Page 90 - The Road from Babylon to Zion

Those who are pure virgins are those who remain pure in their devotion to Christ.
They are not harlots in their affections. They do not profess love of Christ and also
harbor a love for the world and its idols. They have been cleansed and purified of all
other loves until they are focused only upon one thing, which is Christ. The next
verse reveals what constitutes unfaithfulness.

II Corinthians 11:3
But I am afraid that, as the serpent deceived Eve by his craftiness, your
minds will be led astray from the simplicity and purity of devotion to
Christ.

We are called to a pure and simple devotion to Christ. He is to be our only desire and
our single pursuit. Many are the saints who profess devotion to Christ, but their lives
reveal that they are devoted to other things. They labor for that which perishes, and
they fail to walk in the Spirit fulfilling all obedience and walking in all truth. These
are not pure virgins. In their hearts they desire Christ and something else. Self has
not been crucified.

Those who are the 144,000 dwelling on Mount Zion are pure virgins in their
devotion to Christ. When Yahshua calls they respond with obedience, even to the
crucifying of their own flesh, will and desires. They may struggle, but in the end they
will respond, “Not my will, but Your will be done.”

In an earlier chapter we looked at those things that are promised to the Overcomer
in Christ. The 144,000 are overcomers and will partake of all these promises. The
number 144,000 does not necessarily speak of the actual number of saints anymore
than virgins speaks of those who have never had sexual relations. Revelation is a
book of symbols that must be interpreted by the Spirit of Yahweh. In another passage
in Revelation John reveals that the 144,000 are comprised of 12,000 saints from
twelve different tribes of Israel. This too is symbolic speech.

Twelve is the number of divine government and election. Yahweh chose twelve tribes
to represent Him to the world. Yahshua chose twelve disciples to do the same. The
144,000 represent the elect of God who are called to rule and reign with Him.
Symbolically they are 12,000 from each of the 12 tribes of Israel.

They are firstfruits unto God, the first to be conformed to the image of Christ. These
have submitted voluntarily to the cross during their life on earth. They have walked
in faith and chosen a path of obedience to God. They have been aliens and strangers
in this world and have had no permanent home here, looking instead to the promises
of God. They have not been as Esau who traded his birthright for a pot of stew,
fulfilling of his fleshly desires while sacrificing his inheritance. The Overcomers have
chosen Yahweh over the world.