A group of 144,000 people is found in two places in the Bible, Revelation 7:1-8 (which lists 12 tribes of Israel sealed on their foreheads) and Revelation 14:1-5 (describes 144,000 with the Lamb).

Who are the 144,000?  While the Bible does not provide absolute certainty regarding who they are, it does provide a good indication.  Let’s take a look at what the Bible reveals.

Symbolism of 144,000

In trying to understand who the 144,000 are it is helpful to consider the symbolic meaning of the number 144,000.  144,000 can be thought of as 12 x 12 x 1,000.

The number 12 symbolises completeness and new organisational beginnings, such as the 12 sons of Jacob who founded the nation of Israel and the 12 apostles who were foundational in starting the New Testament church.

The number 1,000 symbolises divine abundance and completeness.

Deu 7:9  “Therefore know that the LORD your God, He is God, the faithful God who keeps covenant and mercy for a thousand generations with those who love Him and keep His commandments;

Psa 50:10  For every beast of the forest is Mine, And the cattle on a thousand hills.

“The cattle on a thousand hills” is a poetic way of saying all cattle.

Thus the number 144,000 can be understood to symbolise a complete, divinely appointed multitude, which start something new: 12 (new organisational beginnings) x 12 (again for emphasis) x 1,000 (completeness). 

The 144,000 with the Lamb

The easier passage to understand is Revelation 14:1-5, so we will look at it first.

Rev 14:1  Then I looked, and behold, a Lamb standing on Mount Zion, and with Him one hundred and forty-four thousand, having His Father’s name written on their foreheads.
Rev 14:2  And I heard a voice from heaven, like the voice of many waters, and like the voice of loud thunder. And I heard the sound of harpists playing their harps.
Rev 14:3  They sang as it were a new song before the throne, before the four living creatures, and the elders; and no one could learn that song except the hundred and forty-four thousand who were redeemed [agorazo] from the earth.
Rev 14:4  These are the ones who were not defiled with women, for they are virgins. These are the ones who follow the Lamb wherever He goes. These were redeemed [agorazo] from among men, being firstfruits [aparche] to God and to the Lamb.
Rev 14:5  And in their mouth was found no deceit, for they are without fault before the throne of God.

Considering this group of 144,000 we can note the following.

They are with the Lamb (who is Jesus Christ).

They have the Father’s name written on their foreheads, showing that they belong to the Father.

They follow the Lamb wherever He goes, showing that they obey Him.

They are redeemed.  The Greek word translated “redeemed” is agorazo which means purchased, bought, redeemed.  This is the same language Paul used to describe the brethren in the church.

1Co 6:20  For you were bought [agorazo] at a price; therefore glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which are God’s.

1Co 7:23  You were bought [agorazo] at a price; do not become slaves of men.

In their mouth was found no deceit for they are without fault before God.  This is the same language Paul used in Philippians 2:15 to describe what the brethren were to become.

Php 2:15  that you may become blameless and harmless, children of God without fault in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world,

They are firstfruits.  Jesus Christ is described as the firstfruits (because He was the first to be resurrected to eternal life).  However, faithful followers of Jesus Christ who are resurrected at Christ’s coming are also a type of firstfruits.

1Co 15:23  But each one in his own order: Christ the firstfruits [aparche], afterward those who are Christ’s at His coming.

Jas 1:18  Of His own will He brought us forth by the word of truth, that we might be a kind of firstfruits [aparche] of His creatures.

Putting all the above together it is clear that this group of 144,000 are those in the first resurrection, that is those faithful followers of Jesus Christ who are resurrected when Christ returns.  It comprises all the faithful men and women of God throughout the ages, such as Noah, Abraham, and King David.

Is the number 144,000 literal or symbolic?  It’s probably symbolic, but regardless, the number 144,000 signifies a complete, divinely appointed group, who start something new.  They are the first to enter the Kingdom of God as spirit beings and reign with Jesus Christ for 1,000 years.

Rev 20:6  Blessed and holy is he who has part in the first resurrection. Over such the second death has no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with Him a thousand years.

The 144,000 sealed on their foreheads

Let’s now look at the passage of Revelation 7:1-8.

Rev 7:1  After these things I saw four angels standing at the four corners of the earth, holding the four winds of the earth, that the wind should not blow on the earth, on the sea, or on any tree.
Rev 7:2  Then 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 granted to harm the earth and the sea,
Rev 7:3  saying, “Do not harm the earth, the sea, or the trees till we have sealed the servants of our God on their foreheads.”
Rev 7:4  And I heard the number of those who were sealed. One hundred and forty-four thousand of all the tribes of the children of Israel were sealed:
Rev 7:5  of the tribe of Judah twelve thousand were sealed; of the tribe of Reuben twelve thousand were sealed; of the tribe of Gad twelve thousand were sealed;
Rev 7:6  of the tribe of Asher twelve thousand were sealed; of the tribe of Naphtali twelve thousand were sealed; of the tribe of Manasseh twelve thousand were sealed;
Rev 7:7  of the tribe of Simeon twelve thousand were sealed; of the tribe of Levi twelve thousand were sealed; of the tribe of Issachar twelve thousand were sealed;
Rev 7:8  of the tribe of Zebulun twelve thousand were sealed; of the tribe of Joseph twelve thousand were sealed; of the tribe of Benjamin twelve thousand were sealed.

Considering this group of 144,000 we can note the following.

The seal of the living God.  They are sealed with God’s seal.

Sealed the servants of our God.  Those sealed are servants of God.

Do not harm the earth, the sea, or the trees till…  The sealing takes place before the earth, sea, and trees are harmed.  The harming occurs with the trumpet blasts that follow.

At the 1^st trumpet blast the trees are harmed.

Rev 8:6  So the seven angels who had the seven trumpets prepared themselves to sound.
Rev 8:7  The first angel sounded: And hail and fire followed, mingled with blood, and they were thrown to the earth. And a third of the trees were burned up, and all green grass was burned up.

At the 2^nd trumpet blast the sea is harmed.

Rev 8:8  Then the second angel sounded: And something like a great mountain burning with fire was thrown into the sea, and a third of the sea became blood.
Rev 8:9  And a third of the living creatures in the sea died, and a third of the ships were destroyed.

At the 3^rd trumpet blast the earth (rivers, springs, and men) is harmed.

Rev 8:10  Then the third angel sounded: And a great star fell from heaven, burning like a torch, and it fell on a third of the rivers and on the springs of water.
Rev 8:11  The name of the star is Wormwood. A third of the waters became wormwood, and many men died from the water, because it was made bitter.

At the 5^th trumpet blast those who do not have the seal of God are harmed.

Rev 9:1  Then the fifth angel sounded: …

Rev 9:3  Then out of the smoke locusts came upon the earth. And to them was given power, as the scorpions of the earth have power.
Rev 9:4  They were commanded not to harm the grass of the earth, or any green thing, or any tree, but only those men who do not have the seal of God on their foreheads.

Thus, the 144,000 escape the 5 months of torment brought on by the 5^th trumpet blast because they have the seal of God on their foreheads.

Rev 9:5  And they were not given authority to kill them, but to torment them for five months. Their torment was like the torment of a scorpion when it strikes a man.
Rev 9:6  In those days men will seek death and will not find it; they will desire to die, and death will flee from them.

Rev 9:10  They had tails like scorpions, and there were stings in their tails. Their power was to hurt men five months.

All the tribes of the children of Israel were sealed.  Twelve tribes are listed, but the tribe of Dan is omitted and replaced by Manasseh, so that Joseph and Manasseh are in the list, but Ephraim (Manasseh’s brother) is not.  Of Joseph’s two sons, Ephraim was greater than Manasseh, (and sometimes bore the name of Joseph), so in this list Joseph no doubt refers to Ephraim. 

So who are the 144,000 here?  Are they 12,000 from each tribe with the exception of Dan?  This is unlikely as the Bible indicates that the tribe of Dan missing because it was well known for committing idolatry.  See, “Why is the tribe of Dan omitted from the 144,000 of Revelation 7?” for more information.  This means that Israelites from each tribe (including Dan) are included in the 144,000, but the tribe of Dan is not listed to emphasise that idolaters are excluded. 

Putting all the above together it is clear that this group of 144,000 Israelites is given physical protection from the torment and pain of the 5^th trumpet blast.  It seems that they are the ones who survive the turmoil preceding the return of Jesus Christ, and having being scattered, are gathered together to rebuild the physical nation of Israel in the 1,000 year reign of Jesus Christ.

Isa 11:11  It shall come to pass in that day That the Lord shall set His hand again the second time To recover the remnant of His people who are left, From Assyria and Egypt, From Pathros and Cush, From Elam and Shinar, From Hamath and the islands of the sea.
Isa 11:12  He will set up a banner for the nations, And will assemble the outcasts of Israel, And gather together the dispersed of Judah From the four corners of the earth.

Eze 11:17  Therefore say, ‘Thus says the Lord GOD: “I will gather you from the peoples, assemble you from the countries where you have been scattered, and I will give you the land of Israel.” ‘

Eze 36:22  “Therefore say to the house of Israel, ‘Thus says the Lord GOD: “I do not do this for your sake, O house of Israel, but for My holy name’s sake, which you have profaned among the nations wherever you went.
…
Eze 36:24  For I will take you from among the nations, gather you out of all countries, and bring you into your own land.

Note from the above verses that it is both the House of Judah (Judah, Benjamin, and Levi) and the House of Israel (the other tribes) who are gathered.  God says he will join the two houses together to make one nation as it was before Israel split into two nations under King Rehoboam, son of King Solomon.

Eze 37:16  “As for you, son of man, take a stick for yourself and write on it: ‘For Judah and for the children of Israel, his companions.’ Then take another stick and write on it, ‘For Joseph, the stick of Ephraim, and for all the house of Israel, his companions.’
Eze 37:17  Then join them one to another for yourself into one stick, and they will become one in your hand.
Eze 37:18  “And when the children of your people speak to you, saying, ‘Will you not show us what you mean by these?’—
Eze 37:19  say to them, ‘Thus says the Lord GOD: “Surely I will take the stick of Joseph, which is in the hand of Ephraim, and the tribes of Israel, his companions; and I will join them with it, with the stick of Judah, and make them one stick, and they will be one in My hand.” ‘
Eze 37:20  And the sticks on which you write will be in your hand before their eyes.
Eze 37:21  “Then say to them, ‘Thus says the Lord GOD: “Surely I will take the children of Israel from among the nations, wherever they have gone, and will gather them from every side and bring them into their own land;
Eze 37:22  and I will make them one nation in the land, on the mountains of Israel; and one king shall be king over them all; they shall no longer be two nations, nor shall they ever be divided into two kingdoms again.

Finally God states Israel will no longer commit idolatry, which ties in with the tribe of Dan (known for its idolatry) being omitted.

Eze 37:23  They shall not defile themselves anymore with their idols, nor with their detestable things, nor with any of their transgressions; but I will deliver them from all their dwelling places in which they have sinned, and will cleanse them. Then they shall be My people, and I will be their God.

Is the number 144,000 literal or symbolic?  It’s probably symbolic, but regardless, the number 144,000 signifies a complete, divinely appointed group of Israelites who start something new.  They are gathered together for a fresh start to rebuild the physical nation of Israel under the kingship of Jesus Christ.

Conclusion

Who are the 144,000?  The two groups of 144,000 are different. 

The 144,000 with the Lamb (Revelation 14:1-5) represent those in the first resurrection who are the first to enter the Kingdom of God as spirit beings and reign with Jesus Christ for 1,000 years.

The 144,000 sealed on their foreheads (Revelation 7:1-8) represent those Israelites who are physically protected from the 5^th trumpet blast and are subsequently gathered together from where they have been scattered to rebuild the physical nation of Israel under the kingship of Jesus Christ.