One of the leading subjects of religious debate is “The 144,000.” Opinions differ as the directions of the wind. All theologians realize that the hand of God is to be connected with their calling and mission. Some are so narrow as to say that they represent the total number of the living to be saved at Christ's coming. There are several thousand millions of living souls, and if only 144,000 of this total number are to be saved, it will mean only one from a city or village. Among our own people we often hear another impossible argument; namely, that they, the 144,000, represent all the High Priests ordained in our High Priesthood Quorum from Joseph Smith's day to the coming of Jesus Christ.
We must not forget that Joseph Smith was called and commissioned by the Father and Son to carry the Gospel to the Gentiles. His own instructions to the Twelve were to go “preach among the Gentiles UNTIL the Lord shall command them to go to the Jews.” (HC 2:200). This divine commandment has never been rescinded. It is true that many of the Latter-day Saints have a portion of the scattered blood of Israel; that every Gentile who accepts and lives this Restored Gospel is numbered with Ephraim, who is of Joseph, and who, by adoption, becomes of the seed of Abraham (TPJS pp. 21-22); that America has been given to Joseph and the Believing Gentiles as their land of divine inheritance, but these two branches combined represent only one tribe. The tribe of Judah makes the second.
Practically all of our High Priests have been declared to be of Ephraim; therefore, where are the remaining 120,000 special missionaries, equally divided from the Ten Tribes, to come from? Other members of our leading brethren, especially our Patriarchs, have wisely declared that, with the exception of the tribes of Judah and Ephraim and a few special cases, we do not know, nor can we positively identify, the other Ten Tribes. It is, therefore, obvious that we do not possess sufficient knowledge to ordain them, and that those who advance such arguments regarding the 144,000 know but little regarding their identity, calling and great mission. It seems that the weak ones of Ephraim always enjoy eliminating any information referred to in prophecy, calling for especial divine power or assistance.
The Lord has not left us alone to guess at this great future event. John, in the Book of Revelation, has given us the basic events; and the Lord, in a revelation to Joseph Smith, has enlarged upon the details. I quote them to show that John and his four assisting angels, who will hold the keys of preaching the Gospel and of the destroying of the wicked, are to personally call, appoint and send forth these 144,000 with far greater power than we mortals now possess.
“And after these things I saw four angels standing on the four corners of the earth, holding the four winds of the earth, that the wind should not blow on the earth, nor on the sea, nor on any tree. And I saw another angel ascending from the east, having the seal of the living God: and he cried with a loud voice to the four angels, to whom it was given to hurt the earth and the sea, Saying, Hurt not the earth, neither the sea, nor the trees, till we have sealed the servants of our God in their foreheads, And I heard the number of them which were sealed; and there were sealed an hundred and forty and four thousand of all the tribes of the children of Israel. Of the tribe of Judah were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Reuben were sealed twelve thousand, …“ etc. (Revelation 7:1-5).
“Question: What are we to understand by the four angels, spoken of in the 7th chapter and 1st verse of Revelation?
Answer: We are to understand that they are four angels sent from God, to whom is given power over the four parts of the earth, to save life and to destroy; these are they who have the everlasting gospel to commit to every nation, kindred, tongue. and people; having power to shut up the heavens, to seal up unto life, or to cast down to the regions of darkness.
Question: What are we to understand by the angel ascending from the east, Revelation 7th chapter and 2nd verse?
Answer: We are to understand that the angel ascending from the east is he to whom is given the seal of the living God over the twelve tribes of Israel; Wherefore, he crieth unto the four angels having the everlasting gospel, saying: Hurt not the earth, neither the sea, nor the trees, till we have sealed the servants of our God in their foreheads. And, if you will receive it, this is Elias which was to come to gather together the tribes of Israel and restore all things.” (D&C 77:8-9).
Who is this certain Elias that some will not receive? The Lord, in the same revelation, tells us:
“Question: What are we to understand by the little book which was eaten by John” (the Revelator) “as mentioned in the 10th chapter of Revelation?
Answer: We are to understand that it was a mission, and an ordinance, for him to gather the tribes of Israel; behold, this is Elias, who, as it is written, must come and restore all things.” (D&C 77:14).
“Question: What are we to understand by sealing the one hundred and forty-four thousand, out of all the tribes of Israel—twelve thousand out of every tribe?
Answer: We are to understand that those who are sealed are high priests, ordained unto the holy order of God, to administer the everlasting gospel; for they are they who are ordained out of every nation, kindred, tongue, and people, by the angels to whom is given power over the nations of the earth, to bring as many as will come to the church of the Firstborn,” (D&C 77:11).
I now refer, with great pleasure, to a sermon delivered March 25, 1928, in our Salt Lake City tabernacle, by Apostle Melvin J. Ballard. After quoting the above 9th verse he stated in part:
“Here is a prediction that every man who receives this covenant and abides in it shall be sealed in his forehead. Although we may not see it, the angels unto whose hands are committed the faces of destruction shall spare those who are thus under covenant and pass them by. (Deseret News, Mar. 31, 1928).
Our late Apostle Orson Pratt, who divided our Doctrine and Covenants and Book of Mormon into chapters and verses with footnote references, under the above 8th to the 11th verses tells us that they are “four heavenly messengers who commit the Gospel preparatory to the Second Coming of Christ;” and “these 144,000 High Priests are messengers sent forth to prepare the way for the coming of the Lord,” and who will be “ordained by angels who are in possession of the High Priesthood.” (These valuable footnotes from an inspired apostle have also been removed from our modern editions). This sealing will prepare them for their work; but their ordination, under the hands of these five angels, will clothe them with divine authority, power and a mission to perform.
The sealing of the servants of God (the 144,000) in their foreheads by John and his four assisting angels will exempt them from the plagues and will include the sanctifying of their bodies and the making of their calling and election sure. These blessings will prevent mortal man from interfering with their work. Their mission is a future event, but will take place prior to the Lord's Second Coming. (D&C 133:1-25; Comp. pp. 269, 275, 279).
The results of their mission and the number of their fully saved converts are clearly outlined in the same chapter or latter part of John's vision at Patmos. I again quote him:
“After this I beheld, and, lo, a great multitude” (not including the 144,000), “which no man could number, of all nations, and kindreds, and people, and tongues, stood before the throne, and before the Lamb, clothed with white robes, and palms in their hands; And crieth with a loud voice, saying, Salvation to our God which sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb. And all the angels stood round about the throne, and about the elders and the four beasts, and fell before the throne on their faces, and worshipped God. Saying, Amen: Blessing, and glory, and wisdom, and thanksgiving, and honor, and power, and might, be unto our God for ever and ever. Amen. And one of the elders answered, saying unto me, What are these which are arrayed in white robes, and whence came they? And I said unto him, Sir, thou knowest. And he said to me, These are they which came out of great tribulation, and have washed their robes, and made them white in the blood of the Lamb. Therefore are they before the throne of God, and serve him day and night in his temple: and he that sitteth on the throne shall dwell among them. They shall hunger no more, neither thirst anymore; neither shall the sunlight on them, nor any heat. For the Lamb which is in the midst of the throne shall feed them, and shall lead them unto living fountains of waters: and God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes.” (Revelation 7:9-17; D&C 136:13-41).
From the above description it is perfectly clear that the calling of the 144,000 last and special ambassadors of the Gospel and the gathering of this great host of righteous souls by the 144,000 will be during the Days of Tribulations and prior to the Lord's coming. This great and final gathering of the honest souls scattered throughout the world will be at Zion and at Jerusalem. They will be snatched from the war-stricken nations of the world. These 144,000 sanctified missionaries will be able to penetrate every war zone and gather out God's chosen ones. They will most certainly do a work that we mortals will not be able to do, They will possess the keys of this Gospel and Priesthood and hold divine power over life and death.
Joseph Smith once referred to them as:
“There will be 144,000 Saviors” (missionaries) “on Mount Zion, and with them an innumerable host that no man can number, Oh! I beseech you to go forward, go forward and make your calling and your election sure; and if any man preach any other gospel than that which I have preached, he shall be cursed; and some of you who now hear me shall see it, and know that I testify the truth concerning them.” (TPJS p. 151; HC 6:365).
I now quote the words of Jesus Christ as recorded in Matthew, Inspired Translation by Joseph Smith, to confirm the coming of heavenly beings connected with latter day judgments and Israel's final gathering,
“And his disciples came unto him, saying, Declare unto us the parable of the tares of the field. He answered and said unto them, He that soweth the good seed is the Son of Man. The field is the world; the good seed are the children of the kingdom; but the tares are the children of the wicked. The enemy that sowed them is the devil. The harvest is the end of the world, or the destruction of the wicked. And the reapers are the angels, or the messengers sent of heaven, As, therefore, the tares are gathered and burned in the fire, so shall it be in the end of the world, or the destruction of the wicked. For in that day, before the Son of Man shall come, he shall send forth his angels and messengers of heaven, And they shall gather out of his kingdom all things which offend, and them which do iniquity, and shall cast them out among the wicked; and there shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth. For the world shall be burned with fire. Then shall the righteous shine forth as the sun, in the kingdom of their Father. Who hath ears to hear let him hear,” (Matthew 13:35-45).
In the 14th chapter of Revelation we also have a beautiful confirmation of our story. There we find reference made to these 144,000 and the great judgments (of the destroying angels) that will follow their mission. It refers to the seal of the Father being placed in their foreheads; that they were pure; that they were redeemed from mortality—”being the first-fruits unto God and to the Lamb,” In other words they, the 144,000, were sealed up as saved, sanctified and made ready to do a great and marvelous missionary work just prior to the Lord's coming, under their leader, John the Revelator. (14:1-5). I quote in part:
“And I saw another angel “ (This is not Moroni). ”fly in the midst of heaven, having the everlasting “(not the preparatory gospel, but the everlasting gospel) “gospel to preach unto them that dwell on the earth, and to every nation, and kindred, and tongue, and people; Saying with a loud voice, Fear God, and give glory to him; for the hour of his judgment is come: …And there followed another angel, saying, Babylon is fallen, is fallen, that great city, because she made all nations drink of the wine of the wrath of her fornication. And the third angel followed them, saying with a loud voice, If any man worship the beast and his image, and receive his mark in his forehead, or in his hand, The same shall drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is poured out without mixture into the cup of his indignation; …And I looked, and behold a white cloud, and upon the cloud one sat like unto the Son of man, having on his head a golden crown, and in his hand a sharp sickle. And another angel” (the fourth) “came out of the temple, crying with a loud voice to him that sat on the cloud, Thrust in thy sickle, and reap: for the time is come for thee to reap; for the harvest of the earth is ripe. And he that sat on the cloud thrust in his sickle on the earth; and the earth was reaped.
“And another angel” (the fifth) “came out of the temple which is in heaven, he also having a sharp sickle, And another angel” (the sixth) “came out from the altar, which had power over fire; and cried with a loud cry to him that had the sharp sickle, saying, Thrust in thy sharp sickle, and gather the clusters of the vine of the earth;” (the wicked) “for her grapes are fully ripe.” (the honest in heart, tried and tested). “And the angel thrust in his sickle into the earth, and gathered the vine of the earth, and cast it into the great winepress of the wrath of God.” (The Battle of Armageddon). “And the winepress was trodden without the city, and blood came out of the winepress, even unto the horse bridles, by the space of a thousand and six hundred furlongs.” (Revelation 14:6-20; also chapters 17, 18).
These judgments will cover the whole earth. Joseph Smith tells us:
“I prophesy, in the name of the Lord God of Israel, unless the United States redress the wrongs committed upon the Saints in the State of Missouri and punish the crimes committed by her officers that in a few years the Government will be utterly overthrown and wasted, and there will not be so much as a potsherd left for their wickedness in permitting the murder of men, women and children,” (HC 1:42, May 18. 1843).
It is very true that John the Revelator has already appeared with Peter and James and they have restored the Holy Priesthood to Joseph Smith. However, this was his preliminary work. His second appearance, and joint work with the four mighty angels who are to ordain and send forth the 144,000 missionaries, is most certainly future. (D&C 133:36; Revelation 7:1-17; D&C 77:8-14).
Attention is now called to the visions of Nephi and Ezekiel to further confirm these same blessings and judgments.