[Eric in the Ozarks]

Always wondered where the 144,000 number came from.

[ColdSteelTalon]

Apostolics believe that only 144,000 Jews who have not, prior to the Second Coming of Christ, acknowledged Jesus as the Messiah will be saved in the end times

These people are not fundamentalists, They sound like Jehovahs witnesses. (russellites)

[Bob J]

12,000 from each of the twelve tribes of Israel.

[sanchmo]

This ping is both a reply to your question, and a self-bump so I can read this later. Anyway...

144,000 = 12 (tribes) x 12,000 (from each tribe). Alternately
144,000 = 12x12 (the complete number squared) x 1000 (a very large number)

[tang-soo]

Always wondered where the 144,000 number came from.

By the way, I do not think you can determine from theses passages that there is a limit of 144,000. Its also interesting that due to the double blessing given Joseph, there were actually 13 tribes. Here Josesph is mentioned which would mean a total of 14, but the tribes of Dan and Ephraim are not mentioned.

Revelation 7

144,000 Sealed

1 After this I saw four angels standing at the four corners of the earth, holding back the four winds of the earth to prevent any wind from blowing on the land or on the sea or on any tree.

2 Then I saw another angel coming up from the east, having the seal of the living God. He called out in a loud voice to the four angels who had been given power to harm the land and the sea:

3 "Do not harm the land or the sea or the trees until we put a seal on the foreheads of the servants of our God."

4 Then I heard the number of those who were sealed: 144,000 from all the tribes of Israel.

5 From the tribe of Judah 12,000 were sealed, from the tribe of Reuben 12,000, from the tribe of Gad 12,000,

6 from the tribe of Asher 12,000, from the tribe of Naphtali 12,000, from the tribe of Manasseh 12,000,

7 from the tribe of Simeon 12,000, from the tribe of Levi 12,000, from the tribe of Issachar 12,000,

8 from the tribe of Zebulun 12,000, from the tribe of Joseph 12,000, from the tribe of Benjamin 12,000.

And from ...

Revelation 14

The Lamb and the 144,000

1 Then I looked, and there before me was the Lamb, standing on Mount Zion, and with him 144,000 who had his name and his Father's name written on their foreheads.

2 And I heard a sound from heaven like the roar of rushing waters and like a loud peal of thunder. The sound I heard was like that of harpists playing their harps.

3 And they sang a new song before the throne and before the four living creatures and the elders. No one could learn the song except the 144,000 who had been redeemed from the earth.

4 These are those who did not defile themselves with women, for they kept themselves pure. They follow the Lamb wherever he goes. They were purchased from among men and offered as firstfruits to God and the Lamb.

5 No lie was found in their mouths; they are blameless.