousands of Jews. God hardened Pharaoh's heart to drive them to Palestine. God hardened Hitler's heart, Mussolini's heart, Stalin's heart. He's driving by force into Palestine, not knowing what he's doing, working right in the hands of God. Them 144,000 will stand yonder. and one of these days, some divine, holy, anointed prophet of God will go over there with signs and wonders. those Jews will say, "That's what I'm looking for." Yes, sir. And God will baptize a 144,000 Jews.” [The Seal Of God, Jeffersonville, IN 54-0514]
“God is taking that poor humble ignorant Jews, and by His Spirit running them back into Israel to make that 144,000 be standing there (which was prophesied). They're there! They're watching to see the Messiah come.” [The Great Coming Revival, Chicago IL 54-0718a]
“He said, "Now, the angels were standing on the four corners of the earth, holding the four winds." What does "winds" mean in the Bible, any you Bible interpreters here? "Winds" means "wars and strife, trouble." When was the world altogether going to war? One time since then, one time the whole world was at war; and that was World War One, when all the nations were marching together. And look what he said upon this world war time. All the angels coming forth, the destroying angel to destroy the world in a war... You get it? The Angels of God with destroying weapons, coming forth to destroy the world... And what did the Holy Spirit say? "Hold the four winds (hold the world war until, this global destruction), hold it until we have sealed the servants of our God in their foreheads." The Gentile never was a servant; the Jew's a servant. And John recognized them every one: a 144,000 of the Jews.” [The Seal Of The Christ, Los Angeles CA 55-0312]
“God over-shooting now, saying, "Hold these wars here; don't let total destruction, total annihilation come until we have sealed a 144,000 Jews." Then at that time... Oh, watch what taken place. All the world was going to war; and all of a sudden, it stopped. And I've read the decline of the World War One. No man knows today why it stopped; no man give any orders for it to stop. But it was stopped on November the eleventh (That right?), the eleventh month in the year, the eleventh hour in the day, the eleventh minute after eleven. What was it? That the eleventh hour people could come in. He said, "Some come in at one received the penny," and on down. And the eleventh hour people got the same kind of a penny that they got at the beginning--eleventh hour people. And along about that time, I want you to notice, John recognized every Jew; he knowed their military rank; he knowed their names by tribe. John being a Jew himself, he said, "All these are children of Israel." [The Seal Of The Christ, Los Angeles CA 55-0312]
Bible References : Revelation 7:4; 14:1-5
[Answer provided by Bro. Ken Andes, Minister, Lynden, Washington, USA]