CHAPTER SEVEN

In chapter 7 we are no longer dealing with the awful judgments that are being poured out upon this old sinful world, but rather with some of our Lord’s own people who are to be protected, and, I believe, used of the Lord during this terrible time. Certainly we today need protection in these awful times in which we live. Danger lurks all about us, even in our own homes. And the Christian who goes out on the streets and highways where danger flies at an awful speed should always be careful to place his, or her safety and well-being in the hands of Him who alone is able to protect. But this protection should be sought only on the grounds that we may be used of Him, and to His glory. This applies to the father and the mother, the son and the daughter as well as to the preacher and the teacher. May we not be afflicted with the damaging idea that in order for us to do anything to our Lord’s glory it must be some kind of church work. “Whether therefore ye eat, or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God.I Corinthians 10:31.

The dangers, both physical and spiritual, that will be confronting to 144,000 sealed Jews are so great and so terrible that we, the poor finite creatures that we are, cannot comprehend them. Neither do we comprehend the spiritual dangers that assail us and our children today. These dangers are so real and so numerous. And no longer do we have to go to an apostate church in order to be exposed to all the devil’s doctrines. They come into our homes today as Christ came into the house where His disciples were with the doors closed. With all their good features the television and the radio have become the greatest curse of the century to our children, and to their parents. Many people who would not dare be seen going in a movie will spend hours looking at their favorite programs most of which are the same identical filth they would see in the movie. The time was when parents had some chance of keeping their children away from heretical preaching and vulgar movies, but that time has gone. The time has come when the God fearing parent’s only recourse is the Lord of glory who is still able to protect us.

Now, may we turn our attention to the Scriptures before us. In times past I held to the view that the 144,000 will be sealed at the beginning of the seven years of tribulation, but verse 1 of this chapter seems to refute that idea. Here we read “After these things I saw” “These things” here can only mean the opening of the first six seals in chapter 6 which as we saw in verse 15 has run the people into the dens and the rocks, crying not for mercy, but to be hid. It would appear that with the casting down to the earth of old Satan and his angels in 12:9 the real tribulation begins. In verse 14 of chapter 12 I see reason to believe that this takes place in the middle of the seven years. So, it may well be that the sealing of the 144,000 takes place just before old Satan in all his fury is cast down.

John saw four angels standing on the four corners of the earth. There have been people who refused to believe that the earth is round because of this statement. This, however, is symbolic language. It simply means that the four angels are in commanding positions around the earth. They are holding the four winds. If we turn to Daniel 7:2 we find that Daniel saw these four winds striving upon the great sea. The “sea” in Scripture speaks of chaotic conditions among the multitudes, peoples, nations, and tongues, Revelation 17:15. As a result of the four winds striving upon the great sea we see the four terrible beasts which represent the four great Gentile world powers coming into view. Then in Revelation 13:1 John saw the first “beast rise up out of the sea”. This simply means that this beastly man comes into power as a result of chaotic conditions among the people of the earth. In Daniel 11:21 we see that this beast comes in peaceably and obtains the kingdom by flattery, and how people do like to be flattered in our day. So we might say these four winds indicate providential agencies working upon the minds of the people. The fifth angel is seen coming up out of the east. He bears the seal of the living God, and he tells the four angels to hold back the four winds until the servants of God, the 144,000 have been sealed. This “seal” (Greek SPHRAGIZO) means an emblem of ownership and security. In the days of the open range out west each cattleman had his brand, or seal which he put upon his cattle in order that everyone might know they were his. This brand meant that these cattle were under the protection of their owner. So in the case of the 144,000. This seal is to show to all that these people belong to the living God. We would not be dogmatic as to what this seal is to be, but it appears to me that it is the name of their owner written in, or on their foreheads, Revelation 14:1.

There is so much heretical teaching in the world today as to who these 144,000 are. You have, no doubt, seen people who were trying to be one of the 144,000 when they were no more a Jew than a swamp rabbit is a sheep. Of course I am familiar with the fact that Herbert Armstrong and his deluded followers have found the lost ten tribes of the Jews. According to their great discovery we English speaking people are those ten lost tribes. Herbert is quite a detective (in his own egotistic imagination). I am persuaded that no one should go to any trouble to refute such stuff as that, because no one in his sound mind would fall for it. And a person who does not have a sound mind would be unable to profit by a refutation of it. Here we see 12,000 from each of the twelve tribes, and it is interesting to note the difference here as to the names of the tribes. By checking the names here with that in Numbers 1 you will find that Dan and Ephraim are left out and the names of Joseph and Levi have taken their places. In Deuteronomy 29:18-20 we learn that the person or tribe that goes after other gods, and serves them shall have their name blotted out. And in 1 Kings 12:28-29 we find that Jeroboam made two calves of gold for the people to worship. One of them he put in Dan, the other in Bethel. Dan was a city in the extreme northern part of the country which had been built by the Danites after they had conquered this territory. Bethel was originally in the land assigned to Benjamin, but by the time of Jeroboam it had become a part of Ephraim’s territory. So we see Dan and Ephraim furnishing a place for the idol gods which Jeroboam set up. As a result of this, no doubt, we see their names left out of this list. Another striking thing about this list is the fact that Judah is mentioned first even though Reuben was the eldest son. Here we see God’s sovereign grace on display. If you examine Judah’s moral character in Genesis 38:1-5, 15-16 you will have to admit that only the sovereign grace of God could put him first. But since our Lord was to be “the Lion of the tribe of Juda” God put Juda first and then Reuben the first born. But, in the coming day when the tribes are assigned their portion of the land during the thousand year reign of our Lord, Dan is mentioned first, Ezekiel 48:1, and in verse 5 we see Ephraim getting his portion. The grace of our God is something we shall never be able to fathom in this life.

When I see the awful mess that some of our great Bible scholars have made in their attempt to interpret the Scripture before us, I am forced to fall prostrate before our Lord and say, “Who am I to try such a task?” When I see these great men of God setting forth so many different and varied thoughts on this great host of people before us, I am made to see just how fallible - how prone to err we mortal creatures are. All whom I have read after are agreed that there is to be a great host of people saved during some part of the great tribulation, that is, all those who believe the Bible. But beyond that point all is confusion among them.

One dearly beloved brother from whom I have received many precious thoughts on the book of Revelation says this great host is in heaven. One reason he gives for this view is that the angels in verse 11 would have absolutely no place if the scene were earthly. He gives Hebrews 2:5 as his proof of this statement. But, when I turn to Hebrews 2:5 I find this Scripture simply saying that the angels will not be ruling over that world. To be sure that world, that is, the millennial world, will be in subjection to Him who is “Lord of lords and King of kings”. But no where do I find any reason to believe that the angels will not be present in that day. On the other hand, I find ample reason to believe they will be present, and on the job for which they were created. They were created to serve and praise Him who created them. In Matthew 16:27 our Lord says He will come in the glory of His Father with His angels. In Matthew 13:41 the Son of man is to send His angels to gather out all that is offensive to Him. And in Matthew 24:31 we see Him sending His angels to gather His elect from the four winds. Don’t tell me our Lord won’t have His ministering servants at His beck and call when He comes to reign over this earth. Another reason, and that very dogmatically, for his believing this is a heavenly scene is stated in the form of a question. He says, “If you make 7:9-17 millennial, what disposition do you make of this great company after the brief 1,000 years?” Whom does this brother think our Lord will reign over during the millennial reign? Does he think the King of kings will just reign over the rocks and the rills, the mountains and the hills? And who am I that he should ask me what I am going to do with this great company at the end of the 1,000 years? If I did not believe that there will be saved people living on this earth during that time, I doubt that I could look forward to reigning with Christ with such great anticipation.

Still another great Bible scholar proves, to his satisfaction, that this is a heavenly scene by saying, “Gentiles could not serve in an earthly Jewish Temple”. But, when I look at the Scripture before us, I fail to find any Jewish Temple. I do see in verse 15 where this great host is to “serve Him day and night in His temple.” If we look upon this as an earthly scene we do not have to explain away the expression “day and night”, neither do we have to ignore the palms, or rather palm branches, in their hands, nor the fact that our Lord feeds them. I know of no Scripture that teaches that saints in their glorified bodies will have to be fed. I readily admit that the presence of the elders and the four beasts (living creatures) about the throne in verse 11 would indicate that this throne is the Father’s throne in heaven. But, can anyone give Scriptural reasons for denying that the throne in verse 9 is on the earth and the one in verse 11 is in heaven? Will there not be very close connection between these two thrones during that time? Let no one think for one moment that those two thrones will be isolated from each other during that 1,000 years. If there is rejoicing in heaven over one person who repents, Luke 15:7, can we not expect joy in heaven in that day at the sight of this innumerable host?

We find in verses 13-14 that John did not recognize this great host of saints. He was familiar with the Old Testament saints and with the church age saints, but here was a group he had not come in contact with before. He is told that these are the ones who “came out of great tribulation”. In 3:10 we see that the church age saints are to be kept from the great tribulation. The word “from” here is from EK. This same word EK is properly translated “out of” here in 7:14. So we see the church age saints are to be kept out of the great tribulation. We notice that they have on white robes which have been made white in the blood of the Lamb. These saints, like all the rest, can only be saved by means of the shed blood of Jesus Christ. God has never had but one way of saving sinners, and that is through the shed blood of His Son.

In verse 15 we are told that “He that sitteth on the throne shall dwell among them.” If this host of saints were in heaven, would they not be dwelling with God rather than God dwelling with them? In verse 16 these saints are to hunger no more because in verse 17the Lamb which is in the midst of the throne shall feed them.” Is not feeding the saints peculiar to earthly saints who are still in the flesh? The fact that this multitude of saints have palm branches in their hand, that they serve God day and night and that the Lord is to dwell among them and feed them is conclusive proof to this little Bible teacher that these are earthly saints in the flesh just as you and I are today.

It is to be granted, however, that the latter part of verse 16 might lead some to believe these saints are in heaven. But a close study of this phrase should clear up any doubts. In Isaiah 49:10 we read, “They shall not hunger nor thirst; neither shall the heat nor sun smite them.” And in Psalms 121:6 God says, “The sun shall not smite them by day, nor the moon by night.” The context of these Scriptures reveal that the Jews are not to suffer from sun strokes, and the context also reveals that this is to take place at the same time we have before us in Revelation 7:16, that is, the millennium. Our authorized version says in verse 16Neither shall the sun light upon them.” This word “light” comes from PIPTO which means to strike or to smite, and it is so translated in other versions. Had the Holy Spirit meant to say the sun will not shine on them He would have used either EPIPHAINO or LAMPO. So, the Scripture before us does not mean the sun will not shine upon this great multitude, but that they will not suffer from excessive heat.

All this reminds us of the conditions that prevailed on the earth before the flood. The fossil remains of both plants and animals found in all parts of the earth are conclusive proof that a temperate climate existed from pole to pole in that time. These fossils tell us that plants and animals that can live only in temperate climates were once found in abundance around the poles. Admiral Bird and his men discovered a whole mountain of coal at the South Pole. Where there is that much coal, there had to be a world of vegetation there at some time prior to that. It takes a lot of vegetation to make just a little coal. Then there are animals that can only live in a warm climate that have been found in the far north that froze so rapidly when that change in climate came about that their internal organs are still intact. This terrible change must have come about at the time of the flood. So, would it be some kind of monstrosity if I were to suggest that it would be a little thing for our mighty God, the El Shaddai to just tilt this old world back to its original position, and thereby give it pleasant weather from pole to pole with neither excessive heat, nor excessive cold anywhere? After all this old earth will be a wonderful place on which to live in more ways than one, when our Lord comes to judge the earth.

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