Sorry, it won't work. The two witnesses are killed. No so for the 144,000. Revelation chapter six got up to the 6th seal. Next, the seals are halted, so the 144,000 can be sealed, as stated in Revelation seven. With all the detail given, it has to concern a physical, living group of people. They will obviously be of the bloodline of their respective tribes. We are given further explanation in chapter 14:
"And I looked, and, lo, a Lamb stood on the mount Zion, and with Him an hundred forty and four thousand, having His Father's name written in their foreheads. These are they which were not defiled with women; for they are virgins. These are they which follow the Lamb whithersoever He goeth. These were redeemed from among men, being the firstfruits unto God and to the Lamb" (Revelation 14:1,4).
It looks like these will be children or young adults, because they are virgins. It doesn’t make sense to stop the seals if God weren’t saving flesh and blood humans. God could let them just die, like the rest of the saints; and let them become spirits upon Christ's return. These obviously are younger people that God will allow to start the millennial rule. They obviously have the Holy Spirit. So they will be exceptions of being changed into spirits at Christ's coming. Apparently they are to be planted into their tribes original lands for the start of the millennial rule. Remember Ezekiel wrote after the ten northern tribes were long gone. So we see their inheritance being defined for a future time (see Ezekiel 48).
(Hmm. I wish we could still create tables on the forum. I want to post a side-by-side like I used to for better visuals. Oh well.)
Well let's explore the idea Deade if but to show where I'm coming from:
If we start from the 5th seal, we have the dead martyrs asking Yah, "how long will we have to wait until our blood is avenged?" And then Yah answers them, "just a little while longer until
your fellow servants are killed as you were." (Rev 6:10-11).
So who are these
fellow servants who also must be killed? Obviously we know the two witnesses are said to be killed but is that all? Does the text say the 144,000 will be protected from being killed, or just protected from Yah's plagues & wrath?
The last lines in chapter 6 is a statement from Yah's enemies asking a question: "Fall on us, and hide us from the face of him that sits on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb. For the great day of his wrath is come; and
who shall be able to stand?" Then we read...
Revelation 7:3
"...Saying, Hurt not the earth, neither the sea, nor the trees, till we have sealed
the servants of our God in their foreheads (i.e. the 144,000)."
And later...
Revelation 9:4
4 And it was commanded [of the swarm from the bottomless pit] that they should not hurt the grass of the earth, neither any green thing, neither any tree; but
only those men
which have not the seal of God in their foreheads (i.e. those not of the 144,000).
So after the last question in chapter 6 ("who is able to stand in Yah's wrath?") we are immediately introduced to the 144,000 who are literally called "
the servants" (apparently "fellow" servants of the martyrs), who are said to be sealed from by Yah's plagues that fall on all mankind (only the 144,000 are spared). Similarly, we can assume that the two witnesses are also protected from Yah's plagues (obviously because they cause them).
And if we continue with Revelation 14, notice the rest of the detail given in the chapter:
a) In the mouths of the 144,000 is found no lie.
b) Next, the three angel messages are preached to mankind: (1) the gospel, (2) judgment on Babylon, (3) warning to avoid the mark of the beast to escape Yah's wrath.
c) A blessing is given to those who die in the lord "from this point forward..." to rest from their work (they're obviously killed)
d) grapes of wrath; blood as high as horse bridle
...Notice it's the same sequence of events as the two witnesses:
a) introduction of servants (after eating the little book = mouth sweet as honey)
b) delivery of message (I think it's safe to assume it's the same 3 messages)
d) servants are killed afterwards (at the hand of the beast)
e) Yah's wrath on those who killed his servants (the kingdom has become Yah's and his messiah's)
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I agree that the 144,000 is a flesh and blood living group of people, but not necessarily children just because the text says "virgin". They follow the lamb wherever he goes. And before last weekend I had only noticed the parallels I just shared above. But Luke 10 really confirms things for me.
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