Saints in Heaven?
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A final question must be resolved: If the saints will reign “on Earth,” how is it that the 144,000 are before the throne of God?
John 3:13 certainly cannot be set aside by the 144,000. Remember: “No man has ascended up to heaven, but He that came down from heaven, even the Son of man which is in heaven.”
The special event that Paul experienced (in II Corinthians 12), wherein he was taken into the third heaven (in vision), was to receive a glimpse of his future as a member of the God Family, to be encouraged and to receive strength to endure the course of his incredibly difficult ministry. While Paul’s reward, like every other Christian, is to rule the nations of Earth (Matt. 5:5), there is nothing in Scripture to suggest God’s children will be prohibited from God’s heavenly throne room. The book of Job makes plain that even Satan has occasional access there. Would members of God’s Family have less?
Thus John’s visions in Revelation harmonize with Paul’s, and are consistent with the correct understanding of the reward of the saved.
The Firstfruits Are the Church
Recall that Revelation 14:1-20 plainly labels the 144,000 as “the firstfruits.” That there be no misunderstanding, yet another list of passages should be reviewed. These make the firstfruits’ identity unmistakable:
First, “For we know that the whole creation groans and travails in pain together until now. And not only they, but ourselves also, which have the firstfruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting for the adoption, to wit, the redemption of our body. For we are saved by hope: but hope that is seen is not hope: for what a man sees, why does he yet hope for?” (Rom. 8:22-24).
Next, “Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and comes down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning. Of His own will begat He us with the word of truth, that we should be a kind of firstfruits of His creatures” (James. 1:17-18).
And, “But now is Christ risen from the dead, and become the firstfruits of them that slept. For since by man came death, by man came also the resurrection of the dead. For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive. But every man in his own order: Christ the firstfruits; afterward they that are Christ’s at His coming” (I Cor. 15:20, 21-23).
“They that are Christ’s,” of which Paul and James considered themselves a part, God calls firstfruits. These are symbolized by the early grain harvest collected at the time of Pentecost.
“Jerusalem…Above”
Now the final piece of the puzzle. God gives His Church—already established as “Israel” and the “twelve tribes” and “spiritual Jews”—the name “Jerusalem.” This is important because this city was Israel’s capital. Still one more list presents itself.
First, “But Jerusalem which is above is free, which is the mother of us all” (Gal. 4:26).
Next, “I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away; and there was no more sea. And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. And I heard a great voice out of heaven saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and He will dwell with them, and they shall be His people, and God Himself shall be with them, and be their God” (Rev. 21:1-3).
And, “He carried me away in the spirit to a great and high mountain, and showed me that great city, the holy Jerusalem, descending out of heaven from God, having the glory of God: and her light was like unto a stone most precious, even like a jasper stone, clear as crystal; and had a wall great and high, and had twelve gates, and at the gates twelve angels, and names written thereon, which are [notice carefully] the names of the twelve tribes of the children of Israel: on the east three gates; on the north three gates; on the south three gates; and on the west three gates. And the wall of the city had twelve foundations, and in them the names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb” (Rev 21:10-14).
It could not be mere coincidence that the capital of physical Israel is the very designated name for New Testament spiritual Israel.
High Calling for a Select Group
Jesus declared that during the Millennium each of the twelve apostles will oversee one of the twelve tribes, assisted by thousands of other God Beings under Him: “Then answered Peter and said unto Him, Behold, we have forsaken all, and followed You; what shall we have therefore? And Jesus said unto them, Verily I say unto you, that you which have followed Me, in the regeneration when the Son of man shall sit in the throne of His glory, you also shall sit upon twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel” (Matt. 19:27-28).
Out of the billions of human beings that have lived since Adam, a mere (initial number of) 144,000 will rule with Jesus Christ at His Return. This makes the Christian calling today a truly mind-boggling opportunity and privilege not to be squandered.
Is it any wonder that Jesus admonishes the Philadelphian Christians of Revelation 3:1-22, “Behold, I come quickly: hold that fast which you have, that no man take your crown” (Rev 3:11)? If one of God’s selected number lets go of—gives up!—his crown, it will be “taken” by another “man.”
God’s purpose will be carried out—His number will be fulfilled!
144,000—12 times 12,000—is the number of foundations and organizational beginnings in perfect form. The twelve apostles, including twelve groups of 12,000 spirit-born saints, ruling the twelve physical tribes, will finally perfect Israel, allowing the nation to achieve God’s original purpose for it as a model nation! And through Israel’s salvation, just a year away from when the 144,000 are sealed, God will govern and set the example for all nations who will follow later in salvation.
But first comes unspeakable horror…