Revelation 7:1
Sealed to Serve
Rev 7:1 And after these things I saw four angels
standing on the four corners of the earth,
holding the four winds of the earth, that the
wind should not blow on the earth, nor on the
sea, nor on any tree.
At this point in the Book of Revelation, the first six seals are
broken and the first six judgments have been unleashed. Then as
powerfully as the judgments began, the first verse seems to indicate
a pause. Whether that pause means that the judgments already released
subsides to one degree or another on earth, no one knows. There could
be a lull, a brief rest from the tempest; but most likely, fighting,
famine, and death are continuing their pillage on the earth while
John’s attention is directed to see God take care of some business in
heaven.
I believe that much of chapter seven is parenthetical (meaning like a
pair of parenthesis) to the Book of Revelation. There will be several
parenthetical sections. God gives them to give us information that is
not absolutely necessary but helpful. Most of them will somehow be
out of time with the sequence of the Book, maybe taking us into the
future, maybe taking us into the past.
I. \\#2-8\\ God Is Still Sealing
Rev 7:2 And I saw another angel ascending from
the east, having the seal of the living God: and
he cried with a loud voice to the four angels, to
whom it was given to hurt the earth and the sea,
3 Saying, Hurt not the earth, neither the sea,
nor the trees, till we have sealed the servants
of our God in their foreheads.
4 And I heard the number of them which were
sealed: and there were sealed an hundred and
forty and four thousand of all the tribes of the
children of Israel.
A. The business that God will be about at that time is to mark
and seal a particular group of people.
B. The Bible gives some details about this group:
1. It is God who does the sealing.
a. More specifically, it is God’s angels; but since they
are operating on the command of God, I think it is
fair to say God is sealing them.
b. This is one reason why I believe man may not notice
any lull on earth.
(1) God is always going about His business and man
seldom—if ever notices.
(2) Case in point - This pandemic. If you do not see
this as God attempting to tell the world some-
thing, you are just not looking.
2. \\#4\\ They are Jewish.
Rev 7:4 …of all the tribes of the children of
Israel.
3. They will total 144,000.
Rev 7:4 And I heard the number of them which
were sealed: and there were sealed an hundred
and forty and four thousand….
4. 12,000 will come from each of the tribes of Judah.
C. Interestingly, that is about all the Bible clearly states
about the 144,000, at least at this point.
1. In fact, the Bible never actually tells us what the
sealing means or what the purpose of the sealed are.
2. You have probably heard them referred to as the 144,000
witnesses; however, the Bible never calls them that.
a. The only time the word "witnesses" is used in
Revelation is in chapter 11, speaking of the two
witnesses with unique powers from God.
b. I think they are witnesses, but that is based on the
context rather than a clearly stated fact.
3. Notice the remainder of the context:
a. \\#9-12\\ There will be a great host of people
gathered in heaven, and they will be worshipping God.
Rev 7:9 After this I beheld, and, lo, a great
multitude, which no man could number, of all
nations, and kindreds, and people, and tongues,
stood before the throne, and before the Lamb,
clothed with white robes, and palms in their
hands;
10 And cried with a loud voice, saying,
Salvation to our God which sitteth upon the
throne, and unto the Lamb.
11 And all the angels stood round about the
throne, and about the elders and the four beasts,
and fell before the throne on their faces, and
worshipped God,
12 Saying, Amen: Blessing, and glory, and
wisdom, and thanksgiving, and honour, and power,
and might, be unto our God for ever and ever.
Amen.
b. \\#13-14\\ God wants to tell us who they are.
Rev 7:13 And one of the elders answered, saying
unto me, What are these which are arrayed in
white robes? and whence came they?
(1) Notice that John did not ask one of the elders,
but one of the elders asked John.
(2) This wasn’t necessarily information that John
wanted to know but information that God wanted to
reveal.
14 And I said unto him, Sir, thou knowest. And
he said to me, These are they which came out of
great tribulation, and have washed their robes,
and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.
(3) So who are they?
(a) \\#9\\ They are people "from every nation,
kindred, people, and tongue."
(b) \\#14\\ They are saved people "washed… in
the blood of the Lamb."
(c) \\#14\\ They are saved people "out of the
Great Tribulation."
Rev 7:14 …These are they which came out of
great tribulation….
c. We need to get a little technical.
(1) I mentioned before that the Tribulation will last
seven units of time \\#Dan 9:27\\ or seven years
and that it is divided into two halves by the
anti-Christ breaking the treaty with Israel.
(2) The last half of the Tribulation is referred to
as the Great Tribulation because during that
time, the anti-Christ will make no pretense of
his hatred for the Jews or Christians but will
persecutes them with all of his fury.
(3) This verse says these people will be saved "out
of" the Great Tribulation.
(4) According to Strong’s, "out of" means "out from
among" the Great Tribulation.
(5) I do not think that means we are in the Great
Tribulation already.
(6) I do not believe the Book of Revelation gets to
the Great Tribulation until Revelation 13.
(7) Remember. these parenthetical sections can be out
of time.
(a) I believe John was seeing something even
more in the future that what he was already
seeing.
(b) I believe John was seeing the results of the
144,000 ministry.
(c) Because of the witness of these 144,000
Jews, a great hosts of saved will one day
stand before the throne of God and sing
praises to His name!
D. Is this important? Yes, for at least two reasons.
1. It shows that God is STILL concerned about souls. All of
the saved have been pulled off the earth and one of the
first things God does is to supernaturally save 144,000
to tell others about Jesus.
2. It tells us what this sealing was about.
a. They were sealed to serve.
b. That means their sealing and marking is not THAT much
different from our own!
c. There is SOME difference.
(1) The Holy Ghost would have to fall quickly on
these Jews to know who Jesus was so that they
could be saved.
(2) The Holy Ghost would have to fall quickly on
them for them to understand, accept, and trust
Jesus.
(3) And the Holy Ghost of God would have to fall
quickly on them to change their lives and hearts
so that God could use them.
d. But what the Holy Ghost will do quickly for them, He
has been trying to do for us since the day we were
born!
E. \\#13-17\\ Notice how the saints will die.
Rev 7:16 They shall hunger no more, neither
thirst any more; neither shall the sun light on
them, nor any heat.
17 For the Lamb which is in the midst of the
throne shall feed them, and shall lead them unto
living fountains of waters: and God shall wipe
away all tears from their eyes.
1. We are not talking about the 144,000 now but those they
lead to Christ.
2. In the song being sung about them, we find out how they
will die.
a. Some will die of hunger. The famine begun with the
breaking of the second seal never ends.
b. Some will die of thirst.
(1) No doubt the infrastructure will be broken so
getting water will be difficult.
(2) But during the Great Tribulation, more judgments
will be released, i.e. \\#Rev 16:4\\ the water
is turned to blood.
(3) Some will die from the heat of the sun.
(a) Remember that in seal 6, the earth will
quake and the stars will fall.
(b) But if that is not enough, \\#Rev 16:8\\
either the sun’s heat is increased or the
earth is drawn closer to the sun for men
will be scorched from the sun.
3. Those who are saved AFTER the rapture seem to have no
guarantee of protection from the plagues.
a. Build your bunkers, gather your bullets and boxes of
food, but that will not keep you safe.
b. The only safe way to survive the Tribulation is not to
enter it at all.
F. But what of the 144,000? They are not mentioned again until
Revelation 14.
II. God’s Servants, Still Standing
Rev 14:1 And I looked, and, lo, a Lamb stood on
the mount Sion, and with him an hundred forty and
four thousand, having his Father’s name written
in their foreheads.
2 And I heard a voice from heaven, as the voice
of many waters, and as the voice of a great
thunder: and I heard the voice of harpers harping
with their harps:
3 And they sung as it were a new song before the
throne, and before the four beasts, and the
elders: and no man could learn that song but the
hundred and forty and four thousand, which were
redeemed from the earth.
4 These are they which were not defiled with
women; for they are virgins. These are they which
follow the Lamb whithersoever he goeth. These
were redeemed from among men, being the
firstfruits unto God and to the Lamb.
5 And in their mouth was found no guile: for
they are without fault before the throne of God.
A. As I said, Revelation 13 puts us into the Great Tribulation.
1. Somewhere around chapter 13, the anti-Christ turns against
Israel and the Christians with a fury beyond description.
2. From Revelation 7, there will be a group of witnesses
exposing him and preaching the saving grace of Jesus
Christ.
3. I am not sure how long that is in time, but if chapter 13
is the middle of the Tribulation then chapter 14 would
be just past the 3 1/2 year mark.
B. Now we see the 144,000 standing with the Lamb on a Mount Sion.
1. This is not just any Lamb.
a. You will notice it is capitalized.
b. That means the translators thought this Lamb was Jesus.
c. I do too.
2. And this is not just in mountain.
a. There is a Mount Zion in Israel. I have stood on it.
b. But neither the Lamb or the 144,000 are standing on an
earthly mountain.
c. They are standing on the Mount Zion in heaven.
Hebrews 12:22 But ye are come unto mount Sion,
and unto the city of the living God, the heavenly
Jerusalem, and to an innumerable company of
angels,
23 To the general assembly and church of the
firstborn, which are written in heaven, and to
God the Judge of all, and to the spirits of just
men made perfect,
24 And to Jesus the mediator of the new
covenant, and to the blood of sprinkling, that
speaketh better things than that of Abel.
C. Their standing there means that the 144,000 have ALL been
martyred.
Rev 14:5 …for they are without fault before
the throne of God.
1. That may surprise some.
2. Some may have supposed that the seal meant God would not
let them die; however, even the two witnesses that the
Scripture plainly says are protected will die when their
course is completed.
a. The 144,000 seal was not one of indestructibly.
b. They were sealed to serve.
c. You say, "Preacher, if you are making the case that we
are sealed to serve, you are railing. they were all
killed, martyred!"
(1) Believe it or not, we are all going to die.
(2) The question has never been, "Will we die?"
(3) The question has always been, "How will we live?"
d. These witnesses lived for God and now the stand on
Mount Sion with the Son of God.
D. What does God think about them?
1. It is interesting to say the list.
a. These witnesses have not died yet.
b. They have not been called or sealed yet.
c. It is possible that the rapture of the church is so
long away that they have not even been born yet.
2. But God has already decided when they will be saved, what
they will do for Him, and how He will reward them.
a. \\#14:2\\ They will be welcomed to heaven by a voice
that roars like thunder and to the melody of harps.
b. \\#14:3\\ They will sing a song reserved exclusively
for them as their calling, service, and demise will
be unique.
c. \\#14:3\\ They will have a special place in heavens
with the Lamb. They will stand before the four
beasts and 24 elders.
d. \\#14:4\\ They have a special relationship with the
Lord, following Him where ever He goes.
e. \\#14:4\\ They will be the "firstfruits," probably
meaning that the martyrdom they have suffered, many
others will suffer as well.
f. And they will have been faithful.
(1) \\#14:4\\ They had maintained the purity.
(a) This could speak of their physical purity in
that they never married on earth, but most
probably it refers to their spiritual
purity.
(b) They will not bow to any false gods, not
even to the anti-Christ to save their
lives.
(2) \\#14:5\\ They ran their race faithfully, having
no guile (no deceit, they spoke the truth) and
having no fault (no failure or lapses in their
service).
(3) What a testimony!
I do not like the Coronavirus. It is a deadly virus and before it is
over, it is likely that people we know well will have had it; but one
thing that it should do for each and every one of us. It should
show us that our life is not in our hands. It is appointed, by God,
that every man will die. The question is, "How will you live?" You
have been sealed and saved to serve. I pray that you will.
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