Revelation 7

The 144,000 of Israel Sealed (An Interlude)

1-3 John sees four angels at the four corners of the earth, holding back the four winds of the earth. A fifth angel, holding God’s living seal, ascends from the east and calls to the other angels not to hurt the earth until God’s servants have been marked with a seal on their foreheads. *Angels hold back destruction that could come from the north, south, east and west, symbolizing God’s judgment on the world. An angel from the east symbolizes encouragement, as in Ezekiel 11:23 and 43:2. Seals indicate ownership (John 6:27; 2 Timothy 2:19) and provide security (Matthew 27:62-66). Some would be protected from God’s destruction, as described in Ezekiel 9:1-8 (“touch no one that has the mark.”)

4-8 The servants are numbered: 12,000 from each of the following tribes: Judah, Reuben, Gad, Asher, Naphtali, Manasseh, Simeon, Levi, Issachar, Zebulun, Joseph, and Benjamin. *In Hebraic numerology, the number 144,000 is equivalent to 12 (everyone accounted for) x 12 (tribes of Israel, or God’s covenant people) x 1,000 (ultimate perfection in Christ). It is the redeemed of God on earth, which at the time Revelation was written, would be His church.

Note: Though Joseph and Levi were two of the sons, they are usually replaced in the list of 12 by Ephraim and Manasseh (Joseph’s two sons), because the Levites could not own land. In this list, both Joseph and Manasseh are mentioned, but not Ephraim, and Dan is replaced by Levi. I’m not sure why. I know Dan practiced blatant idolatry and received from his dying father a negative prophecy(Judges 18; Genesis 49:17); Ephraim is rejected as the ancestor of Christ in Psalm 78:62-72, but so is Joseph in the same verse.

The Multitude from Every Nation

9-10 An innumerable, white-robed multitude from all over the world stands before the Lamb and the throne holding palm branches and crying, Salvation belongs to God and to the Lamb and to God. These are in heaven, “standing before the throne” – those who have already overcome their trials on earth.

11-12 All the angels fall down and worship God.

13-17 One of the elders asks John who these people are. John doesn’t know, so the elder answers his own question: They have survived the ordeal, being cleansed by the Lamb’s blood. They constantly worship God, who will protect them from hunger and thirst and comfort them.The Lamb will be their shepherd.

*Hendriksen and Lenski refer to the 144,000 as the Church Militant and the innumerable multitudes as the Church Triumphant.

*Notes come from Vision of Victory, a study guide compiled by Bill Bryan.