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These twelve events (and I am sure there were hundreds more, but not recorded in the Bible) are highlighted to show that the early Christian movement succeeded because the Holy Spirit was active. Without the powerful manifestations of the Holy Spirit, the Christian movement would have died during the first century A.D. because religious cultures are opposed to change. 

Christianity Possessed “The Seal of Approval”

Paul, himself, became a convert to Christianity through a miraculous conversion. His physical eyesight was restored by a miracle (Acts 9:17) and his spiritual eyesight was corrected by visions from God! (Galatians 1:17,18) Because the manifestations of the Spirit were frequent and genuine and because the early church was convinced that Jesus would soon return, early Christians interpreted the presence of the Holy Spirit among them as God’s seal of approval. The gift of the Holy Spirit made Christianity the true religion on Earth. This is why Paul explained the seal of God as he did. The receipt of Holy Spirit power was the seal (or endorsement) of God, and he was right. Paul’s view of the sealing perfectly aligns with the thoughts of the other apostles.

With this information in mind, review these two verses:

1. “Now it is God who makes both of us and you stand firm in Christ. He anointed us, set his seal of ownership on us, and put his Spirit in our hearts as a deposit, guaranteeing what is to come.  I call God as my witness that it was in order to spare you [from rebuke] that I did not return to Corinth.” (2 Corinthians 1:21-23, bolding and insertions mine)

2. “And you [Gentiles] also were included in Christ when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation. Having believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit, who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God’s possession – to the praise of his glory.” (Ephesians 1:13,14, bolding and insertions mine)

The problem with these texts is that some Christians read the verses today and they apply Paul’s first century A.D. comments to our present time. For example, some Pentecostals believe that every person who genuinely receives Christ will be able to demonstrate the power of the Holy Spirit in a miraculous way, such as speaking in an unknown tongue, healing a sick person, handling a poisonous snake or drinking poison. These things are thought to “validate” one’s rebirth and the receipt of the Holy Ghost. (Mark 16:17, 18)

This view of Mark 16: 17, 18 is a distortion of the purpose and mission of the Holy Spirit. Holy Spirit power was poured out on early Christians between A.D. 30 and A.D. 70 for the purpose of “jump starting” the early Christian Church into existence. After Jerusalem was destroyed in A.D. 70, the manifestations of the Holy Spirit began to dissipate because the Christian Church had become established. It had grown to the point that it could prosper through the influence and regeneration that the Holy Spirit typically works in the hearts of people. Of course, the Holy Spirit is at work today, but not in the powerful and dramatic ways recorded in the book of Acts. This does not lessen the work of the Holy Spirit! Twenty-seven percent of the world’s population claims to be Christian because the Holy Spirit is at work! Moreover, an amazing parallel is just around the corner! The power of the Holy Spirit witnessed during the first century A.D. will be witnessed during the last century A.D., but for a different purpose. Please consider this:

Holy Spirit power will be poured out on all flesh during the Great Tribulation. The 144,000 will be sealed and the Great Tribulation will begin. For 1,260 days, God’s servants will proclaim the Word of God with great power and authority. Signs and wonders will accompany their testimony as in the days of the apostles. (Acts 14:3) Millions of people will receive Christ because of the Spirit enabled and Spirit empowered work of the 144,000. As people submit to the terms and conditions of salvation and pass the test of faith, they will be sealed just like the 144,000 were sealed. The mystery of God, the mysterious removal of the carnal nature, will end just before the seventh trumpet sounds. The problem is that Paul thought he was living at the end of time, during the time of the sealing, but he was incorrect. The first people to be sealed will be the 144,000 and their sealing will come quite soon.

Summary

The 144,000 are called firstfruits in Revelation 14:4 because they will be the first to be sealed. After they are sealed, a great harvest, a numberless multitude will follow them. The numberless multitude will be sealed during the seven trumpets of the Great Tribulation. The Bible also says the 144,000 will not be defiled by women. This means they will be “married” to their calling, to the service of Jesus, and His call will separate them from their families. They will not be compromised or distracted by familial relations. The 144,000 will be severely tested before they are sealed. The Bible does not indicate how they will be tested, but we can be sure that Jesus will test His servants with the same fiery processes that He used down through the ages. Because we know something about the life and death tests facing the saints during the Great tribulation, we can be sure that Jesus will appropriately test the 144,000 for the challenges they will face on His behalf. At just the right time in Earth’s history, Jesus will select 12,000 people from each of the twelve tribes and these “servants” will faithfully respond.

Earlier in this segment, we learned that seals were used in four different ways in ancient times. Notice how these uses apply to the sealing that is coming:

1. Seals were used in ancient times to certify the authenticity of a document or transaction. (Esther 8:8, Jeremiah 32:10) The seal of God will certify the authenticity of the 144,000 as His servants.

2. Seals were used in ancient times to prevent tampering or change. (Daniel 6:17; Matthew 27: 65,66) After they are sealed, the 144,000 and the saints will be secure from the attraction of the carnal nature.

3. Seals were used in ancient times to show approval and ownership. (John 6:27; 2 Corinthians 1:22) The power of the Holy Spirit will rest on the 144,000 and his power will confirm they are God’s prophets.

4. Seals were used as locks in ancient times to secure property or secrets. (Daniel 12:4; Revelation 5:1) After the carnal nature is removed and God’s people are restored to the pre-fall condition of Adam and Eve, the seal of God will secure their sinless nature.

Hopefully, you have an idea of how all four uses of seals will apply to God’s people during the end time!

Specification #4

Three important distinctions between the 144,000 and the numberless multitude that many people overlook are outlined in verse 9-17.

1. The 144,000 are numbered and the numberless multitude cannot be counted. This feature indicates there will be two distinct groups of people living during the end time, a small group of prophets and a large group of saints. (We have already examined John’s distinction between prophets and saints in specification #1.)

2. The Bible indicates the 144,000 will be the firstfruits of the harvest. The Bible also indicates the 144,000 will be God’s “servants the prophets” during the Great Tribulation. The Bible says the numberless multitude in Revelation 7 will consist of people who came out of the Great Tribulation. Notice this end time specification:  “Then one of the elders asked me, ‘These in white robes – who are they, and where did they come from?’ I answered, ‘Sir, you know.’ And he said, ‘These are they who have come out of the great tribulation; they have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.’” (Revelation 7:13, 14, italics mine) Since the numberless multitude in Revelation 7 is an end time group of saints (and not a group of saints from all ages) and since the numberless multitude will come from all nations, kindred’s, tongues and people, they have to be the end time harvest, because the 144,000 are the firstfruits of this harvest.

3. The third rule of apocalyptic prophecy does not allow the number 144,000 to be symbolic. Rule Three requires the Bible to define the meaning of a symbol if a prophetic element is thought to be symbolic. In other words, if the number, 144,000, is a symbolic number, the Bible has to define the meaning of the symbol. We cannot make up our own meanings to symbols. There are no symbolic numbers in the Bible. God does not use one number to represent another number. Numbers can be used in analogous ways (Psalm 91:7), and numbers can be translated according to the Jubilee calendar (Rule Four of apocalyptic prophecy), but numbers themselves are always literal. Consider the math in this case: 12,000 people are sealed from each of the twelve tribes and this produces a literal total of 144,000 people.

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