Jennifer's asks, "Are you saying only 144,000 people ever on the face of the earth get to partake of the sacrament or communion? If so, what about the commandment for all of us to be spiritually born of God?
These are deep spiritual questions that must be answered. It is important that we align ourselves with God's thinking, so we must turn to God's word, the Bible. We need some background information to fully give a correct answer, so please look up these scriptures in your own Bible.
Every book has a theme and that is true of the Bible also. That theme is the vindication of God's sovereignty and the sanctification of his holy name, by means of God's Kingdom. God has from the beginning progressively taught mankind about this Kingdom. Yes, after Adam and Eve sinned God immediately put in place a provision for mankind, yes a promise of a "seed" that would bring an end to Satan and his seed. This first prophecy is found at Genesis 3:15:
"And I (Jehovah) will put enmity between you (Satan) and the woman and between your seed and her seed. He will bruise you in the head and you will bruise him in the heal."How this prophecy unfolds has a direct bearing on this subject of who partakes of the emblems. It is both faith strengthening and exciting to read, so let us briefly look at some key features of this promised "seed", doing so will help answer Jennifer's question with insight.
We are able to follow the line of that promised seed through Abraham, Issac and Jacob.(Gen 22:18; 26:24; 28:13, 14) When we get to the time of King David it is revealed that a kingdom is tied in with this promised seed. (1 Chronicles 17:11; Jeremiah 23:5) Later, the prophet Daniel was given a vision of that future heavenly kingdom at Daniel 7:13, 14:
"I kept on beholding in the visions of the night, and , see there! with the clouds of the heavens someone like a son of man (Jesus) happened to be coming; and to the Ancient of Days (Jehovah) he gained access, and they brought him up close even before that One. And to him there were given rulership and dignity and kingdom, that the peoples, national groups and languages should all serve even him. His rulership is an indefinitely lasting rulership that will not pass away, and his kingdom one that will not be brought to ruin."
This son of man would not rule alone. Notice what Dan 7:27 says:
"And the kingdom and the rulership and the grandeur of the kingdoms under all the heavens were given to the people who are the holy ones of the Supreme One. Their kingdom is an indefinitely lasting kingdom, and all the rulerships will serve and obey even them."
On the last night that Jesus spent with his faithful 11 apostles he instituted a "new covenant" This covenant was for a kingdom (Luke 22:29) Later, Paul and Timothy and others were included in this covenant for a kingdom. ( 2 Tim 2:12; Rev 5:9, 10; 20:6) The new covenant, which is made operative by Jesus shed blood, replaces the old Law covenant. It is mediated by Jesus Christ between two parties -on the one hand, Jehovah God, and on the other, 144,000 spirit-begotten Christians. Jesus is the main "seed" of promise, however, others, "holy ones" also are part of that "seed" (Gal 3:16, 29;)
How many? Jesus refers to a "Little flock" to whom God has approved of giving a kingdom. (Luke 12:32) Later, the resurrected Jesus gives a vision to the apostle John. What did John learn?
At Revelation 14:1-3 John sees 144,000 on heavenly Mount Zion with Jesus. These 144,000 were "bought from the earth". (Compare: Hebrews 12:22) Humans cannot go to heaven with bodies of flesh and blood.
- 1 Corith 15:50. Flesh and blood cannot inherit God's kingdom.
Only persons who have been "born again" can share in the heavenly Kingdom. (John 1:12, 13; 3:3-5) This privilege was not limited to natural Jews, but extended to others of mankind, but only a little flock.
-Romans 8:16, 17; (Compare: 1 Peter 1:3, 4; Rev 14:1, 3)
What will this "little flock" of those "born of spirit" do in heaven?
Rev 20:6 --says they will be priests and rule as kings.
If these spirit anointed or "born again" holy ones, the 144,000 are to be kings who will they rule over?
Rev 5:10 answers: "and you made them to be a kingdom and priests to our God, and
they are to rule as kings over the earth." Only the 144,000 qualify to partake of the emblems, because the covenant for a kingdom is with them. Who selects those who go to heaven? Please read the answer at: Rom 9:6, 16.
What about all the billions of people who have ever lived on earth before Christ? Yes, what about those who are not "born again" can they be saved?
We have the example of King David a man agreeable to Jehovah's heart, but he did not go to heaven. -Acts 2:34.
John the Baptizer did not go to heaven. -Matt 11:11.
Psalms 37:9, 11, 29 shows clearly many will live as subjects of God's Kingdom on earth.
At John 10:16 Jesus said, "I have other sheep..." Who are these "other sheep" They are followers of the fine Shepherd, Jesus Christ, but are not in the "new covenant" sheepfold, with the hope of heavenly life. However, they do come to be closely associated with those in the covenant arrangement or fold.
Look again at, Rev 7:9 after seeing the 144,000, John next sees a
great crowd who come out of the great tribulation. (They live through the great tribulation, like Noah lived through the destruction of the earth in his day.- Matt 24:37-39; Proverbs 2:21, 22) Yes, there is to be a new heavens (Kingdom government) and a new earth (righteous subjects) -2 Peter 3:13; Rev 21:1-4.
Will they really experience a happy future on earth? Let God's word answer: Ps. 37:11; Rev 21:1-4; Micah 4:3, 4; Matthew 5:5. They will have the grand privilege of working in harmony with God's purpose regarding the earth. (Matt 6:9, 10; Gen 1:28; Isaiah 45:18.) God's purpose from the beginning was to have a global paradise filled with happy, healthy people and that purpose still stands.
What a grand privilege it will be bringing the earth to a perfect state filled with happy loving people all serving their heavenly Father Jehovah, no more influence of Satan and his seed, they will be gone. No more sickness, crime, hunger, war, or even death, instead of obituaries there will be resurrection announcements! True peace and security will be the prize for all those living on the earth. (Isaiah 65:21-25; 11:6-9) How is this possible? Through an education work, notice what Isaiah 11:9 says:
"They will not do any harm or cause any ruin in all my holy mountain; because the earth will certainly be filled with the knowledge of Jehovah as the waters are covering the very sea."All of this to glorify Jehovah, vindicating his sovereignty and sanctifying his most holy name.
So in answer to Jennifer's question, according to God's Holy Scriptures, only 144,000, who are in the covenant arrangement for a kingdom actually partake of the emblems, however, last year the worldwide Memorial of Christ's death, attendance was 18,168,323, all of these observing this important date in union with and in support of those spiritually born of God. Of these attendees only a remnant of the 144,000 still on earth (10,857 worldwide) actually partook of the emblems. Yes, there are two sheep folds, one with a heavenly hope and another with an earthly hope, all serving Jehovah's purpose unitedly as one flock.
I could not find a command that states
all must be spiritually born of God. Only those going to heaven, since flesh and blood cannot enter into the spiritual heavens. However, Jesus did leave commandments for
all his follwers to apply in their lives, namely:
"...You must love Jehovah your God with your whole heart and with your whole soul and with your whole mind. This is the greatest and first commandment. The second, like it, is this, 'You must love your neighbor as yourself.'" -Matthew 22:37-39
"Go therefore and make disciples of people of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the holy spirit, teaching them to observe all the things I have commanded you. And, look! I am with you all the days until the conclusion of the system of things." -Matt 28:19, 20
"I am giving you a new commandment, that you love one another; just as I have loved you. that you also love one another. By this all will know that you are my disciples, if you have love among yourselves." -John 13:34, 35
"This is my commandment, that you love one another just as I have loved you. No one has love greater than this, that someone should surrender his soul in behalf of his friends." -John 15:12, 13
My hope for you is that you may be spiritually refreshed by this "Good News of the Kingdom"! (Matt 4:23)
(If you read through this with out looking up the scriptures, please go back and take your time, read God's own words, prayerfully. For it is not what any man or woman says, rather it is what God says that counts.)
