Revelation Chapter 7 - John Karmelich

1. This lesson is called, "Who's who in heaven". I also call it "Preservation". More on this later.

a) The good news about this lesson is we take a break from the earth's destruction.

b) The even better news about this lesson is nobody gets killed. ☺

c) The focus of this lesson is not on earth, but in heaven.

d) If you recall, John the writer of Revelation is standing in heaven. He's been there since Chapter 4 and he won't move until the end of the book. John goes back and forth between describing what is happening in heaven and what is happening on earth.

e) Chapter 7 focuses on the scene in heaven. We get back to earth destruction in Chapter 8.

2. Chapter 7 focuses on different groups that are saved. Thus the title, "who's who in heaven".

a) Let's face it, if we are going to heaven, we're going to be there a long time. We might as well get to know our new neighbors. ☺ We'll be living next to them for a good while!

b) A related issue to this lesson is "why" are these people saved. With all of this earth judgment and death happening in the surrounding chapters, some natural questions arise: Is anybody going to heaven during this process? If they are saved, who are they?

i) In the last lesson, my title was "last call". My view of Revelation is that it is a futuristic single time span where God is giving a "last call" to get saved before He winds up the salvation offer program. Others see the Revelation judgment is spanning human history since Jesus. In this view, the last 2,000 years (since Jesus) as one-big "last call for salvation" time frame before His second coming.

ii) In both views, Christians agree that some people get saved and some do not. The issue of this lesson is just "who" gets saved. Are they just "anybody" who accepts Jesus? What about people who accept Jesus prior to this tribulation? Do they get any special bonus privileges? ☺ What about the Jewish people? Do any religious Jews get saved during this time frame?

3. OK John, I have enough problems with my life right now. Why should I care who will be next to me in heaven? Can't we just have a "meet your new neighbor" party when we get there? ☺

a) One reason to know who is in heaven is to understand the nature of God. For example, we get a lot of Jewish people singled out in this lesson. We don't know why they are chosen, but they are chosen. The point is a lot of Jewish people get saved in this chapter.

b) Understand that despite all the bad things that happen during this "Great Tribulation" period, some positive comes out of it as well. We will read of multitudes of people getting saved. These people may have had to suffering during this specific time era, but that is nothing as compared to the reward of eternal salvation.

c) Another application is about never giving up praying for our unsaved friends. We as Christians have a tendency to give up on people too easily. We think those around us "don't get it" and will never be saved. God doesn't write people off as easily. I'm convinced we're all going to be shocked who is and who is not in heaven one day. When there is tremendous pressure, that is when you find out who is really trusting in God and who is not. Let's face it, the "Great Tribulation" sounds like a pressure-cooker block of time. ☺ This chapter speaks of "innumerable multitudes" being saved in this time frame.

i) This chapter is full of people who come out of the tribulation. With that said, never stop praying for the unsaved person on your heart. I believe God designed this unknown block of time just so we would keep praying for them.

ii) Pray to God to open their heart to the truth. It may not happen in our lifetime, but there may come a day, especially when "tribulation" comes, that our prayers maybe answered and that person commits their life to serving Jesus.

4. It's time to summarize the chapter:

a) John is in heaven. In the last chapter, John was looking "back and forth" between two separate locations: The first location he was watching was at heaven. In particular, John was looking at Jesus taking off seven seals of a scroll. After each seal is taken off, John then looks at "location #2" which is the plant earth. Six seals are removed in Chapter 6. There are also six "visions" focusing on planet earth. In summary, much of the earth is judged and punished. There is lots of war, famine and death mentioned in Chapter 6.

b) What is important to mention is the seventh and final seal is not removed in Chapter 6.

c) Chapter 7 is a "break" from the seal-removal and earth judgment process.

d) Chapter 7 focuses on what is happening in heaven during this time.

e) One has to remember that heaven is a "timeless" place. God is not someone with lots of time on His hands. God is someone who exists outside of time as we know it. Therefore, one has to read the heaven passages in context of a timeless location.

i) In other words, Chapter 6 is chronological, and is also an overview sweep of the "Great Tribulation". The next few chapters coming up give us more details of what is happening on earth during this time frame.

f) Chapter 7 is a break from the earth action and discusses who is in heaven.

i) Among the "who" is of course, references to God the Father and Jesus the Son.

ii) There are references to angels.

iii) There are references to the 24 "elders" as discussed in Chapter 4.

g) The chapter focuses on two new groups in heaven. Both are important and both are saved for eternity. They are only new to John, who is the one describing the action in all of the visions of Revelation.

i) The first new group is a 144,000 "Jewish Christians" for a lack of a better term. They are people from Jewish backgrounds who are called by God to be His witnesses. We'll spend a good amount of time discussing this group in this lesson.

ii) The second new group is those who are saved out of this Great Tribulation. It consists of an innumerable multitude. The text says they come from all nations. Again, we'll discuss the "who, what, when and why" of this group in this lesson.

h) The last half of the chapter has both of these groups praising God. The other "groups" in heaven, the ones discussed in earlier chapters, join in the action and also praise God. This includes the 24 elders, the four "creatures" and the angels in heaven.

5. Chapter 7 is full of word pictures that don't have any explanations. In order to discern what they mean, first, we need to discuss a few bible study methodology rules. In other words, this chapter is full of strange stuff and the chapter spends very little, if any time explaining what it means.

a) In order to understand the meaning of the symbols of this book, one has to know their "bible study methodology" rules. For example:

i) 1) Try to read the text in context of the surrounding verses.

ii) 2) Look elsewhere in Revelation to cross references to the same "characters".

iii) 3) Look elsewhere in John's writings for clues. John also wrote the Gospel of John, 1st, 2nd and 3rd John. For example, if John used the word "elder" elsewhere in his writings, the same word should have a consistent use here in Revelation.

iv) 4) We look elsewhere in the bible. One of the keys to understanding the bible is that the word-pictures used are fairly consistent from book to book. For example, Chapter 4 mentioned a "rainbow". Well, the only other rainbow discussed in the bible is the one after the Noah's ark story. Therefore, we look elsewhere in the bible for clues as to how to interpret a verse or a phrase.

b) Using these rules, one can get a "most likely" explanation of the text. Revelation has lots of word-pictures. Yes, there are some things to take literally and one can go too far with word pictures. The secret to understanding Revelation is to cross-reference those word-pictures to other parts of the bible.

6. Now the important question: Why is Chapter 7 here?

a) Here was God "busy" causing destruction and havoc on the earth in Chapter 6. ☺

b) We read of wars, famine, and death in Chapter 6. The action continues in Chapter 8.

c) Yet, Chapter 7 gives a chapter long interruption to tell us who is in heaven.

d) Remember, when we are stuck on a bible question, the first thing to consider is the context. Look at the surrounding verses. That often gives the context of the issue at hand.

e) I say that because the answer to the "why" question is the last two verses of Chapter 6:

i) "They (nonbelievers on earth) called to the mountains and the rocks, "Fall on us and hide us from the face of him who sits on the throne and from the wrath of the Lamb! For the great day of their wrath has come, and who can stand?"

ii) In other words, those on the earth somehow knew that God was judging them and causing all of this havoc. The last phrase of the last verse of Chapter 6 ends with the phrase "who can stand"? In other words, the people of the earth are wondering can anyone survive all this "stuff" happening on earth?

iii) The answer is yes. The answer is Chapter 7. Chapter 7 gives two specific groups that do survive (at least in terms of eternal life in heaven) from this time era.

iv) Therefore, one needs to see Chapter 7 as God answering the question posed at the end of Chapter 6 that says, "Who can stand"? It is God giving the reader of Revelation an opportunity to be saved! It is saying one can have salvation and be part of those in heaven if one is willing to ask Jesus for the forgiveness of sins.

v) That the key point to this chapter!

f) Getting back to the title of this lesson, "Who's who in heaven", a purpose of the chapter is to offer hope to those going through the Great Tribulation. It is to let those living in the Tribulation that it is not too late to be saved. Yes, they have to go through this period and may die during this time frame, but death in this life means "life" in the next life.

i) Jesus said, "Whoever finds his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it." (Matthew 10:39 NIV). That will literally come true during the Great Tribulation.

ii) The application to you and I today is despite "whatever" is going on around us, we need to have that eternal perspective that we do live forever. There is a hope and a joy that is far greater than whatever "tribulation" we have in this lifetime.

g) On that positive note, we can start Chapter 7.

7. Chapter 7, Verse 1: After this I saw four angels standing at the four corners of the earth, holding back the four winds of the earth to prevent any wind from blowing on the land or on the sea or on any tree.

a) Hey John, I thought you said Chapter 7 focuses on what is happening in heaven? Here we are describing "earth-stuff" again. The key is the first words of Verse 3. It says, "Do not harm the land or the sea or the trees until". Chapter 7 is a "pause" in the earth-judgment process until this "until" is completed. The "until" happens in Chapter 8.

b) In other words, these angels are about to do some "damage" to the earth, sea and trees.

i) God is saying in effect, "Whoa there boys; ☺ don't start the show until I, God preserve some specific people to be saved."

c) Now that I have the perspective of Verse 1 explained, it is time to talk about the verse itself. The verse starts by saying there are four angels at the four corners of the earth.

i) As I stated, Revelation works in word-pictures. Obviously, the earth does not have four corners. This is a poetic way of saying the entire world is affected.

ii) If one stands on the earth anywhere, the wind can blow from (essentially) one of four directions (i.e., north, east, south or west). The idea of holding back "the four winds" is to say no wind is blowing from any of the four classical directions.

iii) To understand Verse 1, all one has to do is look at Verse 3: God says to not harm the land, sea or trees until God "preserves" those who are called to salvation.

d) So why single out the land, sea and trees? Visualize a strong, hurricane-like wind blowing: It causes high waves to blow in the seas and cause damage to any ships. It destroys man made structures and it knocks over trees.

i) Some take these word pictures a bit further. One can read the bible and know that the "land" is a focus on the Promised Land. Therefore, the "land" refers to the nation of Israel and the Jewish people. Later in Revelation, the "sea" is often a word picture for the rest of the world, or the Gentile (a.k.a., non-Jewish) people. (See Revelation 17:15). The word "tree" is often associated with leaders over the people. Just as trees are the tallest of the plant life, many see "trees" as references to the great leaders of the world. (Examples: Judges Chapter 9, Daniel 4)

e) This is the first of many examples in Revelation 7 where we have some information given, but no significant information given as to "why". In other words, we don't know exactly know why God used this "four wind" picture to harm land, sea and trees, other than the direct information on the text. One has to use "bible rules" to properly interpret the text, which includes looking elsewhere in Revelation and then looking elsewhere in the bible.

f) I believe God wants us to focus on what is written versus what is not written. What is written is that there is no "winds (of judgment)" until certain people are saved.

i) The application has to do with God's perfect knowledge. If God knows all things, God knows who is saved for eternity. We may not know, but God does. Therefore, God says, "You, you, and you over there" are going to be saved for eternity despite all of the horrible things that happen". If you recall, I also call this chapter "Preservation". It is about those who are preserved during this time era.

ii) Is God being fair? After all, God is not picking everyone out to be saved. The short answer is we are not God and we as humans, with our limited knowledge, can't answer that question. The short answer is to "get saved" and then know, from God's perspective that He "already knew" you were saved!

8. Verse 2: Then I saw another angel coming up from the east, having the seal of the living God. He called out in a loud voice to the four angels who had been given power to harm the land and the sea: ³ "Do not harm the land or the sea or the trees until we put a seal on the foreheads of the servants of our God."

a) In Verse 1, we had four angels "holding back the wind".

b) In Verse 2, we have another angel with the power to put "God's seal" on those who are saved. This 5th angel says to Angels #1-#4 in effect, "Hold your horses there cowboys, let me go brand my saved cattle before you stampede them all around the place". ☺

c) Let's talk about angels for a moment. The word "angel" means, "messenger". In other words, they are sent by God to go perform certain tasks. I get the impression that, for example, there are not selected angels with the specific power to stop the wind. It is God and God alone who can control the wind and then, at this specific moment in time, God "channels" that power through angels in order for God to accomplish His mission.

d) If you recall, Jesus was on a boat in a windstorm with His disciples. Jesus "rebuked" the wind and then it got calm (Ref: Mark 4:39, Luke 8:24). Does that mean Satan is granted the power to control the wind at times? It appears so, based on these verses. It doesn't mean every windstorm is demonic or God inspired. It does mean God is in control of all things and God "allows" certain things to occur, ultimately for His own glory.

e) Remember that this "show" is being done for John-the-writer's understanding as well as your understanding and my understanding. God could have just "done" all of this judgment and preserved people through the Tribulation without having to explain it all.

i) Remember the title of this book is "Revelation". It is the same root word as "revealing". The idea is God is revealing His game plan to us. God is letting us know that a big, bad destruction is going to happen to the world, and that certain people do get saved through the process.

f) Back to the word-pictures of Verse 2: We have "An angel coming up out of the east".

i) Why the "east"? The logical answer is to think of what else comes up out of the east: The sun. No matter where you are on the earth, the sun rises from the east. (Except the north and south poles for all of you geography buffs. ☺ )

ii) When we think of a sunrise, we think of a "new day". It is a word picture of hope. It is the "light shining in the darkness". Despite all of the misery that is happening on the earth, there is a "new day" for those who are saved.

iii) That is why (in my opinion), it is mentioned that this "5th angel" is described as "coming up from the east". Again, the exact reason for "the east" is not given.

g) The main idea of Verse 3 is this 5th angel yells out to the other four angels to not start the destructive wind process until those who are "sealed" by God, well, actually get sealed.

i) I should point out the word "destructive" is not in the text. The text just says the "winds" are held back by the four angels until this "sealing" process is done. It is logical to assume that these winds refer to destructive winds, given all of the destructive-judgment that takes place in the previous chapter and the next chapter. Remember, a key to interpreting Revelation is to read it in context.

h) OK, time to discuss "sealing". What does that mean?

i) The word picture would be like God "branding" cattle (i.e., people) that are His. Only is this case, the brand is not visible and does not hurt when applied. ☺

ii) At major sporting events or amusement parks, when one wants to exit that place and come back later, one often gets their hand stamp with an "invisible" mark. When that mark is shown under an ultraviolet light (or "black light"), the mark is visible. That is the closest illustration I can think of to describe this sealing. God puts a mark on people that only He can see.

iii) The only difference is God's mark does not wash off. ☺

i) Since we're discussing "sealing", we should ask, "How do we really know we are saved?"

i) My favorite answer is "That if you confess with your mouth, "Jesus is Lord," and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved." (Romans 10:9 NIV). It is that simple act that causes one to be saved.

ii) Notice this verse doesn't say anything about how "loud" you yell out Jesus is Lord. There is nothing about how often you go to church or how much you sin in your life. Grant it, other things are "signs" that one truly believes Jesus is God, but the simple act of believing itself is what counts.

a) The proof of one's salvation is how one acts after they are saved. Salvation comes from faith. The proof of one's salvation is how one acts after they are saved.

iii) The point is if one simply says or thinks Jesus is Lord and believes it, and believes God raised Jesus from the dead, one is saved, period. At that moment in time, God "seals" us for eternal salvation. As long as one believes that, one is saved.

a) What about periods of doubts? All Christians go through that. It is not encouraged, but it happens, especially during difficult times. I find that when the moment counts, even during those times of doubts, we still hold true to these facts and are eternally saved and secured.

b) One can spend a lot of time on the debate of "eternal security". The simple answer is as long as one believes those two things (Jesus is Lord and God raised Jesus from the dead) then one is eternally secured.

iv) When we get to chapter 13, we'll get to the famous "seal of the antichrist" which is the "666" number. My point here is that Satan "imitates" God. Just as God as His permanent seal on those who are saved, Satan puts his own seal, which is called "the mark of the beast" on those who declare their allegiance to Him.

9. Verse 4: Then I heard the number of those who were sealed: 144,000 from all the tribes of Israel. ⁵ From the tribe of Judah 12,000 were sealed, from the tribe of Reuben 12,000, from the tribe of Gad 12,000, ⁶ from the tribe of Asher 12,000, from the tribe of Naphtali 12,000, from the tribe of Manasseh 12,000, ⁷ from the tribe of Simeon 12,000, from the tribe of Levi 12,000, from the tribe of Issachar 12,000, ⁸ from the tribe of Zebulun 12,000, from the tribe of Joseph 12,000, from the tribe of Benjamin 12,000.

a) In Verses 4 through 8, we now get to the first of two "groups" that are sealed through this Great Tribulation period. (By the way, we'll get into that expression, "The Great Tribulation" later in this lesson, as it is specifically used in Verse 14 of Chapter 7).

b) Let me start by using my favorite illustration to describe the 12 tribes of Israel: Suppose there was one man named the "United States of America". Let's call him "Mr. USA" for short. Let's suppose God told Mr. USA that he was going to have 50 sons and he would also inherit a piece of real estate that is now the United States. Each of his 50 sons were allotted an area within this territory and the total territory is what belongs to the 50 sons. Each of the descendants of the 50 sons then lived in their respective territory.

i) Let me continue by saying after a few generations, the descendants intermarried and not all descendants of "Mr. California" lived in California. It eventually got to a point where even though there is a territory of "California", not all the residents of California are the descendants of "Mr. California".

ii) This crude illustration is how the nation of "Israel" eventually existed. God promised Abraham that the land, we know as Israel belonged to his descendants. Abraham's grandson was Jacob. Jacob had 12 sons. Those 12 sons were the 12 tribes of Israel. Each had their own "territory" many generations later when their descendants divided up the land. Eventually, the residents intermingled, but the names of the territories (similar to the American "states") where still named after one of their 12 ancestors.

iii) By the way, the ancestral records of the Jewish people were lost when the Jewish Temple was destroyed in 70AD. With the exception of some Levi families, the Jewish people today do not know what tribe they originally come from.

iv) Now let me get back to "Mr. United States of America". Suppose he only had 49 sons and one of them was named "Dakota". Mr. Dakota had two sons named, "North Dakota and "South Dakota". Mr. USA then says to daddy-Dakota, I'm going to adopt your two sons as my own "instead of you". Your two sons will have equal stature along with the 49 brothers of daddy-Dakota". That way, instead of having 49 sons, I now have "an even 50" when I divi