Chapter 6 concludes with the statement, “For the great day of His wrath is come; and who shall be able to stand?” This next chapter seems to respond to that question.
In each of the major series of “sevens”—the seals, trumpets, and bowls—we notice that there always appears to be an inserted parenthetical passage between the 6th and 7th of each series. Having completed 6 of the 7 seals, Revelation 7 pauses for some amplification before we continue with the 7th seal in Revelation 8. Israel is the center piece in the OT; and it now re-emerges as the centerpiece of God’s climax in Revelation. (It is also the centerpiece in the New Testament, but there is a lot of misunderstanding just how.)
It is interesting how Israel, again, is at the center of world events today. Revelation 7 deals with the “sealing” of the 144,000 Jews, 12,000 from each of the 12 tribes. But let’s first highlight some common unfortunate misconceptions.
There is a commonly held view that...
A) Israel rejected her messiah; therefore she forfeited the promises to her;
B) The Church, thus, replaces Israel, becoming “spiritual Israel,” etc.
However:
1) The promises involved to Israel were unconditional ; (she couldn’t forfeit these);
2) Paul, in his definitive statement of Christian doctrine called The Book of Romans, spends three chapters (Rom 9; Rom 10; and Rom 11) stressing that God is not finished with Israel;
3) The Seventy Week prophecy of Daniel 9 outlines the prophetic role of Israel after the “interval” of the Church period. [The Church is not present in the 69 weeks, nor is it on the earth in the 70th; the interval between the 69th and 70th week (Dan 9:26) is the period of the church on the earth.]
4) Jesus has yet to fulfill the promise given to Mary to take David’s Throne, etc.
Israel appears 75 times in the New Testament. Each time it refers to national Israel, including the solitary ostensible exception in Gal 6:16—the kai grammatically sets apart the “Israel of God” from the church, and prevents synonymity. [Lindsey, p.268-9; Johnson; Fruchtenbaum.]
After the adoption of “Christianity” by the secular leadership after Constantine, the notion that Jesus was to literally return to rule the earth and free it from Satan’s evil world system was not popular with the administration in power—it was not “politically correct.” Origen’s system of allegorical interpretation led to Augustine’s amillennial eschatology, which became a tradition that would dominate the church for over a thousand years. The contention that the church was the inheritors of Israel’s promises—and therefore must take ultimate authority over the political powers of this world—became the preoccupation of the Medieval Church. Even the Reformation, despite its effective focus on salvation by faith alone, failed to reexamine and return to a literal, pre-millennial eschatology.
One of the tragedies of this “replacement” or “reconstruction” view is that it led to the anti-Semitism that resulted in the Holocaust. (See The Road to Holocaust, by Hal Lindsey.) These views led to the tragedies of the Crusades, the blood-libel hoax, the scapegoats for the Black Death, and other tragic misconceptions. The real root cause of anti-Semitism is, of course, the Red Dragon of Revelation 12: Satan. (There are a number of apparent motivations, not the least of these being the possible attempt to thwart the Second Coming by wiping out the Remnant before they can repent as required by Hosea 5:15, et al.)
It is important to distinguish the origin and destiny of Israel from the origin and destiny of the Church: they are clearly distinguished in the Scriptures.
From Genesis 12 onward, the Biblical message focuses on four unconditional covenants God made with Abraham and his descendants through Isaac and Jacob. The destiny of the entire world is secured through these covenants! (The only conditional covenant is the Mosaic.)
The blasphemy that God has discarded Israel—and the completion of these covenants—is prevalent throughout the church today and the misconception underlying the misguided policies presently leading the Middle East—and the whole world—to Armageddon.
Seven “I Will’s”: And I will make of thee a great nation,
and I will bless thee, (personally)
and make thy name great;
and thou shalt be a blessing:
And I will bless them that bless thee, (against anti-Semitism)
and curse him that curseth thee:
and in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed.
This curse is still valid at the Second Coming: Sheep and Goat Judgement in Mat 25:31ff. The “third party” is Jesus’ brothers. (Note: the Church cannot be present during the Tribulation, since in the church there is no distinction between Jew and Gentile.)
Salvation is of the Jews: Jhn 4:22.
The Jews were promised the Land: Gen 12:7; Gen 13:14-17 (“forever). The Title Deed was sealed in Gen 15:9-19—note the performing parties: only one. This was a unilateral covenant. [Note: 10 nations in opposition...is this deed related to Rev 5?]
Moses and Ezekiel confirm the covenant. (Curses are just as binding as blessings: Deu 30:1-8; Eze 16:59-63). Not conditional: “when,” not “if,” delineates the consequences and prophetic destiny. Amplified and confirmed in Eze 36:17-28.
2Sa 7:11-16. [Prophesied in the time of the Judges: Book of Ruth 4.] Confirmed to Mary: Luke 1:30-33 (throne to be vacant for a period of time: Hos 3:4-5). Yet future: Eze 37:21-28; Acts 1:3-6; Acts 15:16-18 (q. Amos 9:8-9).
Jer 31:31-34. The unilateral “I Will” again. This covenant is partially in force (Heb 10:14-18). Available to the Christian through his union with Christ, a son of Abraham and David.
Is God a liar? Num 23:19; Eze 36:22.
Paul’s Great Discourse: Rom 9; Rom 10; Rom 11: He deals with the questions “who is Israel, why are they presently “blinded” and set aside for a time, and what is their subsequent destiny prophetically?”
Their present rejection is neither total (Rom 11:1-10) nor final (Rom 11:11-32). “Until” of Rom 11:25 is Rev 7. The exact number is known to God (2Ti 2:19).
[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”: Meta tauta : “after these things.”
“Four corners of the earth”: Isa 11:12; Jer 49:36; Dan 7:2; Dan 8:8; Dan 11:4; Zech 2:6; Mat 24:31.
“Winds”: Jer 49:36; Jer 51:1; 2Sa 22:11 (judgments)
Earth, Israel; Sea, Gentiles; tree, individuals (Psa 1:3; Judg 9:8-15; Dan 4, et al.)
[2] “And I saw another angel ascending from the east, having the seal of the living God...”:
“Seals”: Eze 9:4, 6; Eze 11:7. Sealed by the Holy Spirit (2Cr 1:22; Eph 1:13; Eph 4:30); Here, sealed are protected (Rev 9:4). Note: Counterfeit in Rev 13:16-18.
[3] “Saying, Hurt not the earth, neither the sea, nor the trees, till we have sealed the servants of our God in their foreheads”:
[Disciples elevated to the rank of “friends” rather than “servants” in Jhn 15:15.]
“Till” relates to the “till” of Rom 11:15?
[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”:
Note: “in Christ” (the Church) there are neither Jews nor Gentiles (Gal 3:27-28). This scene, emphasizing a distinction, is “post-church.” [12 is also prominent in Rev 21:12, 14, et al. 12 and 144 (122) will be discussed in the notes for Revelation 21. The New Jerusalem has both Israel and the Church in view.]
The myth of the “Ten Lost Tribes” is the basis for “British-Israelism” and similar legends, but has no real Biblical basis. (Cf. Pentecost: 12 tribes. Epistles of James, 1 Peter: “to 12 tribes .”) Prophecies of 12 Tribes: Gen 49; Deu 33.
The myth is based on a misconception derived from the misreading of passages such as 2Ki 17:7-23; 2Ch 6:6-11, etc.
Before the Assyrian captivity, substantial numbers from the northern tribes had identified themselves with the house of David (1Ki 12:16-20; 2Ch 11:16-17). The rebellion of Jeroboam and subsequent crises caused many to repudiate the northern kingdom and unite with the southern kingdom in a common alliance to the house of David and to worship the Lord (2Ch 19:4; 2Ch 30:1, 10-11, 25-26; 2Ch 34:5-7, 22; 2Ch 35:17-18).
In 930 BC, Jeroboam ruled the Northern Kingdom from his capital in Samaria (1Ki 11:43-1Ki 12:1-33). When Jeroboam turned the Northern Kingdom to idolatry, the Levites (and others who desired to remain faithful) migrated south to Rehoboam (2Ch 11:14-17). Horrified that Jeroboam set up a rival religion with golden calf worship at Bethel and Dan, many Northerners moved south, knowing that the only place acceptable to God was the Temple on Mt. Moriah (Deu 12:5-7; Deu 16:2-6; Isa 18:7). Those who favored idolatry migrated north to Jeroboam.
Later, when Asa reigned as king in the south, another great company came from the north (2Ch 15:9).
Years after the deportation by Assyria, King Hezekiah of Judah issued a call to all Israel to come and worship in Jerusalem and celebrate Passover (2Ch 30:5-6, 10-11, 21).
Eighty years later, King Josiah of Judah also issued a call, and an offering for the temple was received from “Manasseh and Ephraim and all the remnant of Israel...” (2Ch 34:9). Eventually, all 12 tribes were represented in the south. God even addresses the 12 tribes in the south: “Speak unto Rehoboam the son of Solomon, king of Judah, and to all Israel in Judah and Benjamin...” (2Ch 11:3).
The “tribe of Judah” (2Ki 17:18, et al.) is used idiomatically for the Southern Kingdom (Cf. 1Ki 11:13, 32, etc.) When encountering the tribal designations, it is important to distinguish between the territories allocated to the tribes and the people themselves.
In 724 BC, Shalmaneser V besieged Samaria, 3 years. King Hoshea of Israel attempted to revolt against paying Assyrians annual tribute money—a treaty with Pharaoh of Egypt did not help (2Ki 18:2)—and Samaria, Jeroboam’s capital, fell in 722 BC; Sargon II seized power in 721 BC Assyrians pulled down towers, took 27,290 captive, placed an Assyrian ruler over the city, looted it of 50 royal chariots and other items, etc. The Assyrians implemented their infamous policy of mixing conquered peoples to keep them from organizing a revolt. Israelite captives were mixed with Persians and others; strangers from far-off lands were resettled in Samaria. The resulting mixed, quasi-Jewish populations resulted in “Samaritans” (Jhn 4:20-22).
Not all from the northern kingdom was deported. Archaeologists have uncovered annals of the Assyrian Sargon, in which he tells that he carried away only 27,290 people and 50 chariots (Biblical Archaeologist, VI, 1943, p.58). Estimates of the population of the northern kingdom at that time range from 400,000 to 500,000; less than 1/20th were deported—mostly the leadership from around the capital, Samaria.
When the northern kingdom went into captivity (722 BC), all 12 tribes were also represented in the south. When the Babylonians took the southern kingdom into captivity (586 BC), members of all 12 tribes of Israel were involved. Isaiah, prophesying to Judah, refers to them as the “House of Jacob, which are called by the name of Israel...” (Isa 48:1; Cf. Isa 48:12-14).
The Northern Kingdom was taken by Assyria as slaves, which were a valuable commodity. (It is difficult to view them as careless enough to let them wander off to Europe.) When the Babylonians take over Assyria, the descendants of the “10 tribes” were probably again commingled with the captives of Judah.
Even before the death of Rehoboam, God looked upon all the as a unity, seeing “all Israel in Judah and Benjamin” (2Ch 11:3). After the Babylonian captivity, the terms Jew and Israelite are used interchangeably. Ezra calls the returning remnant Jews 8 times and Israel 40 times. (Ezra speaks of “all Israel”: Ezra 2:70; Ezra 3:11; Ezra 8:35; Ezra 10:25, et al.)
Nehemiah calls them Jews 11 times, Israel 22 times. Nehemiah speaks of “all Israel being back in the land: Neh 12:47. The remnant who returned from Babylon is represented as “the nation” (Mal 1:1)
The same is true in the New Testament. Our Lord is said to have offered Himself to the nation, “the lost sheep of the house of Israel” (Mat 10:5-6; Mat 15:24). Other tribes than Judah are mentioned specifically in the NT as being represented in the land (Mat 4:13, 15; Luk 2:36; Acts 4:36; Phil 3:5; “the twelve tribes” Acts 26:7; Jam 1:1). Anna knew her tribal identity from the tribe of Asher (Luk 2:30). Paul knew he was of the tribe of Benjamin (a “Jew” and an “Israelite”) Rom 11:1.
The New Testament speaks of “Israel” 75 times and uses the word “Jew” 174 times. (Acts 21:39; Acts 22:3; Rom 11:1; 2Cr 11:22; Phil 3:5, etc.)
Peter cries “Ye men of Judea” (Acts 2:14) and “ye men of Israel...” (Acts 2:22), and “All the house of Israel.” (Acts 2:36).
Ezekiel 36 and Ezekiel 37: Dry Bones Vision declares that Judah (Jews) and Israel (10 tribes) shall be joined as one in the regathering. (Eze 37:16-17, 21-22). This is true today. [The total physical descendants were not the people to whom the promises were made (Rom 9:4-7).]
Accompanying some of the legends of the so-called “10 Lost Tribes” are aspersions on the present State of Israel and the people being regathered in the Land. These various theories such as “British Israelism” are by their nature anti-Semitic (and blasphemous) because they deny the Jewish people their proper place in the plan of God.
Israel is being regathered just as God has announced (Eze 36; Eze 37; Isa 11:11, et al.) There is yet to come an event that will begin to awake them to realize that the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob once again has His hand upon them (Eze 38; Eze 39). I believe it that it may happen at any moment.
The Throne of David was promised to the Son of Mary (Luk 1:32). His taking possession of it is the subject of this countdown in Revelation. And it increasingly appears that it is on the near horizon. Maranatha!
[5] “Of the tribe of Judah [were] sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Reuben [were] sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Gad [were] sealed twelve thousand”: Judah, first: 1Ch 5:1-2.
[6] “Of the tribe of Asher [were] sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Nephtali [were] sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Manassah [were] sealed twelve thousand.”
[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”: Levi: Deu 18:1-2; Josh 13:14.
[8] “Of the tribe of Zebulon [were] sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Joseph [were] sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Benjamin [were] sealed twelve thousand”:
Two Tribes Missing : Dan and Ephraim.
Idolaters to be separated; name to be blotted out: Deu 29:18-21. (“...or tribe...”) Dan prophesied (Gen 49:17). Curse: Jer 8:16. Dan’s idolatry recorded (Lev 24:10-16; Judg 18:1-2, 30-31). A leader in apostasy under Jeroboam (1Ki 12:28-30); and 100 years later (2Ki 10:29). The “Voice of Calamity” Jer 4:14 (Heb); Amos 8:14 (Heb). Cowardice under Deborah and Barak (Judg 5:17).
This throng preserved through (sealed) the Tribulation, not “kept out ” of it, as in Rev 3:10.
Note: Gifts and calling of God are without repentance (Rom 11:29): Dan shall judge his people as one of the tribes of Israel (Gen 49:16); in Ezekiel 48:1, Dan is mentioned first.
Ephraim is also referred to only elliptically: Joseph, minus Manasseh = Ephraim. Ephraim also associated with Jeroboam’s idolatry (Hos 4:17). The 144,000 are destined to be the glorious Temple “bodyguard” (Rev 14:4).
[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”: Here, the greatest harvest of souls the world has ever seen will take place! (Written in Isa 49:10-12; Isa 60:1-3.)
Joel 2:28-32 (quoted in Acts 2:16-21) links with these prophecies of the Great Tribulation.
Palm branches: as on “Palm Sunday,” Cf. Jhn 12:13. Also, possible link with Feast of Tabernacles (Lev 23:39, 43,; 2Ch 20:19; Ezra 3:11-12; Jhn 12:12-13; Neh 8:15-17).
[13] “And one of the elders answered, saying unto me, What are these which are arrayed in white robes? and whence came they?”
[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”: [John apparently doesn’t recognize who they are. Why are they distinguished from those prior to the tribulation? Are their predecessors already in heaven?]
[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”: The Millennial Temple. In heaven there is no night (Rev 21:25; Rev 22:5).
[16] “They shall hunger no more, neither thirst any more; neither shall the sun light on them, nor any heat.”
[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.” Cf. Isa 49:10.
Church is kept out of the tribulation, Rev 3:10
These came out of the tribulation,
(John didn’t recognize them!)
Church will sit on thrones (1Cr 6:2-3; 1Pe 2:9; Rev 1:6)
These stand before thrones
Church is crowned; these are uncrowned.
Harps vs. palms; sing new song vs. cry, loud voice
(Palms: Lev 23:40; Jhn 12:13; Neh 8:17)
Church reigns as kings & priests (1Cr 6:2-3; 1Pe 2:9;
Rev 1:6); These serve Him day and night...