                   |
Second Example: The 144,000 Israelis (Rev. 7:1-8)
Introduction:
The question was asked, "Will anyone get saved during the Tribulation
period?" The answer to that question is a firm YES. The first example we gave was of the Martyrs seen when the Fifth Seal was broken (Rev. 6:9-11). In this second example, we look at the 144,000 Israelis sealed for special ministry (Rev. 7:1-8).
(1) Going into the Tribulation period, these 144,000 Jewish people had not been believers in their Messiah. Otherwise they would have departed for heaven in the Rapture. (2) Somehow they were miraculously led to believe in Jesus after the start of the Tribulation. (3) Subsequently they were sealed by angels for their mission, unstated in this passage (Rev. 7:3). (4) John heard the number of those who were sealed – 144,000 – 12,000 from each of he 12 tribes of Israel (Rev. 7:4-8). (5) We are not told what they did, but we can guess from the rest of the chapter (Rev. 7:9-17). (6) In any event, these were Israeli Tribulation Saints. They became believers in Jesus as their Messiah after the start of the Tribulation. (7) Presumably they were sealed as a protection from being martyred while they performed their ministry during the Tribulation period. (8) Judging by the next example of people who were saved during the Tribulation period, we presume that the mission of the 144,000 Israelis was to serve as evangelists all over the world. The result of their ministry was stunningly successful, as we shall next see.
|
|||
