The Revelation of Jesus Christ #13. The Least of My Brothers (7:1-17)
Eschatology Daniel 5 Pillars of Matthew Revelation Visible Kingdom Spiritual Kingdom Full Kingdom It has fallen It will be restored Messiah comes in 69*7 A gap of desolation The last 1*7 Messiah came Spiritual kingdom now The Beatitudes Rejection; 7 stages; Transition in the 1*7 Christ in Glory Church in 7 stages Rapture Tribulation = 1*7 Full kingdom Key: Dan 9:24-27 70 Weeks of Daniel Key: Matt 24-25 Olivet Discourse Key: Rev 22 Millennial Kingdom
Structure of Revelation Book Epistle Prophecy Rev 1:19 Preface (1:1-3) Salutation (1:4-8) Vision (1:9-20) What You Saw 7 Churches (2-3) Things that Are Rapture (4-5) Thing to Come Tribulation (6-18) 2nd Coming (19) Millennium (20) Eternity (21-22:5) Testimony (21:6-20) Benediction (21:21) From Christ For Churches Glory & Terror Watch the Show
The Flow of the Narrative Chapter in Revelation Content Flow Direction Chap 6 6 Seals Forward Flow 1 Chap 7 144,000 Servants Flashback 1 Chaps 8-10 6 Trumpets Forward Flow 2 Chaps 11-14 2 Witnesses, 2 Beasts Flashback 2 Chaps 15-16 7 Bowls Forward Flow 3 Chaps 17-18 2 Babylons Flashback 3
Pause for Anointing 7:1 After this I saw four angels standing at the four corners of the earth, holding back the four winds of the earth, so that no wind would blow on the earth or on the sea or on any tree. 2 And I saw another angel ascending from the rising of the sun, having the seal of the living God; and he cried out with a loud voice to the four angels to whom it was granted to harm the earth and the sea, 3 saying, "Do not harm the earth or the sea or the trees until we have sealed the bond-servants of our God on their foreheads."(rev. 7:1-3 NAU)
Pause for Anointing 4 corners of the earth = the Whole Earth. 4 winds of the earth = Predestined Destruction on the Whole Earth. 4 angels to whom it was granted to harm the earth and the sea (and the trees) = Angels of Destruction for the Judgment of the Sinful Earth, as the Angels of Death in Judging Egypt in Exodus.
Pause for Anointing Another angel ascending from the rising of the sun, with the seal of the living God: Signet Ring = Authority. [Seal] the bond-servants of our God on their foreheads = Clear Marks of Ownership on Slaves. While Slavery Can Be Evil When Practiced by Sinful Humans, Servants of God Are Slaves of God, a Benevolent and Rightful Owner.
Slavery: Good and Bad Human Slavery Existed from the Beginning of History. It Was a Necessary Evil, as the Result and Solution to the Problems of Wars and Debts. It Is Better to Keep the War Captives as Slaves than Killing Them It Is Better to Let the Debtor Pay for the Debt with Indentured Servitude than Negating the Duty.
Slavery: Good and Bad There Is an Inherent Conflict in Human Slavery: All Men Are Created Equal, with the Image of God within. No Man is the Creator (Except the Parent Who Are Partially Responsible as Channels of God for Creating Life) and Rightful Owner of Other Humans. The Sinful Nature of Fallen Humans Inevitably Causes Abuse of the Slaves by the Owners. God Gave Certain Human Rights (e.g. Life, Provision) to Slaves in the Mosaic Laws (Exod 21:7-11; 22:20-21, 26-27). The Spirit of the Law Encourages Liberty for All Mankind.
Slavery: Good and Bad Slaves of God (Priests, Pastors) Do Not Have Their Own Will as the Director of Life. God s Will Is the Master of Their Life. God Is the Creator of Everything, therefore the Rightful Owner of Everything. God Is Righteous and Benevolent; He Provides All Things Necessary for Life and Ministry. The Slaves of a Powerful Person Are Powerful, too; Not because of Self, but because of the Owner.
Slavery: Good and Bad Christ Made Himself as a Bond-Servant of God (Phil 2:7). The Apostles Called Themselves the Bond-Servants of God (Rom 1; Gal 1:10; Col 1:7; 4:7; 2 Tim 2:24; Tit 1:1; Jms 1:1; 2 Pet 1:1; Jude 1:1; Rev 1:1). Jesus Will Judge All Nations by Their Treatment of the Least of My Brothers (Matt 25:40): The Last Called Bond-Servants of God = the 144,000 during the Tribulation. Paul Called Himself the Least of the Apostles (1 Cor 15:9) because He Was the Latest Called.
144,000 from Remnant Israel 4 And I heard the number of those who were sealed, one hundred and forty-four thousand sealed from every tribe of the sons of Israel: 5 from the tribe of Judah, twelve thousand were sealed, from the tribe of Reuben twelve thousand, from the tribe of Gad twelve thousand, 6 from the tribe of Asher twelve thousand, from the tribe of Naphtali twelve thousand, from the tribe of Manasseh twelve thousand, 7 from the tribe of Simeon twelve thousand, from the tribe of Levi twelve thousand, from the tribe of Issachar twelve thousand, 8 from the tribe of Zebulun twelve thousand, from the tribe of Joseph twelve thousand, from the tribe of Benjamin, twelve thousand were sealed. (Rev. 7:4-8 NAU)
144,000 from Remnant Israel 12,000 from 12 Tribes Are Anointed by the Holy Spirit, Clearly Marked as the Slaves of God, in the Last Calling for the Remnant Israel. They Will Evangelize both the Rest of the Hebrew People (Jews and Palestinians/Israelites), and All the Nations of the Earth during the Tribulation. The Time of their Calling Is either at the Beginning of the Tribulation or Shortly before the Middle.
The Tribes of Israel
The Tribes of Israel There Are 20 Lists of the Tribes in the Bible. The One in Rev 7 Is Unique. Joseph Was Doubled by Jacob as Manasseh and Ephraim. Levi Was Scatters around Israel, and Simeon Enclosed within Judah, due to their Sin of Slaughtering Shechem. Rev 7 Excluded Dan and Ephraim, Who Were the First in Idolatry (Judg 19-21). Dan Was Replaced by Levi, Scattered but New Restored. Ephraim Was Replaced by His Father Joseph, i.e. Included in Essence, but not in Name, without Honor.
The Redeemed of the Nations 9 After these things I looked, and behold, a great multitude which no one could count, from every nation and all tribes and peoples and tongues, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed in white robes, and palm branches were in their hands; 10 and they cry out with a loud voice, saying, "Salvation to our God who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb." 11 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, 12 saying, "Amen, blessing and glory and wisdom and thanksgiving and honor and power and might, be to our God forever and ever. Amen." (Rev. 7:9-12 NAU)
The Remnant of the Nations These Are the Fruit of Work of the 144,000 Hebrew Slaves of God (2 Tribes from the Jews, 10 Tribes from the Palestinians). They Received the Least of the Brothers of Jesus, and Will Be Called Sheep, Rather than Goat, at the Judgment of Nations at His 2nd Coming.
The Promise to the Redeemed 13 Then one of the elders answered, saying to me, "These who are clothed in the white robes, who are they, and where have they come from?" 14 I said to him, "My lord, you know." And he said to me, "These are the ones who come out of the great tribulation, and they have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb. 15 "For this reason, they are before the throne of God; and they serve Him day and night in His temple; and He who sits on the throne will spread His tabernacle over them. 16 "They will hunger no longer, nor thirst anymore; nor will the sun beat down on them, nor any heat; 17 for the Lamb in the center of the throne will be their shepherd, and will guide them to springs of the water of life; and God will wipe every tear from their eyes." (Rev. 7:13-17 NAU)
The Promise to the Redeemed Their Clothes Were Washed Clean by the Blood of the Lamb: Redeemed in Christ Jesus by Faith in Him. They Are from the Great Tribulation: Persecuted and Perhaps Martyred during the Great Persecution by the Antichrist. Seven Promises to Be Realized in the Millennium: 1 they are before the throne of God; and they serve Him day and night in His temple; and 2He who sits on the throne will spread His tabernacle over them. 16 3"They will hunger no longer, nor thirst anymore; 4nor will the sun beat down on them, nor any heat; 17 for 5the Lamb in the center of the throne will be their shepherd, and 6will guide them to springs of the water of life; and 7God will wipe every tear from their eyes."