What do we know about the 144000 mentioned in Revelation?

Revelation 7:2-4, “Then I saw another angel coming up from the east, having the seal of the living God. He called out in a loud voice to the four angels who had been given power to harm the land and the sea: ‘Do not harm the land or the sea or the trees until we put a seal on the foreheads of the servants of our God.’ Then I heard the number of those who were sealed: 144,000 from all the tribes of Israel.”

This is an end-time picture. Joel 2: 1,2,10 talk about “the day of the Lord…a day of darkness and of gloominess, a day of clouds and of thick darkness,…the earth shall quake before them; the heavens shall tremble: the sun and the moon shall be dark, and the stars shall withdraw their shining…” During the period of our Lord’s second presence, Jesus shall judge the national, social (earth) and religious systems (heavens). However, before our Lord destroys this present evil world (Galatians 1:4), he will seal a class of 144,000 in their foreheads.

What is a seal? In ancient days, people would use a seal to imprint their identification marks in hot wax. When the seal was removed, the wax would bear the designated image of the owner. So, pictorially, this imprint of God is formed in the forehead. We know our foreheads represent out minds and thoughts. Therefore, this class bears the holy mark of God in their minds. Their thoughts and ways are clearly manifest to all as the seal is shown on their faces. This holy group of people radiate the mind of Christ.

What people have Christ’s mind? I Cor. 2:7, 16 states, “…we impart a secret and hidden wisdom of God,…none of the rulers…understood this,…But we have the mind of Christ.” We, the faithful followers of our Lord, have the mind of Christ. Those who are of this unique class are but a “little flock.” Our Lord specially rewards those who are transformed into Christ’s likeness. He permits them to reign with Christ in His kingdom. Luke 12:32, “Fear not, little flock, for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom.”

Referring back to Revelation 7, the final, armageddon phase of God’s judgment doesn’t start until the 144,000 of spiritual Israel have proven faithful, have the seal of God in their foreheads, to reign with Christ (see Revelation 20).

The Levites

In the third chapter of the book of Numbers, the Levites are introduced as a tribe that replaces the special place of the firstborn. The Israelites as a whole represent believers in Jesus during the Gospel Age, and the Levites—as with the firstborn on passover night—represent the spirit begotten ones.

Subsequently, in Numbers 8:5-16, the Levites are required to wash their garments and are then presented to the priesthood as a helper class. When the Levites are thus distinguished from the Priests, this represents the end of the Gospel Age, when there is made a distinction between the Priests (the Bride class of overcomers), and the Great Company class, who wash their robes in the blood of the lamb, and are then made a helper class to the Church in glory (Revelation 7:9, Revelation 19:1). They will inherit a heavenly (spiritual) reward and be “beforethe throne of God, and serve him day and night in his temple” (Revelation 7:15).

THE LEVITES

The Levites that served the Tabernacle (from thirty to fifty years of age, Numbers 4:3, 23, 30, 35, 39) were from the clans of the Kohathites, Gershonites and Merarites. All were descendants of Levi, a tribe which had no inheritance in the land but lived off the tithes paid by their brethren (Leviticus 27:32–33; Numbers 18:21, 24), and the farming they did around the Levitical cities. A tenth of the tithe was also to be given to the priests (Numbers 18:26–28).

Here is a chart showing the descendants of Levi (who was one of Jacob’s 12 sons).

• Age Considerations

In Numbers 8:24–25 we are told that Levites who were 25 to 50 years of age could serve with work for the Tabernacle yet in Numbers 4:3, 23 & 30, the age range of 30 to 50 is stated.

Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown’s Commentary says this: “They entered on their work in their 25th year, as pupils and probationers, under the superintendence and direction of their senior brethren; and at 30 they were admitted to the full discharge of their official functions.” Perhaps so. Or, perhaps in chapter 4 it refers to the transporting of Tabernacle items, and in chapter 8 it refers to auxiliary duties helping others in the services.

Later during King David’s day, we note that the age for entering priestly service was from 20 years of age (see 1 Chronicles 23:27). Age 20 was the age of fighting men, and by the time of King David lifespans were decreased somewhat, so perhaps David made the adjustment for practical considerations. As to a spiritual meaning—this is only a conjecture—but 20 is a number (2, 20, 200, 2000) that refers to the holy Spirit (This is explained in Study 3 of“Beauties of the Tabernacle” on this website). As such the age of 20 may refer symbolically to those who have received the Spirit of God.

• The Role of the Levites

The Levites fulfilled the following roles: