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. 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, saying, “Do not harm the earth or the sea or the trees, until we have sealed the servants of our God on their foreheads.” And I heard the number of the sealed, 144,000, sealed from every tribe of the sons of Isra
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 from the tribe of Asher,
12,000 from the tribe of Naphtali,
12,000 from the tribe of Manasseh,
12,000 from the tribe of Simeon,
12,000 from the tribe of Levi,
12,000 from the tribe of Issachar,
12,000 from the tribe of Zebulun,
12,000 from the tribe of Joseph,
12,000 from the tribe of Benjamin were sealed. 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, 10 and crying out with a loud voice, “Salvation belongs to our God who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb!”
Comment: Having read what happens on the opening of the first six seals with all the destruction and activity that they reveal this passage puts up a sign saying ‘hold it – there is a side line to follow!’ The four angels standing at the corners (corners of a globe?) seem to me to be a symbolic representation of the managers of what is happening. They are told by another angel coming with an order directly from the living God, from a greater authority than they hold as the four managers ‘Stop – not yet – there is something else!’ God wants His chosen ones, His servants, clearly and distinctively marked – presumably for protection!
Not many Jews have yet accepted Jesus as the Messiah. I think the 12,000 is a goodly number and 144,000 is a lot! It appears that as God is beginning to wind things up for the Ultimate Judgement many from each tribe of the Jews will become believers in Jesus. And in the gentile world – the throng of believers will be extended by some from every tribe throughout the earth becoming true believers! In this period of great tribulation many people will turn to become believers. That sounds wonderful to me!
Prayer: Blessing and glory and wisdom and thanksgiving and honor and power and might be to our God forever and ever! Amen.”
As I read it! 