7.18.09
From Tribulation to Triumph
The Sealed of Israel
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, on the sea, or on any tree. 2 Then 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 granted to harm the earth and the sea, 3 saying, “Do not harm the earth, the
sea, or the trees till we have sealed the servants of our God on their
foreheads.” 4
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:
5 of the tribe of Judah twelve thousand were
sealed;[a]
of the tribe of Reuben twelve thousand were
sealed;
of the tribe of Gad twelve thousand were
sealed;
6 of the tribe of Asher twelve thousand were
sealed;
of the tribe of Naphtali twelve thousand were
sealed;
of the tribe of Manasseh twelve thousand were
sealed;
7 of the tribe of Simeon twelve thousand
were sealed;
of the tribe of Levi twelve thousand were
sealed;
of the tribe of Issachar twelve thousand were
sealed;
8 of the tribe of Zebulun twelve
thousand were sealed;
of the tribe of Joseph twelve thousand were
sealed;
of the tribe of Benjamin twelve thousand were
sealed.
A Multitude from the Great
Tribulation
9 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, 10 and crying out with a loud voice, saying, “Salvation belongs
to our God who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb!” 11 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, 12 saying:
“ Amen! Blessing and glory and wisdom,
Thanksgiving and honor and power and might,
Be to our God forever and ever.
Amen.”
13 Then one of the elders answered,
saying to me, “Who are these arrayed in white robes, and where did they come
from?”
14 And I said to him, “Sir,[b] you know.”
So he said to me, “These are the ones who come out of the great tribulation, and washed
their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb. 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 dwell among them. 16 They shall neither hunger anymore nor thirst anymore; the
sun shall not strike them, nor any heat; 17 for the Lamb who is in the midst of
the throne will shepherd them and lead them to living fountains of waters.[c] And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes.” Revelation 7:9-17
John first HEARS, and then he
SEES. Revelation is a highly symbolic
book, and the number 12 is often used in the Bible to represent God’s
kingdom. Here, John is shown that
spiritual
They come out of the great tribulation,
and their faith has been tried again and again.
They have been found to be lovers of God rather than lovers of men.
Just before the four angels are allowed
to release their terrible calamities, the SEALING of God’s people must take
place. God wants to forever protect and
safeguard all who are truly His.
“Bind up the testimony, seal the law among my disciples.” Isaiah 8:16.
God’s seals us with
His law. New Covenant believers, with
God’s law written on their hearts, are sealed forever, and protected from the
disaster that follows in the seven last plagues.
What does it mean to
be sealed with God’s law? It means a
settling into the truth to the point that it becomes part of us; to the point
that nothing or no one can pull us away from Jesus, or cause us to disobey Him. We must be ready to be sealed.
Blessed
are they that Wash their Robes
Blessed are they that
wash their robes, that they may have the right to come to the tree of life, and
may enter in by the gates into the city. Rev. 22:14, R.V.
Do we expect to get to heaven at last and join the heavenly choir? Just as we
go into the grave we will come up, as far as the character is concerned. . . .
Now is the time for washing and ironing. . . .
John saw the throne of God
and around that throne a company, and he inquired, Who are these? The answer
came, "These are they which . . . have washed their robes, and made them
white in the blood of the Lamb" (Rev. 7:14). Christ leads them to the
fountains of living waters, and there is the tree of life and there is the
precious Savior. Here is presented to us a life that measures with the life of
God. There is no pain, sorrow, sickness, or death there. All is peace and
harmony and love. . . .
Now is the time to receive
grace and strength and power to combine with our human efforts that we can form
characters for everlasting life. When we do this we will find that the angels
of God will minister unto us, and we shall be heirs of God and joint heirs with
Jesus Christ. And when the last trump shall sound, and the dead shall be called
from their prison house and changed in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye,
the crowns of immortal glory shall be placed upon the heads of the overcomers.
The pearly gates will swing back for the nations that have kept the truth and
they will enter in. The conflict is ended.
"Come, ye blessed of
my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the
world" (Matt. 25:34). Do we want this benediction? I do, and I believe you
do. May God help you that you may fight the battles of this life and gain a
victory day by day and at last be among the number that shall cast their crowns
at Jesus' feet and touch the golden harps and fill all heaven with sweetest
music. I want you to love my Jesus. . . . Do not reject my Savior, for He has
paid an infinite price for you. I see in Jesus matchless charms, and I want you
to see these charms.
Our Father Cares, 305-306
Jesus is warmly inviting you today to become a part of Him. He is drawing you, calling you, loving you
into His arms. Please do not turn Him away. Turn your life over to Him while there is
still time.
Then I saw
another sign in heaven, great and marvelous: seven angels having the seven last
plagues, for in them the wrath of God is complete.
2 And I saw something like a sea
of glass mingled with fire, and those who have the victory over the beast, over
his image and over his mark[a]and over
the number of his name, standing on the sea of glass, having harps of God. 3 They sing the song of Moses, the
servant of God, and the song of the Lamb, saying:
“ Great and marvelous are Your
works,
Lord God Almighty!
Just and true are Your ways,
O King of the saints![b]
4 Who shall not fear You, O Lord, and
glorify Your name?
For You alone are holy.
For all nations shall come and worship
before You,
For Your judgments have been manifested.”
5 After these things I looked, and
behold,[c] the temple of the tabernacle of the testimony in heaven was
opened. 6
And out of the temple came the seven angels having the seven plagues, clothed
in pure bright linen, and having their chests girded with golden bands. 7 Then one of the four living creatures
gave to the seven angels seven golden bowls full of the wrath of God who lives
forever and ever. 8
The temple was filled with smoke from the glory of God and from His power, and
no one was able to enter the temple till the seven plagues of the seven angels
were completed. Revelation 15:1-8
John the
Revelator is given a glimpse of the people of God who go through the time of
trouble and great tribulation that is coming upon the earth. He sees them as victorious, triumphant,
having gone through the most horrendous period of earth’s history—the time of
the beast and the mark of the beast.
John sees
that these precious people have gotten the victory over the beast, over the
false system of combined church and state in the last days. God’s people have washed their robes, their
characters, in the blood of the Lamb, and have been cleansed from all
unrighteousness.
The Bible
says, in 1 John 1:9, “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our
sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” When we come to Jesus just as we are, He
forgives us of our sins, and He cleanses us of our sins. He cleanses us, and gives us a new heart, a
new life, with new desires, new goals, new thoughts. He sets us free from everything that hurts
and destroys, or which clouds our judgment and enfeebles our minds. If you are Christ’s, then you are being
cleansed day by day. It’s an ongoing
cleansing that Jesus Himself accomplishes through His Holy Spirit. But we have to cooperate with His cleansing.
If you have ever raised a little boy, you will agree with me that
little boys do not always like to be bathed!
In fact, little boys, if they had it their way, would probably skip
their bath for at least a week! But even
though they may not like it, we bathe them anyway, because it’s necessary. We are like little boys when it comes to
God’s cleansing. We don’t like it, and
we’d rather have at least a week, or a month, or maybe a year or two, between
bathings! But all the while, Jesus is
wanting to cleanse us from sin and defilement.
He wishes us to be done with the things of darkness, and to shine as
lamps in this world, so that others may be attracted to Jesus.
Then I looked, and behold, a[a] Lamb standing on Mount Zion, and with Him one hundred and forty-four thousand, having[b] His Father’s name written on their foreheads. 2 And I heard a voice from heaven, like the voice of many waters, and like the voice of loud thunder. And I heard the sound of harpists playing their harps. 3 They sang as it were a new song before the throne, before the four living creatures, and the elders; and no one could learn that song except the hundred and forty-four thousand who were redeemed from the earth. 4 These are the ones who were not defiled with women, for they are virgins. These are the ones who follow the Lamb wherever He goes. These were redeemed[c] from among men, being firstfruits to God and to the Lamb. 5 And in their mouth was found no deceit,[d] for they are without fault before the throne of God. Revelation 14:1-5
Each time
we see this group, it’s the same group of believers. These are the disciples who live through the
tribulation to see the Lord coming in the clouds of glory. And notice that in this passage they have the
Father’s name written in their foreheads.
Now isn’t that amazing. We have
already learned that the law of God’s is sealed in them, and Revelation 9:4
says, “They were commanded not to harm the grass of the earth, or
any green thing, or any tree, but only those men who do not have the seal of
God on their foreheads.”
The seal of God’s law is placed in your forehead or your
mind. It comes only through your
permission and allowance. It has to do
with conviction. Whereas the mark of the
beast, as discussed in Revelation 13:16, can be placed on either the forehead
or the right hand. The devil doesn’t
care if he gets you through your conviction or belief system or through just plain
practicality and going along with the flow!
He’s got you either way! Because
you haven’t allowed God to cleanse you, and seal His law in your mind.
But that’s how we Christians are who live on the very borders of
eternity. We’re careless! We’ve got everything we need! We don’t need a bath! You know, God talks about us in the book of
revealings.
14 “And to the angel of
the church of the Laodiceans write, ‘These things says the Amen, the Faithful
and True Witness, the Beginning of the creation of God: 15 “I know your works, that you
are neither cold nor hot. I could wish you were cold or hot. 16 So then, because you are
lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will vomit you out of My mouth. 17 Because you say, ‘I am rich,
have become wealthy, and have need of nothing’—and do not know that you are
wretched, miserable, poor, blind, and naked— 18 I counsel you to buy from Me gold refined in the fire,
that you may be rich; and white garments, that you may be clothed, that
the shame of your nakedness may not be revealed; and anoint your eyes with eye
salve, that you may see. 19
As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten. Therefore be zealous and repent. 20 Behold, I stand at the door
and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him
and dine with him, and he with Me. 21
To him who overcomes I will grant to sit with Me on My throne, as I also
overcame and sat down with My Father on His throne.
22 “He who has an
ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.”’” Revelation 3:14-22
As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten:
be zealous therefore, and repent .
Revelation 3:19.
The counsel of the true
Witness does not represent those who are lukewarm as in a hopeless case. There
is yet a chance to remedy their state, and the Laodicean message is full of
encouragement. . . . Purity of heart, purity of motive, may yet characterize
those who are halfhearted and who are striving to serve God and mammon [or the
pleasures of this world]. They may yet wash their robes of character and make
them white in the blood of the Lamb.
The gold of faith and love, the white
raiment of a spotless character, and the eyesalve, or the power of clear discernment between good and
evil--all these we must obtain before we can hope to enter the
It is the worthiness of
Christ that must save us, His blood that must cleanse us. But we have efforts
to make. We must do what we can, be zealous and repent, then believe that God
accepts us. . . .
All heaven is interested in
our salvation; and shall we be indifferent? Shall we be careless, as though it
was a small matter whether we are saved or lost? Shall we slight the sacrifice
that has been made for us? . . .
In the time of peril before
us the professed followers of Christ will be tested. None will be able to stand
but those who have had a deep and living experience in the things of God. The
work of all will then be tried; if it is gold, silver, and precious stones,
they will be safely shielded, as in the secret of the Lord's pavilion. . . .
Only those who are willing
to sacrifice all for eternal life will have it; but it will be worth suffering
for, worth crucifying self and sacrificing every idol for. The far more
exceeding and eternal weight of glory will outweigh every earthly treasure and
eclipse every earthly attraction. Our High Calling, 351
Fit for Translation
by Ellen G. White
I saw another field full
of all kinds of flowers, and as I plucked them, I cried out, "They will
never fade." Next I saw a field of tall grass, most glorious to behold; it
was living green and had a reflection of silver and gold, as it waved proudly
to the glory of King Jesus. Then we entered a field full of all kinds of
beasts--the lion, the lamb, the leopard, and the wolf, all together in perfect
union. We passed through the midst of them, and they followed on peaceably
after. Then we entered a wood, not like the dark woods we have here; no, no;
but light, and all over glorious; the branches of the trees moved to and fro,
and we all cried out, "We will dwell safely in the wilderness and sleep in
the woods." We passed through the woods, for we were on our way to
As we were traveling
along, we met a company who also were gazing at the glories of the place. I
noticed red as a border on their garments; their crowns were brilliant; their
robes were pure white. As we greeted them, I asked Jesus who they were. He said
they were martyrs that had been slain for Him. With them was an innumerable
company of little ones; they also had a hem of red on their garments.
This temple was
supported by seven pillars, all of transparent gold, set with pearls most
glorious. The wonderful things I there saw I cannot describe. Oh, that I could
talk in the language of
Upon the crystal sea before the throne, that sea of glass as it were mingled with fire,--so resplendent is it with the glory of God,--are gathered the company that have "gotten the victory over the beast, and over his image, and over his mark, and over the number of his name."[1 REV. 15:2.] With the Lamb upon Mount Zion, "having the harps of God," they stand, the hundred and forty and four thousand that were redeemed from among men; and there is heard, as the sound of many waters, and as the sound of a great thunder, "the voice of harpers harping with their harps."[1 REV. 14:1-5; 15:3; 7:14-17] And they sing "a new song" before the throne, a song which no man can learn save the hundred and forty and four thousand. It is the song of Moses and the Lamb,--a song of deliverance. None but the hundred and forty-four thousand can learn that song; for it is the song of their experience,--an experience such as no other company have ever had. "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." "These are they which came out of great tribulation;"[1 REV. 14:1-5; 15:3; 7:14-17.] they have passed through the time of trouble such as never was since there was a nation; they have endured the anguish of the time of Jacob's trouble; they have stood without an intercessor through the final outpouring of God's judgments. But they have been delivered, for they have "washed their robes, and made them white in the blood of the Lamb." "In their mouth was found no guile; for they are without fault" before God. "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."[1 REV. 14:1-5; 15:3; 7:14-17.] They have seen the earth wasted with famine and pestilence, the sun having power to scorch men with great heat, and they themselves have endured suffering, hunger, and thirst. But "they shall hunger no more; neither thirst any more; neither shall the sun light on them, nor any heat; 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."[1 REV. 14:1-5; 15:3; 7:14-17.] Great Controversy (1888) 648