Now we have arrived at the final sealing of God’s elect. In the previous chapter, we were given the first 6 seals on the book given to the Lamb to open sequentially. Each of these seals was a bit of knowledge that the servants of our God are to possess before the arrival of Antichrist. Though the 7000 predestinated elect would be born in this final generation to receive and teach this knowledge, the 144,000, about whom we will read in this chapter, have also shown themselves faithful enough, in the flesh, to be given this understanding and make a stand against Antichrist, during the Tribulation. After this Seal of God is placed in God’s elect, they are protected from receiving the Mark of the Beast because they will not be able to be deceived into worshiping Antichrist. Aside from the 144,000, who belong to the tribes of Israel all over the earth, there are also elect that God has put into the other races of the world, called kings of the ethnos. Anyone who has not been sealed will worship Antichrist and the beast system, and they will receive the Mark of the Beast.

(Rev 7:1) And after these things I saw four angels standing on the four corners of the earth, holding the four winds of the earth, that the wind should not blow on the earth, nor on the sea, nor on any tree.

These four angels holding back the four winds are the four archangels, who are basically the generals of God’s army of His elect in Heaven. They are holding back the four winds (or spirits), the chief angels of satan, about which we will read in Revelation 9:14-15.

On another level, on the flip side, this verse may additionally be telling us that, by the time Antichrist arrives, all of the souls in Heaven will have been born in the flesh. The wind here often represents the breath of life, while the sea represents the people of the earth, and trees represent people as well. Each soul receives one chance to live and die on earth, as we are told in Hebrews 9:27 (including those who have died in the womb), and this chance is to see what that person will do with their flesh life, choose God or satan, by default.

The hypothesis is that, because when Antichrist is on earth, the world will expect a dawning of a new age because they will think that the Messiah has returned, and so they will not think it strange for there to be no more pregnancies. And for most of those of us who know better, it would make sense that all souls would be born by then because those who are not sealed by the time Antichrist arrives are too late to be sealed anyway, and therefore, they would not have a chance to be sealed or to hear the Gospel in their lives. In the second half of the Tribulation, the half in which Antichrist is here, there will be a famine for hearing the Word of God, according to Amos 8–the world shall seek it, but not be able to find it and be fed this Bread of Life.

(Rev 7:2) And I saw another angel ascending from the east, having the seal of the living God: and he cried with a loud voice to the four angels, to whom it was given to hurt the earth and the sea,

(Rev 7:3) Saying, Hurt not the earth, neither the sea, nor the trees, till we have sealed the servants of our God in their foreheads.

These four chief demons of satan are told to wait until God’s servants are sealed for protection before they torment those on earth. They are allowed only to torment those who have the Mark of the Beast, as we are told in Revelation 9.

(Rev 7:4) And I heard the number of them which were sealed: and there were sealed an hundred and forty and four thousand of all the tribes of the children of Israel.

At this point, since these four winds are being held back, the sealing will now take place. And as far as the sealing of the 144,000, there will be an equal share of those from each tribe, 12,000. However, you will notice that there is no mention of Dan because they were removed from this inheritance, in this earth age, due to idolatry. In Dan’s place, Joseph’s inheritance was split in two with his sons Manasseh and Ephraim. In these verses, Ephraim is listed as Joseph, while Manasseh was listed separately. Dan will once again be returned to its position and blessing during the Millennium, as we read in Ezekiel 48.

(Rev 7:5) Of the tribe of Juda were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Reuben were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Gad were sealed twelve thousand.

(Rev 7:6) Of the tribe of Aser were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Nepthalim were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Manasses were sealed twelve thousand.

(Rev 7:7) Of the tribe of Simeon were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Levi were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Issachar were sealed twelve thousand.

(Rev 7:8) Of the tribe of Zabulon were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Joseph were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Benjamin were sealed twelve thousand.

This was the sealing of the 12 tribes of Israel who have been scattered all over the earth and, along with the 7000, are the most faithful Christians on earth.

(Rev 7:9) After this I beheld, and, lo, a great multitude, which no man could number, of all nations, and kindreds, and people, and tongues, stood before the throne, and before the Lamb, clothed with white robes, and palms in their hands;

After the sealing, John saw a vision, that took place after the Tribulation, in which there was a great magnitude of people surrounding the throne of Christ, and they were all wearing white robes and had palms in their hands. The white robes of these saints are made up of the righteous works of each person (Revelation 19:7-8), while the palms are fronds from the date palm tree, or phoinix in the Greek. The date palm represents eternal life, as these trees can be used for a great multitude of life-sustaining purposes, and are very important throughout the Bible.

(Rev 7:10) And cried with a loud voice, saying, Salvation to our God which sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb.

(Rev 7:11) And all the angels stood round about the throne, and about the elders and the four beasts, and fell before the throne on their faces, and worshipped God,

(Rev 7:12) Saying, Amen: Blessing, and glory, and wisdom, and thanksgiving, and honour, and power, and might, be unto our God for ever and ever. Amen.

These most faithful saints are completely content in praising the Lord by the seven spirits, blessing, glory, wisdom, thanksgiving, honor, power and might, about which we learned in Revelation 5.

(Rev 7:13) And one of the elders answered, saying unto me, What are these which are arrayed in white robes? and whence came they?

(Rev 7:14) And I said unto him, Sir, thou knowest. And he said to me, These are they which came out of great tribulation, and have washed their robes, and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.

This angel told John that these 144,000, along with the rest of the saints, are those who went through the Great Tribulation, and by the blood of Christ, they washed their robes, or righteous acts clean.

(Rev 7:15) Therefore are they before the throne of God, and serve him day and night in his temple: and he that sitteth on the throne shall dwell among them.

(Rev 7:16) They shall hunger no more, neither thirst any more; neither shall the sun light on them, nor any heat.

They will never be hungry for the Lord, the Word of God, because, from the beginning of the Millennium on, they will serve Him personally serve Him in His temple, and they will never suffer any trials or tribulation again.

(Rev 7:17) For the Lamb which is in the midst of the throne shall feed them, and shall lead them unto living fountains of waters: and God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes.

They will receive eternal spiritual, incorruptible bodies at the time Jesus returns, after the Tribulation, and they will drink from the Living Water that flows from Jesus, which ensures they will never suffer again.

How badly would you like to be in this position of the 144,000? Well, no matter who you are, if you are counted among His most faithful, and are this sealed by God, you will receive these blessings and be with Jesus from the time He returns and forever.

God bless.