Unfulfilled Revelation › Figures

144,000 Sealed from Israel

12,000 sealed from each of twelve tribes; redeemed from the earth; firstfruits to God and the Lamb; no lie in their mouth.

Key Hebrew Terms

שֵׁבֶט (shevet, H7626); יִשְׂרָאֵל (Yisrael, H3478)

Key Greek Terms

σφραγίζω (sphragizo, G4972); ἑκατὸν τεσσεράκοντα τέσσαρες (hekaton tessarakonta tessares, G1540-G5064); ἀπαρχή (aparche, G536)

Linked Verses (13)

KJV

And after these things I saw four angels standing on the four corners of the earth, holding the four winds of the earth, that the wind should not blow on the earth, nor on the sea, nor on any tree.

KJV

And I saw another angel ascending from the east, having the seal of the living God: and he cried with a loud voice to the four angels, to whom it was given to hurt the earth and the sea,

KJV

Saying, Hurt not the earth, neither the sea, nor the trees, till we have sealed the servants of our God in their foreheads.

KJV

And I heard the number of them which were sealed: and there were sealed an hundred and forty and four thousand of all the tribes of the children of Israel.

KJV

Of the tribe of Juda were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Reuben were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Gad were sealed twelve thousand.

KJV

Of the tribe of Aser were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Nephthalim were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Manasses were sealed twelve thousand.

KJV

Of the tribe of Simeon were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Levi were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Issachar were sealed twelve thousand.

KJV

Of the tribe of Zabulon were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Joseph were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Benjamin were sealed twelve thousand.

KJV

And I looked, and, lo, a Lamb stood on the mount Sion, and with him an hundred forty and four thousand, having his Father’s name written in their foreheads.

KJV

And I heard a voice from heaven, as the voice of many waters, and as the voice of a great thunder: and I heard the voice of harpers harping with their harps:

KJV

And they sung as it were a new song before the throne, and before the four beasts, and the elders: and no man could learn that song but the hundred and forty and four thousand, which were redeemed from the earth.

KJV

These are they which were not defiled with women; for they are virgins. These are they which follow the Lamb whithersoever he goeth. These were redeemed from among men, being the firstfruits unto God and to the Lamb.

KJV

And in their mouth was found no guile: for they are without fault before the throne of God.

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Church Fathers

Irenaeus (Against Heresies V.30.2) identifies the 144,000 as ethnic Israelites converted during the tribulation, reading Romans 11:26 into Revelation 7. Victorinus of Pettau (on Revelation 7) agrees, adding that the tribal list pointedly omits Dan, from whom the Antichrist is said to arise (a tradition going back to the Testament of Dan 5:6). Origen spiritualizes the number, reading 144,000 as the full body of the redeemed. Later Augustine follows Origen's symbolic reading.

Ancient Text Cross-References

1 Enoch 1
1 Enoch 90:28-33 (Animal Apocalypse)
And I stood up to see till they folded up that old house; and they carried off all the pillars, and all the beams and ornaments of the house were at the same time folded up with it. And the Lord of the sheep brought a new house greater and loftier than that first.
Symbolic vision of the restored remnant gathered into a renewed sanctuary; Second Temple precursor to Revelation 7's sealing.
Testaments of the Twelve Patriarchs 1
Testament of Naphtali 8:2-3
And through their tribes shall God appear to save the race of Israel, and to gather together the righteous from amongst the Gentiles. And if ye work that which is good, my children, both men and angels shall bless you.
Tribal sealing and the salvation-of-Israel motif paralleling Revelation 7's 12,000 from each tribe.