The Sealing of the 144,000 –
This Vision is on Earth
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“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 Nephthalim 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.” (Revelation 7:1-8).
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his chapter is parenthetical and answers the question asked in chapter 6:17. The sealed ones are able to stand! John’s attention is now brought back to the earth where this scene takes place, prior to the Day of the Lord or before the opening of the first seal. The information here is part of the first looping parallelism; it takes us back to the beginning. The Tribulation is not underway prior to the sealing of the 144,000.
The four angels standing at the four corners of the earth hold back the four winds so they cannot blow. These winds are symbolic of the judgment about to be unleashed under the seals, the trumpets, and the vials. (See Jeremiah 49:36; Daniel 7:2; 8:8.) Not a leaf is disturbed while God’s servants are sealed for protection against the Beast and his armies.
While the winds are restrained, another angel is summoned from the east with the seal of the Living God, with which he seals 144,000 of the twelve tribes of Israel. “East” speaks of those countries east of Jerusalem and is associated with the rising sun. The angel is sent by God from heaven to seal the 144,000. What the significance of it coming from the East is, we are not told. Perhaps it is the direction from which the Messiah will come.
Chapter 14:1 tells us what the seal is. It is a seal of protection and ownership. It may be visible to man, although it need not be. The “locusts” of chapter 9:4 are able to identify those who have it.
The sealed remnant cannot be killed. They will overcome all of Satan’s attacks and will be God’s mighty men during the Day of the Lord. If Luke 10:19 is to be taken literally, then it must apply to the 144,000. “Behold, I give unto you power to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy: and nothing shall by any means hurt you.”
There are those who believe this remnant will preach the Gospel of the Kingdom throughout the earth and will perform miracles in Jesus’ name during that time. Like John the Baptist, they will be Christ’s forerunners who warn men of the wrath to come and to prepare for the King and His Kingdom. If these survive the Day of the Lord and enter the Kingdom in natural bodies, we must assume that some women also are associated with them, or some other group. The Scriptures are unclear on this matter.
Two of the original tribes are noticeably absent; they are Dan and Ephraim.Levi and Joseph take their place here. Most commentators believe these two tribes introduced idolatry into Israel and that is why they are not sealed (Deuteronomy 29:18-21). However, both tribes do enter the Tribulation and survive to have a possession in the Kingdom. (See Ezekiel 40:31, 46; 48:1-2, 32.) It is obvious that some, who are not sealed, will also survive the Tribulation and enter the Kingdom in their natural bodies. Women also must survive in order for the continued propagation of these twelve tribes.
Pastor Ken Blue was born in Boswell, Ark. In 1955 he accepted Christ as his Savior. He and his wife Joyce were married in 1955. They have 5 children. He graduated from Midwestern Baptist Bible College in 1969 and started the Open Door Baptist Church in Lynnwood, Wa. where he pastored for 39 years. Because of health issues (ALS) he was forced to resign as pastor. It is his desire to continue to be used of God to help pastors and believers through this ministry.