Green: God/Jesus Yellow: People/ Scripture Orange: Unbelief / sin / death / warning
Blue: Hebrew thought Red: Earth / Crisis Blue: Heaven / Israel
In Revelation 7, John witnesses 144,000 Jews SEALED in their foreheads. The Hebrew word for forehead, metsach: to be clear] is an indication of being 'given wisdom'. Confusion is 'unclear' - wisdom is 'clear' (understood). AFTER 144,000 are SEALED he then sees 'a GREAT MULTITUDE' of all peoples standing before the throne of God. He is told this group has arrived from the GREAT TRIBULATION. Revelation 7 uses the word SEAL / SEALED sixteen times. A SEAL was often from the King's SIGNET ring: a small seal, especially one set in a ring, used instead of or with a signature to give authentication to an official document. His 'signet with His signature', His 'mark', his 'cross', sealed in His blood, declares Him in the heavens and the earth.
Revelation 7:1
After these things I saw four angels standing at the four corners of the earth,
holding the four winds of the earth, that the wind should not blow
on the earth [ur( eretz: known as firm (firmare ‘fix, settle; confirm by (sign)ature)]
on the sea [ey yom: known for its 'roar'],
or on any tree [ u( etz: known for 'shutting eyes' (winking at evil)].
Isaiah 17:12 Woe to the MULTITUDE OF MANY PEOPLE
WHO MAKE A NOISE LIKE THE ROAR OF THE SEAS
And to the rushing of nations
That make a rushing like the rushing of mighty waters!
Proverbs 16:30 He hc( shuts his eyes to devise froward things:
moving his lips he brings evil to pass.
Isaiah 61:3 To console those who mourn in Zion, to give them beauty for ashes,
the oil of joy for mourning,
the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness;
that they may be called TREES OF RIGHTEOUSNESS,
the planting of the Lord, that He may be glorified.”
A note on winds from the Jewish encyclopedia: http://www.jewishencyclopedia.com/articles/14940-winds:
The Hebrews, as was natural, carefully distinguished the characteristics of the individual winds. The north wind was icy cold ... When it came from the north it brought rain (Proverbs 25:23), and, according to Josephus, the sailors on the coast called the stormy wind from the north, which scourges the waves, "the black north wind" ("B. J." iii. 9, § 3). The east wind, which came from the Syrian desert (Jeremiah 4:11; 13:24; Job 1:19), was the hot wind, which parched the crops and blighted the trees ... ... Hence the Septuagint usually calls it καήσων ("the burner"). When it developed into a storm it was especially dangerous because of the violence of its blasts ... The south wind also was a hot wind (Job 37:17; Luke 12:55); although the due south wind blows but seldom in Palestine. From the west came the refreshing evening breeze which brought rain ... where northwest and southwest winds are probably meant).
Revelation 7:2
Then I saw another angel ascending from the east,
having the SEAL of the living God.
Isaiah 8:16 Bind up the testimony,
SEAL [CHATHAM: etx ] the law among my disciples.
Ezekiel 9:4 And the LORD said unto him, Go through the midst of the city,
through the midst of Jerusalem, and SET [TAVAH: hwt ] A MARK [TAV: wt ]
upon the foreheads of the men that sigh and that cry for all the
abominations that be done in the midst thereof.
SEAL
σφραγις sphragis {sfrag-ece'}
1) a seal
1a) the seal placed upon books
1b) a signet ring
1c) the inscription or impression made by a seal
1c1) of the name of God and Christ stamped upon their foreheads
1d) that by which anything is confirmed, proved, authenticated,
as by a seal (a token or proof)
etx chatham {khaw-tham'}
1) to seal, seal up, affix a seal
1a) (Qal)
1a1) to seal, affix one's seal
1a2) to seal up, fasten up by sealing
1b) (Niphal) to seal
1c) (Piel) to lock up
1d) (Hiphil) to be stopped
SET A
hwt tav {taw-vaw'}
1) to scrabble, limit, mark, make or set a mark
1a) (Piel) to mark
1b) (Hiphil) to set a mark
MARK
wt tav {tawv}
1) desire, mark
1a) mark (as a sign of exemption from judgment)
Revelation 7:2
And he cried with a loud voice to the four angels
to whom it was granted to harm the earth and the sea [known for its roar],
Matthew 27:1-2
When morning came, all the chief priests and elders of the people
plotted against Jesus to put Him to death.
And when they had bound Him, they led Him away and delivered Him to
Pontius [of the sea ] Pilate [armed with a spear] the governor.
1Peter 5:8
Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about
like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour.
Revelation 7:3
saying, “Do not harm the earth [ firm (firmare ‘fix, settle; confirm by (sign)ature)],
the sea [known for its roaring; multitudes of peoples],
or the trees [those 'winking' at evil - called to righteousness]
Revelation 7:4
till we have SEALED the servants of our God on their foreheads
[ Greek: metapon: space between eyes / Hebrew: metsach: to be clear ] .
And I heard the number of those who were SEALED.
One hundred and forty-four thousand of all the tribes of the children of Israel were SEALED:
Revelation 7:5-8
of the tribe of Judah [praised] twelve thousand were SEALED;
of the tribe of Reuben [a son] twelve thousand were SEALED;
of the tribe of Gad [distributing good fortune] twelve thousand were SEALED;
of the tribe of Asher [happy / blessed] twelve thousand were SEALED;
of the tribe of Naphtali [my wrestling] twelve thousand were SEALED;
of the tribe of Manasseh [causing me to forget] twelve thousand were SEALED;
of the tribe of Simeon [having heard] twelve thousand were SEALED;
of the tribe of Levi [being joined to] twelve thousand were SEALED;
of the tribe of Issachar [recompense] twelve thousand were SEALED;
of the tribe of Zebulun [dwell with me] twelve thousand were SEALED;
of the tribe of Joseph [to add; increase] twelve thousand were SEALED;
of the tribe of Benjamin [as son of the right hand] twelve thousand were SEALED.
'Praised is a son who distributes good fortune. Happy, blessed is he. My wrestling (showing self unsavory (morally disreputable) caused me to forget having heard of God's recompense. (He will) dwell with me to add / increase / grow as a son of the right hand.'
Revelation 7:9-12
AFTER THESE THINGS I looked, and behold, A GREAT MULTITUDE which no
one could number, OF ALL NATIONS, TRIBES, PEOPLES, AND TONGUES,
standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed with white robes,
with palm branches in their hands, [generally seen at Sukkot]
and crying out with a loud voice, saying,
“Salvation belongs to our God who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb!”
All the angels stood around the throne and the elders and the four living creatures,
and fell on their faces before the throne and worshiped God, saying:
“Amen! Blessing and glory and wisdom, thanksgiving and honor
and power and might, be to our God forever and ever. Amen.”
To be continued
Selah
Shalom
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