The Seal of the Living God (Revelation 7)

After the six seals were opened by the Lamb, John saw another vision which perhaps was a precursor to the events that occurred at the opening of the seals. He saw four angels standing at the corners of the earth, preventing any of the four winds from harming the land. The four winds of the earth, coming from each direction, have been symbolic of God’s judgment (Jeremiah 49:36) and thus may be alluding to the wave of destruction that was about to be unleashed by the four horsemen. The four angels were holding back the four winds of destruction until the time the Seal of the Living God is put on the forehead of the LORD’s anointed.

The Sealed

Then I heard the number of those who were sealed: 144,000 from all the tribes of Israel.

Revelation 7:4 (NIV)

John hears the names of the tribes and the count of the people that were to be sealed before God’s judgment. There were twelve thousand from each tribe though the tribes of Ephraim and Dan were conspicuously missing from the list. Perhaps they were omitted due to their continuous rejection of God’s word but nonetheless, they were replaced by the tribes of Joseph and Levi as the recipients of the Seal of the Living God.

It is interesting to note that Jesus is not following the order of inheritance that was divided among the tribes of Israel but has His own ruling. Often we tend to be myopic when it comes to looking at the things of heaven from an earthly perspective. We must learn to be open to the new and wonderful things that Jesus is revealing to us each day.

Though some consider the above number to be symbolic of the people of Israel accepting Jesus as their Messiah there are others who consider this as a literal list of 144,000 that will be sealed by God. But the question arises that why will God seal only the tribes of Israel when the promise of salvation was offered to everyone without any geographical barriers.

After this I looked, and there before me was a great multitude that no one could count, from every nation, tribe, people and language, standing before the throne and before the Lamb. They were wearing white robes and were holding palm branches in their hands.

Revelation 7:9 (NIV)

However, we have already seen how John hears and perceives one thing but when he turns to look, he sees something completely different than what he expected. That is the story of our journey in Christ also where we witness the unexpected at every turn, something we cannot even imagine. Such is the grace of God that is poured upon us beyond our wildest imaginations. The Seal of the Living God is His Spirit that has been given to us, who helps us follow in the footsteps of the Slain Lamb.

So when John turned around, expecting a hundred and forty-four thousand of his own countrymen, he was surprised to see a great multitude of people from every nation on Earth. They were standing before the throne and the Lamb, wearing robes of white and holding palm branches in their hands. While the white robes are symbolic of our lives being washed clean by the blood of Jesus, the palm branches were used to commence the festival of the Tabernacles.

The Redemptive Plan

While the festival that commemorated Israel’s great exodus from Egypt was a weeklong celebration of how God’s mighty hand brought them out of their life of slavery, it was also symbolic of the ultimate redemption plan. The palm branches were also used by the people that ushered in Jesus’s triumphant entry into Jerusalem. At that moment He was entering hostile territory to complete the redemptive plan for His people. Likewise, the multitudes that had adorned white robes, are waving their palm branches in completion of that redemptive plan.

And they cried out in a loud voice:
“Salvation belongs to our God,
who sits on the throne,
and to the Lamb.”

Revelation 7:10 (NIV)

The angels and the elders joined in with the multitude as they worshipped the Ancient of days who sits on the throne. Then one of the elders asked John about the people before them, the ones who were wearing white robes. Perhaps John could not remember the events shown to him at the opening of the fifth seal as the answer to the elder’s question had already been revealed to him. When he saw the altar that had beneath it the souls of those who had been slain because of the word of God he also heard the voice of the people call out to God asking,

“How long, Sovereign Lord, holy and true, until you judge the inhabitants of the earth and avenge our blood?”

Then each of them was given a white robe, and they were told to wait a little longer, until the full number of their fellow servants, their brothers and sisters, were killed just as they had been.

Revelation 6:10-11 (NIV)

The elder enlightened John that the multitudes of people wearing the white robes were the ones who had come out of great tribulation and had washed their robes in the purest blood of the Slain Lamb. They simply worshipped God day and night leaving the worries behind as they now could take refuge under the wings of the One who sits on the throne.

‘Never again will they hunger;
never again will they thirst.
The sun will not beat down on them,’
nor any scorching heat.
For the Lamb at the center of the throne
will be their shepherd;
‘he will lead them to springs of living water.’
‘And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes.

Revelation 7:16-17 (NIV)

It is debated whether the events described at the opening of the first six seals have already occurred or if are they only a prophecy for a later date. Conquests initiated by selfish rules, the loss of peace in the world, rationing of resources, death due to plagues, and martyrdom for one’s faith seem to be an everyday occurrence.

So while some of the things mentioned in this book might have already occurred or are occurring in a cyclical manner, it is imperative to remember that our Salvation has already been purchased on our behalf by the Slain Lamb. Witnessing God’s plan unfold will only enhance our faith if we are also in it. We must strive towards making ourselves worthy of that redemptive plan as we march forward in the footsteps of the slain Lamb, preserving our faith.

Discussion Questions

1. What or who are the four winds and why are the angels holding them back?
2. What is the seal of the living God and is it to be put on the foreheads of only the twelve tribes of Israel?
3. Why is the Elder asking John questions?
4. Have few of the events described in this chapter already occurred or is it a prophecy for a later date?