The amillennial interpretation of the 144,000 is that they represent all the saved people of all time, and not a remnant that comes about in the end time. This has been the Catholic position on the 144,000 and many of the traditional Calvinists also. Of course, the amillenial position does not see the 144,000 as being a remnant at the end of the age, right before Christ appears, nor does it see them as a remnant at all.
They have to be a remnant when they are sealed over some period in time. As a remnant, they, like earlier remnants used by God, began anew his work of redemption when the multitude has fallen away into false doctrines and practices. And here is where those in the false doctrines reject this teaching of a falling away and of a remnant that takes up anew the work of redemption for the Lord.
The remnant in Romans 11: 1-5 began again, the work of redemption in a more important way, than did the remnant which under Zerubbabel, Ezra and Nehemiah returned to Jerusalem to rebuild the wall and temple and restore the Old Covenant. In Haggai 2: 9, "The glory of this latter house shall be greater than of the former, saith the Lord of hosts..."
Since the 144,000 are sealed, come into existence, at a specific time, the end time, not long before the return of Christ, they must have a mission. And that mission involves the predicted falling away of II Thessalonians 2: 3-4 and the work of the False Prophets of Matthew 24 in what it called the tribulation.
There are some Old Testament prophecies in Zechariah 13: 8-9 and in Ezekiel 5: 1-12 that are relevant to the remnant, which would include the 144,000. I am not sure at this time whether that remnant mentioned in Revelation 12: 17, having the testimony of Christ, is the 144,000 or not, but they very well could be. This is because of the meaning of the metaphoric language in Revelation 12 about the dragon-serpent casting a flood (of lies) out of his mouth and going to make war with the remnant. This is the time when the False Prophets are at a high point in their work of diminishing the spiritual power of the truth of God's word.
"And it shall come to pass, that in all the land, saith the LORD, two parts therein shall be cut off and die; but the third shall be left therein. 9. And I will bring the third part through the fire, and will refine them as silver is refined, and will try them as gold is tried: they shall call on my name, and I will hear them: I will say, It is my people: and they shall say, The LORD is my God." Zechariah 13: 8-9
The three parts in Zechariah 13: 8-9 do not have to be three exact one-thirds of some population. Its just three groups or parts, where only one part or one group is refined and tried and made a people of God. The one part refined and made a people of God could be a remnant, a few people.
"And thou, son of man, take thee a sharp knife, take thee a barber's rasor, and cause it to pass upon thine head and upon thy beard: then take thee balances to weight, and divide the hair.
2. Thou shalt burn with fire a third part in the midst of the city, when the days of the siege are fulfilled: and thou shalt take a third part, and smite about it with a knife: and a third part thou shalt scatter in the wind; and I will draw out a sword after them. 3. Thou shalt also take thereof a few in number, and bind them in thy skirts..............A third part of thee shall die with the pestilence, and with famine shall they be consumed in the midst of thee: and a third part shall fall by the sword round about thee and I will scatter a third part into all the winds, and I will draw out a sword after them." Ezekiel 5: 1-3, 12
Here again, though in metaphoric language, we have three parts. But look there is another smaller group which is bound in Ezekiel's skirts, which is a remnant. Ezekiel 5 does not say what the Lord plans to do with these few in number bound in Ezekiel's skirts. Putting Ezekiel 5 together with Zechariah 13: 9, we can see that this group of few in Ezekiel's skirts become the people of God.
Hosea 14:9 says "Who is wise, and he shall understand these things? prudent, and he shall know them? for the ways of the LORD are right, and the just shall walk in them: but the transgressors shall fall therein. Who is wise? " Again, those who understand are contrasted in Hosea 14: 9 with the transgressors, the pasha, Strong's 6586, meaning not just those who commit sins, but meaning "to break away from just authority, trespass, apostatize, quarrel, offend rebel, revolt....." The opposition, the conflict, the separation, is between those who understand, now the remnant, and the pasha, whose who quarrel with the truth.
The point is that Revelation 7 and 14 on the 144,000 cannot be fully understood in total isolation from other scripture. Scripture must always be interpreted by other relevant scripture, but the other scriptures you use to interpret scripture have to be relevant as you are led by the Holy Spirit in selecting the right scriptures to use.
"For precept must be upon precept, precept upon precept; line upon line, line upon line; here a little, and there a little:" Isaiah 28: 10
Isaiah 28: 10 is one authority for interpreting scripture by relevant scripture and not by a tradition of men (Matthew 15: 6, 9).
They have to be a remnant when they are sealed over some period in time. As a remnant, they, like earlier remnants used by God, began anew his work of redemption when the multitude has fallen away into false doctrines and practices. And here is where those in the false doctrines reject this teaching of a falling away and of a remnant that takes up anew the work of redemption for the Lord.
The remnant in Romans 11: 1-5 began again, the work of redemption in a more important way, than did the remnant which under Zerubbabel, Ezra and Nehemiah returned to Jerusalem to rebuild the wall and temple and restore the Old Covenant. In Haggai 2: 9, "The glory of this latter house shall be greater than of the former, saith the Lord of hosts..."
Since the 144,000 are sealed, come into existence, at a specific time, the end time, not long before the return of Christ, they must have a mission. And that mission involves the predicted falling away of II Thessalonians 2: 3-4 and the work of the False Prophets of Matthew 24 in what it called the tribulation.
There are some Old Testament prophecies in Zechariah 13: 8-9 and in Ezekiel 5: 1-12 that are relevant to the remnant, which would include the 144,000. I am not sure at this time whether that remnant mentioned in Revelation 12: 17, having the testimony of Christ, is the 144,000 or not, but they very well could be. This is because of the meaning of the metaphoric language in Revelation 12 about the dragon-serpent casting a flood (of lies) out of his mouth and going to make war with the remnant. This is the time when the False Prophets are at a high point in their work of diminishing the spiritual power of the truth of God's word.
"And it shall come to pass, that in all the land, saith the LORD, two parts therein shall be cut off and die; but the third shall be left therein. 9. And I will bring the third part through the fire, and will refine them as silver is refined, and will try them as gold is tried: they shall call on my name, and I will hear them: I will say, It is my people: and they shall say, The LORD is my God." Zechariah 13: 8-9
The three parts in Zechariah 13: 8-9 do not have to be three exact one-thirds of some population. Its just three groups or parts, where only one part or one group is refined and tried and made a people of God. The one part refined and made a people of God could be a remnant, a few people.
"And thou, son of man, take thee a sharp knife, take thee a barber's rasor, and cause it to pass upon thine head and upon thy beard: then take thee balances to weight, and divide the hair.
2. Thou shalt burn with fire a third part in the midst of the city, when the days of the siege are fulfilled: and thou shalt take a third part, and smite about it with a knife: and a third part thou shalt scatter in the wind; and I will draw out a sword after them. 3. Thou shalt also take thereof a few in number, and bind them in thy skirts..............A third part of thee shall die with the pestilence, and with famine shall they be consumed in the midst of thee: and a third part shall fall by the sword round about thee and I will scatter a third part into all the winds, and I will draw out a sword after them." Ezekiel 5: 1-3, 12
Here again, though in metaphoric language, we have three parts. But look there is another smaller group which is bound in Ezekiel's skirts, which is a remnant. Ezekiel 5 does not say what the Lord plans to do with these few in number bound in Ezekiel's skirts. Putting Ezekiel 5 together with Zechariah 13: 9, we can see that this group of few in Ezekiel's skirts become the people of God.
Hosea 14:9 says "Who is wise, and he shall understand these things? prudent, and he shall know them? for the ways of the LORD are right, and the just shall walk in them: but the transgressors shall fall therein. Who is wise? " Again, those who understand are contrasted in Hosea 14: 9 with the transgressors, the pasha, Strong's 6586, meaning not just those who commit sins, but meaning "to break away from just authority, trespass, apostatize, quarrel, offend rebel, revolt....." The opposition, the conflict, the separation, is between those who understand, now the remnant, and the pasha, whose who quarrel with the truth.
The point is that Revelation 7 and 14 on the 144,000 cannot be fully understood in total isolation from other scripture. Scripture must always be interpreted by other relevant scripture, but the other scriptures you use to interpret scripture have to be relevant as you are led by the Holy Spirit in selecting the right scriptures to use.
"For precept must be upon precept, precept upon precept; line upon line, line upon line; here a little, and there a little:" Isaiah 28: 10
Isaiah 28: 10 is one authority for interpreting scripture by relevant scripture and not by a tradition of men (Matthew 15: 6, 9).
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