启示录中的异象充满象征性的意义，所以我们不应该照字面意思来分析144,000这个数字。假如这个数字是“神爱…，甚至将他的独生子赐给他们”（约翰福音 3:16）的人数总和，就实在显得太少了。而约翰很快便看见“许多的人，没有人能数过来”（启示录 7:9）－这许多的人当然远远超过144,000人。
这里说，神仆人的数目是144,000人，是意味深长的，因为在神的国中，使用12和1,000代表完整和丰盛。
在这个场景中，神对所有信靠衪的人所说的，是以三个基本原则为根基的。作为相信耶稣基督的人，我们受益于以色列十二支派传承下来的人生经历，他们的故事（记载在旧约圣经）是我们在耶稣里信心的基础。我们的信心也是以基督十二个使徒的生活和他们传讲的故事（记载在新约圣经）为根基的。我们亦知道12 X 12 ＝ 144，而在约翰那个年代，1,000通常是用来代表很大的数量单位的，144乘以这个数字所得的答案，可以帮助读者去想像，神建立和塑造我们成为衪的仆人所要带来的深远影响力。这个场景显明神倾倒的恩典是如此深广，远远超过我们所能测度。
我们既然拥有这个身份，而且又人数众多，想像一下，神会怎样大大使用我们、与世人分享衪的福音和爱呢！
主啊，感谢你让我们与你立约的子民同得位份。又感谢你展开你的故事，远超我们所想所求的。奉耶稣祈求，阿们。
启示录 7:4-8
4我听见以色列人各支派中受印的数目有十四万四千：
5犹大支派中受印的有一万二千，鲁本支派中有一万二千，迦得支派中有一万二千，
6亚设支派中有一万二千，拿弗他利支派中有一万二千，玛拿西支派中有一万二千，
7西缅支派中有一万二千，利未支派中有一万二千，以萨迦支派中有一万二千，
8西布伦支派中有一万二千，约瑟支派中有一万二千，便雅悯支派中受印的有一万二千。
"Then I heard the number of those who were sealed: 144,000 from all the tribes of Israel." - Revelation 7:4
The visions in Revelation are filled with symbolism, so we should not read the number 144,000 literally. If that were the total of all whom "God so loved . . . that he gave his one and only Son" (John 3:16), it would be too few. John also soon sees "a great multitude that no one could count" (Rev. 7:9)—and that, of course, is far more than 144,000 people.
There is poetic beauty in the numbering of 144,000 servants of God here. The use of 12’s and 1,000’s is symbolic of completion and fullness in God’s kingdom.
In this scene God builds on three fundamental givens for all who put their faith in him. As believers in Jesus Christ, we are indebted to the story told and lived by the 12 tribes of Israel. Their story (in the Old Testament part of the Bible) is foundational to our faith in Jesus. We also stand on the story lived and told by the 12 apostles of Christ (in the New Testament part of the Bible). We also know that 12 x 12 = 144. Then this is multiplied by the most common unit of numbering large quantities in John’s day, 1,000, to invite readers to imagine the vast impact that God is creating by shaping us as his servants. This is a picture of God’s grace flowing wider and deeper than we can fathom.
Since this is who we are and how many we are, imagine how God can use us to share his good news and love with the world!
Thank you, Lord, for giving us a place with your covenant people. And thank you for expanding your story beyond our expectations. In Jesus, Amen.
诵读: 骆云秀
片头: 张妙阳
