As noted in the answer to the prior question, “…they are before the throne of God; and they are rendering him sacred service day and night in his temple;” (Rev 7:15 NWT).
Just as in the Old Testament the Levites provided service for the tabernacle (then later the temple) and supported the greater work of the Priests, so the Great Crowd are servants to Christ and the 144,000 Priestly class in God’s temple .
Rev 7:15 says that “the One seated on the throne will spread his tent [tabernacle] over them” (NWT). In contrast, Rev 21:3 says, “The tent [tabernacle] of God is with mankind, and he will reside with them, and they will be his peoples.” (NWT) The Great Crowd are in the tent (from same Greek root word as tabernacle, i.e. Heb 9:2) in the same sense that the Old Testament Levites served in the tabernacle (Num 3:6-8; 16:8,9). ”The tent of God is with mankind” (Rev 21:3) in the same way that the tabernacle was with Israel (Lev 26:11; Ex 2:5:8); but only the Priests and Levites were permitted to go near it, not Israel. So, just like the Levites, the Great Crowd will have a special role of service before the throne and in Jehovah’s tabernacle. Yet just as the Levites had a less significant role than the priests, so the Great Crowd will have a less significant role than the Anointed 144,000 who are described as earth’s future priests and kings (Rev 1:6; 20:6, 2 Tim 2:12)
Ezekiel 44 symbolically speaks of the Anointed and Great Crowd. The faithful priests of Ez 44:15,16 will minister to Jehovah in his sanctuary. The Levites who went astray will “bear their error” (Ez 44:9-14 NIV), but they will still serve at the gates of Jehovah’s house. Verse 14 says, “And I shall certainly make them caretakers of the obligation of the House, as regards all its service and as regards all that should be done in it.” (NIV)
This prophecy cannot be referring to the literal Jewish Priests and Levites after the time of Ezekiel, because it was never fulfilled that way. This chapter symbolically refers to the time of Paradise Earth after the door is shut on the foolish virgins (Ez 44:1; Matt 25:10). Ez 44 reveals the roles of the Priests (representing the 144,000) and the Levites (representing the Great Crowd). The Great Crowd is actually of the Anointed during the Gospel Age, but they are not totally faithful and they are drawn to some degree after the idols of this life (vs 12) and become a stumbling block to others.
We are told that “they shall bear their error” (vs 12) and that ” they must bear their humiliation and their detestable things that they did” (vs 13). This is the “great tribulation” that the Great Crowd is said to go through. Rev 7:14 says, “These are the ones that come out of the great tribulation, and they have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.” It is because the Great Crowd spots their robes (tarnishes their justified standing with Jehovah) with sin, that they must go through trying experiences (tribulation) in their life to wash those spots clean. Although this has had a personal application to the Great Crowd throughout the Gospel Age, it seems to have a special application as well to a final trial at the time of the final Great Tribulation at the end of the Gospel Age.
Hello all,the Bible students teach that the ancient worthies,such as Abraham,Isaac and Moses for example, will be resurrected on earth in perfect human bodies, therefore, not having to wait till the end of the 1,000 years and pass the final test like the rest of mankind.My question is: what’s the reasoning behind that belief?
Ken – You are not one to ask easy questions. I will give you my thoughts. The world of mankind will walk up the highway of holiness to perfection at their own pace during the 1,000 years. However, imagine if the ancient worthies were not resurrected perfect and yet they are to be rulers in all the earth. Couldn’t they end up making a lot of mistakes? Can you imagine others attaining perfection before they did?
I think the following scripture seems to indicate that the bride of Christ will work with the Ancient Worthies to bring them up to perfection to perpare them for their work. Heb 11(NASV) “39 And all these, having gained approval through their faith, did not receive what was promised, 40 because God had provided something better for us, so that apart from us they would not be made perfect.” This statement, “apart from us they would not be made perfect” means to me that the anointed who have been prepared, like their master, to be merciful and sympthathetic priests will be in a postion to help them to perfect thier characters, making them ready for perfect bodies.
Perhaps the following scriptures that speak of the role of the ancient worthies in the future Paradise Earth Kingdom will be of interest to you.
Isa 32:1 – Behold, a king will reign in righteousness, and princes will rule with justice. (NKJ)
Ps 45:16 – Instead of Your fathers shall be Your sons, whom You shall make princes in all the earth. (NKJ)
Isa 1:26 – I will restore your judges as at the first, and your counselors as at the beginning. Afterward you shall be called the city of righteousness, the faithful city.” (NKJ)
Matt 8:11 – And I say to you that many will come from east and west, and sit down with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven. (NKJ)
Ps 47:9 – The princes of the people have gathered together, the people of the God of Abraham. For the shields of the earth belong to God; he is greatly exalted. (NKJ)
Jer 3:15 – And I will give you shepherds according to My heart, who will feed you with knowledge and understanding. (NKJ)
Jer 23:4 – I will set up shepherds over them who will feed them; and they shall fear no more, nor be dismayed, nor shall they be lacking,” says the LORD. (NKJ)
Dan 12:13 – But you, go your way till the end; for you shall rest, and will arise to your inheritance at the end of the days. – (NKJ)
Actually that makes a lot of sense Peter,thanks!The Jw’s teach that their elders will be the “princes in all the earth”:)
To Humbleman;
My answer is I don’t know.