SCRIPTURE: REVELATION 7
MEMORY VERSE:
“Salvation belongs to our God, who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb.” (Revelation 7:10)
144,000 SEALED (vs. 1-8)
After this I saw four angels standing at the four corners of the earth, holding back the four winds of the earth to prevent any wind from blowing on the land or on the sea or on any tree. Then I saw another angel coming up from the east, having the seal of the living God. He called out in a loud voice to the four angels who had been given power to harm the land and the sea” “Do not harm the land or the sea or the trees until we put a seal on the foreheads of the servants of our God.” Then I heard the number of those who were sealed: 144,000 from all the tribes of Israel.
From the tribe of Judah, 12,000 were sealed, from the tribe of Reuben 12,000, from the tribe of Gad 12,000, from the tribe of Asher 12,000, from the tribe of Naphtali 12,000, from the tribe of Manasseh 12,000, from the tribe of Simeon 12,000,, from the tribe of Levi 12,000, from the tribe of Issachar 12,000, from the tribe of Zebulun 12,000, from the tribe of Joseph 12,000, from the tribe of Benjamin 12,000.
THE GREAT MULTITUDE IN WHITE ROBES (vs. 9-17)
After this I looked and there before me was a great multitude that no one could count, from every nation, tribe, people and language, standing before the throne and in front of the Lamb. They were wearing white robes and were holding palm branches in their hands. And they cried out in a loud voice: “Salvation belongs to our God, who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb.” All the angels were standing around the throne and around the elders and the four living creatures. They fell down on their faces before the throne and worshiped God, saying: Amen! Praise and glory and wisdom and thanks and honor and power and strength be to our God forever and ever. Amen!”
Then one of the elders asked me, “These in white robes – who are they, and where did they come from?” I answered, “Sir, you know.” And he said, “These are they who have come out of the great tribulation; they have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb. Therefore, “they are before the throne of God and serve him day and night in his temple, and he who sits on the throne will spread his tent over them. Never again will they hunger; never again will they thirst. The sun will not beat upon them, nor any scorching heat. For the Lamb at the center of the throne will be their shepherd; he will lead them to springs of living water. And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes.”
THOUGHTS:
When the sixth seal is opened, four angels hold back the four winds of the earth for judgment until God’s people are sealed. God places his own seal on his followers to identify them as his own and guarantee his protection over their souls. This shows that even if our physical bodies are destroyed, nothing can harm our soul because God has sealed His people by the seal of the Holy Spirit. His seal is placed on the foreheads of his servants. This seal is entirely different from the mark of the beast that was placed on the right hand or on the forehead.
The number 144,000 is 12 x 12 x 1,000, symbolizing completeness. God seals believers either by withdrawing them from the earth (called Rapture) or by giving them special strength and courage to endure great persecution. However, the seal does not guarantee protection from physical harm but it protects them from spiritual harm. Their destiny is secured with their reward of eternal life. Those that have been sealed will remain true to God until the end.
Composition of the 144,000:
- Tribe of Judah
- Tribe of Reuben
- Tribe of Gad
- Tribe of Asher
- Tribe of Naphtali
- Tribe of Manasseh
- Tribe of Simeon
- Tribe of Levi
- Tribe of Issachar
- Tribe of Zebulun
- Tribe of Joseph
- Tribe of Benjamin
The crowd in heaven are those who remained faithful to God throughout the generations. They praise God saying that salvation comes from Him and from the Lamb because they have come out of the great tribulation and have washed their robes into white by the blood of the Lamb. The blood of Jesus Christ is the world’s greatest purifier because it removes the stain of sin. White symbolizes sinless perfection or holiness which can only be given to people by the death of the sinless Lamb of God on our behalf. This is a picture of How we are saved through faith in Christ.
At the eternal home, there will be no hunger, thirst or pain because He will provide all His children’s needs. He will also wipe away all tears. All tribulations and sorrows are over for all believers have been resurrected to eternity.