BEHOLD, I COME QUICKLY

Transcription

1 BEHOLD, I COME QUICKLY A Study of Revelation REV 7:1-17 LESSON 22 Revelation 7:1-17 THE 144,000 AND THE GREAT MULTITUDE Behold, I come quickly: blessed is he that keepeth the sayings of the prophecy of this book. (Revelation 22:7) LESSON ,000 Sealed Chapter 7 represents a lull before the storm, a gap before the beginning of the Great Tribulation. Notice the statement in the last verse of Revelation chapter 6. REV 6:17 For the great day of his wrath is come; and who shall be able to stand? God is about to pour out His most severe wrath, but not before He protects his own people, Israel. REV 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. "After these things" begins an interlude in the chronological order of events between the sixth and seventh seals. 1 In Daniel 7:2 we see that the "four winds of heaven strove upon the great sea." DAN 7:2 Daniel spake and said, I saw in my vision by night, and, behold, the four winds of the heaven strove upon the great sea. This represented the divine judgments that would be brought about by several world empires, and out of the final would come the "little horn" or antichrist. "Wind" refers to divine judgment and "four winds" refer to that judgment being universal. 2 Winds are symbols of wars and commotions. In Jeremiah 51:1, 2 a "destroying wind" symbolizes a destructive war. 3 This theme may also be found in, Jeremiah 49:36 and Zechariah 6:1-5. JER 49:36 And upon Elam will I bring the four winds from the four quarters of heaven, and will scatter them toward all those winds; and there shall be no nation whither the outcasts of Elam shall not come. 37 even my fierce anger, saith the LORD; and I will send the sword after them, till I have consumed them: ZEC 6:5 And the angel answered and said unto me, These are the four spirits of the heavens, which go forth from standing before the Lord of all the earth. 1 Levy, REVELATION: Hearing the Last Word, p. 98. Morris, THE REVELATION RECORD, p Mauro, THINGS WHICH SOON MUST COME TO PASS, p Levy, REVELATION: Hearing the Last Word, p Barnes, NOTES ON THE NEW TESTAMENT: REVELATION, p

2 The "four winds" (judgment) will be restrained by God's decree. This will be a period of calm and peace. 4 The Greek word "gonia," translated "four corners" indicates "four quarters" of the compass, North, East, South, and West. 5 That the elements will play a part in divine judgment can be seen from the following verses: LUK 21:25 And there shall be signs in the sun, and in the moon, and in the stars; and upon the earth distress of nations, with perplexity; the sea and the waves roaring; 26 Men's hearts failing them for fear, and for looking after those things which are coming on the earth: for the powers of heaven shall be shaken. REV 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, 3 Saying, Hurt not the earth, neither the sea, nor the trees, till we have sealed the servants of our God in their foreheads. The description, another angel, is another angel of the same kind, nothing more. 6 Note that the "four angels" had the power to hurt the earth and the sea, which they seem to be doing a by controlling the winds or weather patterns which produced the famine and earthquakes we saw in the previous chapter. 7 The angel ascending from the east ordered the angels at the four corners of the earth to cease hurting the earth and its inhabitants until God's servants are sealed and protected against the plagues coming upon the earth. 8 Notice the similarity to the protection afforded the Israelites from the plagues on the Egyptians. 9 EXO 12:21 Then Moses called for all the elders of Israel, and said unto them, Draw out and take you a lamb according to your families, and kill the passover. 22 And ye shall take a bunch of hyssop, and dip it in the blood that is in the basin, and strike the lintel and the two side posts with the blood that is in the basin; and none of you shall go out at the door of his house until the morning. 23 For the LORD will pass through to smite the Egyptians; and when he seeth the blood upon the lintel, and on the two side posts, the LORD will pass over the door, and will not suffer the destroyer to come in unto your houses to smite you. The seal is to be on the foreheads of the Jewish believers and may be visible. 10 According to the New Testament, the seal of God is the Holy Spirit. Notice that in Ephesians the same word used for "seal" here is used to describe the Holy Spirit. 11 EPH 4:30 And grieve not the holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption. Jesus is said to have had this same seal upon Him. JOH 6:27 Labour not for the meat which perisheth, but for that meat which endureth unto everlasting life, which the Son of man shall give unto you: for him hath God the Father sealed. This seal will give these Jewish witnesses special empowerment and protection to perform their service to God. 12 Notice that protection in Revelation 9:4. Rev 9:3 And there came out of the smoke locusts upon the earth: and unto them was given power, as the scorpions of the earth have power. 4 And it was commanded them that they should not hurt the grass of the earth, neither any green thing, neither any tree; but only those men which have not the seal of God in their foreheads. 4 Phillips, EXPLORING REVELATION, p Morris, THE REVELATION RECORD, p Levy, REVELATION: Hearing the Last Word, p Morris, THE REVELATION RECORD, p Sutton, THE BOOK OF REVELATION REVEALED: Understanding God's Master Plan for the End of the Age, p. 97. Morris, THE REVELATION RECORD, p See also: Exodus 9:6, 26; 10:23; 11:7. 10 LaHaye, REVELATION ILLUSTRATED AND MADE PLAIN, pp. 110, 111. Levy, REVELATION: Hearing the Last Word, p Lindsey, THERE'S A NEW WORLD COMING, p See also: Ephesians 1: Lindsey, THERE'S A NEW WORLD COMING, pp. 104,

3 Before the Babylonian captivity, the house of Judah worshipped the Sun and "creeping things." EZE 8:9 And he said unto me, Go in, and behold the wicked abominations that they do here. 10 So I went in and saw; and behold every form of creeping things, and abominable beasts, and all the idols of the house of Israel, portrayed upon the wall round about. Because of this, judgment is coming. Notice that in Ezekiel chapter 9 God seals those that cry against the abominations. EZE 9:4 And the LORD said unto him, Go through the midst of the city, through the midst of Jerusalem, and set a mark upon the foreheads of the men that sigh and that cry for all the abominations that be done in the midst thereof. 6 Slay utterly old and young, both maids, and little children, and women: but come not near any man upon whom is the mark; and begin at my sanctuary. We are doing the same thing with our pantheistic New Age religions, where Mother Earth (Gaia) is more important than Jesus Christ. The New Age worships a cosmic New Age Christ, a cosmic consciousness that says god is everything, and we are gods. Where are those that cry against the modern abominations today. We are murdering our children on the abortionist's altar for the sake of convenience. We defile our house in worshipping our idols at the electronic altar in our homes, and no cry is heard of protest for the abominations shown. Where is the conscience of this nation? We are fat, we did it our way, depart from us O Holy One of Israel! Will God seal us? Isa 30:9 That this is a rebellious people, lying children, children that will not hear the law of the Lord: 10 Which say to the seers, See not; and to the prophets, Prophesy not unto us right things, speak unto us smooth things, prophesy deceits: 11 Get you out of the way, turn aside out of the path, cause the Holy One of Israel to cease from before us. REV 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 Israel. These 144,000, 12,000 from each of the 12 tribes of Israel take over the assignment to preach the Gospel after the Church is taken up in the Rapture. 13 That these witnesses are of the tribes of Israel should be taken literally. 14 There will be the equivalent of 144,000 John the Baptists loose on the earth at the same time. Notice what Zechariah says: ZEC 8:23 Thus saith the LORD of hosts; In those days it shall come to pass, that ten men shall take hold out of all languages of the nations, even shall take hold of the skirt of him that is a Jew, saying, We will go with you: for we have heard that God is with you. These 144,000 witnesses will be preserved throughout the entire Tribulation period as evidenced by the fact that in Revelation 14:1-5 they are seen standing on Mount Zion with Jesus. 15 REV 14:1 And I looked, and, lo, a Lamb stood on the mount Sion, and with him an hundred forty and four thousand, having his Father's name written in their foreheads. 4 These are they which were not defiled with women; for they are virgins. These are they which follow the Lamb whithersoever he goeth. These were redeemed from among men, being the firstfruits unto God and to the Lamb. 5 And in their mouth was found no guile: for they are without fault before the throne of God. These 144,000 will be undefiled by spiritual harlotry. In contrast to the apostate church. Their not being defiled with women means they were not led astray from Christian faithfulness by the spiritual 'harlot.' (Rev 17) Sutton, THE BOOK OF REVELATION REVEALED: Understanding God's Master Plan for the End of the Age, p Levy, REVELATION: Hearing the Last Word, p Lindsey, THERE'S A NEW WORLD COMING, p Revelation 14:4: (from Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown Commentary, Electronic Database. Copyright 1997, 2003, 2005, 2006 by Biblesoft, Inc. All rights reserved.) 3

4 Look now at 2 Thessalonians 2:6 and 7. 2TH 2:6 And now ye know what withholdeth that he might be revealed in his time. 7 For the mystery of iniquity doth already work: only he who now letteth will let, until he be taken out of the way. The restraining influence on the devil today is the Holy Spirit. The restrainer, the Holy Spirit, indwelling the born-again believers (the Church), will be taken out of the way at the time of the Rapture, before the Tribulation. It is important to note that the Holy Spirit will still be working during the tribulation, but without the Church which has been raptured. Now notice that the Holy Spirit is indeed here to empower the 144,000 as noted in Joel 2:28, 29. JOE 2:28 And it shall come to pass afterward, that I will pour out my spirit upon all flesh; and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, your young men shall see visions: 29 And also upon the servants and upon the handmaids in those days will I pour out my spirit. This first occurred at Pentecost, but the primary teaching of Joel concerns the outpouring of the Holy Spirit during the Tribulation period. The words " And it shall come to pass afterward" is a direct reference to the Tribulation. 17 Realize that Pentecost was only a partial fulfillment of Joel's prophecy as described in the next verses of Joel (see also Acts 2:16-21). 18 JOE 2:30 And I will shew wonders in the heavens and in the earth, blood, and fire, and pillars of smoke. 31 The sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before the great and terrible day of the LORD come. 32 And it shall come to pass, that whosoever shall call on the name of the LORD shall be delivered: for in mount Zion and in Jerusalem shall be deliverance, as the LORD hath said, and in the remnant whom the LORD shall call. Four Reasons God Chose the Jews The Jewish people were to receive and write down God's revelation to man. 2. The Jewish people were to protect and preserve the textual purity of the Scriptures they had penned. 3. The Jewish people were to serve as the human family through whom Messiah, the Savior of mankind, would be born. 4. The Jewish people were to witness to the pagan world that there is only one true God, and to show men how to come to know Him. The key to the Jewish existence is the preservation of God's revelation (see FIGURE 1 in APPENDIX). REV 7:5 Of the tribe of Juda were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Reuben were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Gad were sealed twelve thousand. 6 Of the tribe of Aser were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Nepthalim were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Manasses were sealed twelve thousand. 7 Of the tribe of Simeon were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Levi were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Issachar were sealed twelve thousand. 8 Of the tribe of Zabulon were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Joseph were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Benjamin were sealed twelve thousand. God has modified this list of the twelve tribes. Dan and Ephraim lost their inheritance through idolatry. God therefore substitutes the tribes of Levi (the priesthood) and Joseph. 20 In the Millennium Levi, Dan, Ephraim, 17 LaHaye, REVELATION ILLUSTRATED AND MADE PLAIN, pp. 112, 117. Joel 2:28: (from Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown Commentary, Electronic Database. Copyright 1997, 2003, 2005, 2006 by Biblesoft, Inc. All rights reserved.) 18 LaHaye, REVELATION ILLUSTRATED AND MADE PLAIN, p Lindsey, THERE'S A NEW WORLD COMING, pp. 98, Levy, REVELATION: Hearing the Last Word, pp. 99, 100. Walvoord, THE REVELATION OF JESUS CHRIST, pp. 141,

5 and Manasses (Ephraim and Manasses are the sons of Joseph) will each have a portion as seen in Ezekiel 48: An interesting thing about the tribe of Dan is found in an ancient apocryphal writing called the "TESTAMENTS OF THE TWELVE PATRIARCHS." This document was written around 150 BC, fragments of which were discovered as part of the Dead Sea Scrolls. Referring to Dan, this document states: "I read in the Book of Enoch, Righteous, that your prince is Satan Because of this, Jewish scholars, 150 years before Christ, believed that the Antichrist would be from the tribe of Dan. The "TESTAMENTS OF THE TWELVE PATRIARCHS" also has Dan saying to his sons: "I know that in the last days you will defect from the Lord, you will be offended at Levi, and revolt against Judah; but you will not prevail over them." 22 Notice the following reference to the "seed" of the "serpent," a reference to Satan. GEN 3:14 And the LORD God said unto the serpent, Because thou hast done this, thou art cursed above all cattle, and above every beast of the field; upon thy belly shalt thou go, and dust shalt thou eat all the days of thy life: 15 And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel. Dan is called a "serpent" by his father, Jacob. GEN 49:17 Dan shall be a serpent by the way, an adder in the path, that biteth the horse heels, so that his rider shall fall backward. According to Hal Lindsey: Many scholars believe that the tribe of Dan is missing because the Jewish Antichrist (the False Prophet) will come from it. 23 Ephraim is left out because it led the way in causing the civil war which divided the ten tribes of the North from the two in the South. 24 The tribes of Dan and Ephraim were the first to lead Israel into idolatry. 25 Individual members of these tribes may respond to the salvation message, but these two tribes will not be accorded the honor of being part of the 144,000 tribulation evangelists. 26 The Great Multitude in White Robes REV 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 throne, and before the Lamb, clothed with white robes, and palms in their hands; 10 And cried with a loud voice, saying, Salvation to our God which sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb. The 144,000 are exclusively Jewish. This verse, though, refers to Gentiles of every nation. Since we see they are given white robes, this includes the martyrs that we saw beneath the altar earlier in Revelation 6:9-11. This group is those who came to believe during the Tribulation and were martyred for their faith. 27 REV 6:9 And when he had opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of them that were slain for the word of God, and for the testimony which they held: 11 And white robes were given unto every one of them; and it was said unto them, that they should rest yet for a little season, until their fellowservants also and their brethren, that should be killed as they were, should be fulfilled. 21 Morris, THE REVELATION RECORD, p James H. Charlesworth, Editor, THE OLD TESTAMENT PSEUDEPIGRAPHA, New York, NY: Doubleday, 1983, Vol. 1, p J.R. Church, GUARDIANS OF THE GRAIL and the Men Who Plan to Rule the World! Oklahoma City, OK: Prophecy Publications, 1989, pp Gary Stearman, THE POWER OF THE AIR, Oklahoma, City, OK: Prophecy in the News, August 1999, p Morris, THE REVELATION RECORD, pp. 132, 133. Levy, REVELATION: Hearing the Last Word, p

6 The great multitude before the throne coming after the sealing of the 144,000 suggests that this multitude may be the result of the witness of the 144,000 Jewish believers operating in all nations. 28 The greatest soul harvest in history takes place. In fact, more may be saved during this period before Antichrist solidifies his power than during the almost 2000 years of the church age. 29 The "white robes" and "palms" tell us that this multitude was virtuous and victorious. 30 We see in verse 9 that the multitude carried palms. The cry "Salvation to our God" is essentially the same as the cry on Palm Sunday of "Hosanna" acknowledging Christ as king. JOH 12:12 On the next day much people that were come to the feast, when they heard that Jesus was coming to Jerusalem, 13 Took branches of palm trees, and went forth to meet him, and cried, Hosanna: Blessed is the King of Israel that cometh in the name of the Lord. REV 7:11 And all the angels stood round about the throne, and about the elders and the four beasts, and fell before the throne on their faces, and worshipped God, 12 Saying, Amen: Blessing, and glory, and wisdom, and thanksgiving, and honour, and power, and might, be unto our God for ever and ever. Amen. 13 And one of the elders answered, saying unto me, What are these which are arrayed in white robes? and whence came they? 14 And I said unto him, Sir, 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. It is now obvious that John has jumped ahead in time after the events of the Great Tribulation to see the final redeemed multitude The multitude in heaven of Revelation 6 was not complete; here it is shown as complete. 31 The word "Sir" is "kurios" often translated "Lord." 32 The Great Tribulation is the same as described in Matthew 24: MAT 24:21 For then shall be great tribulation, such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time, no, nor ever shall be. REV 7:15 Therefore are they before the throne of God, and serve him day and night in his temple: and he that sitteth on the throne shall dwell among them. 16 They shall hunger no more, neither thirst any more; neither shall the sun light on them, nor any heat. 17 For the Lamb which is in the midst of the throne shall feed them, and shall lead them unto living fountains of waters: and God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes. REV 22:1 And he shewed me a pure river of water of life, clear as crystal, proceeding out of the throne of God and of the Lamb. ISA 40:11 He shall feed his flock like a shepherd: he shall gather the lambs with his arm, and carry them in his bosom, and shall gently lead those that are with young. REV 21:4 And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away. PSA 16:11 Thou wilt shew me the path of life: in thy presence is fulness of joy; at thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore. Our God shall wipe away every tear. There will be no more crying. Our earthly pleasures will be as heartache compared to the continual pleasures waiting for us in the presence of God. 28 Morris, THE REVELATION RECORD, p Lindsey, THERE'S A NEW WORLD COMING, p Sutton, THE BOOK OF REVELATION REVEALED: Understanding God's Master Plan for the End of the Age, p Levy, REVELATION: Hearing the Last Word, p LaHaye, REVELATION ILLUSTRATED AND MADE PLAIN, p Phillips, EXPLORING REVELATION, p Morris, THE REVELATION RECORD, p Revelation 7:14: (from Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown Commentary, Electronic Database. Copyright 1997, 2003, 2005, 2006 by Biblesoft, Inc. All rights reserved.). 32 Morris, THE REVELATION RECORD, p Walvoord, THE REVELATION OF JESUS CHRIST, p