Another Change For Grace

Another Change for Grace

Revelation 7, 8, & 9

Michael H. Koplitz

We continue today with our look at the book of Revelation by examining chapters 7, 8, and 9. In chapter 7, there is a pause in the destruction that is being leveled against the earth that we saw in the opening of 6 of the 7 seals. The angels standing at the four corners of the earth are instructed to hold back the winds to prevent any destruction to the earth. This is commanded so that 144,000 of God’s people can have a seal placed upon their foreheads. This seal would signify them as servants of God.

The 144,000 people are from the Tribes of Israel. If you examine the list of the tribes in chapter 7, you will discover that the list is not correct. The Tribes of Israel were named after the 12 sons of Jacob, who was one of the patriarchs. The tribe of Dan is missing from the list in Revelation chapter 7. Also, the tribe of Manasseh is listed, which isn’t a Tribe of Israel but rather is a half-tribe of Israel. Remember in Genesis that Joseph, Jacob’s son, had two sons, Manasseh and Ephriam. Also, the Tribe of Joseph is on the list of 144,000. Manasseh was a part of Joseph, so why is this sub-tribe listed twice? Also, with the Assyrian invasion of the Northern Kingdom of Israel, 10 of the Tribes were destroyed. Only Judah and Benjamin existed in Jesus' time. Actually, by Jesus’ time, the tribe of Benjamin, being small, had integrated with Judah. So is John referring to 144,000 living souls or dead souls when he makes that claim.

John is met by an elder and engages in a conversation about the multitudes of people wearing white robes. Since they are wearing white robes and worshiping the Lamb, it is safe to assume that these people are believers in God’s Christ. However, these people will not have the seal of God placed on them. This will become important later.

In chapter 8, the seventh seal is opened. There is a moment of silence in heaven. In the book of Habukkuk, in chapter 2, we encounter a time of silence in heaven. The moment of silence in heaven can also be read in Zephaniah 1 and Zechariah 1. This silence could also reference Psalm 46:10, which reads: “Be still, and know that I am God!’

John now sees seven angels standing before the throne of God. Each angel is given a trumpet and will be commanded to sound it. The trumpet blast signals an alarm to the people that one is about to come into God’s awesome presence. We can see this in Exodus chapter 19 and Joel chapter 2. In Revelation, the trumpet blasts will signal disaster for the people of this world.

The first trumpet blast brings hail mingled with blood upon the face of the earth. One-third of the population of the earth is destroyed. Hail and blood can be found in Exodus 9, two of the ten plagues God leveled against Egypt, and in Ezekiel chapter 38. The second trumpet blast causes a fiery mountain to be cast into the sea. This would have been similar to the events of 79 AD when the volcano Vesuvius erupted in Italy.

The third trumpet brings a fiery bolt from heaven, and the star named wormwood falls from heaven. The rivers and springs of the earth are targeted. Wormwood is familiar to those who have read the minor prophets. Amos, chapters 5 and 6 speak about justice and wormwood. There is also a similar reference in Jeremiah chapter 9.

The fourth trumpet blast strikes the sun. The fifth trumpet blast initiates a star to fall from heaven. This time when the star strikes the earth, a large bottomless pit is created. This abyss has smoke rising out of it, which is like the smoke from a furnace. Locust comes out of the Abyss and torments all those whom God does not seal. The locusts are described as being like war horses prepared for battle. Their description rings similarities to Joel's chapters one and two.

The sixth trumpet is followed by a voice coming from the golden altar that is before God. The four angels that are at the river Euphrates release the river. 1/3 of humankind is killed by the flooding waters. Then John hears horsemen coming. He tells us that there are 200 million horsemen. His description of the horsemen is similar to the leviathan found in the book of Job in chapter 41.

Then there is a pause at the end of chapter 9. As we have been examining the book of the Revelation, we have been looking for God’s grace. Revelation is usually seen as a book of God’s wrath that will occur at the end of time. Indeed, we have read a lot of God’s wrath. However, we wanted to look for God’s grace. Again we find grace at the end of chapter 9. God’s grace is found as a continual warning to us about what will happen if we don’t turn away from our sins and toward God.