Revelation 7:4-14

The 144,000

4 And I heard the ¹number of those who were sealed, ²one hundred and forty-four * thousand sealed from every tribe of the sons of Israel:

5 the tribe of Judah, twelve thousand were sealed, from the tribe of Reuben twelve thousand, from the tribe of Gad twelve thousand,

6 the tribe of Asher twelve thousand, from the tribe of Naphtali twelve thousand, from the tribe of Manasseh twelve thousand,

7 the tribe of Simeon twelve thousand, from the tribe of Levi twelve thousand, from the tribe of Issachar twelve thousand,

8 the tribe of Zebulun twelve thousand, from the tribe of Joseph twelve thousand, from the tribe of Benjamin, twelve thousand were sealed.

A Multitude from the Tribulation

9 After these things I looked, and behold, a great multitude which no one could count, from ³every nation and all tribes and peoples and tongues, standing ⁴before the throne and ⁵before the Lamb, clothed in ⁶white robes, and ⁷palm branches were in their hands;

10 and they cry out with a loud voice, saying, "⁸ Salvation to our God⁹ who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb."

11 And all the angels were standing ¹⁰around the throne and around ¹¹the elders and the ¹²four living creatures; and they ¹³fell on their faces before the throne and worshiped God,

12 saying, "¹⁴ Amen, ¹⁵blessing and glory and wisdom and thanksgiving and honor and power and might, be to our God forever and ever. ¹⁶ Amen."

13 Then one of the elders ¹⁷answered, saying to me, "These who are clothed in the ¹⁸white robes, who are they, and where have they come from?"

14 I said to him, "My lord, you know." And he said to me, "These are the ones who come out of the ¹⁹great tribulation, and they have ²⁰washed their robes and made them ²¹white in the ²²blood of the Lamb.

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Revelation 7:4-14 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO REVELATION 7

This chapter contains a vision seen at the end of the sixth, and at the opening of the seventh seal, which expresses the security of the saints in all ages following, the praises of angels and men on that account, and the happiness of all the people of God in the millennium state. First, a vision of four angels is seen restraining the winds from blowing on the earth, sea, and trees, Re 7:1; then of another angel, described by the place from whence he came, the east; by what he had, the seal of the living God, and by his cry to the four angels not to hurt the earth, sea, and trees, until the servants of God were sealed, Re 7:2,3, and then follows the number of the sealed ones in general, Re 7:4, and the particular number of them out of each tribe of Israel, Re 7:5-8. After which is another vision of all the elect of God together, described by the numberless multitude of them; by their descent from all nations; by their position and situation before the throne, and the Lamb; by their habit and attire, and by their loud cry, ascribing salvation to God, and to the Lamb, Re 7:9,10, who are joined by all the angels around them, worshipping God, and ascribing glory to him, Re 7:11,12. And next is described the happiness of this numerous company, in the thousand years' reign, introduced by some discourse which passed between John, and one of the elders, Re 7:13,14, who are said to be before the throne, to serve God continually, and to have his presence, Re 7:15, to be free from everything troublesome and distressing, Re 7:16, and to be fed by the Lamb, and to be led by him to fountains of living water, and to have all their tears wiped away from them, Re 7:17.

Taken from John Gill's Exposition of the Bible

Cross References 22

1. Revelation 9:16
2. Revelation 14:1, 3
3. Revelation 5:9
4. Revelation 7:15
5. Revelation 22:3
6. Revelation 6:11; Revelation 7:14
7. Leviticus 23:40
8. Psalms 3:8; Revelation 12:10; Revelation 19:1
9. Revelation 22:3
10. Revelation 4:4
11. Revelation 4:4
12. Revelation 4:6
13. Revelation 4:10
14. Revelation 5:14
15. Revelation 5:12
16. Revelation 5:14
17. Acts 3:12
18. Revelation 7:9
19. Daniel 12:1; Matthew 24:21; Mark 13:19
20. Zechariah 3:3-5; Revelation 22:14
21. Revelation 6:11; Revelation 7:9
22. Hebrews 9:14; 1 John 1:7

Footnotes 1

[a]. Lit "have said"