As you all know, the Jehovah’s Witnesses believe that ONLY 144,000 individuals have a special calling to go to heaven. These individuals are chosen by God to rule as kings alongside Christ Jesus over a paradise Earth. This number come from Revelation 7:4,which reads:
“And I heard the number of those who were sealed. One hundred and forty-four thousand of all the tribes of the children of Israel were sealed.”
We won’t get into whether this number is literal or symbolic, or whether it refers to spiritual or natural Israel.
So there are 144,000 sealed, what is the fate of everyone else? Jehovah’s Witnesses are taught that all those outside of the 144,000 are part of what they call the “Great Crowd,” a term found in Revelation 7:9, depending on what translation you use.
“After these things I looked, and behold, a great multitude which no one could number, of all nations, tribes, peoples, and tongues, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed with white robes, with palm branches in their hands.”
They believe this Great Crowd is a large group of individuals who will survive Armageddon, namely themselves. They take the idea of the “crowd” literally, yet interpret the phrase “standing before the throne and before the lamb” as symbolic. This Great Crowd is not heaven bound, instead, they picture them in front of God’s throne, living on a paradise Earth that is governed by God’s kingdom.
How can a Jehovah’s Witness know if they are among the 144,000 anointed for heaven?
Before we get into this question about the anointing, it should be noted that they previously held the belief that all anointed individuals were chosen by God and sealed by the year 1935. This belief can be traced back to J.F. Rutherford, the second president of the Watchtower Bible and Tract Society, and the true founder of the Jehovah’s Witnesses.
In the book, Isaiah’s Prophecy—Light for All Mankind II. Page 247, it states:
“ON FRIDAY, May 31, 1935, Joseph F. Rutherford addressed a convention crowd in Washington, D.C. He discussed the identity of the “great crowd,” or “great multitude,” seen in vision by the apostle John. At the climax of Brother Rutherford’s talk, he asked: “Will all those who have the hope of living forever on the earth please stand?” According to one of those attending, “over half of the audience stood.” Then the speaker said: “Behold! The great multitude!” Another who was present recalls: “There was at first a hush, then a gladsome cry, and the cheering was loud and long.””
However, it became clear that 1935 was not the sealing of the 144,000. How do we know? Well, 1935 as of 2026, was 91 years ago, and that’s only if you were born in 1935. If you were anointed before 1935, you’d be well over 100 years old. It’s safe to say, the anointed, would be long gone by now.
At the moment, Jehovah’s Witnesses don’t see 1935 as the year of the sealing of the 144,000 anymore, and it’s obviously why, we’ll get to that in a moment.
Today, 1935 is the year when J.F. Rutherford identified the “Great Crowd” with no mention of the 144,000.
In the February 15, 1982 Watchtower, On page 27, there is an article entitled: “What Prevents Me from Getting Baptized?” Paragraph 15 on page 30 reads:
“15 When we consider how Jehovah has been dealing with his people during the `harvest period,’ it seems evident that the heavenly calling in general was completed about the year 1935, when the hope of the “great crowd” of Revelation 7:9-17 was properly understood to be an earthly one. This has worked out just as Jehovah foreknew that it would. As Revelation 7:3, 4 shows, there would be a final ‘sealing’ of the remaining ones of spiritual Israel. But, during this time just before the “great tribulation,” a “great crowd” without any limitation as to number would manifest itself. They would retain their natural hope of living on earth, not being “born again” with heavenly life in view.”
Did you get that? “it seems evident that the heavenly calling in general was completed about the year 1935.”
“16 As to the possibility of being a “born again” replacement at this late hour, understandably only a very few of these remaining anointed ones are likely to forfeit their heavenly calling by becoming unfaithful. Their ranks have by now been thinned by death to only a few thousand. If it becomes necessary to replace one, whom would Jehovah call? Jesus said of those invited to be his apostles: “You are the ones that have stuck with me in my trials.” (Luke 22:28) Logically, Jehovah would select someone who had been associated for many years and who had displayed endurance and loyalty under trial, rather than someone who had only recently become a baptized disciple of Jesus and perhaps was yet unproved in many respects. This is not said judging or to provide a basis for judging anyone’s personal claim, but to help newly associated ones to avoid, being presumptuous and to be sure of Jehovah’s manner of dealing with them.”
So they say, “only a very few of these remaining anointed ones are likely to forfeit their heavenly calling by becoming unfaithful.”
And yet, at the time of this article, in 1982, there were 4,206, who claimed to be anointed. Over 40 years later, the number of anointed Jehovah’s Witnesses today stands at 24,576, that number comes from the 2025 Service Year Report, which lists “Memorial Partakers Worldwide.” That’s more than 4 times the number of 1982.
They then say “Jehovah would select someone who had been associated for many years and who had displayed endurance and loyalty under trial, rather than someone who had only recently become a baptized disciple of Jesus and perhaps was yet unproved in many respects.”
So, what do they consider “endurance and loyalty under trial” or “someone who had only recently become a baptized disciple of Jesus?”
Let’s consider the Governing Body members, currently there are 11:
- Samuel Frederick Herd: Born: April 1935 – Baptized: March 1957
- Gerrit Lösch: Born: 1941 – Baptized: January 1959
- David Harold Splane: Born: August, 1948 – Baptized: 1954
- Mark Stephen Lett: Born: February, 1949 – Baptized: 1966
- Geoffrey William Jackson: Born: 1955 – Baptized: 1968
- Kenneth Eugene Cook, Jr: Born: 1963 – Baptized June 7, 1980
- Douglas Mark Sanderson: Born: February 04,1965 – Baptized: February 09, 1975
- Jeffrey Winder: Born: 1970 – Baptized: March 29, 1986.
- Jody James Jedele: Born: January 10, 1970 – Baptized: October 15, 1983.
- Gage Fleegle: Born: Unknown (Mid 1970s) – Baptized: November 20, 1988.
- Jacob Clark Rumph: Born: 1972 – Baptized: September 27, 1992
With the exception of Herd, none of these individuals were alive in the year 1935. And think about it, you had to be baptized BEFORE 1935 for it to even count.
Some of these were born in the late 60s and 70s. How long did it take before they were found “faithful” and what does “faithful” mean? It seems evident that it was “faithful“ to the organization.
It’s interesting to note how the Society on one hand, states, one’s anointing is between you and God, and on the other hand, attempts to discount those who claim to be anointed, wanting them to rethink their decisions. In the February 1, 1982 Watchtower, there a series of articles about being “born-again”. On page 28, and 29 there’s a subheading “How Can a Person be Certain?”
In the January 2016 study edition of the Watchtower, there is an article entitled: “The Spirit Bears Witness With Our Spirit.” On page 20 there is a subheading: “Have You Been Called?” Paragraph 15 starts off:
“15 Perhaps you are wondering if you have received this wonderful invitation. If you think that you might have, ponder some important questions.”
Then it proceeds to ask these questions:
“If you answer these questions with a resounding yes, does this mean that you now have the heavenly calling? No, it does not. Why not? Because these are not unique feelings experienced only by those who have the heavenly calling. Jehovah’s spirit works with equal force in those who have the hope of living forever on earth. In fact, if you are wondering whether you have received the heavenly calling, that would in itself indicate that you have not received it. Those called by Jehovah do not wonder whether they have been invited or not! They know!”
So, were these trick questions?
The answer is pretty straightforward. If you profess to be one of the anointed, there’s no need for questionnaires. You don’t need to be enthusiastic about your ministry, or find pleasure in exploring the Bible and discovering what are referred to as “the deep things of God”. You don’t need to see Jehovah’s unique blessings in what you do or have a strong wish to adhere to Jehovah’s will. Or even have a sense of duty to assist others in their spiritual development, or even sense Jehovah’s presence in your existence.
In The Watchtower—Study Edition, for August 2011 the Questions From Readers asked the question: How are we to understand the figures in the annual service report? Under
Memorial partakers it says:
“This is the number of baptized individuals who partake of the emblems at the Memorial worldwide. Does this total represent the number of anointed ones on earth? Not necessarily. A number of factors—including past religious beliefs or even mental or emotional imbalance—might cause some to assume mistakenly that they have the heavenly calling.”
In the January 2016 Study Edition of the Watchtower it reiterates this thought: On page 25 paragraph 13, under the heading What about the number of those partaking at the memorial? It states:
“Jehovah knows those who belong to him.” (2 Tim. 2:19) Those taking the count at the Memorial cannot judge who truly have the heavenly hope. The number of partakers includes those who mistakenly think that they are anointed. Some who at one point started to partake of the emblems later stopped. Others may have mental or emotional problems that lead them to believe that they will rule with Christ in heaven. Therefore, the number of partakers does not accurately indicate the number of anointed ones left on earth.”
Of course there will be those who once partook and eventually stopped, because the Society continues to write articles calling them, “mentally unstable” or “Mentally diseased”.
So, in all these various articles, they really don’t tell you how God’s spirit, bears witness with our spirit, they basically say: ‘They just know’, but at the same time, if they just know and profess to know, the Governing Body says, “you’re mentally unstable”. Go figure!
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