Study in Revelation

Study in Revelation Presentation 06

Interlude: Visions of Security And Salvation Chap 7v1-17 Presentation 06

The First Four Seals: The Sealing Of God’s Servants [7v1-8] As we open chap. 7 we ask, why was it so crucial ‘to prevent any wind from blowing’ v1. Why would wind bring harm to the natural order v3? In chap.6 John had used the wind metaphorically to compare something he had never seen in real life (stars falling to earth) with something familiar to him - figs falling from a tree. Jesus had used the fig tree as a metaphor for the approaching end of the world Mk. 13:28-29. In Revelation, wind is introduced to the imagery, so that the fig tree is not sprouting leaves but losing its fruit-perhaps its leaves as well. Presentation 06

The First Four Seals: The Sealing Of God’s Servants [7v1-8] In chap.7the wind becomes part of the vision-and a very real threat. John sees four angels standing at the four corners of the earth, holding back the four winds of the earth to prevent any wind from blowing on the land or on the sea or on any tree v1. All the disasters chap.6are now wrapped up in the single disaster of ‘wind’ - a metaphor for catastrophic change. John's language echoes the prophecies of Ezekiel, where scattering to the winds was the culmination of a divine judgment that included plague, famine and the sword, “… and a third I will scatter to the winds and pursue with drawn sword” Ezek. 5:12. Presentation 06

The First Four Seals: The Sealing Of God’s Servants [7v1-8] Four angels were given power to harm the land and the sea v2 by releasing four terrible winds. They hold them back temporarily v1 as another angel commands their restraint - ‘until we put a seal on the foreheads of the servants of our God’ v3. cf. Ezekiel's visions, where a "man clothed in linen" was told to "go throughout the city of Jerusalem and put a mark on the foreheads of those who grieve and lament over all the detestable things that are done in it"; those marked are spared the destruction threatening the city Ezek. 9:4,6. John does not claim that he saw this ritual of sealing in his vision, only that he heard the number of those who were sealed, ‘144,000 from all the tribes of Israel’ v4. Presentation 06

The First Four Seals: The Sealing Of God’s Servants [7v1-8] And so Chap.7introduces a blessed interlude which takes us to the positive side of judgement for we discover the divine restraint placed upon natural calamities as far as the elect are concerned. In apocalyptic thought the forces of nature are often pictured as under the charge of angels. As we have seen in 7:1ff. four angels are depicted as controlling the winds of God’s judgements and they are restrained until God’s servants are sealed. Presentation 06

The First Four Seals: The Sealing Of God’s Servants [7v1-8] Just as the elder's voice had announced earlier "the Lion of the tribe of Judah" 5v5 so now John heard a list of tribes announced beginning with the tribe of Judah. In each case, however, what John immediately saw was something quite different from what was announced. Instead of "the Lion of the tribe of Judah" he had seen "a Lamb, looking as if it had been slain" 5:6, and now instead of ‘144,000’ from all the tribes of Israel he sees ‘a great multitude that no one could count, from every nation, tribe, people and language, standing before the throne and in front of the Lamb’ v. 9 Presentation 06

The First Four Seals: The Sealing Of God’s Servants [7v1-8] In each case John's vision accomplishes a transformation. A Lion is transformed into a Lamb, and 144,000 Jews are transformed into an innumerable multitude from every nation on earth! The great multitude, wearing white robes and . . . holding palm branches in their hands v.9, break out in worship of God and the Lamb in a manner recalling chapters 4-5 v. 10 and are answered by the amen of all the angels . . . standing around the throne and around the elders and the four living creatures vv. 11-12; compare 5:11-14. Presentation 06

The First Four Seals: The Sealing Of God’s Servants [7v1-8] We might expect John to ask questions and the elder to give the answer cf. Mark 13:3-4 Jesus’ revelation was prompted by questions from his disciples. But a striking feature of Revelation is that John never asks a question in the entire book! In ch. 5 it was not John but a "mighty angel" who asked, "Who is worthy to break the seals and open the scroll?" 5:2. John wept "because no one was found who was worthy" 5:4, then an elder announced the answer to the angel's question. Presentation 06

The First Four Seals: The Sealing Of God’s Servants [7v1-8] Here the elder both asks and answers the crucial question, while John is a passive observer. NB in the 2nd C. Shepherd of Hermas, we read that every spirit from God "is not asked questions, but has the power of the godhead and speaks all things of itself because it is from above, from the power of the Divine spirit…". This principle is found in John's Gospel, Jesus told his disciples, “In that day you will no longer ask me anything”16:23, and the disciples said, “Now we can see that you know all things and that you do not even need to have anyone ask you questions. This makes us believe that you come from God” Jn 16:30. Presentation 06

The First Four Seals: The Sealing Of God’s Servants [7v1-8] The purpose of the seal is to mark ownership, cf. Rev. 9:4; 14:1; 22:4; Eph. 1:13. Ownership entails protection not necessarily protection from physical harm but of being kept by the power of God through persecution and brought into the kingdom of God. This sealing takes the form of the name of the Lamb and of God put on the forehead of the elect [14:1, 22:4] - contrast this with the mark of the beast [14:11; 13:17]. Who receives the seal of God? Presentation 06

The First Four Seals: The Sealing Of God’s Servants [7v1-8] The number of ‘sealed’ individuals is stated to be 144,000. This figure has given rise to much conjecture and discussion within and without the church. We have already seen that the numbers used in Revelation are often highly symbolical. Therefore we have good cause to expect this number to be symbolical also. We take the number to represent the church throughout history. Presentation 06

The First Four Seals: The Sealing Of God’s Servants [7v1-8] Others have suggested the number represents the full compliment of believers about to enter the final turbulent period that will lead up to the end of human history. Others as representing the number of believers to be martyred in the last days. You will notice several irregularities appear in the listing of the 12 tribes in v5 ff... Judah, rather than Reuben, Jacob’s eldest, heads the list. But Christ belonged to the tribe of Judah therefore, giving this tribe priority would be natural. Presentation 06

The First Four Seals: The Sealing Of God’s Servants [7v1-8] Secondly, Dan is excluded and Joseph has two portions [Ephraim and Manasseh]. Dan’s omission may be because of his early connection with idolatry [Judges 18:30]. In the apocryphal book the Testament of Dan [5:6] Satan is said to be the prince of the tribe. Manasseh’s inclusion brings the total number back to twelve. Presentation 06

The First Four Seals: The Bliss Of The Redeemed [7v9-17] The second vision in Chap. 7 describes ‘a great multitude that no one could count’ those who have come out of the tribulation. They are located in the throne room of heaven and clad in victor’s robes. They pour themselves out in worship to God and the Lamb this in turn becomes the catalyst for the response of worship from the angelic orders. The description of this state of bliss is designed to encourage the endurance of those who are still to pass through their own particular tribulation. Presentation 06

The First Four Seals: The Bliss Of The Redeemed [7v9-17] John is unable to identify them and is told they have come out of ‘the great tribulation’. The tribulation is called ‘great’ because it is all-inclusive, embracing the persecutions of God’s people through the ages and symbolised by the seals previously dealt with. The important point being made is that the saints ‘come out’ of their trials. They have placed their trust in the atoning death of Christ and have discovered that his atonement is not found wanting. Presentation 06

The First Four Seals: The Bliss Of The Redeemed [7v9-17] Christ has cleansed them from their guilt and sin and hence, ‘washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.’ They experience the fullest, sweetest most intimate satisfying fellowship with God in the immediacy of his presence. The Lamb is now their shepherd and therefore there is no deprivation, anguish or danger ahead. [Isa. 49:10; Jn 4:7-14, 7:37-39; Rev 22:1-2]. No longer will they live in this ‘vale of tears’ but where there is, ‘no more tears’. Presentation 06

Study in Revelation