Jesus is the Shepherd who Seals our Souls.

Revelation 7 ESV

1 After this I saw four angels standing at the four corners of the earth, holding back the four winds of the earth, that no wind might blow on earth or sea or against any tree. 2 Then I saw another angel ascending from the rising of the sun, with the seal of the living God, and he called with a loud voice to the four angels who had been given power to harm earth and sea, 3 saying, “Do not harm the earth or the sea or the trees, until we have sealed the servants of our God on their foreheads.” 4 And I heard the number of the sealed, 144,000, sealed from every tribe of the sons of Israel: 5 12,000 from the tribe of Judah were sealed, 12,000 from the tribe of Reuben, 12,000 from the tribe of Gad, 6 12,000 from the tribe of Asher, 12,000 from the tribe of Naphtali, 12,000 from the tribe of Manasseh, 7 12,000 from the tribe of Simeon, 12,000 from the tribe of Levi, 12,000 from the tribe of Issachar, 8 12,000 from the tribe of Zebulun, 12,000 from the tribe of Joseph, 12,000 from the tribe of Benjamin were sealed. 9 After this I looked, and behold, a great multitude that no one could number, from every nation, from all tribes and peoples and languages, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed in white robes, with palm branches in their hands, 10 and crying out with a loud voice, “Salvation belongs to our God who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb!” 11 And all the angels were standing around the throne and around the elders and the four living creatures, and they fell on their faces before the throne and worshiped God, 12 saying, “Amen! Blessing and glory and wisdom and thanksgiving and honor and power and might be to our God forever and ever! Amen.” 13 Then one of the elders addressed me, saying, “Who are these, clothed in white robes, and from where have they come?” 14 I said to him, “Sir, you know.” And he said to me, “These are the ones coming out of the great tribulation. They have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb. 15 “Therefore they are before the throne of God, and serve him day and night in his temple; and he who sits on the throne will shelter them with his presence. 16 They shall hunger no more, neither thirst anymore; the sun shall not strike them, nor any scorching heat. 17 For the Lamb in the midst of the throne will be their shepherd, and he will guide them to springs of living water, and God will wipe away every tear from their eyes.”

Everyone needs a Shepherd for their Souls.

Who are you trusting to Shepherd your Soul?

Revelation 7 is divided into two different visions.

This is the interlude between the 6th and the 7th Seals. It answers the question at the end of chapter 6. Who can stand in the day of the Lambs wrath, those who are sealed by the good Shepard?

Where does humanity look for it’s security?

People trust their own knowledge to find Security.

People trust their material possessions to find security.

People trust their family unit to find security.

People trust their careers to find security.

People trust their religious rituals to find security.

Humanity has a great sense of need to fit into our cultures idea of Security.

When I consider all of the ways we look for our security in this world it all goes back to the pack mentality of humanity to fit in and be accepted by the world around us.

However, the end is coming and all that glitters in this world fades in the backdrop of History and time.

Fathers Protect

Have you ever wondered whether a giant asteroid might hit our planet, like the one that may have wiped out the dinosaurs on earth? The planet Jupiter "is our first line of defense" says Allan Boss, an astrophysicist at the Carnegie Institution of Washington. "It is something like 99.9 percent efficient at throwing dangerous space junk, asteroids, and meteorites back out to interstellar space."

How does that happen?

Jupiter is 318 times heavier than earth. Because of its mass, Jupiter creates a huge gravitational field that acts as a giant cosmic vacuum cleaner, drawing the "junk" that floats into the gravitational field toward it and away from other planets.

Jupiter displayed its protective power six years ago when a monster comet broke into fragments and bombarded the planet Jupiter with more destructive power than all the atomic bombs on earth. Not all space particles get deflected by Jupiter, but living in Jupiter's gravitational field minimizes the destructive forces that enter the earth's atmosphere.

Considering Jupiter's protective role, the ancient Romans unknowingly named the mighty planet well. In Old Latin, Jupiter means "Sky-Father."

1. The Good Shepherd Seals us for Protection.

Note: John sees four angels holding back the four winds of the earth. This should not be taken literally but, that the angels are holding back the harm of judgement that is coming with the four horsemen that we read about last week.

God holding back the four winds is an apocalyptic picture of God controlling weather, wind, rain, and lightening.

GOOD NEWS: This text answers the question from the previous chapter of what is happening to the followers of Christ during the judgment that is brought by the four horsemen of the apocalypse.

Angel from the East: John sees another angel coming up from the East which is the direction to the garden of Eden.

This is the place where light began and the last place where mankind was at complete peace with God. It was also the direction that the glory came into the temple. There was a Jewish idea that the Messiah would come out of the east.

1) The Shepherds were the first who heard the announcement of Jesus birth.

2) Jesus came out of a long line of Shepherds.

Able was a keeper of sheep before he was murdered by Cain.

King David was a Shepherd before God called him to Shepherd the nation of Israel.

Moses was out shepherding when God called him.

God spoke of the leading the nation of Israel as a Shepherd.

Numbers 27:16–17 ESV

16 “Let the Lord, the God of the spirits of all flesh, appoint a man over the congregation 17 who shall go out before them and come in before them, who shall lead them out and bring them in, that the congregation of the Lord may not be as sheep that have no shepherd.”

SHEEP, SHEPHERD. Shepherding was one of man’s earliest occupations. Flocks and herds, always a prominent feature in Palestine and other Near Eastern societies, consisted specifically of cows, sheep, and goats, but could also include horses, asses, and camels; the principal animal, however, owing to size, abundance, and usefulness, was the sheep.

The Possession of animals represents power and wealth.

Job had thousands of sheep, Abraham’s heard counted many sheep, at the dedication of the temple King Solomon had many sheep slaughtered.

The Owner Himself would sometimes shepherd the sheep.

PRIMARY RESPONSIBILITY OF THE SHEPHERD

Shepherds insured that the sheep had enough food and water.

It was important for the shepherd to guard the sheep since they were easy pray for wild animals.

*God marks us to show His Ownership

Story of Hannah writing her name on the wall of the house in Cisco. This was her way of placing ownership that this was her house, and her home.

The first thing kids learn is to take ownership of something by crying out (everyone say the word with me) “Mine.”

Most ranchers will place a unique brand on their cattle and livestock, why? In case anyone had the idea of taking it for themselves they could prove that the livestock was theirs and take it back.

Artist will place their unique signature or mark on their art work to show without a doubt that it is an original so that no one can forge their work.

There will be no denying those who are his by marking our forehead with His name.

The Visible Mark of Christ

This is as apposed to those who take the mark of the beast as described in Revelation.

Ezekiel 8-9 a judgement was passed on those who defiled the temple of the Lord. Six guardian angels appeared 5 with weapons and 1 with a writing tablet.

One was to place a mark on the foreheads of those who grieved what had been done to the temple. The other angels were to put to death those who did not grieve.

The mark that was placed on their foreheads was the last letter in the Greek alphabet which appeared as an + or X. Which, to Christians symbolized the cross or Christ.

This goes back to the understanding that we are either servants of God or servants of Satan. There is no in between place to be in His creation. You are either for Christ or against Him. You are either his enemy or His Friend.

A brand or tattoo of a slave was a common practice. There were also religious tattoo’s to show allegiance to a particular God.

Some have Referenced this to Baptism. (Paul calls baptism a seal in 2 Cor. 1:22.

Baptism however is not mentioned here, and it does not mention the Holy Spirit.

The sealing simply means believers are They will become quickly identified as the servants of God, i.e., His agents and evangelists versus the servants of the beast. They will not be ‘secret service’ believers! This undoubtedly also includes the gift of the Holy Spirit, the inward seal and capacity for service (Eph. 1:13-14).

The earth-dwellers will be protected from the wrath and judgment that the Lord unleashes on the unrepentant of the earth. However, they will not escape the harm and persecution that those on earth will deploy on them.

God protects the soul from harm but, not necessarily the body.

God’s loving presence is never more evident then in times of intense persecution.

To be sealed by God as seen in scripture is to be held under his ownership and ultimate protection.

The Holy Spirit is also shown as being a sealing as a first fruits in our lives.

Romans 8:23 ESV

23 And not only the creation, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies.

2. The Good shepherd Seals us for Salvation.

The Earth Dwellers are being sealed for Judgment and the Heaven Dwellers are being sealed for Salvation.

"Lord of the Rings": The Horn of Salvation

There’s a place in Lord of the Rings, where the hobbit Pippin is standing at the gates of the city, and in comes the great witch king, the demon king.

He comes through the gate, and he’s about to destroy the city, when off in the distance Pippin hears the horns of the riders of Rohan. They have come to the rescue. Even though the king of Rohan rides to his death that day, the city is saved.

We’re told that for the rest of his life, Pippin could never hear a horn off in the distance without bursting into tears.

Why? Because every time he heard a horn in the distance, it reawakened the memory of his salvation and the memory of the one who died for him.

What comes to your mind every time you read or hear of being sealed for Salvation by Jesus Christ.

Connection of Saints Sealed on Earth with those worshiping in Heaven?

Are these identified as two separate people or one group. Those who are worshiping in heaven and those being sealed on earth.

This all depends on what you believe about the 144,000 mentioned in chapter 7.

The answer depends if you view the 144,000 as literally the Jewish people brought to Christ during this period or symbolic of the church as the new Israel.

To take this literally might cause problems since the 10 tribes for the most part were lost in the Exile, so the majority of the tribes were not around during John’s day.

And it would restrict God’s sealing to Jews and not Gentiles. This would change the attitude of the book as a whole which describes people from every tongue, tribe, and nation. In 7:3 those sealed are called slaves of God and in 6:11 those martyred are called fellow slaves.

The question then is whether the multitude should be restricted to the martyrs or extended to all Christians.

Does Revelation picture all saints as being martyrs.

There is no true atmosphere in Revelation of complete martyrdom of all believers.

Verses 9-17 then must be seen as representing martyrs and non-martyrs from all ages. I would suggest as with many scholars that those in verses 1-8 that are sealed and those in verses 9-17 constitute believers of all ages before the final judgement is to be unleashed on the earth.

Note: In Conclusion the tribe in essence stresses the completeness of the people of God seen as the Messianic army of God that He is Sealing.

We continue to see a connection between believers here on earth and those that have gone before us in Hebrews 11-12, we read in Hebrews 11 about the kind of faith we all hope for as seen in the example of those who have gone before us and many suffered for Christ’s sake.

Hebrews 12 adds “Therefore” since we are surrounded by such great a cloud of witnesses let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus the founder and perfecter of our faith.

Note: We are all inseparably connected with those who have gone before us. From the first martyr of Stephen to the the last apostle John who is writing the book Revelation.

We have been sealed by God from the outpouring of His wrath and given a two-fold purpose:

Being Militant witnesses for the Eternal gospel.

Participating in the defeat of the dragon as we join Christ in the His army and battle.

By Martyrdom and forming the army of the victorious Christ as He returns.

*His Salvation is a Global Mission

Global Mission

Echoing God’s providential Global promise to Abraham to multiply his people like the stars of the heaven and the sands on the seashore.

Of the 11,243 people groups they all will be represented. Of the 3,056 people groups each will be represented in God’s heavenly Kingdom.

3. The Good Shepherd Seals us for the Worship of the Lamb.

*We are sealed to Rejoice and Worship

4 Things said about the people in Heaven

1. Their Location: They stand before the throne of God and before the Lamb. Now 6:17 is answered as to who can stand in the presence of God. (Note no one this side of heaven can stand in his presence. Job / woe is me for I am a man of unclean lips; Moses was placed in the cleft of the rock.

2. Their Clothing: They are clothed permanently in the clothes of ultimate victory and perfection. They stand before God in the imputed righteousness of Christ. (Always compelled by the first picture of clothing humanity after the fall. We also should keep the picture of the spotless lamb of God who is hanging unclothed naked from a sinners cross so that you and I can now be clothed in His perfect righteousness).

The image of washing their garments may go back to the Israelites washing in preparation for the coming of the Lord at Mt. Sinai.

The idea of sin as dirty clothes can be found in Isa. 64:6 and Zech. 3:3. Psalm 51:7 says, “wash me, and I will be whiter than snow,” and Isa. 1:18 states, “Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow.”

3. Their Instruments of Worship: They have palm branches of joy and celebration. This should bring to memory Jesus last entrance into Jerusalem as he rounded the mount of olives traveling the descent through the Kidron Valley to his impending death. People lined the way with palm branches the symbol of royalty and Kingly honor was bestowed upon Jesus. Remember also that this unseemly display made the pharisees uncomfortable. I am afraid that the display we see expressed in heaven might make some of us feel uncomfortable in in sinful state today.

4. Their Confession: They are crying out continually in a LOUD VOICE, “Salvation belongs to your God, who is seated on the throne, and to the Lamb.” Deliverance from sinner and victory over satan is ours. Because of the Father on the throne, and the Lamb at His side. We fail today to mention confessions, many in evangelical circles are uncomfortable with using confessions that are spoken aloud by it’s members.

WHY CORPORATE WORSHIP SHOULD INCLUDE CONFESSION

Many Churches worship are filled with things that will put people in the seats and make them comfortable.

We Acknowledge God’s Divine Holiness: Saying, Holy, Holy, Holy, is the one who is and is to come. We are acknowledging that we are but mere dust.

We Receive Spiritual Release: When we confess we are sinners in need of God’s mercy we receive healing for our souls.

We find Community Support:

In his classic book Life Together, Dietrich Bonhoeffer writes, “He who is alone with his sin is utterly alone.” Even in a bursting congregation, a lack of confession means a lack of community. In fear of admitting to others what sins beset us, Bonhoeffer says, “We remain alone with our sin, living in lies and hypocrisy. The fact is that we are sinners!” We deprive ourselves and the body of a great blessing.

We find our Gospel Identity: Worshipers can be unwilling to come to terms with who they really are. We are sinners, but in Christ Jesus we are something much more: sinners saved by grace. The weekly rhythms of worship, including these elements of repentance and restoration, are vital in impressing on our hearts this gospel identity.

*It is encouraging to know that God is holding back the four winds of the Earth, not wishing that any would perish.

*The End will not occur until 2 things take place.

1). Every Saint has been sealed.

2). The number of the Martyrs has been completed.

The call of the whole book of Revelation is for faithful perseverance in the middle of great persecution.

*We are Sealed to Consecration and Purity.

a. Presence and Service Before God.

1). They are before the throne of God.

They have come out of the great Tribulation and are before the throne of God. Because they have white robes dipped in His blood they are now worthy to stand in His presence.

Ephesians 2:6 ESV

6 and raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus,

If we share in His resurrected life, we also share with Him in His heavenly state in the kingdom of God.

2). They serve Him day and night in His temple.

To Serve is pictured in in scripture as worship and service. The word in the OT is used in relation to the priestly office as a religious ritual and also to a general life of worship. We also see this picture in new testament in relation to worship in Romans 12:1

Romans 12:1 ESV

1 I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship.

Our service as represented in Revelation is the great royal privilege that we are given in relation to the royal priesthood we have been given as mentioned in 1 Peter 2.

Worship in the Temple in scripture would cease following the evening sacrifice and resume at the morning sacrifice. The picture we get in heaven shows worship being a never ceasing activity.

Note: “Dwelling among them, we have the picture of the Shekinah glory of god.”

b. Removal of all Suffering

Note: They will never hunger or thirst again.

*Hunger and thirst in the OT were pictured for the Judgment of God. The New Testament pictured God giving us what our souls longed for. “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness. Jesus promised the woman at the well water that would cause her to never thirst again.

*The sun would not beat down on them to scorch them. The Mediterranean desert could be harsh with its unbearable heat. What a promise is given of escaping the scorching heat. God will rescue his own from all suffering they have presently experienced in life.

C. The Lamb and God Act on our Behalf.

Juxtapose Position

Here you have in scripture what is called a juxtapose position. We have in Revelation a picture of Jesus both as a Lion and a Lamb in Revelation 5. Now we have a picture of the Lamb as our Shepherd.

Yaweh as our Shepherd:

Goes before His flock to guide it.

Leads it to pasture.

Protects them with his staff.

Gathers the dispersed.

The Lion is the Lamb - The Lamb is Slain - The Slain Lamb becomes the Conquering Ram

All of these pictures of Christ lead to His master plan which is for the Shepherd to gather his flock.

Deep in the mountains of Bolivia I had the opportunity to share the story of the great shepherd with the native people of Bolivia. When the people first realized that they were the lost sheep of Israel that Jesus would leave the 99 to go find the one who had gone astray they began to cheer and celebrate.

How do we respond today when a lost lamb who has been wondering that was lost is now found. The good shepherd laid himself across the sheep fold to protect the sheep from the wild beasts and animals that would do them harm.

He also has become the wild beast in the Lion to devour those who have rejected the good shepherd and would want to harm his flock.

The Divine Shepherd Leads to Springs of Living Water

The NT shows the spirit as the one who leads us to all truth. Now the good shepherd is leading us to living water. Both of them represent true life.

Homestead Rescue

The Rainy Family helps homesteaders who are failing. The majority of the time the reason they are failing is the fact that they have no water source. Mr. Rainy will always say that without water you have not life.

Water is the necessity of any homestead or it will ultimately die.

We are led to where true full life comes to completion in Jesus Christ in His Kingdom.

Every Tear Wiped Away

The tears of sorrow for sin and a mistaken life. We know that it says in 2 Corinthians 7:10

2 Corinthians 7:10 ESV

10 For godly grief produces a repentance that leads to salvation without regret, whereas worldly grief produces death.

Most people experience worldly grief which is different than the kind that leads to true repentance.

The later expression of tears in chapter 21 most likely is a reference to suffering as a continued theme of persecution.

CONCLUSION

How can any Christian read about what we see in this chapter without wanting to shout out at the top of our lungs with great praise for what Christ has done for us in this picture of His sealing of his flock? Even just an overwhelming awe at What God has done?

People have come from every nation on earth to rejoice in God’s Salvation.

How can any true follower of Christ possibly read this without a great desire to put Christ first in your life. We now see the promised result of all the persecution of the Church that causes such great cries of mourning among God’s people.

Our Salvation is secure not because of who we are but because of the blood of the Lamb that is slain from the foundation of the earth for our redemption.

The Church is sealed on earth before the Tribulation.

The Reward is threefold.

We will have the great privilege to stand and worship before the throne of God.

All earthly sorrows and sufferings will be taken away permanently.

The Shepherd will lead us to life-giving springs.

Why spend all our time for earthly pleasures that are so fleeting and pass away. Unfortunately many of us no sooner than our feet hit the ground on Monday morning what we have read today will fade in the back drop of our self-centered worldly mindset.

Many of us will go on living our lives without a second thought to what we see in Revelation.

But, just maybe, maybe, you will wake up tomorrow morning with eternity on your mind and the kingdom of God ahead of you. Leaving this world fading behind.

We’re marching to Zion

(Isaac Watts)

Come, we that love the Lord, And let our joys be known; Join in a song with sweet accord, And thus surround the throne.

Refrain: We’re marching to Zion, Beautiful, beautiful Zion; We’re marching upward to Zion, The beautiful city of God.

The hill of Zion yields A thousand sacred sweets Before we reach the heav’nly fields, Or walk the golden streets.

Then let our songs abound, And every tear be dry; We’re marching through Emmanuel's ground To fairer worlds on high.

We’re marching to Zion, Beautiful, beautiful Zion; We’re marching upward to Zion, The beautiful city of God.