AM Bible Study; May 20, 2009
Revelation 7:1-8
Theme: Before the outpouring of His wrath, God gives the world a display of His grace.
The beginning words of our text this morning are, “After these things . . .” The “things” that had just been described had been the opening of the six seals and the release of the events of the great tribulation. And with the opening of the sixth seal in particular, the kings and great ones of this earth recognize that the next event will be the outpouring of the wrath of the Lamb (6:16-17).
But what we discover in the seventh chapter is an ‘intermission’ between the opening of the sixth and the seventh seals. And this divine ‘intermission’ sets before us a wonderful display of God’s grace before the outpouring of His wrath.
I. THE EVENTS TEMPORARILY RESTRAINED (v. 1).
A. “After these things”, John sees four angels standing at the four corners of the earth. The “four corners” is phenomenal language (much as we would say that the sun “rises”) used to describe the four key points of the compass—north, south, east and west. These four angels are described in verse two as having been granted “to harm the earth and the sea”. Their activities probably parallel the devastating events on earth that are described in the first four “trumpets” of 8:7-12.
B. Note that they are shown as “holding the four winds of the earth”. In Scripture, the “four winds” describe the tumultuous stirrings of the Gentile world (Daniel 7:2); and holding those winds back may suggest a temporary “restraining” of the activities of the Gentile world until the sealing of God’s “servants” occurs (vv. 4-8).
C. We’re told that, as a result of holding back the four winds, no wind blows on either the earth, or the sea, or on any tree. An ominous stillness occurs that parallels the profound quite in heaven that will precede the outpouring of God’s wrath (8:1). It’s hard to imagine what an impact this stillness will have on the hearts of men—especially knowing (as they clearly will) that the time of wrath had come!
II. THE DIVINE INTERMISSION ANNOUNCED (vv. 2-3).
A. It’s at this time that John is shown another vision of yet another angel. This angel is said to “ascend [literally] from the rising of the sun” (that is, from the east). God’s works on this world are sometimes described in the Bible as transpiring “from east to west”.
B. This angel is described as “having the seal of the living God”. The seal being described is a mark of ownership that indicates that something is God’s own property. That He is described as “the living God” may be intended to set Him in contrast to the dreadful idolatry and atheism that will characterize the times—giving emphasis to the fact that He is very much present and involved.
C. This angel cries out with a loud voice to the four angles that they are to restrain from doing harm to “the earth, the sea, or the trees, till we have sealed the servants of our God on their foreheads”. This “sealing” is similar to that mentioned in Ezekiel 9:4—a sealing that pertains to those who sigh and cry over all the abominations that were done in Israel. The godly character of these sealed ones is also described in Revelation 14:1-5. They are protected during a time of wrath (9:4). (This “sealing” seems to be imitated by the devil in 13:16.) The nature of the outpouring of God’s wrath is one of great harm to the earth; but no such harm can come until after these are sealed.
III. THE SERVANTS OF GOD SEALED (vv. 4-8).
A. John is given the number of these sealed ones—a remarkable and specific number of 144,000. This is delineated in an even more specific manner—12,000 from each of the tribes of Israel. The tribes mentioned do not necessarily match the way that the tribes are listed elsewhere in Scripture. But this may help emphasize that this is a literal ‘sealing’ of literal members of these portions of the Jewish nation. There is no reason to see these as anything else but the literal sealing of the literal members of the tribes of Israel. (This doesn’t mean that no one else will be saved during this time, nor does it mean that only these will be saved from among Israel. The qualifications of these 144,000 are very specific in 14:1-5; and distinguishes them from the rest of humanity.)
B. It’s important to see the results of this sealing. What follows is a great multitude which no one could number, of all nations, tribes, peoples, and tongues, standing before God’s throne and giving praise to Him for salvation (7:9-10). These are said to be coming out of the great tribulation (v. 14). These 144,000 sealed “servants” seem to be used by God to bring about a great turning to Christ from among the Gentile world just prior to the outpouring of God’s wrath on earth! What a marvelous display of God’s grace—even in a time of wrath!
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As 2 Peter 3:9 says, the Lord “is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance”. We truly serve a God of great mercy! But He is also a God of righteous judgment; and the day of His wrath will come! May the display of His mercy, as we find it in this passage, spur us on to share the message of Jesus Christ with others while we can!