While investigating the WTS concept of "two classes of Christians" - the first being a Heavenly Ruling Class made up of the 144,000, and the second an Earthly Subject Class - I decided to investigate the basic WTS premise that all of the 144,000 are to be "Rulers with Christ". Although I'm sure something similar has been posted before, I thought I would share some of the information I found and would very much appreciate any comments on the strengths and weaknesses in my argumentation.
I apologize for the length of this posting but in order to provide proof, I have included the scriptures in full as they pertain to each topic, with my comments below.
Cheers
Artful
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144,000
Revelation 7:4
Then I heard the number of those who were sealed: 144,000 from all the tribes of Israel.
Revelation 14:1
1Then I looked, and there before me was the Lamb, standing on Mount Zion, and with him 144,000 who had his name and his Father's name written on their foreheads. 2And I heard a sound from heaven like the roar of rushing waters and like a loud peal of thunder. The sound I heard was like that of harpists playing their harps. 3And they sang a new song before the throne and before the four living creatures and the elders. No one could learn the song except the 144,000 who had been redeemed from the earth. 4These are those who did not defile themselves with women, for they kept themselves pure. They follow the Lamb wherever he goes. They were purchased from among men and offered as firstfruits to God and the Lamb. 5No lie was found in their mouths; they are blameless.
COMMENT: These are the only two references in the Bible to the 144,000. In neither instance are they referred to as "ruling with Christ". In fact, there is no mention of the 144,000 acting in any special judging or ruling capacity in the Kingdom of God. The connection of the 144,000 and ruling seems to be taken from the the mention of the 144,000 as "firstfruits", and the assertion that those taking part in the "first resurrection" (Rev 20 - see below) are the same as those referred to as "firstfruits". The question then is do any scriptures make this connection (see "other references to firstfruits" below)?
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Those who would rule with Christ - the "first resurrection"
Revelation 20:1-6
4I saw thrones on which were seated those who had been given authority* to judge. And I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded because of their testimony for Jesus and because of the word of God. They had not worshiped the beast or his image and had not received his mark on their foreheads or their hands. They came to life and reigned with Christ a thousand years. 5(The rest of the dead did not come to life until the thousand years were ended.) This is the first resurrection. 6Blessed and holy are those who have part in the first resurrection. The second death has no power over them, but they will be priests of God and of Christ and will reign with him for a thousand years.
*To whom did Jesus grant the authority to judge
Matthew 19:28
28Jesus said to them, "I tell you the truth, at the renewal of all things, when the Son of Man sits on his glorious throne, you who have followed me will also sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel.
Luke 22:29-30
29And I confer on you a kingdom, just as my Father conferred one on me, 30so that you may eat and drink at my table in my kingdom and sit on thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel.
COMMENT: Jesus said that he would grant authority for his twelve disciples to sit on twelve thrones judging the 12 tribes of Israel. The 12 tribes of Israel (or spiritual Israel of God) are referred to in Revelation 7:4 collectively as the 144,000. It then follows that those whom Jesus granted authority would be judging the 144,000, they are not referred to as being the 144,000.
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Others who would rule/judge
1Corinthians 6:1-3
1If any of you has a dispute with another, dare he take it before the ungodly for judgment instead of before the saints? 2Do you not know that the saints will judge the world? And if you are to judge the world, are you not competent to judge trivial cases? 3Do you not know that we will judge angels? How much more the things of this life!
COMMENT: Paul seems to indicate that there would be others besides the 12 disciples of Christ who would be judging.
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Other scriptural references to "firstfruits"
Romans 11:16
If the part of the dough offered as firstfruits is holy, then the whole batch is holy; if the root is holy, so are the branches.
COMMENT: Paul indicates that Christ - being the holy firstfruit - has made his entire congregation holy also.
1 Corinthians 15:20
But Christ has indeed been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep.
James 1:18
He chose to give us birth through the word of truth, that we might be a kind of firstfruits of all he created.
COMMENT: No connection is made linking those refered to as "firstfruits" with those who are judging or ruling with Christ as part of the "first resurrection". Although it could be theorized that if Paul said that the "saints" or "holy ones" are to judge the world, and these are part of the "firstfruits" then the some of the 144,000 may be ruling with Christ. The "firstfruits" or 144,000 could then represent the entire Christian congregation or "spritual Israel of God" which is to be ruled over by those whom Jesus grants the "authority to judge".
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References to a "first resurrection" - those who would rule with Christ
1 Thessalonians 4:16-17
16For the Lord himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. 17After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will be with the Lord forever.
COMMENT: Those dead in Christ rise first - seemingly corresponding to the "first resurrection". Even if this were so it could logically still refer only to those who had "been given authority to judge" by Jesus and not the entire "spiritual Israel" of God or 144,000.
Luke 20:35-36
35But those who are considered worthy of taking part in that age and in the resurrection from the dead will neither marry nor be given in marriage, 36and they can no longer die; for they are like the angels. They are God's children, since they are children of the resurrection.
COMMENT: Jesus indicates that those who are worthy of a resurrection of life no longer die (though these are not all necessarily part of the first resurrection). NOTE: As these ones are "like the angels" this also seems to refute the theory that after the "Great Tribulation" the resurrection would take place in an earthly realm.
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What about the "better resurrection"
Hebrews 11:35
35Women received back their dead, raised to life again. Others were tortured and refused to be released, so that they might gain a better resurrection.
COMMENT: This scripture has been used by some to give support to the idea of a better resurrection (heavenly vs earthly), trying to connect this with those partaking in the first resurrection. However, this scripture (see Insight on Scriptures 1 page 785) clearly states that the better resurrection is so because those experiencing it would not die again as those who were resurrected before Jesus time did. Not because there were going to be two classes of resurrection in God's Kingdom.
COMMENT: In all of these scriptures, although there are those whom Jesus grants "authority to judge" or rule with him, there appears to be no evidence that these are literally represented by the 144,000.
ADDITIONAL SIDEPOINT: In all of these scriptures, although there is a reference to two resurrections in Revelation 20, there is no reference to different destinations for these resurrections (earthly vs. heavenly). They all reference a heavenly resurrection.