superchunk said:
Read what the passage actually says. http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Revelation%207;&version=31; 1. (7:1-8)144,000 are already defined and they are all of Jewish decent. |
Taking the most symbolic and image-ridden chapter of the bible and interpreting it literally is not a good idea. Revelation speaks of great beasts, a great harlot, etc. It is a vision full of symbols and metaphors and many other things, so would it be too hard to believe that the 144,000 are not literally of Jewish decent?
Note that the usual listing of the tribes is not used (Compare Numbers 1:17, 47). The use of describing them in this manner is to show a similar organizational structure of the original 12 tribes. Each tribe has the same number of people and is neither more or less powerful than each other. It underlines the equality of the whole nation of kings and priests. This is not to say that those of the annointed class can not be of Jewish decent, only that it is not required. Them being of solely Jewish origin would also conflict with Revelation 5:9, 10 where the 144,000 are described as being out of every tribe and people and nation. I've got more evidence if you want it, but I think you get the point.
As for the great crowd described afterwords, an important word must be noted. The word enopion (translated before in English) literally means "in the sight of" and is used several times in reference to humans on earth who are "before" or in the sight of Jehovah. It is used at Exodus 16:9 in reference to the nation of Israel coming before God. Obviously, they did not suddenly and temporarily ascend into heaven.