Since 12,000 from each of the twelve tribes are specificall mentioned, God must have choosen them before the destruction of the ancient Israelite nation as a people. This occurred in 70 A.D. when the Temple and the Old Covenant religion were destroyed.
I believe the 144,000 are those men of faith throughout the history of ancient Israel up to the Apostles and disciples who were used to preserve the faith of Abraham and finally establish the Body of Christ--the Christian Church--and bringing the faith of Abraham to the whole world .
God was always looking for those who had the faith of Abraham. There were prophets and holy men in every generation who had the faith of Abraham. The Apostles and early disciples had the faith of Abraham. These early Jewish Apostles fulfilled the prophecies concern the Jews spreading the Gospel about the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob and evangelizing the whole world.
The Body of christ is built up with Jesus as the chief corner stone, with the Apostles and Prophets as the foundation and the 144,000 forming the first tier of the Body. It is upon Jesus, the Apostles, Prophets and these other 144,000 men of faith that Jesus built His Church. |
