February 8 - The 144,000

February 8 – The 144,000
Revelation 7:4-8

John heard the number of those that were sealed – 144,000. There are a variety of interpretations regarding this passage. The questions posed ask things such as: are there only 144,000 to be sealed, is it a symbolic or actual number, are the Israelites to be a race of people or is it the progression of Israel into the redeemed church of God?

The list found here is interesting. If you compare this list to Genesis 35:23-26 you will find that there are some differences. In the book of Joshua as the land is allotted, neither Joseph nor Levi took any. Joseph’s sons, Manasseh and Ephraim received these allotments (Joshua 17:16-17 tells us that Joseph was given a double portion.) The tribe of Levi was to be cared for by the rest of the tribes.

You will discover that in the Revelation list, Levi and Joseph (the double portion for Joseph remains) have been returned and Ephraim and Dan are missing.

Both Dan and Ephraim were guilty of idolatry. The tribe of Dan actually left its inheritance and moved north to Laish (Judges 18:30) and practiced idolatry. Deuteronomy 29:18-21 tells us that anyone who introduces idolatry into Israel will receive all the curses of the Law and the Lord will blot out his name from under heaven! The entire tribe of Dan was gone from eternal inheritance. Passages relating to Ephraim are found in Judges 17:1-13, Judges 18:2-3, 31; 1 Kings 12:25-29, Hosea 4:17.

One last look at the tribe of Dan from Genesis 49. This is the point when Jacob blesses his sons. Genesis 49:17 gives us Dan’s blessing – which actually looks much more like a curse, “Dan will be a serpent by the roadside, a viper along the path, that bites the horse’s heels so that its rider tumbles backwards.”

Nearly all scholars of apocalyptic literature believe that this verse tells us where the antichrist will come from. Since Dan’s tribe will end up producing that person, there is no way that God will include them in eternity.

There are many lists of the twelve tribes throughout the Old Testament. They rarely list them in an identical order. And it is more important to recognize that this list actually tells us how inclusive and complete it is.

One more point should be made though regarding the list in Revelation. At the head of the list we find the tribe of Judah. Jesus Christ is the lion of the tribe of Judah (Revelation 5:5). I want to send you back one more time to the blessings of Jacob on his sons in reference to Judah.

Genesis 49:8-12, “Judah, your brothers will praise you; your hand will be on the neck of your enemies; your father’s sons will bow down to you. You are a lion’s cub, O Judah; you return from the prey, my son. Like a lion he crouches and lies down, like a lioness – who dares to rouse him? The scepter will not depart from Judah, nor the ruler’s staff from between his feet, until he comes to whom it belongs and the obedience of the nations is his. He will tether his donkey to a vine, his colt to the choicest branch; he will wash his garments in wine, his robes in the blood of grapes. His eyes will be darker than wine, his teeth whiter than milk.” ‘

The Lion of the tribe of Judah – the Lamb who was slain.