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John’s descriptions of events that led up to the coming of
Christ are not an escalating level of peace, but rather carry an escalating
level of destruction on a world-wide basis.
The opening of the sixth seal shows signs of abnormality in the physical
universe around us; followed by great destruction as the face of Jesus is seen
returning to the world. Perhaps it is
for this reason, that John introduces a pause in these revelations, a respite
from the chaos, to reveal an event of special significance. So in the 7th chapter of his book
of Revelations of Jesus Christ, author of the weekly rest of the Sabbath at our
creation, John seems to backtrack a moment in time and reveal this event. In verse 1 he writes … “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.” The phrase “and
after these things” may well apply to this vision being granted after the tumultuous
events described in the prior one of the opening of the six seals. For what is to take place here on earth, has
more meaning if it precedes the coming of Christ, than after the destruction
that accompanies his second coming.
John then describes seeing 4 angels positioned standing at
the 4 corners of the world, or strategically located in order for us to
understand that what they hold back is yet another global event. John tells us that these angels continue to
hold back the “winds” in order that the earth, the sea, not even a single tree
be hurt. He continues in verse 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, [verse 3] Saying, Hurt not the earth, neither the sea,
nor the trees, till we have sealed the servants of our God in their foreheads.” John now describes yet another angel who
ascends from the east and carries the “seal” of the living God. In the time of John, rulers and kings carried
a unique item carved with unique symbols and made of metals that when applied
to warmed wet wax would form a unique indentation. The wax would dry with the imprint of the
seal. This was usually done in order to keep
the contents secured until the proper addressee could examine them. If the seal was broken, it meant that the
contents were compromised. If the seal
stood in tact, one could examine it and based on the unique symbols, could
determine “whose” seal it was. Generally
only the king or ruler was allowed to carry the seal, in order that only
documents which came from him could bear his mark.
In this case, the 5th angel ascending from the
east, is carrying the seal of the living God, the God of creation. He carries a message of delay to the 4 angels
who are presently holding back the winds of destruction; that they should carry
on holding them yet a while longer.
Before massive destruction is unleashed upon the world, time is needed
in order for the 5th ascending angel to press the seal of the living
God into the soft foreheads of those who serve God, thus making an indelible
impression upon them. Our minds are to
be altered, to want different things, to view love differently, to see in
harmony with our God of creation and life and love and truth. The process of our sealing, is to end the
doubt. It is to end the vacillation, to
end the back-and-forth of serving and backsliding. Our sealing is to put a final stamp on the
destiny we have chosen. From this point
forward, we are to become those who are holy still, rather than those who are
unholy still. Once again, this is NOT a
process we do to ourselves. We are not
empowered to grasp His seal, and stamp ourselves with it. Instead this is to only be done by an angel
commissioned with that work. It is done
TO us, not by us. It is done FOR us, not
because we have earned it. It is the
mercy of God outstretched that we might find the greater faith that does not
waiver any longer, but believes in the salvation of Jesus Christ with ALL its
heart and mind and soul.
The servants of our God, are those who hold to His word, and
the testimony of Jesus Christ – His word made alive in us by the power of His
so great love. While still living, these
servants share the characteristic of the martyrs who preceded them and whose
blood cried out from beneath the alter in the opening of the fifth seal. The Word of God includes the stories of
creation, of the establishment of the seventh day Sabbath, of the flood, of the
patriarchs and prophets, of the Messiah, of the early church, and of the voice
now given in end-time prophecies. The
Word of God cannot be discarded in part, or thought of as only partially
accurate, and still hold meaning. It is
either the message of God to us in written and inspired form, or it is
meaningless stories recorded for some unknown amusement. It cannot be both. There is a law of love that is outlined as a
first step in the journey of what it means to love others, or the God who
authored it is false. It cannot be
both. The enemy would tempt the servants
of God to discard His Bible as being simply inaccurate, so that salvation and
re-creation are never sought or found.
But the God who inspired His book, and through His Son enables us to
live in harmony with it, would not have it so.
Before calamity strikes the world, before the holy angels
who currently hold back the results of the evil so many embrace are told to
loose their grip and end their interference, the people and servants of Christ are
to be sealed. And what is the unique
symbols that identify the true God from those who might try to pose as
Him? Obedience and submission that
results in re-creation so that true obedience is possible help compose it. His servants are brought into harmony with
His laws through this process. It is
then, that the mind begins to see the beauty of His laws that outline what it
means to love God, and to love others, and not ourselves. The slavery of self-love and self-service are
broken by the power of our God, not of ourselves. As we trust in His wisdom instead of our own,
we are molded in His image and not of our own.
We begin to be obedient, not through the power of our will, or the
forced behavior of our hands, but because it becomes natural to us, it becomes
a part of “who” we are.
We keep His laws, because we cannot imagine otherwise. We cannot imagine not taking time out to be
with Him on the Sabbath; as we cannot imagine hurting another by stealing, or lying,
or coveting, or killing. We honor our
parents because we love them. We seek
God first, because we know it is only through His power, that we can live as
such, and have life worth living. We
seek out no idols. We cherish no impure
motive, nor cling to any once cherished sin; for through the salvation of
Christ, we are remade in the here and the now, to be truly His servants. We choose to obey this God, and in so doing
we bear the imprint of His seal. We prefer
the edicts of God to the edicts of men, even if it causes men to seek our lives,
like they did His, as a result.
To look upon the sealed servants of God, who are uniquely
marked BEFORE the winds of strife begin to blow unrestrained by holy influence,
is to find the unique symbols of our God.
We see His laws engrained in us.
We see His love engrained in us.
We find a lack of condemnation, and an abundance of redemptive love
seeking others to swell our ranks. We
find these servants in harmony with the mission of their Lord. They do not seek to compel the conscience of
others, but instead respond to the love of Christ that gave them reason to seek
His salvation in the first place. While
many will be redeemed and stand before the Lord on the sea of glass. There are those who will have the special
honor of being sealed before He returns.
They will live throughout the troubling times that are to come. They will carry His seal through this time,
and have a special work to encourage the faithful throughout it. These may be the wise virgins who kept their
oil and were prepared for the day that was to come. These may be those who serve Christ today,
and know the power of His re-creation within us, that leads us away from the
sins we would otherwise seek.
John notes that this sealing occurs before the earth is
engulfed in the woe that evil brings with it.
Today angels still hold the full winds of strife from wreaking their
havoc across the earth. It is the love
of God that restrains these winds. He
holds back from us, the full weight of our sins, and the full weight of the woe
they would result in. He keeps at bay
the punishment we deserve and the natural consequences of the evil we
choose. He does this in order to
preserve us, so that we might still choose His redemptive love over the slavery
of our self-service. But it will not
always be so. There is an end to this
period of probation, of testing, of opportunity. At some point in our not too distant future,
the angels holding back these winds will be told to do so no more. At some point, the winds will be loosed. At some point those who are sealed will be
sealed. By implication, when the sealing
is completed, the winds will be set loose.
John then continues with what he sees as the numbers are
described. He writes in verse 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.” The symbolism of the number 12 seems to
represent a level of completeness.
Perhaps in this number is intended to represent the whole of His servants,
being 12 times 12 times a thousand. Or
perhaps this is a literal number that is intended to represent a literal
144,000 servants who are sealed for a special work before the Lord. Perhaps these are they who represent the
early victory through Christ of our salvation.
They are re-created ahead of the remainder of the servants of God, and
see the beauty of His salvation enacted in them, before the masses begin to
appreciate it. So whether figurative, or
literal, the number bears the symbolism of perfection and completeness as John
continues to write.
In the next 4 verses beginning in verse 5 he outlines a
breakdown of those who comprise the 144,000.
John lists them in groups of three.
Four groups of three tribes in each verse. They are NOT listed in order of birth. They are NOT listed as identical to the
original 12 tribes of Israel. In verse 5
he begins … “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.” Rueben was actually the first
born, so if this were a dissertation on the historical tribes of Israel, and
done by right of birth, Reuben would have been listed first. He was not.
John continues in verse 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.”
Manasses was the son of Joseph, and the grandson of Jacob. So this was also not a listing of just the
original 12 sons born to Jacob renamed Israel.
In verse 7 he continues … “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.” Neither Levi, because of the priesthood
duties, nor Simeon who was absorbed into Judah over time, had any land to speak
of in the nation of Israel. So this list
was not meant to represent only those who had possession of land in the
promised land after Moses led them to it, and Joshua led them into it. John continues in verse 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.” Joseph had been made viceroy of Egypt, or
governor over all the land. He married
an Egyptian wife, and had non-Canaanite children in the form of Manasses and
Ephraim. But despite Joseph being
perhaps as much Egyptian in life as he was Israelite by birth, He is included
in this list. Joseph is also listed
after his son Manasses which would again defy order by birthright. The tribe of Benjamin was always thought of
as small, because it was nearly wiped out early in the land of promise due to
an unfortunate incident with a prostitute.
Yet although being small it is still included in the list. Ephraim Joseph’s other son is not listed
here, despite being a historical tribe of significance, and owning land. Neither is Dan, a son of Jacob whose tribe also
had occupied land in the promised land.
So, if the tribes do not represent the original list of sons
from Israel in order of birth. If they
are missing the historical Dan and Ephraim, but include Manasses and
Joseph. Then there must be something
more than just a description of inclusion strictly by birthright as thought of
in ancient tradition. Perhaps these
tribes are further symbols of the peoples they represent. Perhaps the characteristics of the servants
of Christ at the time of this sealing are similar to the historical patriarchs
and tribes represented in this list. The
Lion of Judah, who is our Lord, and the Lamb, is listed as the first tribe from
which 12,000 are sealed. Perhaps this is
why it is listed out of order by birth.
Joseph and Benjamin were the children of Rachel who held Jacobs greatest
love, and they were the children of his old age. Perhaps that is why they are listed
last. And perhaps they represent us in
the last days of earth’s history, the remnant of His church, and His servants,
who seek to be freed from self, and embrace His way of loving others. Since the nation of Israel, and the Jewish
faith, has all but rejected Jesus Christ as its Messiah and Savior, it is
difficult to believe the 144,000 are found in the historical descendants of
these tribes, or in a faith that rejects Christ as its cornerstone.
Also we should note, that the timing of this Revelation
given to John is just after he witnesses the sixth seal being opened, and
represents a pause in what is going on.
This would imply that the sealing is being done near the end of earth’s
history, not before during the ascendancy of the Jewish nation before Christ
first appeared. These sealed followers
are perhaps those who will be translated to heaven without tasting death. They will have a special role here, and
another one in heaven. They will stand before
His throne day and night serving God, which is a place of infinite honor and
fulfillment and represents no higher calling of any in existence. But in this sealing is revealed another
dimension of mercy and love of our God.
This is after all, another Revelation of Jesus Christ. That He would so honor us, as to see us redeemed
to His service, and share with Him His message of redemption is yet another
evidence of His so great love for us.
The 144,000 are not alone in His heaven.
But they are specially prepared and hold a special position as later
writings will reveal …
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