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Solving the puzzle of the 144,000
This is how we solve the puzzle about the 144,000:
To make a long story short: Of the 144,000 sealed Israelites, there are 12,000 from most of
the tribes. The excepons are Dan, Ephraim and Manasseh.
It is obvious that Dan is enrely missing from the 144,000. But not only is Dan missing.
Ephraim is also not menoned by name. Instead, 12,000 Israelites of a so-called “tribe of
Joseph” is menoned, even though there never was a “tribe of Joseph”, because Joseph’s
two sons, Manasseh and Ephraim, each became ancestors of their own tribe.
Since there never was a tribe of Joseph, the 12,000 Israelites of the so-called tribe of Joseph
are 6,000 of the tribe of Manasseh and 6,000 of the tribe of Ephraim. Manasseh is already
listed among the tribes with 12,000 sealed Israelites. The total number of sealed Israelites of
Manasseh is, therefore, 12,000 + 6,000 = 18,000 sealed Israelites of Manasseh.
Therefore, there are 18,000 sealed of Manasseh, 6,000 sealed of Ephraim, and none sealed
of Dan.
Why are there 18,000 sealed Israelites of Manasseh, while most of the other tribes only
have 12,000? That is because the birthright was given to Joseph, and the tribes of Manasseh
and Ephraim were blessed more than the other tribes: “For Judah prevailed above his
brethren, and of him came the chief ruler, but the birthright was Joseph’s” (1 Chron 5:2)
But since 18,000 of Manasseh are going to be sealed, why are there only going to be sealed
6,000 of Ephraim? Aer all, when Jacob-Israel blessed Manasseh and Ephraim he gave the
greater blessing to Ephraim: “he [Manasseh] also shall become a people, and he also shall
be great: but truly his younger brother [Ephraim] shall be greater than he, and his seed
shall become a multude of naons.” (Gen 48:19)
In other words, since there are 18,000 sealed of Manasseh and 6,000 sealed of Ephraim,
Ephraim is underrepresented with 12,000 sealed. Also, since the 6,000 of Ephraim are
menoned under the name of Joseph, the name of Ephraim is also missing.
Therefore, among the 144,000, both Dan and Ephraim are missing with 12,000 each, and
both the names of Dan and Ephraim are also missing.
If each of the Two Witnesses of Dan and Ephraim are equal to 12,000 sealed Israelites, this
would solve the puzzle perfectly. If the Two Witnesses are of Dan and Ephraim, all the Tribes
of Israel are represented among the 144,000 and the Two Witnesses.
So, how do we know if this theory is true or false? Time will tell. If there do arise two great
prophets of Danite and Ephraimite ancestry prior to the Second Coming of Christ, then this
theory is correct. If not, then it is incorrect. Time will tell.