The Watchtower Society (WTS), is the governing body of the group known
as "Jehovah's Witnesses". Around 1950 the WTS published its own version
of the Bible, known as "The New World Translation of the Holy Scriptures"
(NWT), it was translated by the New World Bible Translation Committee,
who have remained anonymous.
The reason given for maintaining anonymity
is that they wish Jehovah to get all the credit for the work. Sounds
commendable! However, the writers of the books of the Bible did not
feel it necessary to remain anonymous and nobody gives them the credit
for their work. In reality, another reason lies behind their quest
for anonymity - nobody can check their qualifications.
And I heard the number of those who were sealed, a hundred and forty-four thousand, sealed out of every tribe of the sons of Israel. Revelation 7:4 NWT.
According to the WTS the body of Christ, the Christian Church, is limited to 144,000 people. The gathering of these people began at Pentecost and ended in the year 1935 at which time the door to heaven closed.
New believers (Jehovah's Witnesses) since 1935 are, according to the WTS., the "great crowd" mentioned in Revelation 7:9. Only those who are part of the 144,000 have any hope of going to heaven; the "great crowd" can only hope for everlasting life on a renewed earth.
Nowhere does the Bible indicate that the body of Christ will be composed of only 144,000 people, nor does it mention the year 1935.
Notice in the above verse where the 144,000 are drawn from:
The WTS teaches that the Christian congregation is symbolically portrayed here as "spiritual Israel" and therefore the 144,000 are actually drawn from among every nation.
In other words, the verse does not mean what it says; it means what the WTS wants it to mean.
Their interpretation of this verse does not stand up to examination; we need only read the next four verses.
Out of the tribe of Judah twelve thousand sealed;
out of the tribe of Reuben twelve thousand; etc.
through all the remaining tribes -
Gad;
Asher;
Naphtali;
Manasseh;
Simeon;
Levi;
Issachar;
Zebulun;
Joseph and Benjamin.
Could God's Word be any clearer as to where the 144,000 come from? Twelve thousand from each of the 12 tribes of Israel.
Also, look at verse one of chapter 7, it begins:
After what? Well, if you read the preceding chapter you will discover that it is after the Lord Jesus Christ has opened six of the seven seals, the first four seals releasing the Four horsemen of the Apocalypse; the fifth revealing the souls of those who were slaughtered because of their Christian faith and the sixth, an earthquake with terrible repercussions on earth (Rev. 6:12-16)
My point is this. These events are yet future, but they take place before the 144,000 are sealed, read the account in Revelation Chapter 7 vvs 1 - 4.
Then! In Chapter 8, the seventh seal is opened.