Interesting about the firstfruits. It seems like theres two ways to see this.
1. Firstfruits meaning the first to be fruitful for God. Would this be believing Israel. Yet all Israel seems not saved...and what about the remnant that we see now in modern Israel?
2. Or does it mean the very first of the faithful like all those mentioned in Hebrews 11.
As for 24 elders why would abraham, Isacc and Jacob not be in heaven too? How about Elijah and Moses. And John the baptist..,he was not even counted as an apostle. And the OT prophets...how many are there?
I would offer.. Thousand used with other numbers represents a unknown /concealed. Literalize it make it the word of God without effect and therefore a person misses the spiritual understanding hid from natural man..
The 24 elders in that parable are represented by the word metptphor "12' a word that mean the authority of God as to whatever is in view. Its spiritual meaning is represented as tribes that make up the spiritual house of God as His bride. Those 12 elders or representatives of the whole would be in regard to the other side of the reformation or cross . They are used to represent all of the old testemtment saints which are also described by "thousands or millions" in another parable to express a unknow or concealed.. Therefore using Rebekah to typify or signify the chaste virgin bride the church according to Galatians 4 as the segregate mother of all of Christianity .
Genesis 24:60 And they blessed
Rebekah, and said unto her, Thou art our sister, be thou the
mother of
thousands of millions, and let thy
seed possess the gate of those which hate them.
"Thousands of millions" as a metaphor is no different than saying "hundred and forty and four thousand" . They both represent that in which the gates of hell could never prevail against . The gospel key signified of in Revelation 20 (not a literal key or chain. The gospel does the binding of lying spirits..
Twelve, a remnant of the apostles is used to represent the His bride as the mother of us all on this side of the reformation. 12+12=24 Elders (the whole). .
The description in Revelation 7 is that which no man could number (144,000) is a metaphor for the whole or the elect. The many lively stones that does make up the spiritual house of God not seen, the church.
After this I beheld, and, lo, a great multitude, which
no man could number, of
all nations, and kindreds, and people, and tongues, stood before the throne, and before the Lamb,
clothed with white robes, and palms in their hands; Rev 7:9
First fruit is the spiritual fruit of salvation. First fruit it has nothing to do with the flesh and blood of nations. First fruit are Christians the new name God has named His people . First fruit is not jewfish flesh as if somehow God was a man as us and was a Jew. The reformation ended. The time period God used the flesh of a Jew in a parable has come to a end.
Previously His bride called Christians were called inward Jew or the born again Israel . Again name that reflects new creatures...not corrupted flesh and blood.
The first mistake I see is men separate flesh from flesh when searching as for silver or Gold the spiritual undststanding of that parable hid from those who literalize the meaning.. it is almost as if some would say the flesh of a Jew makes a better precious metal detector.
Men have give the corrupted flesh of a Jew honor that Christ would never...……. as
if men did wrestle against flesh and blood..And Jesus did not say his own corrupted flesh profits for nothing. (John 6)
Its like the idea according to the father of lies. Christ has two brides. One Jewish bride the other Gentile.
The 144, 000 is simply a number no man could count .God forbids numbering his people. People will rush to fill in that number as some sort of sign gift. Search for the spiritual understanding in the parables.
Literalizing the signified language of Revelation identified in the opening statement. I would think simply leads to confusion and stuff for Hollywood. Christ will come as a thief in the night on the last day .
Revelation 1 King James Version (KJV) The Revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave unto him, to shew unto his servants things which must shortly come to pass; and he sent
and signified it by his angel unto his servant John: