Regarding the post about the 144,000 being Jews from the past, I just want to point out that this breaks the plain literal sense of the passage which makes perfect sense if you let it. They are exactly what Revelation 7 and 14 say, 12,000 from each of the 12 tribes of Israel, only two tribes of which are considered Jewish or the House of Judah.
 
For more information you can read more and download a chapter I wrote on it here: http://www.escapeallthesethings.com/144000-elijah-two-witnesses.htm