144,000 and The Great Multitude
In Revelation 5, we learned that the scroll has seven seals on it. However, only six seals were broke off the scroll in Revelation 6. Revelation 7:1-17 mentions nothing about a scroll, seals or their effects. The chapter is an interlude, a pause or a break in the continuity of the subject. God resumes the Seals topic later in Revelation 8. The “Interlude Format” is a well-defined pattern that the Trumpet and Vial Plagues also follow.
Revelation Chapter 7 is about 144,000 selected Israelites and the Great Gentile Multitude. They represent two primary groups of Christians; Israel and the Church. Gentile Christians are martyred and persecuted during the first 3 ½ years of the Satanic Trinity Tribulation, while Israel enjoys peace. God delays plaguing the Trinity Beast, its followers and the Earth until 144,000 elected Israelites are saved. There are supposed to be 12,000 saved from each of the 12 whole tribes of Israel.
John testifies of seeing a countless number of Gentiles before the throne and before the Lamb dressed in white robes praising The Father and the Son. This is clearly the Church, which goes through and comes out of the Tribulation. There is no verse in the Bible that says: The Church gets raptured before the Tribulation while others are left behind. In fact the Rapture happens at the end of the Tribulation and it is of the remnant of the 144,000 elect (Mat. 24:29-31).
The chapter ends with the prospect of God living with these Tribulation Saints in His temple or New Jerusalem, which is paradise on earth.
Replacement Theology is the idea of replacing Israel with the Church and Jerusalem with heaven because the New Covenant is greater. The problem with this doctrine is that it is heresy. God has not rejected His own people, who are the nation of Israel (Rom. 11:1-2). Israel has rejected Jesus and because of their disobedience, God has made salvation available to Gentiles (Rom. 11:11). However, if Israel repents, God will save them faster than a Gentile who repents (Rom. 11:23-24). Some major denominations, which teach Replacement Theology, say that their Gentile elders are the spiritual 144,000 sealed in Revelation 7:4-8. This is not even the case because Chapter 7 contains both the Israeli and the Gentile Church groups of Saints and non of them are spiritual. Anyway, the 144,000 Israelites are selected and saved just before the Trumpet Plagues fall in the middle of the Tribulation. Moreover, it does not make sense replacing Jerusalem with heaven because Jerusalem is the final fate of the Saints (Rev. 21).
The Purpose
The Book of Revelation was written to seasoned Christians, who have an intimate relationship with King Jesus and who know His Word. The Revelation of King Jesus is the ultimate Bible book that completes everything we need to know about Christ so that our relationship can grow to the highest heights. This is why we study the fundamental books of the Bible, so that we can understand the revealed prophecies of King Jesus.
The Lesson
This lesson on Chapter 7 of the Book of Revelation is apart of a free online Bible Study Course on the Book of Revelation presented and hosted by StreetPreacher. Students will learn the Book of Revelation, verse by verse, from an Israeli, evangelical, futuristic, pre-millennial, prewrath rapture perspective using a modified version of the King James Bible.
The Lesson covers:
- A Review of the Quiz from Chapter 6
- No Plagues Until 144,000 are Sealed (Rev 7:1-3)
- 144,000 Sealed (Rev 7:4-8)
- Great Multitude Before the Throne (Rev 7:9-12)
- Tribulation Saints live with God (Rev 7:13-17)
- A Quiz on this 7th Chapter of The Book of Revelation
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On the Final Exam, I will direct the students on how to easily write a book or a booklet on the Book of Revelation from the Course Lessons and Quizzes.
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