The Great Tribulation is not only a punishment but it is God's mercy to give a last chance to mankind to turn away from sin. In the absence of the law there cannot be sin to judge because everything will be allowed. Complete lawlessness. We see this today. It has started. The devil is already changing the laws. There needs to be decrees to set standards to live by. This way God can judge.
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| Zion National Park where the 144,000 will stand with the Lamb |
The two witnesses would have brought a message to the Jews in Jerusalem. There are those who would hear the testimony of Jesus and the prophecy by the two witnesses and would not receive Christ. God said He will send delusion to those who will not want the truth and consistently refuse Jesus , 2 Thessalonians 2:11.
144,000
A revival would appear to come from the Jews. This will happen after the resurrection of the two witnesses. The symbolism of this will break the veil upon the heart of the Jew. They will flee to Jordan. Today preparation is being made for them. God promises this. He will protect them from the devil who chases after them. All this is God's mercy. Who are the witnesses after the two witnesses?
We learn about the 144,000 young men who are pure. They are from the tribes of Israel. Remember it happens to Israel first then the rest of the world. God will select 12000 from each tribe and He will seal them to Himself. Do not harm the land or sea or trees until we have sealed the foreheads of the servants of our God. Revelations 7:3
The work of the 144,000 is specific. They are servants of God. They will preach and bring about revival to those left behind. The church will not be there to do it only those left behind. The revival period for the left behind and non-Jews will start with these men of God.
No one will be able to harm them. They are virgins Revelations 14:4 and they will not face the judgement Revelations 7:3. Can you imagine the burden they will bear? Having the consciousness of God and seeing the misery of sin in the lives of the people and the persecution of the ones holding on to Jesus.
The 12 tribes of Israel are a curiosity at this point. Genesis 10 tells us the beginnings of the tribes. In Revelations 7, the tribe of Dan is missing. Some scholars believe that since they were in West of Jerusalem and the northern extremes of Israel which was prone to more attacks, they would have been wiped out. It is in the north that Samson would have fought the Philistines.
However in my research I saw that the tribe of Dan had gone into battle against another nation, with Canaan. There is a possibility that they were absorbed into the Canaanite peoples or wiped out. They are part of the ten tribes who have been lost. Some people believe that they will be found again. In 1604-57 Manasseh Ben Israel used the argument of the ten lost tribes for Jews to be allowed to enter England. This was under Oliver Cromwell.
Jacob had ten sons and he adopted two of Joseph's sons. They were the ones who left Egypt and fought with Joshua for the promised land. Jacob's sons were; Asher, Dan, Gad, Issachar, Naphtali, Reuben, Simeon, and Zebulun. Joseph's sons were Manasseh, Ephraim, adopted as sons by Jacob.
By Revelations 7 God will appoint from the remaining tribes which are 11 with Levites becoming a tribe of their own. Judah, Reuben, Gad, Asher, Naphtali, Manasseh, Simeon, Levi, Issachar, Zebulun, Joseph and Benjamin. Benjamin is used for Ephraim.
In Exodus 32 and Deuteronomy 33, the Levites stepped up. God blessed them by setting them apart and exalting them as the priests. However, in Revelations 7 they are counted as equal to the others. The Levites had killed the idolaters among them when Moses came down from Mount Sinai.
You might think that it is murder it is not. At that time cleansing is done with blood sacrifice and the Jews were supposed to be pure. With idolatry they will turn away from God and mix with other peoples.
Without purity, sin would spread on the earth. God knew that the bloodlines had to be pure as they would have to prove through bloodline they have the right of return to Israel. There was both a spiritual and physical repercussion that God did not want. What He did see in the Levites was a willingness to do anything for Him.
Since Moses at no other time has the Tribe of Levi been numbered among the twelve. The interesting fact of the 144,000 is that the records of the geneaology of the tribes were burnt in AD70 by Emperor Titus. Only God knows this and He will prepare them for this time that is soon coming.
Now that the new city would be established and Jesus will take His throne on the earth there would be no need for a Temple. That means the Levites in the role of priests seeking atonement for the people would not be needed. I have not seen a scripture saying that they were beheaded or that they died. I am not convinced of this. The 144,000 are next found standing on Mt Sion with a Lamb.
The chosen ones are pure without fault, that makes me think they did not go through the stench of death. But I speculate here. After the ministry of the chosen 144,000 the decree is made that those who die after this point for the Lord will be blessed. Then the angel comes for harvest with the sickle. The harvest is proof that God makes opportunity throughout the Great Tribulation for people to have eternal life in Christ.
I pray God strengthens you. I pray God causes His light to shine on you in Jesus name.
Dear Heavenly Father,
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