Keys to Revelation - Chapter 7
Taken from the HOLY BIBLE: NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION (C) 1978 by the New York
International Bible Society, used by permission of Zondervan Bible Publishers.
BIBLE TEXT COMMENTARY
REV 7:1 After this I saw four [after this I saw] - Introduces
angels standing at the four corners another part of John's vision.
of the earth, holding back the four
winds of the earth to prevent any [four angels..four winds] - Four
wind from blowing on the land or on angels are seen holding back the four
the sea or on any tree. winds of the earth: North Wind, East
Wind, South Wind, and West Wind. All
winds come from one of these four
directions and God has commanded that
His servants the angels prevent these
winds from blowing, making the entire
earth to experience calm winds.
[prevent..wind] - Another judgment of
God. More and more as we experience
energy shortages, man is developing
a greater reliance on wind power and
by the day of this judgment it could
likely be a significant source of
energy. Man also has enjoyed the
coolness of a breeze on a hot day and
has relied on the wind to move the
polluted air of major cities to pre-
vent a great build-up of smog.
But the greatest judgment will be in
the change of the weather. Without
any wind, the clouds and the rain
they bring will not be occurring and
the earth's food supplies will be
greatly reduced. Another judgment
would be to the reproduction process
of plants that rely on the wind to
carry the pollen and/or seed.
REV 7:2 Then I saw another angel [from the East] - Possibly because
coming up from the east, having the Palestine is east of Patmos.
seal of the living God. He called
out in a loud voice to the four [seal] - Word indicates the seal is a
angels who had been given power to signet ring, like that used by an
harm the land and the sea: Oriental monarch, to give validity to
the official documents.
[seal of God] - A special mark that
was painted, tattooed, or maybe even
applied with lasers in a such a way
that clearly showed who God's true
children were. It was done before in
Ezekiel 9 were God had an ink mark
placed on the foreheads of those who
hated sin, in order for them to avoid
judgment.
REV 7:3 "Do not harm the land or In addition to the Calm Wind judgment
the sea or the trees until we put a God prepares to pour out His wrath on
seal on the foreheads of the the land, sea, and trees, but only
servants of our God." after he first sealed those on the
earth who belonged to Him.
REV 7:4 Then I heard the number of [144,000] - Not a select group from
those who were sealed: 144,000 from among the Believers on the earth,
all the tribes of Israel. rather, they are the only faithful
Believers alive when this event takes
place. All the other Christians were
removed from the earth during the
Rapture, at the beginning of the
Tribulation Period.
[from..Israel] - God chose Israel to
bring the Good News to the lost but
she never fulfilled that command and
rather put up barriers to the lost,
preventing them from knowing the
the truth. But now God is causing
Israel to be faithful to their first
commission of reaching the lost
nations.
REV 7:5 From the tribe of Judah [From the tribe of...] - God chose
12,000 were sealed, from the tribe the twelve tribes of Israel for His
of Reuben 12,000, from the tribe of witness during the Tribulation.
Gad 12,000, 12,000 were selected from each tribe.
When God was completed He had 144,000
Jewish Evangelists all preaching the
pure and holy Gospel of Jesus Christ.
REV 7:6 from the tribe of Asher
12,000, from the tribe of Naphtali
12,000, from the tribe of Manasseh
12,000,
REV 7:7 from the tribe of Simeon
12,000, from the tribe of Levi
12,000, from the tribe of Issachar
12,000,
REV 7:8 from the tribe of Zebulun
12,000, from the tribe of Joseph
12,000, from the tribe of Benjamin
12,000.
REV 7:9 After this I looked and [great multitude] - These are the
there before me was a great those who the 144,000 witnessed to
multitude that no one could count, and who were led to Christ by the
from every nation, tribe, people Holy Spirit (see REV 7:14). One must
and language, standing before the remember that these believers began
throne and in front of the Lamb. the Tribulation Period as wicked
They were wearing white robes and sinners in total rebellion to God,
were holding palm branches in their but God sent the 144,000 preachers
hands. with the Gospel message that brought
the Faith to them so they could then
Believe in Christ, Repent of their
sins and Submit to the Lordship of
the Lamb of God--Jesus Christ.
[white robes] - See REV 19:8 and
19:14
[palm branches] - The palm is a sign
of festive joy and also an emblem of
victory. Here they represent the joy
and the victory of those who have
been redeemed by the Blood of Christ.
REV 7:10 And they cried out in a [sits on the throne] - God the Father
loud voice: "Salvation belongs to (see REV 4:2 commentary).
our God, who sits on the throne,
and to the Lamb." [Lamb] - Jesus is the Lamb of God,
the perfect sacrifice (JOH 1:29,36;
ACT 8:32; 1PE 1:19).
REV 7:11 All the angels were [all the angels] - These are the same
standing around the throne and angels listed in REV 5:11 as "...many
around the elders and the four angels, numbering thousands upon
living creatures. They fell down on thousands, and ten thousand times ten
their faces before the throne and thousand." A number that literally
worshiped God, cannot be counted by man.
[elders...living creatures] - See
REV 4:4, 4:7 commentary.
[fall down...faces] - Proper response
of a creature to its Creator.
REV 7:12 saying: "Amen! Praise and [saying] - They respond to the cry of
glory and wisdom and thanks and the redeemed (v. 10) with "Amen" and
honor and power and strength be to sing praise and glory to God for His
our God for ever and ever. Amen!" great salvation to man. Compare this
doxology with REV 5:12-13.
REV 7:13 Then one of the elders [asked me] - One of the elders,
asked me, "These in white robes-- anticipating the question which John
who are they, and where did they is about to ask, poses a question to
come from?" him.
REV 7:14 I answered, "Sir, you [washed... made them white] - Both
know." And he said, "These are they verbs indicate a "once-for-all"
who have come out of the great action which took place in the past.
tribulation; they have washed their (See HEB 9:24; 1JN 1:7-9; ISA 64:6
robes and made them white in the and ISA 1:18).
blood of the Lamb.
REV 7:15 Therefore, "they are [serve Him] - All those whose sins
before the throne of God and serve have been washed in the Blood of the
him day and night in his temple; Lamb will perform worshipful service
and he who sits on the throne will to God forever.
spread his tent over them.
[day and night] - Heaven has no night
so the idea is from man's perspective
to indicate for ever and ever.
[spread His tent] - God's presence
will ever be with His saints as
though He lived in the same tent with
them at all times, as though He
spread His presence over them like a
tent.
REV 7:16 Never again will they [hunger...thirst...scorching] - These
hunger; never again will they were part of the Tribulation trials
thirst. The sun will not beat upon that they faced, but like us, they
them, nor any scorching heat. also hungered and thirsted for
righteousness (MAT 5:6).
REV 7:17 For the Lamb at the [Lamb...shepherd] - An intriguing
center of the throne will be their idea that a lamb would become a
shepherd; he will lead them to shepherd.
springs of living water. And God
will wipe away every tear from [lead them] - Jesus, our Shepherd, is
their eyes." currently leading all of His lambs
through this life, on a journey that
will ultimately arrive in Heaven at
the River of the Water of Life (REV
22:1).
[wipe away every tear] - Like a
mother who wipes away her child's
tears so they will smile and laugh
again. All of our sorrows of this
life on earth will be wiped away and
a permanent smile with laughter will
appear.
Tony Capoccia
BIBLE BULLETIN BOARD
Box 130
Shreveport, LA 71110
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