Symbolism
The 144,000
Throughout the book of Revelations there are many translations and religions that interpret the meaning behind the book differently. In chapter 7 of the Book of Revelations the number 144,000 appears describing a sealed people from the tribe of Israel. Twelve thousand chosen from twelve tribes throughout the Israel nation. The people are described of a “multitude that no one could count, from every nation, from all tribes and peoples and languages, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, robed in white, with palm branches in their hands.” (Revelation 7.9) The people that were sealed are thought to be the chosen people taken up into heaven, and many people argue that they are the only ones chosen for salvation. In this specific verse, there is a lot of symbolism that is represented. The Lamb, for example, symbolizes the body of Christ for he was sacrificed on the cross, just like the lamb that was sacrificed over the houses in Egypt. Another crucial symbol represented is through the number twelve. The number twelve is emphasized multiple times throughout the Bible, whether be the twelve apostles, the twelve nations, or the twelve tribes of Israel, there is a repetition of the number. The importance of one hundred and forty-four thousand has been argued, and there have been quite a few theories. Some Bible scholars consider they are the ones saved from Egypt or converted Jews, others believe they are the martyrs that died for Christ and some believe that it is literally the people that are saved on the day of judgement day. Whoever these people are it is important to acknowledge their importance in the text and try to relate them to previous scripture.
When speaking of the Scripture it is important to distinguish the different views of the other Christian communities. In a novel, The Library of Biblical and Theological Literature, by two early American Methodists, Rev. George R. Crooks and Bishop John F. Hurst. Hurst and Crooks discuss the meaning of numbers throughout the Bible, and they particularly speak of the importance of the number twelve, especially in the New Testament. As they discuss the number twelve, they recognize it as the number to symbolize the Tribes of Israel, and extend it to the 144,000-chosen people in Revelations. They also acknowledge the New Jerusalem with twelve gates with the names of the twelve tribes, protected by twelve angels and the twelve foundations with the names of the twelve apostles. Twelve clearly has a deeper meaning than just the number, and it is thought to be the number of God’s chosen people. Another way to specify if the 144,000 people are truly the chosen people is the color of the robes that they are all described wearing, white. White symbolizes purity and righteousness (Crooks, Hurst) which exaggerates the holiness of these chosen people. White has become a symbolic color in the church, describing marriage, the high priest’s garments, and even a white light symbolizing Christ himself. Symbolism has become a crucial way of reading scripture to decipher relationships from book to book and throughout history.
Sources:
- Jackson, Wayne. "Who Are the 144,000 of Revelation 7 and 14?" ChristianCourier.com. Access date: April 6, 2017.
- Crooks, George R., and John F. Hurst. Library of Biblical and Theological Literature. New York: Eaton & Mains, n.d. Print
- "Enduring Word Bible Commentary Revelation Chapter 7." Enduring Word. N.p., n.d. Web. 28 Apr. 2017.
- "The Angel with an Open Book, No.27 from 'The Apocalypse of Angers', 1373-87 (Tapestry)". 2014. In Bridgeman Images: The Bridgeman Art Library, edited by Bridgeman Images. London: Bridgeman. https://providence.idm.oclc.org/login?