Understanding just WHO the 144,000 are goes a long way in explaining WHY the apostles thought the return of Jesus Christ was imminent, that He might well return during their own lifetime – two thousand years ago. Many, not understanding the identity of these 144,000 servants of God, thought that the apostles erred, or didn’t know what they were talking about when they said such things as “the end of all things is at hand,” and “the time is at hand,” “the night is far spent, the day is at hand,” and “behold, the Judge is standing at the door,” and similar statements. (See I Peter 4:7; Revelation 1:3; Romans 13:12; James 5:9).
Early on in his ministry, the apostle Paul evidently saw himself as still being alive at Christ’s return, as he wrote the believers in Thessalonica, “For this we say to you by the word of the Lord, THAT WE WHO ARE ALIVE AND REMAIN (remain ALIVE) until the coming of the Lord will by no means precede (meet the Lord before) those who are asleep (those who have died). For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first, then WE WHO ARE ALIVE and remain shall be caught up together with them (those who have died) in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And thus we shall always be with the Lord” (See I Thessalonians 4:15-17).
The apostles always spoke from the position of faith. They knew the Lord was going to return. They knew the Lord was working mightily among them, converting men and women far and wide, bringing them in to the household of faith. They knew what John understood, that the Lord was preparing a “firstfruits” company of overcomer believers. They probably also knew what John understood, and that was the revelation that the Lord would return when He had 144,000 priest/kings culled from humanity to serve with and under Him in fulfilling the will of God. Speaking from the standpoint of absolute faith, they at first thought this number would be completed in their own lifetime. But as you read their final epistles, you find that they realized that number was definitely not going to be completed in their own lifetime as a great falling away had occurred. When Jesus said no man knew the day or hour of His return it was based on the fact that no one could possibly know when the final overcomer had been produced.
In our next segment, we will give you the BIBLE definition of an overcomer. That definition describes the 144,000 to a tee. All those in Christ are actually in the running, so to speak, to be one of the 144,000. You could be one. I could be one. Any truly converted believer is eligible to join the ranks of the 144,000. The ball is in our court. Are we going to go for it, or not? You would think by now the number of overcomers would surely total 144,000, even 144 million. Not so fast. Wait till you see the Bible definition of an overcomer. Then you might think, “Uh oh! It might be another hundred years or more before that number of overcomers is achieved!” And you might be right……
Christ’s Faithful Servant (Galatians 1:10-12),
Donald Wiley