A weighty responsibility rests upon the 144,000, and to help us understand it, we need to take a look at the law of the first fruits.   Christ became the "FIRST FRUITS OF THEM THAT SLEPT."  (1  Cor.  15:20)   The 144,000 are  "FIRST FRUITS UNTO GOD AND TO THE LAMB." (Rev. 14:4)  If Christ were not raised, then there could be no resurrection,  and THERE CAN BE NO RESURRECTION (in our day) IF THE 144,000  FAIL.   This concept is the emphasis of our study in the law of the first fruits. 

    Now, let us imagine that a farmer in Palestine in ancient times, has a grain field, and one day he makes the observation that his entire field is ripe and ready for harvest.   He takes one sheaf and travels to Jerusalem to attend the feast of the first fruits.  He presents his first fruit of golden grain  as a thank offering to the Lord and it is accepted.  He then returns home again to reap the rest of the field,  for "Not until this was presented could the sickle be put to the grain, and it be gathered into sheaves." (DA 786). 

    Now, on the other hand, imagine that somewhere along his journey  toward Jerusalem, the donkey helps himself to that sheaf of golden grain.    If  the farmer  were to adhere strictly to the law of the first fruits,  then he could not reap the rest of the field,  for the wave sheaf represents Christ, and Christ came only once to die.  If Christ were to fail His mission,  there could be no other because He was the only begotten Son of God. 

    "IF CHRIST BE NOT RAISED, YOUR FAITH IS VAIN;  YE ARE YET  IN YOUR SINS.  THEN THEY ALSO WHICH ARE FALLEN ASLEEP  IN CHRIST ARE PERISHED...  .   BUT NOW IS CHRIST RISEN FROM THE DEAD, AND BECOME THE FIRST FRUITS OF THEM THAT SLEPT.    1 Corinthians 15:17,18,20 

    If the farmer were to return and get another sheaf, he would by that act be saying,  "I believe God has another Son."  But there is only "ONE LORD,"  (Eph. 4:5) and if he were to fail, there could not be another. 

    As  the  144,000  are also first fruits,  then the same rule must apply  to them.   The resurrection of the righteous dead is dependent upon their faithfulness.  If they fail, there could be no other group to take their place, for the time of  probation will be past and the rest of the inhabitants of  the earth  will be set  in their wickedness.   Speaking of this group, Ellen White wrote,   "If he [Satan] could blot them from the earth, his triumph would be complete."  (GC 618)  If Satan could blot out the 144,000, then the world would miss out on the manifestation of the righteousness of God,  and  God  Himself would be robbed of His vindication;  and thus the world would be left in darkness.  The 144,000 will prove to the world that the commandments of God can be obeyed by humanity united with divinity.   If they fail,  then Satan charges God with demanding unreasonable service.   With relentless fury Satan purposes in his heart to destroy God's people before they unmask him by their manifestation of God's character. 

   "Christ  is waiting with longing desire for the manifestation of Himself in His church.   When the character of Christ shall be perfectly reproduced in His people,  then He will come to claim them as His own."   Christ Object Lessons 69. 

    Christ's character will be manifested in His people,  therefore,  they will partake of imparted sanctification. 

     "THE KING'S DAUGHTER IS ALL GLORIOUS WITHIN."  Psalms 45:13. 

    For want of this display the world is perishing. 

    It is the privilege of every soul to be a living channel through  which God can communicate  to the world the treasures of His grace,  the unsearchable riches of Christ. There is nothing that Christ desires so much as agents who will represent to the world His Spirit and character.  There is nothing that the world needs so much as the manifestation through  humanity of the Saviour's  love.    All  heaven  is waiting for channels through which can be poured the holy oil to be a joy and blessing to human hearts. Christ Object Lessons 419.

    "The church, being endowed with the righteousness of Christ, is His depository, in which the wealth of God's mercy, His love, His grace,  is to appear in full and final display. Testimonies to Ministers 18.

    As the 144,000 approach the end of this earth's history, they will know that upon their faithfulness depends the resurrection of the  righteous dead from Adam on.   This is why they cry so fervently to Jesus to thrust in His sharp sickle and reap.  It is not for their sake,  BUT FOR THE SAKE OF THE DEAD IN CHRIST that they cry.   This thought of such solemnity humbles them to the point of utter self-distrust and a complete dependence upon Christ.   They will "reflect the image of Jesus fully." (Ev 17) 

    "Jesus did not contend for His rights."  (DA 89)   He contended for our rights, who were dead in trespasses and sin.   Neither will the saints contend for their rights,  for they are like Him.   Rather, THEY WILL CONTEND FOR  THE RIGHTS OF THE DEAD IN CHRIST. 

    It was Jesus lack of concern for "His rights" that enabled Him to go on with His mission in that "awful moment"  in the garden of Gethsemane when "the fate of humanity trembled in the balance.  Christ might even now refuse to drink the cup apportioned to guilty man." (DA 690)  In the words of Christ, "O MY FATHER,  IF THIS CUP MAY NOT PASS AWAY FROM ME, EXCEPT I DRINK IT, THY WILL BE DONE,  NOT AS I WILL, BUT AS THOU WILT."  Christ had a will of His own,  but He wanted His Father's will to be done.   Christ needed some kind of motivation outside of Himself to proceed with His mission, for He had emptied Himself of self.

    "Three times He had uttered that prayer.  Three times has humanity shrunk from the last crowning sacrifice.  But now the history of  the human race comes  up  before the world's Redeemer.  He sees that the transgressors of  the law,  if left to themselves,  must perish.   He sees the helplessness of  man.    He sees the power of sin.  The woes and lamentations of a doomed world rise before Him.   He beholds its impending fate, and His decision is made.   He will save man at any cost to Himself.    He  accepts  His baptism  of blood, that through Him, perishing millions may gain everlasting life."  DA 690,693.

   "What a spectacle was this conflict!   It resulted in demonstrating to the heavenly universe the justice of God."   UL 357.

    This was Christ's great decision climax.   He was at a  peak  where  His decision  could  go either way,  as it were,  like a finely balanced pole that could  fall  either way with just a mere breath.   It is thus that the fate of humanity trembled in the balance. 

    But thank God for the scenes that now came up before Him! Oh blessed moment when He beheld us poor, miserable, wretched sinners dead in our transgressions, for  that  was the motivating force for Him to go on with His mission  to  save
mankind.