Studies in the Book of Revelation
Jay Wegter
Revelation Chapter Seven
Saints in the Great Tribulation.
The seventh chapter of Revelation is interposed between the opening of the sixth and seventh seals on the great scroll, and thus does not necessarily participate in the chronology of the preceding and following chapters. On th other hand, it begins with the quote, "And after these things I saw. . .,” whic seems to indicate that its events do not begin until after the great earthqua described in Revelation 6:12-17 when the sixth seal was opened. The termination of the chapter, however, seems to anticipate eternity, so that to some extent, it represents an expository digression given for John's encouragement and ours, just prior to the breaking of the last seal and the resulting judgments of the Seven Trumpets. As a whole, therefore, the chronology of Revelation 7 seems to pick up right after the earth’s convulsi of the preceding chapter, though it also looks back to the beginning of the seven-year Tribulation period. It looks forward to the end of the Great Tribulation and even to the eternal state in the New Heavens and the New Earthⁱ (Henry M. Morris, The Revelation Record).
MacArthur notes that in chapter 7 two distinct groups will have temporarily survived the divine fury of the Great Tribulation: 1) The 144,000 Jewish evangelists on Earth verses 1 through 8, and second group, 2) the ‘g multitude’, i.e. the converts of the Jewish, verses 9 through 17. The ‘Great Multitude’, 7:9-17 was made up of innumerable individuals kept alive and spared death long enough to hear and believe the gospel before they were martyred during the second half of the Tribulation.
Angels and the Natural World and The sealed remnant of Israel, 7:1-8.
Verses 1-2, the four corners of the earth, these are the quadrants of the compass. Angels will take up key positions on earth. The four winds is a figurative expression indicating all the earth's winds, north, south, east, we The four angels will turn off for a brief interlude, the essential engine of Earth atmosphere—the winds which produces storm fronts, air mass mixing, and the resultant hydrologic cycle (rainfall). The results are catastrophic, contributing to terrible famines as a result of bodies of fresh water shrinking being drawn up in evaporation.
ii
Verse 3. “Do not harm the earth or the sea or the trees until we have seal the bond-servants of our God on their foreheads.” Scripture indicates that God created the world to be habitable. “For thus says the Lord, who created the heavens. He is the God who formed the earth and made it, He establish it and did not create it a waste place, but formed it to be inhabited, I am the Lord, and there is none else” (Is 45:18). Yet during the plagues of the Tribulation period, our planet will undergo many global and cosmic disaster which will be highly inhospitable to man.
Since man is God’s appointed steward over the works of His hands, he is ordained to exercise dominion over creation to the glory of God (Gen 2; P 8). Thus, as mankind goes morally, so goes the planet. In other words, it is principle established in the O.T. that man’s wickedness, immorality, and idolatry profoundly affect the blessedness of the created order (see Gen 3:1 19; Rom 8:20-23). God’s infinitely wise goodness is made manifest in His provision of renewable food sources. He sends timely rain in non-deluge amounts permitting the growth of grass, crops, orchards, vineyards, etc. Bu God’s judgments for man’s sin often directly affect rainfall (Job 37:13), and crop fertility—the suffering of man and animals during famine is the painful consequence (see Is 24:19-20; Jer 4:17-31; 7:20; 14:5-6).
The 144,000 Witnesses
Verse 3 cont., the seal of the living God. A seal often refers to a signet rin used to press its image onto wax, melted on a document, the resulting imp implied authenticity and ownership, and protected the contents. See Ezekie 9:3-4, as well as Revelation 9:4. In this case, the mark is the Name of God, 14:1, 4. These sealed individuals are a missionary corps of redeemed Jews, who are instrumental in the salvation of many Jews and Gentiles during the Tribulation, the great multitude, verses 9 through 17 in this chapter. They w be the first fruits of the new redeemed of Israel, see also Zechariah 12:10. Finally, Israel will be the witness nation she refused to be during the Old Testament period. From all the tribes of the children of Israel, by sovereign election, God will seal 12,000 from each tribe, promising His protection whi they accomplish their evangelistic mission.
iii
Verses 4-8. In a period when ownership and security are vital factors, the seal of God on the foreheads of His servants is essential their ministry. Strangely at this point there is much divergence of views a the identity of this company of sealed individuals. Some take it as an allegorical interpretation, but this allows for great latitude for the imaginatio with nothing firm upon which to rest. Some indicate that the group must be the first fruits of the church, ‘the Israel of God’. Still others hold that they ar the Jewish nation in general manifest from their identity verse 4, ‘as from ev tribe of Israel’. But God would not place His seal upon unbelievers for servic for Him. Furthermore, they cannot be reckoned as the church, for that body never called Israel, even in Galatians 6:16, where the issue is legalizers ove against genuine believers in Israel, who are the elect remnant in the church addition, they cannot be Israel in general.
iv
Finally, these servants are from the tribes of Israel, literally so, redeemed by God and sealed for service when the church has been raptured to heaven. As to the number, 144,000, some take it literally, oth symbolically. To take it symbolically appears strange, being that there's suc detailed enumeration of the tribes. If the number appears too small for the magnitude of the task, it need only be remembered that 12 apostles with godly ones in the church turned the world upside down in the first century. “They have turned the world upside down,” Acts 17:6.
And then this time of sealing is important. It can be determined approximately, judging from the fact that the sealing is accomplished befor the breaking of the seventh seal (8:1). It probably will take place before the last seal, thus before the second half of the Tribulation period when Satan's forces will be arrayed against the godly, and the witnesses will indeed need the added protection of God for their work.
v These sealed Jewish evangelists are a special group for a specific mission.
Tribulation Saints, 7:9-17.
Verse 9. A great multitude. While the Tribulation period will be a time of judgment, it'll also be a time of unprecedented redemption. The multitude made up of redeemed persons from all the nations, tribes, peoples, and tongues, all over the earth, from all the people groups on the planet. Salvat is the theme of their worship, and they recognize that salvation comes sole from Him.
vi The multitude is innumerable, whereas the witnesses from Israel were exactly numbered, even with subdivisions in each case. The members of th multitude have access to the presence of God and to the Lamb. They're clothed in the garments of righteousness, moreover, the palm branches spe of victory over the enemy.
Again, various opinions have been advanced to the identity of this innumerable multitude. First, it can be stated with confidence that they are not the same group as mentioned in the first part of chapter 7. It is distinctl set forth that the second company is from all the nations of the earth, whereas it was clearly presented that the 144,000 were from one nation on Israel. To mingle the two groups would be to confuse identities which the Scriptures are careful to distinguish. Second, they are not the church becau they are separate from the elders. Third, nothing is intimated concerning death or resurrection. They are probably to be seen later on Earth. Fourth, t are redeemed, as indicated in verses 13 and 14. Fifth, the time of their salvation is after the rapture. How they came to saving faith is not expressi stated, but the highest probabilities are that they were redeemed through t preaching of the 144,000 witnesses. Otherwise, it is difficult to discern why the two groups are placed in juxtaposition in this chapter.
vii
Verses 11-14, The question asked concerning the great multitude, “Who a they and where are they from?” (7:13). One of the elders, since he's part of church in heaven, knows the answer to the question. It is a rhetorical quest asked of John as to the identity of the great company, evidently to focus attention on their essential nature. These people didn't go with the raptured church since they were not yet saved. During the seven-year period, they w be saved, martyred, and enter heaven, though it is a time of unparalleled judgment, the Great Tribulation. It is also a time of unparalleled grace and salvation. “Washed their robes by the blood of the Lamb”—salvation's cleansing by the atoning sacrifice of Christ is in view here. See Titus 2:11-14 Romans 3:25; 5:9. If they are the church, it would be amazing if John would not recognize them as such. The elder identifies them as the redeemed one who've come out of the Great Tribulation.
Verse 15. “They serve Him day and night.” It’s nearly inconceivable to us t envision work without the curse—no toil, pain, corruption, or exhaustion. “Before the throne of God. . .,” This refers to the heavenly throne of God. In book, Heaven, Randy Alcorn describes heaven as a place great activity. The saints will always be gaining skill so that our best work is always ahead of us.
Our vocations will be more fulfilling than ever before. Heaven’s labor will be refreshing, productive, and unthwarted, without futility and frustration. We will enjoy God absolutely, and serve Him energetically and perfectly.
viii During the millennium, there will be a temple on earth, a special holy place where God dwells in a partially restored but still fallen universe. Refer Ezekiel 40 through 48 for descriptions of the millennial temple. But in the fi eternal state, with its New Heavens and New Earth, there is no temple, God Himself will fill all and be its temple." (Rev 21:22). He will dwell among them The preferred reading is that he will spread his tent over them. At the end Revelation, note the wonder of God dwelling with glorified human beings (21:3-4). God's presence will become the canopy of shelter to protect them How comforting since these Tribulation saints will have experienced the indescribable horrors on earth during the time of tribulation.
Where are these redeemed standing? Some declare they are in heaven, others on earth. It seems that the second is the true view, standing earth, because this verse mentions in His temple and speaks of serving God day and night according to Revelation 21:22, and 21:25. But in the eternal state, "There is no night and there is no temple.” But Isaiah 66:19-21, teach there will be a temple in the millennium, and Isaiah 4:5-6 predicts a tabernacle as well. For details of this millennial temple, see Ezekiel chapter 40 through 48.
Verse 16, see Isaiah 49:10 on how these promises in Isaiah of shelter and n thirst are repeated here. The reason why many cannot conceive of these things happening in the millennium is due to their lack of understanding of glories of that wonderful age and its Messianic reign, when the Lord Jesus Christ is visibly ruling the earth from His headquarters and capital in Jerusalem.
The Lamb who is a Shepherd
Verse 17. In the view of their exposure to unprecedented agonies these redeemed have endured through the Great Tribulation the words of the promise, in verses 15 to17 are all the more welcome. The truth of Romans 8:18 will be found as true for them, as it is for the church to day.
ix Verse 17 is a beautiful mix of images. The Lamb has already been described as the Shepherd in Psalm 23 and in John 10.
x The titles, Lamb and Shepherd speak beautifully of our Lord’s incarnation. For our Lord, the eter Son of God entered our existential situation that He might address our ruin reason of sin and our alienation from the Godhead. He had to become one us in order to truly offer Himself as a sacrifice, as a Lamb to His Father (Heb 9:14). We are the sheep who had gone astray, and in order to take our iniq upon Himself as our Substitute, He had to become a mortal human being— lamb-like in His willingness to be a sacrificial victim (Is 53:6).
But after the completion of the gloriousness of His finished atoning work, He is the Mediator of the new covenant. He distributes the infinite benefits of the work He completed on Calvary’s cross. He is the sanctifier o His people clothing them in His own righteousness (Is 61:10). As their Shepherd, He guides, feeds, guards, and provides for them—constantly applying His redeeming work as their Substitute.
End Notes:
i Henry M. Morris, The Revelation Record
ii MacArthur Study Bible
iii Ibid.
iv Charles Feinberg, A Commentary on Revelation; The Grand Finale
v Ibid.
vi MacArthur
vii Feinberg
viii Randy Alcorn, Heaven
ix Feinberg
x Ibid.