Innumerable Multitude - Vision

SYNOPSIS:  John now sees an innumerable multitude from all nations standing before the Lamb and the Throne. – Revelation 7:9-12.  

By Raphael Rychetsky on Unsplash

In Chapter 7, the same group of saints is portrayed with two different images - The tribes of Israel assembled for travel, and the innumerable multitude standing and celebrating before the Lamb and the One Who Sits on the Throne. In this next vision, the imagery continues to be drawn from the story of ancient Israel in the Wilderness during its sojourn from Egypt to the Promised Land.

Number of the Sealed Servants

SYNOPSIS:  144,000 males from the tribes of Israel are numbered and assembled for transit to the Promised Land – Revelation 7:4-8.

The “sealing of God’s servants” follows a literary pattern set in Chapter 5, the introduction of the “lion of the tribe of Judah,” the “slain Lamb.” What John “sees” interprets what he first “hears.” In verses 4-8, he will “hear” the “number” of the “sealed servants.” In verses 9-17 he will see its interpretation (Revelation 5:6-14).

Seal of God

SYNOPSIS:  God’s servants are sealed before the “four winds of the earth” are unleashed by the four horsemen – Revelation 7:1-3.

By Ivan Vranić on Unsplash

At first glance, the seventh chapter of the book of Revelation appears to interrupt the sequence of seal openings with unrelated events that intervene between the sixth and seventh seal openings. However, the “interruption” is an integral part of the Seven Seals. Chapter 7 is comprised of four sections:

Fourth Seal

SYNOPSIS:  The fourth seal releases a rider named “Death” who is followed by “Hades” gathering up the dead in his wake – Revelation 6:7-8.

By Anelale Nájera on Unsplash

A word of caution. To this point, the “victims” of the forces unleashed by the first three seal openings have not been identified, although the details of each rider’s assigned task provide a few clues. Therefore, the reader ought to be careful before assuming each rider afflicts “plagues” and judgments on an ungodly human population.

Third Seal

SYNOPSIS:  The third seal releases a rider on a black horse. A voice from the Throne prohibits him from destroying what is needed for daily life – Revelation 6:5-6.

Lisa Lyne Blevins on Unsplash

Once again, the Lamb opens another “seal,” the third one. It cannot be overstressed, it is the sacrificial Lamb who opens each of the seals to release whatever each “rider” represents, not the Devil, the Beast, or “Babylon.” Whether the four riders are malevolent entities or ones that serve the Lamb is not clear, and perhaps, not relevant.