Revelation 7:9-10

After these things I looked, and behold, a great multitude which no one could number, of all nations, tribes, peoples, and tongues, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed with white robes, with palm branches in their hands, and crying out with a loud voice, saying, “Salvation belongs to our God who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb!”

• ·        Though the church of God is but a little flock, in comparison of the wicked world, yet it is no contemptible society, but really large, and to be still more enlarged (MH)

• ·        They stand before the throne – the throne of God would be inaccessible to sinners were it not for a Mediator (MH)

Leviticus 23:40  And you shall take for yourselves on the first day the fruit of beautiful trees, branches of palm trees, the boughs of leafy trees, and willows of the brook; and you shall rejoice before the LORD your God for seven days.

Isaiah 43:11 I, even I, am the LORD, and besides Me there is no savior.

Revelation 7:4-8

And I heard the number of those who were sealed.  One hundred and forty-four thousand of all the tribes of the children of Israel were sealed:

Of the tribe of Judah twelve thousand were sealed;

Of the tribe of Reuben twelve thousand were sealed;

Of the tribe of Gad twelve thousand were sealed;

Of the tribe of Asher twelve thousand were sealed;

Of the tribe of Naphtali twelve thousand were sealed;

Of the tribe of Manasseh twelve thousand were sealed;

Of the tribe of Simeon twelve thousand were sealed;

Of the tribe of Levi twelve thousand were sealed;

Of the tribe of Issachar twelve thousand were sealed;

Of the tribe of Zebulun twelve thousand were sealed;

Of the tribe of Joseph twelve thousand were sealed;

Of the tribe of Benjamin twelve thousand were sealed.

• ·        We are sealed with the Holy Spirit as a down payment of our eventual total redemption. (DG)

• ·        Ethnically, they are Jewish, and there are 144,000 of these chosen ones.  (DG)

• ·        It is best to see the 144,000 as specifically chosen Jewish believers in Jesus, protectively sealed throughout the tribulation as a sign.  (DG)

Song 4;12  A garden enclosed is my sister, my spouse, a spring shut up, a fountain sealed.

Genesis 49:28  All these are the twelve tribes of Israel, and this is what their father spoke to them.  And he blessed them; he blessed each one according to his own blessing

Revelation 7:2-3

Then 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 granted to harm the earth and the sea, saying, “Do not harm the earth, the sea, or the trees till we have sealed the servants of our God on their foreheads.”

• ·        Another angel was employed to mark out and distinguish the faithful servants of God (MH)

• ·        How they were distinguished:  the seal of God was set upon their foreheads.  By this mark they were set apart for mercy and safety in the worst of times (MH)

Psalm 72:8  He shall have dominion also from sea to sea, and from the River to the ends of the earth.

Ezekiel 9:4  ..and the LORD said to him, “Go through the midst of the city, through the midst of Jerusalem, and put a mark on the foreheads of the men who sigh and cry over all the abominations that are done within it.