The 144,000 salvageable bricks.

Interesting topic. I understand Revelation as a book requiring Wisdom to interpret correctly. You seem to have that and be on to something. At least you aren't a Jehovah witness who thinks 144,000 is the exact number of people admitted into heaven, even though the religion has more adherants than that. I bet every single one of them thinks they are one of the 144,000 though.

The number 12 is significant here. Everything described in the vision of new Jerusalem is 12 in number. Including Apostles which is bad news for Saul.

144,000 is only about the 12 tribes of Israel. It's connection to ancient Sumer would mean John was knowledgeable about the first known civilization and the myth of Ea and Enlil, neither of who are Yahweh because Yahweh doesn't become a god until much later and is closer to Baal than Ea or Enki, different civilizations, I know, but I don't know the Sumerian equivalent to Baal. I do know Anu is El and Yahweh is a son of El (originally, see Deuteronomy 32:8-9 from a correctly translated bible, not the Niv or King James) and a Jewish god.

So did John know about the Sumerian accounts? I can't say.

But definitely interesting and you seem like you know a thing or two that I don't, so I will give this some thought.

a reply to: Merari

It was the case that the North Western Semitic states had very rudimentary adaptations of some of the highlights of the Mesopotamian Pantheon, such as at Ebla from which similarities to the later Hebrews can be traced, they had the likes of El-Yah-Baal in terms of Anu-Enki-Enlil correspondence, as well as the likes of Isharah/Asherah, but not much more because they didn't have the extensive City state infra-structure to support a large Pantheon in terms of Temple cults and complexes.

They were then always in the shadow of greater Mesopotamian culture and with the numeric traditions you can be sure they're beg stealing and borrowing anything they can lay their hands on from the scribal sources of the earlier and greater tradition.

Given their inability to compete they actually took the course of action that to them seemed logical and simplified their Pantheon to the most extreme extent, one Deity but a super one combining the powers of all, which was sort of useful if you could only find the means to construct one Temple but in Theological terms not particularly impressive.

Now in terms of numbers they emerged from Babylonian exile with a whole new batch;

A period of 3½ years is a recurring theme in end-time Bible prophecy. The Beast that is described in the later chapters of Revelation is to receive power and authority from Satan for a period of 42 months (Revelation 13:5). That is the same length of time that gentiles will “tread” Jerusalem underfoot (Revelation 11:2). In Jerusalem, God promises to raise up two prophets to be His witnesses for 1,260 days. God “feeds” or provides for the woman of chapter 12, representing God's chosen people, for 1,260 days (verse 6). We are told she will be “nourished for a time and times and half a time [3½ years], from the presence of the serpent” (Revelation 12:14).

There they are using a numeric system sourced from the cult of the Moon God Nanna;

The cows are driven together in herds for him. His various types of cow number 39600. [His young cows and calves] His fattened cows] number 108000. His young bulls number 126000. The sparkling-eyed cows number 50400. The white cows number 126000. The cows for the evening meal are in four groups of five each. Such are the various types of cow of Father Nanna. His wild cows number 180000. The …… cows are four. Their herds of cattle are seven. Their …… herdsmen are seven. There are four of those who dwell among the cows

The Herds of Nanna

But there was some pretty neat numerology involved with those seven herdsmen and cows; the numerology of the seven herdsmen lends itself to 1 x 2 x 3 x 4 x 5 x 6 x 7=5,040, a simple formulation over seven stages that can also relate to the lunar week or indeed entire creation.

...x12 (Hours).......x 60 (Minutes)

7 Days.............84....................5,040

7 Nights..........84....................5,040

.................=168..................=10,080

We can also recognize this in terms of the diameter of the Earth and Moon combined 2160+7920=10,080 in terms of units of miles, so 3960 would be the radius of Earth consisting of various types of cows, there are 220 units of 36" in a furlong of 7,920" also, so it can be established then that the cows are of the Earth...as one might expect.

They also concern themselves with 126 and 252, were 252"=7 yards and 2520 miles=Mean Earth/Moon radius, 5040 being the mean diameter, the bulls are concerning themselves with the mean, 18 and 36 is the wild cow factor.

It would actually have been more appropriate to have based the number of the redeemed on the Holy cattle pens of Nanna;

They give praise to the lord, singing paeans as they move into the ĝipar shrines. Nisaba has taken their grand total; Nisaba has taken their count, and she is writing it on clay. The holy cows of Nanna, cherished by the youth Suen, be praised!