Revelation 7:4-8

Revelation 7:4-8

Revelation 7:3 saying, "Do not harm the earth or the sea or the trees, until we have sealed the servants of our God on their foreheads."

Revelation 7:4 And I heard the number of the sealed, 144,000, sealed from every tribe of the sons of Israel:

Revelation 7:5 12,000 from the tribe of Judah were sealed, 12,000 from the tribe of Reuben, 12,000 from the tribe of Gad,

Revelation 7:6 12,000 from the tribe of Asher, 12,000 from the tribe of Naphtali, 12,000 from the tribe of Manasseh,

Revelation 7:7 12,000 from the tribe of Simeon, 12,000 from the tribe of Levi, 12,000 from the tribe of Issachar,

Revelation 7:8 12,000 from the tribe of Zebulun, 12,000 from the tribe of Joseph, 12,000 from the tribe of Benjamin were sealed.

Sealed the servants of our God on their foreheads

Here Angel told to the other four angles that are going to bring the wrath of the God into this earth, do not harm the earth, sea and tree until we have sealed the servants of our God on their foreheads."

First thing we need to notice that, angles (we) going to put the seal to Bond servants of God. That means these people are served to God. They ministered for God. They proclaimed about the truth, because of that only God wants to save the people from the great tribulation.

What is the content of Seal

Revelation 14:1 Then I looked, and behold, on Mount Zion stood the Lamb, and with him 144,000 who had his name and his Father's name written on their foreheads.

Why Forehead ?

      Visibility to everyone. In chapter 13 we read that Satan seals all of his followers in the forehead and right hand, Satan always duplicated what God is doing to deceive the people. But in chapter 13 not mention that satan’s seal put only to the jews. But here God’s seal goes to only tribe of Israel people. Then what about the genitals? They will not going to get seal from God?

Why only to Jews ?

                        One thing we need to understand these sealing incidents are happening in the great tribulation period, upon the left people in rapture.

During the great tribulation period who and all accept the Jesus Christ those all saved by the God. Then why only the Jews are receiving the seal?

Because Jews are first fruits of God

Revelation 14:1 Then I looked, and behold, on Mount Zion stood the Lamb, and with him 144,000 who had his name and his Father's name written on their foreheads.

Revelation 14:2 And I heard a voice from heaven like the roar of many waters and like the sound of loud thunder. The voice I heard was like the sound of harpists playing on their harps,

Revelation 14:3 and they were singing a new song before the throne and before the four living creatures and before the elders. No one could learn that song except the 144,000 who had been redeemed from the earth.

Revelation 14:4 It is these who have not defiled themselves with women, for they are virgins. It is these who follow the Lamb wherever he goes. These have been redeemed from mankind as firstfruits for God and the Lamb,

We know that the Jews are very special to God. All these Jews are redeemed people during the tribulation period.

Gentiles can receive this seals?

Apostle Paul mentioned this in Eph 1:13.

Ephesians 1:13 In him you also, when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and believed in him, were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit,

Whoever believed him and his salvation of gospel all are received the seal through Holy spirit

Revelation 7:4 And I heard the number of the sealed, 144,000, sealed from every tribe of the sons of Israel:

I heard the number of the sealed

Here John is hearing particularly the number, who going to receive the seal

There is two 144000 opinion for this number mentioned here.

One is literal meanings, some believing that only 144000 people only saved by this sealed.

Another one is symbolic meaning. That means 12x12x1000. As biblical meaning for the number 12 is “All are God’s people”.

We are telling that all Israel people are very special to God. We saw in the chapter 14:4 “first fruit of God”, we know that all Israelite are 12 tribes.  Jesus selected the 12 disciples. Jesus loves every one. But He selects only 12 people to continue his ministry. Here 144000 are mention clear they are bond servants of God.

Revelation 7:5 12,000 from the tribe of Judah were sealed, 12,000 from the tribe of Reuben, 12,000 from the tribe of Gad,

Revelation 7:6 12,000 from the tribe of Asher, 12,000 from the tribe of Naphtali, 12,000 from the tribe of Manasseh,

Revelation 7:7 12,000 from the tribe of Simeon, 12,000 from the tribe of Levi, 12,000 from the tribe of Issachar,

Revelation 7:8 12,000 from the tribe of Zebulun, 12,000 from the tribe of Joseph, 12,000 from the tribe of Benjamin were sealed.

·        ⁵Of 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.

·        ⁶Of the tribe of Asher were sealed twelve thousand.

·        Of the tribe of Nephthalim were sealed twelve thousand.

·        Of the tribe of Manasseh were sealed twelve thousand.

·        ⁷Of 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.

·        ⁸Of 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.

Why are some Jewish tribes excluded from the 144,000?

This is an intriguing question. The list of tribes is certainly unusual. The original twelve tribes included both Levi and Joseph. But normally, when the twelve tribes are listed in the Bible, Levi — the priestly tribe — is not mentioned because its inheritance was the Lord Himself (Deuteronomy 10:9). And Joseph's name is usually dropped and then replaced by his two sons, Ephraim and Manasseh who were adopted by Jacob (Genesis 48:8-22). So, Levi and Joseph are usually replaced by Ephraim and Manasseh, keeping the list at twelve.

In the listing in Revelation 7, the tribes of Dan and Ephraim are dropped and replaced by Levi and Joseph to keep the list at twelve.

Why Dan is left ?

Well, no one knows for sure. My guess is that Dan and Ephraim were dropped because they were the ones that led the children of Israel into idolatry (Deuteronomy 29:18-21 and 1 Kings 12:25ff). It thus appears that the two tribes responsible for luring others into idolatry will not be entrusted with sharing the Gospel with others during the Tribulation.

We will take a detail look about his tribe

Genesis 30:6 Then Rachel said, "God has judged me, and has also heard my voice and given me a son." Therefore she called his name Dan.^[1]

Not direct son of Rachel. He is son for Bilhah servant of Rachel.

Genesis 35:25 The sons of Bilhah, Rachel's servant: Dan and Naphtali.

God’s wisdom to Dan tribe. What kind of wisdom?

Exodus 35:31 and he has filled him with the Spirit of God, with skill, with intelligence, with knowledge, and with all craftsmanship,

Exodus 35:32 to devise artistic designs, to work in gold and silver and bronze,

Exodus 35:33 in cutting stones for setting, and in carving wood, for work in every skilled craft.

Exodus 35:34 And he has inspired him to teach, both him and Oholiab the son of Ahisamach of the tribe of Dan.

Exodus 35:35 He has filled them with skill to do every sort of work done by an engraver or by a designer or by an embroiderer in blue and purple and scarlet yarns and fine twined linen, or by a weaver--by any sort of workman or skilled designer.

Dan tribe misused this wisdom

   They introduced the idol worship as stated in judges 18:30

This is the reasons bereaved why God left this tribe.