Revelation 7

Revelation 7

1) After this I saw 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.

2) Then I saw another angel coming up from the east, having the seal of the living God. He called out in a loud voice to the four angels who had been given power to harm the land and the sea:

3) "Do not harm the land or the sea or the trees until we put a seal on the foreheads of the servants of our God."

4) Then I heard the number of those who were sealed: 144,000 from all the tribes of Isreal.

5) From the tribe of Judah 12,000 were sealed,from the tribe of Reuben 12,000,from the tribe of Gad 12,000

6) from the tribe of Asher 12,000,from the tribe of Naphtali 12,000,from the tribe of Manasseh 12,000,

7) from the tribe of Simeon 12,000,from the tribe of Levi 12,000,from the tribe of Issachar 12,000,

8) from the tribe of Zebulun 12,000,from the tribe of Joseph 12,000,from the tribe of Benjamin 12,000.

9) After this I looked and there before me was 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. They were wearing white robes and were holding palms branches in their hands.

10) And they cried out in a loud voice:"Salvation belongs to our God,who sits on the throne,and to the Lamb."

11) All the angels were standing around the throne and around the elders and the four living creatures.They fell down on their faces before the throne and worshiped God,

12) saying:"Amen! Praise and gloryand wisdom and thanks andhonorand power and strengthbe to our God for ever and ever,Amen!"

13) Then one of the elders asked me, "These in white robes -- who are they, and where did they come from?"

14) I answered, "Sir, you know." and he said, "These are they who have come out of the great tribulation; they have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb,

15)0 therefore "they are before the throne ofGodand serve him day and nightin his temple;and he who sits on the thronewill spread his tent overthem.

16) Never again will they hunger;never again will they thirst.The sun will not beat upon them,nor any scorching heat.

17) For the Lamb at the center of thethrone will be theirshepherd;he will lead them to springs of living water.And will wipe away everytear from their eyes.

"Review of this chapter

7:1 - I saw four angels............Ch. 7 is an interlude between the sixth and seventh seal, and reveals those who believe and were faithful to Christ during the great tribulation. Those who take their stand for God (6:17) are both Jew (vv 3-8) and non- Jew (vv 9-10. 13-15). they accept the everlasting gospel proclaimed by angels (14:6).7:4 - 144,000 from all the tribes of Isreal.......... the 144,000 are described as servants of God (v 3) from the tribes of Israel (vv 4-8). God will put a seal or mark on their foreheads to indicate consecration and ownership (Eze

9:)1-6; 2Ti 2:19). (1) Some Bible interpreters believe these new believers from the tribes of Israel will be commissioned and empowered by the spirit to preach the gospel during the tribulation days. (2) their being sealed by God does not mean they are being protected from physical death or from martyrdom resulting from satan's persecution (v 14). However, they are protected from God's direct judgement and from demonic affliction (9:14).7:9 - a great multitude..........John describes a scene in heaven of a great multitude of people from all nations who come to salvation through faith in Christ. They will be with God (v 15), free from pain and sorrow (vv 16-17). Many believe that this multitude saved by the "blood of the Lamb" (v 14) are tribulation saints, because John states that they "have come out of the great tribulation" (v 14). those who accept Christ are special objects of persecution from satan and evil people.7:14 - the great tribulation..........the great tribulation is a time of God's judgements on the end-time antichrist world that has rejected Christ; it is also a time of satan's wrath and persecution against those who receive Christ and his Word during the tribulation (12:12). During this period. many saints will suffer terribly as objects of wrath of satan and the ungodly (vv 9-17; 6:9-11;20:4). So intense is the conflict between righteousness and wickedness that it can only be called a "great tribulation." this phrase in the greek literally reads "the tribulation, the great"; in the greek language repeating the article "the" makes a statement emphatic.7:17 - God will wipe away every tear..........this promise may refer to the removal of any memory that might cause us suffering, regret or remorse. In heaven nothing that invloves deprivation, suffering or sorrow remains (v 16)

NIV Life in the Spirit Study Bible

This is something that I have been reading on along with some friends...