A Message For The End Time
by Jim Lisenby
Sealing The Elect
In chapter 6 we saw the first six seals opened on the sealed book. As this chapter opens the four winds are being held back because God's Elect, and others who are to be saved, must be sealed before these winds blow unabated upon the Earth. These are strong destructive winds that do great damage and they are related to the four horsemen that are revealed in chapter 6. In chapter 7 no seals are opened, so it could be called an inset chapter that describes something occurring between the fifth and sixth seals. Remember when the fifth seal was opened in chapter 6? The souls under the altar were told to wait a little while longer while their brethren still alive on Earth were dealt with. In this chapter they are sealed with God's Spirit over which Antichrist and the beast have no power.
Rev. 7:1 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.Here we see that John records seeing something he calls the four winds, and they are being held back. Daniel 7 mentions four winds also and they are the same, but something is different about them in Daniel. The four winds were active and blowing upon the great sea, or the people of the Earth, whereas when John sees them here they are being held back.
Rev. 7:2 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,These four angels are synonymous with the four horsemen. Go back to Revelation 6:8 and read the last sentence. Them in the last sentence is referring to all of the four horsemen and notice that they have power to hurt the Earth and the sea just like the four angels here in Revelation 7:2.
Rev. 7:3 Saying, Hurt not the earth, neither the sea, nor the trees, till we have sealed the servants of our God in their foreheads.The servants of God have to be sealed before the four winds blow and the four horsemen are allowed to ride down upon the people of the Earth like cavalry in full charge. That means that the commencement of the sealing of the saints takes place before the time of the end because the four winds will surely be blowing then, and the four horsemen will be at full gallop. Actually the sealing has been an ongoing thing for a long time now, even in Old Testament times, but my gut feeling is that most of the Elect will be sealed just before and during the time of the end. This same sealing is mentioned by the prophet Ezekiel.
Ezek. 9:3 And the glory of the God of Israel was gone up from the cherub, whereupon he was, to the threshold of the house. And he called to the man clothed with linen, which had the writer’s inkhorn by his side;Do you sigh and cry for all the abominations that are being done in the world today? If so, you are being sealed (marked) right now if you have ears to hear and continue to study with me, or someone like me, until you can stand on your own. It comes from God's Spirit teaching you what to believe and what not to believe concerning Him and His plan. It is God's mark in your mind, your beliefs, and it compels you to reject Antichrist and the beast system. If you are sealed with God's mark you will reject the mark of the beast.Ezek. 9:4 And the LORD said unto him, Go through the midst of the city, through the midst of Jerusalem, and set a mark upon the foreheads of the men that sigh and that cry for all the abominations that be done in the midst thereof.
Why? Because the dreaded mark of the beast is Satan's mark in the mind of those that love and follow him. That's right, the mark of the beast is emphatically not a social security number, not a tattoo, not a bar code, and not an implanted computer chip. It is what you believe based upon what you have been taught and received, and if you are not sealed with the true knowledge that the Holy Spirit implants in you when you study or hear the word of God, you will be taken in by him. Big problem. More on the mark of the beast in chapter 13.
Rev. 7:4 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.Here we have the famous 144,000, and please notice that they are all Israelites. What? Does that mean that the vast majority of people in the world cannot be saved? Absolutely not, as we shall see in verse 9 below. These people were chosen before the overthrow of the world that was before this one because they were loyal to God at that time. They are called and chosen in this Earth age to serve in the highest levels of the government of Christ during the coming Millennium, and they are sealed with God's Spirit during the time of their calling.
Rev. 7:5 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.Notice that Ephraim and Dan are missing from this group. Joseph is used here in lieu of Ephraim. The tribe of Joseph was comprised of his two sons, Ephraim and Manasseh, and Manasseh is already mentioned in verse 6 above. That leaves Ephraim, and it is for him that Joseph is used here. So, Ephraim is here and that just leaves Dan out.Rev. 7:6 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.
Rev. 7:7 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.
Rev. 7:8 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.
Why Dan is omitted not clear, we can only speculate but it may have something to do with mixing with other people to the extent that he is not clearly defined anymore. Another reason may be that most, if not all, Danites have been taken in by the beast system of Antichrist to the extent that there are none, or at least not enough, qualified to be part of the group. Regardless of the reason, it is clear that there were not 12,000 Danites who qualified to be mentioned among the 144,000. It does not mean that Dan is without salvation, only that he is not among the 144,000. Some Danites may be among the great multitude mentioned next.
Rev. 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;This great multitude is made up of those who have achieved salvation. They don't, however, represent all who will achieve it, because incredible numbers will be saved a little later during the great harvest that occurs during the Millennium following the second appearance of Jesus Christ. This 144,000 and the great multitude are laborers for that huge harvest and they will become part of the Kingdom of God in what is called the first resurrection, whereas those saved during the Millennium will be raised in a second resurrection. More on this later.
Rev. 7:10 And cried with a loud voice, saying, Salvation to our God which sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb.They are not wishing salvation upon God and the Lamb, they don't need it. The Elect and the great multitude are crying out about God's plan of salvation to the Ones sitting on the Throne because they know that they are saved and they are praising God for it. It could be something like the cry that Martin Luther King made in 1963 when he emotionally shouted, "free at last, free at last, thank God Almighty I'm free at last". They are overjoyed at their salvation. They also know that they will participate in properly educating and governing their people so that they too may achieve salvation. They are restless and eager to get started on saving other souls.
Rev. 7:11 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,Notice that they fell on their faces, not backward. Biblically speaking, falling forward to worship is appropriate, but never falling backward. Seen anyone fall backward lately? A word to the wise is sufficient.
Rev. 7:12 Saying, Amen: Blessing, and glory, and wisdom, and thanksgiving, and honour, and power, and might, be unto our God for ever and ever. Amen.What is happening here in chapter 7 at the throne is almost verbatim to chapter 5. Comparing Revelation 5:12 to this verse we find that thanksgiving has replaced riches because wealth, as we know it, is not a priority to those speaking here.
Rev. 7:13 And one of the elders answered, saying unto me, What are these which are arrayed in white robes? and whence came they?As you know, the white robes are symbolic of righteousness and they are also the wedding garments that the Bridegroom provided for His wedding feast guests. Remember? Wedding garments were discussed in Chapter 3 when we studied the Sardis church.
Rev. 7:14 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.They overcame even though some were martyred, and have attained salvation as well as a position of responsibility and authority to serve within the government of Christ.
Rev. 7:15 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.They will live right at the center of power in the New Jerusalem along with Jesus Christ.
Rev. 7:16 They shall hunger no more, neither thirst any more; neither shall the sun light on them, nor any heat.Total security and comfort will be provided, no more laboring for it as they did while in the flesh.
Rev. 7:17 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.No more worrying and no more sorrow for these righteous ones. Notice how the word shall is used emphatically concerning their future. The kingdom is just ahead and you could be one of these. Are you ready?
God bless with
understanding
of His word.
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