THE 144,000

OpenBible2We find this number in the Book of Revelation; a revelation for mankind, which came from Jesus through John: “And I heard the number of them which were sealed; and there were sealed an hundred and forty and four thousand of all the tribes of Israel.” Revelation 7:4.  The word sealed means to stamp (with a signet or private mark (for security or preservation), referring to a spiritual security or preservation.  “And Jacob called the name of the place Peniel: for I have seen God face to face, and my life is preserved.”  Genesis 32:30.  It is our spiritual life that is preserved, through which we enter an invisible wall of protection, the measure of which is 144.  “And he measured the wall thereof, an hundred and forty and four cubits, according to the measure of a man, that is, of the angel.” Revelation 21:17. 

How does man reach this spiritual measure of 144?   By obeying Jesus’ instruction pertaining to the twelve tribes of Israel: “And Jesus said unto them, Verily I say unto you, That ye which have followed me, in the regeneration when the Son of man shall sit in the throne of his glory, ye also shall sit upon twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel.”  Matthew 19:28. The word regeneration means anew; the process of forming again, referring to the forming of a new creation from within, “a new heaven and a new earth,” symbolizing a new mind and a new heart, through which “the first heaven and the first earth” (formed in a darkness we mistook for light; through lies we mistook for truth) passing away through the process.  “And I saw a new heaven and a new earth; for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away.” Revelation 21:1

The twelve tribes of Israel are neither lost nor extinct, but existing within us in the form of positive and negative aspects.  We are to judge the negative aspects of the tribes, which is to overcome them. The number twelve represents judgment, as we see in our own judicial system.  Judging the 12 tribes of Israel formulates to 12 x 12, which equals 144, “the measure of a man, that is, of the angel.”  An angel is a messenger. Those that hear, through obedience, the message of the angel of the first 6 churches in the book of Revelation, reach the spiritual measure of 144.  As God’s physical creation was formed through 6 days of works (not to be taken literally), our new spiritual creation is formed through 6 (metaphorical) days of (spiritual) works.  A day is 24 hours, 6 days formulating to 6 x 24, which equals 144.  These spiritual works are the works of the spiritual judgment that is to take place within us— the act of overcoming all of our false religious and personal beliefs.

Those that reach the spiritual measure of 144 by executing God’s spiritual judgment upon themselves, enter the 1,000-year reign of Christ: 144 + 1,000 = 144,000. “And I saw thrones, and they sat upon them, and judgment was given unto them…  and they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years…”  Revelation 20:7.  The reign of Christ begins within the individual when christ (spirit and word; love and truth) rules their mind and heart.  These make up the 144,000 mentioned in chapter seven of the book of Revelation.  Notice that the tribe of Dan is not listed among the tribes.  That is because the word Dan means judge, and the 144,000 have already judged themselves.

Written by Sandra L. Butler © 2008

2012 DECODED

iuO6Y15085“The Hopi and Mayan elders do not prophesy that everything will come to an end. Rather, this is a time of transition from one World Age into another. The message they give concerns our making a choice of how we enter the future ahead. Our moving through with either resistance or acceptance will determine whether the transition will happen with cataclysmic changes or gradual peace and tranquility. The same theme can be found reflected in the prophecies of many other Native American visionaries from Black Elk to Sun Bear…”

In the year 2000, the world made its transition from one biblical era to another.  From the carnal “era of Isaac” to the spiritual “era of Jacob”; a transition that was illustrated two thousand years ago when John the Baptist decreased and Jesus the Christ increased.  It was to be man’s transition from repentance to perfection through the spiritual works that Jesus spoke of and demonstrated for us while he was on this earth.  But mankind has not been performing these spiritual works for the past two thousand, making little spiritual advancement due to the carnal-minded doctrines of religion, which fail to teach these deeper works.  If man accepts this transition by doing the spiritual works, there will be peace and tranquility.  But if he resists, there will be more wars and destruction, causing much anxiety. 

“The Mayans prophesied that from 1999 we have 13 years to realize the changes in our conscious attitude to stray from the path of self-destruction and instead move onto a path that opens our consciousness to integrate us with all that exists.”  – Joseph Robert Jochmans

The biblical time of transition took place in the year 2000, giving us 12 years to actualize positive change through a spiritual judgment that takes place in the heart, the number 12 representing judgment.  At the end of these twelve years, a physical judgment will begin to take place in the earth.  “And I saw another angel ascending from the east, having the seal of the living God: and he cried with a loud voice to the four angels, to whom it was given to hurt the earth and the sea…  This is the travailing of mother earth, revealing the spiritual travailing that should already be taking place in our spiritual mother— in our heart.  The time of trouble mentioned in the 12th chapter of Daniel, meaning judge of God, is to bring on the spiritual birth in those that have yet to begin this transition.  Saying, Hurt not the earth, neither the sea, nor the trees, till we have sealed the servants of our God in their foreheads.  And I heard the number of them that were sealed: and there were sealed an hundred and forty and four thousand of all the tribes of the children of Israel.”  Revelation 7:2-4.  144,000.  The number of days in a Baktun cycle.  But more importantly, it is a spiritual measure reached through the spiritual judgment Jesus spoke of.  “And Jesus said unto them, Verily I say unto you, That ye which have followed me, in the regeneration when the Son of man shall sit in the throne of his glory, ye also shall sit upon twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel.”  Matthew 19:28.  Each tribe has a positive and negative aspect.  We are to judge (overcome) the negative aspects.  The number 12 represents judgment. Judging the 12 tribes formulates to 12 x 12, which equals 144.  “And he measured the wall thereof, an hundred and forty and four cubits”  Rev. 21:17.  Those that complete this spiritual judgment enter a spiritual wall of protection. These have become pure in heart through a spiritual sacrifice, entering what is referred to as the 1,000 year reign of Christ: 144 + 1,000 = 144,000.

What do man’s carnal sacrifices have in common?
The sacrificing of the pure and of the innocent.

In the “era of Abraham” (4000 years ago) Abraham was instructed to sacrifice his innocent son.  Five hundred years later, the Hebrews would be instructed to sacrifice a lamb without spot or blemish, illustrating what would take place in the “era of Isaac” (2000 years ago), when a human lamb, one without spot or blemish (without sin) was sacrificed. Why would God first instruct Abraham to sacrifice his innocent son?  To show us, through the ancient language of biblical symbolism, the spiritual act that has taken place in our heart; the son symbolizing the word of God, which is truth, revealing the sacrificing of a spiritual innocence or purity, which according to scripture begins to take place just past the age of four.  In the end, it was not Abraham’s innocent son that was sacrificed, but the ram, symbolizing idolatry, the worshipping of images, which we continue to do as long as we give reverence to the false religious and personal images or beliefs of our heart. The Mayans misinterpreted the ancient spiritual knowledge given them in the way of symbols.  It was not the literal heart that was to be sacrificed, but the spiritual impurities of the heart.  “When he speaketh fair, believe him not: for there are seven abominations in his heart.”  Proverbs 26:25.  “For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies:” Matthew 15:19

I can only hope that over the next 5 years many of us will become still, quieting our mind, entering that spiritual temple called the heart, discovering and sacrificing the false religious and personal beliefs, whose negative and destructive energy is bringing death.  Let us be diligent, setting aside beliefs and disciplines that serve only to bring us an illusion of peace.  Setting aside the things that distract us from the spiritual works that must be performed in order to spiritually prepare us for the dismal prophecies predicted for our future due to our fallen spiritual state.

Written by Sandra L. Butler © 2007