Bible Commentaries
Revelation 7

Verses 1-8

Israel is Sealed We have already established the fact that the book of Revelation emphasizes the events that the Church will experience in God’s final plan to redeem mankind. We contrasted the book of Ezekiel, which discusses parallel events of these last days that the nation of Israel will experience as a part of their restoration. But we now find in Revelation 7:1-8 a passage of Scripture that clearly discusses the redemption of Israel. So, we must ask why this occurs in a book of the New Testament that places emphasis upon the Church. We find the answer in Romans 9-11 where Paul discusses Israel’s role in God’s plan of redemption, after discussing the work of the Gospel of Jesus Christ in bringing justification and redemption to the Gentiles. He explains that the Gentiles have simply been grafted into the vine of Israel, and that God still has a remnant of Jews who are called and faithful to Him. From those three chapters in Romans we understand that the events that occur in the last days are centered around Israel’s timetable, and not an arbitrary Gentile timetable; for the “times of the Gentiles”, as Jesus called it, have come to a close. Thus, God seals 144,000 Jews in Revelation 7:1-8 before He seals the Gentiles in Revelation 7:9-17; for the Gentiles are simply partaking of Israel’s blessings and promises and hope of salvation, and not the other way around.

Verses 1-17

The Sixth Seal Revelation 6:12 to Revelation 7:17 describes the events surrounding the opening of the sixth seal. The opening of this seal brings enormous cosmic disturbances upon the earth (Revelation 6:12-17). During this event, God seals the remnant of Israel (Revelation 7:1-8). In the midst of these cosmic disturbances, multitudes of people will be saved (Revelation 7:9-17).

Outline Here is a proposed outline:

1. The Sixth Seal Opened Revelation 6:12-17

2. Israel is Sealed Revelation 7:1-8

3. Those Saved in the Tribulation Revelation 7:9-17

Verses 9-17

The Martyrs of the Tribulation Gather around the Throne of God If the opening of the sixth seal (Revelation 6:12-17) symbolizes the onset of the Great Tribulation Period, then Revelation 7:9-17 describes the great multitude of saints who stand before God’s throne who were martyred during this tribulation. The passage of Scripture that reads, “These are they which came out of great tribulation, and have washed their robes, and made them white in the blood of the Lamb,” (Revelation 7:14) most likely means that not every saint was taken in the pre-tribulation rapture of the Church. It also likely means that many people will be saved in the midst of the hardships of the Tribulation Period. The verb “come out” may refer to the Rapture, but it is better to be interpreted as those who are martyred during the Great Tribulation Period.

Revelation 7:14 Comments - Many people will be saved during this Great Tribulation period; for God’s wrath will be clearly demonstrated to all mankind. Only those whose deep depravity moved them to rebel willing against God do not repent, but rather they curse God because of these terrible plagues (see Revelation 9:20-21; Revelation 16:11).

Revelation 9:20-21, “And the rest of the men which were not killed by these plagues yet repented not of the works of their hands, that they should not worship devils, and idols of gold, and silver, and brass, and stone, and of wood: which neither can see, nor hear, nor walk: Neither repented they of their murders, nor of their sorceries, nor of their fornication, nor of their thefts.”

Revelation 16:11, “And blasphemed the God of heaven because of their pains and their sores, and repented not of their deeds.”

Revelation 7:17 “and God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes” - Comments - In his book I Visited Heaven, Julius Oyet, says, “It is not saying that Jesus will come down from His throne with a handkerchief or towel in His hands then begins to wipe our faces one by one. Otherwise this could take thousands of years. The glory of the Lamb just instantly dries up everyone's tears at once.” [75]

[75] Julius Peter Oyet, I Visited Heaven (Kampala, Uganda: Bezalel Design Studio, 1997), 41.