Lesson 7 Revelation 7

                                                                    Revelation 7

Revelation 6 is the outline of that which will be taking place here upon earth after the Body of Christ, the Church over which Jesus is the Head, has been gathered out of the world to be with Him forever. As the first six seals were opened, one after another, John was shown the events to take place during the trial which is to come upon the whole world “to test those inhabiting the earth” (Rev.3:10).

In the Old Testament, this trial is referred to as the Day of the Lord (see Joel 1:15; 2:1, 31; 3:14; Amos 5:18-20; Obad.15). In the Revelation of Jesus Christ being symbolized to John, once the Church, which is comprised of both Jew and Gentile, has been gathered to be with her Lord, attention will next be focused on God’s nation of Israel. The time for the fulfillment of Daniel’s prophecy of the seventy weeks of years has come, the seventy sevens of years ordained by God for Daniel’s people, the Jews, and their holy city, Jerusalem, “to finish the transgression, and to make an end of sins, and to make reconciliation for iniquity, and to bring in everlasting righteousness” (Dan.9:24).

When Messiah the Prince was cut off without His Kingdom, one week of the seventy weeks of seven years was left to be fulfilled in the latter years of Israel’s history. The last week of seven years is divided in the middle. The last three and one-half years of Daniel’s seventieth seven of years is the Tribulation, the Great One. This is the Day of the Lord. Not only is that Day ordained for the nation of Israel, it will be the judgment of the Gentile powers having the dominion over the earth. Gentile leaders vie for power. Each desirous of being the world power, the one to have the say and control of all the other nations and inhabitants of the earth.

It is no mystery then that the Day of the Lord should begin with a conqueror. In the opening of the first seal in Revelation 6, John was shown the conqueror being bidden to go forth. In the opening of seals two, three and four, John was shown the resistance the conqueror would meet in his challenge to conquer to have world rule. There would be war and bloodshed and famine and death.

With the opening of the fifth seal, John was shown those who were slain for the Word of God, and to the testimony which they held. There will be witnesses to the testimony to the Word of God and to Jesus as the Christ, the Messiah sent to His people and rejected by them, during the trial coming to test the world. These witnesses will be willing to die for their faith in the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ.

With the opening of the sixth seal John was shown the Lamb of God - the Victor over the challenger on the white horse. The Lamb is seated on the throne of the Kingdom of this world. The battle of the Great Day of God Almighty has been finished and the kingdom of this world has become of our God and His Christ as prophesied by Old Testament prophets (see Zech.12:1-14: 21; Dan.2:44; 7:27). The conquered inhabitants of the earth are hiding from Him who sits on the throne. They are in fear for their lives. They must now face His retributive justice.

The question has been posed, Will it be possible to be saved through Jesus Christ during the coming Day of the Lord or will it then be too late to repent? Even Jesus asked if He would find the faith upon earth when He comes again? (Lk.18:8).

The gospel of Christ is the power of God unto salvation to whosoever believes (Rom.1:16).  Jesus Christ is man’s only hope of being made safe from the judgment of perishing, man’s only hope of living forever.

The righteousness of God is from faith to faith; that is, from a person having become righteous through faith in Christ witnessing the truth to a person who, upon hearing the truth, also obeys the truth to purify his soul to be born of the incorruptible Seed, the Word of God, who lives and abides forever (Rom.1:17; 1 Pet.1:17-25). With the Body of Christ with its many members having been removed before the trial to test the whole earth begins, who then will bear witness to the faith of the righteousness of God to be shared in Jesus Christ, the righteousness shared with whosoever will believe?

God has never left Himself without a witness. Though the members of the Body of Christ who were the witnesses to the righteousness of God through faith in Christ have been gathered out of the world, the Word of God yet bears witness. But one must have the Word of God and hear the Word of God. If the witness of the righteous of the Body of Christ have been gathered out of the world, how did the souls under the altar hear the Word of God?

The answer is given to John in two more visions which were shown to John. After the opening of the sixth seal and before the opening of the seventh seal, John is shown how those souls under the altar had opportunity to hear the Word of God and to choose to obey the truth.

How could they have heard without a preacher? Faith is through hearing and hearing through the Word of God (Rom.10:14-17). God must also have willing servants in the last seven year period of this age.  Where will God find preachers upon earth after the members of the Body of Christ who gave witness to Him in the power of the Spirit are no longer upon earth?

Where was the Word of God preserved for the Body of Christ, that the Gentiles might come to the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ for them? Who preserved the Word of God? The nation of Israel. Even today orthodox Jews study the Scriptures. Both the Law and the Prophets witness to the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ unto all and upon all those that believe, for there is no difference (Rom.3:21-22; 9:4-5).

John said, “And after these things,” that is, after seeing the overview of the trial to come upon the earth-dwellers, “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. 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, saying ‘Do not harm the earth, neither the sea, nor the trees, till we have sealed the servants of our God on their foreheads. And I heard the number of those who were sealed; and there were sealed a hundred and forty-four thousand of all the tribes of the children of Israel” (Rev.7:1-4).

One day, on the road to Damascus, the Lord Jesus Christ shined the light into the heart of the apostle Paul. Paul’s response was, “Who are you, Lord?” Upon seeing Jesus of Nazareth as the Messiah, Paul then said, “What will you have me to do, Lord?” (Ac.9:1-29).

In the end of this age, when the Lord has gathered the members of His Body to Himself, He will have 144,000 “Pauls,” so to speak. For the last week of seven years of this age Jesus will have 144,000 evangelist teachers. All will be Jews, chosen from the tribes of the sons of Israel. They will be His witnesses during the time of the trial. They will testify of Jesus and the Holy Spirit will bear witness to their testimony. Where will the Lord find them?

Before the opening of the seventh seal, John was given a parenthetical vision of the angels preparing for the sealing of the 144,000 servants who will serve God on earth, ministering reconciliation to whosoever will believe during the seven year trial.

Under Divine authority the angels administrate the affairs of the government of the Almighty upon earth. The command to the four angels is to hold back the storm brewing upon earth until the servants of God are sealed on their foreheads.

The Greek for the word translated “servants” or “bond-servants” is literally the word for “slaves.” In our day, the word slave has the connotation of forced labor. When we think of a slave, we think of one who has no freedom in service. The picture is one of a slave owned by a hard master, who is often cruel in his demands. Those who willingly serve the Lord Jesus Christ know that they are not their own. They have been bought with a price, the precious blood of Jesus Christ. Therefore they are to glorify God in the body, which is God’s (1 Cor.6:19-20). Down through the ages, the Lord has had those who have responded to His love and, recognizing the truth, have willingly served Him.

What would it take for young Jewish men who are studying the Scriptures to bring them to obedience to the truth, that they might purify their soul and be born again of the incorruptible Seed, the Word of God? It will simply take the light of the knowledge of God as seen in the face of Jesus Christ shined into the heart for the true understanding of their own Scriptures (see 2 Cor.4:4-6).

These 144,000 servants are merely introduced in chapter 7 of Revelation. We will learn about them in Revelation 14. Here in chapter 7 they furnish an explanation for those under the altar in chapter 6. They answer the question, Will there be those who believe into Christ to be born from above during the Tribulation since the Church has been caught up to be with her Lord? They also answer the question as to how anyone could hear the gospel of Christ and be born again after the Church is removed. Also in the last half of the chapter, we have a record of a great multitude of Gentile martyrs who will hear the gospel of Christ through one of these evangelists or one of their converts.

These 144,000 servants will be protected through the entire Tribulation period. Not one will lose his life. However, these 144,000 servants are not the remnant of Israel who will be delivered out of the Great Tribulation. These 144,000 are a special group of men on a special mission at a special, specific time in history.

What was being symbolized to John with the four angels standing on the four corners of the earth, holding back the four winds of the earth, was that the winds or the forces about to be loosed on the earth would not do damage until after the 144,000 servants have been sealed for their ministry.

We have seen that, from God’s point of view, the judgment to be poured out during the end times is seen under the metaphor of a storm. In a storm, the wind is a powerful force for destruction. The wind can do and does do great damage.

Here in Revelation 7:1, the Greek word for “wind” is pneuma. The word can be translated as “wind,” or as “breath” or as “spirit.” The natural wind blows from one direction, even in a storm. In this storm of judgment the wind is to be loosed from all four directions of the compass points. The angels are standing at the four corners of the earth. In the judgment, the storm is going to break upon the world from every direction once the angel restraint is removed. In the judgment being signified to John, what is it that is to be loosed to take the world by storm that would be symbolized by the wind as a powerful force?

We understand that God’s judgments are reciprocal (see Is.49:26; Jer.6:19; Mt.7:1-2; Lk.6:36-38; Rom.2:6-16; Gal.6:7). God’s justice is retributive. God has given man the freedom of choice. Man has the choice of having his own will over the will of his God for him. If man chooses to carry out his own will, he will receive the fruit, the consequences of his own doing. Whatsoever a man sows, that shall he also reap (Gal.6:7-9). If one chooses to submit his will to the will of his Creator-Redeemer, he will receive the fruit of righteousness.

The “spirit” of man is lawlessness (1 Jn.3:4). Man rebels at restraints to his having his own way. The result of this is clearly seen. The lawlessness fills the earth with violence and corruption. In the trial to come upon the whole earth, God is going to judge and put away the violence and the corruption of lawlessness and establish righteousness and peace forever (Is.9:6-7; Mic.4:1-7).

The storm is brewing on the earth. Unseen by man, the angelic ministering spirits of God’s government are restraining, holding back, the retributive justice of His Day. In that Day all will be timed by the Almighty Himself. The four angels will be standing at the four corners of the earth, holding the four winds of the earth that the winds should not blow on the earth or the sea nor any tree. That is, the winds will not do damage until the servants have been sealed in their foreheads. John was being shown the mercy of God in the judgment of the coming trial to test all men.

The storm of reciprocal judgment is going to break upon the whole world. While the storm is brewing, God prepares to show mercy to those who will receive His mercy in time of judgment (Hab.3:2). Through the entire seven year trial, even through the Tribulation, God will continue to call men to repentance through His grace. The righteousness of God through faith in His Anointed Son will continue to be shared from faith to faith.

When the government of God has finished sealing His servants on their foreheads, He will loose His restraints to man’s building for his own glory. This is the storm that has been held back (see 2 Thess.2:1-12). Man is a proud boaster against God. The rebellion of man will break loose all over the world with the same winds of doctrine and the teachings of the New World Order of a Global Society (see Rom.1:18-32; 2 Tim.3:1-9).

In the New World Order, all is the wisdom of man, which is sourced in the evil one. It is all a lie and a great delusion, but mankind must be given his freedom of choice (see 2 Thess.2:8-12). God loves His creation of mankind. He is not willing that any should perish in the judgment of the trial (2 Pet.3:9). He will do all that He can to save individuals from perishing in the judgment.

In the first vision recorded in Revelation 7 John was shown that it was given to the angels to hurt “the earth” and “the sea.” Since the things to “be hereafter” are being signified to John, and since the “winds” are symbolic of the forces to be loosed upon the earth and cause great damage in the judgment storm, it stands to reason that the earth and sea and trees are also symbolic.

Certainly the natural earth and trees in the area of the Mediterranean Sea will be greatly hurt in man’s destruction of himself, but John is being shown earthly events from heaven’s perspective through symbols and figures.

We have seen in Scripture, Genesis 11 being our example, that “earth” can be used to stand for “the whole organized society of mankind.” In Genesis 11:1 we read, “the whole earth was of one language, and of one speech,” one stock of words and of one way of speaking. The easy communication of all the families of Noah made possible the cooperating in the common goal to build a city and a tower, that man might make a name for himself (v4). Modern technology has again brought us to a place of building a New World Order of a Global Society - all to the glory of man.

In Scripture, the “sea” is used as a symbol for “humanity” in general and of the “wicked” in particular (see Is.11:15; 57:20-21; 60:5; Dan.7:2-3; Hab.3:8; Jude 13). When we get to Revelation chapter 17, we will see that “waters” also stand for “peoples” (Rev.17:15; see also Is.8:7-8).

And in Scripture, “trees” are used as a symbol for “individuals” (see Jer.11:19; Mt.3:1-10; 7:15-20; 12:33-37; Jude 12). Nebuchadnezzar was likened to a great tree, as the king with a great kingdom (Dan.4:10-33). In Ezekiel 17:24, the prophet, speaking for the Lord, says, “All the trees of the field shall know that I, the Lord, have brought down the high tree, have exalted the low tree, have dried up the green tree, and have made the dry tree to flourish; I, the Lord have spoken and have done it.” The Lord was speaking of bringing down important men exalting themselves and of His promoting the welfare of the lowly.

In the prophecy of Balaam (Num.24:5-6), the Lord sees the tents of Jacob like trees of aloes, which He has planted and like the cedar trees beside the waters. In Isaiah 61:3, the returned remnant are referred to as trees of righteousness, the planting of the Lord, that He might be glorified. The prophet Jeremiah speaks of a man who trusts in the Lord as like a tree planted by the waters (Jer.17:8).

Here in Revelation 7, we see that the Lord is concerned for man and his welfare. The whole world is caught in the Global Society of man’s own building. But if any person desires a way out, God has provided the One Way of escape (see Jn.1:9; Ac..4:10-12; Col.1:23; Tit.2:11). If any will hear the words of Christ and believe the One who sent Him, he will not come into judgment, but will pass from death to Life everlasting (Jn.5:24). While man has breath, he may choose to turn around and go God’s Way, the Way of Life and resurrection in Christ Jesus, the One in whom is the redemption. The One set forth as the Propitiation, the only One who satisfies God concerning sin having been put away once for all. The One who overcame death with Life everlasting (Jn.11:25-27; 14:6; Rom.3:22-26; 1 Cor.1:30; 1 Jn.2:1-2).

John had heard the command of the fifth angel. The four angels on the four corners are to keep holding the four “winds” that they should not blow on the earth, nor the sea, nor any tree to hurt them. When the  winds are loosed, there will be great hurt, great damage to the earth, the Global Society, and great damage will be done to the sea of humanity. The sea of mankind makes up the Global Society.

The hurt does not come directly from the angels themselves. The angels obey the commands of the Sovereign of the universe. The hurt will be in the forces which are loosed on the Global Society of mankind in the sea of humanity. We saw a preview of the “hurt” in chapter 6 as the first six seals of the scroll were opened. All is timed by the Almighty God, the Most High. The “hurt” is to be restrained until the 144,000 servants of God have been sealed in their foreheads.

While John was beholding the first four angels, he saw another angel ascending from the east and having the seal of the living God and with a loud voice commanding the first four angels to not release the forces of lawlessness to blow upon the earth until the servants of “our” God have been sealed upon the forehead. The angel recognizes they share the same God. Those selected, and having been sealed in their foreheads, the 144,000 will be willing servants of God Almighty to preach the gospel of the Kingdom to all nations.

After what we refer to as Jesus’ Triumphal Entry into Jerusalem in His fulfillment of the prophecy in Zechariah 9:9, Jesus cleansed the temple for the second time, the first being when He began his earthly ministry. He spent the next days teaching. In His grief over leaving Jerusalem to be desolated and the temple taken apart stone by stone, Jesus went up to the Mount of Olives and sat down. His disciples came to Him privately and asked concerning the sign of His coming. As Jesus spoke to them of that future day, He made clear to the disciples that the gospel of the Kingdom would be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations; and then the end would come (Mt.24:14). Why is it “the gospel of the Kingdom” that is to be preached?

Because the King is coming to set up His Kingdom, the Kingdom which He Himself has redeemed for His nation and for Himself in His own blood. The resurrection proved Jesus to be the Son of David and the rightful Heir to David’s throne (Rom.1:1-4). The dwellers on earth must be told that the King is coming to destroy all enemies and to set up His Kingdom. God never leaves man unprepared regarding His doing. Man must be given the choice of being for God and His Christ, or of remaining at enmity with God in his mind.

What is the seal of the living God? The Holy Spirit. Believers into Jesus Christ are sealed from the moment of believing. Immediately upon their having obeyed the truth to be born of the incorruptible Seed of the Word of God, the Holy Spirit is renewed to the newly born righteous son of God (Ac.5:32; Tit.3:4-5; 1 Pet.1:18-25).

The seal of the Holy Spirit is a sign of ownership and a sign of preservation. The newly born son of God is sealed until the day of redemption (Rom.8:23, 28-39; 2 Cor.1:22; 5:5; Eph.1:10-14; 4:30; 2 Tim.2:18-19). The mortal body will be preserved and raised out from the dead alive forevermore.

As the fifth angel ascends from the east and as he has the Seal of the living God and as he has authority to command the first four angels, it has been thought that the fifth angel is Jesus Christ. However, the fifth angel is another of the same kind as the first four. He is another minister of God’s government concerning the affairs of the earth. The fifth angel is not alone in the task to be performed. He says, “Until we have sealed the servants of our God on their foreheads.” The fifth angel will have help from other ministers of God’s affairs in the sealing of the 144,000 of the tribes of Israel.

A “seal” is an impression or a stamp. In John’s day, the seal was dipped in warm wax and the impression was left upon the document as proof of ownership. The 144,000 are to be sealed on their foreheads, which is where the frontal lobe protecting the brain is located. The brain is the vehicle used to process information and knowledge in order to be given understanding.

When the time comes for these 144,000 young Jews to be sealed, what is it that must be impressed upon the forehead? The “forehead” is the figure for the “mind.” What is it these young Jews must understand? They must see and understand that Jesus of Nazareth, whom the rulers delivered up to be slain, is the Holy One of Israel (see Ac.2:22-36; 3:13-26; 10:34-43; 13:26-39).

God raised up Jesus, whom the fathers slew and hung on a tree. Him God has exalted with His right hand to be Prince and Savior, to give repentance to Israel, and forgiveness of sins. This was Peter’s witness before the Sanhedrin. And Peter continued, “We are witnesses of these things, and so also the Holy Spirit, whom God has given to those who obey Him”  (see Ac.5:29-32; see 1 Pet.2:21-25).

These 144,000 will have changed their mind concerning Jesus being the Holy One of Israel. The living Jesus, the Messiah, is the impress of the sealed servants. The Spirit of Christ is the seal. Like the apostle Paul, each one of the 144,000 will have an instant conversion. Each one, having been convicted by the Holy Spirit of sin and righteousness and judgment, will repent and obey the truth to be born of the incorruptible Seed of the Word of God (see Jn.16:8-11). With the Holy Spirit renewed to the spirit, these servants will witness to Jesus and the Holy Spirit [the Spirit of Truth] will testify of Jesus through their witness (see Jn.15:26-27).

When the 144,000 of the tribes of Israel hear the gospel report that Jesus of Nazareth died for our sins according to the Scriptures and that He was buried and He was raised up out of the dead the third day according to the Scriptures, each one will believe the One who sent Him and will pass from death to Life everlasting (see Jn.5:24; 1 Cor.15:1-4). Each one having become convinced that Jesus of Nazareth is the son of Abraham and the son of David will believe Jesus to be the true King of Israel. The 144,00, like John the Baptist, will become forerunners preparing the way for the King to come (Mt.3:1-12; Mk.1:1-8; Lk.1:13-17, 57-80; 3:1-18; Jn.1:6-8; 15-49).

The 144,000 will be sent into all the world to witness to all nations with the message, “The King is coming.” They will witness to Jesus of Nazareth as having come down from heaven with salvation for all His creation of mankind. In His First Coming, Jesus finished the work of salvation in His obedience to the death of the Cross (Phil.2:5-8). Their testimony will then be to Jesus coming a second time apart from salvation (Heb.9:28). He is coming as the King of kings. He is coming to claim His inheritance of the nations (Ps.2:8-12). He is coming to set up His Kingdom. He will deliver His people from Gentile dominion. And  beginning with a remnant of Israel, He will establish them in the Kingdom as the head nation (Deut.26:19; 28:1, 13; Ezek.5:5; Zeph.3:14-20).

The fifth angel and his fellow ministers were to seal the new servants with the Seal of the living God, the seal of ownership. The fifth angel did not say how many angels were included in the “we.” Angels are messengers of the Lord God. In the Old Testament, the Lord sent angels to individuals with special messages. Is it perhaps that the Lord will send angels to those chosen to serve Him during the last week of the seven years of this age? (see Gen.18:1-2, 16-22; 19:1-17; 32:1-2; Dan.9:20-22; 10:10-21).

John does not say that he saw the new servants sealed. He heard the number of them and he heard the names of the tribes. John said, “And I heard the number of them which were sealed; and there were sealed a hundred and forty-four thousand of all the tribes of the children of Israel. 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. Of the tribe of Asher were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Naphtali were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Manasseh were sealed twelve thousand. 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. Of the tribe of Zebulun were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Joseph were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Benjamin were sealed twelve thousand” (Rev.7:4-8).

The twelve sons of Isaac’s son Jacob became the twelve tribes of Israel (Gen.35:22b; 1 Ki.18:31). There are twenty-four listings of the tribes of Israel in Scripture. None of them are in the same order as this list. The order in which the tribes are listed here in Revelation 7 is found nowhere else in Scripture. This list is peculiar in the way in which the sons of the different mothers are mingled together, the two wives of Jacob and the surrogate birth mothers. Both Rachel and Leah gave their handmaids to conceive of Jacob, that they themselves might claim the sons birthed to the handmaids (Gen.30:1-13).

Before he died, Jacob adopted the two sons born to Joseph in Egypt as full fledged tribes of Israel (Gen.48:5). The twelve sons of Jacob, plus his two grandsons, brought the number of the tribes to fourteen. The two grandsons, Ephraim and Manasseh, together representing the double portion of the right of the firstborn, replaced their father, Joseph. This brought the number of tribes down to thirteen. “Twelve” is the number of government and the tribes are always listed as twelve.

When the sons of Israel had been delivered from Egypt and brought to Mount Sinai, the sons of Israel sinned a great sin against Jehovah and made a golden calf and called the calf Jehovah and worshiped the calf as having brought them out of Egypt. God forgave His people this great offense on the basis of His Covenant, which He had established with Abraham, with Isaac and with Jacob, the forefathers of the nation. He gave amnesty to whosoever would come over to the Lord’s side (see Ex.32:15-29).

Moses stood in the gate of the camp and called to whoever was on the Lord’s side to come over. The sons of Levi gathered themselves to him. Moses charged them to go in and out from gate to gate and slay everyone who refused to come over to the Lord’s side. The Levites did so. For this loyalty, the Lord took the Levites for His portion and gave them the ministry of the tabernacle, the Lord’s dwelling place. The Levites were not given a portion in the Promised Land. God was their portion. With Levi being the Lord’s, the tribes were again down to twelve, thus representing God’s government brought down to earth in the economy of the nation.

As the meanings of the names of the sons and grandsons give a prophetic picture of the person of Christ and His work, with the change in order, a different picture emerges in each listing. Since the listings always consist of twelve names, who is missing and why is also revealing. Another prophetic picture can be seen through what the mothers, Leah and Rachel, had to say at the births of the sons.

Beginning at the end of Genesis 29, in the very first listing of the names, the list is in the birth order of the sons and begins with Reuben, “see a son,” and pictured is the Christ as a Son given to the nation (Is.9:6). That list ends with Christ as Benjamin, “Son of My right hand” (see Gen.29:21-30:24). The picture ends with Jesus seated at the right hand of His Father.

The list here in Revelation 7 begins with Judah, whose name means “praise,” the son through whom the promised King would come. This list also ends with Benjamin. The picture being, the Kingdom is at hand and the King is ready to receive His Kingdom.

However, with the list in Revelation 7, more than one picture can be seen depending on how the tribes are divided up. It is interesting that the translators of the different Bible versions divided the names up in groups of threes. Four groups of three was the order of the camp around the tabernacle in the wilderness during Israel’s journey from Egypt to the Promised Land (Num.1:48-2:34). The picture being that her God, her King, was in the midst of her and guiding her safely to the Promised Land. That will be true for this group also, as they will be led safely through the Tribulation and on into the earthly Kingdom, standing on Mount Zion with their God and King (see Rev.14:1-5). Perhaps, though, this list could best be divided into pairs, two by two. “Two” is the number of “witness.”

In the last days of Jesus’ earthly ministry we have recorded that, with the days approaching that Jesus should be returning to heaven and with His earthly ministry coming to a close, Jesus steadfastly set His face to go to Jerusalem. After passing through Samaria, where He was rejected, Jesus appointed seventy witnesses and sent them two by two to go before Him into every place where He Himself was going to come (Lk.9:49-10:22).

Another thing peculiar to this list in Revelation 7, the name of one son is omitted and also the name of one grandson. We do not have the tribe of Dan listed, nor do we have the name of Ephraim, Joseph’s younger son, who held the birthright (Gen.48:8-20). The ten northern tribes, who left the House of David, were called the kingdom of Israel. Sometimes the Lord referred to the ten northern tribes as Ephraim.

In this list in Revelation, Joseph has replaced Ephraim as the head of the tribe. Dan’s tribe is replaced by the tribe of Levi. Why are the tribe of Dan and the tribe of Ephraim not sealed to preach the gospel of the Kingdom during the seven year trial to come upon the whole earth?

In Judges 18, we read of Dan’s tribe introducing idolatry into the economy of God’s nation, Israel. The prophet Hosea records that Ephraim joined himself to idols (Hos.4:17). Under the Law, idolatry was strictly forbidden to the sons of Israel. Idolatry is a rival for man’s affections. God is a jealous God (Ex.20:5). He is not jealous for Himself. He is jealous for the well-being of His people. Idolatry destroys the soul, as well as the body.

When the ten northern tribes rebelled against the rule of Solomon’s son, Rehoboam, they set up their own kingdom and they set Jeroboam over them as their king (see 1 Ki.12:1-14:18; 2 Chron.10:1-11:23). Jeroboam made two calves of gold and set one in Bethel in Ephraim’s territory and the other one he put in Dan (1 Ki.12:25-33). Rather than going up to Jerusalem to meet with the Lord, the people went to Dan. The thing became a sin.

There must be no association with idolatry whatsoever in the preaching of the gospel of the Kingdom during the trial of the last seven years. Even a past association must be avoided. In the sealed servants, Ephraim is replaced by his father Joseph. Levi, the tribe of the true priesthood selected by the Lord, replaces Dan with his association of the false priesthood. But in the end, both Ephraim and Dan are forgiven under the New Covenant (Jer.31:31-40).  Each tribe will have their inheritance of the land in the Kingdom.

In Ezekiel 36, the Lord promises to take Israel out from among the nations and gather her out of all countries and bring her into her own land. Then He will sprinkle clean water upon her, the washing of regeneration, and she will be clean. He will cleanse her of all her filthiness and from all her idolatry (see Ezek.36:22-26). In Ezekiel 48, with the new division of the Promised Land for the regathered remnant of the tribes of Israel, Dan is listed first. Levi will again be the Lord’s portion and Ephraim is listed between Manasseh and Reuben (Ezek.48:1-29). The gates of the city of Jerusalem on earth have inscribed upon them the names of the tribes of the twelve sons of Jacob (Ezek.48:31-35). In Revelation 21:12 we are told the names of the twelve tribes of Israel are also written on the gates of the heavenly city, the New Jerusalem.

Then beginning in verse 9 of Revelation 7, in juxtaposition to these special servants of God, is “a great multitude, which no man can number.” On one hand, there is a certain number of Jews. On the other, a multitude of Gentiles, which no man can number.

This does not mean that the multitude could not be numbered, but rather, it simply means that the multitude is beyond all counting as far as man is concerned. The Lord knows those who are His (see 2 Tim.2:19).

In this multitude are represented “all nations, and kindreds, and peoples, and languages,” who “stood before the throne, and before the Lamb, clothed with white glistening robes, and palms in their hands, and cried with a loud voice, saying, ‘Salvation to our God who sits upon the throne, and unto the Lamb’” (Rev.7:9-10).

“Kindreds” are of the same kind, “kin.” Kindreds have a common ancestry. They are descended from a common lineage from one of the three divisions of the human race. There is one human race, divided as descendants from the three sons of Noah, whom God placed on three continents of the earth (see Gen.10 and 11).

The kindred grew into nations. The nations are broken down into the peoples, who are kindred of the tribes of the peoples of which the nation is composed. The nations have different languages and speak in different ways. The tribes have different dialects.

The multitude in John’s vision is a mixed multitude from all over the world. And they stood before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed in glistening robes and they had palms in their hands. They are giving praise to God, who is now their God, and to the Lamb. The multitude have been clothed with glistening white robes, which we have seen to be symbolic of the body raised out from the dead.

Set over against the precise number of Jewish evangelists, these of every nation are Gentile converts, drawn to the Lamb through the preaching of the Jewish evangelists. These of every kindred and tribe died during the trial to test all the world. We are not told how they died. We are only shown that they have been clothed in resurrection. They are in their forever living bodies, meaning, they are seen at the end of the trial when their number is complete and the resurrection has taken place. These Gentiles came out of the Great Tribulation. The Jewish evangelists were sealed at the beginning of the trial.

With the opening of the fourth seal John was shown that one-fourth part of the earth’s population would be killed with swords and with hunger and with death and with wild beasts of the earth. The” wild beasts” being the “world rulers” fighting over territorial rights.

The great multitude are not the martyrs shown John when the fifth seal was opened. Nor is it said they are martyrs at all. Nothing is said of how they died or why they died. Were they the martyrs that must be added to the early martyrs, John would have been shown and he would have recorded it.

Each group, the souls under the altar waiting to be clothed, and those of the multitude having been clothed, died in the trial that was to test the whole world. The difference is that John was shown the multitude of Gentiles having been clothed in glistening robes and having come out of the Great Tribulation and who are back on earth before the throne and before the Lamb in their bodies raised out of the dead, bodies of glory.

This is not the throne of John’s vision in Revelation chapters 4 and 5. The great multitude of Gentiles have been raised up from the dead and are back on earth. When the sixth seal had been opened, John saw the Lamb sitting on the throne, the throne before which the multitude stands. The throne of the Lamb is the throne of the House of David, the throne to which Jesus is the rightful Heir (2 Sam.7:13; Ps.132:11). The throne is in Jerusalem in the land of Israel, the land called the Holy Land.

When the multitude of Gentiles below, upon earth, are rejoicing and crying with a loud voice, saying, “Salvation to our God who sits upon the throne, and unto the Lamb,” all heaven joins in with the seven-fold doxology of praise, a seven-fold doxology to a completed salvation.

“All the angels stood round about the throne, and about the elders and the four living beings, and fell before the throne on their faces, and worshiped God, saying, ‘Amen! Blessing, and glory, and wisdom, and thanksgiving, and honor, and power, and might be unto our God forever and ever. Amen’” (Rev.7:11-12).

John then wrote, “One of the elders answered, saying unto me, ‘Who are these who are arrayed in glistening robes? And from where did they come?’” (Rev.7:13).

John does not say that he asked anything concerning the multitude, but the elder answered him. The elder could see John was questioning, Who are these? From where did they come? The elder answered the questions on John’s mind by asking John, “Who are these having been clothed in glistening robes? And from where did they come?” that he might give John to have understanding concerning the multitude.

John did not know, but he knew that the elder knew, and he knew that the elder would tell him. So John said to the elder, “‘Sir, you know.’ And he said to me, ‘These are they who came out of the Great Tribulation, and have washed their robes, and have made them glistening in the blood of the Lamb. There they are before the throne of God, and serve Him day and night in His temple; and He that sits on the throne shall dwell over them’” (Rev.7:14-15).

The Greek is ek, “out of” the Great Tribulation, not “through,” but “out of.” This is the harvest of the Great Tribulation having been gathered in the resurrection. And they have washed their robes and made them glistening in the blood of the Lamb. They united themselves to Jesus Christ in His death, burial and resurrection.

This great multitude of Gentiles went into the trial of the Great Tribulation as unbelievers in the living God and His Christ. Unredeemed, they were part of the global society. Each one dead in trespasses and sins. Each one went in clothed in a mortal robe of flesh, a body which would return to the dust of the ground. Each one heard the word of the Kingdom of God and of the coming King as the incorruptible Seed, the Word of God, who lives and abides forever. Each one believed into the Lamb of God and was baptized into His death and buried with Him by baptism into death, that they might be raised up together with Him.

In some way, they died during the trial. At the end of the Great Tribulation, in the resurrection of the justified, the Father gave Life to their mortal bodies through His Spirit dwelling in the redeemed person (Rom.8:9-11). Through the washing of regeneration the mortal robe again became the clothing of the inner man (Tit.3:4-7; Ac.5:32). All clean and new, the body had put on immortality. Having been born again of incorruptible Seed, the Word of God, the glistening robe is pure and clean of any defilement. It is incorruptible and immortal, a forever living body (see 1 Cor.15:49-57).

These came out of the Great Tribulation born sons of God, begotten from the dead. Therefore they are before the throne of God and they serve Him day and night in His temple. They are alive on earth, where there is day and night. What service can they do day and night in His temple? What temple is this, where they serve God?

From the moment of believing into Jesus, the ones in the multitude became His redeemed. Not only are they His by right of creation, but they are twice His. First by right of creation and also by right of redemption. They are not their own. They have been bought with a price. Their body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who dwells in them (1 Cor.6:19-20; 7:23; Gal.4:6; 1 Jn.3:23-24; 4:9-16).

What is the service done day and night? To glorify God in the body. The body is now a temple. It is a dwelling place for God, a place where God can make Himself known, that He may be given His glory, that is, given His worth. Whatsoever that is done in a body become a temple of the Holy Spirit is to be done to the glory of God. This multitude will share the light of the knowledge of the glory of God as seen in the face of Jesus Christ during the Kingdom reign.

The prophet Daniel tells us of the resurrection of the Old Testament saints and of these Gentile converts.  “Many of those who sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake.” In Scripture, “sleep” is a metaphor for “death” (see 1 Ki.2:10; Jn.11:11-14; 1 Cor.15:20). Daniel tells us that when the Old Testament saints and the Tribulation saints awake to Life everlasting, that they will “shine like the brightness of the firmament and they will turn many to righteousness, as the stars forever and ever” (Dan.12:2-3).

God put the luminaries in the heavens to declare the glory of God (Ps.19:1-6; 97:6). The signs of the Zodiac show the One who is the Way, the Truth and the Life (Gen.1:14-19; Is.40:25-26; Jn.14:6; Rom.10:14-18). The glory of God is seen in the face of Jesus Christ. As the light-holders in heaven declare the glory of God, during the Kingdom Age these saints will shine that light of the knowledge of the glory of God as seen in the face of Jesus Christ. They will shine that light into the hearts of others, that they too might believe and receive Life everlasting to become sons of God. There will be multitudes of Gentiles who will go into the Kingdom unregenerate. Also, children will be born during the thousand year Kingdom Reign.

Concerning that future Kingdom, John wrote, “They shall hunger no more, neither thirst anymore; neither shall the sun strike upon them, nor any heat. For the Lamb who is in the midst of the throne shall feed them and will lead them upon Fountains of Living Waters and will wipe away all tears from their eyes” (Rev.7:16-17; Is.25:6-8).

Ever since man was cast out of the Garden of Eden, life on earth has been filled with fears and sorrows (see Gen.3:17-18; Eccl.2:17-23; Heb.2:15). But during the trial of the seven years, there will be an intensity unparalleled in human history (Mt.24:21-22; Dan.12:1).

During the trial of the seven years, life on earth for the multitude had been filled with fears and sorrows. The last three and one-half years especially would have been a vale of tears, as there was plenty of cause for sorrow. With the famine, there was hunger, and with the water being polluted and no wine to make it drinkable, there was plenty of thirst. With the atmosphere affected through the war with its nuclear weapons, the air being greatly affected, the heat of the sun had been intensified. Excessive heat causes sunstroke and pain and weakness, even death. One-fourth of the population killed, death was everywhere (Rev.6:8). There was nothing but sorrow and tears.

In the new Kingdom of righteousness and peace, all families of the earth will be blessed.  The promise is that mankind will never ever again be subjected to such suffering. All causes for sorrow, whether physical, mental or emotional, will have been removed for anyone who will choose to believe the Word of Christ preached, that all may know and obey the truth to be born a son of God to be free from serving the lawlessness of their own being. Each one will be given this choice.

The “sun” in verse 16 of Revelation 7 is symbolic of God’s Son, Jesus Christ. We see that in Psalm 19 where God’s Son, Jesus, was sent from heaven down to earth. He ran His course laid out by His Father (Jn.5:30-31; 6:38-40; 7;29; 8:25-29; 17:4; Phil.2:5-8). Through His obedience to the death of the Cross, Jesus saved His creation from the condemnation of destruction. Then He returned to heaven (Heb.1:1-3; 10:5-14).

In the book of Malachi, the Old Testament ends with the prophecy concerning the great and terrible day of God’s wrath, with emphasis on the heat of God’s wrath, the burning of His anger. Yet there is the promise of the Sun [Son] of Righteousness arising on the scene with healing in His wings (Mal.4:1-2).

Christ Jesus will return to take His creation under the wings of His authority and care. His will be a government of righteousness and of justice. Satan will be bound and cannot deceive. The Word of God will cover the earth as the waters cover the sea (Is.11:1-9; 66:12).

There will no longer be a need for God to be angry. There will be no world of the wicked. Under God’s government, rebellion will be immediately dealt with (Is.65:19; 66:24). The penalty for lawlessness is death. Any wicked individual will be put to death. The inhabitants of the earth will not again feel the heat of God’s anger, as the Son will not have to bring judgment upon the earth ever again. All because at that time the inhabitants of the earth have a Shepherd who will take care of their needs and provide for them and protect them. He will do justice and righteousness.

The prophet Isaiah gives the same picture of the Kingdom Age. “Thus says the Lord, the Redeemer of Israel, His Holy One, to Him whom man despises, to Him whom the nation abhors, to a Servant of rulers: Kings shall see and arise, princes also shall worship, because of the Lord who is faithful, and the Holy One of Israel, and He shall choose You. Thus say the Lord: In an acceptable time have I heard You, and in a day of salvation have I helped You; and I will preserve You, and give You for a Covenant of the people, to establish the earth, to cause to inherit the desolate heritages, that You may say to the prisoners, Go forth; to those who are in darkness, show yourselves. They shall feed in the ways, and their pastures shall be in all high places. They shall not hunger nor thirst, neither shall the heat nor sun smite them; for He who has mercy on them shall lead them, even by the springs of water shall He guide them” (Is.49:7-10).

When John says, “The Lamb who is in the midst of the throne will shepherd them,” we are reminded of the Twenty-third Psalm. Psalm 22 is the psalm of the Good Shepherd, who laid down His life for the sheep (see also Jn.10:11-18). Psalm 23 is the Great Shepherd whom the God of Peace brought again from the dead through the blood of the Everlasting Covenant (see Heb.13:20). Psalm 24 is the Chief Shepherd who is coming a second time to set up His Kingdom (see 1 Pet.5:4). The Lamb is the Chief Shepherd.

In Psalm 23, the Shepherd is personal, “my Shepherd.” The sheep, including the Gentile nations, will have His provision. They shall not want. They will be loved and cared for and comforted after the terrible trial. The Shepherd will cause them to lie down in green pastures, living pasturage. Feed on living food. What will they be fed with? The Word of God. As they take in and digest the Word of God, they will feed on righteousness. No more feeding on the imagination of the heart, or the lies of the world, which feed on lawlessness. No more deceit.

As the Word of God will cover the earth as the waters cover the sea, those of all nations will be led to waters of rest. All will be at peace. The inhabitants of the earth will have entered into the rest of peace and provision of love and care, the rest of the reconciliation of the finished work of the Cross.

Jesus said, “Truly, truly, I say unto you, Except you eat the flesh of the Son of Man, and drink His blood, you have no Life in you. He who eats My flesh, and drinks My blood, has Life everlasting; and I will raise him up at the last day. For My flesh is food indeed, and My blood is drink indeed. He that eats My flesh, and drinks My blood, dwells in Me, and I in him. As the living Father has sent Me, and I live by the Father, so he that eats Me, even He shall live by Me. This is the Bread which came down from heaven, not as your fathers did eat the manna, and are dead; he that eats of this Bread shall Live forever” (Jn.6:53-58).

“I am the Bread of Life; he that keeps on coming to Me shall never hunger, and he that keeps on believing into Me shall never thirst” (Jn.6:35). “Eating His flesh” is taking into one’s mind the fact of the Word, who is God, becoming flesh and, with the understanding enlightened, seeing Jesus as the Son of God and the Son of Man. “Drinking His blood” is understanding the purpose of the Word become flesh to loose His creation of man from his sins in the shedding of His blood in obedience to the death of the Cross. In that finished work is the redemption of the earthly body in resurrection. Anyone who chooses to hear the Word and see the truth will be enlightened.

In the Kingdom Age, those of the Gentile nations judged as sheep to be invited into the Kingdom will yet be in their earthly mortal bodies (Mt.25:31-46). Some will be unregenerate. Some like those of us in the Body of Christ will have believed to become regenerate. Like us, they possess a forever living body like unto Jesus’ body of glory. Like us, the new body of glory is hid with Christ in God. The Body of Christ had to wait to receive their new body of glory until Jesus came to gather His Church to Himself before the Tribulation and judgment to be poured out upon the earth. Those who enter the Kingdom regenerate and those who become regenerate during the Kingdom Age will, like the Church, receive their bodies at the same time, when the thousand years are finished. And like the Church, they will not die, but shall be changed in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, corruption will put on incorruption and mortality will put on immortality (1 Cor.15:49-57).

In the Kingdom Age, the regenerate will continue to live in the mortal flesh body born in Adam. As like reproduces like, the corruptible seed of man reproduces a mortal body of flesh and blood. The mortal body of man is born of the corruptible seed of man, a body of flesh and blood. As with the regenerate down through the ages, so in the Kingdom Age, that which is born of the flesh is flesh (Jn.3:6a).

Only that born of the Spirit is Spirit. One must be born of Water [the Word of God] and the Spirit (Jn.3:5-8). One must be born again. One must be born from above through the incorruptible Seed, the Word of God sent down to us from heaven. In Him is Life and the Life is the Light of men (Jn.1:4).

Anyone born in Adam in any age is born flesh and will die (1 Cor.15:21-22, 45-57). Each one in Adam must come to God through Jesus Christ, His Son (see Jn.3:16; 5:24; 1 Jn.5:9-13). Even in the Kingdom Age one must choose to unite himself to Jesus Christ as his Substitute. One must unite himself to Jesus in His death and burial and resurrection. One does so through faith. Hearing the gospel of the righteousness of God, one obeys the truth to purify his soul. One believes God who said that His son Jesus became sin for man that one might become the righteousness of God in Him.

As seen in Psalm 23, the soul of the believing one will be restored. The two requisites for true repentance is to first turn from evil, and the other is to turn to good. The feeding in green pastures and drinking the waters of rest will turn one from evil and turn him to good. These are the paths of righteousness, for His name’s sake. It is a recognition of who is God and to whom is the glory, the One whose name and whose reputation is to be proclaimed in words and in deeds. Those who represent the Holy One are responsible to protect His reputation and not take His name in vain.

These in the Kingdom need have no fear of evil. All enemies have been overcome, even death, which has been swallowed up in victory (1 Cor.15:54-57). These have walked through the seven year trial under the shadow of death. Now they are under the care of the Shepherd, the One who swallowed up death in Life.

The Shepherd holds the rod of authority. He will have broken the Global Society of the New World Order and He will have again divided the sons of Adam their inheritance. He will be ruling with a rod of iron (Rev.12:5). Any lawlessness will be immediately dealt with. What a comfort that will be to those living in the Kingdom.

The table will have been laid with the Bread of the Presence. Whosoever will is invited to partake in fellowship with the Father and with the Son. The head is anointed with Oil, the Holy Spirit having been renewed to the spirit. The Oil for light put back into the lamp of the Lord, the eyes of the understanding are enlightened to see light and dispel the darkness of unbelief and lack of knowledge of the truth and also will dispel all doubts and bring the imagination of the heart under control (see Prov.20:27; Gal.4:6; 1 Cor.2:12; 1 Jn.4:6).

The cup, the vessel which holds the soul and spirit, is full and running over. Light and understanding can be shared with others. Following the terrible trial there is complete satisfaction with the love and care of the Shepherd, with His goodness and mercy. Goodness and mercy forever. No more judgment to be suffered by the whole world.

And Jew and Gentile will be dwelling in the House of the Lord forever. The House of the Lord spoken of in Psalm 23 is the earthly Kingdom of the House of David, set up in the Lord Jesus Christ. “To build a house” is a Jewish idiom for “having sons,” building a household to carry on your name, so to speak.

In 2 Samuel 7 verses 12 and 13, the Lord promised that David would have a son who would build a House for the Lord’s name and that He, God, would establish the throne of His Kingdom forever. Jesus Christ, the Son of David, built the Lord a House of sons of God, who would live forever. At the end of the thousand year building in the earthly Kingdom, all who have not chosen to be born sons of God will be purged from the household (Rev.20:7-9).

During the thousand years, the Chief Shepherd will have the resurrected David sitting upon the throne of the House of David in Jerusalem as His representative (Jer.30:9; Ezek.34:23; 37:24-25; Hos.3:5). Through David, the Lamb will be in the midst of the throne. He will shepherd the sheep, both Jews and Gentiles. He will lead them upon the Fountains of Living Waters, and God will wipe off every tear from their eyes. David will be the under shepherd who cares for the physical needs of the sheep.

Metaphorically, “Fountains of Living Waters” is “Life-giving teaching.” The Word of God is living and powerful (Heb.4:12-13). To “lead” is to “guide or lead the way.” In Revelation 7:17, where it speaks of the Lamb leading them to the Living Waters, the Greek is actually, “upon.” Isaiah 49:10 reads, “Shall lead them, even by the Springs of Water shall He guide them.”

Psalm 36:9 says, “For with You is the Fountain of Life.” With Christ is the teaching of Life everlasting and the Way of Life everlasting (Jn.14:6). “In Your Light we shall see Light.” In His Light we are guided to the teaching of Life everlasting. Jesus said, “I am the Light of the world. He that follows Me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the Light of Life” (Jn.8:12). Anyone who receives the light of the knowledge of the glory of God as seen in the face of Jesus Christ, with whom is the Fountain of Light, the Life-giving teaching, will have Oil in the Lord’s lamp for light to enlightened the eyes of the understanding.

“The Law of the wise is a Fountain of Life, to depart from the snares of death” (Prov.13:14). “The fear of the Lord is a Fountain of Life, to depart from the snares of death” (Prov.14:27). Jeremiah wrote of Israel, “My people have committed two evils: they have forsaken Me, the Fountain of Living Waters, and hewed out cisterns, broken cisterns, that can hold no water” (Jer.2:13).

Israel carved idols to learn wisdom. Idols hold no Life-giving teaching. Cisterns hold stagnant, polluted water, not moving water. The Shepherd leads and guides upon water continually flowing from the Fountain of Life. As He leads, one comes upon fresh Life-giving teaching in the Word of God and is led by the Life-giving teaching of the Word of God. The one walking in His light shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the Light of Life.

And so it is promised in the Kingdom Age. The Shepherd will lead them upon the Fountains of Living Waters. There will be continual Life-giving teaching and no wisdom of the world to be conformed to, no wisdom sourced in the evil one. Christ Jesus will be setting the course of that world of His Kingdom.

“And God shall wipe out every tear from their eyes” is the literal Greek in Revelation 7:17. As Isaiah put it, “He will swallow up death in victory; and the Lord God will wipe away tears from all faces; and the rebuke of His people shall He take away from all the earth; for the Lord has spoken it” (Is.25:8).

Life and death and the forever after death are all wrapped up in the fact of the sacrificial death of Jesus Christ. Life for here and for hereafter for anyone born in the world turns on the choice each one makes, to either repent and turn from evil to turn to good and be led upon Life-giving teaching of the Word of God, or hold onto the hewed out cisterns of the stagnant, polluted wisdom of man, the wisdom of the world, which is sourced in the evil one. It is man’s choice to come to God believing that He is and that He is a Rewarder of those who diligently seek Him (Heb.11:6).

Believe into Jesus and be led of the Spirit to discover the clear, deep pools of the Water of God’s Word. Taught of the Spirit one is led to drink, that is, to believe the deep things of God known only to the Spirit (1 Cor.2:9-16). These are thirst quenching waters to satisfy the desires of the one who has become a new creation in Christ Jesus.

If men are to be redeemed from the grave, man must be given a new personal center of life other than himself. He must be turned from darkness to Light. Union with Christ in His death, burial and resurrection is effected in faith in the righteousness of God, the righteousness of the gospel of Christ, which is the power of God unto salvation (Rom.1:16).

Jesus said, “The words that I speak unto you are Spirit and they are Life” (Jn.6:63b). The words of Christ are the spirit of righteousness. They are Life for the inner man, the son of God, the born again son to live forever.

This ends our lesson on Revelation 7. Next John will be shown the opening of the seventh and final seal on the scroll, which will open to view the entire scroll.