* All scriptures within this study are linked to BibleGateway.com using the "NIV".
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We have come in our study of The Revelation through the Sixth Seal, but important information must be relayed before the Seventh Seal begins. The Lord allows the earth in which the lost trust to shake to its very foundations at the end of chapter 6. They ask a valid question: “…who is able to stand?” Chapter 7 is an interval between the Sixth and Seventh Seals in order to answer that question.
REDEMPTION IN WRATH:
Another way to ask the question is: “Will people be saved during the Tribulation?” Even in wrath, The Lord has a remnant saved by grace [Romans 11:4-6]. His grace is revealed even more vividly in the darkness of judgment.
Deliverance from the judgment of the Tribulation is only through salvation in Christ. Two distinct groups will spiritually survive the divine fury.
1. 144,000 Jewish believers. [Revelation 7:1-8]
2. Converts of the 144,000 in heaven [Revelation 7:9-17] from every nation, tribe, people and language [tongue].
McGee notes that the question is “Who is able to stand FOR HIM… It is not ultimately physical deliverance—it is eternal deliverance we should seek. In chapter 7, we see one group that is physically and eternally delivered. The other group is eternally delivered but will die during the Tribulation. Believers fear only the second death, eternal death, which is eternal separation from God [Revelation 20:6]. Physical death has no “sting” for the believer and even this will be overcome in the resurrection of the dead [1 Corinthians 15:55ff].
Revelation 7:1-8:
| * The events of chapter 7 reveal that the sealing and protection of the remnant is a priority. The judgments are interrupted until the sealing is accomplished. * Four angels take up position north, south, east and west—the four quadrants of the compass—to hold back the winds of the earth, the engine of the earth’s atmosphere. McGee calls these “the winds of judgment;” which represent the global extent of the plagues. Wiersbe calls it “a lull in the storm” of judgment. The winds are held back to enable the angel from the east, the direction of the rising sun, to brand the elect with the seal of the living God. [vs. 3] * Note that the Trumpet judgments that follow this sealing target natural creation. The Lord commands nature to hold back judgment for a brief interval. * The angel given the responsibility of sealing the 144,000 is “another” angel, possibly of a higher rank than the four. If the remnant is not sealed, they may not survive the Tribulation in their physical bodies. Precedence for such a sealing is found in Ezekiel 9:1-7. * Contrast Judgment/Grace: The 7-Sealed Scroll was also sealed—sealed to contain judgment until the Lamb breaks the seals. The seal on the forehead of each of the 144,000 is to protect FROM judgment that is coming on the four corners of the earth. Those chosen for sealing are called “the servants of our God…” What are the servants of God called to do? As Wiersbe notes, we can speculate that they are evangelists to the entire world to fill the void left by the Rapture of the church. [Romans 10:14-15] They are part of Christ’s plan to preach the gospel of the kingdom in the whole world and to confront the false religion of Antichrist with the truth [Matthew 24:14]. Christ will also use celestial messengers during the Tribulation [Revelation 14:6-7]. * How are the 144,000 saved? It may be divine intervention through the sealing itself that brings the Gospel to this remnant of redeemed. Others believe the two witnesses of chapter 11 are instrumental in converting them. [More on the two witnesses in chapter 11.] * A JEWISH REMNANT: What is clear is that the 144,000 are Jews. Twelve thousand of each of twelve specific tribes are selected for this service. Revelation 14:1-2 and 4 provide the information that these Jews are “ones who were not defiled with women, for they are virgins.” In contrast to the deception of the Tribulation, “in their mouth was found no deceit,” and they are devoted to following the Lamb. The sense is that they are Jewish men—too young to be married or abstaining from marriage. If they are set apart for priestly training in a future temple, they may be sheltered from hearing the Gospel until some time after the global Rapture of the Church. Therefore, they are also spiritual virgins, virgins to the Gospel. The Temple Mount Institute is currently involved in the training of priests to serve in a future temple [Revelation 11:1]. Imagine if the Rapture took place and a generation of Jewish seminarians trained according to Jewish Law were to come to Jesus Christ and recognize Him as the long-awaited Jewish Messiah, possibly through an understanding of Old Testament prophecy concerning His first coming. Revelation 14:1 also reveals that the seal is the “father’s name,” written on their foreheads. Christ will also be written on their hearts. |
| * The tribes of Israel were descended from the 12 sons of Jacob. Reuben was the first-born son but lost his first place because of immorality. Judah’s remnant, therefore, has the honor of first place and was the tribe from which Jesus descended [Genesis 49:8-10]. * The tribes of Dan and Ephraim are sons of Jacob but are omitted from this list. Both of these tribes were guilty of leading the nation into idolatry [Deuteronomy 29:18-21; Hosea 4:17; Judges 18:30] and therefore lose the honor of a sealed remnant in the Tribulation. However, Dan and Ephraim are in the tribes that shall occupy the Holy Land during the Millennial Kingdom according to Ezekiel 48, which means descendants from these tribes will come to Christ and enter the Kingdom. But they will not have the honor of representatives in this elect group. However, there is another remnant that flees Judea at the mid-point of the tribulation [Matthew 24:15-21]. They are protected for the last half in a wilderness place [Revelation 12:6]. * Joseph takes the place of Ephraim and Levi takes the place of Dan. Levi is the priestly tribe; participating as evangelizing servants for Christ is appropriate. |
The 144,000 will not preach the Gospel of the Good News as in the Church Age; they will preach the Gospel of the Kingdom. The Lord prophesied that the Gospel of the Kingdom will be preached in all the world as a witness to all the nations, and then the end will come [Matthew 24:14]. This is a significant prophetic road sign. It reveals that global revival will not take place in the Church Age; it will occur in the Tribulation. The Gospel of the Kingdom preaches salvation by grace through faith in Jesus Christ—but with the clear understanding that CHRIST, THE KING, IS COMING SOON.
Believers in the Tribulation will consult the Bible like a survival manual and will know that His return is at the end of seven years of determined time from Daniel 9:27. For this remnant, the return of Christ is not merely imminent; it has a countdown. The basic message will be the same John the Baptist preached at Christ’s first coming, “Repent for the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand,” literally at the door. They will warn everyone that the true King is coming very soon and only repentance and faith in Christ will save them from eternal death. The false king, Antichrist, will find their message exceedingly distasteful as he and his ten kings [Revelation 17] are not willing to relinquish their control. Antichrist will respond with strong persecution for all who resist his global dictatorship.
Imagine what it will be like to hear the 144,000 and the two witnesses preaching the soon return of the King! They have been called to the kingdom for just this time, filled with a zeal not only to preach truth, but to defend the honor of Israel. They are the Jewish remnant, the natural branches of the olive tree, grafted back into the calling of God’s chosen people [Romans 11:23-24].
All those who are converted will be branded traitors, even terrorists, to the one-world government. It will be simple to blame the catastrophes of the Tribulation on the followers of this Jewish King. The same propaganda was used by Hitler in W.W.II. Hitler blamed the economic problems of Germany on wealthy and corrupt Jews, laying a deceptive base for seizure of wealth and property and rationalization for genocide. But Christ allows Antichrist just enough rope with which to hang himself! Antichrist’s time is short because the return of Christ is at the door.
Daniel 2:44—“In the time of those kings, the God of heaven will set up a kingdom that will never be destroyed, nor will it be left to another people. It will crush all those kingdoms and bring them to an end, but it will itself endure forever.” The only Kingdom that will survive the Tribulation is the Kingdom of God.
THE CONVERTS IN HEAVEN – Revelation 7:9-17
| * The logical result of 144,000 sealed Jewish evangelists preaching the Gospel of the Kingdom is converts. John sees a great multitude from every nation, tribe, people, and language, both Jews and Gentiles. This is true revival, under the most difficult circumstances. * White robes represent righteousness in Christ. They hold palm branches, which figure prominently in the Feast of Tabernacles [Leviticus 23:40-43], which is the O.T. feast fulfilled in the Millennial Kingdom. Its Old Testament celebration was to remember the forty-year wilderness wandering when Israel lived in tents. The Jews fashion booths or tabernacles out of branches and palm leaves during this festival to remember their wandering. In the Kingdom, Christ will “tabernacle” or tent with His people on earth, and Israel’s wandering will be over. * They testify joyfully before the throne in heaven where they pledge their allegiance to their King for their salvation. Wiersbe notes that the fact that they stand around the throne indicates that this group is not identified with the twenty-four elders seated in thrones. They also do not have the crowns, harps and golden bowls which the elders hold. These martyrs are not the church, evidence that the church is not present in the Tribulation. * The multitude is identified as those who come out of the great tribulation as martyrs of the faith. They are a “blood washed” multitude, and are delivered from hunger [13:17, “…no one could buy or sell unless he had the mark”]. They are delivered from thirst [16:4, “…the rivers and springs of water…became blood,” third bowl judgment]. They are delivered from sun and scorching heat from lack of shelter [see 16:8-9, “the sun was given power to scorch people with fire,” reference to the fourth bowl judgment]. They are delivered through death into eternal life. * Those already in heaven fall down in worship in a great “AMEN” chorus. The Angelic hosts are thrilled with the sight of such a devoted multitude and praise God for it. “And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes.” |
In Him We Wait, Work, and Watch,
[Luke 12:35-59]
Sharon
[Prophecy Chat is a weekly commentary of current events in light of Bible prophecy. Sharon L. Clemens is an evangelical, premillennial, dispensational teacher of eschatology. She can be reached for comment or questions by e-mail at farmgrove@frontier.com]
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