Chapter Nineteen/Sealing the Israel of God -How Many Are Sealed? - Continue

 Could this not be a reference to literal, fleshly Israel? No, for Revelation 7:4-8 diverges from the usual tribe listing. (Numbers 1:17, 47) Obviously, the listing here is not for the purpose of identifying fleshly Jews by their tribes but to show a similar organizational structure for spiritual Israel. This is balanced.  There are to be exactly 144,000 members of this new nation-12,000 from each of 12 tribes. No tribe in this Israel of God is exclusively royal or priestly. The whole nation is to rule as kings, and the whole nation is to serve as priests. - GALATIANS 6:16; REVELATION 20:4, 6.

Although the natural Jews and Jewish proselytes were given the first opportunity to be chosen for spiritual Israel, only a minority of that nation responded. Jehovah therefore extended the invitation to the Gentiles. (John 1:10-13; Acts 2:4, 7-11; Roman 11:7) As in the case of the Ephesians, who previously had been "alienated from the state of Israel," now non-Jews could sealed with God's spirit and become part of the congregation of anointed Christians. (Ephesians 2:11-13, 3:5, 6; Acts 15:14) It is appropriate, then, for the 24 elders to sing before the Lamb: "With your blood you bought persons for God out of every tribe and tongue and people and nation, and you made them to be a kingdom and priests to our God, and they are to rule as kings over the earth." - REVELATION 5:9, 10. 

Next time: Chapter Nineteen/Sealing the Israel of God - How Many Are Sealed? - Conclusion

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