Originally posted by menace71
I think though hard try reading it as if for the first time. The truth about the 144,000 is still an educated guess. They are called first fruit and God picked them. They are apparently virgins. First fruit means more will follow. They appear to be from the tribes of Israel. There are different interpretations on the book of Revelation and they all have valid points. The book is in the genre of apocalyptic writings no doubt there.
Manny
Yes Revelation is hard and it was no doubt written that way for a reason. If it was plane ole black and white then obviously everyone could see exactly what it means and who is who and what is what. But the 144,000 has to mean something or somebody and it's there for a reason. So one should not dismiss anything or any discriptions of who they may be. But in the end they can only be one thing, right? God had that vision seen and had it written down for a reason. And because of it's complexity it could only be found out with God's spirit and direction.
"Figurative and Symbolic Use of 1st fruits." From the Ensight book:
Jesus Christ was spiritually begotten at the time of his baptism and was resurrected from the dead to life in the spirit on Nisan 16, 33 C.E., the day of the year on which the firstfruits of the first grain crop were presented before Jehovah at the sanctuary. He is, therefore, called the firstfruits, being actually the first firstfruits to God. (1Co 15:20, 23; 1Pe 3:18) The faithful followers of Jesus Christ, his spiritual brothers, are also a firstfruits to God, but not the primary firstfruits, being similar to the second grain crop, the wheat, which was presented to Jehovah on the day of Pentecost. They number 144,000 and are called the ones “bought from among mankind as firstfruits to God and to the Lamb” and “certain firstfruits of his creatures.”—Re 14:1-4; Jas 1:18.
The apostle Paul also speaks of the faithful Jewish remnant who became the first Christians as being “firstfruits.” (Ro 11:16) The Christian Epaenetus is called “a firstfruits of Asia for Christ” (Ro 16:5), and the household of Stephanas “the firstfruits of Achaia.”—1Co 16:15.
Since the anointed Christians are begotten by the spirit as sons of God with the hope of resurrection to immortality in the heavens, they are said during their lifetime on earth to “have the firstfruits, namely, the spirit . . . while we are earnestly waiting for adoption as sons, the release from our bodies by ransom.” (Ro 8:23, 24) Paul says that he and fellow Christians with hopes of life in the spirit have “the token of what is to come, that is, the spirit,” which he also says is “a token in advance of our inheritance.”—2Co 5:5; Eph 1:13, 14.