Jesus Christ told to his faithful apostles that they would reign with him in the heaven, to rule over the earth where the future humanity will be the « Twelve Tribes of Israel » (see Matthew 19:28). This idea that humans who will have the privilege of living in heaven, will rule over the Earth, is written in the book of Revelation: “you made them to be a kingdom and priests to our God, and they are to rule as kings over the earth” (Revelation 5:10). Nevertheless, the book of Revelation repeatedly shows that the number of those who will live in heaven will be only 144,000, taken the humanity: “Then I saw, and look! the Lamb standing on Mount Zion, and with him 144,000 who have his name and the name of his Father written on their foreheads” (Revelation 14:1-5). The context of the book of Revelation confirms that it is a literal and not a symbolic number. For example, this number is found for the first time in Revelation 7: 4-8: “And I heard the number of those who were sealed, 144,000, sealed out of every tribe of the sons of Israel” (Revelation 7:4-8).
And the context of this important information makes us understand that this is a real and not a symbolic number. Indeed, after Revelation 7: 4-8, the prophecy continues in verses 7: 9-17 describing thegreat crowd that will survive the great tribulation. This time, regarding this group, the prophecy gives this detail: “After this I saw, and look! a great crowd, which no man was able to number, out of all nations and tribes and peoples and tongues, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, dressed in white robes; and there were palm branches in their hands” (Revelation 7:9). A “great crowd which no man was able to number” in this case the number of people is not known. We therefore understand that the information before, regarding the precise number of 144,000 humans who will live in heaven is to be taken literally.
It is written in The book of Revelation that 7000 humans will complete the 144000 in the heavens just before the Great Tribulation: “In that hour there was a great earthquake, and a tenth of the city fell; and 7,000 persons were killed by the earthquake, and the rest became frightened and gave glory to the God of heaven” (Revelation 11:13). The « tenth of the city » that falls, represents all of the 144,000 who died on earth to live in heaven, while the 7,000 people « killed » (just before the great tribulation) represent those who will complete the 144000, with their heavenly resurrection: “Afterward we the living who are surviving will, together with them, be caught away in clouds to meet the Lord in the air; and thus we will always be with the Lord” (1 Thessalonians 4:17).
This group of humans will be the New Jerusalem, the Bride of Christ: “And I saw a new heaven and a new earth; for the former heaven and the former earth had passed away, and the sea is no more. I also saw the holy city, New Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God and prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. With that I heard a loud voice from the throne say: “Look! The tent of God is with mankind, and he will reside with them, and they will be his people. And God himself will be with them. And he will wipe out every tear from their eyes, and death will be no more, neither will mourning nor outcry nor pain be anymore. The former things have passed away” » (Revelation 21:1-4).
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