Take the story of the coveted positions to the left and right of Jesus, 2 out of 12, making the non-sealed hopeful partakers the symbolic "10", all the earthly ones.
David Jay, here is the alternate fix based on the above:
The 1444k is literal, but represents only 2 out of 12 of the "anointed". There are 6 times more possible wt partakers than there are real ones, those that "go everywhere the lamb goes" ( the ones elbowing Jesus). You could have 864 000 partakers before you run out of anointed places. now, about that snake--.
ps: let the 2 ladies have their say, finally, who says ladies have no say in wt land.
p.s. 2: Even in the original last supper, aka memorial, there had to be two favoured, close position to jesus, and may be one across the table, furthest away, for Judas, the one dipping at the same time. 144k, a subgroup of many anointed.