Hi OBVES, your numbers are fascinating. I hadn't realized the connection between the 400 years and 4000 years. Every number in the Bible likely has a deeper meaning.
4000 years in association with an 8000-year week can be comparable to half that time. Christ's "theme" is the 3.5 times, half the time of Seven which could be considered the number of reference for perfection in heaven and thus Jehovah. Interestingly, a work I've never been able to find in research but that is spoken of is that of Venerable Bede who wrote about the history of the English Church. He also wrote about chronology and gave forth the observation that the two festivals of the Jews that last a week each, each begin with the third week, that is, from the 15th to the 21st. By comparison to the 7000-year day of Christ reign, since it is the 7th day of the 7th day and thus the 49th, it will be followed by the first "Creative Jubilee". That is, the first day of the 8th Creative Day is the 50th 1000 years of creation. When we add the jubilee millennium to the 7th Creative day of 7000 years we convert to the concept of the month of 4 weeks and thus can compare the third week festival.
But how that works out is in a month of 8000 years, 4000 years is half that time and 4000 the other half. But the second half begins after the first 4000 years. Each week would be 2000 years each. So the time period of the third week is the 2000 years of the Christ's first and second coming. The last 2000 years basically would be the two millenial sabbaths.
So for the first 4000 years the world did not know Christ. They were in "bondage" in a certain way like the Jews were in Egypt until Moses appeared to save them. The Bible speaks of those who are anointed into the kingdom as being even greater than John the Baptist who among all the prophets was considered the greatest. So something did happen of great significance in terms of mankind's bondage after 4000 years.
At the same time, Christ celebrates the half week, the 1260 alternating with the 1290 days, of a "time, time and half time."
REGARDING THE "LIFE OR DEATH" MULTITUDE: I know it gets complex but basically we all have to face the fact that it makes little sense for everybody to be a king-priest. A king and priest needs to have others under their care and direction. We also know from several scriptures that a specific NUMBER is to be sealed. A preordained and prescribed number. Holy Jerusalem, who represents the Bride of Christ is described as the Holy City with 12 gates, etc. etc. So clearly this heavenly group is either 144,000 or 1,440,000 fundamentally. My first reflection on the number being greater than 144,000 is based upon the number in the JIOR, who are everywhere. Once I reflected on the obvious numbers being sealed I was led to Isaiah 6:13 where it shows a natural remnant of the Jews would make up 10%. The 144,000 in Revelation, though it could be symbolic, also specifically note 12,000 from each tribe.
But that works out with the 400 years of bondanage the 4000 years of bondage. 400 years of bondage for the Israelites before their savior comes, and 4000 years for mankind in general before their savior comes, directly in relation to Passover week as well. So given a choice of merely 1,440,000 or 1,440,000 I lean toward that greater number, which means the 144,000 of 12,000 from each tribe I consider to be literal. Of course, over all this time for that to be literal, turns out the 12 tribes or descendants of the 12 tribes have to be reconstituted again during the end times. "One will becoming a thousand... I will speed it up in its own time." One or several from each of the 12 tribes who can prove their lineage from the first century during Jesus day were chosen to survive down to our time. The fact that the Jewish Christians considered themselves in two groups is clear by the Scriptures. In 1 Thess 4:15 Paul is explaining to some of the Christians that those "who SURVIVE DOWN TO THE LORD'S DAY" will not get their heavenly prize before those who have fallen asleep in death:
15 For this is what we tell YOU by Jehovah’s word, that wethe living who SURVIVEto the presence of the Lord shall in no way precede those who have fallen asleep [in death]; 16 because the Lord himself will descend from heaven with a commanding call, with an archangel’s voice and with God’s trumpet, and those who are dead in union with Christ will rise first. 17 Afterward wethe living who are SURVIVING will, together with them, be caught away in clouds to meet the Lord in the air; and thus we shall always be with [the] Lord.
See? Two groups. Some knew they would "survive" and some knew they would die and be surrected. They were just wondering how that technically worked out when Christ came who would get their heavenly reward first. A very practical question. The answer is that they ALL, TOGETHER get their heavenly prize. No one in one group preceeds the other. Of course, when Paul said the dead would rise first then "after" all would be caught away, he doesn't exactly let on that from the time of the first resurrection until the so-called "rapture" ALL of them will be still on the earth in the flesh, ruling for 1000 years with Christ first, then during the time of Satan's last stand and temptation (likely 40 years), and then after that JUDGMENT DAY, likely 70-80 years. Then, after death is no more, as 1 Corinthians 15 says, it is then that corruption will put on incorruption, that those in the flesh will become spirits.
But let's step back. These 144,000 aren't going up to heaven to sip on pina coladas all day just because they get chosen to be with Christ. That crown and glory comes after a lot of self-sacrifice and work. They are chosen because they give up their lives for Christ and their fellow believers. So they are chosen for the great ministry of king-PRIEST, to serve the world of mankind tha survive Armageddon. There is a LOT of work to be done to save the others. So by the time they get their crown and get to go up to heaven, they alongside the Christ will have served well during the 1000 years and during Judgment Day. They will every bit have earned that seat at the Big Karaoke Bar In Heaven (that's right the angels like to sing, don't be surprised! )
So that addresses who is actually in heaven figuratively or literally. Everybody "under" the throne or "in front of" the throne doesn't constitute they are up in heaven. The concept of being under the throne or before it can still be a concept of them being on earth, since the earth is God's footstool. Further, since ALL the anointed, whether 144,000 or 1,440,000 will be back in the flesh with Christ for the millennium reign, and no one of them preceeds the other to their heavenly prize, there is not a divided group with respect to who is in heaven and who is not.
But of course, I respectively acknowledge, some some things at this level, that there is an open question, and some options, perhaps that are left to God's own discretion for us to understand now. But from my perspective, there are two major groups who get LIFE or DEATH. Within the LIFE group there are some who receive "a few strokes" and some who receive "many strokes." Those who receive the "few strokes" are denied access to the Bride Class. They miss out. Maybe because of not paying attention or something. But they are not considered wicked. They are like Moses who misstep and miss out on seeing the Promised Land. Then there are those who receive many strokes. These are the ones that lose out completely and are condemned to death.
So the first challenge for "life" is life as a Bride Class member. That's the greatest prize for any human. Missing that, there is the chance for for eternal life with billions of other humans on the earth. So for those who don't measure up to the Bride Class level, most will fall into the second class of the "great multitude" who gain life on Judgment Day. These will have a life of being perfect humans on the earth.
But from this point, it's possible some from the earth will be taken to seed other planets throughout the universe. After all, eternity is in view. That's an OPTION but pure speculation. But if Jehovah does decide to do that, there is a guarantee that the volunteers to be the first couples in these new worlds will not sin. For one thing, there will be no Satan and secondly, they've already been tested. Their children will have to attain the right to eternal life at some point, but that will be a brand new chapter. New Books. New rules. So you see, suddenly FOREVER is just barely enough time.
Do you realize further, that even with say 4 billion mankind who might attain eternal life in the Paradise New Earth, will "neither marry nor give into marriage, but will be like the angels." The angels don't marry but are androgynous. But that doesn't mean they don't make love with each other!! Once man becomes like the angels, androgynous and no longer procreative, then the entire world will be like in an open marriage. Each human on the planet in their own special way, will be God's gift to every other human. Getting to know a person and love them is the greatest thing. So I'm imagining some organized means by which this will take place. But let's say a computer matches every human with every other human, to live with them in a "domestic" setting for one year, alternated by an open year where that person can do what they want? A year is enough time to meet and get to know someone generally, especially if you're cooperating in a living arrangement. But that process alone will take 8 BILLION YEARS. It's mind boggling. Do you realize how long it will take just to catch up on the gossip once every human knows every other human?
At any rate, we are now on the brink of the millennium, a near 6000-year wait, so this is a very, very special time!
Thanks for your comments OBVES and others.
JC
