Rev 7 Public Reading Comments

Comments on Rev. 7.

Since chapter 4, John’s vision was before the throne of God. God was on the throne and elders were around the throne, and the four living creatures were wound the throne. The response of everyone around the throne was to fall on their faces before God, to worship Him and declare His holiness and His worthiness to receive glory and honor and power.

There was a scroll which was sealed. We have suggested that this scroll represented God’s plan of redemption. Only the One who could execute this plan was worthy to open the scroll. The Lamb of God was there among the elders, and He took the scroll, because the Lamb is Jesus and He is worthy to open the scroll because He and He alone brought about this divine plan of redemption.

Last we we read chapter 6 together and the Lamb opened each of the seals on the scroll displaying His authority and power.

The next vision that appeared to John is found in chapter 7. What we should know about much of the imagery in Revelation is that it often has its roots in the OT. We don’t have time to trace all of that here. The reference to the four corners of the earth is a reference to the entire known world.

Certainly something that will stand out to us about this chapter is the identity of the 144,000. Who are they? As you might expect, this is debated. I suggest that, in light of the fact that Gentile believers are identified together with the twelve tribes of the sons of Israel as part of the New Jerusalem (see Rev. 21:24).

The scene in chapter seven is the people of God standing before the throne of God worshipping God. A group of men from the church attended the Banner of Truth conference this past week. During one of the sessions, the speaker pointed out that the purpose of Israel’s redemption from Egypt was not their freedom. Their freedom had a purpose, and that purpose was the freedom to worship their God. This is our purpose. We have been freed from the bondage of sin so that we can worship our God. This is the scene in chapter 7. The people of God free to realize the purpose for which they were created, for which they have been saved. The reason why they have been spared the wrath of God. To worship God.

And here we are today church. We gather on this Lord’s day to live out the purpose for which we have been created and for which we have been saved. To worship our God.

Revelation 7 ESV

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. 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, saying, “Do not harm the earth or the sea or the trees, until we have sealed the servants of our God on their foreheads.” And I heard the number of the sealed, 144,000, sealed from every tribe of the sons of Israel: 12,000 from the tribe of Judah were sealed, 12,000 from the tribe of Reuben, 12,000 from the tribe of Gad, 12,000 from the tribe of Asher, 12,000 from the tribe of Naphtali, 12,000 from the tribe of Manasseh, 12,000 from the tribe of Simeon, 12,000 from the tribe of Levi, 12,000 from the tribe of Issachar, 12,000 from the tribe of Zebulun, 12,000 from the tribe of Joseph, 12,000 from the tribe of Benjamin were sealed. 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, and crying out with a loud voice, “Salvation belongs to our God who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb!” 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, saying, “Amen! Blessing and glory and wisdom and thanksgiving and honor and power and might be to our God forever and ever! Amen.” Then one of the elders addressed me, saying, “Who are these, clothed in white robes, and from where have they come?” 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. “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. They shall hunger no more, neither thirst anymore; the sun shall not strike them, nor any scorching heat. 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.”

Prayer

God’s holiness

1 Samuel 2:2 ESV

“There is none holy like the Lord: for there is none besides you; there is no rock like our God.

We acknowledge your holiness today

at times we fail to acknowledge this

Part of what it is for us to live our purpose is

Ephesians 3:10 ESV

so that through the church the manifold wisdom of God might now be made known to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly places.

We ask Lord for help, even in this. Your Spirit empowers us to fight against the darkness of this world and that which is in us that resists the Spirit.

Cause us to remember that

2 Corinthians 10:4–6 ESV

For the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh but have divine power to destroy strongholds. We destroy arguments and every lofty opinion raised against the knowledge of God, and take every thought captive to obey Christ, being ready to punish every disobedience, when your obedience is complete.

And the fact that we have been given weapons to fight against that which is against you Father, is indicative of the fact that we live in a fallen world. We are burdened, because of sin within and without.

We acknowledge our sin to you God. We know we cannot and by your grace do not desire to cover up our iniquity. We confess our transgressions to you Lord. Thanks be to God, you forgave our sin.

But the sin without Father. This fallen world Father. Oh God, sustain your people.

The sick, the anxious, the depressed, the troubled, the lonely, the angry, the apathetic, we ask that your people will behold the love of God afresh today.

The Chmils’

Dan Michaels: knows the peace of Christ

Bruce Gothel: Praise that his PSA numbers have remained low. Continued wisdom for Kelly’s medical care

Brain Kirkpatrick

Will Mountain

Aaron Stoudt

Pat and Denny Weimer

Cynda Sherrick

For all these and the many more among us, sustain your people and do not let us loose sight of the living hope we have in our risen Saviour Jesus Christ.

Revelation 7:17 ESV

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.”