These are Jews not just in Israel or America but from all over the world chosen, sealed to evangelize the world during the tribulation period. They will communicate to people in every language in each country fulfilling Mt.24:14: “after these things” those who come out of the tribulation are the result of their evangelizing. The Bible teaches they are “sealed” on earth during the “great tribulation,” at the 7th seal when God’s wrath is to come on planet earth. So 6 seals have already been opened. Rev.7:7-9 explains that the great multitude are Gentiles (including Jews) from all the nations who listen to their preaching accept the gospel and turn away from the false Messiah.

Who are they? Rev 7:4 “And I heard the number of those who were sealed. One hundred and forty-four thousand of all the tribes of the children of Israel were sealed:

All the tribes are mentioned. Any good Bible student knows we cannot change the literal to figurative to fit our preconceived ideas in doctrine. There must be a consistency for our interpretation. The word tribes is always used in Scripture of literal ethnic groups. Children of Israel- are Jews (no gentiles). The term is consistently used of the people of Israel distinguished from Gentiles, so they cannot be Gentiles. Gen. 32 onward this term is consistently used of those with Jewish descent, so it cannot be applied to Gentiles.

Exodus 1:1-5: “Now these are the names of the children of Israel who came to Egypt; each man and his household came with Jacob: Reuben, Simeon, Levi, and Judah; Issachar, Zebulun, and Benjamin; Dan, Naphtali, Gad, and Asher. All those who were descendants of Jacob were seventy persons (for Joseph was in Egypt already).”

They are Jews by birthright, they do not become “spiritual Israel” as some teach. We may not know who these people are but God does, He is the one that chooses them and seals them for ministry. All this demands a literal interpretation of the passage. If we take the terms used foe great crowd “of all nations, tribes, peoples, and tongues” (Rev 7:9, same term used in Rev.5:9) to be literal, what would be the reason we do not take “Israel” to be literal?

They are sealed (a seal protects, like in a document keeps it from being opened; Gr. sphragizo- to set a mark upon by the impress of a seal or a stamp, it also included a) for security: from Satan since things sealed up are concealed (as the contents of a letter), to hide, keep in silence, keep secret).

In other words it protects them from death to do their service in evangelizing. This is the intent as God holds off the judgment on the earth and the sea until they are sealed (Rev.7:2-3)

Rev 7:4 - After we are given the number of those sealed, John then names 12,000 from each tribe there is no way to change its meaning from the way the Bible has used it for thousands of years. These are Jews. The great multitude are mostly gentiles from all the nations while the 144,000 are strictly Jews.

They are all identified by tribe, divided by the exact number of 12,000 from each- Rev. 7:5-8 v.5 “of the tribe of Judah twelve thousand were sealed; of the tribe of Reuben twelve thousand were sealed; of the tribe of Gad twelve thousand were sealed” In fact this is a consistent pattern in Rev 21:10-12 John sees the “great city, the holy Jerusalem, descending out of heaven from God,” he describes her in v.12 as with a great and high wall with twelve gates, and twelve angels at the gates, and names written on them, which are the names of the twelve tribes of the children of Israel”

The 144,000 are called the firstfruits of more to come

They are all chaste men who are saved on earth, none of them are married Rev. 14:4: “These are the ones who were not defiled with women, for they are virgins. These are the ones who follow the Lamb wherever He goes. These were redeemed from among men, being firstfruits to God and to the Lamb.” So they cannot be women.

They are Male virgins (no women) as they will have to give up everything for this short calling to evangelize through the tribulation, so they are not married. They are pure, not tempted as virgins (chaste). They follow Jesus wherever he leads – even in the most dangerous places.

Rev 14:1-5 Then I looked, and behold, a Lamb standing on Mount Zion, and with Him one hundred and forty-four thousand, having His Father's name written on their foreheads. And I heard a voice from heaven, like the voice of many waters, and like the voice of loud thunder. And I heard the sound of harpists playing their harps. They sang as it were a new song before the throne, before the four living creatures, and the elders; and no one could learn that song except the hundred and forty-four thousand who were redeemed from the earth. These are the ones who were not defiled with women, for they are virgins. These are the ones who follow the Lamb wherever He goes. These were redeemed from among men, being firstfruits to God and to the Lamb. And in their mouth was found no deceit, for they are without fault before the throne of God.

They are all seen with Jesus on Mount Zion, on Earth in a vision of the millennium when Jesus returns to end the Great Tribulation is finished- Rev. 14:1. The 144,000 are seen with Jesus on Mt. Zion, this shows that they were successful and survived armegeddon, accomplishing the Lords service.