Daily Retreat 11/24/08
2008 Nov 24 Mon: Andrew Dung-Lac, p, mt, & co., mts M
Rv 14: 1-3. 4b-5/ Ps 23(24): 1bc-2. 3-4ab. 5-6/ Lk 21: 1-4
From today’s readings: “I, John, looked and there was the Lamb standing on Mount Zion.... Lord, this is the people that longs to see Your face.... This poor widow put in more than all the rest....”
144,000
The Book of Revelation twice mentions a group of 144,000 faithful companions of the Lamb of God (Chapters Seven and Fourteen). The specification of this number does NOT mean that only 144,000 people will attain the eternal reward of Heaven - in fact, in addition to that group, there’s specifically mentioned another whole great uncountable multitude from every nation (cf. Rev. 7:9).
Like many numbers in the Apocalypse, this count of 144,000 is probably best understood in a symbolic sense - since there were twelve tribes of Israel (and twelve apostles), the number "12" has the connotation of fullness and completeness, so 12 x 12 (144) intensifies this meaning exponentially. In addition to a literal thousand, the number "1000" is also commonly used to imply any extremely huge number (as in, "I’ve told you a thousand times already...."), so 12 x 12 x 1000 (144,000) brings the fullness to an almost infinite dimension.
Now, this is not to say that the Book of Revelation is reduced to one big puzzle in numerology, for which one just needs to find the code in order to understand the mysteries of the universe - some people are fascinated by such speculation, but that can never be a legitimate understanding of the Apocalypse. However, it is entirely appropriate to consider the symbolic significance of many of the numbers in Revelation, because those numbers are provided specifically to help us come to the fullness of Revelation.
Rv 14: 1-3. 4b-5/ Ps 23(24): 1bc-2. 3-4ab. 5-6/ Lk 21: 1-4
From today’s readings: “I, John, looked and there was the Lamb standing on Mount Zion.... Lord, this is the people that longs to see Your face.... This poor widow put in more than all the rest....”
144,000
The Book of Revelation twice mentions a group of 144,000 faithful companions of the Lamb of God (Chapters Seven and Fourteen). The specification of this number does NOT mean that only 144,000 people will attain the eternal reward of Heaven - in fact, in addition to that group, there’s specifically mentioned another whole great uncountable multitude from every nation (cf. Rev. 7:9).
Like many numbers in the Apocalypse, this count of 144,000 is probably best understood in a symbolic sense - since there were twelve tribes of Israel (and twelve apostles), the number "12" has the connotation of fullness and completeness, so 12 x 12 (144) intensifies this meaning exponentially. In addition to a literal thousand, the number "1000" is also commonly used to imply any extremely huge number (as in, "I’ve told you a thousand times already...."), so 12 x 12 x 1000 (144,000) brings the fullness to an almost infinite dimension.
Now, this is not to say that the Book of Revelation is reduced to one big puzzle in numerology, for which one just needs to find the code in order to understand the mysteries of the universe - some people are fascinated by such speculation, but that can never be a legitimate understanding of the Apocalypse. However, it is entirely appropriate to consider the symbolic significance of many of the numbers in Revelation, because those numbers are provided specifically to help us come to the fullness of Revelation.
posted by FrPitstick | 11/22/2008
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