Revelation Chapter 7:1-8 Revelation 7:1-8 “After this I saw four angels standing at the four corners of the earth, holding back the four winds of the earth, so that no wind should blow on the earth or on the sea or on any tree. 2And I saw another angel ascending from the rising of the sun, having the seal of the living God; and he cried out with a loud voice to the four angels to whom it was granted to harm the earth and the sea, 3saying, "Do not harm the earth or the sea or the trees, until we have sealed the bondservants of our God on their foreheads." 4And I heard the number of those who were sealed, one hundred and forty-four thousand sealed from every tribe of the sons of Israel: 5from the tribe of Judah, twelve thousand were sealed, from the tribe of Reuben twelve thousand, from the tribe of Gad twelve thousand, 6from the tribe of Asher twelve thousand, from the tribe of Naphtali twelve thousand, from the tribe of Manasseh twelve thousand, 7from the tribe of Simeon twelve thousand, from the tribe of Levi twelve thousand, from the tribe of Issachar twelve thousand, 8from the tribe of Zebulun twelve thousand, from the tribe of Joseph twelve thousand, from the tribe of Benjamin, twelve thousand were sealed”. At the end of chapter six everything seems ready for God to unleash His judgments, yet in this chapter we find these judgments being put on hold until the faithful are sealed, indicating that the woes described in the previous chapter are against the wicked and those who oppose God’s people. The end of chapter six asked the question, “Who is able to stand?” (6:17), that is, stand God’s day of wrath. “The reader wishes to know whether the saints on earth are able to stand and what happens to those underneath the altar” (Hailey p. 200). This chapter serves as an interlude between the opening of the sixth seal (6:12) and the opening of the seventh seal (8:1). “During this interlude John sees a vision of two parts which answers our questions about the saints on earth and those underneath the altar. The saints on earth are sealed unto God and those who had died for Him are before His throne praising Him in glory” (p. 200). Different Views Some who see this book referring to God’s judgment upon Jerusalem in A.D. 70 interpret this section as describing God protecting Christians during the siege. 1