Two thousand years ago the twelve apostles walked the earth and spread the gospel. They healed people and all but one was killed for their testimony. The world population 2000 years ago was nowhere near where it is today, still, amazingly, twelve men were able to take the good news to the whole world.

Let’s look at how Jesus picked the twelve men. He didn’t walk into the synagogues and pick from the holy men there. He went to unknown people from all walks of life. At the time of Jesus, the synagogues were full of rich, prideful hypocrites, not much has changed today. Most churches today are teaching a different message than the truth. They are teaching peace, safety, you can get rich. The fact is the truth is just the opposite. So, the 144,000 will set the world straight and many will repent and follow Jesus again.

Jesus’ ministry lasted 3 1/2 years. One of the first things he did was hand-picked twelve men to train them in righteousness and to teach the gospel to the world. Once again God will handpick (seal) 144,000 to preach the true gospel. They will be sealed before the Great Tribulation starts.

Today we have almost seven billion people in the world. This is why God is going to use 144,000 to once again to take the true gospel to the whole world.

Revelation 7:3-8 Saying, Hurt not the earth, neither the sea, nor the trees, till we have sealed the servants of our God in their foreheads. 4 And I heard the number of them which were sealed: and there were sealed an hundred and forty and four thousand of all the tribes of the children of Israel. 5 Of the tribe of Juda were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Reuben were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Gad were sealed twelve thousand. 6 Of the tribe of Aser were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Nepthalim were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Manasses were sealed twelve thousand. 7 Of the tribe of Simeon were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Levi were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Issachar were sealed twelve thousand. 8 Of the tribe of Zabulon were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Joseph were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Benjamin were sealed twelve thousand.

You might ask, with the many awful things that happen to the people on earth during the tribulation, will people even make it to heaven? The answer is yes, because of the 144,000 and their pure gospel. John the Revelator saw people, a number he can’t even count, which made it to heaven.

Revelation 7:9 – 8:1 After this I beheld, and, lo, a great multitude, which no man could number, of all nations, and kindreds, and people, and tongues, stood before the throne, and before the Lamb, clothed with white robes, and palms in their hands; 10 And cried with a loud voice, saying, Salvation to our God which sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb. 11 And all the angels stood round about the throne, and about the elders and the four beasts, and fell before the throne on their faces, and worshipped God, 12 Saying, Amen: Blessing, and glory, and wisdom, and thanksgiving, and honour, and power, and might, be unto our God for ever and ever. Amen. 13 And one of the elders answered, saying unto me, What are these which are arrayed in white robes? and whence came they? 14 And I said unto him, Sir, thou knowest. And he said to me, These are they which came out of great tribulation, and have washed their robes, and made them white in the blood of the Lamb. 15 Therefore are they before the throne of God, and serve him day and night in his temple: and he that sitteth on the throne shall dwell among them. 16 They shall hunger no more, neither thirst any more; neither shall the sun light on them, nor any heat. 17 For the Lamb which is in the midst of the throne shall feed them, and shall lead them unto living fountains of waters: and God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes.

So once again God is repeating events from the past to show what it will be like in the last days on a grander scale. Two thousand years ago it took only twelve men, 12 X 12,000 = 144,000 men redeemed from the earth for the great tribulation. These will be modern-day Apostles.