Revelation 7
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Revelation 7:4, Then I heard the number of those who were sealed: 144,000 from all the tribes of Israel.
The first six seals have been opened. Before the seventh is opened, however, John takes an interlude. There is something else that needs to be shared. It starts with a vision of four angels standing at the corners of the earth. God is in control over all the earth. These angels emphasize that.
Then, the text speaks of putting a seal on all of God’s people. I don’t know about you but over the course of my life, I’ve heard people speak of the mark of the beast (or the evil one) far more often than the mark of God. We will discuss the mark of the beast more when we get to chapter 13 but certainly it’s worth noting that some in religious circles stir up fear. “Be on the lookout,” we hear Bible commentors say. What is our infatuation with things that are dark, mysterious, and sinful? Perhaps we should be more interested and passionate about ensuring that Christ-followers are living in such a way that the world around them will notice the mark of God in their lives. As ones who belong to Jesus, we don’t have to be fearful of Satan. We have the Spirit of the Living God within us and there is power in that! Ephesians 1:13-14 states, And you also were included in Christ when you heard the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation. When you believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit, who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God’s possession—to the praise of his glory. The mark of God is far more powerful than the mark of the evil one, yesterday, today, or tomorrow.
Our focus verses specifically mention the number 144,000. Literal interpretations of this number have caused all kinds of problems! The Bible does all kinds of things with numbers that we don’t totally understand in our 21st century context. Obviously, 144,000 is 12 squared. Both the numbers 12 and 10 often represent completeness in Scripture. As we work our way through the chapter, we find that the heavenly population is expansive. Verse 9 reads, After this I looked, and there before me was a great multitude that no one could count, from every nation, tribe, people and language, standing before the throne and before the Lamb. They were wearing white robes and were holding palm branches in their hands. Heaven is larger than our ability to fathom. There are no limits in relation to size and numbers when we are talking about God and heaven. All people from all tribes, nations, tongues, and time periods are invited to receive Jesus and spend eternity in glory. Think about the awesomeness of that truth! People from across the globe will spend eternity worshiping God together.
Let’s pray…Lord Jesus, We praise your holy and powerful name. You are mighty, strong, and able to defeat evil in our lives and in our churches. We pray that it will be incredibly obvious that we have the mark of God on our lives. Help us live like people who represent you in all we do, through our words, through our actions, and through the way we love others. In Your Name, Amen.