Untitled article by Adolphus Smith

The Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Third-day, January 21, 1868

THE 144,000.

By Adolphus Smith

“And after these things I saw four angels standing on the four corners of the earth, holding the four winds of the earth, that the wind should not blow on the earth, nor on the sea, nor on any tree. And I saw another angel ascending from the east, having the seal of the living God; and he cried with a loud voice to the four angels, to whom it was given to hurt the earth and the sea, saying, Hurt not the earth, neither the sea, nor the trees, till we have sealed the servants of our God in their foreheads. And I heard the number of them which were sealed; and there were sealed an hundred and forty and four thousand of all the tribes of the children of Israel.” Rev. vii, 1–4.

As to what period in the world’s history the above scripture meets with its fulfillment, is a question of solemn interest to the child of God. That it did not meet with its fulfillment prior to the giving of the Revelation, is evident from Rev. i, 1, where it is said that to Jesus Christ was given a revelation to show unto his servants things which must shortly come to pass. Here the future tense is used; and as the Revelation was given about the year 96, the argument that the resurrected ones at Christ’s crucifixion were the sealed of our text, falls to the ground. It is claimed further that they were the first company raised from the dead, and therefore they must be the sealed ones, as they (the sealed) are said to be the first fruits unto God and the Lamb. But St. Paul says in 1 Cor. xv, 23, that Christ is the first-fruits.

It appears from Leviticus ii, 14, that the first-fruits were of green ears of corn dried by the fire; this prefigured Christ. The harvest, therefore, was not fully ripe. But when it became so, there was also another first-fruit offering of loaves made of the fine flour of the ripe grain. Lev. xxiii, 17. This was fulfilled at the day of Pentecost. But Christ says, “The harvest is the end of the world.” Matt. xiii, 39. “Let both grow together until the harvest.” Verse 30. Query. If the harvest be in the end of the world, how can Christ be the first-fruits, and the Pentecost the ingathering? We answer, There are evidently two harvests, one at the end of the Jewish, the other at the end of the Christian, dispensations; one at Christ’s first advent, the other at his second.

If the 144,000 are not to be found prior to the year 96, where, and at what time this side of that date may we look for them? Shall we seek them among the dead; No; for the dead “have no more a portion in anything that is done under the sun.” “In that very day their thoughts perish.” “The dead know not anything.” As death leaves us, so will the judgment find us.

The language of inspiration is explicit: “The servants of our God;” all his servants; not a part. If the 144,000 are all the servants of God, and we are to seek them among the dead, then at the time of sealing there can be but that number in their graves. What then becomes of the “innumerable company” which John saw “of every nation, kindred, tongue, and people?” The number of sleeping saints is very great, while that of the living is quite limited. Mark the words, “from among men.” Not from among the dead, but from among the living. And while this

work is going on, the four angels are to hold the winds (civil commotions, wars, strikes,) until the servants of God are sealed. If the sealed ones are taken from among the dead, what need of restraining the wrath of living men? How, for instance, could the “United States Rebellion” affect the Egyptian mummies, or even the dead of our own native land? Did the battle of Antietam disturb the repose of Washington? or the blood and carnage of the crusades the peaceful slumber of the early Christian dead? No; but the wars of earth affect the living saints; they greatly hinder the spread of the truth. God, therefore, restrains the wrath of man that he may gather his own people, that they may not be overthrown with the wicked. What the need of sealing? Let me answer by an illustration.

A farmer has one great field in which he keeps a numerous flock of sheep; but they have become degenerated, and but a limited number are really valuable. He determines to save these, and consign the balance to slaughter. He therefore sends a servant whom he knows to be an excellent judge of stock, to make the selection. This servant carefully examines the sheep, one by one, and with brush and paint puts a conspicuous mark upon the head of every one that is found perfect. The day of slaughter arrives. He sends forth all his servants to take the sheep consigned to destruction; it does not now require a skillful eye to determine the good from the bad. “Take,” says the master, “those that have not the mark.”

It is said that the sealing angel was seen “ascending from the east.” “Then,” says the objector, “in order to rise from the east it should appear in Europe and Asia.” How so? Is there any land on earth of which it can be said, There is none east of it? Ours is a nation of nations. God has chosen the poor of this world, and the poor of all nations flee to this country from the oppression of the rich in their own land. Would you proclaim the message to the Irish, Dutch, French, or English? Take those tracts and papers that lie idly upon your shelves and distribute them among your neighbors; and the work is done!

It is said the 144,000 have their Father’s name written in their foreheads. The Father’s name then is the seal. That name is found in the fourth commandment. The ark of the testament contained the two tables of stone. In 1 Chron. xxiii, 6, it is called, “The ark of God the Lord that dwelleth between the cherubim, whose name is called on it.” “Bind up the testimony, seal the law among my disciples.” “The testimony of Jesus is the Spirit of prophecy.” “Here are they that keep the commandments of God and the faith of Jesus.” “And the dragon was wroth with the woman [church], and went to make war with the remnant [last end, final portion] of her seed, which keep the commandments of God and have the testimony of Jesus Christ.” Rev. xii, 17.

The last church, then, is a church of commandment-keepers. “Bind up the law.” The law, then, has been broken. Which? The fourth commandment. He that offendeth in one point is guilty of all. What publicly marks the remnant church as different from the great body of professed Christians? Ans. They keep the Sabbath. They hold the keeping of the Sabbath to be the first duty of those desiring to walk in the truth. Show me a consistent Sabbath-keeper, and I will show you a Christian.

A difficulty of seeming magnitude appears in the statement that the sealed ones are of the children of Israel. But St. Paul shows us that believing Christians are Israelites, and heirs of the promise to Abraham. See Rom. ii, 28, 29; also chapters iii and iv. If we claim the sealing for the Jews after the flesh, a difficulty still appears in determining the tribe to which each person belongs; for in the ninth year of Hoskins, king of Israel, the ten tribes were carried captive into foreign lands, and their genealogy lost.

The sealing work is entrusted to an angel of God; men may assist, but cannot affix the seal. Now, we are only preparing to be sealed. The professed people of God are being carefully examined, sifted, to ascertain if they are fit to receive the seal. When that seal is affixed, all who receive it will be perfect Sabbath-keepers, and no other true Christians will be living on the earth. Sabbath-keepers will then be known as such, and will be hated, and men will seek to kill them, but will not be able. Reader, if you and I live so as to be fit recipients of the seal, we need not be anxious about the tribe to which we shall be assigned; God will take care of that.

Would you, with a harp of gold in your hand, a crown of fadeless, immortal glory upon your head, and the name of the Highest upon your brow, whose corruscations no mortal eye could behold, stand with Jesus upon Mount Zion and sing the song of Moses and the Lamb, saying, “Great and marvelous are thy works, Lord God Almighty; just and true are thy ways, thou King of saints?” Then become commandment-keepers.

May you, dear reader, with the humble writer of this article so live that we may be numbered with those of whom it shall be said, “They are worthy.”

ADOLPHUS SMITH.

Ottawa Co., Mich.