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60 The 144,000 -- Future Or Fulfilled?

ter...These marks were usually impressed on their right hand or on their forehead” (Dissertations
on the Prophecies, Vol. 2, p. 296). Or, as the noted Biblical expositor Albert Barnes remarks,
“Among the Romans, slaves were stigmatized with their master’s name or mark on their fore-
heads.”

When you understand the literal practice upon which the symbol in the Book of Revela-
tion was based, it is easy to find the meaning intended by the use of this symbol. The mark (as lit-
erally used) showed that a person was a SLAVE and TO WHOM he belonged. In order to show
that the 144,000 belonged to YEHOVAH God as His servants, they were pictured as having the
name of YEHOVAH in their foreheads.

Although a literal branding of people and animals with a hot iron was a common practice
of the time, such was used here symbolically. There is absolutely no reason to believe that the
servants of the “beast” were to be literally branded any more than the servants of YEHOVAH
God were to be branded in a like fashion. Those seen with the mark of the beast in their foreheads
are slaves of the “beast” -- and those seen with the name of YEHOVAH God in their foreheads
are slaves of the “Lamb.” We should be careful not to make any more of this symbol than was in-
tended.

We read in Revelation 14:4 that the 144,000 “were REDEEMED from among men.” The
word “redeemed” here has the meaning of purchased, bought. The redeemed are those pur-
chased to YEHOVAH God as slaves. They are His servants (in a servitude of love) and are
“bought with a price” (1 Corinthians 7:23).

Being the servants of YEHOVAH God, the 144,000 (and also the innumerable multi-
tude) are spoken of as being “before the throne of God” (Revelation 14:5; 7:9). Since they are
His servants they are before the throne to heed His instructions and carry on His work. We
should not think of this position as referring only to the future -- or to heaven. The servants of
YEHOVAH God -- even in this life -- have access to the throne, to which they are told to boldly
come (Hebrews 4:16).

We are also told, in Revelation 14:4, that the 144,000 “were not defiled with women; for
they are virgins.” Now, it would be a carnal interpretation indeed to claim this means only un-
married people. Even Roman Catholic expositors -- with their desire to exalt celibacy -- do not
read this into it. In 2 Corinthians 11:2 all believers are viewed spiritually as chaste virgins, and as
having been presented as such to the Messiah. They are “without fault” before YEHOVAH God
(Revelation 14:5) and can therefore stand “faultless before the presence of His glory with ex-
ceeding joy” (Jude 24), “without blame before Him in love” (Ephesians 1:4), and as “a glorious
church...without blemish” (5:27).

Unfortunately, many in the Churches of God have accepted the futurist viewpoint on the
Book of Revelation without question. At first glance, it seems correct and true. But a closer study
clearly reveals that this viewpoint is full of inconsistencies and problems. For one example, the
futurist idea is that the bulk of the Book of Revelation has never been fulfilled. We are told that
the events of many of the early chapters will not take place until the last years of this age. But this

The Berean Voice March-April 2003