REVELATION Chapter 7 "The Second Vision in Heaven, Sealing of God's Servants" This Bible Study was written by Roger Christopherson, and it's transcription is provided with written permission by https://theseason.org The seventh chapter is an insertion, to identify exactly what you are to be doing just before the end, which is the very time we are living in. In 1948 Israel became a nation bringing in both the good [Judah] and the bad figs [the tares or the synagogue of Satan]. So the fig tree has been planted, and the generation of that planting will live to see the end. As Jesus said, "Verily I say unto you, This generation shall not pass, till all these things be fulfilled. Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my words shall not pass away." [Matthew 24:34-35] We are moving into record setting historical affairs in Bible prophecy as they happen rapidly. Russia fell in three days. The Jews and Arabs have made agreements at the peace table; and there is now the "United Nations" a world organization (intergovernmental) created to "maintain international peace and security". All the Nations of the world today go to that institution's agencies to settle their disputes. Borders are being eliminated for the sake of tariffs and trade between nations and are superceding the laws of the nations. But the most powerful event taking place today is the Christian nations being stripped of their alliance with our Heavenly Father. His name is being removed from schools, homes, and even churches. Christians sit by in a stupor and allow it to happen. This is the time of the end. The Kenites are controlling God's houses through their control of money, and taxes and within their four hidden dynasties of Politics, Economics, Education and Religion. That is exactly how it was the last time Jesus was on earth, in the flesh. There is not much time to listen and learn. All of the wisdom that you need in these times, is recorded in God's Word. Revelation 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." This is what we must know before the "Day of the Lord". This prophecy has to do with events on the earth, and not in heaven. These "four winds" are the "four spirits". These four winds are what marks the end of this earth age. These four winds are also discussed in Ezekiel 37:9, and Daniel 7:2. Revelation 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." The subject here is the sealing of God's elect; placing knowledge of everything that is to happen in the minds of God's elect and all those overcomers, so there will be no mystery in these events to them. When we know exactly what is to take place, Satan will not be inviting; for upon his arrival, we will know he is a cheap imitation, a deceiver. Revelation 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." This is what the angel from the east said to the spirits of the four winds. The purpose here is to save the earth, the trees and vegetation, also the water and everything else, until God's elect are sealed. Until God's elect, each and every one of them completely understand the events that will take place before the seventh trumpet sounds, and Our Lord Jesus Christ returns. That seal is knowledge in the minds of the elect, placed their by the seeds of God's Word. God's Word must placed there through your studying and learning what the Holy Spirit of God reveals to you. It's time for God's elect to study to know God's plan for the elect, and what He has in store for the devil [Antichrist] and his world system. We are to be a part of God's plan, not Satan's system. Revelation 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 Is'-ra-el." This seal has nothing to do with going to heaven; but it is the full knowledge of How to stand against the wiles of Satan the Antichrist. This has to take place before the "son of perdition" [Satan] sets his feet on this earth as the Antichrist. You will know how to identify Satan, from the true Christ, or you will be deceived by the Antichrist and become part of his system. Satan is that good, and the Word of God declares it before the fact. This sealing will be marked in the minds of God's elect in all the tribes of Israel. If you believe this is referring only to the Jews, then you are far off base. The "House of Israel" comprise ten of the twelve tribes, and they were scattered long ago. We know them today as the Christian nations of the Americas, Western Europe, and wherever else they migrated to, and now exist. The book of Hosea details this fact for us. Revelation 7:5 "Of the tribe of Ju'-da were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Reu'-ben were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Gad were sealed twelve thousand." The Jews are of the tribe of Judah [Ju'-da], and Benjamin only, as well as part of the tribe of Levi. Revelation 7:6 "Of the tribe of A'-ser were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Nep'-tha-lim were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Ma-nas-sas were sealed twelve thousand.' Manasseh [Ma-nas-sas] is the tribe comprising mostly the Caucasian people of the United States. The description of the seal and banner of Manasseh are deeply marked in our seal, motto and every thing else about our nation. Revelation 7:7 "Of the tribe of Sim'-e-on were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Le'-vi were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Is'-sa-char were sealed twelve thousand. Revelation 7:8 "Of the trible of Za-bu'lon were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Jo'-seph were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Ben'-ja-min were sealed twelve thousand." This completes the one hundred and forty four thousand [144,000] of God's elect, sealed in their minds of the events of the end times. The tribe of Joseph is also called "Ephraim", the Scriptures tell us in Genesis 48:8-27. This Scripture also tells us how the birthright of Abraham, was passed through Isaac, to Jacob [Israel], then on to Joseph's son Ephraim. The name of Israel was to be placed, and stay with the tribe of Ephraim. Ephraim is the British [Covenant] people, and the bond between Joseph's two sons Ephraim and Manasseh continues to this day [Britain and the U.S.]. The omitting of the tribe of Dan here is because of the sins of the people of that tribe, as recorded in I Kings 12:25-28. It was Dan that drew the other tribes of the old "House of Israel" into idolatry. Salvation, or going to heaven is not the subject of the sealing in your mind. The 144,000 will be part of a much larger number that will also be sealed. In later chapters we will see that the "kings and queens of the ethnos" will also be sealed, they are not of Israel, but of Gentile nations. These are not royalty in this earth age, but of the millennium age. All these saints of God, as well as God's elect will know and understand the signs of the end times. The object of the sealing being done in ones mind, or receiving the knowledge of God's Word and His plan, is so you will be able to teach others in the Millennium age. That age starts at the sounding of seventh trumpet, which is Christ's return. Ezekiel 48 shows us that in that millennium age, the tribe of Dan will be reinstated into their inheritance, and the tribe of Ephraim will once again establish it's role as the head of all Israel. So after the sealing is completed: Revelation 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 Lamb, clothed with white robes, and palms in their hands;" This is after John's second vision has taken place. Only here, and in John 12:13 were palms used to glorify our Lord. The Jews used these palm branches, "and cried Hosanna: Blessed is the King of Israel that cometh in the name of the Lord". That is a fact, Jesus did come in the name of the Lord God Almighty. Revelation 7:10 "And cried with a loud voice, saying, Salvation to our God which sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb." In other words, these great numbers of people, came from all races and nations and languages on the face of the earth, and each and every one of them have been saved. This is not part of the "rapture" as many teachers teach. No; but it is the people who have died in the Lord's work, and have gone to be with Him. It is my father who died twelve years age, and my uncle Ron who has passed on; It's my grandmother Knecht, who passed on when I was a child, and every other saint of God, who lived a life on this earth, and died and went to be with the Lord; from any century in this earth age. Those are the ones John sees standing before the Lord in their white robes, washed in the blood of the Lamb, and their sins made white as snow. Though we laid their fleshly bodies in the ground, Praise God their souls went immediately to be with the Father. [Ecclesiastes 12:7] From Adam and Eve to this present time, all these saints of God are now angelic soul beings; though they sinned in the flesh, each has repented of their sins, and God is faithful and just to forgive all those sins, and make them white and pure as snow. Revelation 7:11 "And all the angels stood round about the throne, and about the elders and the four beasts [living creatures], and fell before the throne on their faces, and worshipped God." John is seeing in this vision this beautiful scene through the heavenly door. Revelation 7:12 "Saying, A'-men: Blessing, and glory, and wisdom, and thanksgiving, and honour, and power, and might, be unto our God for ever and ever. A'-men." There are seven-fold blessings the saints are ascribing back from themselves to the Lamb of God [Jesus Christ]. These are given to Jesus Christ because of what Jesus has done. They again are; Blessing, Glory, Wisdom, Honor, Thanksgiving, Power, and Might. Remember back in Revelation 5:12 it named the seven spirits of life given Jesus Christ by the Father? Here the saints recognize them and praise the Lamb. However rather than "riches", in verses 5:12, we have "Thanksgiving". The saints have already received their riches, at this time; and they are part of those riches through all eternity. So now they stand before our Lord in their white robes and bow and praise God in Thanksgiving. What a glorious Wonder to watch. Revelation 7:13 "And one of the elders answered, saying unto me, What are these which are arrayed in white robes? and whence came they?" Revelation 7:14 "And I said unto him, Sir [My Lord], 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." Notice where they came from, the great tribulation. They came out of the tribulation and "washed their own robes" in the blood of the Lamb. Nobody washed the robes for them. They were made white by the blood of the Lamb by their repentance and confession in Jesus Christ. These "witnesses", we will read of in Revelation 19, and our robes are the product of our righteous acts done in our flesh body, while living on this earth. Those acts are the things you do, and in helping others in the name of the Lord. Our Salvation comes only by grace [unmerited favor] of God, through the blood of the Lamb [Jesus Christ on the cross]; yet our righteous acts are what we are clothed in throughout all eternity. True righteousness is only in Christ, but when you try, God accepts it as perfect. So these saints are standing there in their righteous works. The term "great tribulation" is better translated "great afflictions" in the flesh, or body. For these saints went through afflictions in the flesh, or body; However they may not have lived in the period of the "Great Tribulation". That is the time when Satan will rule the earth, in person, as Antichrist. Many millions have suffered greatly in the name of God, and even given their lives in His service. Revelation 7:15 "Therefore are they before the throne of God, and serve him day and night in his temple: and he hat sitteth on the throne shall dwell among [spread His tabernacle over] them." Many of these saints will return with Christ at the seventh trumpet. However, when the Godhead, and His throne move to earth eternally, it will be following the Great White Throne Judgment. Then all souls will be on earth and in God's eternal kingdom, or they will simply not exist. Not even the memory of them will exist. We will discuss this in Revelation 22. Revelation 7:16 "They shall hunger no more, neither thirst any more; neither shall the sun light on them, nor any heat." Our spiritual bodies are not conductors, or even affected by cold or heat. Though the flesh body is a producer of pollution; and holds the desires of the flesh, and the life styles we live. Pollution will not exist in the millennium and the eternal kingdom. The spiritual, or angelic body's desire and needs in that heavenly dimension are totally different than that of our physical body needs. Revelation 7:17 "For the Lamb which is in the midst of the throne shall feed them [be their shepherd], and shall lead them unto living fountains of waters [waters of life]: and God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes." There will be no tears in that eternal kingdom, for their will be nothing to be sad about. The only nourishment in the eternal kingdom, following judgment, will be the living water we receive from Jesus Christ. We have a lot to look forward to, so take pleasure in the seventh chapter of Revelations. It's your destination. The sealing of God's people is nothing mysterious, or to hide; Because the seal is the knowledge of the Word of God relating to the times we are living in. It is to be able to see the events taking place, and relate them to the prophecies that are written in God's Word. This is only going to be possible through the help of the Holy Spirit. You will understand God's Word, or you will not and be deceived by Antichrist.
Home .~ Plough .~ Seeds .~ Vine .~ Potter .~ Seasons .~ Sonshine .~ Rain .~ Field
Home
.~ Plough
.~ Seeds
.~ Vine
.~ Potter
.~ Seasons
.~ Sonshine
.~ Rain
.~ Field
|