Note: I used many sources to study this book, one of my favorites is Revelation: God’s Word for the Biblically-Inept by Daymond Duck and some out of different study bibles.
Title: Victory of the tribulation saints
Text: Rev 7:1-7:17
What happened in chapter 6?
What do you think would come next in chapter 7? but actually we see a kind of parentheses, we will see in chapter seven that God will answer the question that everyone has to ask, since the Holy Spirit will no longer restrain evil, what happens to those who believe during the great tribulation period? The Holy Spirit is still working but he has backed off. Similar to what he did in the OT but on a grandeur scale. We will see the answer in chapter 7
Remember God is going to open up this world to man. God will allow man to do whatever they want in their lives to let them see they need him. The same works today but on a smaller scale. God will sometimes let us go through a lot on our own. He will let us find our own job. Walk our own walk until we get tired of it and realize we can't make it without him and turn to him. He even does this in the lives of Christians.
Did we look at heaven or earth in chapter 6?
Rev 6:17 For the great day of his wrath is come; and who shall be able to stand?
Church on earth, militant
1 And after these things I saw four angels standing on the four corners of the earth, holding the four winds of the earth, that the wind should not blow on the earth, nor on the sea, nor on any tree.
four corners of the earth-What could this be? North, South, East, West
four winds are four judgment
Fire, and hail; snow, and vapour; stormy wind fulfilling his word: (Psalms 148:8 AV)
God stops these judgment, why? To allow those to come to him. God always allows those who will to come to him. Notice the judgment have two effects. One effect is 1) repentance and salvation 2) cursing and damnation. God sends judgment in our lives for us to turn to him, to draw closer. How we receive them is our choice? Sadly too many people turn away.
2 And I saw another angel (a fifth angel) ascending from the east, having the seal of the living God: and he cried with a loud voice to the four angels, to whom it was given to hurt the earth and the sea,
Here is another angel. One of authority. There are levels in heaven. This is what we see even in our own walk of life.
3 Saying, Hurt not the earth, neither the sea, nor the trees, till we have sealed the servants of our God in their foreheads.
In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise, (Ephesians 1:13 AV)
And the glory of the God of Israel was gone up from the cherub, whereupon he was, to the threshold of the house. And he called to the man clothed with linen, which had the writer's inkhorn by his side; And the LORD said unto him, Go through the midst of the city, through the midst of Jerusalem, and set a mark upon the foreheads of the men that sigh and that cry for all the abominations that be done in the midst thereof. (Ezekiel 9:3-4 AV)
Why did they need the seal, could they not overcome this?
For then shall be great tribulation, such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time, no, nor ever shall be. And except those days should be shortened, there should no flesh be saved: but for the elect's sake those days shall be shortened. (Matthew 24:21-22 AV)
What do you think the mark of the Lord is?
1) could it be a life 2) is it a literal seal such as the seal that was put on Cain so that no one would kill him
Seals or marks in the Bible
1) mark of Cain
2) mark of God’s people
mark of the beast
Sealing of the Israelites
4 And 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. Here is a remnant out of Israel. God seals them so that they can make it through the Great tribulation period. Without the seal they could not make it. I believe that this is a literal figure of what is to happen.
The Jehovah Witnesses use to teach that the 144,000 were them. Although the scripture plainly say they are Jews.
5 Of the tribe of Juda were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Reuben were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Gad were sealed twelve thousand. 6 Of the tribe of Aser were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Nepthalim were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Manasses were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Simeon were sealed twelve thousand. 7 Of the tribe of Levi were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Issachar were sealed twelve thousand. 8 Of the tribe of Zabulon were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Joseph were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Benjamin were sealed twelve thousand.
Numbers 1:5-15 And these are the names of the men that shall stand with you: of the tribe of Reuben; Elizur the son of Shedeur. Of Simeon; Shelumiel the son of Zurishaddai. Of Judah; Nahshon the son of Amminadab. Of Issachar; Nethaneel the son of Zuar. Of Zebulun; Eliab the son of Helon. Of the children of Joseph: of Ephraim; Elishama the son of Ammihud: of Manasseh; Gamaliel the son of Pedahzur. Of the children of Joseph: of Ephraim; Elishama the son of Ammihud: of Manasseh; Gamaliel the son of Pedahzur. Of Benjamin; Abidan the son of Gideoni. Of Dan; Ahiezer the son of Ammishaddai. Of Asher; Pagiel the son of Ocran. Of Gad; Eliasaph the son of Deuel. Of Naphtali; Ahira the son of Enan.
What is different about this list and the original list found in Numbers 1:5-15?
Judah heads the list instead of Reuben. Remember in Gen 49 Judah was given preeminence because Reuben fell in gross sin.
Who is missing in this list?
Dan (Judges 18:30;1Kings 12:28-30) and Ephriam(Hosea 4:17)-may because of their idolatry.
taking their place is the tribe of Levi and Joseph both to be the witnesses
Church in heaven
9 After this I beheld, and, lo, a great multitude, which no man could number, of all nations, and kindreds, and people, and tongues, stood before the throne, and before the Lamb, clothed with white robes, and palms in their hands;
here we have an idea of how many would be in heaven. All these who were saved in the great tribulation. Why? because they endured
Here we can see the unfolding of things. God will seal 144,000 Jews who cannot be touched by this world. As we know the Anti-christ will have some kind of control. Anyway these 144,000 will be preachers and witnesses for God. They will have converts. And because they cannot be touched their converts will be martyred. They will truly die for Jesus. But thank the Lord they will overcome.
We know that the book of Revelation is all about the overcomer. Jesus said, “to him that overcometh”. There will be many. They will be dressed in white robes a symbol of purity and will have palm branches in their hands a symbol of their triumphant overcoming entry into heaven. Praise God for those who endure.
But he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved. (Matthew 24:13
clothed in white robes of righteousness of Christ. and the palm trees are a sign of victory. Victory of Christ and the redeemed because of Christ.
10 And cried with a loud voice, saying, Salvation to our God which sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb.
They knew who to give the glory too. Their true purpose has now been realized
11 And 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,
Man what a worship service. A service where all get involved. The angels, the elders, the four beasts all everyone. You want to talk about a powerful worship service. It is one where everyone in the house of God gets involved. It seems that in every worship service there are a few who are out of it. There are a few who don’t worship. Boy if we could get all to worship at the same time. Talking about a “Demonstration of Power”.
12 Saying, Amen: Blessing, and glory, and wisdom, and thanksgiving, and honour, and power, and might, be unto our God for ever and ever. Amen.
Sevenfold worship. You want to know how to worship and pray use these names.
The angels rejoicing with the saints. Listen to the praise of God. Blessing, glory, wisdom, thanksgiving, honour and power, might oh he is so worthy of our praise and of the praise of all heaven including the angels.
Will you just worship him?
13 And one of the elders answered, saying unto me, What are these which are arrayed in white robes? and whence came they?
The question is asked here. The thing is the elders already knew who they were but they wanted to make sure that everyone, including us, knew.
14 And I said unto him, Sir, thou knowest. And he said to me, These are they which came out (overcometh) of great tribulation, and have washed their robes, and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.
What is the paradox of the statement "and have washed their robes, and made them white in the blood of the Lamb"? How do you wash something in blood and have it come out to be white? Is there anything else about the Christian walk that is a paradox?
How about give away to get more? To be reborn?
15 Therefore are they before the throne of God, and serve him day and night in his temple: and he that sitteth on the throne shall dwell among them.
Here is the idea of worship of the creator day and night? What will it be like to worship Christ day and night? Will it be any different than what we do on earth? Should we not worship him one earth day and night?
16 They shall hunger no more, neither thirst any more; neither shall the sun light on them, nor any heat. 17 For the Lamb which is in the midst of the throne shall feed them, and shall lead them unto living fountains of waters:
They shall not hunger nor thirst; neither shall the heat nor sun smite them: for he that hath mercy on them shall lead them, 17a even by the springs of water shall he guide them. (Isaiah 49:10 AV)
How can this be?
But whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst; but the water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life. (John 4:14 AV)
Jesus will now feed them with the tree of life Rev 2:7
They may be martyrs here on earth, with no food or water, too hot but in heaven they will be in God’s protection.
We are confident, I say, and willing rather to be absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord. (2 Corinthians 5:8 AV)
ΒΆ We know that whosoever is born of God sinneth not; but he that is begotten of God keepeth himself, and that wicked one toucheth him not. (1 John 5:18 AV)
Ps 121:1 I will lift up mine eyes unto the hills, from whence cometh my help. 2
My help cometh from the LORD, which made heaven and earth. 3 He will not suffer thy foot to be moved: he that keepeth thee will not slumber. 4 Behold, he that keepeth Israel shall neither slumber nor sleep. 5 The LORD is thy keeper: the LORD is thy shade upon thy right hand. 6 The sun shall not smite thee by day, nor the moon by night. 7 The LORD shall preserve thee from all evil: he shall preserve thy soul. 8 The LORD shall preserve thy going out and thy coming in from this time forth, and even for evermore.
Fortress of God Ps 91:1-16, 46:1-11
and God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes. (Revelation 7:17b For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us. (Romans 8:18 AV)
Here on earth there is reason to cry. Especially in the tribulation period when all the suffering of the relatives is seen. But in heaven there will be no reason. That is one of the contrast between heaven and hell.
Message of the book: "Victory and joy through struggle and tribulation is the message of the whole book"
