As we pick back up our reading, we see that a great sealing work has got to happen upon the earth from among the slaves of God those who become the chosen ones.
The Sealing of God Slaves
Revelation 7:1-4… After this I saw four angels standing upon the four (G5064) corners (Strong’s #G1137) of the earth, holding tight the four winds of the earth, (Enoch 18:1-4) that no wind (G417) might blow upon the earth or upon the sea or upon any tree. 2 And I saw another angel ascending from the sunrising, having a seal of [the] living God; and he cried with a loud voice to the four angels to whom it was granted to harm (G91) the earth and the sea, 3 saying: “Do not harm the earth or the sea or the trees, until after we have sealed the slaves of our God in their foreheads.” 4 And I heard the number of those who were sealed, a hundred and forty-four thousand, sealed out of every tribe of the sons of Israel:
The releasing of the four winds on the earth will not happen until after the sealing of all of the 144,000. This group will be the kings and priests, the administration of Christ kingdom. Remember what we read in Revelation 5:10? That people were made to be a kingdom and priests to our God, and they are to rule as kings over the earth. These are the ones that are sealed, these are the ones for the administration of the kingdom of God.
Did you notice that the earth was not to be harmed until after the sealing? Is this a physical harming of the earth or is it something spiritual? We can definitely say this has to do with some type of timing.
If we would go back and look at Enoch 18:1-4 we would understand that these four angels contributed to the creation of the earth. There are many aspects of God’s power that operate upon the earth. We have a CO2 to oxygen exchange that happens with the trees and the oceans of the earth. We have a magnetic field the protects the earth from the solar winds of the sun. Magnetic forces also affect the spinning of the earth.
If we would look at the root word G417 you can see it could be translated as breath, spirit, life, or essence. Now looking at the context of this chapter we understand that the sealing of God’s anointed ones has to occur first before any kind of creative breath could be released or blown upon the earth. What would happen when that occurs? Would it not be the resurrection of the righteous?
A look at the Greek word translated as harm G91 you can also be translated as to do wrong, injure or to be unjust. The four angels are being told to not interfere with the physical creation. And again this chapter has to do with the timing of the sealing of the slaves of God.
Is God going to cause a harm to the earth or is this a restraint by God’s Angels to prevent mankind from harming the earth? What has caused physical harming to the earth, and can we pinpoint these times? How has man then ruining the earth?
Climatologist have been able to pinpoint to the year 1572 as a time when toxic levels of lead began to be introduced into the environment, this happened when the Spanish began to mine for silver in South America.
The next year that is called out by the scientists is 1850 with the introduction of coal burning locomotives. After that we have 1921 with the introduction of pesticides and crop spraying. Which began to poison all life. After that we have 1945 with the development of nuclear power and the inability to rid ourselves of the radiation it produces.
So, God’s Angels have been called to not physically harm the earth, but it is very apparent that man himself is brought on the calamities that affect the earth we live in.
Back to the reading.
Revelation 7:5- 8… Out of the tribe of Judah twelve thousand sealed; out of the tribe of Reuben twelve thousand; out of the tribe of Gad twelve thousand; 6 out of the tribe of Asher twelve thousand; out of the tribe of Naphtali twelve thousand; out of the tribe of Manasseh twelve thousand; 7 out of the tribe of Simeon twelve thousand; out of the tribe of Levi twelve thousand; out of the tribe of Issachar twelve thousand; 8 out of the tribe of Zebulun twelve thousand; out of the tribe of Joseph twelve thousand; out of the tribe of Benjamin twelve thousand sealed.
While naming out the tribes that receive the sealing we identify these as being of the 12 founding tribes of Israel. But it appears that Dan has been replaced by Josephs first born son, Manasseh as a tribe with an inheritance making Joseph’s lineage the receiver of the double inheritance. Why was the tribe of Dan replaced?
Back to our reading:
Revelation 7:9- 13… After these things I saw, and look! a great crowd, which no man was able to number, out of all nations, tribes, peoples, and tongues, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, dressed in white robes (G4749 Upper Class Apparel); and there were palm branches in their hands. 10 And they keep on crying with a loud voice, saying: “Salvation [we owe] to our God, who is seated on the throne, and to the Lamb.” 11 And all the angels were standing around the throne and the elders and the four living creatures, and they fell upon their faces before the throne and worshiped God, 12 saying: “Amen! The blessing (G2129) and the glory (G1391) and the wisdom (G4678) and the thanksgiving (G2169) and the honor (G5092) and the power (G1411) and the strength (G2479) [be] to our God forever and ever. Amen.” 13 And in response one of the elders said to me: “These who are dressed in the white robes, who are they and where did they come from?”
Notice verse 12 speaks of a blessing and there was a listing out of seven things that would be a part of that blessing, we had something very similar spoken at Revelation 5:12. So, what are the differences between these two verses, what stands out to you?
The difference between these two verses are the words Riches (G4149 ploutos) and Thanksgiving (G2169 eucharistia). In Strong’s Concordance the Greek word rendered up riches can also be used as wealth or abundance as in the possessions of many kinds. As far as the word thankfulness, it could be rendered up as gratitude or literally the giving of thanks, as an action or as an attitude.
So, turning our attention to the next question we ask; who is this great crowd, and what part do they play in God’s kingdom?
Remember that Christ just promised to those who put up with and who had gone through the suffering like him would be spared from the hour of test that is coming upon the whole earth.
Revelation 3:10… Because you kept the word about my endurance, (Strong’s #G5281) I will also keep you from the hour of test, (Strong’s #G3986) which is to come upon the whole inhabited earth, to put a test upon those dwelling on the earth.
Revelation 7:14… So right away I said to him: “My lord, you are the one that knows.” And he said to me: “These are the ones that come out of the great tribulation, and they have washed their robes (Revelation 12:10-11) and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.
So, what is this Great Tribulation and when is it coming upon mankind?
Revelation 12:10-12… And I heard a loud voice in heaven say: “Now have come to pass the salvation and the power and the kingdom of our God and the authority of his Christ, because the accuser of our brothers has been hurled down, who accuses them day and night before our God! 11 And they conquered him because of the blood of the Lamb and because of the word of their witnessing, and they did not love their souls even in the face of death. 12 On this account be glad, YOU heavens and YOU who reside in them! Woe for the earth and for the sea, because the Devil has come down to YOU, having great anger, knowing he has a short period of time.”
The great tribulation starts as soon as all of Christ’s brothers are sealed.
Also at Revelation 12:10-17 it speaks of a Woe coming to the earth, this will be a great tribulation as a wave of persecution to those who will need to bear witness about Jesus Christ.
Revelation 7:15- 17… That is why they are before the throne of God; and they are rendering him sacred service day and night in his temple; and the One seated on the throne will spread his tent over them. 16 They will hunger no more nor thirst anymore, neither will the sun beat down upon them nor any scorching heat, (Revelation 21:1-4) 17 because the Lamb, who is in the midst of the throne, will shepherd them, and will guide them to fountains of waters of life. And God will wipe out every tear from their eyes.”
Revelation 21:3-7… With that I heard a loud voice from the throne say: “Look! The tent of God is with mankind, and he will reside with them, and they will be his peoples. And God himself will be with them. 4 And he will wipe out every tear from their eyes, and death will be no more, neither will mourning nor outcry nor pain be anymore. The former things have passed away.” 5 And the One seated on the throne said: “Look! I am making all things new.” Also, he says: “Write, because these words are faithful and true.” 6 And he said to me: “They have come to pass! I am the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning, and the end. To anyone thirsting I will give from the fountain of the water of life free. 7 Anyone conquering will inherit these things, and I shall be his God and he will be my son.
So, the great crowd that cannot be numbered will need to endure the hour of test, a great tribulation, the 3rd Woe where the devil wages war with them as they witness about Jesus Christ. They too will be found in God’s temple rendering him sacred service not as Kings and not as a Priest but as subjects of God’s kingdom.
Summary
What have we learned so far:
The opening of the seven seals only could occur when Christ presented the purchasing value of his blood before God for the kingdom of kings and priests.
The pouring out of Holy Spirit on 33 CE at the time of Pentecost indicated that the right of purchase had taken place.
Next we have the ride of the four-horseman starting in 70 CE with the righteous warfare and that ends with the three riders effecting a fourth of the earth’s population.
The releasing of the four winds will cause the resurrection of the righteous to occur. It will not interfere with any other creative works that are upon the earth.
Writingwithlogos.com – Last Revised 11/3/24