September 13, 2015

Revelation Summary…To Date Chapter 1 is a view of our Christ enthroned, and a description of Him. There is a special blessing. Chapter 2 and 3 tells us about the 7 churches, and prophetic picture of the church today Chapter 4 a view of heaven; living creatures, the elders, and the church Chapter 5 God is own His throne, and we find out that Jesus Christ is the only one worthy to open the seals (title deed to earth) Chapter 6 open the seals; The Four Horseman, Tribulation Saints, and Celestial Devastation (Chaos and Panic) The Unsaved Try to Hide From God

Opening of Revelation 7 Chapter 7 is a parenthesis or a pause between opening the 6 th and 7 th seals on the scroll in Heaven. In Chapter 8 the 7 th seal is broken by Jesus, producing judgements much worse than what has been seen to this point. These judgements will unfold in rapid order and will be called the Trumpet judgements. Last 3 Trumpet judgements are called the Woe judgements.

Revelation 7:1-8 In Chapter 7, John introduces us to a group of people that will play a key role in the turbulent days ahead: After these things I saw four angels standing at the four corners of the earth, holding the four winds of the earth, that the wind should not blow on the earth, on the sea, or on any tree. Then 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 granted to harm the earth and the sea, saying, “Do not harm the earth, the sea, or the trees till we have sealed the servants of our God on their foreheads.” And I heard the number of those who were sealed. One hundred and forty-four thousand of all the tribes of the children of Israel were sealed.

Revelation 7:1-8 Angel’s Activities; John tells us: He saw four Angels standing at the four corners of the Earth. (Greek/Four Quarters - Four compass points) Holding back the four winds. (Greek/Restrain - All winds) The numbers of those Sealed, 144,000. First large group referenced (Greek/Servants – Jewish and Tribes – Sealed Foreheads)

Revelation 7:1-8 And I heard the number of the sealed, 144,000, sealed from every tribe of the sons of Israel: 12,000 from the tribe of Judah were sealed, 12,000 from the tribe of Reuben, 12,000 from the tribe of Gad, 12,000 from the tribe of Asher, 12,000 from the tribe of Naphtali, 12,000 from the tribe of Manasseh, 12,000 from the tribe of Simeon, 12,000 from the tribe of Levi, 12,000 from the tribe of Issachar, 12,000 from the tribe of Zebulun, 12,000 from the tribe of Joseph, 12,000 from the tribe of Benjamin were sealed.

God’s Missionary Light God will give Israel a chance to accomplish what they did not previously. Although 144,000 will be privileged to provide a special service, many more will be saved. Revelation 7:9-17 After this I looked, and behold, a great multitude that no one could number, from every nation, from all tribes and peoples and languages, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed in white robes, with palm branches in their hands, and crying out with a loud voice, “Salvation belongs to our God who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb!” And all the angels were standing around the throne and around the elders and the four living creatures, and they fell on their faces before the throne and worshiped God, saying, “Amen! Blessing and glory and wisdom and thanksgiving and honor and power and might be to our God forever and ever! Amen.” Then one of the elders addressed me, saying, “Who are these, clothed in white robes, and from where have they come?” I said to him, “Sir, you know.” And he said to me, “These are the ones coming out of the great tribulation. They have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.

God’s Missionary Light Cont…“Therefore they are before the throne of God, and serve him day and night in his temple; and he who sits on the throne will shelter them with his presence. They shall hunger no more, neither thirst anymore; the sun shall not strike them, nor any scorching heat. For the Lamb in the midst of the throne will be their shepherd, and he will guide them to springs of living water, and God will wipe away every tear from their eyes.”

Revelation 7:9-17 Second largest group mentioned, multitude of tribulation martyrs. Jews and Gentiles saved during the tribulation. John calls them the great multitude. During Gods greatest judgement, there is the worlds greatest revival. Commonly taught that these 144,000 servants are evangelists. But that is not stated in Revelation. – John states after seeing the 144,000 servants sealed by God, he sees this great multitude of people coming into heaven. – Jesus stated to his disciples that before the end, the gospel would be preached. Matthew 24:14 And this gospel of the kingdom will be proclaimed throughout the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come.

Revelation 7:9-17 The great multitude will be wearing white robes to symbolize the righteousness of God. In their hands will be palm branches, which symbolize victory and celebration. – Jesus riding into Jerusalem one week prior to His crucifixion greeted by people waving palm branches. – Shouting “Hosanna!” (John 12:13). Revelation 7:10, the multitude will be shouting, “Salvation belongs to our God”, which is very similar to Hosanna (“Save Now”)

Revelation 7:9-17 The tribulation martyrs are with the angels and New Testament saints (raptured), and are worshiping the Lord with praise (the choir continues to grow). One of the elders asks John the identity of the new arrivals. The elder is making the point that the group is completely different from the ones already in heaven. Which is reinforced by the fact John did not know the answer The elder identifies this group as the Tribulation saints who are joining the martyrs who are in heaven from the earlier days of the tribulation. Serving God day and night. We are kings and priests in His Kingdom. No more suffering Christ will be our Shepard in heaven. The greatest gift we receive is be in God’s presence, and the absence of our sin. We are living in the last days, but we are also living in the days that our Christian faith is being questioned (debated/degraded/denied), as well as, the gospel being diluted. But God’s grace and mercy continue to give us hope and encouragement.

144,000 Jewish Evangelists During the Tribulation those who remain will have an opportunity to be saved after the Church has left. God will deliver his message to the world by the following:  The angel of the Lord will spread the gospel. We are told that this angel will fly through the heavens proclaiming the everlasting gospel, which means that everyone will hear of Jesus Christ and even the “unreached” people will be reached with the message of the gospel.  God will raise up 144,000 evangelists. These will be Jewish people who receive Jesus as their Messiah during the Tribulation and they will evangelize the world.  There will be two special witnesses. These unidentified witnesses may be Moses and Elijah, but we don’t know that for sure. These two witnesses will have amazing powers and will testify to the nations. They will be killed by the people and raised back to life by God. Note: The Tribe of Dan will not be part of the 144,000, due to their idolatry. So the Tribe of Ephraim is renamed (The Tribe of Joseph is another name for the Tribe of Ephraim).