Protestant
Well-Known Member
According to classic Futurism 144,000 literal Jewish male virgins will be sealed, thereby protecting them from the ensuing horrors experienced by unbelievers during the ‘Great Tribulation’…..a time of extreme trouble caused by both the wrath of Antichrist and the Lord God Almighty.
How these evangelists are sealed without the Holy Spirit who, at the Rapture left earth with Christians, is a mystery.
Be that as it may, now divinely protected, these 144,000 Jewish ‘Billy Grahams’ will evangelize the world resulting in innumerable converts as exemplified in Rev. 7:9 ff.
Mind you, all this will be accomplished in 3 ½ years.
Futurists typically take the literalist view when it comes to prophetic interpretation, falling back to a spiritual application only when absolutely necessary.
So let us assume the Futurist literal interpretation in explaining how this scenario could play out.
What is the likelihood of 144,000 21st century male Jews maintaining their virginity until, say, age 21 in order to qualify them for divine sealing?
Iffy at best?
But what about 144,000 12-year-old male Jews?
Now we have a realistic scenario.
And what about 144,000 Jewish homosexuals who have ‘never been defiled with women?’
Certainly they qualify in that regard.
Next, we must determine the literal tribe to which their unbroken line of ancestors belonged centuries earlier.
Although the genealogical records no longer exist, certainly God knows.
Yes, God knows.
God knows that since the Diaspora the Jews have intermarried with non-Jews for centuries.
A ‘pure’ bloodline no longer exists.
But let us move on to other matters.
The 144,000 Jewish male virgins, should they exist, must now learn the Gospel clearly enough so that they are qualified to ably preach it and defend it before the masses of unbelievers worldwide.
It took the Apostles some 3 ½ years to prepare for their missionary work.
And they had the Lord Jesus as their personal instructor.
The Apostle Paul was 17 years in preparation.
Nevertheless, our Jewish male virgin evangelists have but days to prepare for their mission, during which time they must also learn numerous languages and dialects.
Intolerable Conditions Hamper Preaching
It would be one thing if conditions were conducive to preaching the Gospel to unbelievers.
But in the Great Tribulation they are anything but friendly.
On the one hand you have Antichrist and his demonic host seeking to kill all those who refuse his mark.
On the other hand you have wrath of the Almighty sending hail and fire mixed with blood causing innumerable forest and prairie fires; 1/3 of the oceans turning to blood making it difficult for ships to stay afloat while another 1/3 of the ships are destroyed outright.
What with dodging falling stars, avoiding undrinkable waters of Wormwood, navigating through unknown territories in darkness without the light of the sun, moon or stars --- not to mention dealing with the sudden drop to frigid temperatures – our 144,000 Jewish male virgins have their work cut out for them.
And have I mentioned the plague of locust scorpions along with the ravages of the 2,000,000,000 man army of brimstone and fire breathers?
I can almost envision the following scenario:
Matt, a determined Jewish evangelist, has managed to coax a group of petrified Gentiles out of the cave in which they had been hiding from the Antichrist.
Matt tells them of the love of God who has a wonderful plan for the lives when a 100 pound hailstone falls out of the sky landing on the small group.
Nonplussed, Matt turns to the next cave, crying, “Hi there! I bring the Good News of the Gospel!”
A voice replies, "We just saw your Good News. Thanks but no thanks!"
How these evangelists are sealed without the Holy Spirit who, at the Rapture left earth with Christians, is a mystery.
Be that as it may, now divinely protected, these 144,000 Jewish ‘Billy Grahams’ will evangelize the world resulting in innumerable converts as exemplified in Rev. 7:9 ff.
Mind you, all this will be accomplished in 3 ½ years.
Futurists typically take the literalist view when it comes to prophetic interpretation, falling back to a spiritual application only when absolutely necessary.
So let us assume the Futurist literal interpretation in explaining how this scenario could play out.
What is the likelihood of 144,000 21st century male Jews maintaining their virginity until, say, age 21 in order to qualify them for divine sealing?
Iffy at best?
But what about 144,000 12-year-old male Jews?
Now we have a realistic scenario.
And what about 144,000 Jewish homosexuals who have ‘never been defiled with women?’
Certainly they qualify in that regard.
Next, we must determine the literal tribe to which their unbroken line of ancestors belonged centuries earlier.
Although the genealogical records no longer exist, certainly God knows.
Yes, God knows.
God knows that since the Diaspora the Jews have intermarried with non-Jews for centuries.
A ‘pure’ bloodline no longer exists.
But let us move on to other matters.
The 144,000 Jewish male virgins, should they exist, must now learn the Gospel clearly enough so that they are qualified to ably preach it and defend it before the masses of unbelievers worldwide.
It took the Apostles some 3 ½ years to prepare for their missionary work.
And they had the Lord Jesus as their personal instructor.
The Apostle Paul was 17 years in preparation.
Nevertheless, our Jewish male virgin evangelists have but days to prepare for their mission, during which time they must also learn numerous languages and dialects.
Intolerable Conditions Hamper Preaching
It would be one thing if conditions were conducive to preaching the Gospel to unbelievers.
But in the Great Tribulation they are anything but friendly.
On the one hand you have Antichrist and his demonic host seeking to kill all those who refuse his mark.
On the other hand you have wrath of the Almighty sending hail and fire mixed with blood causing innumerable forest and prairie fires; 1/3 of the oceans turning to blood making it difficult for ships to stay afloat while another 1/3 of the ships are destroyed outright.
What with dodging falling stars, avoiding undrinkable waters of Wormwood, navigating through unknown territories in darkness without the light of the sun, moon or stars --- not to mention dealing with the sudden drop to frigid temperatures – our 144,000 Jewish male virgins have their work cut out for them.
And have I mentioned the plague of locust scorpions along with the ravages of the 2,000,000,000 man army of brimstone and fire breathers?
I can almost envision the following scenario:
Matt, a determined Jewish evangelist, has managed to coax a group of petrified Gentiles out of the cave in which they had been hiding from the Antichrist.
Matt tells them of the love of God who has a wonderful plan for the lives when a 100 pound hailstone falls out of the sky landing on the small group.
Nonplussed, Matt turns to the next cave, crying, “Hi there! I bring the Good News of the Gospel!”
A voice replies, "We just saw your Good News. Thanks but no thanks!"
