The 144
Thousand
The Servants
of God - As Saviors
During every situation when the
Lord delivered His earthly people, the Jews, He used a human mediator,
deliverer or savior. Noah brought deliverance for his family before God
destroyed the earth (Genesis 6-8) with a universal flood. Abraham provided the
necessary mediation to bring about the deliverance of Lot and his family before
God destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah (Genesis 18:23-33).
When Israel was in bondage in Egypt, Moses was called by God to be their
deliverer, and he went on to minister mightily and was without question
Israel’s human savior/mediator. He cried out to God numerous times on the people’s behalf
throughout his lengthy forty-year sojourn with the Israelites. During the
following time of Joshua, the subsequent series of Judges and Queen Esther the
Lord continued this pattern of utilizing a human mediator for the deliverance
of His people.
Daniel, although not physically involved in Israel’s deliverance from
Babylon, nevertheless, he was their spiritual mediator and could even be termed
their spiritual deliverer/savior. He prayed mightily to God in chapter nine of
his prophecy confessing “We have sinned” on four occasions, crying out
to God on behalf of his people and himself for forgiveness: “O Lord, hear, O Lord, forgive; O
Lord; hearken and do; defer not for Thine own sake, O my God: for Thy city and
Thy people are called by Thy name.”
(Daniel 9:19)
In like manner, at the time
of the end, when God’s people are once again in desperate need of deliverance
during “The time of Jacob’s trouble” (Jeremiah 30:7), God will call out
and send, not just one human savior, but, a great company of saviors: “And saviors shall come up on mount Zion to judge the mount of
Esau; and the kingdoms shall be the Lords.” (Obadiah 21)
The time [End of the 70th Week of Daniel] of the fulfillment
of this prophecy is indicated in the
Revelation: “And the seventh angel sounded; and the kingdoms of
this world are become the kingdoms of our Lord, and of His Christ; and
He shall reign for ever and ever.” (Revelation 11:15)
“And I looked and lo a Lamb stood
on mount Zion, and with Him an hundred forty and four thousand, having His
Fathers name written in their foreheads.” (Revelation 14:1)
These 144 Thousand priests unto God will provide their Redemption Ministry
as the end times kingdom of priests which the Lord will use to bring about the
spiritual deliverance of their brethren, the nation of Israel “when all
Israel shall be saved” (Romans 11:26). They are indeed The Priesthood of the Apocalypse!
The prophet David initially describes them:
“Thy people [troops/prayer warriors]
shall be willing in the day of Thy power [army/battle], in the beauties of
holiness [priestly garments] from the womb of the morning, Thou hast the dew
[multitude] of thy youth [young men].” (Psalm 110:3)
These “People” described here are young men adorned with holy
character who are the saviors/soldiers in the Lord’s army, His priests unto
God, the 144 Thousand of the Revelation. This holy company of prayer warriors,
who willingly enlist in the Lord’s army, are the human instruments God will use
to bring into His kingdom that future company of Jews who will be redeemed by
The Lamb, The Redeemer, The Messiah, The Lord Jesus Christ, at the end of the
70th Week of Daniel (Isaiah 59:20; Zechariah 13:9; Romans 11:25,
26).
Their position on Mount Zion
with the Lamb, the Lord Jesus Christ, worshiping before the throne of God
along with the four beasts, the twenty-four elders and the heavenly harpers
places them in the presence of God Himself with His Son. This attests to their
undefiled, holy condition as indicated in these Scriptures: (Psalm 110:3;
Revelation 14:4, 5).
These 144 Thousand “Servants of our God” (Revelation 7:3) will be
responsible during their end times ministry to pray mightily and witness
fervently to those whom God will call in that day as the Lord Jesus Christ
redeems this great harvest of souls at the end of the 70th Week of Daniel.
The continuation of this most necessary ministry to the lost, which is
carried out by the Church saints until they are raptured, will be the major
responsibility of these 144 Thousand witnessing warriors of the Lord Jesus
Christ. The rapture will occur right after they are sealed guaranteeing the
Lord’s priesthood and continuing testimony on earth in order for His program of
redemption to be carried on during the Day of the Lord which begins the same
day the saints are raptured (Luke 17:22-37).
There will be an increasingly intensive spiritual battle for the souls
of men (Revelation 12:12) which will be the primary charge of the 144 Thousand
fulfilling their calling as witnesses and priests unto God as obedient
followers of the Lord Jesus Christ (Revelation 14:4).
As the Lord’s mediators, the end times kingdom of priests, they will
also have the privilege of fulfilling an important conditional covenant of old: “Now therefore if ye will obey My
voice indeed, and keep My covenant, then ye shall be a peculiar treasure unto
Me above all people: for all the earth is Mine. And ye shall be unto Me a
kingdom of priests, and an holy nation.” (Exodus 19:5, 6).
Although this conditional
covenant was never fulfilled due to the disobedience and rebellion of the
people of Israel, the end times Israel of God, the 144 Thousand, will indeed
bring it to pass. This powerful group of God’s servants will in fact minister
to the Lord and thereby bring about His will on earth during the Day of the
Lord.
It is through powerful prayer and timely witnessing (Daniel 11:33-35,
12:3, 10) that the salvation of the lost will be effected at the end of the age
just as it is today. The Lord will continue to be the same “Yesterday, and
today and forever” (Hebrews 13:8) as He calls to Himself those who are
written in the Lamb’s book of life from the foundation of the world.
He will have His “Saviors”
(Obadiah 21), the end times “Servants of our God” (Revelation 7:3)
who provide their Redemption Ministry being protected (Revelation 3:10, 9:4)
and ultimately victorious (Revelation 14:1-5) during the deadly Day of the Lord
judgments (Revelation 9:18, 16:3).
No comments:
Post a Comment