Revelation for Now & Future Part 15

Revelation 7:1–17 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.”

Angels Will Hold Back the Destruction Until Believers Are Marked for The LORD!

It is important to note the chronology of the vision is recorded as seen, but not as occuring.

In essence, John saw in Chapter 6 the events which happen much later than Chapter 7.

Revelation 7:1–3 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.”

There is a tribulation of the church age. God will keep believers safe during this tribulation.

Thus, believers will not be harmed spiritually as the events of Rev. 6:1-8 occur.

So what is happening?

“Four Winds” = “Four Horsemen”

The being held back is a picture of the rebelliousness and their evil.

One may ask is this literal or figurative?

The answer rests in the theological interpretation of the book.

Most significantly, we have a picture of the the woes, the winds, and the evil forces. A picture of destructive wrath to come.

Some would say that there is a literary synecdoche. (Part represents the whole).

Earth, sea, and trees are the earth and its inhabitants.

How long is the delay?

Temporary.

Look to vs. 3.

Revelation 7:3 ESV

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.”

See the qualifier: “until”

“Until the servants are sealed”

Here we have a seal of protection.

What kind of protection?

For the trials throughout the church age.

Also for the reward spoken about to the churches in the seven letters.

We must note that a seal is not something new, especially a seal of protection.

look at Ezek. 9:4-6

Ezekiel 9:4–6 ESV

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. 6 Kill old men outright, young men and maidens, little children and women, but touch no one on whom is the mark. And begin at my sanctuary.” So they began with the elders who were before the house.

Revelation 7:4 ESV

4 And I heard the number of the sealed, 144,000, sealed from every tribe of the sons of Israel:

One interpretation of this passage is that it fulfills Romans 11:25-29.

Romans 11:25–29 ESV

25 Lest you be wise in your own sight, I do not want you to be unaware of this mystery, brothers: a partial hardening has come upon Israel, until the fullness of the Gentiles has come in. 26 And in this way all Israel will be saved, as it is written, “The Deliverer will come from Zion, he will banish ungodliness from Jacob”; 27 “and this will be my covenant with them when I take away their sins.” 28 As regards the gospel, they are enemies for your sake. But as regards election, they are beloved for the sake of their forefathers. 29 For the gifts and the calling of God are irrevocable.

Another interpretation is that the 144,000 are a picture of the Church as a whole.

Regardless of which interpretation one holds, the reality is there is a mark which designates ownership.

In the Ancient world, a seal upon the forehead of a bond servant or slave declared ownership.

Those who are sealed are called in the Greek: “doulos” meaning Slave.

So let’s compare… you have people sealed in two different ways...

Sealed to Christ or Sealed to the Beast

Notice in Rev. 13:17 the contrast:

Revelation 13:17 ESV

17 so that no one can buy or sell unless he has the mark, that is, the name of the beast or the number of its name.

or also in Rev. 14:9-11

Revelation 14:9–11 ESV

9 And another angel, a third, followed them, saying with a loud voice, “If anyone worships the beast and its image and receives a mark on his forehead or on his hand, 10 he also will drink the wine of God’s wrath, poured full strength into the cup of his anger, and he will be tormented with fire and sulfur in the presence of the holy angels and in the presence of the Lamb. 11 And the smoke of their torment goes up forever and ever, and they have no rest, day or night, these worshipers of the beast and its image, and whoever receives the mark of its name.”

Thus regardless of who one interprets the 144,000 to be, they are prepared and permitted to be a witness as the “true Israel.”

The other idea of the seal can be traced back to the breastplate and headpiece for the High Priest.

Exodus 28:36 ESV

36 “You shall make a plate of pure gold and engrave on it, like the engraving of a signet, ‘Holy to the Lord.’

Exodus 28:38 ESV

38 It shall be on Aaron’s forehead, and Aaron shall bear any guilt from the holy things that the people of Israel consecrate as their holy gifts. It shall regularly be on his forehead, that they may be accepted before the Lord.

So those marked by the seal are identified as the People of God.

Effected by the Lamb’s blood.

In essence, they will not suffer the dive wrath.

Reflections:

Assurance of Salvation is possible.

True Belief

Desire to be faithful

Conviction of sin

Willing to witness

The True Israel are those who have believed upon Jesus, the Church.