By John Thiel, The Characteristics of the Twelve Tribes of the 144,000 Conference, study 13, mp3

The sealing of the 144,000 tribe by tribe has been our meditation and our study for many hours. We have appreciated that ever since the work of the third angel who was the sealing angel, after 1844-1848, the sealing of the 144,000 has been taking place. And here we are today, my generation is the fourth generation from that time; and even at that time there were other generations that were part of that scene; so that makes it even five generations ago. The sealing of the 144,000 has been going on for that long. And like the twelve sons of Jacob, the people ever since 1848 were given a lifetime to perfect their characters so that they could be sealed among the 144,000. As we studied the sons of Jacob, we saw that they came to a position where they were so totally humbled, and their characters were so totally winnowed through the experiences, that they came even to the point of the death of their father, after all that had taken place in Egypt with Joseph, and you can see their utter humiliation and dependence on the mercy of God here expressed: Read the rest of this entry →