Who Will Stand When Jesus Comes Back | Mark Finley

who are the hundred and forty four thousand the question of the hundred and forty four thousand has perplexed men and women down through the centuries many students of the bible pastors and theologians have been confused by that subject they've attempted to answer it in different ways some people believe that the 144 thousand are 144 000 jews that go out to preach the gospel during the time of the tribulation now you might be thinking well isn't that true we're going to study from scripture to find out what is true let's throw off our preconceived ideas let's cast off all man-made ideas and go directly to the bible who are the hundred and forty four thousand the question of the hundred and forty four thousand has perplexed men and women down through the centuries many students of the bible pastors and theologians have been confused by that subject they've attempted to answer it in different ways some people believe that the 144 000 are 144 000 jews that go out to preach the gospel during the time of the tribulation now you might be thinking well isn't that true we're going to study from scripture to find out what is true let's throw off our preconceived ideas let's cast off all man-made ideas and go directly to the bible now in the bible the 144 thousand are mentioned in two places revelation chapter 7 and revelation chapter 14. the seventh chapter of the book of revelation is an answer to a question that is raised in revelation chapter six in revelation chapter six the bible is talking about the seven seals and it interrupts those seals with a question in revelation 6 17. it says for the great day of his wrath is come and who shall be able to stand now you'd expect the answer to that question who shall be able to stand to be given in the next chapter and you're right it is so revelation chapter 7 that mentions the 144 000 is the answer to the question who shall be able to stand who will stand in the day when jesus christ comes who will stand in the day when the heavens are illuminated with his glory who will stand in the day when lightning flashes from the east and to the west and christ comes with ten thousand times ten thousand angels who will stand the answer is given revelation seven verse one after these things i saw four angels standing on the four corners of the earth holding the four winds of the earth that that the wind should not blow on the earth nor on the sea nor in any tree now notice what you see in that first verse because it's extremely important the number four is mentioned four times after these things i saw four angels are there only four angels not at all there are ten thousand times ten thousand angels it says on the four corners of the earth i thought the earth was round does it have four corners not at all then it says i saw the four winds of the earth what's this talking about four four four four in the bible numbers take significance the number seven is the number of perfection for example you have seven churches the perfect working of god down through the centuries in every one of his churches or is part of his people then you have the seven seals god's work down through the ages as his church makes an impact on the world you have the seven trumpets the seven perfect judgments of god and those that have turned from his love and spurned his grace and oppressed his people so in the bible numbers are significant in the bible you have the number three in the book of revelation you have the father son and the holy spirit it's a number of divinity but then you also have the dragon the beast and the false prophet the false divinity that that wars against the true divinity so the point is that numbers have significance when the bible speaks and uses the number four it's using it to illustrate the four points of the compass north south east west it's kind of indicating totality totality is that number so after these things i saw four angels well the angels belt the earth of course but mentioning four is the total ministry of these angels as it circles the earth then it says four winds of the earth and that the wind should not blow on the earth nor on the sea it also talks about the four corners of the earth that's the four points of the compass as we mentioned north south east or west so these numbers are are significant when it says the four winds what is wind representing in the bible well in daniel chapter seven a companion book to the book of revelation we saw wind blowing upon a turbulent sea as beasts rise up out of the sea kingdoms coming up amidst turmoil and conflict jeremiah chapter 49 is probably one of the best chapters in the bible to understand the significance or the meaning of winds jeremiah the 49th chapter and we're looking there at jeremiah 49 verse 36 and onward and we're trying to discover what is the meaning of the winds and here in the book of jeremiah this is how it describes it it says that the wind rose and blue and and you look at jeremiah and it describes the conflict and the turmoil among nations and as it describes that it points out here in jeremiah chapter 49 that the the conflict that's taking place the strife that's taking place the struggle that is taking place and it equates that struggle with winds look at verse 37 38 and onward for i will cause egum to be dismayed before their enemies and before them that seek their life and i will bring upon them my fierce anger saith the lord and i'll send the sword after them and he says in verse 36 upon eaglemow i bring the four winds from the four quarters of heaven i'll scatter them toward those winds there'll be no nation so in verse 37 he says that his anger is going to come upon them that evil is going to come that war and conflict and strife are going to come and in verse 36 he says that's the winds so indeed in revelation chapter 7 and verse 1 when we read about four winds blowing upon the great sea there we read about four winds on the four areas of the compass what we're actually reading about is strife and conflict coming upon the world so with that understanding let's go back and look at verse 1 of revelation 7. after these things i saw four angels that's god's angels belt the earth they hold back the winds of strife they hold back the destruction the conflict they hold back the war in turmoil now sometimes we see little gusts of that wind blow through the fingers of those angels but all hell will break loose in the last days of verse history there'll be a time of trouble according to the bible such as never has been in the history of the world then it says i saw the angel ascending from the east having the seal of the living god and he cries with a loud voice to the four angels to whom was given to her at the earth and the sea saying don't hurt the earth to see the trees till we've sealed the servants of god in their foreheads now notice the seal of god is placed in the foreheads so the great time of tribulation the time of trouble will not come until the servants of god are sealed in the foreheads now who is sealed what does the bible say about who's sealed the servants of god so when the bible describes shortly the 144 000 it's describing the servants of god that are sealed in their foreheads now what's this ceiling we know a lot about seals don't we if you are married there is a seal on your marriage certificate if you graduate from high school or college there's a seal on that degree if you for example have a driver's license there'll always be a little seal on that what is a seal a seal is an official stamp that authenticates a document so if you have a legal document like a marriage license the seal makes that document authentic well does god have a legal document with a seal in it isaiah chapter 8 verse 16. the bible does tell us that god has a legal document with a seal in it here in isaiah 8 verse 16 it says bind up the testimony seal the law among my disciples so god's seal is in his law verse 20 to the law in the testimony if they speak not even according to this word it's because there's no light in them so to god's law to the testimony of the prophets of scripture if they don't speak according to his testimony there is absolutely no light in them but the seal is in god's law now who placed the seal in god's law and who seals us ephesians chapter 4. now there are those who have made a mistake in thinking that the holy spirit is the seal the holy spirit is not the seal but the holy spirit performs the sealing work ephesians chapter 4 and we're looking there at verse 30 and grieve not the holy spirit of god whereby you are sealed unto the day of redemption whereby you are sealed so the holy spirit is the agency that writes god's law on our hearts so that we are settled in god's truth so that nothing can move us so in revelation 7 when it introduces the answer to the question who shall be able to stand it is saying that there's a great time of trouble coming there's a great tribulation coming there's a great time of difficulty coming but god will seal through the ministry of the holy spirit his law in the hearts and minds of his people so that they will not be moved when the great crisis comes now a seal must contain at least three things it must contain the name of the one that's sealed that that's doing the ceiling must contain his title and his domain so if you have a marriage certificate you have a seal in it it'll tell you a little bit about the person that's that the justice of the peace the magistrate the one who has the authority to do the ceiling it'll tell you what his domain is and it'll tell you what his work is in is his title his official title like for example you might have abraham lincoln president united states so you have the united states as the seal you'll have the name of the seal or the president it'll have his title as president and it will have his domain united states so if there's a seal in god's law what would that be that would authenticate god's law where do we find the seal in god's law do we find it in the first commandment thou shalt have no other gods before thee we could ask why who says we shall have no other gods do we find it in the second commandment thou shalt not bow down to any graven image who says do we find it in the third commandment thou shalt not take the name of the lord thy god in vain what about the commandments that says thou should not kill or steal or commit adultery or covet et cetera when you look through the entire law there's only one commandment that has the qualifications for a seal that's the fourth commandment the sabbath that says remember the sabbath day to keep it holy sixth day shalt thou labor and do all thy work but the seventh day is the sabbath of the lord thy god in it thou shalt not do any work thou that thy son my daughter thy man sir they made earth the cattle within thy gates why for in six days the lord made heaven and earth rested on the seventh and the lord sanctified and hallowed it look the sabbath commandment tells us that he is the lord our god tells us he is the creator his title and it tells us his domain heaven and earth so the sabbath is the great seal of god's law it authenticates god's law because it tells us that the one that made us the one that created us the one that fashioned and shaped us the one that gave us life it tells us indeed that he is our creator therefore he has authority so let's go back to revelation chapter seven here in revelation chapter seven it says verse one verse two verse three after these things i saw four angels standing on the four corners of the earth holding back the four winds so the angels belt the earth they totally surround the earth they hold back the four winds of destruction until something happens until this angel descends from the east and he cries out places seal in other words lead god's people through the holy spirit to have the law of god written in their hearts the law of god written in their minds it's written in their hearts so they love it written in their minds so they know it and let the seal of god the sabbath commandment be that commandment that enables them to settle into the truth in the last days of verse history and let the sabbath be the flag of their allegiance let the sabbath be the seal of their allegiance let the sabbath be the indication that they keep the entire law namely through the blood of jesus christ they are saved by faith now through grace they are saved by grace through faith we don't save ourselves by obedience but jesus says if you love me do what keep my commandments so god will have an end time a commandment keeping people now these people are sealed and who are they according to verse three they're the servants of god verse four i heard the number of them that were sealed and there were sealed 144 000 of all the tribes of the children of israel somebody says pastor mark that confuses me because it says that the ones that are sealed of all the tribes of the children of israel so you have to ask who are israelites in the new testament in the old testament israel were god's people but let's see if we can discover in the new testament who these israelites are we're going to look at some specific texts romans chapter 2 verse 28 and 29. romans 2 verse 28 and 29 for he is not a jew which is one outwardly neither is that circumcision which is outward in the flesh but he is a jew which is one inwardly and circumcision is not of the heart in the spirit and not in the letter whose praise is not a men but of god so here paul is saying in the book of romans it's not being born a jew it's not one being outwardly a jew but it's circumcision of the heart in other words when you accept jesus christ you become one of abraham's seed a spiritual israelite it heirs according to the promise when israel as a corporate hole and nation turned its back on god now it is true that thousands of jews in the outpouring of the holy spirit accepted christ but as a nation as a corporate whole jewish leadership rejected jesus and the bible says in matthew the 23rd chapter your house is left unto you desolate the veil in the temple was split in two so now we're looking not at literal israel we're looking at spiritual israel the church of god look for example at romans chapter 9 verse 6 to 9. romans 9 verse 6 to 9 who are israelites in the new testament romans 9 and we're looking there at verse 6. not as though the word of god hath taken none effect for they are not all israel which are of israel they're not all israel which is what does that mean it means not everybody born a jew is a spiritual israelite because they haven't accepted christ that's what paul's point is here neither because they are the seed of abraham are they all children but in isaac thy seed shall be called so romans 9 and romans 10 talk about those who are not born as natural jews or israelites being grafted into the olive tree that is they are becoming part of that larger family of the children of israel we find this also very clearly mentioned in galatians 3 verse 29 galatians 3 verse 29 it couldn't be clear in the bible in the new testament we're looking at galatians third chapter when the book of revelation speaks about israel it is speaking about spiritual israel galatians 3 verse 28 29 there is neither jew nor greek there is neither bond nor free there is neither male nor free male nor for you are all one in christ if you are christ's you are what abraham's seed and heirs according to the promise so who is it that are heirs according to the promise that god gave abraham the promise of the promised land the promise that one day we will live with christ in heaven abraham was on his way to a new country he went out according to hebrews 11 knowing a to a country he didn't know where he was going but he knew it was a better land that god had prepared for him we are the abraham seed just as he was leading ultimately the children of israel to the promised land he today is leading us to the heavenly promised land and as he says so clearly in galatians chapter 3 you are abraham's seed if you come to christ heirs according to the promise so who is a spiritual israelite those that have accepted christ those for whom christ is all in all those who place their affections on things above in as it says in colossians 3 verse 2 those who seek christ first in all of his righteousness as it says in matthew 6 verse 33 so let's go back to our passage now and see what it says here in revelation chapter 7 god is saying that a great time of trouble is going to come upon the earth that before that time of trouble comes god is going to send a message to the whole world leading men and women back to obedience to him the holy spirit will lead them to a deep conviction of the need for obedience saved by faith redeemed by grace they'll be led to obey god and they will be led to keep his sabbath the great seal in the law of god and that will be accomplished not through their work but through the ministry of the holy spirit now verse 4 i heard the number of them which were sealed and there are sealed 144 000 of all the tribes of the children of israel so who are the tribes of the children of israel they are spiritual israelites who have accepted jesus christ this is a term referring to the church of god it's a term referring to believers it's a term believing to the remnant of god who are faithful at the coming of jesus now you say what about that number 144 000 is it a literal number of the tribe of judah were sealed 12 000 of the tribe of ruben 12 000 gad 12 000 asher 12 000 nephilim 12 000 manassas 12 000 simeon 12 000 levi 12 000 issac 12 000 zapion 12 000 joseph twelve thousand benjamin twelve thousand here's the problem if you say this is a literal number that's problematic because number one those twelve tribes don't exist today you can go back for example to the nation of israel and ask people are you from the tribe of dan manasseh they don't exist the tribe's so intermarried and why would you say exactly 12 000 from every tribe remember we talked about numbers in the bible being so significant three the number of the godhead uh the number uh of four the four corners of the earth the number seven perfection six is imperfection in the bible where 7 represents the truth 6 represents the counterfeit triple 6 represents the triple counterfeit that's contrary to the will of god and the plans and purposes of god what about 12 you have 12 tribes in the old testament that represent the totality or universality all of the the people of god you have 12 disciples that represent all the people of god you have in the new testament the entire church of god you have 12 gates in the new jerusalem representing all humanity that will come in you have 12 times 12 144 representing the total number of saved at the time of the end wouldn't it be rather strange to think that of the seven eight billion people on the face of planet earth only 144 000 are going to be redeemed in end time certainly god's grace abounds and is much greater than sin certainly god is going to have a multitude that nobody could number that is sin to meet him in the sky of every nation kindred tongue and people 12 000 from every tribe those tribes don't exist today what's it talking about that people from every realm of this part of this globe every realm of life are going to come now how can we identify this hundred and forty four thousand even more clearly remember we talked about the fact that in revelation chapter seven and fourteen we have the hundred and forty four thousand now there are seven characteristics of the hundred forty four thousand we wanna take a look at here in revelation 14. i looked in low and i stood on mount zion with him 144 000. first there with christ on the on mount zion mount zion was the mount that used to be a jebusite fortress it was where david established his citadel a little bit southeast of jerusalem it was a place of safety the 144 000 ultimately was staying with jesus on mount zion they will be secure from the chaos the calamity the heartache of the earth but notice the father's name is written in their foreheads in the bible the father's name is his character now notice where the father's name is written in their forehead is there anything else written in the forehead of somebody throughout the book of revelation in revelation 13 the mark of the beast is in the forehead or in the hand what does the hand represent it represents coercion force or pressure we don't receive god's name or his seal in our hands why not because god gives us freedom of choice he never coerces he never pressures us but the beast power that'll rise at the last days of history we'll have an economic boycott pass that nobody could buy or sell he will oppress god's people persecute god's people put god's people in prison and there'll be a death decree according to revelation 13 that hangs over their heads god's people will go through why because they're sealed the evil one during the time of trouble the time of the seven last plagues cannot touch them but they'll reveal to a waiting world in a watching universe god's glory and his goodness just like shadrach meshach and abednego with into the fiery flames but jesus was there with him jesus will be with his people i love that old song just when i need him jesus is near just when i falter just what i fear just when i need him most jesus will be with his people then so notice these things about the 144 000 they have the father's name in their foreheads the father's name they are totally loyal to christ they reveal the father's character see the devil puts his mark in the fort in the hand he that convinces you with his lies john 8 verse 44 satan is the liar and he's the father of lies so he that deceives you with his lies and gets you in your head or he forces you and puts your pressure on you to confirm conform to his ways even you don't believe it but jesus appeals to us with love he is the lamb of god who died for the sins of the world and he appeals through his love through his grace through his mercy of what he's done for us to get us to come to him so we notice these characteristics second i heard a voice verse 2 revelation 14 as the voice of many harpers a voice of great thunder voice of harps with their harpers they sung as it were a new song before the throne this the 144 000 sing a new song what is that new song it is the song of redemption it's the song of their experience they have found jesus faithful in the most difficult time of life they found jesus faithful during the plagues they found jesus faithful during the time of tribulation they never gave up on jesus but jesus never gave up on them they sing the song of victory they sing in the song of glory it says nobody could learn that song but 144 000. who are these 144 thousand the 144 000 is a term to describe those who reveal god's glory who reveal god's grace in the last days of verse history they are spiritual israelites that is they are the church of god the remnant of god the people of god from every nation kindred tongue and people who stand for christ during the last days of earth's history and do not yield their faith we saw first that they have the father's name in their forehead we saw a second that they sing a new song we saw as well that these were not defiled with women now notice what doesn't mean they're not defiled with women in the book of revelation you have two great women you have the true church the bride of christ adorned in white respond it with god's glory in revelation 12. you have the false church the scarlet woman in revelation 17. the true church feasts on the word of god in revelation 12. the false church in revelation 17 passes around the wine cup of her doctrine people drink of that and they become intoxicated with that false whine of her doctrine these people have not defiled themselves with false doctrine they've not been deceived by the spirits of spiritualism and have accepted the immortal soul they've not accepted sun worship that has come down through pagan worship down through the centuries they have been loyal to jesus and loyal to christ so what do we know about them so far they have the father's name in their forehead his character is revealed in their life they sing a new song they sing the song of victory that christ has been with them they are not defiled with women they have not accepted false doctrines they are virgins that is to say that they are pure and true and chaste to their one lover christ committed to him they followed the lamb wherever he goes we follow him in heaven because we followed him on earth we follow him there because we followed him here are you following jesus here is there anything in your life that would keep you from living with him in eternity the holy spirit now it wants to work in your life he wants to seal you he wants to lead you into a place both intellectually and spiritually so you will not be moved in the final crisis are you letting the holy spirit mold your life are you letting the holy spirit work in your heart are you letting the holy spirit convict you of sin and bringing things up deep within the heart that you never knew were there jealousy pride anger bitterness are you allowing the spirit to root these things out of your life and shape you to write god's law in your heart so you love obedience to write god's law in your mind so you know what he wants you to do these are the characteristics of the hundred forty four thousand the bible says as well please follow the land wherever he goes they were redeemed from among men in other words these people came from earth so who are the 144 thousand they are the final generation to live upon the earth having the character of god in their foreheads that character of god in their minds they stand before god redeemed and they sing the song of victory they are part of god's honor convoy and they follow the lamb wherever he goes they travel with him from star to star planet to planet they reveal his grace and his goodness before unfallen worlds they are redeemed from the earth they have not accepted false doctrine notice it says they are the first fruits unto god in the lamb what does it mean that they are the first fruits of god in the lamb for the first time in the history of the universe an entire body of people or are taken up to heaven without seeing death remember what jesus said through the apostle paul in first thessalonians 4 16-17 the lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout with the voice of the archangel and the trump of god the dead in christ shall rise first then we which are alive we which are what alive shall be caught up together with them to meet the lord in the air but here is a generation an entire corporate body of people elijah elijah was taken to heaven without seeing death he ascended and was translated enoch was taken to heaven without seeing death so we do have enoch and elijah as examples in the old testament we don't ever have a corporate hole a body of people that's who these 144 thousand are they've lived through the time of trouble the seal of god's been in their foreheads they cannot be moved they've been anchored in christ through the ministry of the holy spirit and the bible says here in revelation chapter 14 that um it says they're the first fruits of god in the lamb they are raised from the dead the first fruits not in the sense of time but in the sense of the of the best that god has as a generation as a church and he raises them from the dead i mean he he they res they're resurrected and they join those who've resurrected from the dead and they ascend with heaven with christ it says in their mouth was found no guile what does it mean no guile in their mouth no hypocrisy they don't live a double life the grace of christ transforms them and they stand before the universe as those that are totally committed to christ and then it says for they are without fault before the throne of god why are they without fault before the throne of god what makes them without fault they have come to jesus jesus is their all and all they've found jesus and that's all they want that's all they need as christ fills their heart their minds do not go wandering after other gods their hearts are not divided god is longing for a people with an undivided heart and you say pastor mark i don't know how i ever could stand through that time i feel so weak at times i don't reflect his character how can i ever be ready when he comes the bible says in hebrews chapter 12 verse 1 and 2 it says he's the author and finisher of our faith in philippians 1 paul says that he had that has begun a good work in you will finish it if you allow jesus to come into your life today if you tell jesus i don't want to do anything that you don't want me to do lord all i want to do is what you want me to do but you say pastor mark i'm not quite sure what he wants me to do do the thing he puts in your heart do what you believe will please him do you remember what it says in john 8 verse 29 i do always those things that please the father get down on your knees play fair with god be honest with god and say god whatever pleases you i want to do who are the 144 000 they are the redeemed who are alive when jesus comes they're members of what the bible calls the remnant those who remain faithful and loyal to god they are totally absolutely committed to god and through his holy spirit god seals them so they cannot be moved when the crisis around them breaks would you like to say jesus i want to stand with that group let's pray father in heaven thank you so much for jesus thank you that we can live for you thank you that we can be your children lord often in ourselves in our lives we see so much weakness but there is strength in you seal us by your spirit help us have undivided hearts and help us stand for you amid the crisis of the world may the only thing we want is to please jesus now and throw eternity in christ's name amen

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Keywords: Who are the 144000, Seventh day Adventist, SDA, Adventist, Adventists, Mark Finley, HopeLives365, Hope Lives 365, second coming, israel

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Length: 34min 57sec (2097 seconds)

Published: Fri Sep 17 2021