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 These firstfruits of (Jesus Christ, the 144,000m and he great crowd) have interesting correspondences in the festivals celebrated according to the ancient Mosaic Law.  On Nisan 16, during the festival of Unfermented Cakes, a sheaf of the firstfruits of the barley harvest was offered to Jehovah. (Leviticus 23:6-14) Nisan 16 was the day Jesus was resurrected from the dead. On the 50th day from Nisan 16, in the third month, the Israelites celebrated the festival of the harvest of the first ripe fruits of the wheat harvest. (Exodus 23:16; Leviticus 23:15, 16) This festival came to be called the Pentecost (from a Greek word meaning "fiftieth"), and it was at Pentecost 33 C.E. that the first members of the 144,000 were anointed with holy spirit. Finally, in the seventh month when the whole harvest was gathered in, there was the Festival of Booths, a time of joyful thanksgiving when the Israelites dwelt for a week in booths made of, among other things, palm branches. (Leviticus 23:33-43) Correspondingly, the great crowd, who are part for the great ingathering, give thanks before the throne with "palm branches in their hands." - REVELATION 7:9. 

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 The 144,000 are "bought from the earth," "bought from among mankind." They are adopted as spirit sons of God, and after their resurrection, they will no longer be mere flesh-and-blood humans. As mentioned in verse 4, they become the firstfruits to God and to the Lamb." True, back in the first century, Jesus was "the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep in death." (1 Corinthians 15:20, 23) But the 144,000 are the "certain firstfruits" of imperfect mankind, purchased by means Jesus' sacrifice. (James 1:18) Nevertheless, the ingathering of fruitage, from mankind does not end with them. The book of Revelation has already pointed to the harvesting of an unnumbered great crowd that cries with a loud voice "Salvation we own to our God, who is seated on the throne, and to the Lamb." This great crowd will survive the great tribulation, and as they continue to be refreshed by the "fountains of waters of life," they will raised to human perfection earth. Sometime after the great tribulation, Hades will be emptied, and countless millions of other humans will be resurrected and have the same opportunity to drink from those same waters of life. With this in mind, it would be correct to call the great crowd a firstfruits of the other sheep-they are the first to 'wash their robes and make them white in the blood of the Lamb' with the hope of living forever on earth. - REVELATION 7:9, 10, 14, 17: 20:12, 13.

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 Additionally, "no falsehood was found in their mouths." In this, they are like their King, Jesus Christ. As a perfect human, "he committed no sin, nor was deception found in his mouth." (1 Peter 2:21, 22) In being simultaneously without blemish and truthful, the 144,000 are prepared as a chaste bride for Jehovah's Great High Priest.  When Jesus was on earth, he invited righthearted ones to follow him. (Mark 8:34; 10:211; John 1:43) Those who responded imitated his way of life and obeyed his teachings. Thus, during their earthly course, they "keep following the Lamb no matter where he goes" as he guides them through Satan's world. 

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 Continuing his description of the 144,000 who are "bought from the earth, "John tells us: "These are the ones that did not defile themselves with women; in fact, they are virgins. These are the ones that keep following the Lamb no matter where he goes. These were bought from among mankind as firstfruits to God and to the Lamb, and no falsehood was found in their mouths; they are without blemish." (Revelation 1:4, 5) The fact that the 144,000 "are virgins" does not mean that members of their class are necessarily unmarried in the flesh. The apostle Paul wrote to the Christians who had a heavenly calling that, whereas there are advantages to Christian singleness, marriage is preferable under certain circumstances.  (1 Corinthians 7:1, 2, 36, 37) What characterizes this class is a spiritual virginity. They have avoided spiritual adultery with worldly politics and with false religion. (James 4:4; Revelation 17:5) As the betrothed bride of Christ they have kept themselves pure, "without a blemish in among a crooked and twisted generation." - PHILIPPIANS 2:15.

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 At this point we might also ask; Why is it that these anointed overcomers ae referred to as the symbolic 24 elders as well as the 144,000? It is because Revelation views this one group with two different standpoints. The 24 elders are always shown in their ultimate position around Jehovah's throne, installed as kings and priests in the heavens. They symbolize the entire group of 144,000 in their heavenly position, although at present a small remnant of these is still on earth. (Revelation4:4, 10;5:5-14; 7:11-13; 11:16-18) Revelation chapter 7, however, focuses on the 144,000 as brought forth from humankind, and it stresses Jehovah's grand purpose to seal the complete number of individual spiritual Israelites and to grant salvation to an unnumbered great crowd. Revelation chapter 14 provides a picture confirming that the complete Kingdom class of 144,000 individual overcomers will be assembled with the Lamb on Mount Zion. The qualifications to be met in order to be known, as shall now see."

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 How can the 144,000 sing "before" the elders, since the 2 elders are the 144,000 in their glorious heavenly position? Early in the Lord's day, those "dead in union with Christ were resurrected in spirit creatures. Thus, faithful anointed Christians who have conquered are now in heaven, symbolically fulfilling functions comparable to those of 24 divisions of priestly elders. They are included in the vision of Jehovah's heavenly organization. (1 Thessalonians 4:15, 16; 1 Chronicles 24:1-18; Revelation 4:4; 6:11) The remnant of the 144,000 still on earth are therefore singing the new song before, or in the sight of their resurrected brothers in heaven. 

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 Nevertheless, others listen and respond to their singing. Since 1935 a growing crowd of other sheep has heard their triumphal song and been moved to join with them in publicizing God's Kingdom. (John 10:16; Revelation 7:9) True, these newcomers cannot learn to sing exactly the same new song that the future rulers of God's Kingdom sin. But they too sound a melodious chorus of praise to Jehovah that is an anthem lauding Jehovah for the things he is accomplishing. They thus fulfill the psalmist's exhortation: "Sing to Jehovah a new song. Sing to Jehovah, all you people of the earth. Sing to Jehovah, bless his name. From day to day tell the good news of salvation by him. Declare among the nations his glory, among all the peoples his wonderous works. Ascribe to Jehovah you families of the peoples, ascribe to Jehovah glory and strength. Say among the nations: 'Jehovah himself has become king.' " -PSALM 91:1-3, 7. 10; 98:1-9.

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 Why is it, though, that only the 144,000 are able to learn the song mentioned at Revelation 14:3? Because it has to do with their experiences as chosen heirs of God's Kingdom. They alone are adopted as sons of God and anointed holy spirit. They alone are bought the earth to become part of that heavenly Kingdom, and they alone will be priests . . . and will rule as kings" with Jesus Christ for a thousand years to bring mankind to perfection. They alone are seen to be "singing as if a new song' in the very presence of Jehovah." These unique experiences and prospects give them a singular appreciation of the Kingdom and enable them to sing about it in a way that no one else can. - REVELATIONS 20:6; COLOSSIANS 1:13; 1 THESSALONIANS 2:11,12. 

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 And what is this "new song"? As we noted in discussing Revelation 5:9, 10, the song has to do with Jehovah's Kingdom purposes and his wonderful provision, through Jesus Christ, for making spiritual Israel "a kingdom and priests to our God." It is a song of praise to Jehovah publicizing the new things he is accomplishing by means of the Israel of God and in behalf of it. (Galatians 6:16) Members of this spiritual Israel respond to the psalmist's invitation: "Praise Jah, you people! Sing to Jehovah a new song, his praise in the congregation of loyal ones. Let Israel rejoice in its Grand Maker, the sons of Zion-let them be joyful in their King." (Psalm 149:1, 2) True, those words were written centuries ago, but in our day, they have been sung with new understanding. In 1914 the Messianic Kingdom was born. (Revelation 12:10) In 1919 Jehovah's people on earth began to announce "the word of the kingdom" with renewed zeal. (Matthew 13:19) Stimulated by the Society's yeartext for 1919 (Isaiah 54:17) and encouraged by their restoration to a spiritual paradise, they began in that year to 'sing to Jehovah with music in their hearts.' - EPHESIANS 5:19. 

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 In harmony with this, John reports: "And I heard a sound out of heaven as the sound of many waters and as the sound of loud thunder; and the sound that I heard was as of singers who accompany themselves on the harp playing on their harps.  And they are singing as if a new song before the four living creatures and the elders; and no one was able to master that song but the hundred and forty-four thousand, who have been bought from the earth." (Revelation14:2, 3) It is no wonder that John, upon hearing 144,000 voices joined in one melodious chorus, is reminded of roaring waterfalls and pealing thunderclaps. How pleasant that clear harp-like accompaniment! (Psalm 8:12) What choir on earth could ever attain to the grandeur of that magnificent chorus? 

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