I appreciate your take on the matter. I also appreciate that you cannot document each statement. But giving no scriptures makes it difficult to debate.
To shorten my answer (for you covered a lot of ground there) I will just show some salient facts, which, if true, cast doubt on your understanding. The first is the 144,000 of Revelation 7. They are Israelites since they come from the 12 Tribes. Why Dan is missing no expositor can satisfactorily answer.
I have kept an eye out as I continue to understand why Dan is not included in the list of those who are sealed. Some have suggested from most likely reading someone else's teachings, that it was because of Dan's idol worship. The problem with this is that all of the tribes of Israel were guilty of idol worship. So that doesn't answer the question.
However, that Dan is missing from the list, does not diminish the fact that these are true Israelites 12,000 from each tribe, with Joseph's son Manasseh replacing Dan. People adopted that false teaching that since Dan is missing, then the information is allegorical. That's like throwing the baby out with the bathwater. In other words, just because Dan is missing does not mean that it is not to be interpreted literally.
But they are NOT SAVED. They are SEALED so that the effects of the Great Tribulation do not kill them (Revelation 9:4).
Once again, we need to bring in all of the scriptures when forming a conclusion. The fact is that these 144,000 are saved is revealed in Rev.14 as they those who are redeemed from the earth:
"Then I looked, and there before me was the Lamb, standing on Mount Zion, and with him 144,000 who had his name and his Father’s name written on their foreheads."
"No one could learn the song except the 144,000
who had been redeemed from the earth.
The word redeemed in the scripture above, means to that those 144,000 were purchased by the blood of the Lamb. In addition, the fact that these 144,000 have the Lamb's and God the Father's name written on their forehead, demonstrates that they are saved.
[Chapter 11:24-32 says that Israel is "blind"[/quote]
The nation Israel is has been blinded. The 144,000 is a specific group elected by God during the end times. As I said, the unbelieving nation of Israel will be giving birth to 144,000 believing Israelites.
Next, although the Woman of Revelation Chapter 12 bears some similarities to Josephs dream in Genesis 37, the differences are many. Here are some:
- Israel was never in heaven - the Woman of Rev.12 is
- Israel is real. The Woman is a "sign"
- There was no woman in Joseph's dream. His mother was represented by the moon
- Joseph's mother was one of FOUR women who brought forth Israel
- In Gen.37 the sun is Jacob - In Rev.12 the sun is the clothing of the Woman
- In Gen.37 the moon is one of four Women - In Rev.12 the moon is a footstool
- In Gen.37 stars are son's of Jacob - In Rev.12 stars are a crown
- A crown is for ruling - in Gen.37 only one star ruled and the other served
- Israel cannot be the stars for they (Israel) forfeit rule (Matt.21:43)
- Israel is in chastisement for idolatry. How could she bring forth saved Israelites?
- Israel are idolaters. How could they bring forth seed "that has the testimony of Jesus Christ"
- How could Israel, who is divorced from God, bring forth the Bride of Christ
That is how symbolism works, i.e. something symbolic representing something that is literal.
God symbolically described Israel using the same symbols found in Joseph's dream in order to give the reader understanding of who the woman is symbolically representing.
* The woman is symbolic
* Her being pregnant is symbolic
* Her giving birth is symbolic
* The dragon with seven heads, ten horns and ten crowns is symbolic
symbolism representing what is literal
These 12 points make it impossible for the student of scripture to equate fallen, disowned, divorced and unrepentant Israel with a heavenly Woman. The Woman fits only one other Woman in scripture - New Jerusalem. These are the facts: The Woman is heavenly but on earth. So is New Jerusalem (Rev.21.2). New Jerusalem is a "sign" (She is City, Bride, Wife, Tabernacle and glory of God all at the same time). The Woman brings forth THREE seeds. (i) The Man-child who is the Overcomers (Rev.2:27, 12:5, 11). (ii) Those who have the testimony of Jesus but who are left on earth during the Great Tribulation (12:17). And (iii) those who keep the commandments of God - the Jewish remnant of Deuteronomy 30:1-5 mentioned above. Only in New Jerusalem we see these three again with the Christians as the Walls and Israel as the Gates. And finally, in the Book of Galatians, Israel and the Church are continuously CONTRASTED. In 4:22-26 they are again CONTRASTED, but verse 26 says that though they be so different as Sarah to Hagar, so different as bondage is to freedom, NEVERTHELESS Jerusalem ABOVE is Mother us ALL (both parties).
I'll stick with the clues that God gave, which is Genesis 37:9-10 where the sun, moon and eleven stars, as being the same symbolism as the woman who is clothed with the Son, with the moon under feet and wearing a crown of twelve stars.
Jacob identified the sun as himself, the moon representing his wife/wives and the stars representing his sons. Collectively, they represent Israel.
Israel never travailed in the birth of 144,000
Correct! Israel never travailed in the birth of 144,000, but her giving birth to the 144,000 is a future event, not past.