Revelation 7 - A Study Guide by Mark A. Copeland

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                        "THE BOOK OF REVELATION"

                              Chapter Seven

Between the sixth and seventh seals, there is an interlude in which John
sees two visions.  They may be designed to answer the question raised at
the end of the previous chapter:  "For the great day of His wrath has 
come, and who is able to stand?" (Re 6:17)

In the first vision John sees four angels standing at the four corners of
the earth, holding back the winds from blowing on the earth, sea, or on
any tree.  An angel arises from the east having the seal of the living 
God, who cries out to the other four angels not to harm the earth, etc.,
until the servants of God have been sealed on their foreheads.  John then
hears the number of those who are sealed.  They are 144,000 of all the 
tribes of the children of Israel, with 12,000 from each tribe.  Of 
interest is the fact that Ephraim and Dan are not mentioned, while Levi
and Joseph are counted as tribes.  This suggests to many that the 144,000
of Israel is symbolic (1-8).

The second vision reveals a large innumerable multitude of all nations
standing before the throne and the Lamb.  Clothed with white robes and
palm branches in their hands, they cry out "Salvation belongs to our God
who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb!"  They are joined in their
praise by angels, the elders, and four living creatures.  John is then
told by one of the elders that those arrayed in white robes have come
out of the great tribulation, with their robes washed and made white in
the blood of the Lamb.  Before the throne of God, they serve Him day and
night in His temple.  Future blessings are then described:  God will 
dwell among them, they shall be free from hunger, thirst, and the heat of
the sun.  The Lamb will shepherd them and lead them to fountains of 
living waters, and God will wipe all tears from their eyes (9-17).

What do the two visions mean?  The 144,000 of Israel sealed on earth
may represent faithful Jewish Christians in Palestine leading up to the
destruction of Jerusalem in AD 70.  They are sealed and thereby spared
from God's wrath (cf. Eze 9:1-11).  Eusebius says that Jewish
Christians were able to flee to Pella before the Romans overwhelmed
Jerusalem, just as Jesus urged His disciples to do in Lk 21:20-24.

The second vision provides hope for any who must pass through "the great
tribulation" (not just Israel, but "of all nations, tribes, peoples, and
tongues"), for it would not be limited to Palestine, but would spread 
throughout the Roman empire.   Provided they have washed their robes in 
the blood of the Lamb, they are assured that they will serve God in His
temple in "the intermediate state" (between death and the resurrection).
They are also promised future blessings in "the eternal state" (after the
resurrection and judgment, cf. Re 7:16-17 with Re 21:1-4).
 
Thus it would be Jewish Christians in Palestine, and Christians among
all nations willing to remain faithful, who would be able to stand in
the day of God's wrath!

POINTS TO PONDER

*  The identity of the two groups in the two visions seen in this chapter

*  The comfort promised those who would pass through the great 
   tribulation

OUTLINE

I. THE 144,000 SEALED ON EARTH (1-8)

   A. THE ANGELS RESTRAINED (1-3)
      1. John saw four angels at the four corners of the earth
         a. Holding the four winds of the earth
         b. That the winds would not blow on the earth, sea, or any tree
      2. John saw another angel ascending from the east
         a. Crying with a loud voice to the four angels granted to harm
            the earth and sea
         b. Instructing them not to harm the earth, sea, or trees until
            the servants of God were sealed on their foreheads

   B. THE 144,000 SEALED (4-8)
      1. John "heard" the number of those sealed
      2. Those sealed were 12,000 each of the tribes of Israel:
         a. Judah       g. Simeon
         b. Reuben      h. Levi
         c. Gad         i. Issachar
         d. Asher       j. Zebulun
         e. Naphtali    k. Joseph
         f. Manasseh    l. Benjamin

II. THE GREAT MULTITUDE IN HEAVEN (9-17)

   A. JOHN SEES A GREAT MULTITUDE (9-12)
      1. Which none could number, from all nations, tribes, peoples and
         tongues
      2. Standing before the throne and before the Lamb
         a. Clothed with white robes
         b. With palm branches in their hands
      3. Crying with loud voices:  "Salvation belongs to our God who sits
         on the throne, and to the Lamb!"
      4. Angels, the elders, and the four living creatures also join in 
         with praise
         a. Falling on their faces before the throne and worshipping God
         b. Ascribing blessing, glory, wisdom, thanksgiving, honor,
            power, and might to God

   B. THE GREAT MULTITUDE IDENTIFIED (13-17)
      1. Asked by one of the elders, John puts the question back to him
      2. The elder identifies the great multitude:
         a. Those who come out of the great tribulation
         b. Who have washed their robes and made them white in the blood
            of the Lamb
         c. Who are before the throne of God and serve Him day and night
            in His temple
      3. The elder describes their future blessedness:
         a. The One on the throne will dwell with them
         b. They shall not hunger nor thirst anymore; the sun nor any
            heat shall strike them
         c. The Lamb will shepherd them and lead them to living fountains
            of water
         d. God will wipe away every tear from their eyes

REVIEW QUESTIONS

1) What are the main points of this chapter?
   - The 144,000 sealed on the earth (1-8)
   - The great multitude in heaven (9-17)

2) What does John see next? (1)
   - Four angels at the four corners of the earth, holding back the four
     winds from harming the earth, sea and any tree

3) What did an angel ascending from the east cry out? (2-3)
   - "Do not harm the earth, the sea, or the trees till we have sealed
     the servants of our God on their foreheads."

4) Who and how many were sealed? (4)
   - 144,000 of the tribes of Israel

5) In the list of those sealed, what two tribes of Israel are missing?
   (5-8)
   - Ephraim and Dan

6) What two names are used for tribes which were not normally listed
   among the twelve tribes of Israel? (5-8)
   - Levi (the priestly tribe which did not receive a land inheritance)
   - Joseph (the father of Manasseh and Ephraim, whose two sons made up
     two tribes)

7) After the 144,000 are sealed, what does John see next? (9-10)
   - A great multitude of all nations, tribes, peoples, and tongues
   - Standing before the throne and the Lamb
   - Clothed with white robes and palm branches in their hands
   - Ascribing salvation to God on the throne and to the Lamb
   
8) Who else joins in with praise to God? (11-12)
   - Angels, the elders, the four living creatures

9) Who does the elder identify as the great multitude? (13-14)
   - Those who come out of the great tribulation, who have washed their
     robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb
   - Who are before the throne of God and serve Him day and night in His
     temple

10) What future blessings are they promised to receive? (15-17)
   - The One on the throne will dwell with them
   - They shall not hunger nor thirst anymore; neither the sun nor any
     heat shall strike them
   - The Lamb will shepherd them and lead them to living fountains of
     water
   - God will wipe away every tear from their eyes
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