I recently realized something interesting about JW theology and thought I'd share it with the rest of the class: As most of us know, a distictive facet of Watchtower/JW theology is the concept that the 144,000 in Revelation chapters 7 and 14 is a literal number. Thus, the Witnesses believe that exactly 144,000 humans will be resurrected to heaven to rule with Jesus Christ, while the rest of the Witnesses will populate a restored paradise earth. They also teach that the 24 elders in Revelation represent the 144,000 kings and priests in heaven. So, when Rev. 14:3 depicts the 144,000 singing a song in front of the 24 elders, this seems a bit strange. How can they sing in front of themselves? It doesn't make a lot of sense. So, I looked it up in the "Revelation Climax" book. Page 201, paragraph 10 states the following:
"How can the 144,000 sing “before” the elders, since the 24 elders are the 144,000 in their glorious heavenly position? Early in the Lord’s day, those “dead in union with Christ” were resurrected as spirit creatures. Thus, faithful anointed Christians who have conquered are now in heaven, symbolically fulfilling functions comparable to those of 24 divisions of priestly elders. They are included in the vision of Jehovah’s heavenly organization. (1 Thessalonians 4:15, 16; 1 Chronicles 24:1-18; Revelation 4:4; 6:11) The remnant of the 144,000 still on earth are therefore singing the new song before, or in the sight of, their resurrected brothers in heaven."
Notice the last sentence. Yes, there are not literally 144,000 singing the new song in Rev. 14:3. Rather, it's the REMNANT of the 144,000 on earth during the Lord's day. So, today that's between 9,000 and 10,000 "singers." Therefore, the 144,000 in Rev. 14:3 is not a literal number. It's figurative.
