The Watchtower Organization would have you believe that the heavens are reserved for a limited number of people, only 144,000. Where do they get this idea? From the book of Revelation, chapters 7 and 14 the only two places where this number is mentioned.
In Revelation 14:1-5
Then I looked, and there before me was the Lamb, standing on Mount Zion, and with him 144,000 who had his name and his Father’s name written on their foreheads. 2 And I heard a sound from heaven like the roar of rushing waters and like a loud peal of thunder. The sound I heard was like that of harpists playing their harps. 3 And they sang a new song before the throne and before the four living creatures and the elders. No one could learn the song except the 144,000 who had been redeemed from the earth. 4 These are those who did not defile themselves with women, for they remained virgins. They follow the Lamb wherever he goes. They were purchased from among mankind and offered as first-fruits to God and the Lamb. 5 No lie was found in their mouths; they are blameless.
An Interesting Point to Consider
Before showing other scriptures which show this hope is for all who put their faith in the Lord Jesus, let’s consider what Watchtower proposes for a moment. All agree Revelation is a symbolic book. Watchtower says the twelve tribes in Revelation are symbolic, as they don’t match the twelve tribes in the Old Testament. Watchtower also says the twelve thousand taken out of each tribe are also symbolic. The fact that they are men is symbolic, the fact that they are virgins is symbolic and the fact that no lie is found in their mouths is also symbolic. So how do we get a literal number out of all of that? How do we multiply two symbolic numbers and come up with a literal number? This makes no sense does it? That is simply bad interpretation, we cannot take a symbolic series of descriptive verses and take one number out of all of that, and simply say this one number is literal!
Ray Franz, former governing body member of Jehovah’s Witnesses came to this same conclusion and speaks of this in his book Crises of Conscience. Yet since 1935 Jehovah’s Witnesses have blindly believed this teaching by their governing body.
Jehovah’s Witnesses are taught that only the ‘anointed’ should partake of the bread and wine, only those called to the heavens, the number of which is limited to 144,000. Interesting fact, when the Apostles ate the last supper with our Lord, they had not yet received the holy spirit! This did not occur until Pentecost some 50 days after the Crucifixion! Therefore they were not anointed yet partook of the bread and wine!
Jesus gave clear instructions to “keep doing this in memory of me” and to “take eat, each one of you this means my body”. Yet Jehovah’s Witnesses refuse to obey Jesus!
Interesting Fact
Jehovah’s Witnesses are taught they keep the memorial to honor the memory of Jesus who died on behalf of all mankind. Yet they refuse to eat or drink. And they know the bible says to keep doing this until He arrives. Well according to the Watchtower Jesus did arrive in 1914 (invisibly) so why are they still doing it?
Jesus said to For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until He comes.…1 Cor 11:25
Question to consider- where does Jesus teach us that our reward is an “earthly paradise”? Where did the Apostle Paul or any other Christian writer even mention this?
What Does the Bible Say?
Does God’s word teach us that only some may be saved? Or that only Jehovah’s Witnesses will be saved, as their members claim? Does it teach us that only a limited number are invited to the kingdom of the heavens as Jehovah’s Witnesses are currently taught? Notice what the scriptures say:
1.Yet to all who did receive him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God—13 children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband’s will, but born of God. John 1:12, 13
2. Everyone who believes that Jesus is the Christ is born of God, and everyone who loves the father loves his child as well. 1 John 5:1
Did you notice the word all in John 1:12, 13? It does not say some, nor does it say 144,000, it says all! Did you notice everyone in 1 John 5:1? It does not say to some, nor does it say to 144,000 does it?
3. Gal. 3:26 So in Christ Jesus you are all children of God through faith,
4. I am the living bread which came down from heaven. If anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever; and the bread that I shall give is My flesh, which I shall give for the life of the world.”John 6:51
The faithful men of old, had heavenly resurrection
Hebrews 11:8 By faith Abraham, when called to go to a place he would later receive as his inheritance, obeyed and went, even though he did not know where he was going.
10 For he was looking forward to the city with foundations, whose architect and builder is God.
16 Instead, they were longing for a better country—a heavenly one. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he has prepared a city for them.
35 There were others who were tortured, refusing to be released so that they might gain an even better resurrection.
Philippians 3:20 But our citizenship is in heaven, and from it we await a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ,
Ephesians 2:19 So then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God,
In his letter to the Ephesians, Paul declared that there is but “one hope” for the righteous (Ephesians 4:4).There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called to one hope when you were called;
But that “hope” (1 Peter 1:3) is “reserved in heaven” (1 Peter 1:4; Colossians 1:5) for the faithful. It is therefore clear that our one hope is in heaven.
Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, 4 and into an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade. This inheritance is kept in heaven for you, 1 Peter 1:3,4
the faith and love that spring from the hope stored up for you in heaven and about which you have already heard in the true message of the gospel Col. 1:5
“but our citizenship is in heaven, from which we also eagerly wait for a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ. He will transform the body of our humble condition into the likeness of His glorious body…” Phil. 3:20
Jesus speaking in Matthew 8:11 I say to you that many will come from the east and the west, and will take their places at the feast with Abraham, Isaac and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven
What did Jesus say to his faithful followers?
In My Father’s house are many dwelling places; if it were not so, I would have told you; for I go to prepare a place for you. “If I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself, that where I am, there you may be also. John 14:3
Even Revelation 7:9 shows the great crowd is actually in Heaven! Revelation 7:9, “After these things I saw, and, look! a great crowd, which no man was able to number, out of all nations and tribes and peoples and tongues, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, dressed in white robes, and there were palm branches in their hands.”
And Revelation 19:1 makes this even more clear saying the great crowd is in heaven.
After this I heard what seemed to be a loud voice of a great crowd in heaven. NWT.
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