Bible Commentaries
Revelation 7

Verses 1-3

Chapter 7 - The sealing of the 144,000 Jews

In the last chapter, we saw that everyone was hiding in the rocks and caves because they correctly saw that wrath or judgment was coming upon the earth from the Lamb. Most may not stay hidden because after the great earthquake and the signs in the sky the other judgments will not come immediately. Before the wrath of the Lamb takes place with the seven trumpet judgments, we will see that there is a short time of calm on earth while the sealing of 144,000 Jews takes place. These Israelites are first sealed so that they will not be harmed by the coming judgments of the wrath of the Lamb.

After the religious wars, the world religious harlot that rides the world system becomes intolerant of true Christianity because she believes only she has the mandate to prepare for the Christ and the Kingdom of God. Christians that will not join with her are being killed and persecuted for their faith somewhat like in the days of inquisitions. Israel continues in harlotry by joining with this world religion and by signing a seven-year peace covenant with the world political system confirmed by the man that had been riding on the white horse. The seven-year period known in scripture as the time of Jacob's trouble and Daniel's seventh week of years has now begun.

Jesus announces to the world with a great earthquake and signs in the sun and moon at the sixth seal that the day of the wrath of the Lamb for persecuting His people is imminent. The first part of this seven-year period starts with the sealing of 144,000 Israelites. Jesus will reveal Himself to these individuals supernaturally as He did with the apostle Paul about two thousand years earlier. They will tell Israel and the world the truth that Jesus is the Messiah and that the kingdom promised to the Jews is about to come. Two prophets with supernatural powers will also come and testify this truth to the world. They will have the power to bring judgment and torment on the earth for 1260 days and anyone who tries to harm them will be killed. The details on these two men will be given in chapter 11.

1 And after these things I saw four angels standing on the four corners of the earth, holding the four winds of the earth, that the wind should not blow on the earth, nor on the sea, nor on any tree.

2 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,

3 Saying, Hurt not the earth, neither the sea, nor the trees, till we have sealed the servants of our God in their foreheads.

The four angels with power to hurt the earth and the sea are told to withhold their assignments until after the seal of God is placed in His servants foreheads. These servants are sealed just prior to the trumpet judgments and they are removed or martyred before the vial judgments. They will probably follow in the footsteps of Jesus and testify for 3 ½ years.

These will fulfill the commission of Matthew Chapter 10. The complete prophetic scripture in Matthew could not have been completely fulfilled by the twelve apostles or by the pre-rapture Church. The commission in Matthew chapter 10 is completely fulfilled in the ministry of those that are sealed here. Like many prophecies there was a partial fulfillment in the time it was spoken but it then goes on to speak of a greater end time fulfillment. Read the entire passage in question yourself and form your own conclusion.

Matthew 10:6 But go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel. 7 And as ye go, preach, saying, The kingdom of heaven is at hand. 8 Heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, cast out devils: freely ye have received, freely give. 9 Provide neither gold, nor silver, nor brass in your purses, 10 Nor scrip for your journey, neither two coats, neither shoes, nor yet staves: for the workman is worthy of his meat. 11 And into whatsoever city or town ye shall enter, enquire who in it is worthy; and there abide till ye go thence. 12 And when ye come into an house, salute it. 13 And if the house be worthy, let your peace come upon it: but if it be not worthy, let your peace return to you. 14 And whosoever shall not receive you, nor hear your words, when ye depart out of that house or city, shake off the dust of your feet. 15 Verily I say unto you , It shall be more tolerable for the land of Sodom and Gomorrha in the day of judgment, than for that city. 16 Behold, I send you forth as sheep in the midst of wolves: be ye therefore wise as serpents, and harmless as doves. 17 But beware of men: for they will deliver you up to the councils, and they will scourge you in their synagogues; 18 And ye shall be brought before governors and kings for my sake, for a testimony against them and the Gentiles. 19 But when they deliver you up, take no thought how or what ye shall speak: for it shall be given you in that same hour what ye shall speak. 20 For it is not ye that speak, but the Spirit of your Father which speaketh in you . 21 And the brother shall deliver up the brother to death, and the father the child: and the children shall rise up against their parents, and cause them to be put to death. 22 And ye shall be hated of all men for my name's sake: but he that endureth to the end shall be saved . 23 But when they persecute you in this city, flee ye into another: for verily I say unto you, Ye shall not have gone over the cities of Israel, till the Son of man be come . 24 The disciple is not above his master, nor the servant above his lord. 25 It is enough for the disciple that he be as his master, and the servant as his lord. If they have called the master of the house Beelzebub, how much more shall they call them of his household? 26 Fear them not therefore: for there is nothing covered, that shall not be revealed; and hid, that shall not be known. 27 What I tell you in darkness, that speak ye in light: and what ye hear in the ear, that preach ye upon the housetops. 28 And fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul: but rather fear him which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell. 29 Are not two sparrows sold for a farthing? and one of them shall not fall on the ground without your Father. 30 But the very hairs of your head are all numbered. 31 Fear ye not therefore, ye are of more value than many sparrows. 32 Whosoever therefore shall confess me before men, him will I confess also before my Father which is in heaven. 33 But whosoever shall deny me before men, him will I also deny before my Father which is in heaven. 34 Think not that I am come to send peace on earth: I came not to send peace, but a sword. 35 For I am come to set a man at variance against his father, and the daughter against her mother, and the daughter in law against her mother in law. 36 And a man's foes shall be they of his own household. 37 He that loveth father or mother more than me is not worthy of me: and he that loveth son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me. 38 And he that taketh not his cross, and followeth after me, is not worthy of me. 39 He that findeth his life shall lose it: and he that loseth his life for my sake shall find it. 40 He that receiveth you receiveth me, and he that receiveth me receiveth him that sent me. 41 He that receiveth a prophet in the name of a prophet shall receive a prophet's reward; and he that receiveth a righteous man in the name of a righteous man shall receive a righteous man's reward. 42 And whosoever shall give to drink unto one of these little ones a cup of cold water only in the name of a disciple, verily I say unto you, he shall in no wise lose his reward.

(The wording of Matthew 25:42 strongly suggests it refers to the sheep and goat judgment of the Gentiles. This judgment is about how they treated these sealed brethren and it is given below.)

Matthew 25:31 When the Son of man shall come in his glory, and all the holy angels with him , then shall he sit upon the throne of his glory: 32 And before him shall be gathered all nations: and he shall separate them one from another, as a shepherd divideth his sheep from the goats: 33 And he shall set the sheep on his right hand, but the goats on the left. 34 Then shall the King say unto them on his right hand, Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world: 35 For I was an hungred, and ye gave me meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me in: 36 Naked, and ye clothed me: I was sick, and ye visited me: I was in prison, and ye came unto me. 37 Then shall the righteous answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, and fed thee? or thirsty, and gave thee drink? 38 When saw we thee a stranger, and took thee in? or naked, and clothed thee? 39 Or when saw we thee sick, or in prison, and came unto thee? 40 And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me. 41 Then shall he say also unto them on the left hand, Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels: 42 For I was an hungred, and ye gave me no meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me no drink: 43 I was a stranger, and ye took me not in: naked, and ye clothed me not: sick, and in prison, and ye visited me not. 44 Then shall they also answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, or athirst, or a stranger, or naked, or sick, or in prison, and did not minister unto thee? 45 Then shall he answer them, saying, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye did it not to one of the least of these, ye did it not to me.

This scripture does not apply to those in the New Covenant Church, as many teach from their pulpits, or salvation would come through good works and damnation from not having good works. This passage is really talking about how people will treat these sealed disciples in the time of their ministry on earth and certainly, not how Christians treat other Christians or even about how unbelievers treat Christians . The whole context of this passage in Matthew is about the time after the Lord's coming to earth. Matthew chapter 25: 31-45 teaches that those who give support to the sealed Jews that preached about the coming Jewish kingdom will be allowed to live and to enter the kingdom. On the other hand, it also teaches that those who did not help them will be cut off and will not enter the Messiah's kingdom on earth.

If the passage were talking about how the unsaved treat Christians, then why would the unsaved inherit a kingdom that was not even prepared for them? Moreover, it would imply that the unsaved inherit the kingdom by just giving a glass of water to a Christian. That does not make sense! That is salvation by works theology!

If the passage is talking about how Christians treat other Christians, as some teachers love to infer, then why are God's people being condemned to hell for not doing a work of charity? Those who teach such things have extremely bad theology! It contradicts the clear teaching of God's word! The passage itself implies that the people Jesus was talking to were not His brethren so then why do some say that this passage is about how Christians treat others?

I point all this out because misapplication of this scripture has been used to support all kinds of heresies. This passage really indicates that those alive on earth at the second coming will be judged by Jesus. Those who aided His brethren Israel will be allowed into their restored kingdom on earth and those who did not will be cut off from the land. The scripture in context implies nothing else.

Much too often, bad theology is taught from pulpits by taking scripture out of the proper context or as in this case, by taking prophetic scripture out of context to prove a legalistic view of how Christians have to treat others or be in danger of damnation.

Having said all that, I believe we should now be able to see that the greater fulfillment of Matthew chapter 10 is to these 144,000 Israelites that get sealed in the future (The number of those sealed are given in the next passage).

Verses 4-8

4 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 the children of Israel.

5 Of the tribe of Juda were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Reuben were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Gad were sealed twelve thousand.

6 Of the tribe of Aser were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Nepthalim were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Manasses were sealed twelve thousand.

7 Of the tribe of Simeon were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Levi were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Issachar were sealed twelve thousand.

8 Of the tribe of Zabulon were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Joseph were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Benjamin were sealed twelve thousand.

The angel seals 144,000 Israelites from 12 tribes. Some want to make these 144,000 elect Christians but Paul tells us there is no Jew or Gentile in the Body of Christ, so there would be no reason for John to hear that these men were from certain tribes of Israel if the intent was only to describe those elected within Christianity. Others want to make them members of their own cult but scripture could not be clearer. These people are descendants of Jacob and are natural Israelites. To make it clear that these are Israelites the passage is explicit about the tribes from which they descend.

Manasses, a half tribe, is mentioned but Dan, a full tribe, is not. Some scholars think Dan does not have a role in what is about to take place because of the idolatry and apostasy of this tribe in the past and during the tribulation. Jacob's prophecy over Dan said, Dan would be a serpent in the path ( Genesis 49:17 ). Some think Judas and the Jewish Antichrist (the False Prophet) may come from Dan's seed. Ezekiel's prophecy tells us that Dan does inherit his share of the land in the millennium, so the lack of representatives for this honored group or the performance of a tribe never nullifies kingdom promises given by God.

The passage says these are being sealed so that the angels that have been given power to hurt the land and the sea will not hurt these sealed in the trumpet judgments. These are Jewish men that will be sealed with the Holy Spirit; God will always have a witness on the earth and God does not judge before He gives grace and first warns people about what is to come. These 144,000 will give that message. Their mission will be to turn the Jews to repentance but all nations will be told their message when they witness to kings and all people on the earth about the coming Jewish kingdom of God on earth. They will have a divine revelation from God as did Paul. Signs and wonders will follow these people wherever they go and like the apostles, they will have the power to heal, raise the dead and cast out demons as a witness to the world. They will tell the world the truth that the kingdom of heaven ruled by Jesus is about to come to earth. They will also tell those who dwell on the earth that the wrath of God will fall on all those who oppose the coming of Jesus. After their ministry, the following prophecy will be fulfilled.

Matthew 24:14 And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations; and then shall the end come .

The grafted in Church has the directive to preach the good news of salvation that comes from believing and trusting in the Savior God provided. However, these Jews (like John the Baptist) will preach that the kingdom of God is at hand and that Jesus is about to come to earth and rule the earth as the Messiah from Jerusalem.

They will be in direct opposition to the forces of the harlot World Church that has within it the replacement theology that God has rejected the Jews and there is therefore no longer any earthly provision for a Jewish Kingdom. Many in the harlot will be expecting an all-inclusive Christ, not a Jewish one. The Christ many will accept will be the counterfeit Christ (Antichrist).

The world can either accept the truth that these 144,000 Jews preach or they will be deceived by the great deception that God will send afterward because they loved to believe a lie ( 2 Thessalonians 2:11).

Those that reject their message will eventually believe that Satan is God and that the Babylonian Kingdom he rules fulfills the promise of a kingdom of God. They will take the mark of the Beast and by doing so will receive the same fate as the Beast, his false prophet and Satan at the judgment. They will be cast into the Lake of Fire.

These Jews, in the days of their testimony, will most likely win over a billion converts during a time when accepting Jesus as Lord will cost most of them their natural lives ( Revelation 13:15).

Verses 9-14

9 After this I beheld, and, lo, a great multitude, which no man could number, of all nations, and kindreds, and people, and tongues, stood before the throne, and before the Lamb, clothed with white robes, and palms in their hands;

10 And cried with a loud voice, saying, Salvation to our God which sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb.

11 And all the angels stood round about the throne, and about the elders and the four beasts, and fell before the throne on their faces, and worshipped God,

12 Saying, Amen: Blessing, and glory, and wisdom, and thanksgiving, and honour, and power, and might, be unto our God for ever and ever. Amen.

13 And one of the elders answered, saying unto me, What are these which are arrayed in white robes? and whence came they?

14 And I said unto him, Sir, thou knowest. And he said to me, These are they which came out of great tribulation, and have washed their robes, and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.

After the sealing of the 144,000 and before the last judgments, we see a great multitude that no man could number around the throne. These are all those saved through the testimony of the 144,000 during the great tribulation. They are those that died confessing Jesus. The 144,000 are the first fruits but their testimony brings the full grain harvest on earth. Some scholars say that these and the multitude they convert are not part of the Church since the Church already left in the rapture. That is not likely to be true; the faithful Church left the earth for heaven without seeing death, as a reward like Enoch, but the saints these convert are killed for their faith during the great tribulation or gathered by angels at the end of the great tribulation and also leave the earth for heaven prior to the wedding. Thus , the first fruits and the grain harvest will be included as members of the spiritual body that is also called the Bride of Christ if they endure until the end ( Matthew 24:13).

The passage says this multitude came out of the great tribulation. Since the 144,000 are the subject of the chapter, it implies that they received Jesus as a result of the evangelism of the 144,000 witnesses. Some teachers say that this is a parenthetical chapter that goes back to the rapture. They claim the 144,000 started their ministry at the time of the rapture. Actually, it is more likely that this parenthetical chapter goes forward through their ministry. The chapter ends with all the people saved as a result of their ministry appearing around the throne in heaven after the great tribulation. For it to go back in time you would have to ignore the start of the chapter. The chapter starts with the words"after these things" - after what things? Clearly, it is after the things John told us about in the previous chapters, so we cannot go back in time to the rapture of chapter four because that occurred before the things John just talked about in chapters five and six.

In addition, we might observe that Enoch (a foreshadow of Philadelphia) was taken some years before the judgment that came on the whole earth at the flood of Noah's time.

The ministry of the 144,000 Jews starts after the sixth seal is opened. Therefore, they could not have been already preaching during the time of the four horsemen described in the seal judgments. Nor could they have been preaching in the first half of a seven-year period that supposedly starts at the rapture and ends seven years after the rapture (as most popular authors teach). They do begin preaching at the beginning of the seventh week of Daniel and that does last seven years but the seventh week of Daniel probably ends at least 10 ½ years from the rapture and not the customary view of seven.

Verses 15-17

15 Therefore are they before the throne of God, and serve him day and night in his temple: and he that sitteth on the throne shall dwell among them.

16 They shall hunger no more, neither thirst any more; neither shall the sun light on them, nor any heat.

17 For the Lamb which is in the midst of the throne shall feed them, and shall lead them unto living fountains of waters: and God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes.

Since many in Dispensation Theology say the 144,000 and this great multitude that come out of the tribulation are not included in the the Body of Christ known as the Church. Let us learn the truth about the people in this passage by examining the theology that tells us who the body and bride of Christ are. This understanding is necessary to give proper hope to the Jews and martyrs who find Jesus in the great tribulation and to correct some bad theology in the dispensational camp.

Why true Christians from Pentecost and true Jews Before Jesus are all in the body of Christ:

The passage in Revelation that is listed above says that this multitude is a distinct people who will always be before the throne of God. The text is very clear that they will serve in God's temple. Later in this book, we will learn that in eternity God will have no temple in the Holy City. He and the Lamb will be the temple. If there is no temple in eternity other than God in His people and this multitude serves Him in the temple then they must be indwelt with His Holy Spirit and they must worship and serve Him in spirit and in truth just like the faithful Church that was taken in the rapture.

We also will be told in Revelation chapters 21 and 22 that the eternal Holy City is the place where there will be no need for the sun and it is where the Lamb's throne is located. The Lamb in the midst of the throne and no sun or heat is promised here to this great multitude. Thus, it is certain that this multitude will dwell and serve in the Holy City. That alone should make it obvious that these 144,000 Jews and all they convert are included in the body of Christ. They live in the home of the bride that is described in chapters 21 and 22.

This understanding makes me depart from classical dispensationalists on their point that believing Jews are not part of the body of Christ. I believe the scripture teaches that the body of Christ is the whole commonwealth of Israel and not just the believers that entered the new covenant by God's grace to believers since Pentecost.

I do understand their arguments, because not long ago I held their view. These dispensationalists claim that saved Israel is not part of the bride of Christ but that these are merely friends or brethren of the groom. Some claim the body of Christ and the bride are different entities. They generally use Jewish marriage illustrations to support their views. However, whatever the truth is about these illustrations, I see no distinction in heaven between true Israel of the Old Testament and true believers since Pentecost. Scriptures say that both assemblies are included in the commonwealth of Israel and that both assemblies are branches on the same Olive Tree; we also see that they have identical destinies in the city of the bride. Most of the arguments these dispensationalists use are from subjective reasoning and they cannot be supported by any direct scripture passage, yet there is scripture to refute their reasoning.

Those that hold this theology claim the body of Christ started at Pentecost and those saved since Pentecost are the only people in Christ. They claim that the Church since Pentecost until the rapture (or some say the marriage) will be the only believers in Christ. This mostly Gentile bride will be one with Christ but Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Moses and all the people of faith prior to Pentecost and after the rapture are not part of the body or bride. Therefore, they say the 144,000 sealed Jews and the billions they help bring to Christ have missed the opportunity to become part of this body of Christ but will now be friends or brethren of Jesus.

Dispensational teachers have correctly been dead set against the replacement theology that prevails in many mainline covenant theology denominations. Nevertheless, they themselves may be guilty of a more subtle form of replacement theology that they think takes place in the kingdom of heaven. They make believers since Pentecost the queen of the kingdom and co-regent with Christ over all creation but they make the founding fathers and the 144,000 first fruits merely friends, subjects or servants in the kingdom. Why would God discriminate between pre and post Pentecost people all saved by trusting in God's promise? The Apostle Paul make it clear that we are all branches on the same Olive Tree.

These theologians seem to claim we should exclude true Israel from the body of Christ because God had the grace to graft in Gentiles! Why does true Israel get this graft shaft and how did the Gentiles now become the only true love of God s life? God is no respecter of persons whether Jew or Gentile. Salvation by faith is a free gift to all until the body is completed.

Not including true Israel as members of the body of Christ not only would not be fair to true Israel but the book of Romans demolishes that thought by making it clear that there is only one Olive Tree of which Old and New Testament believers are all branches and there is one Commonwealth of Israel of which we are all members. The Gentiles were, by God's grace, grafted into the Commonwealth of Israel. They did not replace the commonwealth and all the promises made to all children of Abraham (the children of faith and the promise). We all get nourishment from the same root that is watered by the Spirit of God.

The argument they use that true Israel did not have the Holy Spirit because the Holy Spirit was not given until Pentecost does not hold water either. The promised new covenant baptism of the Holy Spirit promised to natural Israel in Jeremiah was indeed given at Pentecost but the Holy Spirit was alive and well on planet earth from the beginning and there were filled and saved people prior to Pentecost. The scripture is filled with many such examples. In John 20:22 Jesus told His disciples to receive the Holy Spirit when he appeared to them and breathed on them and this was before Pentecost.

Pentecost was the baptism that John the Baptist promised would come through Jesus ( Matthew 3:11). This baptism identified all believers into the death and resurrection of God's chosen High Priest so all who believe by faith could have eternal atonement for their sins and be born into His spiritual new creation called the Body of Christ.

That does not mean there were not those of faith before Pentecost. Pentecost was the giving of the promised new covenant and body of Christ but people also got saved by faith during the time of the old covenant. No one can be saved without the Holy Spirit in any dispensation. It is impossible to please God without faith and you cannot have true faith without the Holy Spirit. The Old Testament is filled with accounts proving that the Holy Spirit worked through Old Testament people of faith. Accordingly, how could those dead in their sins without His Spirit have the faith to please Him as many obviously did? The Bible also says that all Israel was baptized into Moses and the sea and all drank of Christ.

1 Corinthians 10:1 Moreover, brethren, I would not that ye should be ignorant, how that all our fathers were under the cloud, and all passed through the sea;

2 And were all baptized unto Moses in the cloud and in the sea;

3 And did all eat the same spiritual meat;

4 And did all drink the same spiritual drink: for they drank of that spiritual Rock that followed them: and that Rock was Christ .

Psalms 51:11 Cast me not away from thy presence; and take not thy holy Spirit from me .

Isaiah 63:10 But they rebelled, and vexed his holy Spiri t : therefore he was turned to be their enemy, and he fought against them.

Isaiah 63:11 Then he remembered the days of old, Moses, and his people, saying, Where is he that brought them up out of the sea with the shepherd of his flock? where is he that put his holy Spirit within him?

At Pentecost, when Jesus poured out his blood in the Holy Place in heaven, the new covenant promise was put into effect because all sin was paid for. Because of natural Israel's unbelief, many branches were broken off the Olive tree. This allowed the grafting in of believing Gentiles (illustrated as the bride) into the new covenant promise given to the house of Israel and Judah. At Pentecost, Jesus as High Priest in the heavenly holy place poured out His blood and paid for the sins of mankind once and for all. By doing so, the Holy Spirit was now poured out on all flesh who would hear this new covenant message of God's grace by faith regardless if they were Jew or Gentiles. No longer was it necessary for a high priest in Israel to atone for one's sins for anyone on earth to be filled with the Holy Spirit.

Nevertheless, before Pentecost there were high priests in Israel who once a year brought in blood to the Holy of Holies to atone for the sins of Israel. The blood did not pay for the sins as did the blood of Jesus but it reminded everyone that they were sinners and that they must by faith trust God to save them. These blood sacrifices required faith in God and that is what justified the people who carried them out.

This practice did not even start with Israel. It started shortly after the fall of man when Abel offered a blood sacrifice of an animal by faith. The blood of this animal was a testament that sin in the world brought suffering and death and that God would have to provide a blood sacrifice that would redeem the earth from the sin of Adam. The offering of Abel showed the he had knowledge and faith in the redemption plan of God. He knew that a blood sacrifice of a innocent Lamb provided by God would be the only offering that would be acceptable to God, While Cain's offering of produce raised through his own efforts did not show understanding or maybe Cain even rejected the truth that man was justified through God's own self righteousness so Cain's offering was rejected.

The Old Testament people by faith believed these sacrifices would atone for their sins. These people did not only offer sacrifices because they were looking forward to the sacrifice that God would provide for sin. Many did not have that much insight into God's divine plan. However, by faith (in God) they believed their sins would be covered and were thus justified by the law of faith ( Romans 3:27) so the Holy Spirit could indwell them. We see proof of this at Passover, when the angel of death could not touch the descendants of Israel because he could see no sin within their house. The obedient covered the entrance to their house with the blood of the lamb by faith. Sacrifice by blood to atone for sin was paramount in Israel. Why would Israel even need to be continually reminded of their sins if they could not be justified by faith and have a relationship with the Spirit of the living God?

Let us not be conceited; the grafted in branches are in the same Olive Tree as the natural branches. A study of Romans chapter 9-11 makes it clear that all people who believe God's promise by faith whether Jew or Gentile now make up the spiritual body of the new covenant Christ ( Hebrews 12:22-24 ). After all, the promise of a new covenant was really made to the house of Israel and Judah and not to the Gentiles.

Jeremiah 31:31 Lo, days are coming, an affirmation of Jehovah, And I have made with the house of Israel And with the house of Judah a new covenant ,

32 Not like the covenant that I made with their fathers, In the day of My laying hold on their hand, To bring them out of the land of Egypt, In that they made void My covenant, And I ruled over them an affirmation of Jehovah.

33 For this is the covenant that I make, With the house of Israel, after those days, An affirmation of Jehovah, I have given My law in their inward part, And on their heart I do write it, And I have been to them for God, And they are to me for a people.

Just look at the hall of fame of the people of faith in Hebrews and then say these people did not have the Holy Spirit in them.

Hebrews 11:4 By faith Abel offered unto God a more excellent sacrifice than Cain, by which he obtained witness that he was righteous, God testifying of his gifts: and by it he being dead yet speaketh.

5 By faith Enoch was translated that he should not see death; and was not found, because God had translated him: for before his translation he had this testimony, that he pleased God.

6 But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.

7 By faith Noah, being warned of God of things not seen as yet, moved with fear, prepared an ark to the saving of his house; by the which he condemned the world, and became heir of the righteousness which is by faith .

8 By faith Abraham, when he was called to go out into a place which he should after receive for an inheritance, obeyed; and he went out, not knowing whither he went.

9 By faith he sojourned in the land of promise, as in a strange country, dwelling in tabernacles with Isaac and Jacob, the heirs with him of the same promise:

10 For he looked for a city which hath foundations, whose builder and maker is God.

11 Through faith also Sara herself received strength to conceive seed, and was delivered of a child when she was past age, because she judged him faithful who had promised.

12 Therefore sprang there even of one, and him as good as dead, so many as the stars of the sky in multitude, and as the sand which is by the sea shore innumerable.

13 These all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off, and were persuaded of them, and embraced them, and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth.

14 For they that say such things declare plainly that they seek a country.

15 And truly, if they had been mindful of that country from whence they came out, they might have had opportunity to have returned.

16 But now they desire a better country, that is, an heavenly: wherefore God is not ashamed to be called their God: for he hath prepared for them a city.

17 By faith Abraham, when he was tried, offered up Isaac: and he that had received the promises offered up his only begotten son,

18 Of whom it was said, That in Isaac shall thy seed be called:

19 Accounting that God was able to raise him up, even from the dead; from whence also he received him in a figure.

20 By faith Isaac blessed Jacob and Esau concerning things to come.

21 By faith Jacob, when he was a dying, blessed both the sons of Joseph; and worshipped, leaning upon the top of his staff.

22 By faith Joseph, when he died, made mention of the departing of the children of Israel; and gave commandment concerning his bones.

23 By faith Moses, when he was born, was hid three months of his parents, because they saw he was a proper child; and they were not afraid of the king's commandment.

24 By faith Moses, when he was come to years, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh's daughter;

25 Choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God, than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season;

26 Esteeming the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures in Egypt: for he had respect unto the recompence of the reward.

27 By faith he forsook Egypt, not fearing the wrath of the king: for he endured, as seeing him who is invisible.

28 Through faith he kept the passover, and the sprinkling of blood, lest he that destroyed the firstborn should touch them.

29 By faith they passed through the Red sea as by dry land: which the Egyptians assaying to do were drowned.

30 By faith the walls of Jericho fell down, after they were compassed about seven days.

31 By faith the harlot Rahab perished not with them that believed not , when she had received the spies with peace.

32 And what shall I more say? for the time would fail me to tell of Gedeon, and of Barak, and of Samson, and of Jephthae; of David also, and Samuel, and of the prophets:

33 Who through faith subdued kingdoms, wrought righteousness, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions,

34 Quenched the violence of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, out of weakness were made strong, waxed valiant in fight, turned to flight the armies of the aliens.

35 Women received their dead raised to life again: and others were tortured, not accepting deliverance; that they might obtain a better resurrection:

36 And others had trial of cruel mockings and scourgings, yea, moreover of bonds and imprisonment:

37 They were stoned, they were sawn asunder, were tempted, were slain with the sword: they wandered about in sheepskins and goatskins; being destitute, afflicted, tormented;

38 (Of whom the world was not worthy:) they wandered in deserts, and in mountains, and in dens and caves of the earth.

39 And these all, having obtained a good report through faith, received not the promise:

40 God having provided some better thing for us, that they without us should not be made perfect .

Hebrews 12:1 Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us,

2 Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith ; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.

I see no hint of any distinction in Christ between Old Testament and New Testament saints! Remember YHWH and Jesus are actually the same God and true Israel and the New Testament Church (assembly) are in the same Olive Tree and spiritual body and they will share the same eternal destiny in the Holy City as quicking spirits.

Having said that, They probably do have different roles in the thousand year reign. But let's not assume that different roles for the thousand years makes Israel in any way subservient to a grafted in people for eternity.

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