Jews in the Book
of Revelation
COPYRIGHT ©2019 -
James M. Frye
All scripture
quotations are taken from the Authorized King James Bible. Any deviations are
not intentional. All underlines, bold and words within brackets are the
author's.
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This article is a
follow-up to an article entitled, “Spiritual “Jews’”. Please read that article
before reading this one as it lays the Biblical foundation for being able to
understand this article. It may be read at the link below.
http://www.seekingfortruth.com/articles/spiritualjews.htm
If one does not
read the above article first, this article may make little sense to them.
If one reads the book of Revelation and does not
understand that "Jews" in that book is a symbol referring to
spiritual Jews, not physical Jews, they will make a complete mess out of the
book. Even a cursory reading of the book of Revelation will reveal that Jews in
that book are to be taken spiritually.
1. The book speaks of those who say they are
Jews but who are not.
Revelation 2:9 I know thy works, and tribulation, and poverty, (but thou art rich) and
I know the blasphemy of THEM WHICH SAY THEY ARE JEWS, AND ARE NOT, but are the synagogue of Satan.
Revelation 3:9 Behold, I will make THEM of the synagogue of Satan, WHICH SAY THEY ARE
JEWS, AND ARE NOT, but do lie; behold, I will make them to come and worship
before thy feet, and to know that I have loved thee.
This is clearly a reference to ethnic Jews who call
themselves Jews but are not truly Jews spiritually. For as
Paul said...
Romans 2:28 For he is NOT A JEW, which is one outwardly...
2. Jews in Revelation are spiritual Jews
(believers).
There are many proofs in the book. For example, we
read about 144,000 Jews.
Revelation 7:4 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.
Here is what the book of Revelation tells us about
these Jews.
A. These 144,000 JEWS sing a NEW SONG (the
song of redemption).
Revelation 14:1 And I looked, and, lo, a Lamb stood on the mount Sion, and with him AN
HUNDRED FORTY AND FOUR THOUSAND, having his Father's name written in their
foreheads.
Revelation 14:3 And THEY SUNG as it were A NEW SONG before the
throne, and before the four beasts, and the elders: and no man could learn that
song but the hundred and forty and four thousand, WHICH WERE REDEEMED from the
earth.
B. - NO ONE ELSE can learn this NEW SONG but
these JEWS.
Let's look at verse
3 again.
Revelation 14:3 And they sung as it were a new song before
the throne, and before the four beasts, and the elders: and NO MAN COULD LEARN
THAT SONG BUT THE HUNDRED AND FORTY AND FOUR THOUSAND, which were redeemed from
the earth.
C. The 24 elders ALSO
sing this NEW SONG. Therefore, the 24 elders must represent the same people as
the 144,000.
Revelation 5:8 And when he had taken the book, the four beasts and FOUR AND TWENTY
ELDERS fell down before the Lamb, having every one of them harps, and golden
vials full of odours, which are the prayers of
saints.
Revelation 5:9 And THEY SUNG A NEW SONG, saying, Thou art worthy to take the book, and
to open the seals thereof: for thou wast slain, and
HAST REDEEMED US to God ....
D. These 24 elders are from ALL NATIONS.
So the 24 elders who
sing this NEW SONG must be literal physical ethnic Jews right? Not on your
life!
Let's look at the
rest of verse 9.
Revelation 5:9 And THEY SUNG A NEW SONG, saying, Thou art worthy to take the book, and
to open the seals thereof: for thou wast slain, and
HAST REDEEMED US to God by thy blood OUT OF EVERY KINDRED, AND TONGUE, AND
PEOPLE, AND NATION;
These 24 elders are
NOT just ethnic Jews but are redeemed out of EVERY NATION! So the 144,000 must
be from EVERY NATION as well.
Here is the reasoning from scripture in a
nutshell.
A. The 144,000 JEWS sing a
NEW SONG (the song of redemption).
B. NO ONE ELSE can learn this NEW SONG but these
JEWS.
C. The 24 elders ALSO sing
this NEW SONG. Therefore, the 24 elders must represent the same people as the
144,000.
D. These 24 elders are from ALL NATIONS.
CONCLUSION - Since no one can sing this new song
except for these 144,000 JEWS, and since the 24 elders from EVERY NATION sing this
same new song, therefore, these 144,000 Jews must represent spiritual Jews and
not ethnic ones.
3. God gives us a clue that the 144,000
Jews listed in Rev. 7 are NOT to be taken literally, for THE 12 TRIBES ARE
LISTED WRONG.
The term "twelve tribes" first occurs in
Genesis chapter 49.
Genesis 49:28 All these are the twelve tribes of Israel: and this is
it that their father spake unto them, and blessed them;
every one according to his blessing he blessed them.
The 12 tribes as listed in verses 3-27 are as
follows.
1. Reuben
2. Simeon
3. LEVI
4. Judah
5. Zebulun
6. Issachar
7. Dan
8. Gad
9. Asher
10. Naphtali
11. JOSEPH
12. Benjamin
I will explain why I have "Levi" and
"Joseph" in CAPS in a moment. The same list of Jacob's/Israel's
sons occurs in Gen. 35:22-26, and in Gen. 29:31-30:24. The last
passage records their birth order and Benjamin's name is not
listed because he was not born yet. In all three of these lists we
have the same exact names as the tribes listed above.
When we come to the census which is taken in
Num. 1:5-15, representative are chosen from each tribe and
the 12 tribes are listed as follows...
1. Reuben
2. Simeon
3. Judah
4. Issachar
5. Zebulun
6. EPHRAIM
7. MANASSEH
8. Benjamin
9. Dan
10. Asher
11. Gad
12. Naphtali
Notice that "Levi" and "Joseph"
have been removed and "Ephraim" and "Manasseh" have
taken their place. This is because God had taken the tribe of "Levi"
to be priests (Levites, book of Leviticus - laws for the priests). Without
Levi, there would have been only 11 tribes, so God split the tribe of
Joseph into 2 tribes Ephraim and Manasseh (the names of Josephs 2 sons) to
get back to 12. We see this in verse 10 as follows.
Numbers 1:10 Of the children of Joseph:
of EPHRAIM; Elishama the son of Ammihud:
of MANASSEH; Gamaliel the son of Pedahzur.
So, before God took the tribe of Levi to be
priests, the tribes are listed as in the first list (with Levi and Joseph).
After God had taken the tribe of Levi to be priests, the tribes are listed
as in the second list (with Ephraim and Manasseh).
Now, with this in mind, let's look at how the
12 tribes are listed in the book of Revelation chapter 7.
1. Juda
2. Reuben
3. Gad
4. Aser
5. Nepthalim
6. MANASSES
7. Simeon
8. LEVI
9. Issachar
10. Zabulon
11. JOSEPH
12. Benjamin
What is the problem? The problem is
that "Levi", "Joseph" and "Manasseh" (Manasses) are all in the list together. Remember, as I
explained above, God took the tribe of "Levi" to be
priests and without Levi, there would have been
only 11 tribes. So, God split the tribe of Joseph into 2 tribes
Ephraim and Manasseh to get back to 12.
Here are a few of the problems.
1. If Joseph is listed then Manasseh should not
be because Manasseh was part of Joseph (being his son) which would mean that
Manasseh is counted/sealed twice.
2. If Manasseh is listed then Ephraim should also be
listed because they were added together, but it is not.
3. If Levi is listed then Manasseh (who was only
added because Levi was removed to be priests) should not be.
4. If Manasseh is listed then then Joseph (whom
Ephraim and Manasseh replaced) should not be.
etc. etc.
As I said, these can't be referring to the literal
12 tribes of ethnic Israel because the tribes are not listed correctly. The
word of God has no errors in it, therefore, God is
clearly giving us a clue that these tribes are not to be taken literally, but
spiritually.
4. The 144,000 Israelites and the Great
Multitude from all Nations are the same.
There is a repeating pattern in the book of
Revelation. John will "HEAR" about something, then
he will look and "SEE" something else. But what he HEARS about and
what he SEES are the same thing described in two different ways. Let me give
you a few examples.
A. John HEARS the voice of a trumpet, but
when he looks, he SEES Jesus speaking to him.
Revelation 1:10 I was in the Spirit on the Lord's day, and
HEARD behind me a great VOICE, AS OF A TRUMPET,
Revelation 1:12-13 And I TURNED TO SEE
THE VOICE that spake with me. And being turned, I SAW seven golden candlesticks; And in the midst of the seven candlesticks ONE LIKE
UNTO THE SON OF MAN, clothed with a garment down to the foot, and girt about
the paps with a golden girdle.
Clearly, the one
whom he sees is the same one who spoke to him with the voice of a trumpet. This
is especially clear when you read verse 11.
Revelation 1:11 Saying, I am Alpha and Omega, the first and the last: and, What thou seest, write in a book, and send it unto the seven churches
which are in Asia; unto Ephesus, and unto Smyrna, and unto Pergamos,
and unto Thyatira, and unto Sardis, and unto Philadelphia, and unto Laodicea.
B. John HEARS about a lion, but when he
looks he SEES a lamb.
Revelation 5:5 And one of the elders SAITH unto me,
Weep not: behold, the LION of the tribe of Juda, the Root of David, hath
prevailed to open the book, and to loose the seven
seals thereof.
He "hears"
what is said, and then...
Revelation 5:6 And I BEHELD, and, lo, in the midst of the throne and of the
four beasts, and in the midst of the elders, stood A LAMB as it had been
slain, having seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven Spirits of God
sent forth into all the earth.
Clearly, the lamb he
SEES is the same as the LION he heard about. Both are references to Christ.
C. John HEARS about a 144,000 JEWS, but
when he looks he SEES a Great Multitude from ALL NATIONS.
Revelation 7:4 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.
Revelation 7:9 After this I BEHELD, and, lo, A GREAT MULTITUDE, WHICH
NO MAN COULD NUMBER, OF ALL NATIONS, AND KINDREDS, AND PEOPLE, AND TONGUES,
stood before the throne, and before the Lamb, clothed with white robes, and
palms in their hands;
Once again, what he
hears about is the same thing which he looks and beholds - one defines and
clarifies the other. This is how the book of Revelation is written. Who are the
144,000 spiritual Jews who are sealed? They are great multitude that have been saved
and sealed with the Holy Spirit from among all nations (including the literal
Jews - Gal. 3:28). They are spiritual Jews (believers).
5. These things are clear by the way the
numbers, 12; 12,000; and 144,000 are used in the book of Revelation.
Revelation 21:9-17
9 And there came unto
me one of the seven angels which had the seven vials full of the seven last
plagues, and talked with me, saying, Come hither, I will shew thee the
bride, the Lamb's wife.
10 And he carried
me away in the spirit to a great and high mountain, and shewed me that great
city, THE HOLY JERUSALEM, descending out of heaven from God,
11 Having the
glory of God: and her light was like unto a stone most
precious, even like a jasper stone, clear as crystal;
12 And had a wall
great and high, and had TWELVE GATES, and at the
gates twelve angels, and NAMES WRITTEN THEREON, WHICH ARE
THE NAMES OF THE TWELVE TRIBES OF THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL:
13 On the east
three gates; on the north three gates; on the south three gates; and on the
west three gates.
14 And the wall
of the city had TWELVE FOUNDATIONS, and IN THEM THE NAMES OF THE
TWELVE APOSTLES OF THE LAMB.
15 And he that
talked with me had a golden reed to measure the city, and the gates thereof,
and the wall thereof.
16 And the city lieth foursquare, and the length is as large as the
breadth: and HE MEASURED THE CITY WITH THE REED, TWELVE THOUSAND FURLONGS.
The length and the breadth and the height of it are equal.
17 And HE
MEASURED THE WALL THEREOF, AN HUNDRED AND FORTY AND FOUR CUBITS, according
to the measure of a man, that is, of the angel.
This symbolic city is described as
being The Bride of Christ, the Lamb's wife - a clear reference to the
universal, invisible church made up of all whom are saved (Eph. 5:23,
25-27). But she not only has twelve foundation stones with the names of
the twelve apostles written on them (as they are the foundation of the church
along with Christ and the prophets - Eph. 2:20). She also has twelve gates
with the names of the twelve tribes of the children of Israel on them - (In
other words, they are only for those of the twelve tribe of Israel to enter. If
you are not an Israelite, you can't enter). But who does the passage say can
enter?
Revelation 21:27 And there shall IN NO WISE ENTER into
it any thing that defileth,
neither whatsoever worketh abomination, or maketh a lie: BUT THEY WHICH ARE WRITTEN IN THE LAMB'S
BOOK OF LIFE.
The New Testament tell us clearly that
believers names are in the book of life so all believers can enter in, but the
passage also says that the gates are exclusively for the children of
Israel (Jews). That is because believers are spiritual Jews. Once again, a
verse we have looked at before.
Romans 2:28-29 For HE IS NOT A JEW, WHICH IS ONE OUTWARDLY; neither is that
circumcision, which is outward in the flesh: BUT HE IS A JEW, WHICH IS ONE
INWARDLY; and circumcision is that of the heart, in the spirit, and not in the
letter; whose praise is not of men, but of God.
Believers, being spiritual Jews, have the
city, New Jerusalem, as their home.
Revelation 3:12 Him that overcometh will I make a pillar
in the temple of my God, and he shall go no more out: and I WILL WRITE UPON
HIM the name of my God, and THE NAME OF THE CITY OF MY GOD, WHICH IS
NEW JERUSALEM, WHICH COMETH DOWN OUT OF HEAVEN FROM MY GOD: and I will write
upon him my new name.
Also it should be noted that the
city's wall measures 144,000. 12 x 12 = 144. Also,
12 + 12 = 24 (as in 24 elders).
So “Jews” in the book of Revelation are a reference
to spiritual Jews (believers). To understand them any other way is to
completely misunderstand the truth which the book is communicating.