God's People Will Be Preserved

7 Then I saw four angels standing at the four corners of the earth, holding back the four winds so they did not blow on the earth or the sea, or even on any tree.  2 And I saw another angel coming up from the east, carrying the seal of the Living God.   And he shouted to those four angels, who had been given power to harm land and sea, 3 "Wait!  Don't harm the land or sea or the trees until we have placed the seal of God on the foreheads of his servants."  4 And I heard how many were marked with the seal of God - 144,000 were sealed from all the tribes of Israel: 

5 from Judah...........................................................12,000

 from Reuben.........................................................12,000

 from Gad..............................................................12,000

6 from Asher............................................................12,000

 from Naphtali....................................................... 12,000

 from Manasseh......................................................12,000

7 from Simeon.........................................................12,000

 from Levi..............................................................12,000

 from Issachar.......................................................12,000

8 from Zebulun........................................................12,000

 from Joseph..........................................................12,000

 from Benjamin.......................................................12,000

Praise from the Great Crowd

9 After this I saw a vast crowd, too great to count, from every nation and tribe and people and language, standing in front of the throne and before the Lamb.  They were clothed in white robes and held palm branches in their hands.  10 And they were shouting with a great roar,

"Salvation comes from our God who sits on the throne and from the Lamb!"

11 And all the angels were standing around the throne and around the elders and the four living beings.  And they fell before the throne with their faces to the ground and worshiped God.  12 They sang,

"Amen!  Blessing and glory and wisdom and thanksgiving and honor and power and strength belong to our God forever and ever!  Amen."

13 Then one of the twenty-four elders asked me, "Who are these who are clothed in white?  Where did they come from?"

14 And I said to him, "Sir you are the one who knows."

Then he said to me, "These are the ones who died in *the great tribulation.*  They have washed their robes in the blood of the Lamb and made them white.

15 "That is why they stand in front of God's throne and serve him day and night in his Temple.  And he who sits on the throne will give them shelter.

16 They will never again be hungry or thirsty;  they will never be scorched by the heat of the sun.

17 For the Lamb on the throne* will be their Shepherd.  He will lead them to spring of life-giving water.  And God will wipe every tear from their eyes."

LIFE APPLICATION STUDY BIBLE

7:1ff  The sixth seal has been opened, and the people of the earth have tried to hide from God, saying, "Who is able to survive?" (6:12-17).  Just when all hope seems lost, four angels hold back the four winds of judgment until God's people are sealed as his own.  Only then will God open the seventh seal (8:1).

7:2  A seal on a scroll or document identified and protected its contents.  God places his own seal on his followers, identifying them as his own and guaranteeing his protection over their souls.  This shows how valuable we are to him.  Our physical bodies may be beaten, maimed, or even destroyed, but nothing can harm our souls when we have been sealed by God.  See Ephesians 1:13 for the seal of the Holy Spirit.

7:3  God's seal is placed on the foreheads of his servants.  This seal is the exact opposite of the mark of the beast explained in 13:16.  These two marks place the people in two distinct categories - those owned by God and those owned by Satan.

7:4-8  The number 144,000 is 12 x 12 x 1,000, symbolizing completeness - all God's followers will be brought safely to him;  not one will be overlooked or forgotten.  God seals these believers either by withdrawing them from the earth (this is called the Rapture) or by giving them special strength and courage to make it through this time of great persecution.  Even though many believers have to undergo persecution, the seal does not necessarily guarantee protection from physical harm - many will die (see 6:11) - but God will protect them from spiritual harm.  No matter what happens, they will be brought to their reward of eternal life.  Their destiny is secure.  These believers will not fall away from God even though they may undergo intense persecution.

7:4-8  This is a different list from the usual listing of the 12 tribes in the Old Testament, because it is a symbolic list of God's true followers.  (1) Judah is mentioned first because Judah is both the tribe of David and of Jesus the Messiah (Genesis 49:8-12;  Matthew 1:1).  (2)  Levi had no tribal allotment because of the Levite's work for God in the Temple (Deuteronomy 18:1), but here the tribe is given a place as a reward for faithfulness.  (3)  Dan is not mentioned because it was known for rebellion and idolatry, traits unacceptable for God's followers (Genesis 49:17).  (4)  The two tribes representing Joseph (usually called Ephraim and Manasseh, after Joseph's sons) are here called Joseph and Manasseh because of Ephraim's rebellion.  See Genesis 49 for the story of the beginning of these 12 tribes.

7:9  Who is this vast crowd?  While some interpreters identify it as the martyrs described in 6:9, it may also be the same group as the 144,000 just mentioned (7:4-8).  The 144,000 were sealed by God before the great time of persecution;  the vast crowd was brought to eternal life, as God had promised.  Before, they were being prepared;  now, they are victorious.  This crowd in heaven is composed of all those who remained faithful to God throughout the generations.  No true believer ever need worry about which group he or she will be in.  God includes and protects each of us, and we are guaranteed a place in his presence.

7:10  People try many methods to remove the guilt of sin - good deeds, intellectual pursuits, and even casting blame on others.  The crowd in heaven however, praises God, saying that salvation comes from him and from the Lamb.  Salvation from sin's penalty can come only through Jesus Christ.  Have you had the guilt of sin removed in the only way possible?

7:11  More information about the elders is found in the note on 4:4.  The four living beings are explained further in the note on 4:6, 7.

7:14  "The great tribulation" has been explained in several ways.  Some believe it refers to the suffering of believers through the ages;  others believe that there is a specific time of intense tribulation yet to come.  In either case, these believers come through their times of suffering by remaining loyal to God.  Because they remain faithful, God will give them eternal life with him (7:17).

7:14  It is difficult to imagine how blood could make any cloth white, but 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 be given to people only by the death of the sinless Lamb of God on our behalf.  This is a picture of how we are saved through faith (see Isaiah 1:18;  Romans 3:21-26).  

7:16, 17 God will provide for his children's needs in their eternal home where there will be no hunger, thirst, or pain, and he will wipe away all tears.  When you are are suffering or torn apart by sorrow, take comfort in this promise of complete protection and relief.

7:17 In verses 1-8 we see the believers receiving a seal to protect them through a time of great tribulation and suffering;  in verses 9-17 we see the believers finally with God in heaven.  All who have been faithful through the ages are singing before God's throne.  Their tribulations and sorrows are over;  no more tears for sin, for all suffering is over;  no more tears for death, for all believers have been resurrected to die no more.