YOUTH STS
LESSON: 981
TOPIC: THE SEALING OF GOD'S SERVANTS
TEXT: Revelation 7:1-17
Memory Verse: "Saying, Hurt not the earth, neither the sea, nor the trees, till we have sealed the servants of our God in their foreheads" (Revelation 7:3).
Immediately after the rapture, there will be the great tribulation. Among the events are the pouring of God's wrath and the Antichrist’s tyranny on inhabitants of the earth that did not make the rapture. In a sequence of opening seven fold seals, there will be a step by step display of God's judgment. Why it did not happen before rapture was because God can not destroy the righteous with the wicked. Examples can be seen in the cases of Noah and Lot. He spared them before He destroyed the inhabitants.
In Revelation chapters 4 and 5, saints of God are already in heaven (Revelation 4:10,11; 5:8-10). On earth, there will be the Great Tribulation (chapter 6) as the church is celebrating the Marriage Supper of the Lamb in heaven. This chapter tends to reflect on the short break after series of woes on the inhabitants of the earth. In this study, there will be an insight into the short break in the punishment and the sealing of God's servants. The Jews were the major focus of the Antichrist as he tries to corrupt the covenant they had with God. The text finally reveals the rejoicing of those who made it to heaven after passing the test of their faith.
The purpose of the Great Tribulation will be for God to pour out His wrath upon the sinful world (Isaiah 26:21). Another reason will be to prepare the nation of Israel for the coming of their Messiah whom they rejected by turning away from their ungodliness as they will cry to God for mercy due to the broken peace agreement with the Antichrist (Deuteronomy 4:30,31; Zechariah 9:9). Both Daniel and John revealed that the Antichrist will make war with the tribulation saints during the great tribulation and prevail against them.
PURPOSEFUL PAUSE OF THE WRATH OF GOD (Revelation 7:1-4; Romans 9:15; Genesis 18:23; 19:17; Numbers 16:24,27-31; Matthew 25:32).
Every time the phrase "after this" occurs in the book of Revelation, John beholds and sees a new series of events (Revelation 4:1, 15:5; 18:1; 19:1, 20:3). Chapter seven was introduced with "after these things" that is, after the unsealing of the seals of a book containing the wrath of God (Revelation 6:1-17). Before the opening of the seventh seal which has deadly, destructive and devastating punishments, there will be a pause for the sealing of God's servants.
The reason for the pause will be to seal, secure and protect the redeemed and righteous servants of God before the opening of the seventh seal (Revelation 7:3,4). "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, Saying, Hurt not the earth...till we have sealed the servants of our God in their foreheads" (Revelation 7:2,3). The assignment of the four angels holding the four corners were about to be carried out after which many lives would be lost because angels are known to carry out any command from God without compromise. God restrained the angels who covered the north, south, east and west of the world from pouring out the wrath upon the earth. "Saying, Hurt not the earth, neither the sea, nor the trees, till we have sealed the servants of our God in the foreheads" (Revelation 7:3). It is clear then that after the rapture, the presence of the Holy Spirit, as the Restrainer will be removed only in the sense that He came in a unique way at Pentecost. As Omnipresent, He worked effectively before Pentecost; so will He function effectively during the great tribulation (1 Samuel 10:9,10; Psalm 51:10-13; 2 Peter 1:21; Micah 3:8; Joel 2:28-32; Acts 2:16-21) for the salvation of repentant Jews and Gentiles.
During the great tribulation, two groups of people shall be saved and preserved as the Antichrist will not be able to torment them. The 144,000 will not be arbitrarily chosen by God but through repentance and faith in Christ (Revelation 14:1-4) as "virgins" who are "not defiled with women". Secondly, the other group "Which no man could number, of all nations, and kindreds, and people, and tongues…" (Revelation 7:9), will be made up of multitudes of Gentiles from all kindreds and nations. Apart from the 144,000 Jews who are secured and preserved, this second group will suffer the affliction and will loose their lives because of their faith in God during the great tribulation (Revelation 7:14).
THE RECORD OF THE SEALING OF GOD'S SERVANTS (Revelation 7:5-9; 9:4; 2 Corinthians 1:22; Ephesians 1:13; 4:30; Exodus 11:7; Leviticus 10:10; Exodus 8:22; Esther 8:8)
The holding back of the wind is important because if the fury of the wrath of God is not restricted, that will mean destruction in the whole world. The purpose of the restrain is to enable God's servants to be sealed. To be specific, the children of Israel are only the 144,000.
A seal is like a stamp, a symbol or device, bearing the name of the owner, which could be stamped on someone or something. It was practised in the East to brand the name of the master on the forehead of a slave. This seal would be clearly engraved on the foreheads of each of the one hundred and forty-four thousand Jewish servants of God as a sign of divine ownership and a pledge of safety. The seal or mark would be a proper clarification of the fact that they are true servants of God. They are to be saved, sealed during the great tribulation.
Today, youths who are born again are "sealed with that Holy Spirit of promise" (Ephesians 1:13). Believers will take part in the rapture before the first seal is broken during the great tribulation period in Revelation chapter six.
The small number of 12,000 from each tribe of Israel will be sealed because they believed in Christ as their Messiah. The majority of the people will still be in unbelief and will not be protected from the wrath which will come by the opening of the seventh seal.
In the sealing, we observed that selling of birthright is dangerous as in the listing of the sons of Israel; you will notice that the tribe of Judah was mentioned first instead of Reuben the first son. "Forasmuch as he defiled his father's bed… Judah prevailed above his brethern, and of him came the chief ruler" (1 Chronicles 5:1,2; Genesis 49:3,4). In the same vein, the tribes of Dan and Ephraim were not mentioned, rather the tribe of Levi and Joseph took their places. Dan wholly turned to worship idol and there was judgment pronounced on them "And the LORD shall separate him unto evil out of all the tribes of Israel" (Judges 18:30; Deuteronomy 29:18-21). Ephraim also was addicted to idols and identified themselves with the enemies of Israel (Hosea 4:17).
Saved youths should be careful because God does not share His glory with any. Acknowledge and repent from all those attitudes or conducts that belittle God in your life, show penitence like the prodigal son, forsake your sins and come to God. As their names were removed and replaced by others, so the names of youths who are saved but backslid are delisted from the book of Life. "And the Lord said unto Moses, whosoever hath sinned against me, him will I blot out of my book" (Exodus 32:33). All hope is not lost for the tribe of Dan as they will be restored with the other tribes and will be included (Ezekiel 48:30-35).
Another set of people that will be sealed are those who will repent and exercise their faith in Christ as Saviour and Lord in the midst of those who will make mockery of the preaching of the sealed servants as religious fallacy (Revelation 9:20,21; 16:9). It is not only the 144,000 that will be sealed but "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…" (Revelation 7:9).
GLORIOUS, UNIVERSAL WORSHIP OF THE LORD (Revelation 7:10-17; 15:4;14:6,7; 4:9-11; 19:4-6; Isaiah 43:7, 21)
"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; And cried with a loud voice, saying, Salvation to our God which sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb" (Revelation 7:9,10). There will be explosive worship and praise of God who sits on the throne and the Lamb. As all who are in heaven will rejoice in ascribing praise, blessing, honour, glory and power to the Lord, the living creatures will echo "Amen" (Revelation 7:12).
God created us to praise, worship and glorify Him. He said, "This people have I formed for myself, they shall show forth my praise" (Isaiah 43:7,21). We must, therefore, devote our lives, talents, time, intelligence and resources to accomplishing this divine purpose of our creation. It is only when we are born again that it will be meaningful and accepted (1Peter 2:9). The redeemed, raptured, and glorified saints in heaven will fulfill this purpose without hindrance or interruption. In heaven, angels and saints (Jews and Gentiles) will praise the Lord forever and ever (Revelation 4:10,11; 5:14; 7:11; 11:16; 14:6,7; 15:4; 19:4-6).
One of the elders in heaven asked John a question: "What are these which are arrayed in white robes? And whence came they?" John knows that the enquirer is more knowledgeable than himself, hence he answered: "Sir, thou knowth". He was informed as he told him what qualified them. "These are they which came out of great tribulation, and have washed their robes, and made them white in the blood of the Lamb…Therefore are they before the throne of God, and serve him day and night in his temple". We share the same benefits if we remain for God.These and many more will be our rewards if we remain steadfast and faithful to the end. In the words of a song writer: "When we all get to heaven What a day of rejoicing it shall be When we all see Jesus We will sing and shout the victory"
QUESTIONS
Question 1: What will be the purpose of the Great Tribulation?
Question 2: What was the reason for the break in the pouring out of the wrath of God?
Question 3: Who are the two groups of tribulation saints that would be saved?
Question 4: What is the significance of God's seal of ownership on saved youths?
Question 5: What precautions should Christian youths take to avoid having their names removed from the book of life?
Question 6: What are the benefits of remaining steadfast with God in the midst of trials?