"Did not defile themselves with women" (page 3)

Mary

Either the reference to the 144,000 is entirely symbolic or it's entirely literal. You can't pick one word and say "oh! that part is literal' and then pick another word and go 'oh! that part is symbolic!' Either this is a literal number of literal male Jews which means they would have to be literal virgins, or it's a symbolic number of symbolic Jews and they are symbolic virgins. One or the other. Naturally the Borg comes up with their bizarre slant on the scriptures----after all, we can't admit that anyone else besides the 144,000 go to heaven now can we?

dust

Well, according to all JWs I have spoken to, only the number 144000 is literal. There are anointed women, they say. The Watchtower (March 1, 1999, page 21, paragraph 16) acknowledges that according to Rev 20:6 the anointed ones will be priests. Does this mean that there's no problem with female priests?

Spirit Axal

The 144,000 are jews, not jehovahs witnesses,jehovahs witnesses are not of the twelve tribes of israel. Jacob fathered 12 sons and each of them was givin a territory and all tribes haf 12,000 in them. Im not jewish btw :) im hick from a hick town in Wv :P

nvrgnbk

Does this mean that there's no problem with female priests?

You are correct. "Women can be rulers and priests when they lose their vaginas. In the meantime they should consider themselves unworthy of all congregational responsibilities, unless of course there are no penis-endowed members of the congregation to be found. Then they can do all the heavy lifting they desire, keeping their heads covered, of course." The Wacktower June 8, 1979.

A Paduan

and no lie was found in their mouth - leaves out the wtbts

They're children

Doug Mason

Truthsearcher,

I once read that the sequence of the names provided a message. I will see if I can find the book. I seem to recall that the author claimed "Dan" was omitted as he was a backbiter.

Doug

bubble

The whole book of Revelation is all poppycock.

Doug Mason

I said I would look for the book that considered the sequence of the names of the 144,000. Remember, I am only posting what another author wrote.

The tribes of Israel sealed with the seal of the living God cannot be the literal tribes of Jacob, because two of the original tribes, Ephraim and Dan are not even named. Both were leaders in idolatry. It is obvious that the names given in Revelation 7 and the order in which they are given is because of their spiritual significance; The meaning of Dan indicates “judging”, and Jacob, in Genesis 49: 16, 17, pictures Dan as a “serpent by the way, an adder in the path, that bites the horse heels, so that the rider shall fall backward”. Dan represents those in the professing church who criticize and “judge” their fellow-believers, back-biting as they pass along life’s highway, causing those they slander to “fall backwards”. The Danites will not be in the kingdom of Christ. Manasseh, meaning “forgetting;” - representing those who forgive and forget - replaces Dan in the list of the tribes of Israel given in Revelation 7. Ephraim represents those who are “joined to idols” (Hosea 4: 17): those who have “mixed” (Hosea 7: 8) with the world and have not sufficiently valued their eternal life to earnestly seek the things of God (Hosea 6: 8-11). His name does not appear in Revelation 7.

The order in which the names of the tribes of the children of Israel are given in Revelation 7 is significant, being placed in such an Order as to proclaim the gospel in the meaning of their names. The reader will find the meanings of the names in the following verses, with their margins, set forth in the order of their birth: Genesis 29:32; 29:33, 34, 35; 30:6, 8, 11, 13, 18, 20, 24; 35:18; 41:51, 52. Now observe that the tribes of Israel as enumerated in Revelation 7 are not given in the order of their birth, but in such an order that the meaning of their names preaches the gospel. For instance, Judah was the fourth son, yet his name heads the list, because he, being the kingly tribe, represents Jesus “The King of the Jews”, also because his name means “Praise”. In the days of Jehoshaphat, the people of God were faced with perils.

The king of Judah “appointed singers unto the Lord [margin, “praise”] that should praise the beauty of holiness, as they went out before the army, and say, Praise the Lord, and when they began to sing and to praise, the Lord” gave them victory over their enemies (2 Chronicles 20:21-24). Thus at the commencement of these names we are given the secret of victory. The tribe of Judah led the way in the march across the wilderness to the Promised Land, and its standard was the lion. This is the significance of the cheering message of assurance which was given by one of the elders, one who had been resurrected at the time of the resurrection of Christ (Matthew 27:50-53; Revelation 5:9; Ephesians 4:8): “Weep not: behold the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, hath prevailed” (Revelation 5: 5). For it is Jesus, “the King of the [spiritual] Jews” (Revelation 2: 9; 3: 9) who leads His people through this world to the eternal Canaan.

Setting out the names in the order in which they are given in Revelation 7 we see that, by this arrangement of names according to their meanings and not according to their order of birth, we have God’s message of assurance to those who* are sealed among the tribes of Israel:

Judah: “Praise”
Reuben: “A son”
Gad: “A company” of sons redeemed and Aser: “Happy” after
Nepthalim: “Wrestling” in prayer
Manasses: “Forgetting” self and the past Simeon: “Hearing” God’s Word
Levi: “Joined” to God as
Issachar: “Servants”
Zabulon: “Dwelling” with
Joseph: “Added” joys and special blessings as
Benjamin: “Sons of the right hand”, for In Thy presence is fullness of joy: at Thy right hand there are
pleasures for evermore” (Psalm 16:11).

Clam

GB Member ( using bat-phone ) -

"Are the 144,000 - literal Jews but symbolic virgins? Symbolic Jews but literal virgins? Symbolic Jewish virgins or literal Jewish virgins? Oh and are they all men or all women or both or symbolically men or women?"

Jehovah ( standing in bath towel and dripping wet ) - "Good question. I'll get back to you."

nvrgnbk

GB Member ( using bat-phone ) -
"Are the 144,000 - literal Jews but symbolic virgins? Symbolic Jews but literal virgins? Symbolic Jewish virgins or literal Jewish virgins? Oh and are they all men or all women or both or symbolically men or women?"
Jehovah ( standing in bath towel and dripping wet ) - "Good question. I'll get back to you."

Hilarious as usual clam old friend.

"Did not defile themselves with women"

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