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| 1 And after these things I saw four angels standing on the four corners of the earth, holding the four winds of the earth, that the wind should not blow on the earth, nor on the sea, nor on any tree. |
Four corners – From Every direction.
The earth – Organized society under religious restraint. R498
Holding the four winds – Keeping the destructive powers in check.
The reason these destructive powers were being held back is clearly stated to be to give opportunity for the servants of God to be sealed in their foreheads. This makes perfect sense. The church is described as being "the salt of the earth." Matt. 5:13. The salt being here referred to for its preserving power. Thus the symbolic earth was not to be destroyed prior to the saints receiving this intellectual sealing.
Wind – war.
The wind Elijah saw at mount Horeb (1 Kings 19:11).
The sea – Irreligious masses of mankind. R498
Any tree – Any nation. As the fig-tree represented the nation of Israel, so the trees represent the nations. Trees are used again to picture the nation of Israel in Matt 3:10. |
| 2 And 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 given to hurt the earth and the sea, |
Another angel – Our returned Lord.
Ascending from the east – Rising from the east, the sunrise, thus picturing the dawning of the Millennial Age.
Seal of the living God – The Seventh Seal, Present Truth. This seems to indicate that the seventh seal has now been opened.
He cried with a loud voice – Showing this is under the command and control of our Returned Lord Jesus. The loud voice is the same as is found in 1 Thes. 4:16. |
| 3 Saying, Hurt not the earth, neither the sea, nor the trees, till we have sealed the servants of our God in their foreheads. |
Hurt not – Do not seriously disrupt the status quo.
The earth – Organized society under religious restraint cannot be (seriously) hurt until all the 144,000 have been sealed in their foreheads.
Nor the sea – Irreligious restless masses of mankind. R498
Nor the trees – Nations, household of faith.
Sealed .. in their foreheads – Until the little flock have been given an intellectual (forehead) understanding of the time features and the presence of our Lord. See B169 top. |
| 4 And I heard the number of them which were sealed: and there were sealed an hundred and forty and four thousand of all the tribes of the children of Israel. |
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| 5 Of the tribe of Judah were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Reuben were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Gad were sealed twelve thousand. |
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| 6 Of the tribe of Asher were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Naphtali were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Manasseh were sealed twelve thousand. |
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| 7 Of the tribe of Simeon were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Levi were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Issachar were sealed twelve thousand. |
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| 8 Of the tribe of Zebulun were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Joseph were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Benjamin were sealed twelve thousand. |
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| 9 After this I beheld, and, lo, a great multitude, which no man could number, of all nations, and kindreds, and people, and tongues, stood before the throne, and before the Lamb, clothed with white robes, and palms in their hands; |
A great multitude – As compared with the "Little Flock," the 144,000.
Which no man could number – Unlike that of the Little Flock, the 144,000 enumerated in the previous verses.
Possibly two (R2942) or three times (R4304:1 the size of the little flock.
Of all nations, and kindreds, and people, and tongues – Compare Rev. 5:9.
Before the throne – See Bible Topics "Before the Throne."
Palm in their hands – see Palm Trees |
| 10 And cried with a loud voice, saying, Salvation to our God which sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb. |
Loud voice .. Salvation to our God – see Rev. 19:1. Great Multitude here and "much people" in 19:1 are the same (Strong's 4183 & 3793). |
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| 11 And all the angels stood round about the throne, and about the elders and the four beasts, and fell before the throne on their faces, and worshipped God,
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| 12 Saying, Amen: Blessing, and glory, and wisdom, and thanksgiving, and honour, and power, and might, be unto our God for ever and ever. Amen. |
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| 13 And one of the elders answered, saying unto me, What are these which are arrayed in white robes? and whence came they? |
One of the elders – Which one? We suggest Daniel, based on what the elder says in vs. 14. |
| 14 And I said unto him, Sir, thou knowest. And he said to me, These are they which came out of great tribulation, and have washed their robes, and made them white in the blood of the Lamb. |
Came out of – Babylon. The great company should have come out long before the great tribulation began. Instead they did not have the spirit of the little flock in quick obedience to the command "come out of her my people."
Great tribulation – Daniel 12:1. |
| 15 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. |
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| 16 They shall hunger no more, neither thirst any more; neither shall the sun light on them, nor any heat. |
This appears to be a quote from Isa. 49:10. In that context those who are described are those who receive the blessings from the church. It there appears to be the world of mankind.
Our thought is that this describes those who will attain to eternal life but not immortality. As such it is descriptive of both the world of mankind as well as the great company.
They – The Great Company.
Shall hunger no more – No longer do they hunger for righteousness because they will then have it.
Neither thirst any more – No longer will they thirst for righteousness for they will then possess it.
Neither shall the sun light on them – Isa. 60:19; (Matt. 24:29); Rev. 21:23; 22:5
This could also have reference to the Tabernacle picture. While the spirit-begotten class is normally shown by the Priests, who alone had access to the Holy (except on moving days), the Levites had access to the court. If this pictures the Great company then it pictures a class that should have been dwelling in the Holy (spirit-begotten) condition but instead chose to dwell in the court (in sunshine). For those who dwell in the Holy use the light of the candlestick to allow them to see spiritual things (not the bright light of the sun). Our eyes need to be come adjusted to seeing spiritual things by the eye of faith and not by actual sight (as would be the case in the court).
Nor any heat – Deut. 29:24; 32:21-25; Psa. 19:6; Isa. 4:5-6; 25:4-6; Jer. 51:37-41; Matt. 20:12; 2 Pet. 3:10; Rev. 16:8-9. |
| 17 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. |
The Lamb – Jesus in His glory.
In the midst of the throne – In his reign as King.
Shall feed them – Jesus is the sustaining force for these, the great company.
Lead them to fountains of waters – These are lead to the church which has a wellspring of water (life, truth) coming from within them. The great company will drink of that water, whereas the church will produce that water.
Wipe away all tears – While there will be tears for the Great Company, God will remove their sorrow. |