The remnant of Israel, referred to as the 144,000, are drawn from all over the world. They are the outcasts of Israel and the dispersed of Judah, possibly those sealed at the beginning of the great tribulation as mentioned in Revelation 7:1-8. This group represents the second gathering or the Second Exodus, which is more significant than the first because its purpose is the salvation of Israel.

The 144,000 are described in Revelation 14:4 as those who follow the Lamb wherever He goes. This behavior aligns with the Old Testament concept of wholly following the Lord, as exemplified by Joshua and Caleb, who were the only ones among the two million or so people who walked out of Egypt to enter the Promised Land because they wholly followed the Lord.

The tribe of Dan is notably absent from the list of the 144,000 servants of our God mentioned in Revelation 7:4-8. This exclusion stems from Dan's historical involvement in idolatry, being the first tribe in ancient Israel to organize such practices and maintaining them for nearly 500 years until the captivity of the land. Their rejection of God's true religion in favor of a continuous tradition of idolatry explains why Dan is not counted among the 144,000. However, there is hope for redemption, as Dan is mentioned first in the apportioning of land in the coming Millennium, as noted in Ezekiel 48:1. In contrast, the tribe of Ephraim is included among the 144,000, represented under the name of Joseph in Revelation 7:8, since Ephraim, a leading tribe of the house of Joseph, sometimes bore that name alongside Manasseh, the other son of Joseph. The 144,000 represent only a small portion of the people from all nations who will ultimately be saved, and the assurance remains that all Israel will be saved, as affirmed by the apostle Paul in Romans 11:26.

The 144,000 are described as the firstfruits of God and the Lamb, redeemed from among men. They are a particular group of people set apart as the firstfruits in the span of 6,000 years, those who have been called out and will be shown to be firstfruits of God at the resurrection from the dead. These individuals have made their lives available to God, and He has seen their maturity and slated them for the first resurrection. The number of these firstfruits is specified as 144,000, and they are something to strive for, even in these end times, as one can still become part of this number despite being at the end of humanity's time on earth.