144,000 VIRGINS (REVELATION 14:1-5)

This is one of the most puzzling images in a book filled with nothing but puzzles. And as usual in interpreting Revelation, there are a number of interrelated factors that go together to shape one's view of any particular detail in the book. While realizing this reality, it is still tempting to isolate one specific image, such as those who are pictured as “virgins who have never been polluted with women” and see if any sense can be made of it.

G.K. Beale has provided us with a fairly thorough review of opinions regarding the meaning of this phrase. So, I will begin by using it as a general template to present the major points of view on the subject. These fall into two categories, the literal and the figurative.

Literal Understanding

a. a particular group of celibate men and women is in mind

Some commentators take this view, but to do so requires them to paradoxically take the word “virgin” literally while ignoring the fact that the literal Greek also indicates that only men are being being referred to. Similarly, they feel bound to take the number 144,000 literally when throughout the OT and NT, 12 refers to the people of God, whether it is the 12 tribes of Israel or the 12 apostles. And the number 1,000 is used in both Testaments more times as a representative of an unspecified large number than as a literal number. The product of those three figurative numbers (7x7x1,000) would hardly be expected to refer to a literal number, so neither would the term “virgin.”

Beale points to some earlier commentators, such as Moffatt, who felt that 'virgins' was “a literal reference to a group of celibate men or to celibate men and women (cf. Matt. 19:12). One problem with these literal views is that nowhere else does Scripture view sexual relations within the bond of marriage as sinful. Furthermore, if the 144,000 is a symbol for the entire people of God, that would mean that John required celibacy for the whole church, which is improbable.”

b. those living in times that were not conducive to regular married lives

Walvoord says, “Reference to the purity of the 144,000 could be recognition that during the difficult times of the Tribulation they could not have led normal married lives.” But even this vaunted literalist waffles on this view, as can be seen below.

c. those married or single people who abstained from sexual immorality

F.F. Bruce states that celibacy “implies that married men have 'defiled themselves with women' – something so contrary to the uniform biblical teaching on marriage (cf. Heb. 13:4) that it is unlikely to be introduced incidentally in so thoroughly 'Hebraic' a book as this. More probably the reference is to people who have been, in the language of the Pastoral Letters, 'the husband on one wife.'”

d. those men who abstained from sexual practices at pagan temples

That concept is certainly included in the term “virgin” but should not be specifically limited to it.

Carrington is one of the few commentators who have adopted this stance, but as Beale point out, “even he remains open to a more figurative understanding.”

Figurative Understanding

Morris summarizes the objections to the literal view with the following words: “they were not defiled by women; for they are virgins. This is surprising, in the first instance because the 144,000 stands for the whole church and it is not easy to apply the first part of the saying to women members, nor the second part to men, and in the second instance because the New Testament does not regard sexual relations as defiling. This idea was found in the ancient world, and in time became prominent in the church. But it is not found in the New Testament.”

a. military imagery

This idea begins with the understanding voiced by Kim: “The risen Christ, the victorious Lamb, is present with his church (Rev. 1:13; 21) and leads it as his army (Rev 14:1,4; 17:14) into the battle against the satanic trinity.”

“Caird argues that the symbolism of v. 4 is based on the background of Israelite soldiers being required to preserve ceremonial purity before battle (e.g. Deut. 23:9-10; 1 Sam. 21:5; 2 Sam. 11:8-11...While possible, this does not account for the dominating metaphor of virginity, which is an essential part of the symbolism.” (Beale)

The Dictionary of Biblical Imagery mixes this metaphor with that in category c below: “In Revelation the church is pictured as an army...which follows a Lamb singing and playing harps (Rev 14:1-4) and which goes into battle like a bride wearing wedding garments rather than armor (Rev 19:7-8,14).”

b. OT imagery for Israel

“The word 'virgin' is repeatedly applied to the nation of Israel in the OT...As is typical in Revelation, this description of Israel is now applied to the church...In the OT Israel's idolatries, as well as their political and economic practices, were pictured as 'harlotry'...Their worship of idols was referred to as 'defilement'. The picture of preventing 'pollution' occurred earlier in Revelation to refer to Christians who had not identified with idolatrous institutions such as emperor worship or trade guild idolatry...The same notion is conveyed here.” (Beale and McDonough)

Somewhat surprisingly, Walvoord appears to lean toward this figurative understanding. He admits that the virginity of the 144,000 “may refer to spiritual purity, often symbolized by virginity (cf. 2 Kings 19:21; Isa. 37:22; Jer. 18:13; 31:4,21; Lam. 2:13; Amos 5:2). In 2 Corinthians 11:2 the concept of virginity is extended to the entire church, including both sexes.”

c. NT bride of Christ imagery

“The identity of the 144,000 seems determined by 7:1-8 and 5:9,10. John would hardly represent two different groups by such an extraordinary and obviously symbolic number...We therefore take this vision to portray the Church possessing the advent glory of Christ in the millennial age...it is impossible, therefore to regard it as numbering unmarried men only. It seems best to interpret the language as symbolic, denoting the spiritual purity of men and women who form the bride of Christ (cf. 2 Cor. 11:2).” (Beasley-Murray)

“A leading ingredient in the Bible's eschatological images of the future age is the restored wholeness that glorified saints will finally enjoy in perpetuity...At one is the union of people with God and Christ, pictured as a marriage (Rev 19:7; 21:2,9) and as an existence in which the redeemed follow the Lamb wherever he goes.” (Rev 14:4 RSV).” (DBI)

Immediate Context

Above, I have already mentioned the effect the words “144,000” and the concept of a male “virgin” have on our understanding. The other imagery in Revelation 14:1-4 which needs to be taken into account in any interpretation is the reference to these people as being “first fruits.” That would seem to indicate that this is just one particular group of the saved such as perhaps the martyrs, not the whole church. But that is not necessarily the case, as the following two commentators note:

“The risen Jesus...is the 'beginning of God's [new] creation' (Rev 3:14; cf. 1:5; Col 1:15,18), and those who obediently follow this Lamb are its 'first fruits' (aparche, Rev 14:4; cf. 11:11).” (C.C. Newman)

Wilkins addresses this question with the same answer as above: “Those who have been chosen by God for salvation in Christ are the firstfruits of a redeemed creation (cf. 2 Thess 2:13; Rev 14:4; Rom 8:19-23).” Therefore there is no need to posit a particular group of believers such as the martyrs for this “first group of people,” since what follows will apparently be whatever remainder of God's created universe He chooses to save.