Revelation Ch. 6 looked at a time of unprecedented disaster, unrelieved terror, and unimaginable slaughter that lies ahead for the world. The world will refuse to acknowledge that the disasters of the first five seals are GODs judgment–despite the warnings from believers that they are. Ch. 7 forms a parenthetical section between the 6th & 7th seals. This introduces two groups who will survive the fury of divine judgment. The first , those described in verses 1-8, are the Jewish evangelists who will be preserved on earth. They will survive the holocaust of divine wrath unleashed by the seal, trumpet, and bowl judgments. The second group to escape divine fury verses 9-17 are those who will be martyred and thereby ushered into the blissful rest of heaven, where they will be preserved. The Bible offers no hope that any ungodly person in that Day will escape GODs judgment. The Day of the Lord will eventually destroy all the ungodly who do not know GOD and do not obey the gospel of Christ. The fact that GOD will preserve His people in the time of judgment is a familiar theme in Scripture. The Tribulation is revealed to be a time of unparalleled judgment, disaster, and death. But it will also be for many the time of salvation. Many believers will surely die. Many believers, however, will not die, but will survive to populate the millennial kingdom. Many of those who enter the millennial kingdom alive will be Gentiles. But the Tribulation is also the time of Israel’s national salvation, of which the prophets spoke. Revelation 7:1-8 introduces the group of survivors who have been redeemed for some time but, as the final fury hits, are set apart for special service and given special protection.
Wrath Restrained – 7:1 The scene now shifts from judgment on the ungodly to special protection for the godly. The first 4 angels John saw were given power over the elements of nature. They are seen standing at the four corners of the earth holding back the four winds of the earth. From their key positions on the earth, these powerful angels ensured that no wind would blow on the earth or on the sea or an any tree. There will be no wind, no breeze, no waves breaking on the shore, no movement of clouds in the sky; everything will be deathly still. The winds of judgment are gathering force, soon to be released. Damaging devastation will come to the earth, the sea, and the trees when the four angels suddenly release the judgment (symbolized by the winds) they have been restraining. But that judgment had to wait until the angels had sealed the bond-servants of GOD on their foreheads. “Bond-servants” indicates they are already redeemed. They have remained faithful to GOD and the Lord Jesus. At this point they are to be protected so they can continue to proclaim the Word of GOD and the truth about His Son Jesus Christ during the most sever times. They will also be the most effective missionaries the world has ever seen, and will be instrumental in the conversion of both their own countrymen and the nations. The 144,000 are not all of the Jewish believers at that time, but a unique group selected to proclaim the gospel in that day. They are 12,000 sealed from every tribe of the sons of Israel (with exceptions). Though Israel failed in its mission to be a witness nation in the Old Testament, that will not be the case in the future. The result of their effort will be a redeemed Israel, as promised by GOD and innumerable redeemed Gentiles.
GODs saving work during that future time will be twofold. First, it will be the time of Israel’s national salvation, which Zechariah in the Old Testament and Paul in the New Testament predicted. The first fruits of Israel’s salvation will be the 144,000 Jewish evangelists, who will preach the gospel both to their countrymen and to the Gentiles. It is the salvation of those Gentiles that is in view in 7:9-17–a salvation promised in Scripture. The Abrahamic Covenant, in which GOD promised to bless Israel, also promised salvation to the Gentiles. GOD from the beginning chose Israel to be a channel through which His blessings of salvation would flow to the whole world. In the future, GOD will graciously grant Israel a second opportunity to be His witness nation, and at that time they will not fail. Led by the 144,000 evangelists, Israel will be a light to the nations during the darkest hour of earth’s history. GODs promise to bless the nations of the world through Abraham’s descendants will be fulfilled on a massive scale.
Description — “A great multitude which on one could count”; This group came from every nation and all tribes and peoples and tongues. That phrase describes people from every culture, descent, race, and language. It depicts the mass of humanity, crossing all barriers and dividing lines. The 144,000 are beyond the reach of persecutors because they are sealed for protection from persecution on earth. The great multitude is beyond the reach of any persecutors because it is already in heaven. Verse 14 describes and identities them: “These are the ones who come out of the great tribulation, and they have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb”
Location — John saw this vast, uncountable crowd of victorious, joyous saints standing before the Throne of GOD in Heaven. They were also in the presence of the Lamb, whom John saw in his earlier vision standing near the Throne. Many had suffered death at the hands of Antichrist for refusing to take his mark or worship him. They are no longer seen under the altar praying for divine vengeance, which has already begun, but standing triumphantly before the throne of GOD.
