Revelation 7:1-8 (NKJV) After these things, I saw four angels standing at the four corners of the earth, holding the four winds of the earth, so that the wind should not blow on the earth, on the sea, or on any tree. 2 Then 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 granted to harm the earth and the sea, 3 saying, “Do not harm the earth, the sea, or the trees till we have sealed the servants of our God on their foreheads.” 4 And I heard the number of those who were sealed. One hundred and forty-four thousand of all the tribes of the children of Israel were sealed:
5 of the tribe of Judah twelve thousand were sealed;
of the tribe of Reuben twelve thousand were sealed;
of the tribe of Gad twelve thousand were sealed;
6 of the tribe of Asher twelve thousand were sealed;
of the tribe of Naphtali twelve thousand were sealed;
of the tribe of Manasseh twelve thousand were sealed;
7 of the tribe of Simeon twelve thousand were sealed;
of the tribe of Levi twelve thousand were sealed;
of the tribe of Issachar twelve thousand were sealed;
8 of the tribe of Zebulun twelve thousand were sealed;
of the tribe of Joseph twelve thousand were sealed;
of the tribe of Benjamin twelve thousand were sealed.
V1 “After these things, I saw four angels standing at the four corners of the earth, holding the four winds of the earth, so that the wind should not blow on the earth, on the sea, or on any tree.” The 4 angels are holy angels to whom had been given a special assignment. The four corners of the earth are north, south, east, and west. The wind is stopped, which will cause significant atmospheric problems.
Dr. Henry Morris (Defender’s Study Bible) writes: “Four winds of the earth. The angels are seen as controlling the four winds; thus, one is probably at each pole, the other two at opposite ends of some key equatorial diameter, restraining the winds which control the great atmospheric circulation. These winds are normally driven by the sun’s heat and Earth’s rotation, so to keep them from blowing at all would require tremendous power. This gives a slight insight into the excelling strength of God’s holy angels (Psalm 103:20). Since the atmospheric circulation is essential for continental rains, the angels will have been restraining them ever since God’s two witnesses called for no rain on the Earth at the beginning of the tribulation (Revelation 11:6).”
V2 “Then 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 granted to harm the Earth and the sea…” The seal signifies God’s ownership for his servants. It is more of a seal on the heart (the redeemed soul). This angel spoke in a loud voice to the four angels who were to harm the Earth and the sea to wait a brief time until God’s servants are sealed.
Bible Knowledge Commentary: “The seal on their foreheads symbolizes protection and ownership and God’s intention to protect the 12 tribes that are mentioned, much as He protected Noah from the Flood, Israel from the plagues of Egypt, and Rahab and her household in Jericho.”
V3 “…saying, “Do not harm the Earth, the sea, or the trees till we have sealed the servants of our God on their foreheads.” These are sealed with God’s seal. Satan also has a seal (Revelation 13:16-17 and Revelation 14:9-11). Those sealed of God belong to God. Those sealed of satan belong to satan. If any refuses the seal (mark) of satan, brings the death penalty from the antiChrist (Revelation 13:14-17).
V4 “And I heard the number of those who were sealed. One hundred and forty-four thousand of all the tribes of the children of Israel were sealed:” Why 144,000? I don’t know, but God does, who does choose and seal as in 1 Kings 19:18 (Romans 11:4).
It is a literal number, not symbolic or generalized. Keathley in his commentary on Revelation writes “J. A. Seiss wrote: Nor is there a vice or device of sacred hermeneutics, which so beclouds the Scriptures, and so unsettles the faith of men, as this constant attempt to read Church for Israel, and Christian people for Jewish tribes. As I read the Bible, when God says “children of Israel,” I do not understand Him to mean any but people of Jewish blood, be they Christians or not; and when He speaks of the twelve tribes of the sons of Jacob, and gives the names of the tribes, it is impossible for me to believe that He means the Gentiles, in any sense or degree, whether they be believers or not. [Note: J. A. Seiss, The Apocalypse, Zondervan, Grand Rapids1865, I, pp. 405-6.]”
V5-8
These are specific Israeli tribes, named and numbered. There is no reason to invent some scheme to wrench and twist the plain sense. Keathley writes: “Revelation 14:4 teaches us that the 144,000 are those “who are purchased from among men (redeemed) as first fruits to God and to the Lamb.” This means they are the first converts after the Tribulation begins. They are saved at the beginning of the Tribulation. But the four trumpet judgments occur much later, at least in the first part of the second half of the Tribulation. So again, the four winds refer to the impending judgments of the Tribulation in general, pictured here as temporarily restrained.”
We learn:
- God can choose
- God can commission to service
- God can protect