Who are the 144,000 in the Bible?

You might often hear the number 144,000 in connection with the Bible. Overall, the number is mentioned three times in the Bible. Jehovah’s Witnesses claim that this number relates to the people who enter heaven. But is it true that there are only 144,000 spots in heaven?

The number 144,000 in the Bible refers to particular holy men of the 12 Tribes of Israel

The Bible tells us that the 144,000 are a particularly holy people of the 12 tribes of Israel who obeyed God’s word. This passage leaves no room for misinterpretation, such as that of Jehovah’s Witnesses, who like to claim that this passage cannot be taken literally.

And I saw another angel coming up from the sunrise who had the seal of the living God; And he called with a loud voice to the four angels, whose power had been given to harm the earth and the sea, and said, Do not harm the earth, nor the sea, or the trees, until we have sealed the servants of our God on their foreheads ! And I heard the number of the sealed: One hundred and forty-four thousand sealed, from all the tribes of the children of Israel. Twelve thousand sealed from the tribe of Judah; from the tribe of Reuben twelve thousand; from the tribe of Gad twelve thousand; from the tribe of Asher twelve thousand; from the tribe of Naphtali twelve thousand; from the tribe of Manasseh twelve thousand;from the tribe of Simeon twelve thousand; of the tribe of Levi twelve thousand; from the tribe of Issachar twelve thousand; from the tribe of Zebulun twelve thousand; from the tribe of Joseph twelve thousand; from the tribe of Benjamin, twelve thousand sealed. After that I saw, and behold, a great multitude, which no one could count, from every nation and tribe and people and tongue; they stood before the throne and before the lamb, dressed in white clothes and palms in their hands. ( Revelation 7: 2-9)

According to the Bible, the 144,000 are especially holy men who have not defiled themselves with women, in other words, they have remained virgins. God has sealed these men for himself.

And I saw, and behold, the Lamb stood on mount Zion, and with him a hundred and forty-four thousand, who had his name and the name of his father written on their foreheads. And I heard a voice from heaven like the rushing of many waters and like the voice of a strong thunder; and the voice I heard was like that of harpists playing their harps. And they sang like a new song before the throne and before the four living beings and the elders, and no one could learn the song but the hundred and forty-four thousand who are bought from the earth. It is these who have not defiled themselves with women; because they are virgins. It is these who follow the Lamb wherever it goes. These were bought out of men as firstfruits for God and the Lamb,and no deceit has been found in their mouths; they are blameless. (Revelation 14: 1-5)

Not only 144,000 people are going to heaven

Revelation 7 in the Bible also names another large multitude, apart from the 144,000, that are from all nations. This great multitude refers to those who have been cleansed and given through the sacrifice of Jesus. So there is no limited number of spots in heaven.

After that I saw, and behold, a great multitude, which no one could count, from every nation and tribe and people and tongue; they stood before the throne and before the lamb, dressed in white clothes and palms in their hands. And they called in a loud voice and said, Salvation is with our God who sits on the throne, and with the Lamb! (Revelation 7: 9-10)

Has your question been answered? Then you might want to read the following article, to find out who exactly enters the kingdom of God: Who goes to heaven?

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