Since Revelation Mentions the 12 Tribes of Israel, Will They All Be Saved?

In the book of Revelation, the twelve tribes of Israel are mentioned by name. Does this imply that they were, or will be, saved? Today, W. Robert Godfrey addresses this question by examining God’s redemptive purposes.

NATHAN W. BINGHAM: This week on the Ask Ligonier podcast, we are recording live from Ligonier’s 2024 National Conference, and I’m joined by the chairman of Ligonier Ministries, Dr. W. Robert Godfrey. Dr. Godfrey, Does the mention of the names of the twelve tribes of Israel in the book of Revelation indicate the tribes’ salvation?

W. ROBERT GODFREY: One of the things we have to say is almost everything in the book of the Revelation is a symbol pointing beyond itself. So, I think in chapter seven, where the twelve thousand are talked about from each tribe, that too is meant to be symbolic. And perhaps there’s a pointer to that in the fact that the tribe of Dan is missing in that list. So, we have twelve thousands to get to the number of 144,000, which I think clearly is meant to be a number of huge completion, not a number to say only 144,000 in the history of the whole church or any moment in the church will be saved.

So, this is a symbolic moment, and it’s meant to say God has had a purpose all through history. That purpose started with the tribes of Israel, has continued on into the church, and in God’s work in Israel and God’s work in the church, He’s gathering all of His elect and the number will be big and perfect and beautiful, and God will accomplish that.