144,000 are first fruits?

[Pamelasv]

Read Revelation 14:1-5

It says this 144,000 from Isreal (cross reference is Rev 7:4 ).  Are first fruits.  What does signify to you?  

[WilliamL]

The firstfruits are all those raised from the dead, or changed while still alive, that will be clothed with glorious bodies in order to celebrate with Christ during his Millennial Kingdom.

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

[Ezra]

Read Revelation 14:1-5

It says this 144,000 from Israel (cross reference is Rev 7:4 ).  Are first fruits.  What does signify to you?  

Whenever we see the term "first fruits" it is connected with either actual or metaphorical harvests. In Hebrew usage the first fruits were the earliest part of the harvest, then followed the main harvest, and finally there were the gleanings.

The 144,000 are indeed the first fruits of those who are redeemed out of Israel after the Church has been completed. That is why they are named by tribe. There will also be harvest of redeemed Jews after the Second Coming of Christ (Ezekiel 37:21-23):

21 And say unto them, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, I will take the children of Israel from among the heathen, whither they be gone, and will gather them on every side, and bring them into their own land:

22 And I will make them one nation in the land upon the mountains of Israel; and one king shall be king to them all: and they shall be no more two nations, neither shall they be divided into two kingdoms any more at all:

23 Neither shall they defile themselves any more with their idols, nor with their detestable things, nor with any of their transgressions: but I will save them out of all their dwelling places, wherein they have sinned, and will cleanse them: so shall they be my people, and I will be their God.

[missmuffet]

It was an offering by God of the Israelites.The first born son of each human.

[Sister]

These are those who follow the Lamb wheresoever he goes.  They are Christians.  They get resurrected FIRST because they are the FIRST-FRUITS of THE LAMB.  They are not part of the resurrection at the 7th trump, but are taken up before that, or they wouldn't be called the FIRST-FRUITS.  They are living in the last days, and the only ones out of the whole christian living world who are SEALED before the 7 trumpets blow.

[Sister]

Read Revelation 14:1-5

It says this 144,000 from Israel (cross reference is Rev 7:4 ).  Are first fruits.  What does signify to you?  

Whenever we see the term "first fruits" it is connected with either actual or metaphorical harvests. In Hebrew usage the first fruits were the earliest part of the harvest, then followed the main harvest, and finally there were the gleanings.

The 144,000 are indeed the first fruits of those who are redeemed out of Israel after the Church has been completed. That is why they are named by tribe. There will also be harvest of redeemed Jews after the Second Coming of Christ (Ezekiel 37:21-23):

21 And say unto them, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, I will take the children of Israel from among the heathen, whither they be gone, and will gather them on every side, and bring them into their own land:

22 And I will make them one nation in the land upon the mountains of Israel; and one king shall be king to them all: and they shall be no more two nations, neither shall they be divided into two kingdoms any more at all:

23 Neither shall they defile themselves any more with their idols, nor with their detestable things, nor with any of their transgressions: but I will save them out of all their dwelling places, wherein they have sinned, and will cleanse them: so shall they be my people, and I will be their God.

Ezra

The REMNANTS of Israel apply to those verses.  The remnants are from all generations.  The 144,000 are a small group, true and faithful.  They follow the Lamb wheresoever he goes....hello?

[Montana Marv]

These are those who follow the Lamb wheresoever he goes.  They are Christians.  They get resurrected FIRST because they are the FIRST-FRUITS of THE LAMB.  They are not part of the resurrection at the 7th trump, but are taken up before that, or they wouldn't be called the FIRST-FRUITS.  They are living in the last days, and the only ones out of the whole christian living world who are SEALED before the 7 trumpets blow.

Sister

What you posted is not what Scripture says:

Eph 1:13 - And you also were included in Christ when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation.  Having believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance.  and 4:31 - and grieve not the Holy Spirit of God, with whom you were sealed for the day of redemption.

The 144,000 are first fruits out of Israel (All have a Jewish bloodline).  For this is what Scripture says.  These 144,000 follow the Lamb during the Mill.

In Christ

Montana Marv

[Last Daze]

These are those who follow the Lamb wheresoever he goes.  They are Christians.  They get resurrected FIRST because they are the FIRST-FRUITS of THE LAMB.  They are not part of the resurrection at the 7th trump, but are taken up before that, or they wouldn't be called the FIRST-FRUITS.  They are living in the last days, and the only ones out of the whole christian living world who are SEALED before the 7 trumpets blow.

I think the term "first-fruits" can have different connotations depending on the context.

• But now Christ has been raised from the dead, the first fruits of those who are asleep.  1 Corinthians 15:20
• [144,000] These have been purchased from among men as first fruits to God and to the Lamb.  Revelation 14:4b
• In the exercise of His will He brought us forth by the word of truth, so that we would be a kind of first fruits among His creatures.  James 1:18

In the first verse, Jesus is the first fruits of the resurrection unto immortality.  Those who are Christs are resurrected at His coming, then everyone else at the end.  I don't see a separate "first-fruits" resurrection for the 144,000 being described.

The second verse describes the 144,000 as first-fruits purchased from among men.  Since they are described as "chaste" the term first-fruits seems to pertain to more of a quality than an order of sequence.  Weren't the first-fruits typically the best?

The third verse seems more general in scope which I see as pertaining to the church.  The term "first fruits among His creatures" could be a reference to those who are Christs being resurrected first in relation to everyone else who is resurrected at the end.

Edited October 21, 2015 by Last Daze
Clarification

[Pamelasv]

Read Revelation 14:1-5

It says this 144,000 from Israel (cross reference is Rev 7:4 ).  Are first fruits.  What does signify to you?  

Whenever we see the term "first fruits" it is connected with either actual or metaphorical harvests. In Hebrew usage the first fruits were the earliest part of the harvest, then followed the main harvest, and finally there were the gleanings.

The 144,000 are indeed the first fruits of those who are redeemed out of Israel after the Church has been completed. That is why they are named by tribe. There will also be harvest of redeemed Jews after the Second Coming of Christ (Ezekiel 37:21-23):

21 And say unto them, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, I will take the children of Israel from among the heathen, whither they be gone, and will gather them on every side, and bring them into their own land:

22 And I will make them one nation in the land upon the mountains of Israel; and one king shall be king to them all: and they shall be no more two nations, neither shall they be divided into two kingdoms any more at all:

23 Neither shall they defile themselves any more with their idols, nor with their detestable things, nor with any of their transgressions: but I will save them out of all their dwelling places, wherein they have sinned, and will cleanse them: so shall they be my people, and I will be their God.

Ezra

The REMNANTS of Israel apply to those verses.  The remnants are from all generations.  The 144,000 are a small group, true and faithful.  They follow the Lamb wheresoever he goes....hello?

I was kind of thinking this may not be right because of the fact that the tribe of Dan is not listed.  Blessings. 

[Sister]

These are those who follow the Lamb wheresoever he goes.  They are Christians.  They get resurrected FIRST because they are the FIRST-FRUITS of THE LAMB.  They are not part of the resurrection at the 7th trump, but are taken up before that, or they wouldn't be called the FIRST-FRUITS.  They are living in the last days, and the only ones out of the whole christian living world who are SEALED before the 7 trumpets blow.

I think the term "first-fruits" can have different connotations depending on the context.

• But now Christ has been raised from the dead, the first fruits of those who are asleep.  1 Corinthians 15:20
• [144,000] These have been purchased from among men as first fruits to God and to the Lamb.  Revelation 14:4b
• In the exercise of His will He brought us forth by the word of truth, so that we would be a kind of first fruits among His creatures.  James 1:18

In the first verse, Jesus is the first fruits of the resurrection unto immortality.  Those who are Christs are resurrected at His coming, then everyone else at the end.  I don't see a separate "first-fruits" resurrection for the 144,000 being described.

The second verse describes the 144,000 as first-fruits purchased from among men.  Since they are described as "chaste" the term first-fruits seems to pertain to more of a quality than an order of sequence.  Weren't the first-fruits typically the best?

The third verse seems more general in scope which I see as pertaining to the church.  The term "first fruits among His creatures" could be a reference to those who are Christs being resurrected first in relation to everyone else who is resurrected at the end.

Last Daze

Christ is the First-fruits of those who sleep.  He is the first born of the Dead.  The first man in history to be resurrected unto life eternal.

The holy apostles are Christ's special first-fruits who came not long after him.  I'd say when the last one died (whoever that is), they were all resurrected together.  They were chosen for his ministry, and are the foundations. The 24 elders in heaven are them.  12 who were with Christ, and another 12 maybe after Christ rose, I don't know.  The fact is they were there in heaven when the Lamb opened the seven seals during John's time, so they are the first, first, first-fruits of all men who are resurrected.  And they followed suit shortly after Christ's resurrection.  How else would they be in heaven at the time John saw them?

No go forward  2000 odd years, and we have another lot of first-fruits coming in.  Amongst men living in the last days, during the most evil of times, where evil has reached it's peak, and wolves have infiltrated the truth, ...there are only 144,000 who follow the Lamb wheresoever he goes.  This means that they are loyal and true.  That number is also no coincidence.  It is determined. "Many" are called but "few" are "chosen".  Now take into consideration all the letters to the seven churches, all the warnings, and the subtle hints, with everything else Christ taught us, and I mean every single word, and we can see that the Christ is not too happy with the Christian population, hence the warnings.  So there is another small group that will overcome in the last days, just as Christ did.  Now consider that Christ did not overcome just at his death, but overcame during his walk.  These will be the same.  I don't see them as being given "a last chance" to repent...at the final warning, but repented and made their robes white long before that. If they walked with the Lamb, then he has been feeding them, and they have obeyed all his commandments.  Nobody gets fed everything in one day.  It takes time.  So these will be the FIRST-FRUITS of all living Christians during the last days.  It's only just a handful really.  They will be raised first before all Christians, which is why it shows them standing on Mt Zion with the Lamb.  No one else there yet!  They got there first.  They are the first-fruits of the end time Christians.  They are virgins, because they serve no other God.  They are loyal having served only one master.

 

James 1:18   Of his own will begat he us with the word of truth, that we should be a kind of firstfruits of his creatures.

James 1:18 is speaking about the apostles only as I understand it.  They are a "kind" of first-fruits.  A different kind, simply because they are the foundation.  Christ chose them and fed them the Word of Truth,...showed them everything, and they feed us through the scriptures.  I think he's subtley telling us to take heed what they say, (the apostles) for Christ has given them the word of truth and have authority over us.

 

Now the rest of the Christians who will be in the resurrection at the last trump will be another type of first-fruits of the "world", because more will come in during the millennium and will be resurrected in the 2nd resurrection. These come in before the future converts come. Yet they are not "sealed" are they?  And they are not called the 144K first-fruits.  So there are different First-Fruit groups;

1. Christ (The Cornerstone) The First-Fruits because he is not the only one, the apostles are coming shortly.

2. The apostles (24 elders) - the foundations. They laid this for us.

3. The 144,000 - they followed the foundations.

4. The remainder saints at the Coming.

That's how I can see it.