Revelation 7: 1-8
The first six seals are opened in Rev., chap. 6. The seventh and last seal is opened in 8:1. John uses chap. 7 as a sort of interlude to answer the question posed at the end of chap. 6: “Who is able to stand?” The question is asked in reference to God’s coming wrath.
John tells us that before universal destruction comes from the four winds of destruction held back by four of God’s angels (Rev, 7: 1), God will seal His servants upon their foreheads for protection during those final events. This sealing is reminiscent of the blood markings on the door which protected against the Egyptian plagues (Exodus 12: 21-23). Also, I think of those who were marked for protection against the ordained slaughter in Jerusalem (Ezekiel 9: 1-7).
Who does the sealing and what is the seal? The sealing is done by the angel that John sees ascending from the east (Rev. 7: 2). In the angel’s hand is God’s seal, the 4th Commandment. It will be used to mark the saints who are settled into and can’t be shaken loose from any of God’s Ten Commandments before and after probation closes.
(Befoe probation, there will be persecution and a death decree issued for all who don’t accept the mark of the beast. After probation, the four destructive winds will blow (Satan’s full fury); the seven trumpet’s will sound; and the seven bowls of God’s wrath will be poured out.)
However, this end-time sealing that John speaks of doesn’t shield against the beast’s wrath of persecution that happens before probation closes. It is after that “final test” that the faithful saints – who patiently keep all God’s Commandments, and in particular the 4th one – will be sealed. They, then, will be safely brought through, not only the events depicted by the seven trumpets, but God’s judgment upon the wicked with the seven plagues of Rev. 16.
John hears that the number of the sealed is 144, 000. The number is derived from each tribe of Israel that’s listed in verses 5-8. A popular belief views this group as literal, ethnic Jews. But it can’t be because the twelve tribes no longer exist.
Northern Israel’s ten tribes, after being conquered by Assyria in the 8th century B.C. (2 Kings 17: 5, 6), were deported and scattered among the Middle East nations. Later in the fifth century B.C., the remaining two tribes, Judah and Benjamin (Benjamin later absorbed by Judah) were taken captive by and deported to Babylon. As a result of assimilation into those nations and of intermingling among themselves, the ten tribes disappeared from history. So did the tribe of Benjamin.
So John wasn’t being literal with his list of the twelve tribes. That further proves to be true by the fact that his list includes the tribe of Joseph. The Old Testament doesn’t list a tribe of Joseph. So except for Judah, whom most of its captives returned, the twelve tribes no longer exist,
As for the 144,000 being called the sons of Israel, John uses the term in the same symbolic sense as his fellow apostles. James had called the New Testament church the “twelve tribes” (James 1: 1). Paul called Christians “Abraham’s seed and heirs of the promises of God (Galatians 3: 29).
To me, these are titles – “twelve tribes” and “seed” – that are applied to all Christians. Another title applied to a group, even when they weren’t all together in a specific situation is the 12 (Apostles). In like manner, do I see the number 144,000 as a title; but for not all Christians, but definitely applied to a very small number of believers.
Furthermore, Paul said “They are not all Israel who are descended from Israel” (Romans 9: 6-8). In other words, all who are in Jesus constitute a new Israel – spiritual Israel – as God’s people. So again, John wasn’t being literal with his 12 tribe listing.
The 144,000 are saints – the same as all other of God’s faithful servants. However, they do possess an added attribute. They will not accept a counterfeit Sabbath. For they will be sealed in the forehead by the seal of the living God. They will be the ones with a loud cry, preaching God’s end-time and last warning about the Gospel and the mark of the beast.
More on the seal of the living God:
We know that God is the one and only ruling king of the universe. So when He makes a decree or issues a document; like all the kings of the Bible and the leaders of today’s world, those decrees or issued documents contain a seal showing by whose authority the decree or document is submitted.
It is no different with God, who has has decreed and put into a document made of stone, the Ten Commandments.
Right in the heart of those commandments is the Seal of the living God. For in the 4th Commandment are three elements found in the seal of any leader’s orders: the name; the authority; and the territory. For instance, here in America, written mandates issued by the country’s leader would have stamped as its seal of authority, the person’s name; authority (President); and territory (United States).
The 4th Commandment contains the stamped seal of God. In it we learn that the Lawgiver’s name is LORD THY GOD; His authority is MADE (Creator); and that His territory is THE HEAVENS AND THE EARTH, THE SEA, AND ALL THAT IN THEM IS.
This then is the sealing of the saints that is taking place even now. For added to the keeping of the other nine Commandments, it is by heart and mind, permanently settling into the truth of the 4th Commandment that the saints are sealed by God.
Simply put, they are the 144,000 who will be sealed; providing the answer to Rev. 6’s ending question: Who will be able to stand?”.
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There’s more. Read an earlier article I wrote – Who Are The 144,000? Click here.