Revelation 7

Vengeance restrained until the righteous are sealed (vs. 1-3)—Chapter six ended with God’s wrath being poured out upon the wicked of the earth (vs. 12-17). Yet, unless His people be harmed in the process, four angels appear (7:1), “standing at the four corners of the earth, holding the four winds of the earth, that the wind should not blow on the earth, on the sea, or on any tree.” Another angel appeared and instructed “the four angels to whom it was granted to harm the earth and the sea” (v. 2) that they should do no more harm “till we have sealed the servants of our God on their foreheads” (v. 3). So when the Lord comes in vengeance upon His enemies, His people will not be caught up in that retribution. He “knows those who trust in Him” (Nahum 1:7), and they will be protected.

Sealing the 144,000 (vs. 4-8)—The “tribes of the children of Israel” (v. 4) represent the redeemed on earth; not Jews, but Christians. There will be 144,000 “sealed,” 12x12x12x10x10—“12” standing for God’s people and “10” for completeness. Thus, when these two number are multiplied out as they are, it indicates total protection for all of God’s people; not a one will be lost in the coming judgment (see my posts on numerical symbolism). That this is not literal Israel is obvious from a few points. Verses 5-8 indicate that exactly 12,000 from each tribe would be sealed. Obviously, this cannot be strictly true. Plus, there is no “sealing” from the tribe of Dan, but there is from the “tribe of Joseph.” There was no “tribe of Joseph.” Joseph’s allotment in the land of Canaan was divided among his two sons, Ephraim and Manasseh. Interestingly, in this list in Revelation 7:5-8, Manasseh is listed, but Ephraim is not. So, again, what we have here is a figurative reference to all the people of God, on earth, who would be protected from God’s vengeance when He poured out His wrath upon those who had persecuted His people. Note that, contrary to Jehovah’s Witnesses doctrine, the 144,000 were on earth, not in heaven.

The heavenly scene (vs. 9-17)—Indeed, those who were “standing before the throne and before the Lamb” were “a great multitude which no one could number” (v. 9). They were from all peoples, and they were clothed in white robes (purity), “with palm branches in their hands” (at peace). They were praising God (v. 10), as were “all the angels [who] stood around the throne and the elders and the four living creatures” (v. 11). Their song of thanksgiving came up to God (v. 12). One of the elders at the scene asked John, “Who are these arrayed in white robes, and where did they come from?" (v. 13). The apostle either didn’t know or was hesitant to say (v. 14). So the elder told him, “These are the ones who come out of the great tribulation, and washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb”—in other words, persecuted saints, those who perhaps had lost their lives for their faith. This is an important point. Remember John’s readers. This vision is to encourage them to remain faithful, even in the face of death, and they would receive the eternal reward as well. Many of John’s readers might have known someone who had died for Christ; Revelation 7 tells those readers where those departed saints now were—in heaven before the throne of God. And there will be no more persecution for those who have passed on: “They shall neither hunger anymore nor thirst anymore; the sun shall not strike them, nor any heat…And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes" (vs. 16-17). The Lamb—Jesus—“will shepherd them and lead them to living fountains of waters” (v. 17). A picture of perfect peace and happiness. And it awaits those who endured the Roman persecution, and indeed, it awaits all of us who remain faithful to the Lord unto the end. We will be “before the throne of God, and serve Him day and night in His temple. And He who sits on the throne will dwell among” us (v. 15). Isn’t this what we are living for?

Thus, in chapters 6 and 7, John has seen the instruments of persecution (or perhaps God’s judgment), the request for justice from those before the throne, the terror of the wicked at the approaching judgment, and the protection and reward of God’s people during that judgment. A perfect example of apocalyptic literature and John’s readers would certainly understand it and be encouraged by it. This is really a pretty good summation of the entire book of Revelation, but it will be repeated, again and again, for emphasis, to give the beleaguered Christians of John’s day supreme hope and encouragement.