Down to Earth But Heavenly Minded

The 144,000 of Israel Sealed

After this I saw four angels standing at the four corners of the earth, holding back the four winds of the earth, that no wind might blow on earth or sea or against any tree. Then I saw another angel ascending from the rising of the sun, with the seal of the living God, and he called with a loud voice to the four angels who had been given power to harm earth and sea, saying, “Do not harm the earth or the sea or the trees, until we have sealed the servants of our God on their foreheads.” And I heard the number of the sealed, 144,000, sealed from every tribe of the sons of Israel:

12,000 from the tribe of Judah were sealed,

12,000 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 were sealed.

A Great Multitude from Every Nation

After this I looked, and behold, a great multitude that no one could number, from every nation, from all tribes and peoples and languages, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed in white robes, with palm branches in their hands, and crying out with a loud voice, “Salvation belongs to our God who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb!” And all the angels were standing around the throne and around the elders and the four living creatures, and they fell on their faces before the throne and worshiped God, saying, “Amen! Blessing and glory and wisdom and thanksgiving and honor and power and might be to our God forever and ever! Amen.”

Then one of the elders addressed me, saying, “Who are these, clothed in white robes, and from where have they come?” I said to him, “Sir, you know.” And he said to me, “These are the ones coming 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 shelter them with his presence.

They shall hunger no more, neither thirst anymore;

the sun shall not strike them,

nor any scorching heat.

For the Lamb in the midst of the throne will be their shepherd,

and he will guide them to springs of living water,

and God will wipe away every tear from their eyes.”

The Redeemed of the Tribulation

Revelation 7 gives us a ray of light against the backdrop of gloom as the six seals have been opened. [Describe the grace of God in all the judgment – explain both the parable of the wicked husbandmen and the parable of the Lost Sheep, the Lost Silver Coin, and the Lost Son in Luke 15]. Revelation 7 answers, once and forever, the question, “Will anyone be saved during the tribulation?” It is also a description of what has happened and a preview of what will happen.

The latter question is often asked in view of the fact that the Holy Spirit has been removed from the earth. Will anyone be saved during the Tribulation and Millennium? (Explain what some believe relative to salvation in the Tribulation). It is important that we understand in what sense the Holy Spirit will be removed. We must distinguish between His presence and His residence. Christ ascended 40 days after His resurrection. Ten days later the Holy Spirit descended to earth and took up His residence in the life of every believer. The Holy Spirit who had been with them would now be in them. See John 14:17.

When the rapture of the Church occurs, the residence of the Holy Spirit changes. He goes with them. But being God, and therefore omnipresent, He will continue to convict of sin and bring many to Christ during the Tribulation. [Discuss the Holy Spirit’s work]

The Choosing of the 144,000

How did these hear the gospel so they could be saved? It is likely that they heard the preaching of the two witnesses of Revelation 11. Many others will be saved through the preaching of these two witnesses and also through the testimony of the 144,000.

Every Jew who turns to Christ will turn against the Antichrist, who has signed a covenant for seven years with the Jews for their protection. So many will turn against him that he will break the covenant. (Explain why the Antichrist will break His covenant) This brings intense persecution on Israel during the last 3½ years of the Tribulation. Temple worship will have been setup. He will have set up his image and will demand worship and obedience.

There will be more Israelites saved than just 144,000, but 12,000 out of each tribe are sealed from the wrath of Satan and the Antichrist. Satan will not be able to hunt them or take their lives. The twelve tribes will be in the land at this time. The so-called lost ten tribes will be there – 12,000 from each tribe.

We read in this chapter of another group (see Revelation 7:9-10). Who is this group? They are not the Church. The answer is given in Revelation 7:13-14: Martyrs (Gentiles-Jews). These are they who come out of the great tribulation (the last 3½ years). So then, the great multitude, which no man could number (Revelation 7:9), describes the saints who are saved and martyred during the last half of the tribulation.