17. The 144,000

Revelation 7:1–8 KJV 1900

1 And after these things I saw four angels standing on the four corners of the earth, holding the four winds of the earth, that the wind should not blow on the earth, nor on the sea, nor on any tree. 2 And I saw another angel ascending from the east, having the seal of the living God: and he cried with a loud voice to the four angels, to whom it was given to hurt the earth and the sea, 3 Saying, Hurt not the earth, neither the sea, nor the trees, till we have sealed the servants of our God in their foreheads. 4 And I heard the number of them which were sealed: and there were sealed an hundred and forty and four thousand of all the tribes of the children of Israel. 5 Of the tribe of Juda were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Reuben were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Gad were sealed twelve thousand. 6 Of the tribe of Aser were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Nepthalim were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Manasses were sealed twelve thousand. 7 Of the tribe of Simeon were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Levi were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Issachar were sealed twelve thousand. 8 Of the tribe of Zabulon were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Joseph were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Benjamin were sealed twelve thousand.

Intro:  In Revelation 6 we were witnesses to a world under a storm of holy judgment. 

The Lord Jesus took possession of the title deed Earth in Revelation 5. He began opening the seven seals .... the process of redeeming this planet out of the hands of sin, sinners and Satan.

      We watched Jesus “the lamb of God” open 6 of the 7 seals on the scroll.

Before He did, According to Revelation 6:1 “… (John) heard, as it were the noise of thunder”

This thunder signaled the approaching storm of God’s wrath.

As each seal was opened judgment and wrath began to be poured out upon the earth. 

We haven’t seen the worst of the suffering and sorrow that coming upon this world. 

After the 7 seals, 7 trumpets will sound and 7 bowls will be poured out upon the earth.

*** Before that happens, we are confronted with a divine parenthesis. ***

A parenthesis chapter (often called a parenthetical chapter or parenthetical section) in the Bible is a passage that pauses the main timeline or storyline to insert additional explanation, background, or detail.

Revelation 7 represents a pause in God’s plan to explain a deeper level of understanding. 

The first part of the storm has passed; the worst part lies unseen in the future. 

We will examine the events that come later in due course. 

Today, we will consider the first part of Revelation 7.

      Let’s watch as the Lord extends grace to a select group of people right in the midst of the Tribulation Period. 

Two groups of people are in view here in Revelation 7. 

The 1st group is identified as the 144,000 in v1-8 and also in Rev 14 

The 2nd group is identified as a redeemed multitude in v9-17. 

I.  NOTICE THE STILLNESS 

A.  The Reason For This Stillness – God calls for a momentary peace to fall upon the earth because He has some divine business to transact. 

Revelation 7:1 “… that the wind should not blow on the earth, nor on the sea, nor on any tree.”

As God’s wrath is rained down upon the earth in Revelation 6, He pauses to answer a prayer that was prayed many centuries ago by the prophet Habakkuk,

Habakkuk 3:2 “… O Lord, revive thy work in the midst of the years, In the midst of the years make known; In wrath remember mercy.”

“O Lord, revive thy work in the midst of the years, in the midst of the years make known; in wrath remember mercy.”

This has always been the Lord’s method of operation. 

1. He remembered mercy in wrath when the blood of the lamb was on the doorposts of the houses in Egypt, Ex. 12.  2. He remembered mercy in wrath when He delivered Lot from Sodom, Gen. 19.  3. He remembered mercy in wrath when He saved Noah and his family from the flood, Gen. 6. 

B.  The Results Of This Stillness –

We are told that four angels stand on the four corners of the earth holding back the four winds of the earth.

Some questions?

1.  Who are these angels? –

From v2, it is clear that these angels have been given the power to execute God’s judgment upon the earth. 

The word “hurt” carries the idea of “injury without mercy”.

It is a picture of absolute destruction. These are avenging, judging angels.

2.  What are they doing? –

They are holding back the four winds of the earth. When these angels appear, there will not be as much as a breeze blowing anywhere on earth. 

The word “holding” translates a strong word. It was used to speak of horses straining against their bits. These winds are struggling to break free from the hold of the angels.

3.  What is meant by the winds? –

The word winds should be taken literally. 

As I mentioned there will be no winds blowing upon the earth. However, there is a sense in which the Bible uses wind in a spiritual sense. Hosea 8:7 says, “For they have sown the wind, and they shall reap the whirlwind:” 

So, these angels are holding back the wind of divine judgment from off the earth as well. There is a lull in the storm as God takes care of His servants. God harnesses the winds of His divine judgment that they should not blow for a season.

4.  What is meant by “the four corners of the earth? – 

The ancient Jews superstitiously believed that winds which blew out of the north, south, east or west were favorable or good winds. 

They also believed that winds which came from between these directions, hence from the four corners of the earth were ill-favored winds.  

These winds could certainly be described an ill-favored winds!

II.  NOTICE THE SEAL  

A.  “I saw another angel” –

As John watches, a fifth angel appears on the earth. This angel rises from the east like the morning sun. 

Some have taken this to mean that this angel is none other than the Lord Jesus Christ. 

However, the word “another” tells us that this angel is just that, an angel. 

We may not know who he is, but we do know that he comes commanding the first four angels to refrain from their mission of destruction upon the earth.

B.  “seal the servants of God in their foreheads.” 

By the way, Satan is an imitator. Throughout this book he is seen attempting to duplicate many of the things God has done and is doing. We will see his place a mark on his servants in Rev. 13:16-17. the “mark of the beast”. marking them as his servants.  

In this passage, we are going to see the Lord God as He seals His servants. 

      The word “seal” refers to an official stamp.  

It brings to mind the signet rings used by kings to mark documents as official. A piece of wax would be placed on the document and the king’s signet ring pressed into it. 

In the Bible, there are several instances of God sealing His people. 

Noah and family were sealed up in the Ark, Gen. 7:16.

 Rahab was sealed by a scarlet thread hanging from her window, Josh. 2:18.  The children of Israel were sealed by the blood of the lamb on the doorposts and lintels of their homes, Ex. 12:13.  

       When you were saved, an invisible mark was placed upon you. No one can see it, but it is there. God sealed you at that instant and He marked you as His Own. 

Ephesians 1:13 In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise,

III. NOTICE THE  SERVANTS 

He calls them in v3 “servants of our God”

“servants” is the word for “slaves”. 

These people are saved, sealed, sold out servants of Jesus. 

A. v6-8 “all the tribes of the children of Israel”. 

Over the years, many groups have tried to claim that they are part of the 144,000. 

The Jehovah’s Witnesses, the Seventh-Day Adventists, among others, have all tried to make that claim.  

Well, if anyone ever comes up to you claiming to be part of the 144,000, just ask them which tribe they are from. That will usually put them on the run. 

Others have said that these 144,000 represent the church. The text is clear, however, these 144,000 are Jewish men, called and saved out of the tribes of Israel.

1.  Why are there exactly 12,000 from each of the 12 tribes? –

Twelve in the Bible is a number associated with Israel. There were 12 tribes in Israel. There were 12 loaves of bread on the table of Shewbread in the Tabernacle. There were 12 gates into the city of Jerusalem. There were 12 stones in the breastplate of the high priest. 

This teaches us a valuable lesson: God is not finished with Israel! He has a plan for their future restoration and redemption, Romans 9-11.

2.  Why are some of the tribes not mentioned? –

The tribes of Dan and Ephraim are not mentioned, while the tribe of Levi, which did not receive and inheritance among the other tribes is.  You will also notice that the tribe of Joseph is mentioned. 

Back in Genesis 48, Joseph’s two sons Manasseh and Ephraim were adopted by Jacob and given an inheritance in Israel. It appears that Dan and Ephraim are not mentioned here because they went away into deep idolatry during the kingdom years.  Therefore, they are left out of the list.

3.  How and when will these 144,000 be saved? –

Some believe they will be saved by the preaching of the Two Witnesses mentioned in Rev. 11:1-12. I see to definitive evidence of this. God will send two preachers to preach the Gospel in Jerusalem… but that’s not until Revelation 11 These 144,000 will be converted and will be sealed to a special ministry by the Lord.

4.  What makes them so special? –

To answer that question, we have to fast forward to Rev. 14:1-5. 1) Revelation 14:1 “… and with him an hundred forty and four thousand, having his Father’s name written in their foreheads.” 2) Revelation 14:3 “And they sung as it were a new song … and no man could learn that song but the hundred and forty and four thousand, which were redeemed from the earth.” 3) Revelation 14:4 “These are they which were not defiled with women; for they are virgins.” 4)Revelation 14:4 “… These are they which follow the Lamb whithersoever he goeth. These were redeemed from among men, being the firstfruits unto God and to the Lamb.”

They are also called to “firstfruits” to God and to the Lamb. Firstfruits can mean

a) first to be saved or

b) the finest kind

B. “And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations; and then shall the end come.”

Despite 2,000 years of evangelism and mission work, this verse has never been fulfilled. There are hundreds of millions of people in our world who have never heard the name of Jesus, much less the Gospel of grace.

You might not imagine it, but the Tribulation will see the greatest evangelistic effort the world has ever witnessed. These 144,000 redeemed Jewish preachers will take the Gospel to the world and a vast multitude will be saved as a result.

      That excites me! I am glad the Lord is going to redeem millions during the Tribulation.  Revelation 7:9–10 “After this I beheld, and, lo, a great multitude, which no man could number, of all nations, and kindreds, and people, and tongues, stood before the throne, and before the Lamb, clothed with white robes, and palms in their hands; And cried with a loud voice, saying, Salvation to our God which sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb.”

Revelation 7:14 “And I said unto him, Sir, thou knowest. And he said to me, These are they which came out of great tribulation, and have washed their robes, and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.”