a study by Rev. Paul A. Bartz

Reel 3 is presented by Revelation Chapters 7 and 8.

Outline of Revelation 7:

1. 7:1-8 -- A pause and a comfort
2. The victorious in Christ

Revelation 7:1-8 -- The Church on Earth

The four winds (of destruction) are held back while the church on earth has time to grow. The four winds are again, references to agents of God's judgment (see Jeremiah 49:36). These four winds are identified with the first four trumpets in 8:6-13 which are identified with the four barbarian invasions of Rome during the fifth century. Details of this, and how this identification is made, will be covered in Chapter 8:6-13. The point here is that these calamities are held off until the church has a chance to be established (7:3 "Do not harm until we have sealed"). When these come (Chapter 8:6 and following) the imagery of wind is no longer used. In the Greek, the word used does not mean a strong or dangerous wind (if taken literally). If this were literally a dangerous wind, then a different word in the Greek would be used. Hence we are compelled to apply a figurative meaning here for this reason. (Remember we never use a figurative interpretation unless the text demands it: Rule 11).

Then we go to Rule 12 -- What is the point of comparison? Answer: the four corners of the earth. This expression usually is understood to mean all the earth. The agents are charged by God to hold back all large-scale impediments to the spread of the Gospel for a time.

v"Four Corners of the Earth" is more literal than we often think. The fact is that scientists have found four "corners" of the earth which is not perfectly round but shaped somewhat like a lumpy pear. These four bumps on the pear have been called the "four corners of the earth" by some scientists. In any event the meaning of the text is not changed.

Some have charged that this language proves that those who wrote the Bible really believed in a four-cornered flat earth (like a square map on a table) and that when God inspired the Holy writers He didn't correct these error in their thinking. But this idea does not stand up to fact because:

1. Even scientists today use figurative language. ("Sunrise," "Moonrise," "down," "up")

2. When Scripture needs to be astronomically correct, it is: Job 26:7; Genesis 1:7, 8.

3. Belief in a flat earth is a medieval concept not widely held by the educated of the ancient world as proven by archeological finds. Ancient Egyptian astronomers accurately measured the circumference of the round earth to within 300 miles.

7:3 -- "Sealed...on their foreheads." Not with a visible-to-us type of seal, as we can see in Ezekiel 9:3-6 (Scripture interprets Scripture). The waxed seals place on letters at this time protected the contents. Likewise, those sealed are protected. There those who groan over the sins of God's people (and are therefore God's truly faithful in the midst of hypocrites) are to be sealed on their foreheads. The seals are apparently the way in which the angels identify who are the Lord's as they allow calamities to befall mankind (see II Timothy 2:19).

In Matthew 13:37-43 we read of how on Judgment day the angels of God will sort out the true believers in the church (the wheat) from the hypocrites in the church (the tares). It is by this spiritual seal known to the angels of God that the elect will be spared from the very worst, so that all things will still work together for good to them that love God.

Very important to understanding verse three is Luther's insight that the world continues to exist in an orderly fashion by God's guidance solely for the elect and so that they may add to their number by witness. Were it not for the church on earth the world would have ended in chaos long ago.

Exodus 28:36-38 tells of the emblem which Aaron was commanded to wear on his forehead which read "Holy to the Lord." This spiritual mark on the foreheads of the elect means "this person is Holy to the Lord, to the angels of God, Holy by grace, through trust in Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior." All who trust in Christ as their Savior and Lord of their lives carry this seal of protection in the midst of the worst danger. While spiritual, it is also very real and a comfort, not only to those who are going to undergo what was to follow in the 5th century, but also to us.

7:4-8 -- The Number of those Sealed: "144,000" -- Some groups understand this to be taken literally (Millennialists, many Baptists and Methodists, most "Churches of God" and Pentecostals. Also many non-Christian groups -- Jehovah's Witness, and other smaller cults). The question is -- can this be taken literally? Consider the following:

1. By the time this was written (in fact, 700 years earlier) ten of the twelve tribes were missing.

2. Joseph is listed as a tribe here, yet he died in Egypt and is not listed as a head of a tribe (Joshua 13-19).

3. Levi, here listed, was a priestly tribe and did not receive a portion of the holy land (Joshua 13:33, ff.)

4. The tribe of Dan is not listed here (Joshua 19:40-48).

5. Ephraim is also missing (Joshua 16:1-10).

6. Even Jews today cannot trace tribe descent due to intermarriage. A pure Jew today could theoretically represent as many as 12 tribes. (Strongest argument with Millennialists)

7. The original Greek sense of the word 1,000, remember, was usually simply a huge number. They did not pretend to understand hundreds of thousands, as we do. As already noted, in Revelation 12 is the number associated with the church (both the Old and New Testament church). 12 squared is 144. 1,000 is 10, the number of completeness, cubed.

8. . Taken literally, this would mean that no non-Jew could be saved, a conclusion soundly contradicted throughout the Bible.

• Genesis 22:15-18 -- Who is this a prophecy of? (Note: The Living Bible, the RSV, and the New English Bible are all grossly mistranslated here.)

  Who's doing the blessing?

• Romans 9:6-8 -- Who are the true descendants of Abraham, according to the Bible?

• Romans 2:28-29 -- What makes one a "Jew"?

• Matthew 3:8-9 -- What information does Jesus add here to the identity of a true child of Abraham?

• How many tribes of Israel were there representing the Old Testament church? How many Apostles represent the New Testament church? Now multiply these two numbers times each other. Multiply that times 10, the number of completeness, cubed = 144,000.

We arrive at the meaning of the 144,000: All the saved from the Old and New Testament Church. Those who are sealed for protection during the troubles to come are all the saved, forgetting none. Those who truly are God's children through the Lord Jesus need fear nothing, either in these woes or the related woes to come. This is a great comfort.

7:9-17 -- The Victorious in Christ

7:9 -- The first thing we notice as we view this assembly of the victorious in Christ is that the multitude was so great that no one could count it. This identification makes it clear that the 144,000 mentioned earlier as the number of the saved in Christ was a symbolic number (Rule #2: Scripture interprets Scripture).

"White robes" -- they are clothed in the white (holiness) robe with which Christ has clothed them. This is another identification that these are saved by faith.

"Standing" -- these who were persecuted on Earth now stand, erect and confident, before the throne of God. They have taken Christ's victory in the world, and His holiness is what allows them to stand before their Heavenly Father.

"Palm branches" -- Further stresses that this is a time of festive joy. In Old Testament times it was specified that palm branches be used in connection with the Feast of Tabernacles, an end of the year harvest celebration in Israel which also looked ahead to the time when the Christ would reap the redeemed unto Himself in heaven. Ancient Christian tradition, in what seems to be a closely-linked tradition, buried the victorious believer in Christ with a palm branch in his hand.

7:10 -- In 5:13 it was the living creatures and the elders who sang. Here the songs of praise are begun by all the redeemed. Notice, their singing was enthusiastic (loud voice).

"Salvation" -- They are filled with joy as no human before has ever known! This salvation is found only in the Savior which has been provided by our heavenly Father. It is a cruel fiction that there are many paths to God. There is no other Name given among men whereby we must be saved, Acts 4:12.

7:11-12 -- Now the angels, the elders, the four creatures all add their voices to the saints in what surely must be an even more glorious sound than the great praise in chapter 5. Keep in mind that this is John's future, and our future as well -- we shall be among that throng if we persevere! What an encouraging thought! And this completely explains why this vision is included here.

7:13-14 -- One of the elders now questions John on two points: 1) Who are these? and 2) Where did they come from? These are two very specific questions, and John has developed enough wisdom to keep his mouth shut when he doesn't know the answer, a lesson which most of us still need to learn.

"These are the ones who came out of the great tribulation." Some, mainly Millennialists, teach that there will be a period at or near the end of time called the "great tribulation" when persecution will be greater than ever before. Unfortunately this teaching is offered in a way which is out of context with the rest of Scripture. For the believer all of life on earth is a tribulation -- we must contend with unbelievers, the devil, and our own flesh, all because of our faith. There has never been, is not, and never shall be any period in history when we must not contend -- nor will there be any period when there is not persecution. This being said, our Lord warned in Matthew 24:4-14 that persecution of believers will be more intense as we approach His return. It is a fact that Christians today are under more persecution than ever before in history. Even the freest and most tolerant of countries, the United States, has seen the growth of laws in recent years which, like many of the Roman and the old Soviet laws, persecute Christians.

"Great tribulation" -- Contrary to what some say, as we have seen, there is no specific historical age called the great tribulation. At the same time, this language is clearly referring to something more than "standard" tribulation. It would appear that these members of the Church Triumphant are those which have passed through the darkest days of tribulation in the history of the world. We, and John, are told this because it is comforting, and important, to know that if we remain in Christ nothing, not even the worst that the world can throw at us, can take the victory from us which Christ has won for us! (See 1 Kings 19:13-18 for added comfort.)

"Washed their robes in the blood of the Lamb" -- See 1 John 1:7 and then Isaiah 1:18 for the Scriptural basis of this language. If these passages do not make it clear enough that this washing and making white is not our doing, see Matthew 22:2-14.

7:15-17 -- A picture of life in heaven for the redeemed is to be found in this description of life in heaven for these who came out of the worst tribulation. A number of the important aspects of life in eternity are spelled out here for us. Our fellowship with God will be perfect and intimate. We will serve Him, finally realizing perfectly the purpose for which we were made. And as we live this purpose we will find complete happiness. And "He...will dwell among them" indicates the intimacy of this relationship. Verse 16 points out that the sources of discomfort we knew in earthly life will be gone. Verse 17 focuses on the intimacy which we will have with Christ. Note that even in heaven He will continue to be our source of all that is good.

"And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes" -- This life with God shall offer us nothing to create sadness. But from the eternal vantage point we will surely be able to see things as we never could from this earthly life. If those who have preceded us can cry, "How long, O Lord!" over what is going on here on earth, we too should not expect our review of our earthly lives and the lives of our loved ones to be without difficulty. However, the fact that we have the perfect comfort of God Himself is mentioned so that we don't view eternity as an eternal life of regrets about our life on earth.

As we have seen earlier in the book of Revelation, this section, too, ends with a reminder that in Christ we already have won all things -- and we shall enjoy all things soon enough. The Lord has not handed us an easy assignment here on earth, but He will miss no chance to encourage us by showing us again and again where it all leads!

1. What are some examples of how God guides world events to the benefit of His church?

2. (Verse 3) What is involved in having your forehead sealed?

   • What does the seal say?

   • Can you be sure that you are sealed?

3. How would you answer those (like the Millennialists) who say that this seal is a literal visible seal?

4. Regarding an example like Genesis 22:18: Where a Bible translation changes the original meaning of a passage (such as the RSV, Living Bible and New English Bible do here) is that translation presenting the Word of God at that point?
   • Why or why not?

5. How would you explain to the Millennialist that, on the Scriptures own terms, the 144,000 in Revelation 7:4 is not a literal number?

6. If only 144,000 were really to be saved, could God's invitation of the Gospel to all people be considered to be a sincere invitation?
   • Why or why not?

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