Those Sealed Shall Stand (Revelation 7:1-17)                                           2010.03.07                                Pastor Richard Yu  

        This chapter is an intermission between the conclusion of the catastrophic events of the sixth seal and the opening of the seventh seal in 8:1, and draws the reader’s attention to the sealing of the saints. 

        At the end of chapter 6, facing the catastrophic meltdown of the world, the unbelieving asked: What can stand before the judgment of God and the wrath of the Lamb? And the answer is obviously, “No one who has not believed.” This question can also be posed to encourage the believers. Who can remain faithful in the crisis? Who will not back off when the cost of discipleship is mounting? Who is able to make it in the end? The answer: Those who are sealed with the seal of the living God (vv. 2-3).

        In this part of the vision the four angels stand at the four corners of the earth and hold back the four winds to prevent the earth, sea and trees from harm (v. 1). The calm signals the delay of judgment for the sealing of God’s new Israel, the 144,000. This number is clearly symbolic. The new Israel of God (the 144,000) includes all people, both Jews and Gentiles, from the entire world—the fourfold listing in 7:9 – nation, tribe, people and language – encompasses all peoples of the earth.

        In Rev. 9:4 where everyone but believers is called upon to repent, they are said to be the ones without the sealing. This suggests that the 144,000 are the symbolic number for the total number of believers.

        The seal carries the meaning of a stamp of ownership, authentication, or approval. They were in a sense approved, or blessed by God. Therefore, with a loud voice they acclaims God's act of deliverance; and the angels, elders, and four living creatures join the multitude in worship (vv. 11-12).

        Furthermore, they are identified by the elders as the ones who have come out of the great tribulation. The Greek word that is translated “tribulation” means, “crushing pressure.” John is referring to the crushing pressure resulting from the clashing of the kingdom of God with the kingdoms of humanity in rebellion against God. And this conflict had already started when Jesus carne into the world; and has even been “on.” So again, John records this vision to comfort and encourage the believers who are experiencing mounting pressure form the non-believing world. 

        In the end God will wipe away the tears of pain and suffering endured as they went through all kinds of trials. A tender and compassionate God will set the world right at last.  God’s people are finally beyond the deprivations of the world and in a place where hunger nor thirst nor heat can harm them for the Lamb stands in their midst as their shepherd, caring for them, leading them into the springs of eternal life.

        In chapter 14, John again speaks of the one hundred and forty-four thousand that they have on their foreheads the name of the Lamb and the name of the Lamb’s Father. In the Bible, to have a name written on oneself is to have a character, or a personality, imprinted into one’s being.

        Therefore, to be sealed with the seal of the living God is to have the character of the living God written into the fabric of our being. On the “forehead” implies that this God-ward character is obvious to others on the outside. People see something different about us. They see our failures and brokenness; but they would also see something of the goodness and holiness of the Father and something of the sacrificial love of the Savior.

        From the Apostle Paul’s writing, we also came to understand that the seal of the living God is the Holy Spirit of God! (cf. Eph. 1:13; 4:30; 2 Cor. 1:12) It is God’s Spirit who generates the character of the Lamb in us; who protects us from the ultimate consequences of the great tribulation; and who enables us to go through trials and tribulations and keep the faith.

        This part of the vision in chapter seven gives us the strength and courage to not run from the suffering from pressure, to not give up, to not compromise even in the face of death. Christians have nothing to fear from the coming wrath so long as they persevere in faith.