Revelation 7 – God’s Jewish Witnesses for the 70th Week and the Raptured Church in Heaven
The next thing John sees are four angels positioned at the four corners of the earth in control of the four winds (I assume that to reference north, south, east and west). Verse 2 tells us that their purpose is to “hurt the earth and the sea.” Another angel ascends from the east and instructs them not to do anything until the servants of God have been sealed in their forehead. The Greek indicates that this seal is for protection. In Revelation 14:1 we are told that this seal is the Father’s name.
John now tells us the exact number of persons sealed—144,000—12,000 each from the 12 tribes of Israel. This emphasizes to me that this is at the beginning of the 70th week of Daniel, the 7-year period widely known as the tribulation. This time is described in the book of Daniel as “determined upon thy people [Israel] and upon thy holy city [Jerusalem]…to bring in everlasting righteousness….” (9:24) These would be Jewish witnesses who will preach the gospel, and whom God will use to separate out for Himself a believing remnant of Jews to enter the millennium, the 1000-year earthly kingdom of the Messiah, and through whom He will fulfill His covenant with Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.
I think it is important to note that the “day of God’s wrath” and the 70th week of Daniel run basically concurrent to one another, but are directed toward different groups of people for different purposes.
God’s wrath is directed in vengeance against the wicked, God’s enemies. The 70th week is directed to Israel to refine and produce a believing remnant and usher in God’s kingdom.
The next thing John sees is a great multitude of people from every nation, ethnic background and language dressed in white robes, holding palm branches and standing before the throne and “the Lamb” and praising Him. It is quite clear to me that John is seeing the body of Christ gathered before the throne after the rapture. I don’t know how John could take it all in, but he then sees all the angels, elders, and living creatures on their faces worshipping God before the throne.
Because of the wording of verse 14, many assume that this is an assembly of believers who are martyrs from the tribulation period. I think that is a general reference to the church age, which has been full of tribulation and trouble of different types and to varying degrees for all believers.
John 16:33 “These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.”
Acts 14:22 “Confirming the souls of the disciples, and exhorting them to continue in the faith, and that we must through much tribulation enter into the kingdom of God.”
Point is made that they are presented in robes of white through acceptance of Jesus’ sacrifice for their sin. We will be privileged to serve God night and day in His temple, and we will dwell with Him. This fulfills the very promise the LORD made to His disciples.
John 14:1-3 Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me. In my Father’s house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also.
God will supply our every need, spiritual and physical, and wipe away all tears from our eyes.
Revelation 8 – The Trumpet Judgments Begin
When the 7th seal is opened, there is silence in heaven for about a half hour. I think this is in consideration of the horrendous judgments yet to be poured out on the inhabitants of planet earth.
John then describes seeing 7 angels standing before God and being given 7 trumpets with which they will announce the commencement of 7 more judgments. Another angel appears carrying a golden censer, which is said to contain the prayers of all the saints; and he is given incense to mix with those prayers, which indicate that they are a sweet smelling aroma before God—in other words, He is pleased with those prayers. The angel then takes fire from the altar to add to the censer and throws it to the earth. Why? Once the prayers have ascended, the fire from the altar is added to the censer and cast to the earth in judgment. Those on planet earth hear voices and thunder, see lightning, and experience an earthquake.
The seven angels then prepare to announce the upcoming judgments.
- When the first angel blows his trumpet, hail and fire mingled with blood falls on the earth and burns up 1/3 of the trees and all the green grass.
- When the second angel blows his trumpet, a big fiery mountain is cast into the sea, and 1/3 of it turns to blood; this, in turn, results in the destruction of 1/3 of the sea creatures and 1/3 of the ships. In my mind this probably references a specific third of the world’s oceans, or it could apply to a specific area.
- When the third angel blows his trumpet, a big burning star called Wormwood falls from heaven and poisons 1/3 of the rivers and fresh water springs. I would assume this would be the result of its breaking up into fragments that are spread over a specific third of the earth.
- The fourth angel blows and 1/3 each of the sun, moon and stars are darkened. This results in total darkness for 1/3 of the day and night respectively.
At this point there is an interruption to the announcement of the final three trumpet judgments. An angel appears in the heavens warning the people on planet earth that the coming three judgments are the worst yet.
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