After the nuclear conflict at seal 6, there are 144,000 believers sealed (i.e., protected from harm) from all the tribes of Israel.

Hitgalut (Revelation) 7:1-8
1 After these things I saw four angels standing at the four corners of the earth, holding the four winds of the earth, that the wind should not blow on the earth, on the sea, or on any tree.
2 Then I saw another angel ascending from the east, having the seal of the living Elohim. And he cried with a loud voice to the four angels to whom it was granted to harm the earth and the sea,
3 saying, “Do not harm the earth, the sea, or the trees till we have sealed the servants of our Elohim on their foreheads.”
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:
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;
6 of the tribe of Asher twelve thousand were sealed; of the tribe of Naphtali twelve thousand were sealed; of the tribe of Manasseh twelve thousand were sealed;
7 of the tribe of Simeon twelve thousand were sealed; of the tribe of Levi twelve thousand were sealed; of the tribe of Issachar twelve thousand were sealed;
8 of the tribe of Zebulun twelve thousand were sealed; of the tribe of Joseph twelve thousand were sealed; of the tribe of Benjamin twelve thousand were sealed.

Revelation 9:4 tells us that the 144,000 are protected from harm through trumpet 5 (halfway through the tribulation).

Hitgalut (Revelation) 9:1-5
1 Then the fifth messenger sounded: And I saw a star fallen from heaven to the earth. To him was given the key to the bottomless pit.
2 And he opened the bottomless pit, and smoke arose out of the pit like the smoke of a great furnace. So the sun and the air were darkened because of the smoke of the pit.
3 Then out of the smoke locusts came upon the earth. And to them was given power, as the scorpions of the earth have power.
4 They were commanded not to harm the grass of the earth, or any green thing, or any tree, but only those men who do not have the seal of Elohim on their foreheads.
5 And they were not given authority to kill them, but to torment them for five months. Their torment was like the torment of a scorpion when it strikes a man.

The 144,000 are before the throne in heaven by trumpet 7, having been “redeemed from the earth” (i.e., they are dead). They probably died during trumpet 6 (as they were sealed from harm through trumpet 5).

Hitgalut (Revelation) 14:1-5
1 Then I looked, and behold, a Lamb standing on Mount Tzion, and with Him one hundred and forty-four thousand, having His Father’s name written on their foreheads.
2 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.
3 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.
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 Elohim and to the Lamb.
5 And in their mouth was found no deceit, for they are without fault before the throne of Elohim.

Some like to argue that Mount Tsion in verse 1 is the earthly Mount Tsion, but this makes no sense because in verse 3 they sing before Yahweh’s throne and the four living creatures (which are only in heaven). Verse 4 also says they are “redeemed from among men” and “firstfruits to Elohim,” which means they are martyrs.

Later we will see that when Yeshua returns to earth at the Battle of Armageddon, the 144,000 probably come with Him. They are likely the “armies in heaven” who follow Him on white horses (verse 14).

Hitgalut (Revelation) 19:11-16
11 Now I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse. And He who sat on him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness He judges and makes war.
12 His eyes were like a flame of fire, and on His head were many crowns. He had a name written that no one knew except Himself.
13 He was clothed with a robe dipped in blood, and His name is called The Word of Elohim.
14 And the armies in heaven, clothed in fine linen, white and clean, followed Him on white horses.
15 Now out of His mouth goes a sharp sword, that with it He should strike the nations. And He Himself will rule them with a rod of iron. He Himself treads the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty Elohim.
16 And He has on His robe and on His banner a name written: KING OF KINGS AND MASTER OF MASTERS.

When the 144,000 are first numbered in Revelation 7 (above), both Manasseh and Joseph are named, while Dan and Ephraim are not named. Since Joseph is comprised of both Manasseh and Ephraim, Ephraim is listed, while Manasseh is effectively listed twice. To understand the symbolism here, let us recall that when the ten northern tribes of Ephraim broke away from the southern kingdom of Judah, their new king, Jeroboam, set up golden calves in Dan and Beth El (in the borders of Dan and Ephraim, respectively).

Melachim Aleph (1 Kings) 12:28-31
28 Therefore the king asked advice, made two calves of gold, and said to the people, “It is too much for you to go up to Jerusalem. Here are your elohim, O Israel, which brought you up from the land of Egypt!”
29 And he set up one in Bethel [in the territory of Ephraim], and the other he put in Dan [in the tribal territory of Dan].
30 Now this thing became a sin, for the people went to worship before the one as far as Dan.
31 He made shrines on the high places, and made priests from every class of people, who were not of the sons of Levi.

If we remember that idolatry is spiritual adultery, then Revelation is saying that anyone who practices idolatry (and particularly the idolatry of Jeroboam) is not a spiritual virgin (Revelation 14:5), and will therefore not be included in the 144,000.

What is the idolatry of Jeroboam? In Nazarene Israel we show how Jeroboam pushed the fall feast days back a month, and established idol worship in places other than Jerusalem. He also established a priesthood that was not of the sons of Levi. This was a prophetic foreshadowing of the Christian church, in which the fall feast days are moved back (from Tabernacles to Christmas), Jerusalem is replaced by Rome, and a false Roman priesthood replaces both the Levitical and Melchizedekian orders.

Revelation 7 also speaks of a great multitude dressed in white who are before the throne (verse 9). Verse 14 says they “come out of the great tribulation,” meaning they die in the tribulation, and go to be with Elohim.

Hitgalut (Revelation) 7:9-17
9 After these things I looked, and behold, a great multitude which no one could number, of all nations, tribes, peoples, and tongues, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed with white robes, with palm branches in their hands,
10 and crying out with a loud voice, saying, “Salvation belongs to our Elohim who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb!”
11 All the angels stood around the throne and the elders and the four living creatures, and fell on their faces before the throne and worshiped Elohim,
12 saying: “Amein! Blessing and glory and wisdom, Thanksgiving and honor and power and might, Be to our Elohim forever and ever. Amein.”
13 Then one of the elders answered, saying to me, “Who are these arrayed in white robes, and where did they come from?”
14 And I said to him, “Adon, you know.” So he said to me, “These are the ones who come out of the great tribulation, and washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.
15 Therefore they are before the throne of Elohim, and serve Him day and night in His temple. And He who sits on the throne will dwell among them.
16 They shall neither hunger anymore nor thirst anymore; the sun shall not strike them, nor any heat;
17 for the Lamb who is in the midst of the throne will shepherd them and lead them to living fountains of waters. And Elohim will wipe away every tear from their eyes.”

As we proceed further into the end times, we need to look at life and death from Yahweh’s perspective. This world is not our home. Therefore, if we come under persecution, we should not fear it.

Luqa (Luke) 12:4-5
4 “And I say to you, My friends, do not be afraid of those who kill the body, and after that have no more that they can do.
5 But I will show you whom you should fear: Fear Him who, after He has killed, has power to cast into hell; yes, I say to you, fear Him!”

Of course we want to avoid persecution (and we will address that later in this study), but if we come into persecution, we must ask Yahweh to help us be faithful to Him, so that we may receive the crown of eternal life.

Hitgalut (Revelation) 2:10
10 “Do not fear any of those things which you are about to suffer. Indeed, the devil is about to throw some of you into prison, that you may be tested, and you will have tribulation ten days. Be faithful until death, and I will give you the crown of life.”