END-TIME REMNANT AND THE 144,000: A COMPARATIVE STUDY

PRESENTED BY EDWARD EDDIE MOYO TO THE AIIAS ANNUAL FORUM

11/14/2012

Introduction
With reference to The Remnant and Its

Mission, the Seventh-day Adventist Church Manual plainly states the following: The universal church is composed of all who truly believe in Christ, but in the last days, a time of widespread apostasy, a remnant has been called out to keep the commandments of God and the faith of Jesus. This remnant announces the arrival of the judgment hour, proclaims salvation through Christ, and heralds the approach of His second advent-SDA Church Manual , 160.

 The above statement of belief assumes that

the Seventh-day Adventist church constitute the end-time Remnant of the book of Revelation. While emphasis has most often than not been always put on the mission of the remnant, this paper seeks to redress the qualities or character traits of the remnant. This end-time remnant is described as keeping the commandments of God and the faith of Jesus when the rest of the world has fallen into apostasy. Thus, we can assume that the mission of a people should somehow be in direct relation to who they are as one can only give out what he or she already has.

 Thus, if the Seventh-day Adventist Church

is the end-time Remnant and if their understanding of the 144,000 is that these are those people found alive and ready at Jesus coming, is it possible to look at the qualities or characteristics that the Adventist church is called to have by examining the characteristics of the 144,000? Thus, the question which this study seeks to find the answer to in relation to this issue is whether there is any relationship between what the Adventist church as the end-time remnant should be and what the 144,000 are.

 This study is significant in two ways. First,

it challenges Seventh day Adventist members to attempt to live godly lives now. Secondly, as they seek to live Christ-like lives, Seventh-day Adventist members will be better equipped to carry out the mission of the church with power.

 Though the concept of the remnant and the

144,000 has a broader view, this study limits itself only to Bible texts and the writings of Ellen G. White. While the choice of Bible texts is obvious for the study, the choice of the writings of Ellen G. White is based on the premise that the Seventh-day Adventist church recognizes her writings as authoritative. - Ibid., 162.

The End-Time Remnant

In Revelation, the concept of the Remnant

comes out clearly to view in chapter 12: 17 which says, And the dragon was enraged with the woman, and went off to make war with the rest of her offspring, who keep the commandments of God and hold to the testimony of Jesus. (Rev 12:17). While many times we look at this remnant in terms of its mission, this text seems to emphasize more on what the remnant are rather than what they offer.

 The two verbs mentioned; keep (tereo) and

hold (echo) surely seem to point to what they are more than to what they offer to the people. In the context of the law and commandments, the Septuagint often uses the verb phulasso. This verb simply means to guard, protect, or preserve and when used in reference to the commandments it specifically means to persist to keep a law from being broken. - Frederick William Danker & Walter Bauer.

Character Traits of the End-Time Remnant

Old Testament Viewpoint
The term end-time remnant is such

designated because it refers to the last representatives of Christ on earth. As such, they are to represent Him correctly to the world so as to influence others to be ready for His coming.

 Unlike the texts dealing with the remnant

concept in general, end-time texts(Isa 4:2; 11:1; Jer 23:5; 33:15; etc) appear to have a stress on certain character traits of the remnant. Thus the remnant were to be called holy and recorded for life. They were to be a clean people, those whose filthy had been washed away. In Isaiah, the spiritual character traits of the end-time remnant include faith, trust and willing obedience to God and the Messiah (Isa 1:18, 19; 7:9; 53).

New Testament Viewpoint

In a way, Revelation 12:17 is closely related

to another text almost verbatim. It reads, Here is the perseverance of the saints who keep the commandments of God and their faith in Jesus (Rev 14:12). The remnant here keep Gods commandments and also hold to the testimony of Jesus. Thus, they are known for what they have; commandment keeping and having the testimony of Jesus, or rather, the spirit of prophecy (Rev 19:10), which is a unique mark of the end-time remnant. -Stefanovic, Revelation of Jesus Christ, 394.

Ellen Whites Perspective

Referring to the mission of the end-time

remnant, she declares that the remnant people should fill the presence of God and be converted. CCh, 233 It is God's purpose to manifest through His people the principles of His kingdom. That in life and character they may reveal these principlesBy beholding the goodness, the

mercy, the justice, and the love of God revealed in His church, the world is to have a representation of His character. And when the law of God is thus exemplified in the life, even the world will recognize the superiority of those who love and fear and serve God above every other people in the world. CT. 321. From the quote it is clear that the remnant are to be a living testimony of what it means to live for God. While they are called to give a distinct message of the graces and love of God, those traits are also to be seen in their lives, hence giving them power to proclaim with boldness that which they themselves have experienced.

 T. H. Jemison makes a similar remark

when he observes that the godly life and active witnessing in a Christian are the two essentials for presenting Christ and that one cannot survive without the other- T. H. Jemison, 348. As White later observed, The world needs to see in Christians an evidence of the power of Christianity. 8T, 16 And then she continued to say that Christs character is to shine in His followers as they approach the city of God.- Ibid.

The 144,000
Crucial to the identity of the 144,000 is another

subject that is also only found in the book of Revelation, which is the great multitude (Rev 7:710, 13-17). A lot of speculations and theories have been made about the relation of the 144,000 to the great multitude. Nevertheless, it is important to note that the book of Revelation has a play on words between what the prophet hears and what he sees. For example John heard a great voice behind him like a trumpet (Rev 1:10), but when he looked to see the trumpet, he saw one like the Son of man in the midst of the seven golden lampstands (1:12).

 Again he is told to behold the Lion of the

tribe of Judah (Rev 5:5), but when he looked, he saw a Lamb as it had been slain (Rev 5:5, 6). In chapter 17, John heard of the great harlot who sits on many waters (Rev 17:1); but when he looked, he saw a woman sitting on a scarlet beast, full of blasphemous names (Rev 17:3). Finally, in the last vision John head that he would be shown the bride, the wife of the Lamb (Rev 21:9), but when he looked, he instead saw the holy city, Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God (Rev 21:10).

 Similarly, John heard the number of those

who were sealed, 144,000 from the twelve tribes of Israel (Rev 7:4-8), but when he looked, he saw a great multitude which no one could count, this time not only from the twelve tribes of Israel, but from every nation, tribe, peoples and tongue (Rev 7:9). Thus, the 144,000 is clearly a symbolic number of the great multitude that no one can count. _Beatrice S. Neall, Sealed Saints and the Tribulation, Symposium on Revelation, Book 1, 245.

 Neall also notes that the sealed 144,000

symbolize the great multitude from every nation, kindred and tongue that will remain loyal to God in the closing conflict of the great controversy between God and Satan.

 God's ideal for His children is higher than

the highest human thought can reach. The living God has given in His holy law a transcript of His character. The greatest Teacher the world has ever known is Jesus Christ; and what is the standard He has given for all who believe in Him. As God is perfect in His high sphere of action, so man may be perfect in his human sphere. The ideal of Christian character is Christlikeness. CT, 365.

Character Traits of the 144,000 Biblical and Ellen G. White Perspectives

While the sealing does not endow them

with any special powers in terms of character, it maintains what they already are in view of the conflict ahead of them. Thus, in sealing them God not only protects and sustains them, but He also acknowledges them as His treasured possession. With this, it can be concluded that having been sealed, their main virtue will then remain to be the undying, unyielding faith that is immersed in the Person and promises of Christ. CT, 365.

 Fathers Name on Forehead Clothed in White Robes Not Defiled by Women, but are Virgins They Follow the Lamb the term Follow is the same word used in the

Gospels for discipleship (e.g. Matt 16:24; Mark 8:34; Luke 9:23; John 12:26). In John Jesus gave another aspect of what it means to follow when He said If anyone serves Me, let him follow Me; and where I am, there shall My servant also be; if anyone serves Me, the Father will honor him (Joh 12:26). Thus, the 144,000 will be led into serving the Lord day and night in His temple (Rev 7:14-15), because while they were on this earth they did the same.

 Faithfulness
Writing on an experience of a vision that

she had, White saw herself taken to one of the un-fallen worlds. Charmed with the perfect beauty she saw all around she decided she would remain there and not come back to earth if she and the 144,000 would remain faithful they would one day have a privilege to visit all the worlds and see Gods handiwork.- Mar, 368.

 She cites disobedience or non bearing of the

fruits of righteousness as the reason why many will not receive the seal of God and thus disqualify themselves from being among the 144,000. -SDABC, 7: 970. No Deceit in their Mouth The remnant of Israel will do no wrong and tell no lies, nor will a deceitful tongue be found in their mouths; for they shall feed and lie down with no one to make them tremble (Zep 3:13).

 White wrote, But all who follow the Lamb

in heaven will first have followed Him on earth, in trustful, loving, willing obedience, followed Him not fretfully and capriciously, but confidently, truthfully, as the flock follows the shepherd.- 3SM, 424 Blameless before God It is vital again to underscore the point that being guileless does not imply being without sin, but rather not having anything to hide. The fact that they stand with the Lamb is a sign that all sin has been confessed and dealt with in the presence of God, thus guile is absent. H. A. Ironside, Lectures on the Book of Revelation, 256.

 Similarly, most of Ellen Whites comments

on the 144,000 in particular and all that will inherit the kingdom are based on Gods high standard of holiness and being found blameless before God. One defect, cultivated instead of being overcome, makes the man imperfect, and closes against him the gate of the Holy City. He who enters heaven must have a character that is without spot or wrinkle or any such thing. Naught that defileth can ever enter there. In all the redeemed host not one defect will be seen. -MYP, 144.

 Now is the time to prepare. The seal of God

will never be placed upon the forehead of an impure man or woman. It will never be placed upon the forehead of the ambitious, world-loving man or woman. It will never be placed upon the forehead of men or women of false tongues or deceitful hearts. All who receive the seal must be without spot before God--candidates for heaven. 5T, 216. Students of the Word

End- Time Remnant in Relation to 144,000

The end-time remnant is understood be the

SDA movement from its inception to the second coming of Christ. On the other hand, the 144,000 refers only to those in the endtime remnant and those who respond to the call to come out of Babylon (Rev 18:4) and thus are found alive at Jesus coming (Rev 6:12-17; 7; 14:1-5). In other words, the threefold message by the end- time remnant produces the sealed and redeemed 144,000 spiritual Israelites.-LaRondelle, A Handbook of Seventh-day Adventist Theology, vol., 12, 870.

Character Traits

Whatever titles may be given to the

remnant, they are called to be courageous, to perseverance, to faithfulness, and to obedience to the Lord to the point of almost sounding legalistic. The truth is that the final judgment is based on the works of each individual. Faithfulness to the commandments of God may be decisive, but none can pride him/herself in having kept them because victory was granted to each one by Gods grace. -Richard P. Lehmann, 97.

 While living a life that is in conformity to

Gods will is the ideal for all Gods children, this is only possible by recognizing our inadequacies and running to Jesus for help. Following what has just been discussed, one cannot help but to conclude that in the final analysis, the 144,000 are indeed a remnant seeing they possess all the characteristics of the remnant described in Revelation 12-14. Lehmann, 93.

 It is from the end-time remnant that live up

to the time of the opening of the sixth seal (Rev 6:12-17) that we have those who get a special sealing, hence comprising the 144,000 (Rev 7:1-4). Thus, we can conclude that the end-time remnant upon being sealed become the 144,000. Hence the question; Is there anything that happens to the character at the time of sealing?

No Change in Plan of Salvation

Whatever the seal does to those that receive

it, it does not implant a new character to them. Herbert E. Douglas put it well when he noted that Character cannot be transferred. Not from husband to wife. Not from parent to child. Not from God even to His followers. In the time of crisis, character is revealed, not created. Douglass, The End: Unique Voice of Adventists About the Return of Jesus, 154.

 I was shown that you would be placed in

circumstances where you would be tried and tested, and that traits of character would be revealed which you were not aware that you possessed 4T, 55. In conclusion, the following quotes by Ellen White also help us understand that the standard for salvation for all generations is the same: The condition of eternal life is now just what it always has been,--just what it was in Paradise before the fall of our first parents,--perfect obedience to the law of God, perfect righteousness. If eternal life were granted on any condition short of this, then the happiness of the whole universe would be imperiled. The way would be open for sin, with all its train of woe and misery, to be immortalized. SC, 62.

 While we need to have a desire to reproduce

Christs character in our lives, human effort alone will avail us nothing. To achieve our goal we need Christ at the beginning, at the end and at every step of the way. This can be accomplished through the power of the Holy Spirit.

Need for Preparation

But character is not inherited. It cannot be

bought. The formation of a noble character is the work of a lifetime and must be the result of diligent and persevering effort. God gives opportunities; success depends upon the use made of them. PP, 223.

Implications
Since the scriptures do not give the exact

time of Jesus coming; it is important to keep an attitude of readiness. The implication to this is that no one can predict exactly who will be among the 144,000 from among the living today. However, understanding that the spiritual qualifications of the end-time remnant as we now do; are the same as those of the 144,000 helps us live in anticipation of the sealing.

 We can endeavor to develop good

characters now by the grace of God. I agree with Jack W. Provonsha who argues that grace is not a substitute for goodness. Grace is the way to goodness! We can become the kind of person we truly wish to be. It may take time, perhaps even more time than we have in this life, but we can do it by the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ. Christ is the way.- Jack W. Provonsho, A Remnant in Crisis , 109.

Summary and Conclusion Summary

Very close relations do exist between the end-

time remnant and the 144,000 to the point of being used interchangeably. Nevertheless, while the end-time remnant can be seen as referring to the Seventh-day church from its inception following the aftermaths of the Great Disappointment of 1844, the 144,000 can only be defined in terms of those in the remnant and those later called out of Babylon who live in the time of the opening of the sixth sealed and are thus sealed by the seal of God.

Conclusion
The character traits as seen in the 144,000

of the book of Revelation are the same as those that should be portrayed by the endtime remnant. Though seen as fixed and perfected in the 144,000, they are a work of a life time. Thus, those in the Seventh-day Adventist church today should seek by the grace of God to acquire these character traits as they are a standard for all that shall inherit the kingdom of God.

 Having been sealed they are prepared to go

through the time of trouble such as never was before. Thus, upon their being sealed, the end-time remnant becomes the 144,000 with the same character traits. The only difference however, is that their characters get fixed and are also perfectly revealed by the trials they go through.

 Therefore, it is important for Adventists to

desire to have a Christ-like character now, not only in view of the sealing, but as it is the only standard for salvation for all ages. By Gods grace, this can be achieved though it may take a life time.