144,000: Rev 7:4-8, 14:1-5. A remnant of Jews who apparently become believers in Jesus as the Christ during the tribulation period. They are sealed to protect them, apparently during the first half of the tribulation period, before the empire of the antichrist is unleashed at the mid-point of the tribulation period. Rev 7:3 refers to them as “servants of God.” However, they must not be believers in Jesus as the tribulation starts since they are not part of the general rapture. They receive supernatural protection from God while whey are doing his service on earth during the tribulation. They apparently do their work in the first half of the tribulation period. They seem to be a part of the two witnesses described in Rev 11. In fact, they seem to be one of the two lampstands. They are “sealed” as belonging to Jesus. See my definition of “sealed” below. Also see my discussion of the two witnesses below. In Rev 14:1-5 we again see that they are sealed. We also see that they are redeemed from the earth and raptured to heaven in the fifth judgment as part of the firstfruits.