CHAPTER 7

(A.D. 96)

144,000 JEWS

¹And after these things (the first parenthetical Passage, coming between the sixth and seventh Seals) I saw four Angels standing on the four corners of the earth (represents the universality of Gods Administration), holding the four winds of the earth (actually refers to Judgment, which will be stopped for a short period of time), that the wind should not blow on the earth, nor on the sea, nor on any tree. (The winds of Judgment strive to be turned loose, but they are held in abeyance by the omnipotence of Almighty God.)

²And I saw another Angel ascending from the east (the advent of this Angel portrays the fact that this is the beginning of the Restoration of Israel), having the Seal of the Living God (pertains to the Seal of Salvation [II Tim. 2:19]): and he cried with a loud voice to the four Angels, to whom it was given to hurt the earth and the sea (the Judgments are to be held in check),

³Saying, Hurt not the earth, neither the sea, nor the trees, till we have sealed the servants of our God in their foreheads. (This is not literal, but rather a token, as the sprinkled blood on the lentil protected the house from the destroying Angel at the first Passover.)

⁴And 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 (12,000 from each Tribe; these are the Firstfruits of Israel which are included in the First Resurrection, with all of Israel coming to Christ at the Second Coming).

⁵Of the Tribe of Judah were sealed twelve thousand. Of the Tribe of Reuben were sealed twelve thousand. Of the Tribe of Gad were sealed twelve thousand.

⁶Of the Tribe of Aser were sealed twelve thousand. Of the Tribe of Nephthalim were sealed twelve thousand. Of the Tribe of Manasses were sealed twelve thousand.

⁷Of 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.

⁸Of the Tribe of Zabulon were sealed twelve thousand. Of the Tribe of Joseph (Ephraim)were sealed twelve thousand. Of the Tribe of Benjamin were sealed twelve thousand. (The Tribe of Dan is omitted, and no reason is given.)

TRIBULATION SAINTS

⁹After this I beheld, and, lo, a great multitude (pertains to martyrs who gave their lives for the Lord Jesus Christ in the Great Tribulation), which no man could number (represents the many, possibly millions, who will be saved in the Great Tribulation), of all nations, and kindreds, and people, and tongues, stood before the Throne, and before the Lamb (by use of the word Lamb, we know and realize that their sin-stained garments have been washed in the Blood of the Lamb), clothed with white robes, and palms in their hands (could be paraphrased, dressed in richest wedding garments of purest, dazzling, white; these are Gods Blood-bought; the palms represent joy [Neh. 8:17]);

¹⁰And cried with a loud voice (proclaims great joy), saying, Salvation to our God which sits upon the Throne, and unto the Lamb. (Once again, we are told here how God has brought about Salvation. It is through what Jesus did at the Cross, and through that means alone.)

¹¹And all the Angels stood round about the Throne, and about the Elders and the four Beasts, and fell before the Throne on their faces, and worshipped God (this tremendous volume of worship and praise has to do with what Jesus did at the Cross, in His Atoning for all sin by the giving of Himself in Sacrifice),

¹²Saying, Amen (is the proclamation that God has provided Salvation to humanity through the Work of the Lamb): Blessing, and Glory, and Wisdom, and Thanksgiving, and Honour, and Power, and Might, be unto our God forever and ever. Amen. (As the praises to God the Father are sevenfold, they are also sevenfold to God the Son [Rev. 5:12]. This shows that both God and the Lamb are regarded in Heaven as entitled to equal praise.)

¹³And one of the Elders answered, saying unto me (proclaims one of the 24 addressing questions that are in Johns mind, but have not been asked), What are these which are arrayed in white robes? (This would be better translated, Who are these?) and whence came they? (Where do they come from?)

¹⁴And I said unto him, Sir, you know (presents reverent regard, but definitely not worship). And he said to me, These are they which came out of great tribulation (refers to a specific group), and have washed their robes, and made them white in the Blood of the Lamb. (They were saved by trusting Christ and what He did at the Cross. In the Book of Revelation, the emphasis placed on the Cross is overwhelming.)

¹⁵Therefore are they before the Throne of God, and serve Him day and night in His Temple (all of this particular group came out of the Great Tribulation): and He Who sits on the Throne shall dwell among them. (The One Who sits on the Throne will cast His protecting Tabernacle over all the Saints of God, which, in effect, is His Presence.)

¹⁶They shall hunger no more, neither thirst any more; neither shall the sun light on them, nor any heat (proclaims a perfect environment).

¹⁷For the Lamb which is in the midst of the Throne shall feed them (not only did the Lamb save them, but He as well shall feed them; not only does our Salvation come by and through what Jesus did at the Cross, but we live by what Jesus did for us at the Cross as well), and shall lead them unto living fountains of waters (symbolic of the Holy Spirit [Jn. 7:37-39]): and God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes. (All things causing sorrow will be forever gone.)