From the wilderness of Paran, the Israelites sent a cadre to spy out the Promised Land, which suggest that a company of saints will be adopted as sons of God Almighty.

…  waiting eagerly for our adoption as sons, the redemption of our body.  Romans 8:23  NASB

Other patterns that we have used as we considered the spiritual progression of humanity likewise foreshadow the adoption of saints as sons of God Almighty.  In the progression through the seven-step, decline-increase pattern for spiritual day/age 5 (Illustration 5.2), we have arrived at the seventh and final step when saints will reach the 100-fold level of production of spiritual fruit.  In the pattern of the Mosaic tabernacle, the veil before the Holy of Holies corresponds to the adoption of saints as sons of God Almighty after they have been trained and disciplined by God Almighty.  Jesus’ adoption as a Son of God Almighty suggests that there will be a public aspect to the adoption which will be noted by bystanders, but the significance of the event may not be understood by them.

Beyond the veil and in the Holy of Holies is the ark of the covenant, over which resides God Almighty’s presence.  The parallelism within each of the following scriptures suggests that, for humanity, the Holy Spirit is synonymous with God Almighty’s presence.

Do not cast me away from Thy presence,  /  And do not take Thy Holy Spirit from me.  Psalms 51:11  NASB

Where can I go from Thy Spirit?   /  Or where can I flee from Thy presence?  Psalms 139:7  NASB

Here then is an indication that those who figuratively pass through the veil into the Holy of Holies and God Almighty’s presence will receive the Holy Spirit without measure, as did Jesus.

“For He whom God has sent speaks the words of God; for He gives the Spirit without measure.”  John 3:34  NASB

The church, having received the first fruits of the Spirit (Rom 8:23) in the first century and a renewal in the twentieth century, can look forward to a great outpouring of the Holy Spirit upon those adopted as sons.

Within the ark of the covenant, Moses placed a jar of manna, Aaron’s rod that budded, and the two tablets with the ten commandments.

And behind the second veil, there was a tabernacle which is called the Holy of Holies, having a golden altar of incense and the ark of the covenant covered on all sides with gold, in which was a golden jar holding manna, and Aaron’s rod which budded, and the tables of the covenant.  Hebrews 9:3-4  NASB

Each of these items suggests an aspect of the ministry of adopted sons.

The manna in the golden jar was a reminder for the Israelites of their sustenance from heaven while in the wilderness.

“I am the bread of life.  Your fathers ate the manna in the wilderness, and they died.  This is the bread which comes down out of heaven, so that one may eat of it and not die.”  John 6:48-50  NASB

Here then is an indication that Jesus, as the bread of life, will provide sustenance for the adopted sons.  Recall that sons, or anyone else, eating food from heaven means that they do the will of God Almighty and accomplish his work (John 4:32-34).

Aaron’s rod that budded was the means by which the house of Levi was established as the source of priests of God Almighty.

Now it came about on the next day that Moses went into the tent of the testimony; and behold, the rod of Aaron for the house of Levi had sprouted and put forth buds and produced blossoms, and it bore ripe almonds.  Numbers 17:8  NASB

Here then is a suggestion that the adopted sons will be priests of God Almighty with a special ministry.

The two tablets in the ark of the covenant represent the Law enacted with the Israelites and suggest that the adopted sons, during their ministry, will exhibit a righteousness and holiness consistent with the standards in the Law.

The spiritual hierarchy (Illustration 5.4) established characterizations in male-female terms of the designated levels of production of spiritual fruit for the church.  The apostate church with no spiritual fruit and the reformed church at the designated, 30-fold level of spiritual fruit were portrayed as female in visions in Revelation.  The Pentecostal Revival of the 1900’s brought a return of a segment of the church to the designated, 60-fold level of production of spiritual fruit, the level at which the characterization of the church can be either male or female.  The saints adopted as sons of God Almighty at the designated, 100-fold level of production of spiritual fruit are only characterized as males in visions in Revelation.

And I looked, and behold, the Lamb was standing on Mount Zion, and with Him one hundred and forty-four thousand, having His name and the name of His Father written on their foreheads.  …  And they sang a new song before the throne and the four living creatures and the elders; and no one could learn the song except the one hundred and forty-four thousand who had been purchased from the earth.  These are the ones who have not been defiled with women, for they are celibates.  These are the ones who follow the Lamb wherever He goes.  These have been purchased from among men as first fruits to God and to the Lamb.  And no lie was found in their mouth; they are blameless.  Revelation 14:1,3-5  NASB

The 144,000 have been purchased from the earth and are celibate males because they have not been defiled with women, which mean that they are the pure component of the category of Man.

The number 144,000 can be represented as (100 + 40 + 4) x 1,000.  One hundred represents the 100-fold level of production of spiritual fruit for these adopted sons.  Forty represents the trials, testings, and discipline that these saints have endured in preparation for their adoption as sons of God Almighty.  Four represent the classical elements of the earth and indicates that those in this company of saints are still in their earthly journey.

The factorization of the number 144,000 as 120 x 100 x 12 reinforces these characterizations of this company of saints.  The factor of 120 suggests the 120 who on the day of Pentecost received new power of the Holy Spirit for their ministry and indicates that The 144,000 will receive new power for their ministries from the Holy Spirit.  The factor 100 suggests the 100-fold level of production of spiritual fruit for these saints who have been purified by the fiery furnace of affrication and adopted as sons.  The factor 12 corresponds to the 12 tribes of ancient Israel and to Jesus’ 12 disciples and suggests that The 144,000 company will be chosen by God Almighty for a special role.

The 144,000 will fulfill Jesus’ statement that there would be a future Elijah ministry.

And His disciples asked Him saying, “Why then do the scribes say that Elijah must come first?”  And He answered and said, “Elijah is coming and will restore all things; but I say to you, that Elijah already came, and they did not recognize him, but did to him whatever they wished.  So also the Son of Man is going to suffer at their hands.”  Then the disciples understood that He had spoken to them about John the Baptist.  Matthew 17:10-13  NASB

Elijah’s ministry included a call for the abolition of the worship of false gods.  First, Elijah pronounced judgment upon King Ahaziah because he inquired of another god.

And Ahaziah fell through the lattice in his upper chamber which was in Samaria, and became ill.  So he sent messengers and said to them, “Go, inquire of Baal-zebub, the god of Ekron, whether I shall recover from this sickness”.  But the angel of the LORD said to Elijah the Tisbite, “Arise, go up to meet the messengers of the king of Samaria and say to them, ‘Is it because there is no God in Israel that you are going to inquire of Baal-zebub, the god of Ekron?’  Now therefore thus says the LORD, ‘You shall not come down from the bed where you have gone up, but you shall surely die.’ ”  Then Elijah departed.  2Kings 1:2-4  NASB

Later, Elijah confronted and challenged the prophets of Baal.

Then Elijah said to the people, “I alone am left a prophet of the LORD, but Baal’s prophets are 450 men.  Now let them give us two oxen; and let them chose one ox for themselves and cut it up, and place it on the wood, but put no fire under it; and I will prepare the other ox, and lay it on the wood, and I will not put a fire under it.  Then you call on the name of your god, and I will call on the name of the LORD, and the God who answers by fire, He is God.”  And all the people answered and said, “That is a good idea.”  1Kings 18:22-24  NASB

Then, Elijah called fire down from heaven and destroyed the prophets of Baal.

Then it came about at the time of the offering of the evening sacrifice, that Elijah the prophet came near and said, “O LORD, the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, today let it be known that Thou art God in Israel, and that I am Thy servant, and that I have done all these things at Thy word.  Answer me, O LORD, answer me, that this people may know that Thou, O LORD, art God, and that Thou hast turned their heart back again.”  Then fire of the LORD fell, and consumed the burnt offering and the wood and the stones and the dust, and licked up the water that was in the trench.  And when all the people saw it, they fell on their faces; and the said, “The LORD, He is God; the LORD, He is God.”  Then Elijah said to them, “Seize the prophets of Baal; do not let one of them escape.”  So they seized them; and Elijah brought them down to the brook Kishon, and slew them there.  1Kings 18:36-40  NASB

Here then is an indication that The 144,000 will call upon all humanity to disassociate from the human-led denominations and churches, which are portrayed in the visions of Revelation as Babylon the Great and her harlot daughters.  Babylon the Great, the great city, which reigns over the kings of the earth (Rev 17:18), is Vatican City of Roman Catholicism, and her harlot daughters are Greek Orthodox and the many denominations that have corrupted Protestantism and Pentecostalism.

And he cried out with a mighty voice, saying, “Fallen, fallen is Babylon the great!  And she has become a dwelling place of demons and a prison of every unclean spirit, and a prison of every unclean and hateful bird.”  …  And I heard another voice from heaven, saying, “Come out of her, my people, that you may not participate in her sins and that you may not receive of her plagues; for her sins have piled up as high as heaven, and God has remembered her iniquities.  Revelation 18:2,4-5  NASB

Along with the call for all people to come out of human-led, religious organizations, The 144,000 will restore all things (Matt 17:11) so that those dwelling on earth may worship God Almighty in spirit and truth.

“But an hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshipers shall worship the Father in spirit and truth; for such people the Father seeks to be His worshipers.  God is spirit; and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth.”  John 4:23-24  NASB

In the pattern of the Israelites in the wilderness, after arriving at the edge of the Promised Land, 12 spies are chosen to spy out the Promised Land.  Their selection and travel in the Promised Land represents the adoption of trained and disciplined saints as sons of God Almighty.  In the following table, Moses continues as a type for the Holy Spirit, and the Israelites spies represent the adopted sons designated as The 144,000.

Those for a special role are selected.  Moses selected men to spy out the Promised Land.

Then the LORD spoke to Moses saying, “Send out for yourself men so that they may spy out the land of Canaan, which I am going to give to the sons of Israel; you shall send a man from each of their fathers’ tribes, every one a leader among them.”  Numbers 13:1-2  NASB

Here then we have an indication that a company of saints called The 144,000, having been chosen by the Holy Spirit (Moses), will be adopted as sons of God Almighty.  One spy from each of the 12 tribes is an indication that the 144,000 will come from all traditions of the church and from all parts of the globe.

Those chosen are leaders.  The Israelite spies were leaders from each of the 12 tribes.

you shall send a man from each of their fathers’ tribes, every one a leader among them.”  Numbers 13:2  NASB

Here then we have an indication that, after testing, training, disciplining, and tutoring from God Almighty, the 144,000 will have reached spiritual maturity.  The 144,000 will follow the Lamb wherever He goes, will have no lie was found in their mouth, and will be blameless (Rev 14:4-5).

Those chosen are given instructions.  The 12 spies received instruction from Moses before they were sent to the Promised Land.

When Moses sent them to spy out the land of Canaan, he said to them, “Go up there into the Negev; then go up into the hill country.  And see what the land is like, and whether the people who live in it are strong or weak, whether they are few or many.  And how is the land in which they live, is it good or bad?  And how are the cities in which they live, are they like open camps or with fortifications?  And how is the land, is it fat or lean?  Are there trees in it or not?  Make an effort then to get some of the fruit of the land.”  Now the time was the time of the first ripe grapes.  Numbers 13:17-20  NASB

Here then we have an indication that The 144,000, after their adoption as a son of God Almighty, will have a time of instruction from the Holy Spirit (Moses).  In Revelation 14:1, the adopted sons of God Almighty are designated as having His name and the name of the Father written on their foreheads.  Similarly in Revelation 7, The 144,000 are described as being sealed on their foreheads.

And I saw another angel ascending from the rising of the sun, having the seal of the living God; and he cried out with a loud voice to the four angels to whom it was granted to harm the earth and the sea, saying, “Do not harm the earth or the sea or the trees, until we have sealed the bond-servants of our God on their foreheads.”  And I heard the number of those who were sealed, one hundred and forty-four thousand sealed from every tribe of the sons of Israel:  Revelation 7:2-4  NASB

The forehead suggests the mind, so being sealed on the forehead with God Almighty’s name suggests a new state of mind.  The apostle Paul expressed this mental state of The 144,000 as having the mind of Christ.

For WHO HAS KNOWN THE MIND OF THE LORD, THAT HE SHOULD INSTRUCT HIM?  But we have the mind of Christ.  1Corinthians 2:16  NASB

Having the mind of Christ suggests understanding, obedience, and surrender of self-will that will allow these adopted sons to faithfully implement God Almighty’s will on earth.

Those selected enter the promised land.  After receiving direction from Moses, the 12 spies traveled through the Promised Land.

So they went up and spied out the land from the wilderness of Zin as far as Rehob, at Lebo-hamath.  Numbers 13:21  NASB

Here then is an indication that The 144,000 will enter a new realm of the spirit as the Elijah ministry that produces a great revival resulting in a large number of the redeemed who will serve God Almighty.

After these things [sealing of the 144,000 on the forehead] I looked, and behold, a great multitude, which no one could count, from every nation and all tribes and peoples and tongues, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed in white robes, and palm branches were in their hands; and they cry out with a loud voice, saying, “Salvation to our God who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb.”  …  “For this reason, they are before the throne of God; and they serve Him day and night in His temple; and He who sits on the throne shall spread His tabernacle over them.  They shall hunger no more, neither thirst any more; neither shall the sun beat down on them, nor any heat; for the Lamb in the center of the throne shall be their shepherd, and shall guide them to springs of the water of life; and God shall wipe every tear from their eyes.”  Revelation 7:9-10, 15-17  NASB

This revival will be like no other, for it will touch every nation and all tribes and peoples and tongues.

Those chosen for service encounter challenges/temptations.  While in the Promised Land, the spies encountered the challenge of formidable inhabitants.

“Nevertheless, the people who live in the land are strong, and the cities are fortified and very large; and moreover, we saw descendants of Anak there.”  Numbers 13:28 NASB

At some point during their ministry, The 144,000 will individually face temptation from Satan (Section 5.7).

The overcomers of the challenges/temptations are set apart.  The challenges encountered in the Promised Land caused a division among the 12 spies, and we see it first in the transport of gathered fruit.  Transport of the fruit separated the 12 spies into 2 and 10.

Then they came to the valley of Eshcol and from there cut down a branch with a single cluster of grapes; and they carried it on a pole between two men, with some of the pomegranates and figs.  Numbers 13:23  NASB

Here then is an indication that only a small portion of The 144,000 will remain positive in face of challenges and overcome temptation.

Thus, the Israelite spies in the Promised Land are a pattern for The 144,000.

Because the temple represents the 100-fold level of production of spiritual fruit (Section 5.3), the ministry of The 144,000 is associated with the temple (they serve Him day and night in His temple, Rev 7:15).  Consequently, the outcome of the temptation of the adopted sons of The 144,000 is expressed in terms of measuring the temple.

And there was given me a measuring rod like a staff; and someone said, “Rise and measure the temple of God, and the altar, and those who worship in it.”  Revelation 11:1 NASB

So, measuring the temple of God and those in it is gauging the extent to which each member of The 144,000 has been filled with Christ-likeness.

until we all attain to the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a mature man, to the measure of the stature which belongs to the fullness of Christ.  Ephesians 4:13  NASB

Those who have emptied themselves of their Adamic, fleshly nature will be capable of overcoming the temptation of Satan and will attain the measure of  …  the fullness of Christ.

The results of the temptation of the adopted sons of The 144,000 will be similar to what occurred with the two previous sons of God Almighty and therefore will be mixed.  That is, some of the adopted sons, like the man Adam, will be blameless until unrighteousness was found in them (Eze 28:11-15), will yield to temptation, and thus will not measure up to the fullness of Christ.  Other sons will overcome Satan’s temptation, as did Jesus, and thus measure up to the fullness of Christ.  The adopted sons who overcome temptation are identified as pillars in God Almighty’s temple.

“He who overcomes, I will make him a pillar in the temple of My God, and he will not go out from it any more; and I will write upon him the name of My God, and the name of the city of My God, the new Jerusalem, which comes down out of heaven from My God, and My new name.”  Revelation 3:12  NASB

Thus, in the pattern of the temple, measuring the temple of God after Satan’s temptation of the adopted sons will identify those among The 144,000 who as overcomers will carry the burden for the church (pillar in the temple of My God) and provide leadership and examples for the church.  These overcoming saints collectively will become a mature man (Eph 4:13), i.e., Jesus’ many-membered, spiritual son, will become the defiled component of Christ in the hierarchy of the church (Illustration 5.4), and will become a component of the Two Witnesses.