Rev 7:3 | KingComments | STEP | Here begins what can be called a parenthesis before the seventh seal is opened. In this parenthesis, which consists of the whole of Revelation 7, you hear what the believers experience during the time of the sixth seal. You will also read how they are preserved by God during this terrible time. It beautifully illustrates that God remembers in wrath mercy ( ). This chapter is, as it were, an answer to the question that was asked at the end of the previous chapter: ‘Who is able to stand?’ ( ). The answer is: A great number of saints, both from Israel ( ) and from the nations ( ), is able to stand before God and the Lamb. Both groups of believers will go through the great tribulation. They will not die like the martyrs, but they will enter the kingdom of peace alive. The first group will be sealed before they enter the great tribulation, the second group is presented as coming out of the great tribulation. . That the scene which John gets to see now follows the preceding one is evident from the words “after this”. After having seen the Lamb That opens the seals, John now sees “four angels”. When the trumpet judgments break loose in Revelation 8, the sounding of the trumpets happens by angels ( ). Here you also see angels. Angels are used by the Lamb to do His work. That work consists of protecting the saints ( ) and judging evil in accordance to the purity of heaven, the dwelling place of the angels. The four angels are “standing at the four corners of the earth”. That means that the whole earth is their work territory (cf. ). The number ‘four’ that appears three times in this verse speaks of what is general, universal. While they are standing there they are “holding back the four winds of the earth”, so that these winds cannot cause destruction. The sealing of the chosen of God happens in silence. When the four winds start to blow, animals as symbols of rulers of world empires will come up from the sea of nations. You read about that in Daniel 7 ( ; cf. ). Here they are still hold back. God determines the time of their coming up, but also of their curbing for the benefit of His own ( ). They are ‘held’ as they try to tear themselves away. But it is impossible to extricate oneself from the grasp of the Almighty. . Then John sees “another angel ascending”. He comes from the east, from the side where the sun rises. When the sun rises, a new day dawns. This speaks of the rising of “the sun of righteousness” ( ), which is Christ, Who expels the darkness and causes the dawning of the day. This ‘other angel’ is not a picture of Christ. In the next verse he places himself on the same level with the four angels when he speaks about ‘we’ and ‘our God’. The angel has “the seal of the living God”. A seal is a mark of ownership. ‘The seal of the living God’ makes clear that he who has it, belongs to Him and is known by Him (cf. ). Therefore the seal also means safety at the same time (cf. ). It is the seal of the living God , which means that whoever has it is untouchable from death. When God is called 'the living God, then it is also to emphasize the contrast between Him and the dead idols ( ). This is how He is called also in connection with Israel in the days of Joshua and Hezekiah ( ; ), which is at the beginning (Joshua) and at the end (Hezekiah) of its history in the land. As He intervened in the days of Joshua and Hezekiah for the benefit of His people, so He will in the time of the great tribulation. During that time, He will lead and preserve His people through the general idolatrous worship of the antichrist and the beast. The angel gives a command on behalf of God to the four angels who have power over the winds. The winds want to harm but they cannot, because they are held back by the angels. Only when the angels let them loose they will be able to do their damaging work. That means that it is not the winds that have the power to harm the earth and the sea, but the angels are the ones that have the power. In the same way angels have power over fire ( ) and over water ( ). However, they do not act on their own, but they are under the authority of God. . Those who are sealed are “the bond-servants of our God”. They are the chosen ones from the twelve tribes of Israel ( ) who serve God. Their service seems to consist of the proclamation of His Name, the preaching of the living God, while everything around them has no regard for Him. They will preach both in Israel and in the whole world and they will continue their service with which the twelve apostles have started when the Lord Jesus sent them out ( ). It seems that the result of their preaching is ‘the multitude’ which the second part of this chapter is dealing with. It does not say what this seal exactly is. Possibly it is the name of God and the Lamb which they get on their forehead (cf. ). There is something to be said for that when you consider that the wicked have the name of the beast on their foreheads ( ). They are sealed “on their foreheads”. In that way it is a clearly observable mark to everyone that they have focused their thoughts on God and that God acknowledges them as His own (cf. ). They openly testify of His Name in each part of the world wherever they are scattered. The angel confirms that the sealing is the reason why the winds were held back. . The number of the ones who are sealed is communicated. It is one hundred and forty-four thousand. It is also mentioned who they are. They are “the sons of Israel”. It is also said that they come from every tribe. The further announcements show that from each tribe comes the same number of the sealed: twelve thousand. The numbers have a symbolic meaning, not excluding the possibility that they should be taken literally. It is possible that in the time of the great tribulation one hundred and forty-four thousand servants of God will go out in Israel and in the whole world to proclaim His Name. But the symbolic meaning is important. The number twelve, which also in the multiples of one hundred and forty-four and twelve thousand stands at the forefront, is in the Bible always the number of perfect reign and government. This number is especially connected with Israel. At the beginning of the history of this people are the twelve patriarchs. This nation consists of twelve tribes. The breastplate of the high priest had twelve stones which represented the whole nation. Out of this nation twelve apostles were called. The twelve thousand from each tribe of Israel indicate a worldwide government, for the territory of their service is the world. . In the Bible we find almost thirty lists of names of the sons of Jacob, with the order of the names not always the same and sometimes a single name being replaced by another. This list that John gives, is headed by Judah. Not Rueben, the firstborn, comes first, but Judah, the royal tribe. That is also understandable, for Judah is the tribe from which the King of kings, Christ, came forth after the flesh ( ; ). The tribe of Dan is not mentioned. The reason for that is not said. It is possible that it is because Dan has introduced the idolatry in Israel ( ). That does not mean that Dan loses his place in the land, for he will have his part of inheritance in the millennial kingdom of peace ( ). The important thing is that God cannot use anyone from his tribe to testify to Him as one of His sealed people when the idolatry is general. Manasseh, the son of Joseph, takes the place of Dan. Now read Revelation 7:1-8 again. Reflection: How can you show your ‘seal’, meaning: how can you show that you are of the living God?

‏ Revelation of John 7:3

The Sealed of Israel

Here begins what can be called a parenthesis before the seventh seal is opened. In this parenthesis, which consists of the whole of Revelation 7, you hear what the believers experience during the time of the sixth seal. You will also read how they are preserved by God during this terrible time. It beautifully illustrates that God remembers in wrath mercy (Hab 3:2).

This chapter is, as it were, an answer to the question that was asked at the end of the previous chapter: ‘Who is able to stand?’ (Rev 6:17). The answer is: A great number of saints, both from Israel (Rev 7:1-8) and from the nations (Rev 7:9-17), is able to stand before God and the Lamb. Both groups of believers will go through the great tribulation. They will not die like the martyrs, but they will enter the kingdom of peace alive. The first group will be sealed before they enter the great tribulation, the second group is presented as coming out of the great tribulation.

Rev 7:1. That the scene which John gets to see now follows the preceding one is evident from the words “after this”. After having seen the Lamb That opens the seals, John now sees “four angels”. When the trumpet judgments break loose in Revelation 8, the sounding of the trumpets happens by angels (Rev 8:2 ; 6). Here you also see angels. Angels are used by the Lamb to do His work. That work consists of protecting the saints (Heb 1:14) and judging evil in accordance to the purity of heaven, the dwelling place of the angels.

The four angels are “standing at the four corners of the earth”. That means that the whole earth is their work territory (cf. Isa 11:12). The number ‘four’ that appears three times in this verse speaks of what is general, universal. While they are standing there they are “holding back the four winds of the earth”, so that these winds cannot cause destruction. The sealing of the chosen of God happens in silence.

When the four winds start to blow, animals as symbols of rulers of world empires will come up from the sea of nations. You read about that in Daniel 7 (Dan 7:2-3; cf. Jer 49:36). Here they are still hold back. God determines the time of their coming up, but also of their curbing for the benefit of His own (Psa 105:15). They are ‘held’ as they try to tear themselves away. But it is impossible to extricate oneself from the grasp of the Almighty.

Rev 7:2. Then John sees “another angel ascending”. He comes from the east, from the side where the sun rises. When the sun rises, a new day dawns. This speaks of the rising of “the sun of righteousness” (Mal 4:2), which is Christ, Who expels the darkness and causes the dawning of the day. This ‘other angel’ is not a picture of Christ. In the next verse he places himself on the same level with the four angels when he speaks about ‘we’ and ‘our God’.

The angel has “the seal of the living God”. A seal is a mark of ownership. ‘The seal of the living God’ makes clear that he who has it, belongs to Him and is known by Him (cf. 2Tim 2:19). Therefore the seal also means safety at the same time (cf. Eze 9:4). It is the seal of the living God, which means that whoever has it is untouchable from death.

When God is called 'the living God, then it is also to emphasize the contrast between Him and the dead idols (1Thes 1:9). This is how He is called also in connection with Israel in the days of Joshua and Hezekiah (Jos 3:10; 2Kgs 19:4 ; 16), which is at the beginning (Joshua) and at the end (Hezekiah) of its history in the land. As He intervened in the days of Joshua and Hezekiah for the benefit of His people, so He will in the time of the great tribulation. During that time, He will lead and preserve His people through the general idolatrous worship of the antichrist and the beast.

The angel gives a command on behalf of God to the four angels who have power over the winds. The winds want to harm but they cannot, because they are held back by the angels. Only when the angels let them loose they will be able to do their damaging work. That means that it is not the winds that have the power to harm the earth and the sea, but the angels are the ones that have the power. In the same way angels have power over fire (Rev 14:18) and over water (Rev 16:5). However, they do not act on their own, but they are under the authority of God.

Rev 7:3. Those who are sealed are “the bond-servants of our God”. They are the chosen ones from the twelve tribes of Israel (Rev 7:4) who serve God. Their service seems to consist of the proclamation of His Name, the preaching of the living God, while everything around them has no regard for Him. They will preach both in Israel and in the whole world and they will continue their service with which the twelve apostles have started when the Lord Jesus sent them out (Mt 10:23 ; Mt 24:14). It seems that the result of their preaching is ‘the multitude’ which the second part of this chapter is dealing with.

It does not say what this seal exactly is. Possibly it is the name of God and the Lamb which they get on their forehead (cf. Rev 14:1 ; Rev 22:4 ; Rev 3:12). There is something to be said for that when you consider that the wicked have the name of the beast on their foreheads (Rev 13:16 ; Rev 14:9 ; 11 ; Rev 20:4). They are sealed “on their foreheads”. In that way it is a clearly observable mark to everyone that they have focused their thoughts on God and that God acknowledges them as His own (cf. Rev 13:16). They openly testify of His Name in each part of the world wherever they are scattered. The angel confirms that the sealing is the reason why the winds were held back.

Rev 7:4. The number of the ones who are sealed is communicated. It is one hundred and forty-four thousand. It is also mentioned who they are. They are “the sons of Israel”. It is also said that they come from every tribe. The further announcements show that from each tribe comes the same number of the sealed: twelve thousand.

The numbers have a symbolic meaning, not excluding the possibility that they should be taken literally. It is possible that in the time of the great tribulation one hundred and forty-four thousand servants of God will go out in Israel and in the whole world to proclaim His Name. But the symbolic meaning is important. The number twelve, which also in the multiples of one hundred and forty-four and twelve thousand stands at the forefront, is in the Bible always the number of perfect reign and government.

This number is especially connected with Israel. At the beginning of the history of this people are the twelve patriarchs. This nation consists of twelve tribes. The breastplate of the high priest had twelve stones which represented the whole nation. Out of this nation twelve apostles were called. The twelve thousand from each tribe of Israel indicate a worldwide government, for the territory of their service is the world.

Rev 7:5-8. In the Bible we find almost thirty lists of names of the sons of Jacob, with the order of the names not always the same and sometimes a single name being replaced by another. This list that John gives, is headed by Judah. Not Rueben, the firstborn, comes first, but Judah, the royal tribe. That is also understandable, for Judah is the tribe from which the King of kings, Christ, came forth after the flesh (Rev 5:5; Gen 49:9).

The tribe of Dan is not mentioned. The reason for that is not said. It is possible that it is because Dan has introduced the idolatry in Israel (Jdg 18:30-31). That does not mean that Dan loses his place in the land, for he will have his part of inheritance in the millennial kingdom of peace (Eze 48:1-2). The important thing is that God cannot use anyone from his tribe to testify to Him as one of His sealed people when the idolatry is general. Manasseh, the son of Joseph, takes the place of Dan.

Now read Revelation 7:1-8 again.

Reflection: How can you show your ‘seal’, meaning: how can you show that you are of the living God?