REVELATION CHAPTER 7. 144,000

What does the sealing of 144,000 mean? Who are the multitude mentioned?

REVELATION

CHAPTER VII

“3 And Angel sealeth the seruants of God in their foreheads. 4 The number of them that were sealed: of the tribes of Israel a certaine number. 9 Of all other nations an innumerable multitude, which stand before the Throne, clad in white robes, and plames in their hands. 14 Their robes were washed in the blood of the Lambe.”

The Translators

OVERVIEW

Four angels hold back the winds on earth. They are commanded to not hurt the earth, sea or trees until the servants of God are sealed. Of the twelve tribes of Israel 144,000 were sealed. Also, a great multitude were sealed from all nationalities. The angels, the Elders and the beasts worshipped and praised the Lamb. The 144,000 and the multitude are those who came out of great tribulation. Their robes are washed and made white in the blood of the Lamb. They serve the Lamb day and night and will never suffer again; for, the Lamb is in their midst caring for them.

INTERLUDE: THE SEALING

V. 1

“1 And after these things, I saw foure Angels standing on the foure corners of the Earth, holding the foure windes of the earth, that the winde should not blow on the earth, nor on the sea, nor on any tree.”

“Foure corners” of the Earth represents north, south, east and west, the four directions. “Foure windes” represents the four general directions of winds on Earth (not that wind only blows in four directions). The implication is that everything affected by wind becomes still, as the wind stops blowing everywhere.

Vs. 2 - 3

“2 And I saw another Angel ascending from the East, hauing the seale of the liuing God: and he cried with a loud voice to the foure Angels to whom it was giuen to hurt the earth and the Sea, 3 Saying, Hurt not the earth, neither the sea, nor the trees, till wee haue sealed the seruant of our God in their foreheads.”

1. What does it mean an “Angel ascending from the East,” and what is the “seal of the liuing God?”

• The Angel from the East conveys God’s message to the other three Angels. Together they have the authority and knowledge to identify and ‘seal’ true believers as servants of God.

2.  What does it mean that the four Angels have the power to hurt the earth, sea and trees?

• These are four angels appointed by God to bring destruction upon the entire earth, according to the natural elements.

3. And, what does sealing the servants mean, and who are the servants of God?

• Servants of Christ are born again believers indwelled by the Holy Spirit. They are both Jews and Gentiles, herein describe as the 12 tribes of Israel and a great multitude (v.9). Together, they make up the body of Christ, or the servants of God.

4. What does a seal in their foreheads mean?

• These are persons indwelled by the Holy Spirit, having the mind of Christ (1 Corinthians 2:16).

V. 4

“4 And I heard the number of them which were sealed: and there were sealed an hundreth and fourty and foure thousand, of all the tribes of the children of Israel.”

There are 12 tribes of Israel; therefore 12,000 are sealed from each tribe.

Vs. 5 - 8

“5 Of the tribe of Iuda were sealed twelue thousand. Of the tribe of Ruben were sealed twelue thousand. Of the tribe of Gad were sealed twelue thousand. 6 Of the tribe of Aser were sealed twelue thousand. Of the tribe of Nepthali were sealed twelue thousand. Of the tribe of Manasses were sealed twelue thousand. 7 Of the tribe of Simeon were sealed twelue thousand. Of the tribe of Leui were sealed twelue thousand. Of the tribe of Isachar were sealed twelue thousand. 8 Of the tribe of Zabulon were sealed twelue thousand. Of the tribe of Ioseph were sealed twelue thousand. Of the tribe of Beniamin were sealed twelue thousand.”

The 12 tribes of Israel herein named are: Iudah, Ruben, Gad, Aser, Nepthali, Manasses, Simeon, Leui, Isachar, Zabulon, Joseph and Beniamin. It should be noted that Dan is excluded from the 12 tribes, likely due to various infractions and rejection of its God-appointed place among the tribes respective of land allotment in Israel. Also, Joseph is mentioned in the context of Manasses and Ephraim; for he was the father of both sons.

Vs. 9 - 10

“9 After this I beheld, and lo, a great multitude, which no man could nuber, of all nations, and kindreds, and people, & tongues, stood before the throne, & before the Lamb, clothed with white robes, and palmes in their hands: 10 And cryed with a loude voice, saying, Saluation to our God, which sitteth vpon the Throne, and vnto the Lambe.”

The servants of God include people from all nations, not just Israelites; however, special provision is made to preserve a remnant of Israel (Romans 9:27, 11:5 & Revelation 12:17). All tallied, since the creation of man “a great multitude” makes up the body of Christ, comprised of Jews and Gentiles.

This multitude, clothed in white robes with palms in their hands, stands before the throne of the Lamb, declaring him God and praising him for salvation.

V. 11 - 12

“11 And all the Angels stood round about the Throne, and about the Elders, and the foure beasts, and fell before the throne on their faces, and worshipped God, 12 Saying, Amen: Blessing, and glorie, and wisedome, and thankesgiuing, and honour, & power, and might be vnto our God for euer & euer, Amen.”

“All the Angels” means the four Angels (v.2) or all of heaven’s Angels. Either way, around the throne is profound worship, thanksgiving and glorification of God. Elders and beasts fall on their faces before God, acknowledging that the one on the throne is their God forever and ever.

V. 13

“13 And one of the Elders answered, saying vnto mee, What are these which are arayed in white robes? and whence came they?”

The Elders sensed John’s curiosity regarding the great multitude arrayed in white robes. So, they raised the question; who are they and where did they come from?

V. 14

“14 And I said vnto him, Sir, thou knowest. And he said to me, These are they which came out of great tribulation, and haue washed their robes, and made them white in the blood of the Lambe.”

John was certain that the Elders knew the answer. Presumably, “great tribulation,” refers to “the tribulation of those days” (Matthew 24:29), just before Christ’s return. “Came out of great tribulation,” refers to those martyred for their testimony of Christ. This is the same “multitude” standing before the throne in heaven (vs. 9-10). They are believers in Messiah, having put their faith in his work on the cross and his shed blood. Robes made white refers to them having received the imputed righteousness of Christ.

Vs. 15 - 17

“15 Therefore are they before the throne of God, and serue him day and night in his Temple: and hee that sitteth on the Throne shal dwell among them. 16 They shall hunger no more, neither thirst any more, neither shall the Sunne light on them, nor any heate. 17 For the Lambe, which is in the middest of the throne, shall feede them, and shall leade them vnto liuing fountaines of waters: and God shal wipe away all teares from their eyes.”

Verses 15-17 correlate with chapter 21:3-4, that speaks of God tabernacling with men, wiping away all tears, eliminating death, sorrow, crying and pain. Thus, the opening of the sixth seal covers a period of time from the sealing of God’s servants, their passage through great tribulation (v.14) and their destination in heaven, around the throne of God. The seventh seal has not yet been opened; however, when it is, it takes the reader back to events that occur (v.3) after the sealing of God’s servants, but before their assumption into heaven. Those events, as we shall see, are described in chapter eight, verse seven, where destruction, which had been previously held back, begins (ch.8:7-8).

The six seals portray the period of time from John’s day (and perhaps before) until Christ returns and makes all things new.