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In America today, many marriages do not work because of a failure in the process to pick the spouse. Some people have no standard for a spouse in advance, so they pick based on the people that approach them.
Others hire a matchmaker–internet databases, parents, friends, or other trusted advisors to pick a spouse for them. Marriages can succeed or fail based on the whether the criteria for the spouse is well thought out and adhered to. Values, economic class, religion, family heritage, field of employment, future goals, and other things have to be considered prior to entering into the marriage covenant.
Additionally, each couple has to agree to certain standards that they each will maintain in the marriage; usually completed prior to engagement or betrothal.
If those seeking marriage deviate from their criteria for a spouse, they can be largely disappointed when the person behaves alternate to their desired spouse. After the criteria is already achieved, Revelation 7 tells of the promised redemption of the elected bride of Yeshua.
How Jesus Picked His Bride vs. How Most People Pick a Spouse Today
Unlike those experiencing the epidemic of high divorce rates today, Yeshua has given His bride a standard, and those that commit and adhere to that standard will be redeemed after a short period of tribulation (as written in Revelation 7).
Could The Esther Romance Be a Foreshadow?
In the book of Esther, we are told the story of the leader of Persia, the world power of the day, King Xerxes.
He throws a big royal feast, and his wife, Queen Vashti was not willing to entertain his guests as he had requested. He deposed Queen Vashti and started a campaign to find a new Queen. Esther 2:2 records the advice he was given by his advisors. It says:
Then the king’s servants who attended him said, “Let beautiful young virgins be sought out for the king. And let the king appoint commissioners in all the provinces of his kingdom to gather all the beautiful young virgins to the harem in the citadel of Susa under custody of Hegai, the king’s eunuch, who is in charge of the women; let their cosmetic treatments be given them. And let the girl who pleases the king be queen instead of Vashti.” This pleased the king, and he did so.”
How Abraham Found a Spouse for Isaac
On another occasion, a similar process is followed when Abraham sent his servant to find a wife for his son, Isaac. In both instances, with King Xerxes and with Abraham, they had a specific criteria for the bride that would become a part of their lineage. Accordingly, they were very careful to appoint qualified individuals to carry out the task of gathering the bride that fit the specific qualifications. In Genesis 24:1-9 says:
Now Abraham was old, well advanced in years; and the Lord had blessed Abraham in all things. Abraham said to his servant, the oldest of his house, who had charge of all that he had, “Put your hand under my thigh and I will make you swear by the Lord, the God of heaven and earth, that you will not get a wife for my son from the daughters of the Canaanites, among whom I live, but will go to my country and to my kindred and get a wife for my son Isaac.”
The servant said to him, “Perhaps the woman may not be willing to follow me to this land; must I then take your son back to the land from which you came?” Abraham said to him, “See to it that you do not take my son back there.
The Lord, the God of heaven, who took me from my father’s house and from the land of my birth, and who spoke to me and swore to me, ‘To your offspring I will give this land,’ he will send his angel before you, and you shall take a wife for my son from there. But if the woman is not willing to follow you, then you will be free from this oath of mine; only you must not take my son back there.” So the servant put his hand under the thigh of Abraham his master and swore to him concerning this matter.
The Isaac Courtship vs. The Xerxes Courtship
In both instances, the bride:
- Was picked from among others
- Was searched out by a commissioned or sworn-on-oath part of the royal harem
- Had specific qualifications
- When we read further in both passages, we find that both brides were given gifts and prepared by those that were commissioned or sworn-on-oath before meeting the groom
Revelation 7 and the Bride of Yeshua
When we read in Revelation 7, we see the promised retrieval of the elected bride. Revelation 7:1-8 says:
After this I saw four angels standing at the four corners of the earth, holding back the four winds of the earth so that no wind could blow on earth or sea or against any tree.
I saw another angel ascending from the rising of the sun, having the seal of the living God, and he called with a loud voice to the four angels who had been given power to damage earth and sea, saying, “Do not damage the earth or the sea or the trees, until we have marked the servants of our God with a seal on their foreheads.”
And I heard the number of those who were sealed, one hundred forty-four thousand, sealed out of every tribe of the people of Israel:
From the tribe of Judah twelve thousand sealed,
from the tribe of Reuben twelve thousand,
from the tribe of Gad twelve thousand,
from the tribe of Asher twelve thousand,
from the tribe of Naphtali twelve thousand,
from the tribe of Manasseh twelve thousand,
from the tribe of Simeon twelve thousand,
from the tribe of Levi twelve thousand,
from the tribe of Issachar twelve thousand,
from the tribe of Zebulun twelve thousand,
from the tribe of Joseph twelve thousand,
from the tribe of Benjamin twelve thousand sealed.
How Revelation 7 Compares to the Isaac Courtship
Similar to how the servant of Abraham was sealed by an oath to gather the bride of Isaac, and how the commissioners of King Xerxes were appointed to gather the Queen, the four angels are given the assignment to seal the first fruits of redemption (the 144,000), and John tells us of the victory for covenant keeping believers of every nation after the tribulation (which closes at the last trumpet).
The seal and the palm branches shows that covenant keepers will not be victims of God’s wrath, and will be distinguished during the time of the trumpets and bowls. The Bible tells us of the criteria of the 144,000 in Revelation 14. It says:
- They are redeemed from the Earth
- They are not defiled with women
- They are virgins
- They wear the Father’s name on their forehead
- They are redeemed as the first fruits for God and the Lamb
- In their mouth no lie was found
- They are blameless
As a reward for their righteousness, the 144,000 follow Yeshua everywhere He goes, they are guaranteed a place in the first resurrection, they reign with Yeshua for one thousand years while Satan is in bondage, they inherit the New Jerusalem, and they are able to sing a new song that no one else could learn.
How Revelation 7 Compares to the Story of Esther
In Esther, Haman plotted against the Jews (the unknown to the King lineage of Queen Esther). When Esther finds out, she speaks to King Xerxes. Infuriated, they both agree to hang Haman on the gallows he had erected to persecute the Jews. Similarly, while the bride of Yeshua is being protected, Satan and his minions will be hung on the gallows (the New World Order anti-christ plans) they erected to persecute the bride of Yeshua.
While utter chaos is being released on the wicked of Heaven and Earth (a great earthquake, the sun becomes black, the moon becomes blood red, and the stars fall from the sky), God is sending His angels to distinguish His people so they will not be victims of His induced judgement. Similar to the protection that Israel received during the God-invoked plagues in Egypt, Revelation 7 shows us the covenant-keepers of our time will also be distinguished during the end times wrath of God.
After the 144,000 first fruits are sealed, John saw the victorious covenant keepers of every language and nationality singing in victory around the throne of God; so many people that he could not count.
The 144,000 and False Doctrines
Many doctrines have been created that overlook the second group of people of all nationalities, and err by trying to fit every saved person within the 144,000. The Jehovah’s Witnesses have one such theory where they believe 144,000 people will be saved. Other commentators have said, 144,000 is a representative number that stands for the entire church. Revelation 14:4-5 tells us exactly who they are, and Revelation 7:9 shows others redeemed after them.
“It is these who have not defiled themselves with women, for they are virgins; these follow the Lamb wherever he goes. They have been redeemed from humankind as first fruits for God and the Lamb, and in their mouth no lie was found; they are blameless.” (Revelation 14:4-5)
“After this I looked, and there was a great multitude that no one could count, from every nation, from all tribes and peoples and languages, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, robed in white, with palm branches in their hands.” (Revelation 7:9)
What Exodus Tells us About First fruits
Exodus 23:19 says:
“The choicest of the first fruits of your ground you shall bring into the house of the Lord your God.”
Accordingly, Yeshua, the righteous King returns and fulfills His law by sending the angels to seal the first fruits, and bring them to Him. After the first fruits were sealed, the remainder of the righteous were redeemed prior to the pouring out of the wrath of Yahweh that would be released.
The time is coming that you and I will be redeemed, wearing white, and waving palm branches IF we keep the covenant of Yeshua!
Action Steps:
- Read Revelation 7
- If you are not in covenant with Yahweh, read Exodus 34, and commit (as Israel did) to the bethrothal covenant laid out there: the ten commandments
- Read the Torah, find all of the instructions of Yahweh, and begin learning how to apply His instructions to your life
- Find a community of people who are Yeshua believers and live the Torah lifestyle so you can be held accountable and glean from one another
Recommendations
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Now, it’s Your Turn…
What are your thoughts on Revelation 7? Do you have something to add from your studies? Leave your comments, questions, and feedback below.
One of the most talked about topics in Revelation is the identity of the 144,000 who will be preserved. And although the passage is crystal clear on who these people are, the JWs were so bold to claim that it’s them. I’m just not sure if they still hold to their claim up to this day.
I’m sure you notice how the tribe of Dan is missing, why do you think that is? And regarding the 144,000 Jews, the first fruits, who will be preserved, they are described in Revelation 14:4-5 as those who are undefiled, does this mean literally that these are unmarried men?
You mentioned how Abraham chose a wife for his son Isaac. I believe this is still applicable today, not in the sense that it’s the parents who will decide whom their son gets to marry. But it’s the principle that a Christian should marry a Christian.
Hello Alysanna!
We definitely see eye to eye about the Jehovah’s Witness teaching. It doesn’t even make sense to me because I always think “If only 144,000 were to be redeemed, wouldn’t that mean The Promised Land is full already?”.
Regarding your other points…
I’m not sure why Dan is not included but I have studied others who tried to suspect. Some say its because the tribe of Dan fell heavily into idolatry right after inheriting the promised land in Judges 18:1-2. There really is no specific explanation from paralleling scripture, so only speculation is what I’ve seen.
I’m sure God has a purpose for it, but that’s unknown for now.
Regarding whether I believe the 144,000 will be undefiled, I do. In the article I explained how the 144,000 is not a reference to how many people will be redeemed. There’s a parallel between Esther and Revelation.
Xerxes sent eunuchs out to find his bride. The 144,000 are simply the ones chosen to go out and seal the remainder of the bride. In John’s Revelation, he saw 144,000, then he saw so many people of all races they couldn’t be counted: two distinct groups of people. The 144,000 are not the only people who will be redeemed or saved (according to the passage)
Thanks for stopping by and chiming in on the conversation! Hopefully, my added explanation helps.