A SEAL OF PROTECTION FOR 144,000 JEWISH BELIEVERS

I think it is important to continue to remind you that these posts are building on one another from a foundation established in all previous posts, and they need to be read in order for the best understanding.

With the opening of chapter seven, we find God sealing 144,000 Jewish witnesses to testify to His truth after the removal of the body of believers in the true church. 

Revelation 7:1-8 “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. 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, Hurt not the earth, neither the sea, nor the trees, till we have sealed the servants of our God in their foreheads. 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. Of the tribe of Juda 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 Aser were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Nepthalim were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Manasses 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 Zabulon were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Joseph were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Benjamin were sealed twelve thousand.”

As will be seen throughout the Revelation record, angels function as God’s agents for carrying out God’s will concerning events on planet earth.  In light of the glimpses provided in the biblical record, I believe they have been just as busy behind the scenes throughout history as they will be in the future; it’s just that in the Revelation record their work is being more publicly proclaimed.

Four angels are identified as having the authority to prevent further acts of judgment on planet earth until 144,000 Jewish witnesses (12,000 each from the twelve tribes of Israel) have been sealed for supernatural protection during this time of judgment.  I think it is significant that these angels are identified as controlling the winds, a force of nature that often causes destruction widely recognized as an “act of God.”

It comes to my mind that every time there is a pause, there is another golden opportunity for salvation.  The church has fulfilled its purpose and has been removed; however, God always ensures that He has a witness on earth.  In light of the preceding rapture, this 144,000 along with God’s two special witnesses (introduced in chapter 11, but clearly identified as testifying during the first 3.5 years of the 7-year tribulation period) become the primary witnesses of the gospel and the truth of scripture.

The events of the sixth seal judgment have evidently resulted in many Jews finally accepting the truth of scripture and turning to the Lord Jesus in faith.  It is also fitting that God’s primary witnesses during the tribulation period be Jewish, since the purpose of that time period is to produce a purified remnant of Jewish believers through whom God will fulfill His covenant with Abraham, Isaac, Jacob. 

In contrast to his attempt to express the number of angels he saw in Revelation 5:11, John is very specific about the number of servants sealed; it is 144,000.  Many struggle with the different listings of the twelve tribes of Israel throughout scripture.  The important thing to note is that twelve tribes are always designated as representing the whole of the Jewish people. 

In this listing the tribes of Dan and Ephraim are not named, the two tribes that were noted for establishing idolatry in Israel.  The wonderful thing is that the tribes of Dan and Ephraim will be restored to a place of blessing in the millennium according to Ezekiel.  God will fulfill His promise to Abraham.  Romans 11:29 states that “the calling of God is without repentance.”

Ezekiel 47:13 Thus saith the Lord GOD; This shall be the border, whereby ye shall inherit the land according to the twelve tribes of Israel:

Ezekiel 48:1 & 5 Now these are the names of the tribes. From the north end to the coast of the way of Hethlon, as one goeth to Hamath, Hazarenan, the border of Damascus northward, to the coast of Hamath; for these are his sides east and west; a portion for Dan….And by the border of Manasseh, from the east side unto the west side, a portion for Ephraim.

Although the Jewish people have been scattered throughout the world for almost 2,000 years, God has no problem in identifying the physical lineage of the 144,000 witnesses.

(to be continued…)

JESUS OPENS THE SIXTH SEAL

As always, the information presented in this post proceeds from the foundation established in previous posts.  That foundation is prerequisite to the best understanding of the information to follow.

Revelation 6:12-17 “And I beheld when he had opened the sixth seal, and, lo, there was a great earthquake; and the sun became black as sackcloth of hair, and the moon became as blood; And the stars of heaven fell unto the earth, even as a fig tree casteth her untimely figs, when she is shaken of a mighty wind. And the heaven departed as a scroll when it is rolled together; and every mountain and island were moved out of their places. And the kings of the earth, and the great men, and the rich men, and the chief captains, and the mighty men, and every bondman, and every free man, hid themselves in the dens and in the rocks of the mountains; And said to the mountains and rocks, Fall on us, and hide us from the face of him that sitteth on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb: For the great day of his wrath is come; and who shall be able to stand?”

The sixth seal is identified as the beginning of “the great day of His wrath” [the Lamb, Jesus, as identified in previous posts].  I let that fact stumble me for the longest time, because I am a staunch pre-tribulation rapture believer.  As I finally chose to open myself to the possibility that my long-held views were possibly off the mark, I came to the realization that the pretrib and prewrath views were complimentary; one did not have to exclude the other.  Recognizing that the first four seals mirrored the “birth pain” signs described by Jesus was one of the first keys to clarifying my understanding.

The first impact of this seal is a great earthquake event.  There is no specific location identified as the center point of this event, but it has an impact that is felt worldwide.  This earthquake is so powerful that it causes the mountains and islands of the earth to change positions.  The 9.0 earthquakes in Indonesia in December 2004 and in Japan in March 2011 could foreshadow this event.  Following is an excerpt from Wikipedia regarding these quakes.

Re 2004:  “The magnitude of the earthquake was originally recorded as 9.0 on the Richter scale, but has been upgraded to between 9.1 and 9.3. At this magnitude, it is the second largest earthquake ever recorded on a seismograph. This earthquake was also reported to be the longest duration of faulting ever observed, lasting between 500 and 600 seconds (8.3 to 10 minutes), and it was large enough that it caused the entire planet to vibrate as much as half an inch, or over a centimeter.  It also triggered earthquakes in other locations as far away as Alaska.”

Re 2011:  It was “one of the five most powerful earthquakes in the world since modern record keeping began in 1900. The earthquake triggered powerful tsunami waves that reached heights of up to 40.5 metres (133 ft)….The earthquake moved Honshu (the main island of Japan) 2.4 m (8 ft) east and shifted the Earth on its axis by estimates of between 10 cm (4 in) and 25 cm (10 in).”

For the sun to turn black might reference an extended eclipse-like effect.  The red moon would provide even less light than normal for the night. The effects on the sun and moon would appear to be temporary since the trumpet judgments will again affect these heavenly bodies (Rev. 8:12 & 16:8).

Henry Morris provides some scientific insight:  “…the vast worldwide network of unstable earthquake belts around the world suddenly will begin to slip and fracture on a global basis and a gigantic earthquake will ensue.  This is evidently, and naturally, accompanied by tremendous volcanic eruptions, spewing vast quantities of dust and steam and gases into the upper atmosphere.  It is probably these that will cause the sun to be darkened and the moon to appear blood-red.”

It would seem that the stars falling toward earth are just allowed to get close to earth, and then God supernaturally destroys them before they destroy earth since that is not His intent at this time.  This could be supported by terminology in Isaiah talking about the host of heaven dissolving.

Isaiah 34:4 “And all the host of heaven shall be dissolved, and the heavens shall be rolled together as a scroll: and all their host shall fall down, as the leaf falleth off from the vine, and as a falling fig from the fig tree.”

The emphasis seems to be on instilling a godly fear into man.  God is trying to get his attention before it is too late to recognize who He is and turn to Him in faith and repentance.  This reasoning seems to be supported with a cross reference in Joel talking about this time.

Joel 2:30-32 “And I will shew wonders in the heavens and in the earth, blood, and fire, and pillars of smoke.  The sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before the great and the terrible day of the LORD come.  And it shall come to pass, that whosoever shall call on the name of the LORD shall be delivered….”

This great day of wrath is referenced many times in scripture.  It is a time in which God will exact vengeance against His enemies and all that is wicked in this world.  Although God has exacted judgment against the nations of the world throughout history as recorded in scripture, this “day of the Lord” or great day of wrath judgment will be worldwide and will occur just before Jesus returns as King.

Isaiah 2:10–12 & 17 Enter into the rock, and hide thee in the dust, for fear of the LORD, and for the glory of his majesty. The lofty looks of man shall be humbled, and the haughtiness of men shall be bowed down, and the LORD alone shall be exalted in that day. For the day of the LORD of hosts shall be upon every one that is proud and lofty, and upon every one that is lifted up; and he shall be brought low… And the loftiness of man shall be bowed down, and the haughtiness of men shall be made low: and the LORD alone shall be exalted in that day.

Isaiah 13:6&11 Howl ye; for the day of the LORD is at hand; it shall come as a destruction from the Almighty….And I will punish the world for their evil, and the wicked for their iniquity; and I will cause the arrogancy of the proud to cease, and will lay low the haughtiness of the terrible.

Nahum 1:2 God is jealous, and the LORD revengeth; the LORD revengeth, and is furious; the LORD will take vengeance on his adversaries, and he reserveth wrath for his enemies.

Malachi 4:5–6“Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the LORD….

Acts 2:19–20 And I will shew wonders in heaven above, and signs in the earth beneath; blood, and fire, and vapour of smoke: The sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before that great and notable day of the Lord come….

1 Thessalonians 5:1–3 But of the times and the seasons, brethren, ye have no need that I write unto you. For yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so cometh as a thief in the night. For when they shall say, Peace and safety; then sudden destruction cometh upon them, as travail upon a woman with child; and they shall not escape.

Most people lump together the tribulation period and the day of the Lord, but it is clear to me that they are directed toward different people groups with different purposes.  The tribulation is directed toward the people of Israel and the city of Jerusalem as a refining fire to produce a purified remnant of believers that accept Jesus as the Messiah.  The day of the Lord is directed in wrath, vengeance and destruction against the wicked world and His enemies.  Though I believe these two periods of time occur basically in conjunction with one another; I do not believe that God’s wrath necessarily begins at the same time as the 70^th week.

I am convinced that the events of the sixth seal begin the final “day of the Lord,” the time of God’s wrath and vengeance against His enemies and all that is wicked in this world.  It is this time from which believers are promised deliverance; and they will be seen standing before the throne in chapter 7.

(to be continued…)

THE FIFTH SEAL – MARTYRS OF THE FAITH

Please note that the previous two posts, especially “DANIEL’S 70^TH WEEK & GOD’S WRATH,” provide essential foundational information to understanding the information presented as this series moves forward.  With this post we have reached the opening of the fifth seal.

Revelation 6:9-11 “And when he had opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of them that were slain for the word of God, and for the testimony which they held: And they cried with a loud voice, saying, How long, O Lord, holy and true, dost thou not judge and avenge our blood on them that dwell on the earth? And white robes were given unto every one of them; and it was said unto them, that they should rest yet for a little season, until their fellowservants also and their brethren, that should be killed as they were, should be fulfilled.”

The altar is recognized as the place of sacrifice, so it is quite fitting to find that the souls of those that had died as martyrs for their faith under the altar.  This too fits into the sequence of events taught by Jesus.

Matthew 24:9–10 Then shall they deliver you up to be afflicted, and shall kill you: and ye shall be hated of all nations for my name’s sake. And then shall many be offended, and shall betray one another, and shall hate one another.

Though there is specific address to the Jewish people as a whole in some of the wording in Matthew, the principle of its truth is applicable to the death of “God’s people” throughout history; however, I believe the specific address is to the Lord’s disciples—true followers of Jesus.  I have most often heard these verses taught as representing those who have died as martyrs during the first part of the tribulation, but I now believe these are martyrs from the church age. 

It’s interesting that the martyrs are not rebuked for wanting God to take revenge on and judge with condemnation those responsible for their deaths.  Instead, they are just told to rest and wait for a short period of time.  What are they waiting for?  For the death of the final martyr of the church age.   The phrase “should be fulfilled” indicates that there is a number that will make full or complete.  As always, God knows the end from the beginning—down to the final martyr of the church age. 

I was struck by the observation of Joseph Seiss regarding these souls under the altar:  “There are no voices of command from heaven under this seal, and no messengers dispatched from the throne; for the reason, that bloody persecutions of God’s servants come from beneath—not from above.  It is the devil who is the murderer from the beginning, and by him, and his seed, has all martyr blood been made to flow that ever has flowed or ever will.”

The martyrs are given white robes to cover them while they wait.  The entry for “robes” indicates that it is a garment that is a mark of dignity.  They have been given a special position of honor in heaven, and vengeance on their behalf will be God’s at the perfect time.

  

Romans 12:19 Dearly beloved, avenge not yourselves, but rather give place unto wrath: for it is written, Vengeance is mine; I will repay, saith the Lord.

The fact that they are referred to as souls seems to indicate that they have yet to receive their resurrected bodies.  I think they will join the body of Christ before the throne that is referenced in Revelation 7:9 when their number is complete and all believers are resurrected to their immortal bodies at the rapture. 

“they should rest yet for a little season” – Once again we note that the perspective of time from heaven is quite different from the perspective on earth.

Psalms 90:4 For a thousand years in thy sight are but as yesterday when it is past, and as a watch in the night.

2 Peter 3:8 But, beloved, be not ignorant of this one thing, that one day is with the Lord

as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day.

(to be continued…)

THE OPENING OF THE SEVEN-SEALED SCROLL

Please note that the previous post provides essential foundational information to understanding the information presented as this series moves forward.  Today, we come to the opening of the seven-sealed scroll.  It is this section of scripture from which “the four horsemen of the apocalypse” emerge.

I think it is interesting that this section of scripture falls on New Year’s Eve.  As we enter this new year, my prayer is that you will take the time to think about how quickly national alliances are reshuffling, how quickly the world financial structure is leading toward centralization, and how the advance of both scientific knowledge and technology at warp speed is establishing the necessary tools for a world leader to be able to exercise despotic “big brother” control throughout the world.  The time is short.

I pray that as we continue to look at God’s word, you will recognize the need to be sure that your heart is right with the Lord so that you will be delivered from the worst that is to come.  All you have to do is admit that you are sinner, place your faith in Jesus and accept His free gift of salvation. 

John 3:16 “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.”

1 Corinthians 15:3-4 “…Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures:”

Ephesians 2:8-9 “For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast.”

John 14:21 “He that has my commandments, and keeps them, he it is that loves me: and he that loves me shall be loved of my Father, and I will love him, and will manifest myself to him.”

The sincerity of your faith will be revealed by the transformation that begins to take place in your life as you seek to live according to His will as revealed in scripture.  Your works cannot save you, but they do serve to prove you.

Revelation 6:1-2 “And I saw when the Lamb opened one of the seals, and I heard, as it were the noise of thunder, one of the four beasts saying, Come and see. And I saw, and behold a white horse: and he that sat on him had a bow; and a crown was given unto him: and he went forth conquering, and to conquer.”

Jesus is the one opening the seals; He is not the rider on the first horse as I have heard posited by some.  I think the rider on the white horse represents Satan going forth to exert his power and influence on the world eventually gaining his greatest influence through the being we call Antichrist.  His purpose is to go forth and conquer the world.  Note that he is carrying a bow.  Research indicates that this word references the arc or crescent shape of the weapon he carries.  The scientific names of some organisms were derived from its Greek root “toxon” because of their shape, e.g. toxoplasma.   The word is singular and would seem to indicate a bow with no reference to arrows; in other words, he will conquer without using physical force.  He will first appear as a man of peace, an angel of light. 

2 Corinthians 11:14–15 And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light. Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also be transformed as the ministers of righteousness; whose end shall be according to their works.

The Antichrist will be victorious as indicated by his crown (Greek, stephanos – a wreath, the prize in public games or competition).  Significant to note is that the crown he wears represents authority, but it has been delegated to him for a time. 

Also important to note as we study the first five seals is how they mirror the “birth pains” signs that were noted by Jesus as He taught His disciples regarding His second coming.  Like birth pains, these signs will increase in intensity and frequency as the time for the return of Jesus approaches.

Matthew 24:6-7 For many shall come in my name, saying, I am Christ; and shall deceive many. And ye shall hear of wars and rumours of wars: see that ye be not troubled: for all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet.  For nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom: and there shall be famines, and pestilences, and earthquakes, in divers place

False Christs or Messiahs will eventually culminate in the Antichrist, the ultimate Christ impostor.

The second rider is on a red horse and carries a sword; his purpose is to eliminate any kind of peace on earth by provoking people to kill one another. 

Revelation 6:3-4 “And when he had opened the second seal, I heard the second beast say, Come and see. And there went out another horse that was red: and power was given to him that sat thereon to take peace from the earth, and that they should kill one another: and there was given unto him a great sword.”

Notice that the power of this rider also is given to him.  By whom?  The One who gives the power to each rider, the One who possesses the authority to open the seals—Jesus. 

History is filled with records of wars among peoples and nations; however, I think the record proves that beginning in the twentieth century, war and rumors of war on a worldwide scale have increased dramatically both in number and intensity. 

When the third seal is opened, we see a black horse with a rider that is carrying a pair of balances or scales.  He is empowered to destroy the world’s economy and promote worldwide poverty. 

Revelation 6:5-6 “And when he had opened the third seal, I heard the third beast say, Come and see. And I beheld, and lo a black horse; and he that sat on him had a pair of balances in his hand. And I heard a voice in the midst of the four beasts say, A measure of wheat for a penny, and three measures of barley for a penny; and see thou hurt not the oil and the wine.”

The picture painted is one of famine although there will still be many that will enjoy life with plenty and luxury.  Though there has always been a distinction in social levels among the peoples of the world, I think that the last decade in particular has shown a marked change in the world financial picture.  The economics of the nations of the world are interdependent upon one another more than ever before, and the gulf between the rich and poor continues to increase at an exponential rate. 

The next pair of riders represents the final riders corresponding to the signs identified as birth pains.  The lead rider is “Death,” but he has a companion identified as “Hell”—Death for the body; Hell for the soul. 

Revelation 6:7-8 “And when he had opened the fourth seal, I heard the voice of the fourth beast say, Come and see. And I looked, and behold a pale horse: and his name that sat on him was Death, and Hell followed with him. And power was given unto them over the fourth part of the earth, to kill with sword, and with hunger, and with death, and with the beasts of the earth.”

These riders will be responsible for the deaths of over 25% of the world population during the time they are allotted.  Though we can’t be certain regarding that timeframe, it will result in the death of billions of people.   

Recognized Greek scholar Kenneth Wuest’s expanded Greek translation for “Come and see” as each rider was addressed at the opening of each seal was actually, “Be coming.”  That emphasized to me that the effects resulting from the opening of each seal would occur over an indefinite period of time.  It allows room to speculate regarding the timing of the opening of the seals and the actual start of the tribulation or 70^th week of Daniel.

All of these riders represent Satan and his followers at work wreaking havoc and destruction yet accomplishing God’s purpose in the process. 

(to be continued…)

DANIEL’S 70TH WEEK & GOD’S WRATH

Having completed the letters of warning and instruction to the seven churches, the Lord now begins to reveal things about the future.  Again, my understanding of these next two chapters does not conform to the predominant pretribulational view.  I hold to a pretribulational prewrath view; one view does not have to exclude the other.  I define the tribulation as the last seven years on earth before Jesus returns as King of kings to rule the world from the throne of David; it is also known as the 70^th week of Daniel.  According to Daniel, this seven-year period is directed toward the Jews to bring forth a believing remnant of Jews that will accept Jesus as their Messiah and through whom God will fulfill His covenant with Abraham. 

Daniel 9:24 “Seventy weeks are determined upon thy people and upon thy holy city, to finish the transgression, and to make an end of sins, and to make reconciliation for iniquity, and to bring in everlasting righteousness, and to seal up the vision and prophecy, and to anoint the most Holy. Know therefore and understand, that from the going forth of the commandment to restore and to build Jerusalem unto the Messiah the Prince shall be seven weeks, and threescore and two weeks: the street shall be built again, and the wall, even in troublous times. And after threescore and two weeks shall Messiah be cut off, but not for himself: and the people of the prince that shall come shall destroy the city and the sanctuary; and the end thereof shall be with a flood, and unto the end of the war desolations are determined.  And he shall confirm the covenant with many for one week: and in the midst of the week he shall cause the sacrifice and the oblation to cease, and for the overspreading of abominations he shall make it desolate, even until the consummation, and that determined shall be poured upon the desolate.”

Daniel’s prophecy references “weeks,” and each week references seven years.  (A more detailed explanation can be found in my journal on Daniel 9 at www.momsbiblejournal.com.)  Note that the first 69 weeks ended when the “Messiah,” Jesus Christ, the Son of God in flesh, was “cut off” or killed.  The 70^th week will commence when the coming Antichrist confirms a covenant with the Jews for “one week” or seven years, the last seven years before Jesus returns to establish His kingdom. 

It was Daniel’s prophecy referencing a specific timeframe for the coming of the Messiah that should have caused the religious leaders of the day to expect the Messiah during the time that Jesus lived. That prophecy along with the testimony of the miracles He performed should have at least made them consider the possibility that He was the promised Messiah—but their hearts were hard and they refused to accept the possibility that their understanding or expectations were wrong.  No wonder the Lord rebuked them so harshly even as His heart yearned for their acceptance.

Matthew 23:13-39 “But woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye shut up the kingdom of heaven against men: for ye neither go in yourselves, neither suffer ye them that are entering to go in….Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye compass sea and land to make one proselyte, and when he is made, ye make him twofold more the child of hell than yourselves….O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, thou that killest the prophets, and stonest them which are sent unto thee, how often would I have gathered thy children together, even as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings, and ye would not!  Behold, your house is left unto you desolate.  For I say unto you, Ye shall not see me henceforth, till ye shall say, Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord.”

The wrath of God will run more or less concurrently with the tribulation, but it is directed toward the enemies of God in vengeance against those that have persecuted His people (Jews and believers).    

Isaiah 13:6-11 “Howl ye; for the day of the LORD is at hand; it shall come as a destruction from the Almighty….Behold, the day of the LORD cometh, cruel both with wrath and fierce anger, to lay the land desolate: and he shall destroy the sinners thereof out of it. For the stars of heaven and the constellations thereof shall not give their light: the sun shall be darkened in his going forth, and the moon shall not cause her light to shine. And I will punish the world for their evil, and the wicked for their iniquity; and I will cause the arrogancy of the proud to cease, and will lay low the haughtiness of the terrible.”

Obadiah 1:15 “For the day of the LORD is near upon all the heathen: as thou hast done, it shall be done unto thee: thy reward shall return upon thine own head.”

Nahum 1:2 “God is jealous, and the LORD revengeth; the LORD revengeth, and is furious; the LORD will take vengeance on his adversaries, and he reserveth wrath for his enemies.”

Just as one fire can be used to accomplish more than one thing, so too will the judgments detailed in the coming chapters of Revelation serve both to purge the Jewish nation to produce a believing remnant and exact God’s vengeance against His enemies and those that persecuted His people.  I believe that it is the beginning of the outpouring of His wrath that provides the stage for the Antichrist to rise to power as he establishes his ability to lead and inspire hope through the working of Satan using “power, signs and lying wonders” as foretold by Paul.

2 Thessalonians 2:8-10 “And then shall that Wicked be revealed, whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit of his mouth, and shall destroy with the brightness of his coming: Even him, whose coming is after the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders, And with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish; because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved.”

(to be continued…)