Chapter 16.7
Sealing of the
144,000 of
Israel
The
un-numbered Multitude in White Robes
Silence
in Heaven for Thirty Minutes
Events in the Middle of the Tribulation
Satan and his angels are cast out of
heaven – Antichrist breaks his covenant – Temple is taken over by the Gentiles
– Two Witnesses are slain and then raised up – Russia is out of the way and the
Antichrist begins his dictatorship and his terror is revealed. – Israel is
persecuted and many believers are killed.
Events in the Last half of the Tribulation
The Seven last
plagues – Fall of Babylon –
Battle of
Armageddon – Christ returns to earth
Chapter Seven - The Two Groups
There
are two groups addressed in the upcoming chapter seven:
1)
The
Sealed Jews.........
Verses 2-8
2)
The
Saved Gentiles... Verses 9-17
Four Angels – Four Winds
Revelation 7:1 - 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.
Christ taught that the angels
would have a part in gathering the elect from the four winds.[1] The FOUR
ANGELS have
authority over weather conditions on Earth.
Changes in wind patterns can cause a hurricane, typhoon, dust storms, tornados,
roaring seas and strange tides.[2]
The Winds come from the North,
East, South and West.[3]
These FOUR ANGELS, when directed,
can release hurricane
force winds[4]
coming from every direction all at once.
Along with ministering angels that have authority over winds are those
with authority over fire[5] and water;[6] things
of nature.
The Sealed Jews
Revelation 7:2-3 - 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:
3 "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."
The Seal of the Living God
speaks of protection and possession. The
Christian today is sealed by the Holy Spirit instantly
when he receives Christ and inherits eternal life.[7] God promised Abraham a son, who would be the
beginning of a “special
race” of people that would be blessed of God, a race which the
Messiah would be born. A people that
would be a witness to the pagan world.
Their existence provided the Old and New Testaments and protected and
preserved the purity of the scriptures.
The
Twelve Tribes of Israel produces the 144,000 Evangelist.
144,000
Revelation 7:4-10 - Then I heard the number of those who were
sealed: 144,000 from all the tribes of Israel.
5 From the tribe of Judah 12,000 were sealed, from the tribe of Reuben 12,000,
from the tribe of Gad 12,000,
6 from the tribe of Asher 12,000, from the tribe of Naphtali
12,000, from the tribe of Manasseh 12,000,
7 from the tribe of Simeon 12,000, from the tribe of Levi
12,000, from the tribe of Issachar 12,000,
8 from the tribe of Zebulun 12,000, from the tribe of Joseph
12,000, from the tribe of Benjamin 12,000.
All of Revelation is NOT
written in chronically order as this sealing occurs before the tribulation gets underway. God seals
144,000 Israelite Jews,[8]
His servants, to protect them from the wrath that is starting to be unloaded.
Today there are some cults, groups, and dominations that claim they are
the 144,000
ü The Mormons claim that they ONLY are the 144,000 who will inherit eternal
life and the remainder of their denomination will just live in Paradise.
ü Jehovah Witnesses feel that they
are the 144,000. However, scripture says there will NOT be
one Gentile in the whole bunch.
NOT ONE!
These special 144,000 Jews were not true believers before
the Rapture, but the rapture witnessed to them as well as the preaching of the TWO WITNESSES, as ordained by God.[9]
This mark is the seal of the
living God signifying His OWNERSHIP and guaranteed PROTECTION. It is literally on their foreheads just as
the mark of the beast (antichrist) is literal on the forehead or hand of the lost.[10]
GOOD NEWS, when we become believers,
we are also marked with THE SEAL OF GOD forever.[11]
Some say the 12 tribes are
now LOST,
but they are not lost to God. After the
rapture, just as the tribulation period begins these Jews will be completed and
saved. God by His Devine plan already knows where they are and who they
are. They are already SCATTERED THROUGHOUT THE NATIONS where they will
testify of Jesus Christ to the ends of the earth then the end will come.
Oddly enough, there were twelve
spies, representing the twelve tribes of Israel that went into the Promised Land, TEN of the twelve
came back with a negative report and would not take the land as God
commanded. Those TEN TRIBES are now scattered.[12]
The TEN tribes of the Northern kingdom of Israel were all carried off into captivity and
scattered among the nations, lost, vanished.
The remaining TWO tribes in the Southern kingdom were Judah and Dan. Judah is
where we get the name JEW and is the
tribe from which our Messiah Jesus the Christ would be born.
The Jewish nation is the only people that did not lose their national
identity when stripped from their homeland, but hung to the vision of returning
back to the nation of Israel.
The
Jews are the “CHOSEN PEOPLE” although they rejected their
own Messiah
Jesus the Christ just as the
prophets taught. This produced the “NEW COVENANT” [13] in
which the Gentiles
were GRAFTED into the branch
and would receive ALL the promises
passed down from Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.
The Messiah
will return to JERUSALEM “the most Holy place in the world”.
SIDEBAR
The tribe of Ephraim is missing from
the sealed 12,000 mentioned in Revelation 7:4-10, because this tribe led the
way in causing the civil war which divided the ten tribes of
the north form the two tribes in the
South.
The tribe of Dan might possibly be the source of the Antichrist[14]
since its tribe is missing in the lineup in Revelation 7:4-10 and thus was
substituted.
Did you see it? God Loves Israel so much; that while these
two tribes LOST their WITNESS during the tribulation period and their REWARDS later in
Heaven, the believers in Ephraim
and Dan WILL NOT lose their SALVATION.[15]
The Saved Gentiles
God
had poured out his Spirit on the 144,000 life changers that were endued with the same power as on the
day of Pentecost;[16] the gift of tongues and with the zeal of the
Apostle Paul they testified of Jesus Christ.
Every nation and tribe heard them speaking in their own language and dialect.
Revelation 7:9 - 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.
The Scene is in heaven, these are saved GENTILES coming out of
the Tribulation;
the palm
branches are symbolic of VICTORY, of conquering
heroes returning from a conquest. Palm branches were waved and scattered before Jesus as their
king as He rode into Jerusalem on a donkey.[17]
Our WORKS and efforts are
as FILTHY RAGS that have now been
transformed into White Robes of purity and righteousness of Jesus Christ and THE
WORK HE DID on the
cross.
Multitudes of Gentiles, people from every nation were saved,[18] not
saved because of anything that they did, but because they BELIEVED and were SEALED by the Holy Spirit and ENDURED to the end.[19] Many were martyred and lost their earthly life,
only to gain eternal
life with Christ.
Christ’s Return to earth and His triumphal entry will be with palm
branches and so great a multitude of the redeemed that no one can count. This time on a GREAT white stallion,[20]
not a little donkey.[21]
Praise, Glory, Wisdom, Thanks, Honor, Power, Strength
Revelation 7:10-12 - And they cried out in a loud voice:
SALVATION
belongs to our God, who sits on the throne, and to
the Lamb.
11 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,
12 saying: "Amen! PRAISE and GLORY and WISDOM and THANKS
and HONOR and POWER and STRENGTH be to our God
for ever and ever. Amen!"
Did you see it?
Every time the SHEKINAH GLORY of God is present they can’t stand up[22]...
The Pentecostals would say; they were “Slain in the Spirit”.
The scene presented here is
UNIVERSAL WORSHIP in heaven by the four living Creatures,
the twenty four Elders, OT Saints,
the NT Church Saints and a greater
company of Tribulation
Saints that were not part of the NT church and it appears that
the Angels have joined in too.
Some Students of the Word BS reject the thought of Salvation for angels since they
do not have a soul and therefore cannot be redeemed if they sin. My BS says that these are sinless angels, otherwise they
could not be present giving PRAISE for every sinner that endured
to the end.
The Martyred Dead
Revelation 7:13-14 - Then one of the elders asked me,
"These in white robes-WHO ARE THEY, and where did they come from?"
14
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.
Rejoice
greatly, Daughter Zion! Shout,
Daughter Jerusalem! [23]
The “WHO ARE
THEY?” are a specific group of souls that will accept Christ as the
Messiah during the Tribulation and then lose their lives. They are the martyred dead.
These may very well also be of the “Sheep Nations”;
the Gentiles
that did not take the MARK OF THE BEAST and loved the Jews and ENDURED the terrible times of the tribulation to their end. [24]
His Tent
Revelation 7:15-16 - 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.
16 Never again
will they HUNGER; never again will they THIRST.
The sun will not beat upon them, nor any scorching heat.
In my BS, this is not the Church as they
are never identified with the temple; these are the Saints who endured the tribulations and
most probably were martyred. His tent is His GLORY and Protection covering His saints.[25]
Did
you see it? Those
that thirst and hunger after the Word of God did not take the Mark of the Beast and were forced to hide outside with the scorching
sun beating down on them. They were
forced to beg and steal for food and water.
They will never hunger and
thirst again. (Praise the Living Lord !)
The Shepherd
Revelation 7:17 - 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."
The Living Waters is
the indwelling in us of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit.[26]
As our Shepherd;
ü He provides a
relationship that leads and guides.
ü He comforts, restores,
anoints, gives hope, blessings, goodness and love.
ü He supplies our
needs in abundance, and takes away all fear.
ü He tests,
protects, gives rest, provides healing, and lives with us forever.[27]
Awesome!
Can you say Hallelujah !!
OK, this is where we are.
v
Israel is back in their land, but they are in unbelief about Jesus Christ as their
Messiah.
v
The Temple has been restored and worship has begun.
v
The Anti-Christ is
ruling the United States of Europe, the revived Roman Empire.
v
There is war, famine and
trouble in the world.
v
The
Two Witnesses are preaching the Good News of Jesus Christ in
Israel.
v
144,000
Jews are
commissioned as witnesses of “Christ the Messiah” to the world.
v
First
Group –
144,000 Jews, sealed protected and Saved – God’s special missionaries
v
Second
Group –
Multitudes of Gentiles
and Jews witnessed
to - Many Saved – Many Martyred
[1] Matthew 24:31 - He will send his angels with a loud trumpet call,
and they will GATHER HIS ELECT FROM THE FOUR WINDS
[2] Luke 21:25 - There will be signs in the sun, moon and stars.
On the earth, nations will be in anguish and perplexity at the roaring and tossing of the sea
[3] Isaiah 11:12 - He will assemble the scattered people of Judah from
the FOUR QUARTERS OF THE EARTH
[4] Daniel 7:2 - "In my
vision at night I looked, and there before me were the FOUR WINDS OF
HEAVEN churning
up the great sea
[5] Revelation14:18 - Another angel, who had
charge of the FIRE, came
from the altar and called in a loud voice; Take your sharp sickle and gather
the clusters of grapes from the earth's vine, because its grapes are ripe.
[6] Revelation 16:4-5 - I
heard the angel in charge of the WATERS say: "You are just in
these judgments, you who are and who were, the Holy One
[7] 2 Corenthians
[8] Ephesians 1:13 - HAVING
BELIEVED, YOU WERE MARKED IN HIM WITH A SEAL, THE PROMISED HOLY SPIRIT
[9] Revelation 14:1 - Then I
looked, and there before me was the Lamb, standing on Mount Zion, and with him 144,000 who had his name and his Father's name written on
their foreheads
[10] Revelation 13:16-17 - He
also forced everyone, small and great, rich and poor, free and slave, to receive a mark on his right hand or on his forehead which
is the name of the beast
[11] Ephesians 1:13 - HAVING
BELIEVED, YOU WERE MARKED IN HIM WITH A SEAL, THE PROMISED HOLY SPIRIT -- Ephesians 4:30 - Do
not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, with whom YOU WERE SEALED for the day
of redemption.
-- 2 Corenthians
[12] Numbers 13:31-32 - We
can't attack those people; they are stronger than we are." And they spread
among the Israelites a bad report about the land they had explored.
[13] Jeremiah 31:31 - The time
is coming," declares the LORD, "when I will
make a NEW COVENANT (Jesus) with the house of Israel
and with the house of Judah -- Hebrews 9:15 - For this reason Christ is the mediator of a NEW COVENANT that those who are called may receive the promised eternal
inheritance
[14] Genesis 49:17 – PROP0HECY - Dan will be a
serpent by the roadside, a viper along the path that bites the horse's
heels so that its rider tumbles backward
[15] Hosea 11:8-9 - HOW CAN I GIVE UP ON YOU, EPHRAIM? HOW CAN I TURN YOU LOOSE, ISRAEL? I
can't bear to even think such thoughts. My insides churn in protest
[16] Acts 2:16-21- In the last days, God says, I WILL POUR
OUT MY SPIRIT ON ALL PEOPLE even on my servants, both men and women. And everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be
saved.'
[17] John 12:12-13 - They took
PALM
BRANCHES and
went out to meet Jesus shouting, "HOSANNA!" "Blessed is he
who comes in the name of the Lord!" "Blessed
is the King of Israel
[18] Revelation 7:9 - 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 wearing white robes and were holding
palm branches
[19] Matthew 24:13 - But the one who ENDURES to the end will be saved
[20] Revelation 19:11 - Heaven opened, a WHITE
HORSE and its Rider named Faithful & True,
judges & makes war in pure righteousness
[21] Zechariah 9:9 - See, your KING comes to you, righteous
and victorious, lowly and RIDING ON A DONKEY,
[22] Numbers 20:6 - They fell down with their
faces ⌊to the ground⌋, and
the glory of the LORD appeared to them. -- Numbers
20:7 – They went to the entrance of the Tabernacle, where they fell face down on the ground. Then
the glorious presence of the LORD appeared to
them, -- Joshua 5:14 - I indeed come now as
captain of the host of the LORD." And Joshua fell on his face to the earth
[23] Zechariah 9:9 - Rejoice,
O people of Zion! Shout in triumph, O people of Jerusalem! Look, your king is coming to you.
He is righteous and victorious, yet
he is humble, riding on a donkey— riding on a
donkey’s colt.
[24] Matthew 25:32-33 - All
the NATIONS will be gathered before him, and he will
separate the people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the
goats He
will put the sheep on his right and the goats on
his left
[25] Exodus 40:19 - He spread abroad the tent over the tabernacle; then
a cloud covered the tent of the congregation, and THE GLORY OF
THE LORD filled the tabernacle
[26] Jeremiah 17:13 - They
that depart from me shall be written in the earth, because they have forsaken
the LORD,
the fountain of LIVING WATERS -- John 4:10 - If you knew the gift of God and who it is
that asks you for a drink, you would have asked him and he would have given you
LIVING
WATER -- John
7:38 - Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said, streams of LIVING WATER will flow from within him
-- Zechariah 14:8 - On that day LIVING WATER will flow out from Jerusalem, half to the
eastern sea and half to the western sea, in summer and in winter
[27] Psalm 23:1-6 - The LORD is my
shepherd, I
shall not be in want. - He makes me lie
down in green pastures, he leads me beside
quiet waters, - He restores my soul. He guides
me in paths of righteousness for his name's sake. - Even though I walk through the valley of
the shadow of death, I will fear no evil,
for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort
me. - You prepare a table before
me in the presence of my enemies. You anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows. - Surely goodness
and love will follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the LORD forever.
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