November 10, 2023 | Be On Mission
The 144,000 and a Great Multitude
Scripture: Revelation 7(NIV)
1 After this I saw four angels standing at the four corners of the earth, holding back the four winds of the earth to prevent any wind from blowing on the land or on the sea or on any tree. 2 Then I saw another angel coming up from the east, having the seal of the living God. He called out in a loud voice to the four angels who had been given power to harm the land and the sea: 3 “Do not harm the land or the sea or the trees until we put a seal on the foreheads of the servants of our God.” 4 Then I heard the number of those who were sealed: 144,000 from all the tribes of Israel.
5 From the tribe of Judah 12,000 were sealed,
from the tribe of Reuben 12,000,
from the tribe of Gad 12,000,
6 from the tribe of Asher 12,000,
from the tribe of Naphtali 12,000,
from the tribe of Manasseh 12,000,
7 from the tribe of Simeon 12,000,
from the tribe of Levi 12,000,
from the tribe of Issachar 12,000,
8 from the tribe of Zebulun 12,000,
from the tribe of Joseph 12,000,
from the tribe of Benjamin 12,000.
9 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. 10 And they cried out in a loud voice:
“Salvation belongs to our God,
who sits on the throne,
and to the Lamb.”
11 All the angels were standing around the throne and around the elders and the four living creatures. They fell down on their faces before the throne and worshiped God, 12 saying:
“Amen!
Praise and glory
and wisdom and thanks and honor
and power and strength
be to our God for ever and ever.
Amen!”
13 Then one of the elders asked me, “These in white robes—who are they, and where did they come from?”
14 I answered, “Sir, you know.”
And he said, “These are they who have come out of the great tribulation; they have 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 shelter them with his presence.
16 ‘Never again will they hunger;
never again will they thirst.
The sun will not beat down on them,’
nor any scorching heat.
17 For the Lamb at the center of the throne
will be their shepherd;
‘he will lead them to springs of living water.]
‘And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes.’”
Devotional
This chapter contains one of the most famous numbers in the book of Revelation. Verse four reads: “Then I heard the number of those who were sealed: 144,000 from all the tribes of Israel.” Just what does 144,000 mean?
Some say it is an actual number, representing a future number of Jewish people, after the rapture of the church. Others say it is a historical number, representing all the Jewish Christians who escaped Jerusalem before it was destroyed by Rome. Still others say it is a spiritual number, symbolically representing all the people of God through all time. There are even more suggestions. I don’t expect this debate to be settled in my lifetime.
Beyond that number, there is a countless multitude of believers from every part of earth standing before God and Jesus in heaven, falling on their faces in worship and adoration. Again, they are wearing robes that are white, a color representing victory even though they have come through great persecution. In the earlier part of this vision (Revelation 6), colorful horses represented such realities as war, famine and death. Here, the presence of Jesus promises a future without hunger, thirst or tears. Praise be to God!
Verse 17 offers the real hope: “For the Lamb at the center of the throne will be their shepherd.” In the Old Testament sacrificial system, the lamb was the most vulnerable of all the animals in the flock. A lamb was chosen by the priests to be sacrificed for the sins of the people. This went on day after day, year after year.
But Jesus, the true Lamb of God, changed all that. Hebrews 10:10 reminds us “we have been made holy through the sacrifice of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.” The Lamb became the Good Shepherd. The sacrifice became the High Priest. The Suffering Servant became the Exalted King on the throne.
Once again, pause to worship the Lord. Read aloud the prayers in this chapter as your own praise to Jesus. Give Him all the glory!
Poem
Come Forth
Revelation 6 & 7
White horse victorious take your ride
Red horse with sword slay human pride
Black horse of justice with your scale
Fourth horse destroy, by hell’s pow’r trailed
Come forth and set the world aright
Release those faithful in the fight
Courageous, true until the end
The wrongs against them now amend
Earthquake, blood moon, stars fall from sky
God’s wrath, Come forth! You can abide?
Come forth! All power annihilate
The curse of sin now meet your fate!
Before you open seventh seal
Four angels hold back Ruah’s zeal
“Do not destroy the earth or sea!
Do not shake single leaf from tree!
Until God’s saints I usher forth
Sealed tightly from the curse of earth.”
Come forth, you faithful, from each age!
Come forth, written upon scroll’s page
The Book of Life, your names declare
From here, from there, from everywhere
A great community of saints
Who, facing trials, faith staid with strength
A mighty throng before the Lord!
Come forth! Proclaiming Christ adored
Great day! Rejoice! The vict’ry’s won!
Extol Messiah, God’s own Son
Who for you conquered death and grave
Come forth! Trusting in Christ who saves!
