In this post, we’re going to look at the people involved in the return of Christ–this is the good part of the whole drama. Throughout the book of Revelation, the Apostle John describes four groups of people, each with its own characteristics and functions. So, let’s begin with the group described in Revelation 6:9-11:

   When the Lamb broke the fifth seal, I saw underneath the altar the souls of those who had been slain because of the testimony which they had maintained; and they cried out with a loud voice saying, “How long, O Lord, holy and true, will You refrain from judging and avenging our blood on those who dwell on the earth?” And there was given to each of them a white robe; and they were told that they should rest for a little while longer, until the number of their fellow servants and their brethren who were to be killed even as they had been, would be completed also.

Again, the color white denotes the force of righteousness, so the fact that these slain believers were given white robes at this time is significant. Listen to what Proverbs 12:28 says, “In the way of righteousness is life, and in its pathway there is no death.” This verse is so important in understanding what takes place in the human race as Christ prepares to return. Although these believers that had been slain for their testimony had been made the righteousness of God in Christ (II Corinthians 5:21), they did not have enough understanding to put on (to use) that righteousness to defeat the kingdom of evil.  The fact that these slain believers were given the white robes and told to rest just a little while longer supports what Paul wrote in I Corinthians 15:51-52, “…we will all be changed, in a moment, in a twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet; for the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised impersihable, and we will be changed.” Those white robes in Revelation 6:9-11 meant that the resurrection of the dead was soon to come. 

     Before we go on to the next group of people, let’s look again at the ending statement in Revelation 6:9-11 where the slain believers were told to rest a little while longer so that the number of their fellow servants to be slain would be completed. Notice the word “servants.” Throughout church history, many believers have considered themselves to be servants of God and Christ. Now, let’s look at Romans 8:19, “For the anxious longing of the creation waits eagerly for the revealing of the sons of God.” It is our righteousness that makes us sons of God. What happens in the times preceding the return of Christ is that we believers begin to understand that we are sons of God, not just servants; that we are totally free from sin and guilt; and that we have authority over the kingdom of evil. When we reach this point, then we will be able to stop Satan in his tracks, we will escape death, and Christ will return.

     Next, let’s go on to the 144,000 mentioned in Revelation 7:1-8. Before we think about who these people are, let’s consider the context of the setting John was writing in. All he knew was the Hebrew nation and the newly-born Christian faith; John couldn’t have had any concept of what Christianity would be like in the twenty-first century. His world revolved around a tiny part of the earth. Doesn’t it make sense that God would explain what would happen at Christ’s return by using terminology that John understood? So, let’s infer that God used the twelve tribes of Israel to represent a larger picture than what John could understand. So, do you remember that, in the nation of Israel, the Levites were the only ones charged with ministering to God and their fellow Hebrews? I propose that what the twelve tribes of Israel means is that these 144,000 believers don’t just come from one tribe (like the Levites),  one denomination, one sect, or one arm of Christianity. These believers are scattered throughout the world.

     Now, just who are these people? Let’s jump to Revelation 14:1-5 to find out:

   Then I looked, and behold, the Lamb was standing on Mount Zion, and with Him one hundred and forty-four thousand, having His name and the name of His Father written on their foreheads…And they sang a new song before the throne…and no one could learn the song except the one hundred and forty-four thousand who had been purchased from the earth. These are the ones who have not been defiled with women, for they have kept themselves chaste. These are the ones who follow the Lamb wherever He goes. These have been purchased from among men as first fruits to God and to the Lamb. And no lie was found in their mouth; they are blameless.

These 144,000 believers have never left their first love (Revelation 2:4)–the word “women” represents anything that pulls a believer away from Christ–and they have remained chaste or untouched by anything other than their love for Christ. These believers are also faithful to follow Christ no matter what pressure the kingdom of evil puts on them. And, they are without blame because they do not participate in deception–they don’t lie. In the intense pressure of the competition and deception that pound the human race, they have found their place in Christ and are able to withstand the onslaught of the kingdom of evil.

     I’m thinking that the world will never physically know who these believers are. The passage from Revelation 14 says that they have been purchased as first fruits to God and Christ. Remember what Christ said about those who are first–Matthew 19:30 is an example–the first shall be last while the last shall be first. I’m thinking that the 144,000 are the believers who find their places in Christ on the right hand of God (Ephesians 2:6, Revelation 12:5-6) and who live in their prayer closets to fight the war against the kingdom of evil (Matthew 6:6). These people are a kind of Gideon’s army (Judges 7:1-8) for the days preceding the return of Christ. Because they are the “first” to fully understand the power of righteousness, they hold open the door for everyone else. And, as the doormen of the kingdom of God, they will be the last ones in.

     Now, let’s go back to Revelation 7:9-17, where John saw the vast multitude of people standing before the throne of God. (Keep in mind that we already have seen the slain believers in chapter 6 and that Hebrews 4:16 says, “Therefore let us draw near with confidence to the throne of grace, so that we may receive mercy and find grace in the time of need.”) Listen to these beautiful words:

   After these things I looked, and behold, a great multitude which no one could count, from every nation and all tribes and peoples and tongues, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed in white robes…”These are they who come out of the great tribulation, and they have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb…They will hunger no longer, nor thirst anymore…for the Lamb in the center of the throne will be their shepherd, and will guide them to springs of the water of life; and God will wipe every tear from their eyes.

These people are those who come to Christ and God because of the prayers of the 144,000 in their prayer closets. The people in this great multitude are wearing white robes of righteousness, and they do not taste death–they’re standing before the throne, and they’re not under the altar. Because of the power of righteousness (the freedom from sin and guilt), these people overcome the onslaught of the kingdom of evil and find the water of life (John 10:10). We see this great multitude again in Revelation 15:2, “And I saw something like a sea of glass mixed with fire, and those who had been victorious over the beast and his image and the number of his name, standing on the sea of glass, holding harps of God.” What this means is that by washing their robes and making them white in the blood of the Lamb, these people have walked through the baptism of fire and have been purified. During the great tribulation, instead of letting go of God and being destroyed, these people latched on to God through Christ and found the power to overcome the final onslaught of the kingdom of evil. God’s absolute love will prevail!

     Finally, there is one more group of people mentioned in Revelation, but we’re not going to discuss them until we work through the action surrounding the return of Christ. We’ve already touched on some of the events, but in my next post or two, we will sequence the events leading to the return of our triumphant big brother.

     All scriptures are taken from the NASB. As always, please feel free to comment–just be respectful.

     ©2009-2010 by Patricia Zell. All rights reserved.