11. The 144K are Sealed

BOTTOM LINE:

Revelation 7 serves as an interlude between the opening of the 6th and 7th seals in the Book of Revelation.

The Sealing of the 144,000

The Great Multitude in White Robes:

Revelation 7 emphasizes the protection and ultimate salvation of God's people, depicting both the specific number of the sealed from the tribes of Israel and the vast, diverse multitude who are redeemed and worship God in His presence.

Themes: divine protection, salvation, and the hope of eternal comfort and joy for believers.

INTRO/OPENING:

The other day my boy Nathan shared a very honest concern with me while we were sitting at the kitchen table.

He said “Dad, I know that in heaven we’re going to worship God a lot / forever.” then sheepishly (tímidamente) he said “but I’m afraid that sound s a little bit boring!”

It was an honest concern, I thought. I wasn’t sure how to answer that. I thought and prayed for a moment in my mind.

I proceeded to explain to him, how if I let him; he would play video games all day, every day for the rest of his life. To which he said “Oh yeah!” which he followed up with “but I still don’t understand how that could be?” I said “It’s the same way I don’t understand how it could be that you don’t get tired of playing those videos all day! But just because I don’t understand it, that doesn’t stop you from enjoy it does it?” He said “oh yeah, I never saw it like that” and went to his room to play video games!!!

In you case it might be watching sports or binge watching your favorite series… Whatever the case may be, the worship in heaven is gonna surpass any pleasure we might get from doing our favorite thing down here on earth. The worship in heaven will be phenomenal!!! We’ll see that in the 2nd half of today’s chapter.

TRANSITION:

Today we’re going to see how good unleashes a massive evangelism effort on earth during the Great Tribulation, which in turn leads to massive salvation of people, which then leads to a massive worship service in heaven!

But first open your Bibles with me to… Matthew 24:21-22 I want to remind you that we are now in the Great Tribulation portion the book of Revelation. Remember we looked the 7 churches of Asia Minor, and the opening of the first 6 seals and the judgments they triggered on the earth. But now in chapter 7 we see a pause before Jesus opens the seventh seal.

TEXT:

The Great Tribulation

Matthew 24:21–22 NLT

21 For there will be greater anguish than at any time since the world began. And it will never be so great again. 22 In fact, unless that time of calamity is shortened, not a single person will survive. But it will be shortened for the sake of God’s chosen ones.

Matthew 24:21–22 NTV

21 Pues habrá más angustia que en cualquier otro momento desde el principio del mundo. Y jamás habrá una angustia tan grande. 22 De hecho, a menos que se acorte ese tiempo de calamidad, ni una sola persona sobrevivirá; pero se acortará por el bien de los elegidos de Dios.

The Purpose of the Great Tribulation

Hosea 5:15 NLT

15 Then I will return to my place until they admit their guilt and turn to me. For as soon as trouble comes, they will earnestly search for me.”

Hosea 5:15 NTV

15 Entonces regresaré a mi lugar, hasta que reconozcan su culpa y se vuelvan a mí. Pues tan pronto lleguen las dificultades, me buscarán de todo corazón».

This is about Israel now, the church is no longer here at this point… but, to return to a place He has to have gone there in the first place!

John 1:11 NIV

11 He came to that which was his own, but his own did not receive him.

John 1:11 RVR60

11 A lo suyo vino, y los suyos no le recibieron.

BODY:

Ch. 7 is a parenthesis

v. 1-2

in chapter 8 there are 4 angels that come forward with 4 trumpet judgments (these might be those 4 angels). This passage tells them to hold on, until the sealing of the 144K

“4 corners of the earth”(magnetic / cartesian plane) Not a flat earth!

Corners = (Heb. Kanaph) = angles or divisions (i.e. quadrants) also extremities.

Isaiah 40:22 NLT

22 God sits above the circle of the earth. The people below seem like grasshoppers to him! He spreads out the heavens like a curtain and makes his tent from them.

Isaiah 40:22 NTV

22 Dios se sienta sobre el círculo de la tierra; la gente que hay abajo le parecen saltamontes. Él despliega los cielos como una cortina, y hace con ellos su carpa.

Job 26:7 NLT

7 God stretches the northern sky over empty space and hangs the earth on nothing.

Job 26:7 NTV

7 Dios extiende el cielo del norte sobre el espacio vacío y cuelga a la tierra sobre la nada.

The four winds = represent God's judgment. In His pledge to destroy Elam (another name for Persia) God said,

"I will bring upon Elam the four winds from the four quarters of heaven. And I will scatter them to all those winds, and there shall be no nation to which those driven out of Elam shall not come" -Jeremiah 49:36

Daniel also saw in a vision the four winds of heaven. He states in Daniel 7:2 that they were "stirring up the great sea," which meant the Mediterranean Sea.

During the four angels' delay of judgment no wind would arise to shake a tree. (Rev. 6:13)

v. 3-4

These are not symbols representing other things (i.e. grass = people) earth, sea, trees mean exactly that, literally.

144K sealed. The Jehovah’s Witnesses believe they are these. If so, what tribe are they from?

Great multitude no one could number -Rev. 7:9 J.W.’s have 8.6 million members! We can count them.

And if there are only 144K spaces available that number has already been filled why are they still evangelizing?

v. 5-8

These are further proof that what is meant here is a literal 144K jews in that day will be sealed.

The 12 tribes come from: (Time: 32:07)

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A MULTITUDE SAVED DURING THE GREAT TRIBULATION

v. 9-10

2nd half of this chapter. We change subjects. This is a different group than the elders in heaven.

· The elders sang. (raptured church)

· These people cried/shouted in a loud voice. (Tribulation saints)

They are the result of the massive evangelism that takes place during the Great Tribulation: (144K sealed / The 2 witnesses [Revelation 11:1-14]) / Flying angel evangelizing the world [Revelation 14:6-13]

· from all nations (v.9)

· It is possible that more people will be saved during this time than in all the church age combined.

v. 11-12

This is why we know that the elders that we read about are not angels, because here are all the Angels and the elders.

v. 12 worship song has 7 things listed that are ascribed to God. Amen. You can say Amen it’s scriptural.

v. 13-14

These are different redeemed people. The elders (the church) redeemed before the rapture. These people are redeemed during the Great Tribulation by the ministry of the 144K (plus 2 other guys in chapter 11.)

v. 15-16

They serve God, the 24 elders are ruling as kings and priests on thrones.

Here we began to see a difference in degrees. Elders hold a higher position in heaven than those saved during the Great Tribulation.

If Jehovah’s Witnesses want to be part of the 144K go for it. I’d rather be with the 24 elders.

v. 17

But even serving in the kingdom of God is so much better. But why are they crying tears? Perhaps regret over lost opportunities.

Pre-Trib Saints vs. Tribulation Saints:

Time: 1:08:23

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This chapter is the pause in between seals #6 & #7.

In the next chapter 8:1 we’ll see the opening of the 7th seal which triggers 7 more judgements known as the 7 trumpet judgements.

For me only (not church).

📷

Joshua / Jericho seems to parallel the 7 trumpet judgements.

Even though we won’t go through the great tribulation, we may still have to endure what so many Christians throughout history and around the world have had to endure because of their faith.

A pesar de que no pasaremos por la gran tribulación, es posible que todavía tengamos que soportar lo que tantos cristianos a lo largo de la historia y en todo el mundo han tenido que soportar debido a su fe.

“If your faith can't get you to church on Sunday,

I doubt if it will get you into heaven.”

- Dr. Adrian Rogers

“Si tu fe no puede llevarte a la iglesia el domingo,

Dudo que te pueda llevar al cielo”.

- Dr. Adrián Rogers

APPLICATION:

The only application I can see for us in this passage (since we won’t be on the earth during this time) is that we need to start flexing our worship muscle! Get ready for the great times of worship we will have in heaven.

Of course if you’re not saved then you need to fix that today!!! Call for salvation

END:

I’d like to end today by helping you practice flexing our worship muscle! GOODBYE TO FACEBOOK.

Look again at verses 10-12… When i was studying this passage I noticed something in the way they were worshiping. Those redeemed out of the Tribulation would scream v.10 “Salvation belongs to our God...” and the elders (raptured saints) would answer v.11 “Amen...”

Revelation 7:10–12 NKJV

10 and crying out with a loud voice, saying, “Salvation belongs to our God who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb!” 11 All the angels stood around the throne and the elders and the four living creatures, and fell on their faces before the throne and worshiped God, 12 saying: “Amen! Blessing and glory and wisdom, Thanksgiving and honor and power and might, Be to our God forever and ever. Amen.”

Revelation 7:10–12 RVR60

10 y clamaban a gran voz, diciendo: La salvación pertenece a nuestro Dios que está sentado en el trono, y al Cordero. 11 Y todos los ángeles estaban en pie alrededor del trono, y de los ancianos y de los cuatro seres vivientes; y se postraron sobre sus rostros delante del trono, y adoraron a Dios, 12 diciendo: Amén. La bendición y la gloria y la sabiduría y la acción de gracias y la honra y el poder y la fortaleza, sean a nuestro Dios por los siglos de los siglos. Amén.

English:

For the Lord is Good (Live) - Ron Kenoly

https://youtu.be/PYbDqhAq49Q?feature=shared

Spanish:

01 - Jehova Es Mi Guerrero - Palabra En Accion

https://youtu.be/8GIouL_6WTY?feature=shared

GIVE THE LORD YOUR LOUDEST SHOUT!!! (GRITO DE JUBILO)

I don’t Nathan (or you) will get too board in heaven!