Author	Thread: Christian Zionism and the 144,000
Admin	Christian Zionism and the 144,000 Posted : 8 Mar, 2012 07:42 AM Christian Zionism and the 144,000 Faith is totally believing God in his word. "All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:" II Timothy 3: 16 "For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost." II Peter 1: 21 Scripture then has to be interpreted by other scripture, and one text cannot be seen as contradicting another text. Scripture cannot be interpreted by a man-made system like dispensationalism, which is Christian Zionism. John Darby and C.I Scofield claim that the "church" will end in apostasy, and that physical Israel - the Jews - will replace the "church" in the dispensationalist tribulation. To dispensationalists, the millennium of Revelation 20: 1-7 is a Jewish kingdom age. Hal Lindsey says "...at some point in history - very soon, I believe - God's special focus and blessing is going to shift back to the Jews. At that moment, the Jews will once again be responsible, as God's representatives, to take His message to the whole world. This mission - incomplete and seemingly impossible for the last 2,000 years - will be accomplished by the 144,000 Jewish Billy Graham's in seven years." From: Hal Lindsey, The Apocalypse Code Palos Verdes, California, Western Front, 1997, page 121. The broad allegorical method of Origen and Augustine said, for Catholics and most Calvinists who follow Augustine, that the 144,000 of Revelation 7 and Revelation 14 are the saved saints of all ages, and not a group who is called out by the Lord during the tribulation, when the four winds of the earth of Revelation 7: 1 are released by the angels restraining them. The 144,000 as being like the Apostles of the First Century (Daniel 11: 33), are the Lord's people during the tribulation who witness that not all of those who claim to belong to Christ are in apostasy, and that this end time apostasy is not as complete as John Darby and C.I. Scofield postulate. However, unlike the Catholic and Calvinist sweeping allegorizing of Revelation 7: 1-8 and Revelation 14: 1-5, dispensationalism makes the prophecy too literal, and in doing so puts forward its rotating or postponement postulate that following the rapture of the dispensationalist "church" off the earth, the Jews, as a collective, a house, an entire group, will then be elevated to be God's number one people. Scripture does not say, however, that any individual Jew cannot be saved. Dispensationalism claims the 144,000 are all male Jewish virgins. But if Scripture is interpreted by Scripture as intended and as faith holds, the 144,000 are the true Jews of Romans 2: 29, "For he is not a Jew, which is one outwardly; neither is that circumcision, which is outward in the flesh: 29.But he is a Jew, which is one inwardly; and circumcision is that of the heart, in the spirit, and not in the letter; whose praise is not of men, but of God." Supporting Romans 2: 28-29 is Romans 9: 6-8, "Not as though the word of God hath taken none effect. For they are not all Israel, which are of Israel: 7. Neither, because they are the seed of Abraham, are they all children: but, In Isaac shall thy seed be called. 8. That is, They which are the children of the flesh, these are not the children of God: but the children of the promise are counted for the seed." And Galatians 3: 16, 28-29 says "Now to Abraham and his seed were the promises made. He saith not, And to seeds, as of many; but as of one, And to thy seed, which is Christ.....There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female: for ye are all one in Christ Jesus. 29.And if ye be Christ's, then are ye Abraham's seed, and heirs according to the promise." And Galatians 4: 24-26 adds that "Which things are an allegory: for these are the two covenants; the one from the mount Sinai, which gendereth to bondage, which is Agar. 25.For this Agar is mount Sinai in Arabia, and answereth to Jerusalem which now is, and is in bondage with her children. 26.But Jerusalem which is above is free, which is the mother of us all." The 144,000 belong to the Jerusalem which is above and is free of bondage to the shadow of Hebrews 10: 1 and Colossians 2: 17. The New Testament does not say anywhere that these truths articulated by Paul will change at some time in the future, so that God will return to honoring the physical Israeites because of their flesh, their physical descent from Abraham. Flesh has no place in the New Covenant. Everyone who comes into the spiritual kingdom and becomes a son or daughter of God and not just a servant, comes in one person at a time. Therefore the 144,000 under the New Covenant cannot be all physical Israelites, or Jews. Post Reply
shalom716 View Profile History	Christian Zionism and the 144,000 Posted : 8 Mar, 2012 02:34 PM Interesting thread Halfback, I believe the 144,000 represented are from each of the tribes, therefore, like you said are spoken of from an allegorical standpoint. I don't believe they all come at once, but are a number that have occurred over a long period of time, and when the full number has come in then this prophecy is fulfilled. Because of the way our finite minds operate, it is difficult for us to comprehend the symbolism in the Book of Revelation, as I know you are well aware. I think but don't know that most of the prophecies are figurative, literal, and non-sequential in their method of fulfillment. I think that is why there is such controversary in the body of believers over prophecy because man tries to analyze it and create a timeline for the events to occur. I also think there may be dual fulfillments and I wonder if prayer and the mercy of Yah effects the timing of events, even though G-d's time is so different from ours, however, he is longsuffering wishing that none should perish, and His mercies are new every morning, Great is Thy Faithfulness! I enjoy the wisdom that you share beloved one in Yeshua whenever you do post. Post Reply