The 144
Thousand
The Servants of Our God – As
Soldiers
Revelation 17:14 tells of the Lord’s end of the age victory:
“These [10 horns/kings] shall make
war with the Lamb, and the Lamb shall overcome them: for He is Lord of lords,
and King of kings: and they that are with Him [144 Thousand]
(Revelation 14:1, 4) are called, and chosen, and faithful.”
This brief description of the 144 Thousand warriors shows them as those
who are chosen from the twelve tribes and are “with the Lamb...following
Him wherever He goes” (Revelation 14:1, 4)...“for many are called, but few are
chosen.” (Matthew 22:14)
This verse in Matthew’s gospel underlines the meaning of what is said
about these choice saints for they are not only called to be the end times
warriors but they are also chosen and faithful. While some identify those who
are “called” to be with the Lord in this verse (Revelation 17:14) as the
raptured saints in heaven, the only ones in time of the end Scripture who are
clearly shown to be “with Him” and “follow Him wherever He goes” are
the 144 Thousand soldiers of Christ (Revelation 14:1-5).
The word “faithful” in Revelation
17:14 really eliminates the glorified saints for faith is no longer necessary
when face to face with the Lord in heaven for to be unfaithful is not a
possibility for one who is glorified and no longer able to sin.
The faithfulness of the 144 Thousand gives
them the desire and ability to “follow the Lamb whithersoever He goes”
putting them in the midst of the intense warfare which will be waged during the
end times. They will become the primary targets of Satan after “the woman”
[faithful Israel] flees to safety to her place in the wilderness which is
prepared by God (Revelation 12:6, 14):
“And
the dragon [Satan] was wroth with the woman, and went to make war with the remnant
[rest] of her seed [144 Thousand], which keep the commandments of God, and have
the testimony of Jesus
Christ.” (Revelation 12:17)
The 144 Thousand are the physical warriors who go with the Lord Jesus
Christ to battle against the army of the ten horns/kings (Revelation 17:12-14),
the “kings of the east” (Revelation 16:12), and “the kings...of the whole world”
(Revelation 16:14). These kings are collectively known as “the kings of
the earth” (Revelation 19:19) who go to “the battle of the great day of
God Almighty”(Revelation 16:14) which is the battle of Armageddon.
They will also be active as physical soldiers in Israel during the
Antichrist’s initial assault upon Jerusalem:
“And this Man [Messiah] shall be the peace, when the Assyrian
[Antichrist] shall come into our land: and when he shall tread in our palaces,
then shall we raise against him seven shepherds, and eight principal men. And
they shall waste the land of Assyria with the sword.” (Micah 5:5, 6)
But this is not where their ministry begins. They are
present (Revelation 12:17b) during the persecution which intensifies at the
mid-point of the 70th Week of Daniel. Then, the Antichrist stops the
daily sacrifice and the abomination of desolation [Antichrist’s image] is set
up in the holy place (Daniel 8:11, 9:27, 11:31, 12:11; Matthew 24:15;
II Thessalonians 2:3, 4).
Revelation 12, which focuses on Israel and the Hebrew people, closes
with a statement telling of “the dragon” [Satan] as he makes “war
with the remnant [rest] of her [The woman/faithful Israel] seed, [the ones
which are keeping] the commandments of God and [the ones having] the testimony
of Jesus Christ.” (Revelation 12:17b) The phrase “of her seed” indicates the physical seed of the woman
and the rest of the verse “which keep the commandments of God, and have the
testimony of Jesus Christ” shows them as faithful obedient brethren.
This verse points out their physical relationship to “the woman”.
They are Jews, and their faithful obedience to the Lord during the second half
of the 70th Week of Daniel is also clearly indicated. That Satan’s persecution will be focused upon
these saved Jews indicates that there will also be unsaved Jews who will not be
Satan’s target. This is indicated in Daniel 11:28-31 where the unsaved Jews
collaborate with the Antichrist and “forsake the holy covenant” along
with still another group of Jews:
“They that understand [the rest of her seed (Revelation 12:17b)] among
the people shall instruct many” indicating
there will be three different groups of Jews in the land after the abomination
of desolation (Daniel 11:31). This records the continuing assault of Satan on those saved Jews whom
God chooses to continue bearing His testimony after “the woman”, who represents
the faithful of the nation of Israel, flees: “into the wilderness, into her
place, where she is nourished for a time, and times, and half a time [Last
3-1/2 years of Daniel’s 70th Week], from the face of the serpent.”
(Revelation 12:14;
Matthew 24:16)
These young soldiers of Christ will
continue to serve Him and their country as every young man in present-day
Israel is required to serve in the military.
They will remain in the land when “the woman…flees into her place”. Then, Satan’s personal attention will be focused upon the earthly people
of God, those saved Jews [they that understand/the rest of her seed],
who are in the line of fire during the last half of the 70th Week of
Daniel. This is when Satan’s wrath is at its peak, for “he knows that he has
but a short time” (Revelation 12:12).
Daniel 7:21, 25 refers to the same time period assault by the Antichrist
upon the Church:
“I beheld, and the same horn [Antichrist] made war with the saints
and prevailed against them…And he shall speak great words against the most
High, and shall wear out the saints of the most High, and think to change times
and laws: and they [the saints] shall be given into his hand until a time and
times and the dividing of time [Last 3-1/2 years of Daniel’s 70th Week].”
These references are definite indications
of the Antichrist’s worldwide war
upon the saints of the Church for the global scope of his efforts are recorded: “The fourth beast...shall be
diverse from all kingdoms and shall devour the whole earth, and shall tread it
down, and break it in pieces.” (Daniel 7:23)
This parallel passage underscores this future global assault upon the
Church saints: “And it was given unto him [Antichrist] to make war with the
saints, and to overcome them: and power was given him over all kindreds, and
tongues, and nations.” (Revelation 13:7) Satan, the dragon of Revelation 12, will zero in on the faithful Jews, “The
rest of her seed”, primarily in the land of Israel. His henchmen, the
Antichrist and the false prophet, will conduct a worldwide assault upon the
Church saints.
Another passage describing physical warfare at the end of the age is
Micah 5:1-9. Through the ages, this powerful Messianic Scripture has been
looked to as the renowned passage that predicts the Lord Jesus Christ’s
birthplace of Bethlehem.
There is more prophetic truth here yet to be fulfilled involving the
Messiah during the end times:
“Now muster yourselves in troops
(Psalm 110:3), daughter of troops; he [the Antichrist] has laid siege against
us; with a rod they will smite the judge of Israel on the cheek. But as for
you, Bethlehem, Ephratah, though thou be little among the thousands
[clans/military divisions] of Judah, yet out of thee shall He [Messiah] come forth
unto Me [Jehovah] to be Ruler in Israel; whose goings forth have been from of
old, from everlasting. Therefore, He [Lord] will give them [Israel] up until
the time [end of the age] that she [Israel] which travails [time of Jacob’s
trouble] hath brought forth [all Israel saved]. Then the remnant [rest] of His
[Messiah] brethren [the woman/faithful Israel] shall return unto the children
[sons] of Israel [144 Thousand]. And He [Messiah] shall stand and feed His
flock [All Israel Saved/The Woman/144 Thousand during the Millennium] in the
strength of the LORD, in the majesty of the name of the LORD His God. And they
[His flock] shall abide, for now shall He [Messiah] be great unto the ends of
the earth. And, this Man [Messiah] shall be the Peace, when the Assyrian
[Antichrist] shall come into [invades] our land: and when he shall tread
[tramples] in our palaces [synagogues], then we will raise against him seven
shepherds and eight principal men. And they shall waste [tend/rule] the land of
Assyria with the sword, the land of Nimrod in the entrances thereof; thus shall
He [Messiah] deliver us from the Assyrian [Antichrist] when he comes into
[attacks] our land and when he treads [tramples] within our borders. And the
remnant [144 Thousand] of Jacob shall be in the midst of many people as a dew
(Psalm 110:3) from the LORD, as the showers upon the grass, that tarries not
for man, nor waits for the sons of men. And the remnant [144 Thousand] of Jacob
will be among the Gentiles in the midst of many people as a lion among the
beasts of the forest as a young lion among the flocks of sheep: who, if he go
through, both treads down and tears in pieces, and none can deliver. Thine hand
shall be lifted up upon thine adversaries, and all thine enemies shall be cut
off.” (Micah 5:1-9)
These nine verses begin with a call for battle preparation:
“Now muster yourselves in
troops...He has laid siege against us” (Micah 5:1) because the Antichrist has come against Jerusalem.
In verse two Bethlehem is described as “Too little” to be counted
among the “Clans” or military divisions even though it is the birthplace
of the Messiah, the Lord Jesus Christ. “He [the Lord] will give them up”
referring to the setting aside of Israel (Romans 11:8, 25, 26) “until the
time” (Micah 5:3) when He will thoroughly purge, purify (Jeremiah 30:7;
Zechariah 13:9) and redeem Israel at the end of the 70th Week of
Daniel (Isaiah 59:20, 21).
There is a “Return to the sons of Israel” (Micah 5:3) by “The
remainder of His brethren” indicating the eventual gathering of Jews:
1.
The Woman (Revelation 12)
2.
The 144 Thousand (Revelation 14:1)
3.
The Nation Saved @ End of 70th Week of Daniel (Genesis
49:10,
Psalm 102:22; Isaiah 59:20; Daniel 9:24; Hosea 1:11, 3:5;
Zechariah 13:8, 9; Romans 11:25, 26; Revelation 11:15, 14:1-5)
These redeemed Jews will gather and eventually populate their promised
land during the glorious 1000 year earthly reign of Christ (Revelation 20:1-6)
also known as the Millennium. This
passage continues describing the Messiah’s actions (Micah 5:4, 5a) when the
Antichrist enters the land of Israel with his armies after the abomination of
desolation and attacks Jerusalem as described in Ezekiel 38, 39; Zechariah
12:1-14, 14:2.
There will be “seven shepherds and eight principal men”
(Micah 5:5b, 6a) raised against the aggression of the king of Assyria
[Antichrist] having great military success as they rule “the land of Assyria
with the sword”.
The Septuagint [Greek Old Testament] translates “Principal men”
as “Attacks of men” possibly indicating the number of assaults upon the
enemy by the seven shepherds. The Hebrew word translated “Principal men”
can also mean “Poured out or libation” per Strong’s lexicon indicating
the possibility of the shepherds or rulers seven-fold giving of themselves to
the Lord.
The Messiah’s deliverance is then recorded:
“Thus shall He deliver us from the Assyrian” (Micah 5:6b)
referring to the ultimate victory of the Lord Jesus Christ when He comes as “King
of kings and Lord of lords” (Revelation 19:16). Then “The remnant of
Jacob” [144 Thousand] are once again focused upon in Micah 5:7 where they
are a blessing “In the midst of many people as a dew from the LORD”. This is similar to Psalm 110:3 where they are
also referred to as “Dew” indicating this great multitude of young
servants of God.
They will truly be a blessing as they are the instruments of God’s
divine mercy during the end times when their Redemption Ministry is provided to
those who do not know the Lord Jesus Christ as Savior and Messiah. Their
ministry is also described in Daniel 11:32-35, 12:3, 10.
The next few verses in Micah 5 illustrate their ferocious prowess as
warriors thereby becoming a curse to their enemies: “And the remnant of Jacob shall
be among the Gentiles in the midst of many people as a lion among beasts of the
forest, as a young lion among the flocks of sheep: who, if he go through, both
treads down and tears in pieces, and none can deliver. Thine hand shall be
lifted up upon thine adversaries, and all thine enemies shall be cut off.”
(Micah 5:8, 9)
In Micah 5:9 God ends this section with
His promise of complete
victory to these marvelous soldiers of Christ
as they go to battle against the ultimate end times enemy of God. The
Antichrist and all the forces he can muster are crushed in his futile attempt
to defeat the great and mighty King of Glory. “Thy people
[troops] shall be willing in the day of Thy power [forces/army/battle] in the
beauties of holiness [priestly garments] from the womb of the morning, Thou
hast the dew of Thy youth [young men].” (Psalm 110:3)
Here the 144 Thousand are described as the Lord’s warrior/priests during
the Day of His power indicating the Day of the Lord which immediately follows
His Second Coming to resurrect, rescue, rapture and receive the saints
(Revelation 7:9-17). The theme of Psalm 110 is given in Psalm 110:1:
“Sit thou at My right hand until I
make Thy enemies Thy footstool.”
The rest of the Psalm shows the LORD Jehovah progressively bringing the
Lord Jesus Christ’s enemies into submission. This begins with the sending of “The
rod [tribe] of Thy strength” which refers to the tribe of Judah as the Lord
Jesus Christ, “The Lion of the tribe of Judah” (Revelation 5:5) will
lead His tribe/people in the warfare.
It is during “The day of His wrath” (Psalm 110:5) the Day of the
Lord, which is described in Psalm 110:5-7 that God supernaturally intervenes
with His judgment upon earth and its rebellious inhabitants. Satan unleashes
his greatest assault upon the people of God during the last half of Daniel’s 70th
Week.
Even though Satan will battle with all his might inflicting many
casualties among God’s people: “All things work together for good
to them that love God to those who are called according to His purpose.”
(Romans 8:28)
The Lord will use the wickedness of men during the Great Tribulation to
purge and purify His Church saints in order “That He might present it to
Himself a glorious church not having spot or wrinkle, nor any such thing but
that it might be holy and without blemish.” (Ephesians 5:27)
These soldiers of the Cross, the 144 Thousand, will continue on earth
during the Day of the Lord when God purges and purifies His people (Zechariah
13:9). They will provide their Redemption Ministry as The Priesthood of the Apocalypse to those Jews who will be
saved at the end of the 70th Week when “Their Redeemer will come
to Zion” (Isaiah 59:20) and “all Israel shall be saved.” (Romans 11:25, 26)
The 144 Thousand will remain “With” and continue to “Follow
the Lamb wherever He goes” (Revelation 14:1, 4, 17:14) taking part
in the army of the Lord Jesus Christ. He will come on His white horse to
execute the victory over the kings of the earth, the beast [Antichrist] and the
false prophet at the climax of the Day of the Lord, “The battle of that
great day of God Almighty” (Revelation 16:14), the battle of Armageddon
(Revelation 19:15-21).
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