JWs believe that only 144,000 people are going to heaven.
Are only 144,000 people going to heaven?
Rev 7
4 And I heard the number of those who were sealed, 144,000, sealed out of every tribe of the sons of Israel:
5 Out of the tribe of Judah 12,000 sealed;
out of the tribe of Reuʹben 12,000;
out of the tribe of Gad 12,000;
6 out of the tribe of Ashʹer 12,000;
out of the tribe of Naphʹta·li 12,000;
out of the tribe of Ma·nasʹseh 12,000;
7 out of the tribe of Simʹe·on 12,000;
out of the tribe of Leʹvi 12,000;
out of the tribe of Isʹsa·char 12,000;
8 out of the tribe of Zebʹu·lun 12,000;
out of the tribe of Joseph 12,000;
out of the tribe of Benjamin 12,000 sealed.
While JWs teach that the 144,000 comprises people from all races, the Bible is clear that they are all Jews. Even the names of their tribes are mentioned.
JWs teach that the tribes of Israel mentioned here are not literal because it includes the tribe of Joseph and Levi and these were not the original tribes of Israel. Furthermore, two of the original tribes of Israel – Ephraim and Dan – were not mentioned.
Christians respond that the tribes of Ephraim and Dan were not mentioned because they were engaged in idolatry.
Hosea 4:17 Eʹphraim is joined to idols. Let him alone!
Judges 18:30 After that the Danʹites set up the carved image for themselves, and Jonʹa·than the son of Gerʹshom, the son of Moses, and his sons became priests to the tribe of the Danʹites until the day that the inhabitants of the land went into exile.
Further reading shows that the number of people who will be in the presence of God will not be just the 144,000. It will be a great multitude too large to number.
9 After this I saw, and look! a great crowd, which no man was able to number, out of all nations and tribes and peoples and tongues, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, dressed in white robes; and there were palm branches in their hands.
Rev 14
Then I saw, and look! the Lamb standing on Mount Zion, and with him 144,000 who have his name and the name of his Father written on their foreheads. 2 I heard a sound coming out of heaven like the sound of many waters and like the sound of loud thunder; and the sound that I heard was like singers who accompany themselves by playing on their harps. 3 And they are singing what seems to be a new song before the throne and before the four living creatures and the elders, and no one was able to master that song except the 144,000, who have been bought from the earth. 4 These are the ones who did not defile themselves with women; in fact, they are virgins.
The 144,000 do not comprise both men and women as JWs claimed. The verses above show that they are all men, who did not have any contact with women.
JWs also believe that Old Testament believers do not go to heaven. However, we have verses showing that they did.
2 Kings 2:11 As they were walking along, speaking as they walked, suddenly a fiery chariot and fiery horses made a separation between the two of them, and E·liʹjah ascended to the heavens in the windstorm.
Matt 8:11 But I tell you that many from east and west will come and recline at the table with Abraham and Isaac and Jacob in the Kingdom of the heavens;