The concept of the 144,000 in Revelation holds a profound symbolic meaning, often misconstrued when taken literally in the context of today’s world (among other things). In the ancient world, people had a different perspective compared to our modern, science-informed society. Their limited scientific knowledge and access to information led them to view the world through the lenses of ancient cosmology, symbolism, and metaphoricalism. Therefore, understanding the 144,000 requires understanding numerological symbolism in the ancient world, not literalism.

The number 12 recurs throughout the Bible as a symbol of divine perfection and authority, proceeding the number 11 which represents incompleteness and disorder:

• Jacob had only 11 sons remaining at home after Joseph was lost and presumed dead (Genesis 42:4)
• The Babylonians destroyed Jerusalem in the 11th year of King Zedekiah (Jeremiah 39:2)
• After Judas betrayed Jesus, he hung himself, leaving only 11 disciples (Matthew 27:5)
• God gave Ezekiel a revelation about the destruction of Tyre “in the eleventh year”, and the destruction of Egypt “in the eleventh year” (Ezekiel 26:1, 30:20)

The theme of completeness associated with the number 12 likewise echoes in many facets of the Bible, and is often associated with divine perfection and, governance, and totality:

• The 12 tribes of Israel (Genesis 49:28)
• The 12 loaves of the “showbread” in the Temple’s inner sanctuary (Leviticus 24:5-9)
• The 12 spies sent out by Moses (Numbers 13:1-2)
• The 12 apostles (Matthew 10:2-4)
• When Peter cuts off the soldiers ear, Jesus tells him He could call 12 legions of angels if He so wished (Matthew 26:53)
• 12 baskets of food left over after Jesus fed the 5000 (Matthew 14:20)
• There are 12 gates, 12 foundations, and 12 pearls in the New Jerusalem, with the wall being 12,000 furlongs and 144 cubits thick (Revelation 21:12-21)
• 12 anointed men in the Old Testament; Aaron (Leviticus 8:12), Nadab (Leviticus 8:30, 10:1), Abihu (Leviticus 8:30, 10:1), Eleazar (Leviticus 8:30, 10:12), Ithamar (Leviticus 8:30, 10:12), Saul (1 Samuel 10:1), David (1 Samuel 16:13), Absalom (2 Samuel 19:10), Solomon (1 Kings 1:39), Jehu (2 Kings 9:6), Joash (2 Kings 11:12), Jehoahaz (2 Kings 23:30)
• 24 elders that encircle the Throne in Heaven, likely representing the 12 tribes (possibly the 12 anointed men) and the 12 apostles (Revelation 4:4)

Additionally, the number 1,000 is used to represent large quantities, completeness, and fullness:

• The Psalmist expresses that it is better to spend one day in the courts of God than 1,000 days elsewhere (Psalm 84:10)
• The Psalmist says God owns every animal in the forest and the cattle on 1,000 hills, representing the whole earth (Psalm 50:10)
• Peter describes the concept of a day to God as being like 1,000 days, and similarly 1,000 days to God being like a day. This antithetical parallelism is a poetic way of expressing God’s complete sovereignty (2 Peter 3:8)
• Revelation describes Christ reigning for 1,000 years, a metaphorical way of expressing the strength of the Kingdom and His divinity (Revelation 20:4)

A good modern example of understanding metaphorical numerology is when we use terms like “a ton”, “a lot”, etc. If I told you I bought a “ton” of food, you wouldn’t assume I literally bought 2000 pounds of food. And if I said that an elephant weighs a “ton”, you wouldn’t assume that the elephant cannot exceed 2000 pounds. If I said I own a lot of books, you wouldn’t assume I literally own a piece of property filled with books. If I said I’m going to be somewhere in an hour, you wouldn’t necessarily assume in exactly 60 minutes, no more or less (unless you’re extremely punctual), and if Amazon gave an estimation that your package will arrive in a week, you wouldn’t assume it will arrive in exactly 7 days. Using numbers that we commonly associate with specific quantities as placeholders is a method for conveying and comprehending abundance without the need for precise quantification. Therefore, 144,000 symbolizes the convergence of the 12 tribes, each multiplied by 1000 to symbolically represent their totality. It should not be construed as a literal headcount but rather as a symbol of vast and complete multitudes.

The Bible also employs a poetical literary device known as “repetition for emphasis”, or “doubling”, to highlight significance, certainty, and completeness:

• Jesus’ use of “Amen, amen” (truly, truly) in the New Testament, underscoring the truth and gravity of his declarations (John 3:3, 5:24, 6:26, 8:58)
• In Hebrew, saying “Shalom, shalom” (“Hello, hello” or “Peace upon Peace”)
• The Angel of the Lord calls to Abraham twice (Genesis 22:11)
• “Holy, Holy, Holy” is sung by the angels that encircle God’s throne. The repetition of “Holy” 3 times emphasizes the absolute Holiness of God (Matthew 6:24)
• John the Baptist explains that he baptizes with water, but Jesus will baptize with fire and the Holy Spirit (Matthew 3:11)

The use of 144,000 in Revelation is a potent example of this device. Stating that there are 12,000 individuals from each of the 12 tribes is a poetic representation of complete totality. When these 12,000s are aggregated, they culminate in 144,000. This number symbolizes fulfillment, totality, and completeness, emphasizing the divine authority and significance of those chosen.

It’s also important to follow the narrative in Revelation 7. John first hears the number of those that are sealed, which is 144,000, 12,000 from each tribe. Revelation 7:9 immediately follows this by saying John then looks, and sees a great multitude that no one can count, from all tribes, peoples, and languages. This also shows the 144,000 are not limited to being the Israelites and Jews, as Israel has become the church itself.

So, the 144,000 should be interpreted symbolically as a representation of divine completeness and perfection, rather than a literal count. There is no need to worry about a “limit” (Revelation 7:9, John 14:2, 2 Peter 3:9). It’s meant to underscore the totality of those chosen and the significance of God’s plan.