WEEK 18
“The Sealed Of Israel”
Date: October 23, 2002
Place: Allendale Baptist Church
Text: Revelation 7:1-4
As we closed last week with the end of chapter 6, we studied the opening of the 6th seal of the Book of Judgment by the Lamb of God, Jesus Christ.
We will see in this 7th chapter the theme is that God seals a remnant of Israel and saves a redeemed company of Gentiles during the Great Tribulation period.
Some say that this book is very difficult and no one can understand its symbols and visions. It seems to me that as I look and study Revelation John has kept us up to date. Instead of trying to guess and figure out on our own, we need to just let the author John, tell where we are as we go along.
This period of tribulation takes place after the church leaves the earth, after the church concludes its mission and is taken to be with the Lord.
* Can I tell you why so many folks have trouble with not only Revelation but also Scripture in general; they try to lift out just one verse here and there and then try to interpret the whole book.
John is about to go into great detail to describe the tribulation period. Chapter 6 as I said, was an overview or an outline. We have had the opening of 6 seals so far and they have revealed the 4 great tragedies, the beginning of judgment. The 5th seal let us see the martyred company of people. The 6th seal we saw some of the signs of the doom that is to come upon a godless world during the tribulation period.
During our study tonight I believe we will answer the question that many ask: Will there be any saved during the tribulation?
* We have a great many denominations today that say no one will be saved during this time.
* These folks use 2 Thessalonians 2:7- 12 which says; “For the mystery of lawlessness is already at work; only He who now restrains will do so until He is taken out of the way. And then the lawless one will be revealed”
* One of the works of the Holy Spirit is to restrain evil and He will do so until He removes the church from this world.
* The Bible is very clear in its teaching that when we are saved, justified we are baptized into the body of believers, and also sealed with the Holy Spirit.
* His primary work is that of salvation. During the tribulation period the Holy Spirit will no longer restrain evil.
* Someone asked a question to a pastor; how will people be saved during the tribulation? His answer the same way everyone else is saved, by the work of Jesus on the cross.
* The saints of the OT were by faith looking forward to the cross. Those in the NT and us today we look back to the redeeming work of the cross.
* The work of the Holy Spirit today is to restrain evil. I ask you this question; what keeps folks from being saved today? Evil, the work of the devil.
* They Holy Spirit will be in the world during the tribulation just like He was before Pentecost.
And you know how much I love to speak of evangelism. In the tribulation I believe there will be 4 phases of evangelism:
1. The 144,00 converted Jews. These are Jewish missionaries who will spread the gospel message during the tribulation
2. Converts of the 144,000. We will see these later on probably referring to Gentiles.
3. The Two Witnesses. We will discuss these during our study in chapter 11.
4. The Angels. There will come a time during the tribulation that the angels will be used in the spreading the good news that Jesus is Lord
Chapter 7 forms a parenthesis between the 6th and 7th seal and answers the question, which was asked at the close of chapter 6: “For the great day of His wrath has come, and who is able to stand?”
I believe two groups will survive this period; 1) 144,000 Jewish evangelists on earth, which we will see in verses 1-8, and their converts verses 9-17.
Verse 1
“After these things I saw four angels standing at the four corners of the earth, ”
* Remember angels are God’s special messengers.
* Some have said for hundreds of years the Bible is unscientific, referring to this passage of Scripture, and debating the Bible is stating the earth is flat.
* This is speaking of 4 quadrants of the compass; north south, east and west.
“Holding the four winds of the earth, that the wind should not blow on the earth, on the sea, or on any tree.”
* Wind many times in Scripture represents the judgment of God
* The winds of judgment are now to be held back. Nothing can move or happen until God accomplish His purpose. What is God’s purpose?
* Many will disagree with me about what I am going to say, but here it goes; I do not believe that God would allow any period to continue on earth in which there were not going to be some of human kind turning to Him, because that is His purpose.
* God’s desire is for none to perish. His desire for folks to come to a saving knowledge of the Lord Jesus Christ.
* This period of time and eternity will not begin until the last person has made that decision to accept Jesus as Savior. Then He’ll shut it down.
* The period of the tribulation will be mainly for two purpose:
1. To finish the redemptive purpose of the earth
2. To cause the nation of Israel to realize Jesus as the Messiah.
Verse 2 (read)
“Another angel ascending from the east”
* This is a 5th angel
“Having the seal of the living God”
* A seal often refers to a signet ring used to press its image into wax melted on a document. The resulting imprint implied authenticity and ownership and protected the contents.
* Ephesians 1:13-14 “In Him you also trusted, after you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation; in whom also, having believed, you were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise, who is the guarantee of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, to the praise of His glory.”
“And he cried out with a loud voice to the four angels to whom it was granted to harm the earth and the sea.”
* This is telling us the full judgment and wrath of God is about to be poured on the godless world.
Verse 3
“Do not harm the earth and the sea or the trees till we have sealed the servants of our God on their foreheads.”
* This also causes a great debate among theologians. What will this mark be?
* Maybe a cross or a number or some other symbol for the Christian.
* We are not told what this mark will be or what it will look like.
* We do know that there are those who will not be able to trade during the tribulation period, unless they receive the mark of the beast on their forehead or right hand.
We have seen and have this interlude before the seventh seal is opened. The angel is apparently saying; “Hold everything! Hold back the winds of judgment, because we need to seal these folks so they can make it through the tribulation period.
So the pause between the 6th & 7th seals are to seal all those who have overcome
Verse 4
“And I heard the number of those who were sealed.”
* Have you noticed that when God deals with the nation of Israel He deals with them with dates and numbers. How many times in the OT did God require them to take a count or a census.
“One hundred and forty-four thousand of all the tribes of the children of Israel.”
* This has also been a great controversy of who these that will be sealed.
* The Jehovah Witnesses said during the early century they were the 144K. But when their numbers grew beyond 144K it caused them to change their doctrine.
* Their have even been some Baptist who have said this is the “true church”
* It just seems to answer itself.
* Yes, John does use symbols and other things to represent truth, but can’t God just say what he wants to say sometimes.
* It does appear to be very evident that God has a remnant that will be saved, sealed and called out for the use of evangelism during the great tribulation.
* Let me say this as I close if you are planning on being one of those 144K during the tribulation, you had best be able to identify which tribe your from.
* Because it says from every tribe of the children of Israel.
