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The Seventh Seal - Continued
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nd 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. 5 Of the tribe of Juda were sealed twelve thousand. Of the
tribe of Reuben were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Gad were sealed
twelve thousand. 6 Of the tribe of Aser were sealed twelve thousand.
Of the tribe of Nepthalim were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Manasses
were sealed twelve thousand. 7 Of the tribe of Simeon were sealed
twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Levi were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe
of Issachar were sealed twelve thousand. 8 Of the tribe of Zabulon
were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Joseph were sealed twelve
thousand. Of the tribe of Benjamin were sealed twelve thousand. 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. 13 And one of the elders
answered, saying unto me, What are these which are arrayed in white robes? and
whence came they? 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. 15 Therefore
are they before the throne of God, and serve him day and night in his temple:
and he that sitteth on the throne shall dwell among them. 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. (Rev 7:4-17)
Chapter
Seven is actually a parenthetical introduction prior to the opening of the
seventh seal. We read, in today’s text, of the sealing’s of the complete Israel
which is reflected in the number 144,000. It is a symbolic and figurative
number, in my view, and not a finite one. It seems reasonable to believe that
the numbers sealed out of each tribe of Israel represents those Old Testament
Church of the wilderness (Acts 7:38) who had believed with faith in the promise made to Abraham of the
coming Messiah. These numbers were comprised of both Jews and Gentiles as many
in Israel were strangers who accepted that faith of Abraham, i.e., Rachab and
Rachel, and many others. God does not grant grace by racial lines, but by
impartial mercy and predestined will.
The greater part of the Jewish people and
government rejected Christ and strove for His humiliation and crucifixion
shouting, 22 Pilate
saith unto them, What shall I do then with Jesus which is called Christ? They all
say unto him, Let him be crucified. 23 And the governor said, Why, what evil hath he
done? But they cried out the more, saying, Let him be crucified. 24 When Pilate saw that he could prevail
nothing, but that rather a tumult was made, he took water, and washed his hands
before the multitude, saying, I am innocent of the blood of this just person:
see ye to it. 25 Then answered all the people, and said, His blood be on
us, and on our children. (Matt
27:22-25) These were
judged by the words of their own lips. Likewise, the greater part of racial
Israel rejected the Promise made to Abraham from his day until Christ – but a
remnant of the people believed and understood that Promise. Must we honestly
believe that those who reject the Son of God are privileged to be God’s own
Chosen?
On
His final trip to Jerusalem our Lord entered into the Temple and taught. The
Jewish rulers and elders of the people could not abide His teaching, nor could
they brood His favorable appeal among the people. 23 And when he was come into the temple, the
chief priests and the elders of the people came unto him as he was teaching,
and said, By what authority doest thou these things? and who gave thee this
authority? (Matt 21:23) These were those who claimed to have the favored
place in the eyes of God, but did not recognize God’s authority even in the
miracles and acts of God’s only Begotten Son. Frankly, they no more knew the
God of Heaven any more than those of Babylon and Greece. Because of the unbelief
of the Jewish nation, what did Christ say to these culprits?
42 Jesus saith unto them, Did ye never read in the scriptures, The
stone which the builders rejected, the same is become the head of the corner: this
is the Lord's doing, and it is marvellous in our eyes? 43 Therefore
say I unto you, The kingdom of God shall be taken from you, and given to a
nation bringing forth the fruits thereof. (Matt 21:42-43) To which nation shall the Kingdom be given? To all who are the people
called and chosen of God! Who are today, as in all past years, the Children of
God? 6 Even as Abraham believed God, and it was
accounted to him for righteousness. 7 Know ye therefore that they which are of
faith, the same are the children of Abraham. 8 And the scripture, foreseeing that God would
justify the heathen through faith, preached before the gospel unto Abraham, saying,
In thee shall all nations be blessed. 9 So then they which be of faith are blessed
with faithful Abraham. 10 For as many as are of the works of the law are under the curse:
for it is written, Cursed is every one that continueth not in all
things which are written in the book of the law to do them. 11 But that no man is justified by the law in
the sight of God, it is evident: for, The just shall live by faith. (Gal 3:6-11) The Heaven of God has a special place for each of His children – either
white, or black, or yellow, or red – all tribes, nations, tongues and peoples –
who have received that same promise made to Abraham.
This
brings us to the concluding verses of Chapter 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. 13 And one of the elders
answered, saying unto me, What are these which are arrayed in white robes? and
whence came they? 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. 15 Therefore
are they before the throne of God, and serve him day and night in his temple:
and he that sitteth on the throne shall dwell among them. 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.
I take the historical and preterist view of these
multitudes referred to here as those who had already, or were soon to pass
through, the great tribulation of the then present and Apostolic Age. This does
not mean that such a tribulation does not await the saints of future years, but
this is recorded as a lesson and testimony to those of us who may, as well,
undergo such a tribulation in the continuing years, and those years preceding
the end.
It is clear that those
who are before the throne of God are not those who maintain a rebellious
opposition to the Son of God. These are all of the saved from Abraham to the
Apostolic Age, I believe. They were already enjoying their reward with our Lord
at the writing of this Book. They are doing the same even now. Such a privilege
awaits all faithful people according to the promises of God. Here is what is
spoken of them in the Revelation: 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. Now read what is promised to the saints of God at
the fulfillment of God’s plan for man (notice the reiterated blessings): 1 And I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for
the first heaven and the first earth were passed away; and there was no more
sea. 2 And I
John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven,
prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. 3 And I heard a great voice out of heaven
saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell
with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself shall be with them, and
be their God. 4 And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall
be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more
pain: for the former things are passed away. 5 And he that sat upon the throne said, Behold,
I make all things new. And he said unto me, Write: for these words are true and
faithful. 6 And he
said unto me, It is done. I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end. I
will give unto him that is athirst of the fountain of the water of life freely. 7 He that overcometh shall inherit all things;
and I will be his God, and he shall be my son (Rev 21:1-7)
