The Revelation Of Jesus Christ – Chapter 7
I. Things Which Thou Hast Seen – Rev 1
II. Things Which Are – The Church Age – Rev 2-3
III. Things Which Are To Come – Rev 4-22
A. The Throne Of God – Rev 4
B. The Seven Seals Book – Rev 5
Last week we looked at:
C. The First Six Seals Are Opened – Rev 6
If you recall the first six seals were opened:
1. The Opening Of The First Seal – CROWN GIVEN – Rev 6:1-2
2. The Opening Of The Second Seal – WAR -- Rev 6:3-4
3. The Opening Of The Third Seal – FAMINE – Rev 6:5-6
4. The Opening Of The Fourth Seal – DEATH – Rev 6:7-8
5. The Opening Of The Fifth Seal – COMFORT FOR THE MARTYRED SAINTS – Rev 6:9-11
6. The Opening Of The Sixth Seal – THE DAY OF GOD’S WRATH – Rev 6:12-17
Before we get to the seventh seal we have a chapter that deals with the sealing of the 144,000. Here is the:
Basic Outline Of Chapter Seven
God Dealing With The Nation Of Israel Rev. 7:1-8
God Dealing With The Other Nations Rev. 7:9-17
Revelation 7:1-17
God Dealing With The Nation Of Israel Rev. 7:1-8
D. The Sealing Of The 144,000 – Rev 7
Rev 7:1 (NASB) “After this I saw four angels standing at the four corners of the earth, holding back the four winds of the earth, so that no wind would blow on the earth or on the sea or on any tree.”
1. The Season Of The Sealing – Rev 7:1
(a) After the 6 seals are opened
2. The stillness at the sealing – no wind blows
This reminds me of the eye of a hurricane. Some folks think that when the eye comes the storm is over. It is not over is it? You are really in the middle of it. In this case when it comes to the judgment of God it is going to get a lot worse. Why is their stillness? Four angels are holding back the wind.
Rev 7:2-3 (NASB) “And I saw another angel ascending from the rising of the sun, having the seal of the living God; and he cried out with a loud voice to the four angels to whom it was granted to harm the earth and the sea, saying, "Do not harm the earth or the sea or the trees until we have sealed the bond-servants of our God on their foreheads."
(a) The Four Angels hold the wind from blowing – v.1
Angels are spoken of much in the book of Revelation. They are pictured as agents of God used to judge – here hurting the earth and the sea. This passage is saying the judgments – earthquakes, darkness, and such now suddenly stop. A stillness comes – WHY – God has sent a angel to make it so……
(1) Who are standing at the four corners of the earth
Mat 24:31 (NASB) "And He will send forth His angels with A GREAT TRUMPET and THEY WILL GATHER TOGETHER His elect from the four winds, from one end of the sky to the other.”
(2) Who were given to hurt the earth and the sea
(b) For the Angel ascending from the East has commanded it so – v 2-3
This other angel appears to have authority over the four. He speaks and they stop. Note this angel ASCENDS from the rising sun – the East – he does not descend from heaven.
(1) The wind should not blow on the earth, sea, nor tree
(c) The term of the tranquility — “till we have sealed the servants of our God”
Rev 7:4-8 (NASB) “And I heard the number of those who were sealed, one hundred and forty-four thousand sealed from every tribe of the sons of Israel: from the tribe of Judah, twelve thousand were sealed, from the tribe of Reuben twelve thousand, from the tribe of Gad twelve thousand, from the tribe of Asher twelve thousand, from the tribe of Naphtali twelve thousand, from the tribe of Manasseh twelve thousand, from the tribe of Simeon twelve thousand, from the tribe of Levi twelve thousand, from the tribe of Issachar twelve thousand, from the tribe of Zebulun twelve thousand, from the tribe of Joseph twelve thousand, from the tribe of Benjamin, twelve thousand were sealed.”
3. The sealing of the Sons of Israel – Rev 7:4-8
(a) The nature of the sealed and the seal
(1) They are servants of our God
(2) The seal itself is in their forehead – v 3
The seal itself is a mark of ownership and protection. Some believe it is a physical mark upon the forehead. However – in scripture we find other places where Christians have been sealed.
2Co 1:21-22 (NASB) “Now He who establishes us with you in Christ and anointed us is God, who also sealed us and gave us the Spirit in our hearts as a pledge.”
Eph 1:13-14 (NASB) “In Him, you also, after listening to the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation--having also believed, you were sealed in Him with the Holy Spirit of promise, who is given as a pledge of our inheritance, with a view to the redemption of God's own possession, to the praise of His glory.”
(b) The number of the sealed – 144,000 – v 4
The 144,000 are sealed not from the tribulation period – sealed and protected during the tribulation period.
(c) The nation of the sealed – Israel
The Jehovah Witnesses claimed they were the 144,000 in their beginning. Garner Ted Armstrong said the same. When their membership passed the 144,000 mark they changed their tune.
Neither of them were Jewish. Neither of them are Israel. Here I believe it to be Israel.
(d) The naming of the tribes of the sealed
I am not going into great detail here over the names of Israel. However I will mention – the listing of Judah here first reminds us God has his own order. Reuben was the first born and should have been listed first if we went by order of birth. Reuben was an immoral man and so his younger brother Judah was elevated.
(1) Of the tribe of Judah – 12,000 – v 5
(2) Of the tribe of Reuben – 12,000
(3) Of the tribe of Gad – 12,000
(4) Of the tribe of Asher – 12,000 – v 6
(5) Of the tribe of Naphtali – 12,000
(6) Of the tribe of Manasses – 12,000
(7) Of the tribe of Simeon – 12,000 – v 7
(8) Of the tribe of Levi – 12,000
(9) Of the tribe of Issachar – 12,000
(10) Of the tribe of Zebulun – 12,000 – v 8
(11) Of the tribe of Joseph – 12,000
(12) Of the tribe of Benjamin – 12,000
God Dealing With Other Nations Rev. 7:9-17
Rev 7:9-10 (NASB) “After these things I looked, and behold, a great multitude which no one could count, from every nation and all tribes and peoples and tongues, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed in white robes, and palm branches were in their hands; and they cry out with a loud voice, saying, "Salvation to our God who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb."
1. The period of the seeing – v 9
(a) After the sealing of the 12 Tribes
2. The people seen –
(a) A great multitude
(1) Which no man could number
(2) Of all nations, tribes, peoples, and tongues
3. The place of the seeing –
(a) They stood before the throne and the Lamb
4. The appearance of the people
(a) They were clothed with white robes and held palms in their hands
John 12:12-13 (NASB) “On the next day the large crowd who had come to the feast, when they heard that Jesus was coming to Jerusalem, took the branches of the palm trees and went out to meet Him, and began to shout, "Hosanna! BLESSED IS HE WHO COMES IN THE NAME OF THE LORD, even the King of Israel."
5. The pronouncement of the people – v 10
(a) "Salvation to our God who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb."
Rev 7:11-12 (NASB) “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, saying, "Amen, blessing and glory and wisdom and thanksgiving and honor and power and might, be to our God forever and ever. Amen."
6. The population of those about the throne – v 11
(a) Their identities
(1) The angels
(2) The elders
(3) The four creatures
(b) Their actions
(1) They fell before the throne on their faces
(2) They worshipped God
(c) Their Seven fold proclamation – v 12
(1) Blessing
(2) Glory
(3) Wisdom
(4) Thanksgiving
(5) Honor
(6) Power
(7) Might
Rev 7:13 (NASB) “Then one of the elders answered, saying to me, "These who are clothed in the white robes, who are they, and where have they come from?"
7. The people’s identity questioned – v 13
(a) John questioned
(1) Who are they?
(2) Where do they come from?
This is a rhetorical question. John does not know – but that point is empathized by asking him.
Rev 7:14-17 (NASB) “I said to him, "My lord, you know." And he said to me, "These are the ones who come out of the great tribulation, and they have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb. For this reason, they are before the throne of God; and they serve Him day and night in His temple; and He who sits on the throne will spread His tabernacle over them. They will hunger no longer, nor thirst anymore; nor will the sun beat down on them, nor any heat; for the Lamb in the center of the throne will be their shepherd, and will guide them to springs of the water of life; and God will wipe every tear from their eyes."
(b) The elder answers – 14
(1) Those which came out of the great tribulation
(2) Those which have washed their robes in the blood of the lamb
1 Peter 1:18-19 (NASB) “knowing that you were not redeemed with perishable things like silver or gold from your futile way of life inherited from your forefathers, but with precious blood, as of a lamb unblemished and spotless, the blood of Christ.
a. Therefore they stand before His throne – v 15
b. Therefore they shall serve Him day and night in the temple
c. Therefore God shall cover them
d. Therefore they shall hunger no more – v 16
e. Therefore they shall thirst no more
f. Therefore the sun shall not overheat them
Isa 49:10 (NASB) "They will not hunger or thirst, Nor will the scorching heat or sun strike them down; For He who has compassion on them will lead them And will guide them to springs of water.”
g. Therefore the Lamb shall shepherd them – 17
- guide them to fountains of living water
h. Therefore God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes
Isa 25:8 (NASB) “He will swallow up death for all time, And the Lord GOD will wipe tears away from all faces, And He will remove the reproach of His people from all the earth; For the LORD has spoken.”
Rev 21:3-5 (NASB) “And I heard a loud voice from the throne, saying, "Behold, the tabernacle of God is among men, and He will dwell among them, and they shall be His people, and God Himself will be among them, and He will wipe away every tear from their eyes; and there will no longer be any death; there will no longer be any mourning, or crying, or pain; the first things have passed away." And He who sits on the throne said, "Behold, I am making all things new." And He *said, "Write, for these words are faithful and true."
