Revelation 7:1

After this I saw four angels standing at the four corners of the earth, holding back the four winds of the earth that no wind might blow on earth or sea or against any tree. 

After this...  that is to say, after the first visions of the sixth seal more consequences of opening the sixth seal follow. The chapter has changed, but we are still being shown the nature of the authority that is given to the angels of judgment through the opening of the sixth seal. So far, we have seen that the authority under the sixth seal is to begin full scale judgment in the earth, which will bring about the end of natural history. So now, "after this..." we see a vision of angels involved in the actual commencement of final judgment: 

The sixth seal has been opened. Authority is given for the final judgment upon the earth to begin to take place. All air currents, all winds, are about to be stopped. As a result, the earth will be made to suffocate even while it is dying of thirst. The four angels who control all of earth's weather are prepared to immediately bring about this judgment on the earth. It is a moment of great suspense in which it is to be understood with complete clarity that If this judgment goes forward there will be no air currents at all on the earth, therefore no moisture would be able to rise from the oceans to fall upon the continents and their would be no exchange of oxygen with other gases for the maintaining of life. 

holding back the four winds...  Suddenly this this scene is interrupted. The four winds as spoken of in prophecy are the four winds of judgment in the earth.  The action of holding them back means that so far judgment has been measured in the earth.  The context indicates that the four angels are authorized to now allow judgment to come in full measure.  At this point, we remember that there is one more seal to be opened. And for the sake of what is yet to be revealed through the opening of that final seal, this total judgment which seems about to be let loose upon the world will be stopped at this point, and, as we will see, the exercise of this authority will be put into other hands.

Revelation 7:2

Then I saw another angel ascending from the rising of the sun, with the seal of the living God, and he called with a loud voice to the four angels who had been given power to harm earth and sea, 

Revelation 7:3

saying “Do not harm the earth or the sea or the trees, until we have sealed the servants of our God on their foreheads.” 

the seal of the living God...  in the midst of the opening of the seven seals of the scroll, at the time when the sixth seal has been opened, we hear of another seal, the seal of God.

We will see even more clearly later that there is a direct correlation of authority between this seal, the seal of God, which will now be placed upon, or in, the forehead of the servants of God, and the sixth and seventh seal of the scroll which is being unrolled, which is the scroll of the revelation of the world's judgment and Israel's final redemption — the scroll which the Lamb is in the midst of opening. 

The relationship between these different seals, those on the scroll and that placed on or in the forehead of those named, is the relationship between what is revealed openly to the world in the Book of the Revelation of Yehoshua HaMashiach (Jesus Christ) and what is concealed from the world within that book and mysteriously revealed through that same book only to the servants of God. This principle will be understood clearly through the revelation of the seven thunders in chapter ten.

We need to be completely clear. All the visions of the sixth seal demonstrating its authority to initiate the final act of judgment, (which we read about in chapter six), are brought together and focused into this one action we are now reading about, (in the first verses of chapter seven), the action of giving authority to the angels in control of the earth's winds to harm the sea by stopping all air currents. While this judgment begins, and is comprehended by threatening to harm the oceans, we are told specifically that it will not only harm the oceans but will harm the whole earth. 

Most emphatically, this authority is the authority for complete and absolute judgment. If it is carried out in a way that is unmitigated, as threatened here, no further judgment would or could occur. It does not just threaten to bring death to the oceans of the earth, it threatens to bring death to the whole earth, by bringing death to all the trees of the earth. But suddenly this act of judgment is stopped for the sake of certain servants of God. Who are these servants of God? How and why are they involved in mitigating the judgment that is threatened to come upon the whole earth?

Revelation 7:4

And I heard the number of the sealed, 144,000, sealed from every tribe of the sons of Israel:

And I heard ... The first thing that is revealed about the servants of God being spoken of is the number of those servants of God who are sealed with the seal of God. This number is 144,000, 72+72x1000. Later, we will see that the number has a symbolic value that is related to the symbolic quality of the Lamb. Immediately here we are told that the first aspect of this symbolic number is that it is a representative number. 

The second thing is that this number is said to be representative of the tribes of the sons of Yaakov (whom God called Israel). We are learning that this vision of this select number is representative of the corporate whole of Israel. The corporate whole of Israel is not described as being composed of a simply homogeneous collection of individuals but of a deliberately and precisely designed structure of twelve families forming one whole family nation in union with the revelation of the Lamb and of the One who sits upon the throne, as we will see.

Revelation 7:5

12,000 from the tribe of Judah were sealed,

12,000 from the tribe of Reuben,

12,000 from the tribe of Gad,

12,000... These numbers emphatically highlight the importance that it is Israel as a family nation, precisely designed and described by the sovereign God, which is here being symbolically, representatively sealed with the seal of God. What does it mean, then, that these are souls of Israel and of the twelve tribes of Israel in particular? Are there not more than 12,000 souls in the family tribe of Judah, or the family tribe of Reuben, etc? Yes, there are ultimately many more souls in each tribe than this. But here it is this number that is sealed in order to represent the perfect whole, the corporate structure as chosen and designed by the God of Israel. 

And what of those from among the nations which are grafted into the redeemed nation of Israel, as we read in Romans chapter eleven. Are they represented in this vision also? Yes. As we will see, they are also represented. What, then, is the nature of this symbolic representation?

Even though there is a great open revelation made known to us through this numbering and sealing of the tribes, the aspect of a remaining concealment within the revelation is also introduced to us here. It is openly revealed that God sees Israel as a perfect formation of twelve perfectly formed tribes. It remains still concealed in this vision how all souls who will ultimately be saved through the redemption of the house of Israel are represented by this perfectly designed number. 

As we continue, we will see more fully what is openly revealed to us by the sealing of the family tribes of Israel in these numbers. But we will also see right away that the question is raised as to how it can be that an equal number from each tribe is sealed when, until now, in accordance with the judgment of the word of God upon Israel, none of the tribes except one has been preserved as a tribe. This question is the first aspect of explicit concealment that remains in the revelation. Other explicit aspects of concealment will also be revealed. 

These aspects of concealment revealed in the Scroll (or Book) of The Revelation of Yehoshua HaMashiach (Jesus Christ), which was given to Yochanan (John), ultimately lead to the seven thunders in chapter ten, which Yochanan hears but is forbidden to write down. By reading and hearing the record of the revelation clearly, we will come to understand how that all that is revealed in concealment in the revelation is comprehended in those seven thunders, in what Yochanan heard them say, and in what those sealed with the seal of God in their foreheads, like Yochanan, can also hear them say.

Revelation 7:6

12,000 from the tribe of Asher,

12,000 from the tribe of Naphtali,

12,000 from the tribe of Manasseh,

Asher...   All of the apparently lost tribes of the northern kingdom of Israel are listed. They are shown to be essential to the wholeness of a redeemed Israel. Again, as the readers and hearers of the revelation, at this point, it is not clearly revealed to us, how it can be, and what it means, that an equal number from each tribe is sealed, when only the tribe of Judah has openly been preserved as a tribe in history. 

We are nevertheless told that it is the sealing of the equal number of 12,000 from each of these tribes that forestalls the judgment of the immediate absolute death of the planet by suffixation. In other words, the corporate wholeness of Israel as the family nation, designed by the God of Israel, is sealed with the seal of God in their foreheads, that is to say, in their understanding, and we are told that it is their being sealed in this way that brings this mitigation of the world's judgment.

Another element of concealment within revelation and revelation within concealment that is introduced here is the arrangement of the list of the tribes. Not only does this arrangement have great significance in its overall structure in relation to the different arrangement of the lists of the tribes given in the Torah, but also the equal inclusion of the family tribe of Levi in its ordered place in this list brings a strong illumination of mystery to this revelation.

Revelation 7:7

12,000 from the tribe of Simeon,

12,000 from the tribe of Levi,

12,000 from the tribe of Issachar,

Simeon... Levi... The mystery of the design and structure of Israel, as the corporate portion of the family of Adam chosen by the Creator for the redemption of Adam, begins not only with Yaakov's (Jacob's) twelve sons, but with his blessing of his twelve sons just before his death. Among the twelve distinct blessings describing the infrastructure of the house of Israel, Yaakov revealed three most pronounced blessings. One had to do with the moving of the blessing of the firstborn from its place with Reuven (Reuben). This led us to the mystery of the preservation only of the tribe of Yehudah (Judah), and ultimately to the Lion of the tribe of Yehudah, whom we have seen revealed above. 

The second of those most pronounced of Yaakov's blessings, as will be seen, had to do with Yosef (Joseph).  And a third had to do with Shimon (Simon) and Levi.  Shimon and Levi were blessed with the chastisement of being scattered within Israel among the different tribes of Israel. This was the first clear indication that there would be a problem with the preservation of the corporate wholeness of some, if not all, the twelve tribes of Israel. In the case of Levi, it would turn out that this blessing of chastisement, of being scattered in Israel, would be formalized into an institutional form. 

Levi was made into the priestly tribe of Israel, where the Cohenim, the priests of Israel, could only be taken from the tribe of Levi. Accordingly the Levites could not make their camp in the circle of the camps of the tribes of Israel, nor could they have a territory of their own, for they had to serve all tribes in the camp of the tabernacle, and they had to serve all the tribes in all the territories.  Now, how and why this came about was itself a great mystery. 

It came about that the tribe of Levi was dispersed in this manner, in accordance with Yaakov's words, only because of the sin of the golden calf, in which the tribe of Levi was without guilt, which resulted in the disqualification of the the firstborn of all the other tribes for the priesthood. Accordingly, the tribe of Levi was not counted, when the tribes were counted by the commandment of God, in the same way that the other tribes were counted. 

That the tribe of Levi should here, in the revelation of judgment and the final redemption, be listed and counted in the same manner as the other tribes has great symbolic significance It is a clear testimony to the glory of the Lamb who was slain and to his complete atonement for the sin of the golden calf and all other sins of Israel on a corporate level. In this image of the 144,000 members of the twelve tribes we are seeing a picture of the fulfilled promise that God would make all Israel to be a kingdom of priests. This is entirely a testimony to the Lamb.  In order for this glorious testimony to the Lamb, through both Shimon's and Levi's equal inclusion with the other tribes in the perfect corporate representation of Israel and her redemption, one of the other tribes had to be concealed in the revelation. 

It could not be that what Yaakov had done in making Yosef into two tribes could be undone. One tribe still had to be "separated from his brothers" to hold, as it were the place of the mystery of Yosef (Joseph) that the tribe of Levi had held before. It is the tribe of Dan that has this honor of holding the place of concealment within the great revelation at this point. This is the first formal concealment in the revelation that we have come to and, as will be seen in due time, it is this that leads directly to the concealment of the seven thunders and what they say which Yochanan hears but is not permitted to write down.]

Revelation 7:8

12,000 from the tribe of Zebulon,

12,000 from the tribe of Joseph,

12,000 from the tribe of Benjamin were sealed.

Joseph... Benjamin... We see that it is addressed by the use of the name Yosef (Joseph) instead of Ephraim in the list why it is that first the tribe of Levi and now the tribe of Dan is set apart in a concealed manner from the other tribes. This is as follows:

Yaakov foresaw by prophetic spirit that one tribe would have to be concealed from among its fellow tribes due to sin, as Yosef was concealed from among his brothers. This is also the reason for the descent into Egypt and the covenant of redemption. Consider the nature of this blemish! If from its foundation there were only eleven fully visible tribes of Israel, the nation of Israel, as a result, would not be sanctified as being corporately whole before the world. Israel's testimony to the name of the true God would be irrevocably, marred. Therefore Yaakov designated the two sons of Yosef as full stature tribes of Israel ahead of time. 

For it was certain that, measure for measure, the tribes of Israel, one by one, or all against one, would be separated from there brother tribes until complete repentance was accomplished. This is the mystery of the place and role of Yosef, which mystery Yaakov,  by his prophetic authority formalized and instituted in Israel. In the light of this, what is the significance of the tribe of Ephraim not being referred to by name but as the tribe of Yosef in this list?

The tribe of Ephraim is not being dishonoured because its name is not used, as if Yaakov's action was not undone with regard to the tribe of Manasseh but was undone with regard to the tribe of Ephraim, so that his descendants could not be called by his name but only by the name of Yosef. Rather. The tribe of Ephraim is being honoured by being called the tribe of Yosef. Likewise, the tribe of Levi and the tribe of Dan, each of which in their time were set apart from the other tribes for the sake of Yosef were also honoured in this role. 

For why was Yosef made into two tribes, even when the full measure of corporate Israel had to be measured through twelve and only twelve tribes? This mystery is at the very heart of the mystery of God which will be revealed in the revelation of the seven thunders, as promised by the oath of the angel in chapter 10 verse 7. Once again, we will see that this is entirely to give a testimony to the glory of the Lamb who was slain.

In the end we will see that the whole of the revelation of the Good News of Israel and Her Messiah depends on the revelation of the tribe of Benjamin, just as was foretold in the descent down into Egypt.  This will be discussed in the commentary notes on chapter 14.

Revelation 7:9

After this I looked, and behold a great multitude that no one could number from every nation, from all tribes and peoples and languages, standing before the throne and before the Lamb clothed in white robes, with palm branches in their hands, and crying out with a loud voice:

 a great multitude...  after the 12,000 of each of the twelve tribes of Israel are sealed as one corporate nation another vision is given.

in white robes.. the people in this multitde surround the formation of the 144,000 representing the 12 tribes of Israel, which, we will see in chapter 14, are with the Lamb.  All who are in this multitude are already judged worthy of white robes.

hands...  as upon the entrance of Mashiach into Jerusalem... and. they are heard crying out...

Revelation 7:10

“Salvation belongs to our God who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb!” 

Salvation belongs to...  The prayer taught to us by Yehoshua is that salvation should be revealed on earth as it is in heaven.  A careful listening to this Revelation will make us understand that salvation is not revealed on the earth just exactly as it is revealed in heaven until those events take place that are recorded in Revelation chapter 11 verse 13.  Here a window is opened up for us into the revelation of salvation that is already known in heaven.  For this great multitude who let their knowledge of salvation be known are standing around the throne of Hashem and of the Lamb in heaven.  Their confession here is a reflection of their seeing the end as well as the beginning.  They are giving voice to the confession that every human being on the earth will express in the Messianic Era when the knowledge of Hashem fills the earth as the waters fill the seas, Habakkuk 2:14.

Revelation 7:11

And all the angels,  were standing around the throne and around the elders and the four living creatures, and they fell on their faces before the throne and worshiped God, saying, 

 all the angels... not some angels but all angels...

Revelation 7:12

“Amen! Blessing and glory and wisdom and thanksgiving and honor and power and might be to our God forever and ever! Amen.”

Amen! Amen!  In the generation of the shlichim (apostles) of Yehoshua the Messiah it was known that the angels desired to look into the mysteries of Israel's salvation, (1 Peter 1:12). In this vision of the sealing of the minds of the 144,000 of all the twelve tribes of Israel with understanding all the angels, together with the martyrs of the Lamb, see and understand what they have for so long been seeking to understand.

What is it that the number 144,000, as representative of Israel, reveals to them? The number is itself derived from the 12 tribes of Israel. As there are two houses of Israel, there are two mothers of Israel, Leah and Rachel.

In a perfectly symmetrical balance 6 tribes would be apportioned to each house. Each of these symmetrically apportioned tribes would contribute their divinely received gifts and attributes to all 12 tribes, in order to magnify the testimony of the 12 tribes to the Lamb and to the One seated upon the throne. This is represented by (6x12)x2, which is 72+72, with is 144. The magnification of this number by 1000 represents its completely redeemed corporate wholeness, as in, "as the stars of heaven, so shall your seed be," that is, multiplied in radiance of light through the perfect corporate wholeness of divine redemption.

The received tradition of the rabbis points to the 72 letters found in each of the three verses of Exodus 14:19-21. These verses read as follows:

19 Then the angel of God, who had been going in front of the Israelite camp, moved and went behind them, and the pillar of cloud moved away from in front of them and stood behind them.

יטוַיִּסַּע מַלְאַךְ הָאֱלֹהִים הַהֹלֵךְ לִפְנֵי מַחֲנֵה יִשְׂרָאֵל וַיֵּלֶךְ מֵאַחֲרֵיהֶם וַיִּסַּע עַמּוּד הֶעָנָן מִפְּנֵיהֶם וַיַּעֲמֹד מֵאַחֲרֵיהֶם:

In the above verse there are 72 Hebrew letters

20 And he came between the camp of Egypt and the camp of Israel, and there were the cloud and the darkness, and it illuminated the night, and one did not draw near the other all night long.

כוַיָּבֹא בֵּין | מַחֲנֵה מִצְרַיִם וּבֵין מַחֲנֵה יִשְׂרָאֵל וַיְהִי הֶעָנָן וְהַחשֶׁךְ וַיָּאֶר אֶת הַלָּיְלָה וְלֹא קָרַב זֶה אֶל זֶה כָּל הַלָּיְלָה:

72 Hebrew letters

21 And Moses stretched out his hand over the sea, and the Lord led the sea with the strong east wind all night, and He made the sea into dry land and the waters split. 

כאוַיֵּט משֶׁה אֶת יָדוֹ עַל הַיָּם וַיּוֹלֶךְ יְהֹוָה | אֶת הַיָּם בְּרוּחַ קָדִים עַזָּה כָּל הַלַּיְלָה וַיָּשֶׂם אֶת הַיָּם לֶחָרָבָה וַיִּבָּקְעוּ הַמָּיִם:

72 Hebrew letters

Not only do these three verses speak about the mercy (verse 19) and judgment (verse 20) of the One who sits upon the throne, (his mercy as expressed toward Israel and his judgment as expressed toward Egypt), they also speak (verse 21) of these two opposing attributes working in complimentary opposition with one another to produce the redemption that ultimately reveals the glory of the one true God. 

These three verses as a whole can be described in terms of 3 camps of the children of Israel, each camp composed of 4 tribes, (24+24+24, or 72), representing a testimony to these three attributes, the attribute of mercy, the attribute of judgment and the attribute of beauty or divine spiritual balance between mercy and judgment, or, in other words, the divine spiritual symmetry producing rectification. As both Yaakov and Moshe represented the distinct individual attributes of the the sons of Yaakov (Jacob) when they blessed them, so it is to be understood that each tribe, according to these attributes give their testimony to the Lamb and to the One seated upon the throne.

144,000, then, is a number which symbolically represents the redemption of the world in a very precise and specific way. It is through the atonement for Israel, and this is in the exact form that it was designed corporately by God, in judgment and mercy, provided by the Lamb of God, with two or three witnesses (camps of the children of Israel) to give witness to each divine attribute. As a result, for this complete great testimony, 12 tribes are required, and the perfect magnification of that number is 144,000.

Now that the foundation of the revelation has been laid out in this way, we will go on in the opening of the seventh seal to see in full clarity the fullness of the revelation of Yehoshua the Messiah of Israel.

In order that the readers and hearers of this revelation take what has here been revealed to heart, so that they might be truly be counted among the servants of God and go on to hear, with Yochanan, what the seven thunders say, one of the elders steps up to address Yochanan (John).]

Revelation 7:13

Then one of the elders addressed me, saying,  “Who are these clothed in white robes, and from where have they come?” 

addressed me... Yochanan is addressed in this way because it is time that the servants of God, those to whom this revelation was sent, were beginning to understand it's concealed as well as its revealed meaning.

Revelation 7:14

I said to him, “Sir, you know.” 

And he said to me, “These are the ones coming out of the great tribulation. They have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.

Sir...  (Lord...)   Yochanan responds in this way because, even if he is beginning to understand, he knows that the revelation comes from above and the authority of its interpretation must come from above.

coming out of the great tribulation...  All who keep their faith into the end and do not deny the name of the Lamb and his testimony to the name of the One who sits upon the throne are represented here. Specifically, according to the words that the Mashiach of Israel spoke to those in his gathering at Philadelphia, (Revelation 3), they are represented by the martyrs who come out of a great tribulation, "that will try all the earth" at a certain time at the end of history.

Revelation 7:15

“Therefore they are before the throne of God, and serve him day and night in his temple; and he who sits on the throne will shelter them with his presence.

 Therefore... because they are faithful martyrs...

 shelter them with his presence... from all efforts of the prosecutor to prosecute them for any of their sins.

Revelation 7:16

They shall hunger no more, neither thirst anymore; the sun shall not strike them, nor any scorching heat.

no more...  The very nature of Creation will be changed in conformity with the resurrection of the body of Yehoshua HaMashiach and all who are his.

Revelation 7:17

For the Lamb in the midst of the throne will be their shepherd, and he will guide them to springs of living water, and God will wipe away every tear from their eyes.

the Lamb in the midst...  he will guide them through the great tribulation because through their faith they already stand with him, protected by his shed blood before the throne of the one whose wrath has been poured out, as in the day of the Passover lamb