Right now there is discussion on the Doves about the identity of the 144,000.
 
Here is  one ''key'' to understanding the book of Revelation.
 
The Bible, written by God, ''assumes'' you understand certain portions of Scripture..........that is, the Old Testament and the New Testament written before
the book of Revelation.
 
Without this understanding, any interpretation of the symbols in Revelation is doomed for failure.
 
For example. Notice that Paul in his letter to the Romans emphatically said that a ''Jew'' is one who is circumcised inwardly............in the heart and not of the letter.
 
(No, I am not against the nation of Israel!)
 
And in Galatians Paul speaks of the ''Israel of God''........meaning the Church........not the physical nation of Israel.
 
Then, in the book of Revelation itself CLUES are given in the First few chapters, identifying signs, that are necessary to remember in order to rightly understand what is said in the following chapters.
 
Notice these two verses given in the messages to the churches......that is, this is in the book of Revelation itself and is necessary to know in order to interpret what comes later in the book!
 

Rev 2:9 "I know your works, tribulation, and poverty (but you are rich); and [I know] the blasphemy of those who say they are Jews and are not, but [are] a synagogue of Satan. "Indeed I will make [those] of the synagogue of Satan, who say they are Jews and are not, but lie--indeed I will make them come and worship before your feet, and to know that I have loved you.   Ok , there you have it! John is writing to the churches and says emphatically that the physical nation of the Jews are not the Jews that he is speaking of!   Therefore, when later in the book, the 144k are mentioned it ''should be '' clear that he is not speaking of the physical nation of Israel, its tribes, or to the Jews! I say again ''it should be clear''.   So since we know.............we do know don't we?......that Revelation is written in symbols.........see chapter one......that therefore the 144K are Not physical Jews or physical Israel, but are the Church!   If a person would Revelation in context of the rest of the New Testament, and even in the internal context of chapters 2 and 3, then they would know that the 144k are also called the ''Firstfruits'' unto God!   WHO does Paul call the ''firstfruits'' in his epistles to the Church? It is the Church...........duh.   Again I am not here to debate ''replacement theology'' or speak against the nation of Israel. I am here to understand the book of Revelation.   And, if a person does not understand the symbols used for ''Jew'' and ''Firstfruits'' then they will NOT understand who the 144k ARE.   May God bless our understanding of the book of Revelation and of His Word!   dp