144,001

I was on a flight to Arizona.

When the gentleman next to me said,
"Let me just get out my bible, I am a Mormon and I want to talk to you about Jesus."

I replied, Well great I have my bible with me too."

"Oh great! I say that to people because normally people will leave me alone. Their suppose to anyway." Was his reply.
I proceeded, "Well if you talk Mormon's then I get to talk Jehovah's Witnesses with you."

"Oh man! Really? Oh great! Now what did I get myself into?" He gasped.
"Really, are you really a Jehovah's Witness?" He stammered.
"No, but I was born and raised as one, but no longer practicing."

"Oh, o.k. good! So......... I've always wondered." He continued.

I knew what was coming next.

"Do you really believe in the 144,000?"
"Me, or they?" I replied.

I mean they,  I mean is that all they think will go to heaven? I mean what if I'm number 144,001, what happens to me?
"Funny how you ask what if I'm number 144,001, my husband likes to give me a hard time, with that same question.  I do believe in the 144,000, but not how it was taught to me by the Jehovah's Witnesses. The number is in the bible and there is actual reason and truth behind it."

And off to Arizona I was......

I trust that in this post, by God through The Holy Spirit that truth will be revolved to you.

***ATTENTION BLOG READER***

Lengthy Blog Entry

God blesses the one who reads the words of this prophecy to the church, and he blesses all who listen to its message and obey what it says, for the time is near.

Jesus says to John: Write, therefore, what you have seen, what is now and what will take place later. 

Yes, the Number 144,000 is in the bible.
 You will see the number in Revelation chapters 7 and 14.

Let God set the stage for you;

Then John wept because no one was found worthy to open the scroll and read it.

But one of the twenty-four elders said to me, “Stop weeping! Look, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the heir to David’s throne, has won the victory. He is worthy to open the scroll and its seven seals.”* 

Who has won the victory?
 Jesus.
 Jesus died and rose from the dead.
Jesus conquered death.  Jesus has the keys to hell.
 Victory is won, by Jesus the One and only.

  For you were slaughtered, and your blood has ransomed people for God
      from every tribe and language and people and nation. 

 “Worthy is the Lamb who was slaughtered—
      to receive power and riches
   and wisdom and strength
      and honor and glory and blessing.”* 

 I share these verses with you, because I at one time, did not know all the power, and honor, and strength, and glory. That was due Christ.  I at one time forever denied His Power, His Deity, His right recognition of being God.

If the angels in heaven and the elders in heaven continually fall down and worship Him, shouldn't I also?  And if there is writing on those scrolls, don't you want to know what they say?  Wouldn't I want the One who can open them, do just that,
open them?

Jesus proceeds to break 6 of the 7 seals, each seal representing a time that will come. Revelation 6

Then John saw 4 angels who were given power to harm land and sea. But an angel that came from the east shouted to the 4 angels;“Wait! Don’t harm the land or the sea or the trees until we have placed the seal of God on the foreheads of his servants.*

 Then John heard how many were marked with the seal of God—

144,000 were sealed from all the tribes of Israel:

from Judah 12,00, from Reuben 12,000, from Gad 12,000, from Asher 12,000

    from Naphtali 12,000,  from Manasseh 12,000, from Simeon 12,000, from Levi 12,000

    from Issachar 12,000, from Zebulun 12,000, from Joseph 12,000, from Benjamin 12,000.* 

What?
 The questions inevitably came,
 and started to swarm like flies.

  I had made a decision to turn my life around as you know, and I decided to live my life for Christ and I had started to read some of what Christ had to say in the bible.  So my mind battled between old beliefs and teachings, and new truths that I had discovered, my head  began to spin.

Am I one of these 12,000 from the tribes of Israel? No

They already had the marking on their foreheads. Right? That's what is says.

  These groups of 12,000 are from way back in the old testement? Yes. I remember reading about them.

Those tribes weren't they Jews? Am I a Jew? No.

These 144,000 are from the 12 of the 13 tribes of Israel, not Gentiles.

God chose these, he set them apart.  Aren't I set apart?  What identifies if I belong to God?

 "For God loved the world so much that he gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life.*

Jesus said, "I am the way, the truth, and the life. 

No one can come to the Father except through me. *

Truth, this is the truth I had learned. The one Christ had shown me.
 The one I was going to stick to. The one I knew now was forever true.

  A gentile, wait I think I might be one of those? Yes. I have been grafted in.*

 So how could that lady on memorial day claim to be one of the 144,000?

  She looked old, but not that old, that's impossible.

So wait if there's 144,000 and there already chosen, and have the marking and have the seal.

 Then I am one?!?

 Awe! Excitement! Confusion! Ecstatic! Unbelievable!

Now Hopeful!

The whirlwind of emotion!

That meant maybe, just maybe there is room in heaven, for me, for one.

Then maybe just maybe I could go there? Maybe, me, one!

Lord do you have room, for just one. One more, me?

I continued to read the visions John wrote down.  A time of great anguish and tribulation, all recorded in Revelation chapters 8-13.

As I approached chapter 14 I see mention of the 144,000 again.

The 144,000 were standing on Mount Zion with Jesus, and they sang a song only they the 144,000 knew the words to.*

They have kept themselves as pure as virgins, following the Lamb wherever he goes. They have been purchased from among the people on the earth as a special offering to God and to the Lamb. 

They have told no lies; they are without blame.*

 So now for me, my new understanding and new belief that I put my faith in, is this:

The 144,000 indeed a number.  Indeed a chosen people to do an amazing work for the Lord, after God's chosen people are taken up with Him in heaven.*

A people chosen by God before even time began.  A people identified in the Old Testament.

 They are a people redeemed and are entirely Israelites.

 A people that is not a denomination.  A people that is not a religion.  A people that is not a cult. They are people who are not Jehovah's Witnesses.

  They are a people who will with stand, and not fall during all the tumultuous times that are to come. They are a people who will  not deny Christ as Lord.

And I, on the other hand never have to worry about not being apart of the 144,000 and never getting the opportunity to go to heaven.
Why? Because I have found the truth.

I do believe in Christ, I will follow His way, and His truth, and because of His death and shed blood for me, I know He is preparing a room for me in heaven.
I love because He first loved me.

He is the One. And now I can look up, smile, and say I am one.

One with Him.

"I am praying not only for these disciples but also for all who will ever believe in me through their message. I pray that they will all be one, just as you and I are one--as you are in me, Father, and I am in you. And may they be in us so that the world will believe you sent me.

*Revelation 1:3, Revelation 1:19
 Revelation 5:4-5,9b,12, Revelation 7:1-3, 4-8, John 3:16
 John 14:6, Romans 11:11, Revelation 1:1-5, Revelation 4:1

 1 John 4:19, John 17:20-21.
-NIV and NLT bible versions used.

**If you are looking for an in-depth teaching, about  the 144,000 regarding what the Jehovah's Witnesses teach verses God's truth from His word.  Or to have Melissa share her testimony in person about this topic of the 144,000, or any topic regarding Jehovah's Witnesses beliefs, you may contact Melissa, via e-mail at thebramers7@gmail.com, or leave a comment on this blog.