3. Revelation 7 - The Paradox of All Ages

Introduction:

The primary purpose of this study is to unlock the mystery concerning the subject of the 144,000, their relationship to us as Seventh-Day Adventists, and how we may become a part of this great company.

Prayer Thought: CSW 25.1

“There is yet much precious truth to be revealed to the people in this time of peril and darkness, but it is Satan's determined purpose to prevent the light of truth from shining into the hearts of men. If we would have the light that has been provided for us, we should show our desire for it by diligently searching the word of God. Precious truths that have long been in obscurity are to be revealed in a light that will make manifest their sacred worth; for God will glorify His word, that it may appear in a light in which we have never before beheld it. But those who profess to love the truth must put to the stretch their powers, that they may comprehend the deep things of the word, that God may be glorified and His people may be blessed and enlightened. With humble hearts, subdued by the grace of God, you should come to the task of searching the Scriptures, prepared to accept every ray of divine light, and to walk in the way of holiness.”

1. Read Rev. 7: 1-4 7:1

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.

7:2 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,

7:3 Saying, Hurt not the earth, neither the sea, nor the trees, till we have sealed the servants of our God in their foreheads.

7:4 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.

• Four symbolic winds are being held by four angels. These winds are against the saints.

• An angel from the east with the seal of God cries to four other angels to whom it is given to hurt the earth, sea, and trees. This hurting is to be done against the wicked.

• Therefore, God is restraining both the blowing of the winds and His hurting the wicked until the 144,000 are sealed.

2. What do the Four Winds Symbolize? 5T 152

“The time is coming when we cannot sell at any price. The decree will soon go forth prohibiting men to buy or sell of any man save him that hath the mark of the beast. We came near having this realized in California a short time since; but this was only the threatening of the blowing of the four winds. As yet they are held by the four angels. We are not just ready. There is a work yet to be done, and then the angels will be bidden to let go, that the four winds may blow upon the earth. That will be a decisive time for God's 2 children, a time of trouble such as never was since there was a nation. Now is our opportunity to work.” {5T 152.2}

5T 137 “The test will surely come. Thirty-six years ago I was shown that what is now transpiring would take place, that the observance of an institution of the papacy would be enforced upon the people by a Sunday law, while the sanctified rest day of Jehovah would be trampled underfoot.” {5T 137.1}

• A “time of trouble such as never was…” (Dan. 12: 1) during the “mark of the beast” or “Sunday blue laws”

• Thus, the 144,000 have to be sealed before the mark of the beast, which is just ahead of us, indicating that they are being sealed today. • Note that the four winds do not symbolize the usual wars or turmoil because we have always had these and the 144,000 are not yet sealed

• Four is used to show that the mark of the beast and the hurting by the angels are worldwide (four points of the compass), but it begins in the church.

7BC 970.10 “Let us strive with all the power that God has given us to be among the hundred and forty-four thousand (RH March 9, 1905).”

3. Where are the 144,000 sealed from?

Rev. 7: 4 – They are sealed from the twelve tribes of Israel. This could not be ancient Israel, seeing that we are dealing with the time just prior to the mark of the beast – our time. The 144,000 must therefore be found in modern Israel, the SDA church

9T 164.1 “In order to be purified and to remain pure, Seventh-day Adventists must have the Holy Spirit in their hearts and in their homes. The Lord has given me light that when the Israel of today humble themselves before Him, and cleanse the soul-temple from all defilement, He will hear their prayers in behalf of the sick and will bless in the use of His remedies for disease…”

4. What special characteristics do they possess?

Read Rev. 14: 1, 4, 5 14:1

And I looked, and, lo, a Lamb stood on the mount Sion, and with him an hundred forty [and] four thousand, having his Father's name written in their foreheads.

14:4 These are they which were not defiled with women; for they are virgins. These are they which follow the Lamb whithersoever he goeth. These were redeemed from among men, [being] the firstfruits unto God and to the Lamb.

14:5 And in their mouth was found no guile: for they are without fault before the throne of God. They have God’s name written in their foreheads; they are not defiled with women (churches of the world); they are followers of the Lamb; they are the first-fruits; they are guileless and faultless.

Jer. 6:2 “I have likened the daughter of Zion to a comely and delicate [woman].” GC 381.1 “…

In Revelation 17 Babylon is represented as a woman --a figure which is used in the Bible as the symbol of a church, a virtuous woman representing a pure church, a vile woman an apostate church.” COL 406.3

“The two classes of watchers represent the two classes who profess to be waiting for their Lord. They are called virgins because they profess a pure faith…” These special characteristics show that the 144,000 can only be identified with the remnant (SDA) church. What is the seal of the living God that they’re seal with? (Revelation 7:2.)

Seal Is a Settling Into Truth.--Just as soon as the people of God are sealed in their foreheads--it is not any seal or mark that can be seen, but a settling into the truth, both intellectually and spiritually, so they cannot be moved--just as soon as God's people are sealed and prepared for the shaking, it will come. Indeed, it has begun already; the judgments of God are now upon the land, to give us warning, that we may know what is coming (MS 173, 1902). {4BC 1161.6}

5. Is the number (144,000) literal or symbolic?

Read verse 5-8

7:5 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.

7:6 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.

7:7 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.

7:8 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. John clearly heard the number and delineates specifically 12,000 from each of the twelve tribes

EW 15 “…Soon we heard the voice of God like many waters, which gave us the day and hour of Jesus' coming. The living saints, 144,000 in number, knew and understood the voice, while the wicked thought it was thunder and an earthquake…” Sr. White clearly saw the number. The number is literal, exactly 144,000.

6. How are they sealed? TM 445.2

“This sealing of the servants of God is the same that was shown to Ezekiel in vision. John also had been a witness of this most startling revelation…” John and Ezekiel saw the sealing of the 144,000. It is only in Ezekiel 9 that an account is given of a sealing.

Read Ezekiel 9:1 He cried also in mine ears with a loud voice, saying, Cause them that have charge over the city to draw near, even every man [with] his destroying weapon in his hand.

9:2 And, behold, six men came from the way of the higher gate, which lieth toward the north, and every man a slaughter weapon in his hand; and one man among them [was] clothed with linen, with a writer's inkhorn by his side: and they went in, and stood beside the brazen altar.

9:3 And the glory of the God of Israel was gone up from the cherub, whereupon he was, to the threshold of the house. And he called to the man clothed with linen, which [had] the writer's inkhorn by his side;

9:4 And the LORD said unto him, Go through the midst of the city, through the midst of Jerusalem, and set a mark upon the foreheads of the men that sigh and that cry for all the abominations that be done in the midst thereof.

9:5 And to the others he said in mine hearing, Go ye after him through the city, and smite: let not your eye spare, neither have ye pity: 9:6 Slay utterly old [and] young, both maids, and little children, and women: but come not near any man upon whom [is] the mark; and begin at my sanctuary. Then they began at the ancient men which [were] before the house.

9:7 And he said unto them, Defile the house, and fill the courts with the slain: go ye forth. And they went forth, and slew in the city.

9:8 And it came to pass, while they were slaying them, and I was left, that I fell upon my face, and cried, and said, Ah Lord GOD! wilt thou destroy all the residue of Israel in thy pouring out of thy fury upon Jerusalem?

9:9 Then said he unto me, The iniquity of the house of Israel and Judah [is] exceeding great, and the land is full of blood, and the city full of perverseness: for they say, The LORD hath forsaken the earth, and the LORD seeth not.

• Six men or angels (angels are sometimes called men – see Dan. 9: 21, DA 99) came from the “higher gate which lieth toward the north,” representing heaven, where God’s throne is located. See Ps. 48:1; Isa. 14:13. 5

• One was a marking angel. God told him to seal or mark only those who sigh and cry for the evils in Jerusalem--the church.

• God then commanded the other five angels to follow the marking angel and slay (physically) those in the church who did not receive the seal.

• He also instructed them to begin destruction with the church (sanctuary, 1 Peter 4:17) and with the ancient men (leaders).

• God is not to have pity because the sins in the church are “exceeding great” and the leaders and members are saying that “the Lord …seeth not.”

Note: There is no such thing as a spiritual slaughter. Verse 7 says “fill the courts with the slain.”

1MR 260.2 “Study the 9th chapter of Ezekiel. These words will be literally fulfilled; yet the time is passing, and the people are asleep…”

5T 505.2 “When God was about to smite the first-born of Egypt, He commanded the Israelites to gather their children from among the Egyptians into their own dwellings and strike their door posts with blood, that the destroying angel might see it and pass over their homes. It was the work of parents to gather in their children. This is your work, this is my work, and the work of every mother who believes the truth. The angel is to place a mark upon the forehead of all who are separated from sin and sinners, and the destroying angel will follow, to slay utterly both old and young.”

3T 266-267 “The true people of God, who have the spirit of the work of the Lord and the salvation of souls at heart, will ever view sin in its real, sinful character. They will always be on the side of faithful and plain dealing with sins which easily beset the people of God. Especially in the closing work for the church, in the sealing time of the one hundred and forty-four thousand who are to stand without fault before the throne of God, will they feel most deeply the wrongs of God's professed people. This is forcibly set forth by the prophet's illustration of the last work under the figure of the men each having a slaughter weapon in his hand. One man among them was clothed with linen, with a writer's inkhorn by his side. "And the Lord said unto him, Go through the midst of the city, through the midst of Jerusalem, and set a mark upon the foreheads of the men that sigh and that cry for all the abominations that be done in the midst thereof."

{3T 266.1} “Who are standing in the counsel of God at this time? Is it those who virtually excuse wrongs among the professed people of God and who murmur in their hearts, if not openly, against those who would reprove sin? Is it those who take their stand against them and sympathize with those who commit wrong? No, indeed! Unless they repent, and leave the work of Satan in oppressing those who have the burden of the work and in holding up the hands of sinners in Zion, they will never receive the mark of God's sealing approval. They will fall in the general destruction of the wicked, represented by the work of the five men bearing slaughter weapons. Mark this point with care: Those who receive the pure mark of truth, wrought in them by the power of the Holy Ghost, represented by a mark by the man in linen, are those "that sigh and that cry for all the abominations that be done" in the church. Their love for purity and the honor and glory of God is such, and 6 they have so clear a view of the exceeding sinfulness of sin, that they are represented as being in agony, even sighing and crying. Read the ninth chapter of Ezekiel.” {3T 267.1}

Point of concern The term “general destruction of the wicked” refers to the destruction of the wicked in the church. The context in which it is used shows clearly that it doe not refer to the wicked in the church and the world being destroyed generally. In GC 26, the term “general destruction” is used in the same restrictive manner to refer to the destruction in Jerusalem in AD 70.

5T 211 “The class who do not feel grieved over their own spiritual declension, nor mourn over the sins of others, will be left without the seal of God. The Lord commissions His messengers, the men with slaughtering weapons in their hands: "Go ye after him through the city, and smite: let not your eye spare, neither have ye pity: slay utterly old and young, both maids, and little children, and women: but come not near any man upon whom is the mark; and begin at My sanctuary. Then they began at the ancient men which were before the house." {5T 211.1}

“Here we see that the church--the Lord's sanctuary--was the first to feel the stroke of the wrath of God. The ancient men, those to whom God had given great light and who had stood as guardians of the spiritual interests of the people, had betrayed their trust. They had taken the position that we need not look for miracles and the marked manifestation of God's power as in former days. Times have changed. These words strengthen their unbelief, and they say: The Lord will not do good, neither will He do evil. He is too merciful to visit His people in judgment. Thus "Peace and safety" is the cry from men who will never again lift up their voice like a trumpet to show God's people their transgressions and the house of Jacob their sins. These dumb dogs that would not bark are the ones who feel the just vengeance of an offended God. Men, maidens, and little children all perish together.” {5T 211.2}

Point of emphasis

We can conclude that the 144,000 are to be sealed and spared from this destruction or slaughter in the SDA church because they sighed and cried for the abominations.

7. Where does the company in Revelation 7:9 come from?

Read Rev. 7:9 After this I beheld, and, lo, a great multitude, which no man could number, of all nations, and kindreds, and people, and tongues, stood before the throne, and before the Lamb, clothed with white robes, and palms in their hands; An unnumbered company. They must be “the second fruits”, since the 144,000 are the first fruits (Rev. 14:4), the first ones to be spiritually harvested from among the living. One necessitates the other, since one cannot have first without a second. For example “the first resurrection” of Rev. 20: 5 or “the second death” of Rev. 20: 14.

So the Great 7 Multitude, the second fruits, are sealed from the world. While the winds are blowing, they are evangelized by the 144,000, the first fruits.

Read Isaiah 66: 15-20 66:15 For, behold, the LORD will come with fire, and with his chariots like a whirlwind, to render his anger with fury, and his rebuke with flames of fire.

66:16 For by fire and by his sword will the LORD plead with all flesh: and the slain of the LORD shall be many.

66:17 They that sanctify themselves, and purify themselves in the gardens behind one [tree] in the midst, eating swine's flesh, and the abomination, and the mouse, shall be consumed together, saith the LORD.

66:18 For I [know] their works and their thoughts: it shall come, that I will gather all nations and tongues; and they shall come, and see my glory.

66:19 And I will set a sign among them, and I will send those that escape of them unto the nations, [to] Tarshish, Pul, and Lud, that draw the bow, [to] Tubal, and Javan, [to] the isles afar off, that have not heard my fame, neither have seen my glory; and they shall declare my glory among the Gentiles.

66:20 And they shall bring all your brethren [for] an offering unto the LORD out of all nations upon horses, and in chariots, and in litters, and upon mules, and upon swift beasts, to my holy mountain Jerusalem, saith the LORD, as the children of Israel bring an offering in a clean vessel into the house of the LORD.

• Verses 15 and 16 shows that the Lord comes to bring judgment upon many of His people • This is not the second coming of Christ for verse 16 says that He “pleads”. There is no pleading at the second coming.

See 2T 691 “…Men will be judged according to the measure of light given them. None will be accountable for their darkness and their errors if the light has not been brought to them. They have not sinned in not accepting what has not been given them. All will be tested before Jesus leaves His position in the most holy place. The probation of all closes when the pleading for sinners is ended and the garments of vengeance are put on. {2T 691.1}

• Verse 19 clearly shows that some escape the judgment and are sent as missionaries to preach the gospel worldwide. This again shows that this is not the Second Advent, as no one will escape to preach the gospel then.

• Therefore, the judgment of verse 15 must be the same as the slaughter of Ezekiel 9, and those who escape must be the 144,000, who in turn go out to preach the gospel and gather in the Great Multitude.

8. Two sealing reports After the sealing of the 144,000. Ezek. 9: 3 “And the glory of the God of Israel was gone up from the cherub, whereupon he was, to the threshold of the house. And he called to the man clothed with linen, which [had] the writer's inkhorn by his side;” Ezek. 10: 2 “And he spake unto the man clothed with linen, and said, Go in between the wheels, [even] under the cherub, and fill thine hand with coals of fire from between the cherubims, and scatter [them] over the city. And he went in in my sight.” Ez. 10: 19 “And the cherubims lifted up their wings, and mounted up from the earth in my sight: when they went out, the wheels also [were] beside them, and [every one] stood at the door of the east gate of the LORD'S house; and the glory of the God of Israel [was] over them above.”

• the Lord was on the threshold of the house • coals of fire were scattered over the city by an angel – GW 23 (caused by the Holy Spirit).

• the Lord went up and Ezekiel was left; the saints are not taken up with the Lord. After the sealing of the great multitude.
E.W: 279, 280 “I saw angels hurrying to and fro in heaven. An angel with a writer's inkhorn by his side returned from the earth and reported to Jesus that his work was done, and the saints were numbered and sealed. Then I saw Jesus, who had been ministering before the ark containing the ten commandments, throw down the censer. He raised His hands, and with a loud voice said, "It is done." And all the angelic host laid off their crowns as Jesus made the solemn declaration, "He that is unjust, let him be unjust still: and he which is filthy, let him be filthy still: and he that is righteous, let him be righteous still: and he that is holy, let him be holy still."” {EW 279.2} “As Jesus moved out of the most holy place, I heard the tinkling of the bells upon His garment; and as He left, a cloud of darkness covered the inhabitants of the earth. There was then no mediator between guilty man and an offended God…” {EW 280.2}

• The Lord was in the heavenly sanctuary • All the angelic host laid off their crowns as Jesus made the solemn declaration…

• Jesus moved out of the most holy place to descent to earth. Thus after the 144,000 are sealed, they are empowered by the Holy Spirit to gather the GM from all nations. Isaiah 2: 2, 3 “And it shall come to pass in the last days, [that] the mountain of the LORD's house shall be established in the top of the mountains, and shall be exalted above the hills; and all nations shall flow unto it. And many people shall go and say, Come ye, and let us go up to the mountain of the LORD, to the house of the God of Jacob; and he will teach us of his ways, and we will walk in his paths: for out of Zion shall go forth the law, and the word of the LORD from Jerusalem”

EW 33.2 “I saw that God had children who do not see and keep the Sabbath. They have not rejected the light upon it. And at the commencement of the time of trouble, we were filled with the Holy Ghost as we went forth and proclaimed the Sabbath more fully…”

CT 532.1 “Very precious to God is His work in the earth. Christ and heavenly angels are watching it every moment. As we draw near to the coming of Christ, more and still more of missionary work will engage our efforts. The message of the renewing power of God's grace will be carried to every country and clime, until the truth shall belt the world. Of the number of them that shall be sealed will be those who have come from every nation and kindred and tongue and people. From every country will be gathered men and women who will stand before the throne of God and before the Lamb, crying, "Salvation to our God which sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb." Revelation 7:10. But before this work can be accomplished, we must experience here in our own country the work of the Holy Spirit upon our hearts.”

9T 28, 29 “I saw jets of light shining from cities and villages, and from the high places and the low places of the earth. God's word was obeyed, and as a result there were memorials for Him in every city and village. His truth was proclaimed throughout the world.” {9T 28.4}

2. Will the 144,000 taste death? EW 15 – “…Soon we [SEE APPENDIX.] heard the voice of God like many waters, which gave us the day and hour of Jesus' coming. The living saints, 144,000 in number, knew and understood the voice, while the wicked thought it was thunder and an earthquake…” {EW 14.1}

GC 648, 649 “"These are they which follow the Lamb whithersoever He goeth." These, having been translated from the earth, from among the living, are counted as "the first fruits unto God and to the Lamb." Revelation 15:2, 3; 14:1-5…”

{GC 648.3} They will be translated from the earth.

3. Are the great multitude the dead of all ages?

GC 665 “Nearest the throne are those who were once zealous in the cause of Satan, but who, plucked as brands from the burning, have followed their Saviour with deep, intense devotion. Next are those who perfected Christian characters in the midst of falsehood and infidelity, those who honored the law of God when the Christian world declared it void, and the millions, of all ages, who were martyred for their faith. And beyond is the "great multitude, which no man could number, of all nations, and kindreds, and people, and tongues, . . . before the throne, and before the Lamb, clothed with white robes, and palms in their hands."

Revelation 7:9. Their warfare is ended, their victory won. They have run the race and reached the prize. The palm branch in their hands is a symbol of their triumph, the white robe an emblem of the spotless righteousness of Christ which now is theirs.” {GC 665.2}

They are a company separate from the three preceding groups. They must be the living second fruits saints who are gathered in “as we draw near to the coming of Christ.” CT 532.1.

Read Rev. 7: 10-15; 15:1-3, 7, 8

7:10 And cried with a loud voice, saying, Salvation to our God which sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb.

7:11 And all the angels stood round about the throne, and [about] the elders and the four beasts, and fell before the throne on their faces, and worshipped God,

7:12 Saying, Amen: Blessing, and glory, and wisdom, and thanksgiving, and honour, and power, and might, [be] unto our God for ever and ever. Amen.

7:13 And one of the elders answered, saying unto me, What are these which are arrayed in white robes? and whence came they?

7:14 And I said unto him, Sir, thou knowest. And he said to me, These are they which came out of great tribulation, and have washed their robes, and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.

7:15 Therefore are they before the throne of God, and serve him day and night in his temple: and he that sitteth on the throne shall dwell among them.

15:1 And I saw another sign in heaven, great and marvellous, seven angels having the seven last plagues; for in them is filled up the wrath of God.

15:2 And I saw as it were a sea of glass mingled with fire: and them that had gotten the victory over the beast, and over his image, and over his mark, [and] over the number of his name, stand on the sea of glass, having the harps of God.

15:3 And they sing the song of Moses the servant of God, and the song of the Lamb, saying, Great and marvellous [are] thy works, Lord God Almighty; just and true [are] thy ways, thou King of saints.

15:7 And one of the four beasts gave unto the seven angels seven golden vials full of the wrath of God, who liveth for ever and ever.

15:8 And the temple was filled with smoke from the glory of God, and from his power; and no man was able to enter into the temple, till the seven plagues of the seven angels were fulfilled. They are sealed while the judgment is in progress as indicated by the presence of the beasts and the elders in the sanctuary. They lived and endured the great tribulation of the last days (7: 14) just before the plagues. Rev. 7: 16, 17; 16: 8, 9 7:16 They shall hunger no more, neither thirst any more; neither shall the sun light on them, nor any heat. 7:17 For the Lamb which is in the midst of the throne shall feed them, and shall lead them unto living fountains of waters: and God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes. 16:8 And the fourth angel poured out his vial upon the sun; and power was given unto him to scorch men with fire. 11 6:9 And men were scorched with great heat, and blasphemed the name of God, which hath power over these plagues: and they repented not to give him glory. They are not affected by the fourth plague, which suggests that they live through all the plagues.

4. The 144,000 and GM are typified by two saints who were translated without tasting death.

The 144,000 typified by Elijah.

1Kg. 17: 1 And Elijah the Tishbite, [who was] of the inhabitants of Gilead, said unto Ahab, [As] the LORD God of Israel liveth, before whom I stand, there shall not be dew nor rain these years, but according to my word.

Rev. 7:4 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. They are Israelites like Elijah

2Kg. 2: 8, 14 2:8 And Elijah took his mantle, and wrapped [it] together, and smote the waters, and they were divided hither and thither, so that they two went over on dry ground.

2:14 And he took the mantle of Elijah that fell from him, and smote the waters, and said, Where [is] the LORD God of Elijah? and when he also had smitten the waters, they parted hither and thither: and Elisha went over.

EW 16, 17 “…Here on the sea of glass the 144,000 stood in a perfect square…And they were all clothed with a glorious white mantle from their shoulders to their feet…” – They will wear mantles like Elijah did.

P.K: 227 “Elijah was a type of the saints who will be living on the earth at the time of the second advent of Christ and who will be "changed, in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump," without tasting of death. 1 Corinthians 15:51, 52. It was as a representative of those who shall be thus translated that Elijah, near the close of Christ's earthly ministry, was permitted to stand with Moses by the side of the Saviour on the mount of transfiguration. In these glorified ones, the disciples saw in miniature a representation of the kingdom of the redeemed. They beheld Jesus clothed with the light of heaven; they heard the "voice out of the cloud" (Luke 9:35), acknowledging Him as the Son of God; they saw Moses, representing those who will be raised from the dead at the time of the second advent; and there also stood Elijah, representing those who at the close of earth's history will be changed from mortal to immortal and be translated to heaven without seeing death.”

{PK 227.2}; DA 422 12 GC 648, 649 “"These are they which follow the Lamb whithersoever He goeth." These, having been translated from the earth, from among the living, are counted as "the first fruits unto God and to the Lamb." Revelation 15:2, 3; 14:1-5…”

{GC 648.3} Like Elijah they will be translated. The Great Multitude typified by Enoch. Rev. 7: 9 After this I beheld, and, lo, a great multitude, which no man could number, of all nations, and kindreds, and people, and tongues, stood before the throne, and before the Lamb, clothed with white robes, and palms in their hands

EW 39.3 “…Then I was taken to a world which had seven moons. There I saw good old Enoch, who had been translated. On his right arm he bore a glorious palm, and on each leaf was written "Victory."…” They are non Israelites Like Enoch. They will carry palms like Enoch was seen doing.

PP 88.3 “…As Enoch was translated to heaven before the destruction of the world by water, so the living righteous will be translated from the earth before its destruction by fire…” - they will be translated like Enoch was translated.

GC 665.2; CT 532.2 – Like Enoch, the Great Multitude will not die. So we see that there are two classes of living saints. There are also two classes of dead saints:

PK 227 “… Moses, representing those who will be raised from the dead at the time of the second advent;.”

GC 665 – Abel is a type of the martyrs.

Conclusion: Revelation 7 clearly forecasts that the church must be purified before the Mark of the Beast Decree, and that the preaching of the Gospel will be completed during the time of the Sunday Laws. God will first seal a remnant from the SDA church (144,000) and use them as His consecrated servants to proclaim the last message of mercy to the world and call His people (a great multitude) out of Babylon. When Jesus returns there will be millions gathered awaiting translation. Now is the time to sigh (reform our lives) and cry (sound the message of revival and reformation to others).