Revelation 7, Pt 1

Last week we finished chapter 6, where we saw the first 6 of the 7 seals on the scroll taken from God’s hand by the Lamb in Rev 5, being opened... 

As these seals were opened, the following judgments or scenes were taking place:

Seal 1: a conquering on the earth, rider on a white horse

Seal 2: war, a rider on a red horse

Seal 3: famine, a rider on a black horse

Seal 4: death and Hades, a rider on a pale horse

Seal 5: martyred saints under the altar

Seal 6: the Final judgment

Chapter 6 ended with the small and great alike crying out during this time of final judgment, 

Revelation 6:16-17

16 calling to the mountains and rocks, “Fall on us and hide us from the face of him who is seated on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb, 17 for the great day of their wrath has come, and who can stand?”

Chapter 7 will answer that for us...

Revelation 7

The 144,000 of Israel Sealed

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.

A Great Multitude from Every Nation

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.”

Let me say before we begin to seek to understand Rev 7 that I am leaning heavily on Michael Wilcock’s book, I SAW HEAVEN OPENED, for help.

The FIRST QUESTION we want to ask and answer in Rev 7 is:

WHEN DOES THE SEALING WE SEE HERE TAKE PLACE?

Because Chapter 7 comes after chapter 6 in what John sees does not mean the scene in chapter 7 happens chronologically after the scenes in chapter 6.

Here are some reasons for saying that:

-It is clear that the sixth seal in chapter 6 is the final judgment, accompanying the return of Christ. The universe is unraveling irrevocably. The history of the world as we know it comes to an end.

But in chapter 7, there are 4 winds that will harm the earth and sea after the servants of God are sealed. The earth can’t further be harmed when it has already been destroyed.

-In chapter 7, instead of the 4 horses and their riders of chapter 6 harming the earth, there are 4 angels and four winds that are temporarily held back from harming the earth until God’s servants are sealed.

So, we believe that this is a different view of the same thing. The visions of Zechariah 6 confirm this:

Zechariah 6:1-5

1 Again I lifted my eyes and saw, and behold, four chariots came out from between two mountains. And the mountains were mountains of bronze. 2 The first chariot had red horses, the second black horses, 3 the third white horses, and the fourth chariot dappled horses—all of them strong. 4 Then I answered and said to the angel who talked with me, “What are these, my lord?” 5 And the angel answered and said to me, “These are going out to the four winds of heaven, after presenting themselves before the Lord of all the earth.

And so, what we see between the riders and horses and winds of chapter 6 and 7 is that the earth will not be harmed in a final great judgment until God’s servants are sealed. So this sealing of God’s servants is before the final judgment... 

NOW, WHAT IS THIS SEALING OF GOD’S SERVANT?

Listen to an OT reference to this:

Ezekiel 9:1-5

1 Then he cried in my ears with a loud voice, saying, “Bring near the executioners of the city, each with his destroying weapon in his hand.” 2 And behold, six men came from the direction of the upper gate, which faces north, each with his weapon for slaughter in his hand, and with them was a man clothed in linen, with a writing case at his waist. And they went in and stood beside the bronze altar.

3 Now the glory of the God of Israel had gone up from the cherub on which it rested to the threshold of the house. And he called to the man clothed in linen, who had the writing case at his waist. 4 And the Lord said to him, “Pass through the city, through Jerusalem, and put a mark on the foreheads of the men who sigh and groan over all the abominations that are committed in it.” 5 And to the others he said in my hearing, “Pass through the city after him, and strike. Your eye shall not spare, and you shall show no pity.

God’s servants were sealed first, those who groaned over sin, THEN judgment came on all the others...Just as in Rev 7...

What is the seal put on God’s servants in Rev 7?

The NT explanation of this is found in Ephesians 1:13

13 In him you also, when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and believed in him, were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit,

And in Ephesians 4:30

30 And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption.

BASIC TRUTHS OF THE SEALING OF THE HOLY SPIRIT:

-Ephesians 1:13; 4:30 (see above)

-God does this...

-God does this for all believers  2 Corinthians 1:21

21 And it is God who establishes us with you in Christ, and has anointed us,

-This sealing occurs at Salvation: Ephesians 1:13

-Meaning: ownership (Ephesians 1:13); security (Ephesians 4:30)

ILLUS: What is the best way to make sure something you are sending somewhere gets to it final destination safe and secure? You take yourself! So God has chosen by His grace to indwell us by His Spirit and provide, guide, and protect us all the way from regeneration (initial salvation) to glorification (final salvation in Heaven). Hallelujah!