Insights into the 144,000 from the Alphabetics Approach

New:
9/11 Attack 144 Years Prior - Mormon Terrorist, John D. Lee.

  Introduction

There is a great deal of insight to be gained regarding the 144,000 by looking up words and pages 144 in scripture-based texts.

If this is your first exposure to "Alphabetics" you might want to glance at an introductory document or read a quick teaser.

  Page 144 in Zodhiates' NT Lexicon

The most immediately apparent correlation on page 144 in Zodhiates' NT Lexicon is word 313, calling to mind the birthing of the manchild, the kingdom of God that emerges from the woman or church of God.  The 144,000 are integral to that birth, epitomizing its generation.

313 anagennao (from ana, again, and gennao, to beget). To beget again, regenerate.  In the pass. anagennaomai, to be begotten again, regenerated.  It is equivalent to being a child of God or to be born of God (John 1:12,13; 1 John 3:9) or to be born from above (John 3:3), or becoming qualitatively new creation or creatures.

This matches well with word 144 in the Old Testament lexicon (Gesenius), adar, which means "fire."

Two other words on the page that likewise have immediate application to the idea of the 144,000 messengers of God are words 310, whose definition actually begins on the previous page, and 312:

310 anaboao To cry out loud, exclaim.

312 anaggello To announce, make known, declare, tell of things done, events.  To bring word, inform; of things future, to show beforehand, foretell; of the Christian doctrine, to declare, show forth, teach; of evil deeds, meaning to declare, confess.

Sandwiched in between these two word definitions is a definition that has tremendous meaning in our context.  Word 311 means "Delay."

Curious indeed that the word "delay" would be co-mingled with words that have to do with proclaiming prophecy.

On concept that comes to mind in combining these ideas is that those who do not avail themselves of reading the prophecies tend to say "the Lord delayeth his coming," and they become slothful and at ease.

Another concept, which I believe is even more significant here, is the Jonah phenomenon in which a prophet warns of destruction, the people repent, and the destruction is turned away.  In other words, the prophecy and the preparing and repenting actually delay the fulfillment, if not turning it away altogether.  This is because of vigilance, not slothfulness.

I would dare say that many of the 144,000 will have been among those who study the signs of the times, lift up a voice of warning, and prepare for various eventualities, most of which never transpire -- not because it was never going to transpire, but because the combined effort actually turned the thing away.  Ten righteous people is all it would have taken for Sodom and Gomorrah to have been spared.

Fittingly, the last word on page 144 means:

314 anaginosko To perceive accurately; to recognize; to know by reading.

  Word 144 in the NT Lexicon

Considering what is on page 144 of Zodhiates' NT lexicon, word 144 in the New Testament lexicon (Zodhiates) becomes a second witness:

144 aisthesis Perception, with the senses as well as the mind.  Pass., to become cognizant of.  Involves knowledge based upon experience.

It is the idea of alertness or awakeness in opposition to the idea of a drunken stupor or foolishness.  Notice the word implies knowledge not just from observation or precept, but from the fire of experience. "The people of the Lord are they who wait for him."  (2 Ne. 6:13.)

  Page 144 in Thayer's NT Lexicon

The first word definition on page 144 in Thayer's New Testament Lexicon means:

1316 diachorizo To separate thoroughly or wholly; to separate one's self, depart.

The obvious scripture that comes to mind in context of the 144,000 and this word is Isaiah 52:11

"Depart ye, depart ye, go ye out from thence, touch no unclean thing; go ye out of the midst of her; be ye clean, that bear the vessels of the LORD."

The rest of the words on the page have nearly identical meanings one to the other and are wholly applicable to the 144,000.  Words 1317 through 1322 mean, "apt and skilful in teaching (1317); that can be taught (1318); teaching, instruction (1319); a teacher (1320); to teach, to hold discourse (1321); teaching, doctrine (1322)."

  Page 144 in LDS Topical Guide

The following topic headings are found on page 144 of the LDS Topical Guide.  My comments as to the application are given [in brackets].

spilling over from page 143:
Feeling [perception / promptings of Holy Ghost]

Feet [how beautiful upon the mount are the feet of those who bringeth good tidings]

Fellowship [general assembly of church of firstborn]

Fellowshipping [144,000 bring as many as will into the Church of the Firstborn]

Female [bride/church of the bridegroom/Lord]

Fervent [faithful]

Fever [?]

Few [(1) straight is the gate and narrow the way, and few there be that find it; (2) 1 ne. 14:12; 2 ne 28:14]]

There are 143 verses in the scriptures (Bible, BofM, D&C, PGP) that use the word "few" at least once.  Vicinity counts for a lot in alphabetics.  143 is very close to 144.

  Page 144 in the Old Testament

Page 144 in the Old Testament (LDS) = Exodus 39:35 - 40:15a.

Exodus 40 chapter heading:

"The tabernacle is reared --- Aaron and his sons washed and anointed and given an everlasting priesthood --- Glory of the Lord fills the tabernacle --- A cloud covers the tabernacle by day, and fire rests on it by night."

Exodus 40 verse 4 [the idea of 44, as in one hundred and forty and four thousand]:

"And thou shalt bring in the table, and set in order the things that are to be set in order upon it; and thou shalt bring in the candlestick, and light the lamps thereof."

Candlestick is symbolic of the president of the church.

Other interesting particularly interesting or relevant phrases:

"the pure candlestick, ...to be set in order..." (Exo. 39:37)

"to do service in the holy place" (Exo. 39:41)

"And Moses did look upon all the work, and behold, they had done it as the Lord had commanded, even so had they done it: and Moses blessed them." (Exo. 39:43)

"the ark of the testimony, ...cover ...with the vail" (Exo. 40:3)

"anoint/anointing" x 7; "holy" x 3; "sanctify" x 3 (40:9-15)

  Page 144 in the Book of Mormon

Page 144 in the Book of Mormon = Words of Mormon 1:7-17, which conclude the "small plates" compilation by Nephi and introduce the "large plates" compilation by Mormon.  In other words, this is a transitional single-chapter book; symbolic of the transition that will take place as the gospel is taken from the Gentiles and brought to the house of Israel in power.  Also, reading between the lines it is another witness to the actual sealed 2/3 portion of the Book of Mormon that will come forth among a people who have been purified in conjunction with this transitional purging.

The very last verse of the page as well as the verse following it have strong imagery to the mission of the 144,000:

    17 For behold, king Benjamin was a holy man, and he did reign over his people in righteousness; and there were many holy men in the land, and they did speak the word of God with power and with authority; and they did use much sharpness because of the stiffneckedness of the people--
    18 Wherefore, with the help of these, king Benjamin, by laboring with all the might of his body and the faculty of his whole soul, and also the prophets, did once more establish peace in the land.

These "holy men in the land" were likewise involved in uprooting the false leaders.  This will likewise be a function of the 144,000.  Here's verse 15 and 16, that lead into verse 17 above:

15 And it came to pass that after there had been false Christs, and their mouths had been shut, and they punished according to their crimes;
16 And after there had been false prophets, and false preachers and teachers among the people, and all these having been punished according to their crimes; and after there having been much contention and many dissensions away unto the Lamanites, behold, it came to pass that king Benjamin, with the assistance of the holy prophets who were among his people--
[Now read verses 17 and 18 again.]

This is not the only overturning or 'setting in order' language.  Verse 14, also on page 144, speaks of the wars that were fought to rid the land of those who had forcefully occupied it:

14 And in the strength of the Lord they did contend against their enemies, until they had slain many thousands of the Lamanites. And it came to pass that they did contend against the Lamanites until they had driven them out of all the lands of their inheritance.

All of these concepts found on page 144 call to mind the overturning that is going to take place in conjunction with the setting of the house and kingdom of God in order.  The 144,000 will not just come into play after things are set in order but they will be part of the Lord's making bare his arm in the first place.  They are the arm of the Lord.

Another astonishing correlation here is that on the bottom of the page the approximate date is noted as "About A.D. 385."

Concurrent with this write-up on 144 I am working on a write-up on 385, the new telephone area code coming to Utah at the end of the year.  That might not mean much to you, but it is an astonishing validation for me.  It is a perfect illustration of how these various alphabetics word studies I have done are tied one to the next.

  Page 144 in the D&C

Page 144 in the Doctrine and Covenants covers sections 76:109b-119 and 77:1-2a.

In section 77 is found one of the most clear pronouncements regarding the role and identity of the 144,000:

    11 Q. 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?
    A. 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.

This explanation is mentioned briefly in the section overview that is found on page 144:

"11, The sealing of the 144,000."

I would say that is a pretty tight match.

There is also a tie between the contents of page 144 of the D&C and page 144 of the BofM.  Compare:

Note the chapter/verse numbering.  111 and 1:11.  One hundred and eleven is the number of God.

Note also that the wording earlier in Words of Mormon 1:11 "for there are great things written upon them;" and see how it compares to the continued context of D&C 76:113,114

113 This is the end of the vision which we saw, which we were commanded to write while we were yet in the Spirit.
114 But great and marvelous are the works of the Lord, and the mysteries of his kingdom which he showed unto us....

It continues, explaining that while this portion of the vision they were commanded to record, there were many other things which they beheld that they were commanded not to write.  A similar sentiment is expressed by Mormon in Words of Mormon 1:5, "I cannot write the hundredth part of the things of my people."

So it is with the 144,000, they are privy to things so glorious both in quality and quantity that they can't impart but a small portion.

D&C 76:116-118 on page 144 describe the qualities of the 144,000:

    116 Neither is man capable to make them known, for they are only to be seen and understood by the power of the Holy Spirit, which God bestows on those who love him, and purify themselves before him;
    117 To whom he grants this privilege of seeing and knowing for themselves;
    118 That through the power and manifestation of the Spirit, while in the flesh, they may be able to bear his presence in the world of glory.

  Page 144 in Gesenius OT Lexicon

Page 144 in Gesenius' lexicon to the Old Testament has several points of interest and relevance to the 144,000.

The first word on the page is:

1293 berakah (1) a blessing, benediction, invocation of good; benedictions, blessings; benefits, gifts divinely bestowed; (2) used of a man by the favour of God; extremely fortunate and happy; (3) a gift, present, by which one signifies favour and good will; (4) peace

One of the 144,000-relevant verses that comes to mind with this definition is, "How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of them that bringeth good tidings, that publisheth peace."  (Isa. 52:7; Nahum 1:15; 1 Ne. 13:37; Mosiah 12:21-37; 3 Ne. 20:40.)

Another is D&C 107:53,54:

    53 Three years previous to the death of Adam, he called Seth, Enos, Cainan, Mahalaleel, Jared, Enoch and Methuselah, who were all high priests, with the residue of his posterity who were righteous, into the valley of Adam-ondi-Ahman, and there bestowed upon them his last blessing.
    54 And the Lord appeared unto them, and they rose up and blessed Adam, and called him Michael, the prince, the archangel.

After the cleansing of the Gentiles, there will yet again be such a conference, which will likely be the place from which the 144,000 are called, ordained by angels, and sent forth to gather as many as will from the house of Israel into the church of the firstborn. (D&C 77:14.)

Word 1296 on page 144 means "whom Jehovah blessed."

Word 1298 on the page, like 1293, means "gift," which is also the meaning of the very last word in the Hebrew lexicon, tying into the idea of omega, or the end times, which is when the 144,000 have their ministry.

Word 1295 means "a pool, pond," and includes in its explanation a mention of "the fountain Shiloah."  This conveys the 144,000-relevant concept of "whose right is is" with the overturning of Satan's reign. (Ezek. 21:27.)

Word 1299, "to send lightning, used of God; thunder" signifying the presence of God with the 144,000 is found once in the Old Testament: Psalm 144.

  Page 144 in Strong's Concordance

At the top of page 144 in James Strong's Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible is listed the first and last words on the two open pages, 144 and 145.  The two words are as follows:

Brethren
Bring

This calls to mind D&C 77:11:

    11 Q. 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?
    A. 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.

by Sterling D. Allan; Manti, Utah; June 27, 2000

  Bibliography

This page commenced on June 25, 2000
Page last updated on June 23, 2003
  visits since June 23, 2003