Will only 144,000 be saved?
Introduction. It seems man is forever attempting to play God and enter into matters which do not pertain to him (see Deut. 29: 29). Some seek to set the precise date of Jesus' return and some, often the same people, purport to know exactly how many will be saved in heaven (Matt. 24: 35, 36).
We know only a few will be saved. Jesus taught, "Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it" (Matt. 7: 14, see vs. 13). Many are called, but few are chosen (Matt. 22: 14). Few and many are quantitative terms, used to describe the number saved and lost. However, few and many are also relative terms. Few is determined by the contrasting many, and many is established by the few. The point is "few" does not reveal the actual number.
How about the 144,000 in Revelation 7? One of the five angels John saw had the seal of God (vs. 2). The sealed number was 144,000 (vs 4, see also 14: 1, 2): twelve thousand out of each of the twelve tribes of the children of Israel (vss. 4-8). Is "tribes of the children of Israel" used literally or figuratively? We asked this not only in view of the nature of the book of Revelation, but also in light of Romans 2: 29. If taken literally, then only 144,000 taken from the actual twelve tribes can be saved in heaven. Scholars differ as to their precise understanding of the teaching of Revelation 7: 1-9. Those who insist on a literal understanding of the 144,000 (they do not want to limit it to physical Israel, however), do not want verse nine mentioned. "After this I beheld, and, lo, a great multitude, which no man could number, of all nations..." This innumerable number is also in heaven (vss. 9-11).
Conclusion. We simply do not know exactly how many will be in heaven. However, all who obey Jesus will be saved, whatever the total number (Heb. 5: 9).
We know only a few will be saved. Jesus taught, "Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it" (Matt. 7: 14, see vs. 13). Many are called, but few are chosen (Matt. 22: 14). Few and many are quantitative terms, used to describe the number saved and lost. However, few and many are also relative terms. Few is determined by the contrasting many, and many is established by the few. The point is "few" does not reveal the actual number.
How about the 144,000 in Revelation 7? One of the five angels John saw had the seal of God (vs. 2). The sealed number was 144,000 (vs 4, see also 14: 1, 2): twelve thousand out of each of the twelve tribes of the children of Israel (vss. 4-8). Is "tribes of the children of Israel" used literally or figuratively? We asked this not only in view of the nature of the book of Revelation, but also in light of Romans 2: 29. If taken literally, then only 144,000 taken from the actual twelve tribes can be saved in heaven. Scholars differ as to their precise understanding of the teaching of Revelation 7: 1-9. Those who insist on a literal understanding of the 144,000 (they do not want to limit it to physical Israel, however), do not want verse nine mentioned. "After this I beheld, and, lo, a great multitude, which no man could number, of all nations..." This innumerable number is also in heaven (vss. 9-11).
Conclusion. We simply do not know exactly how many will be in heaven. However, all who obey Jesus will be saved, whatever the total number (Heb. 5: 9).