B. The 144:000 Witnesses Referenced In Revelation 14:3-4.

B. The 144,000 Witnesses Referenced In Revelation 14:3-4.
“...the hundred and forty and four thousand, which were redeemed from the earth. (Revelation 14:3 b)
“...These were redeemed from among men, being the FIRSTFRUITS unto God and to the Lamb.” (Revelation 14:4 b)
The ministry of the 144,000 will continue all through the Tribulation until the end, when Christ returns. Therefore, they are the First Fruits, in reference to all of the rest that will be saved throughout the Tribulation Period.
In Verse 4 of Revelation, Chapter 7, we find that the total number of Jewish witnesses are 144,000. Verses 5 to 8 let us know there will be 12,000 from each tribe. Each was given a portion of land; except Levi, Jacob’s third son by Leah. Moses and Aaron were descendants of Kohath, one of Levi’s three sons, and later ordained to the priesthood. (Leviticus, Chapters 8,9)
The descendants of Levi in the priesthood were given no land, per se; but, rather 48 cities in which to perform their priestly duties of God to the people. Six of these cities were refuge cities (Numbers, Chapter 35). Here in Revelation 7:7, they are given the privilege of supplying 144,000 faithful Jews to witness all through the 7-Year Tribulation.
We also find that Joseph, the eleventh son of Jacob by Rachel, and her firstborn; received a double portion of land through Ephraim and Manasseh, his two sons. Here Joseph is inserted in lieu of Ephraim.
You will notice, as you read Revelation 7:5-8, that the tribe of DAN is missing. This tribe is not named as having the privilege and honor to represent the Lord during God’s judgment upon the ungodly. Why would this be? To find the answer, let us examine a little history that God has given us concerning Dan.
1. God’s Warning.
This is God’s warning to His people after liberating them from Egypt; then leading and caring for them for 40 years in their wilderness journey. He warns them before giving them the land that He promised to their forefathers, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.
“(For ye know how we have dwelt in the land of Egypt; and how we came through the nations which ye passed by; (Deuteronomy 29:16)
And ye have seen their abominations, and their idols, wood and stone, silver and gold, which were among them:) (Deuteronomy 29:17)
Lest there should be among you man, or woman, or family, or tribe, whose heart turneth away this day from the Lord our God, to go and serve the gods of these nations; lest there should be among you a root that beareth gall and wormwood; (Deuteronomy 29:18)
And it come to pass, when he heareth the words of this curse, that he bless himself in his heart, saying, I shall have peace, though I walk in the imagination of mine heart, to add drunkenness to thirst: (Deuteronomy 29:19)
The Lord will not spare him, but then the anger of the Lord and his jealousy shall smoke against that man, and all the curses that are written in this book shall lie upon him, and the Lord shall blot out his name from under heaven. (Deuteronomy 29:20)
And the Lord shall separate him unto evil out of all the tribes of Israel, according to all the curses of the covenant that are written in this book of the law:” (Deuteronomy 29:16-21)

“See, I have set before thee this day life and good, and death and evil;” (Deuteronomy 30:15)
“But if thine heart turn away, so that thou wilt not hear, but shalt be drawn away, and worship other gods, and serve them; (Deuteronomy 30:17)
I denounce unto you this day, that ye shall surely perish, and that ye shall not prolong your days upon the land, whither thou passest over Jordan to go to possess it. (Deuteronomy 30:18)
I call heaven and earth to record this day against you, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing: therefore choose life, that both thou and thy seed may live: (Deuteronomy 30:19)
That thou mayest love the Lord thy God, and that thou mayest obey his voice, and that thou mayest cleave unto him: for he is thy life, and the length of thy days: that thou mayest dwell in the land which the Lord sware unto thy fathers, to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, to give them.” (Deuteronomy 30:17-20)
2. Dan’s Wandering.
This tribe was the first to go into apostasy upon entering the Promised Land.
“And they took the things which Micah had made, and the priest which he had, and came unto Laish, unto a people that were at quiet and secure: and they smote them with the edge of the sword, and burnt the city with fire.” (Judges 18:27)
“And the children of Dan set up the graven image: and Jonathan, the son of Gershom, the son of Manasseh, he and his sons were priests to the tribe of Dan until the day of the captivity of the land. (Judges 18:30)
And they set them up Micah's graven image, which he made, all the time that the house of God was in Shiloh.” (Judges 18:30-31)
3. God’s Withholding.
This could be the reason God restricts them from representing Him during the Tribulation Period. Notice, clear back in Genesis 49:1, where the Holy Spirit directed Jacob to give a brief prophetic benediction of the future of his descendants in the last days.
“And Jacob called unto his sons, and said, Gather yourselves together, that I may tell you that which shall befall you in the last days.” (Genesis 49:1)
Dan is described in Genesis 49:16-17,
“Dan shall judge his people, as one of the tribes of Israel. (Genesis 49:16)
Dan shall be a serpent by the way, an adder in the path, that biteth the horse heels, so that his rider shall fall backward.” (Genesis 49:16-17)
In Verse 17, Dan followed the Serpent’s (Satan’s) leading; instead of God’s warning. Their unfaithfulness was described in Judges 18:30-31. They will not represent the Lord in the Tribulation Period.
4. God’s Faithfulness to His Promises.
God had promised Dan, along with the other tribes, a land grant. After the Tribulation Period, God makes it clear that Dan will be given his portion of land during Christ’s Millennial Reign, just as He had promised. Ezekiel, Chapters 40-48 have to do exclusively with the 1,000 Year Reign of Christ on the earth. In Ezekiel 48:1, God’s faithfulness to the tribe of Dan is recorded, in spite of Dan’s unfaithfulness to God.
“Now these are the names of the tribes. From the north end to the coast of the way of Hethlon, as one goeth to Hamath, Hazarenan, the border of Damascus northward, to the coast of Hamath; for these are his sides east and west; A PORTION FOR DAN.” Ezekiel 48:1
5. An Example of the Believer’s Eternal Security.
This is a perfect example of the Believer’s ETERNAL SECURITY. A person is not promised eternal life because of how good they are; or, how many promises they make to the Lord. Salvation is a free gift, just as the land was to the tribes of Israel.
“For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: (Ephesians 2:8)
Not of works, lest any man should boast.” Ephesians 2:8-9
A person is saved from spending eternity in the Lake of fire when they believe, trust, have faith (all synonymous words, meaning the same thing) in Jesus Christ. That is, He died, was buried, and rose again; therefore, paying for the sins of all mankind. Christ’s promise to the Believer is everlasting life. For example, in the Gospel of John:
“That whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life.(John 3:15)
For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” (John 3:15-16)
“He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him.” (John 3:36)
“Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life.” (John 5:24)
“And this is the will of him that sent me, that every one which seeth the Son, and believeth on him, may have everlasting life: and I will raise him up at the last day.” (John 6:40)
“Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me hath everlasting life.” (John 6:47)
Therefore, should a Christian be, or become unfaithful in serving the Lord; whether it be temporary, or most of their life, they cannot make Christ a liar by losing their Salvation. Christ never gives Salvation on a condition that He will take it back. What a Christian does forfeit are the rewards Christ blesses with for faithfulness; but, they NEVER forfeit their Salvation. This is made perfectly clear from 1 Corinthians 3:11-15, at the Judgment Seat of Christ, which takes place in Heaven after the Rapture. Notice 1 Corinthians 3:14-15,
“If any man's work abide which he hath built thereupon, he shall receive a reward. (1 Corinthians 3:14)
If any man's work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss: but he himself shall be saved; yet so as by fire.” (1 Corinthians 3:14-15)
a. The Christian’s Reward for Faithfulness and Service to the Lord . Rewards are never for Salvation, but, for our faithfulness after we are saved.
“If any man's work abide which he hath built thereupon, he shall receive a reward. (1 Corinthians 3:14)
b. In Verse 15, the Christian’s unfaithfulness to serve the Lord is described, and that his works will be thrown in the fire as there are no rewards. Notice that the Lord says that person is still saved. In other words, a person cannot make God a liar and unfaithful to His promise of everlasting life; because a Christian is unfaithful to the Lord.
“If any man's work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss: but HE HIMSELF SHALL BE SAVED; yet so as by fire.” (1 Corinthians 3:15)