Doves, this is my third post on symbols in the book of Revelation and the interpretation of the subsequent chapters of Rev. based on the symbols' given in the earlier chapters............especially chapters 2 and 3 which are clearly written to the Church.
 
Unfortunately, many of us....me included....have read the prophecy books of some very famous authors. It is almost unanimous that the belief is that the 144,000 of the tribes of Israel is taken literally. That is, there will be 144,000 Israelites in number who will be sealed. Then there has been some debate on what these 144,000 do. Some say they will evangelize the earth, others say not.
 
However, let's forget the traditional teaching that these 144,000 are literal in number.
 
Think about this. Note that in Chapter 4 John is caught up to the throne and sees 24 Elders. Evidently he saw the actual number of 24 .............Elders.....just as he later saw the actual number of 144,000.
 
But, most do not believe these 24 Elders represent ONLY 24  individuals of the Church who may be raptured!!!
 
Then in chapter 7..........why would be believe the 144,000 is the actual, literal number of those sealed??
 
If you are going to be consistent in interpreting the numbers of Rev. then how can you say the 24 Elders represent a Group that is raptured..............which is perhaps in the millions................and then turn around and say that the 144,000 is the exact number who are sealed????
 
By the way, WHY do we rightly believe that in Rev. 4 the 24 Elders represent the Church overcomers who are raptured?
 
Because of the identifying signs given in chapters 2 and 3 ...............which describe the overcomers..............and then we Compare those signs to the description of the 24 Elders.
 
If you read carefully chs 2 and 3 you will notice the descriptions of the overcomers. What are some of these descriptive signs?
 
One is they will be given thrones to sit on.............see the text, and look it up yourself in chs. 2 and 3.
 
Another is that they will be dressed in white.
 
Another sign is that they will be given crowns ( let no man take your crown!).
 
Notice that these promises are to the Overcomers only, which promises are given at the end of each description of each church.
 
THEN.
 
We come to chapter 4.
 
We see 24 Elders.
 
They are described as:
 
They are seated on thrones.
 
They are dressed in white.
 
They are wearing crowns.
 
Case closed. The 24 Elders are clearly the Overcomers of the Church! The descriptions of the Overcomers in chs 2 and 3 turn out to be "key'' in understanding the rest of the book of Rev.
 
One other clear use of the description of the churches that is key to understand another, later verse in chp. 12 is this. IN ch 2:26,27 a promise is given to the Overcomers that they will be given authority over the nations and that they will rule them with a ''rod of iron''.
 
Then in ch 12 the manchild who is caught up to heaven  is to ''rule all nations with a rod of iron''. See Rev 12:5. This shows that the manchild, although singular in description represents a group of overcomers....plural!
 
One concluding note.
 
The book of Revelation is in sequence.
 
Howerer, there is more than one description of the event we call the rapture. I have just shown how the 24 elders in heaven in chapter 4 represents those raptured..........and also that the manchild who is caught up to heaven in chapter 12 is also a group of the overcomers who are raptured. They are the same.
 
So, although the book is written in 'general sequence' we must be able to notice when the rapture occurs in the book............for when that event happens, the story starts over and is told again!
 
Revelation ch. 12, starting off with the rapture, clearly is a new 'start' because it starts off with the rapture. If you look back at the end of chapter 11 you will notice that the Kingdom of God comes since the 7th/FINAL/ TRUMPET is sounded.
 
May the Holy Spirit bless our understanding of this book.
 
A blessing is pronounced on those who 'read and understand' the prophecies of this book. It might be easy to read it, but not so easy to properly understand it. To do so requires understanding that the Holy Spirit gives internal evidence of what the signs are.
 
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