Rev 7:4-8 | TNotes | STEP | Summary for Rev 7:4-8: 7:4-8 Who are the 144,000 ? This listing of the tribes of Israel does not exactly correlate with the twelve physical tribes. Instead, it communicates that God knows precisely which people on earth belong to him. By the AD 90s, Israel’s twelve tribes no longer existed; ten tribes were dispersed when Assyria conquered the northern kingdom of Israel (2 Kgs 17:1-41 ). The early Christian church regarded itself symbolically as the Israel of God (Matt 19:28 ; Rom 2:28-29 ; 9:6-8 ; Gal 3:29 ; 6:16 ; Phil 3:3 ). The 144,000 probably represent all faithful Christians (cp. Rev 14:1-5 ; 21:12-17 ). The list begins appropriately with Judah (the royal tribe of Jesus) but substitutes Manasseh (one of the two tribes of Joseph) for Dan. The tribe of Dan fell into idolatry (Judg 18:14-31 ; 1 Kgs 12:25-30 ), and early Christians regarded it as the epitome of evil.

a7:4-8►

b2 Kgs 17:1-41►

cMatt 19:28►

dRom 2:28-29►

e9:6-8►

fGal 3:29►

g6:16►

hPhil 3:3►

iRev 14:1-5►

j21:12-17►

kJudg 18:14-31►

l1 Kgs 12:25-30►

‏ Revelation of John 7:4-8

Summary for Rev 7:4-8: 7:4-8 ^a Who are the 144,000? This listing of the tribes of Israel does not exactly correlate with the twelve physical tribes. Instead, it communicates that God knows precisely which people on earth belong to him. By the AD 90s, Israel’s twelve tribes no longer existed; ten tribes were dispersed when Assyria conquered the northern kingdom of Israel (2 Kgs 17:1-41 ^b). The early Christian church regarded itself symbolically as the Israel of God (Matt 19:28 ^c; Rom 2:28-29 ^d; 9:6-8 ^e; Gal 3:29 ^f; 6:16 ^g; Phil 3:3 ^h). The 144,000 probably represent all faithful Christians (cp. Rev 14:1-5 ⁱ; 21:12-17 ^j). The list begins appropriately with Judah (the royal tribe of Jesus) but substitutes Manasseh (one of the two tribes of Joseph) for Dan. The tribe of Dan fell into idolatry (Judg 18:14-31 ^k; 1 Kgs 12:25-30 ^l), and early Christians regarded it as the epitome of evil.