Scripture reading: Revelation 7:1-8.

Sermon text: Revelation 7:9-17.

Last week, we read of the unfolding of human history from St. John’s time to the end of time itself. As Jesus broke each seal, mysterious horses and their riders emerged to wreak destruction on the earth. Then, at the breaking of the sixth seal, all creation erupted in praise of Jesus Christ for His victory over death.

Today’s sermon comes from chapter 7, where we read of an enormous number of believers and an innumerable army of worshipers who praise Jesus for His deliverance from sin. This vast congregation continues to worship in heaven even as we worship here today.

However, this chapter also takes us into the Old Testament to examine the covenant promises of God to His people Israel. We cannot understand this chapter without an understanding of God’s faithfulness to His people throughout the ages.

After Jesus broke the sixth seal, St. John saw 4 angels “holding back the 4 winds of the earth.” These winds, we read in verses 2 and 3, threatened tremendous destruction to the earth. However, the angels could take no action until the “servants of God” were sealed.

St. John’s description of the sealing reminds us of an ancient Christian ritual still celebrated in some traditions. In the ancient Church, when a person was baptized, the celebrant of the service would mark the candidate with the sign of the cross on his forehead using holy oil. St. John’s first-century readers understood this vision as the marking of new believers at their baptism.

St. John heard the number of those sealed: 144,000, “from every tribe of the sons of Israel.” However, not every tribe is represented. The tribe of Dan was omitted, and Ephraim is instead called “Joseph.” Early Church tradition held that the Antichrist, the greatest false prophet of humanity, would rise from the tribe of Dan. In Genesis, Jacob awarded Joseph’s son Ephraim the blessing of the eldest son, the blessing Jacob had intended for Joseph.

At this point, we need to ask, “Who are the sealed 144,000?” Two views hold sway in the Church today.

One view holds that the 144,000 “servants” sealed represent all the true believers of God, including both Old and New Testament saints. Holders of this view point out that 12 is a perfect number, as is 1,000; therefore, 12 tribes times 12,000 people would represent the totality of God’s redeemed believers.

The other view states that St. John recorded exactly what he saw: 12,000 Jewish believers from 12 tribes of Israel. These people, holders of this view argue, are 144,000 literal Jewish believers that are sealed in the end times prior to — or in the beginning of — a period of great tribulation unlike anything ever seen on the planet.

These 2 views revolve around a major contention in biblical interpretation: Who is Israel? Many people today believe that, based on St. Paul’s teaching in Romans 9, the Church has replaced Israel in God’s fulfillment of Scriptural prophecy.

However, when we consider the prophecies in the Old Testament, we must ask the question, “Has God left promises unfulfilled? What becomes of those promises?” No one can read books such as Isaiah, Ezekiel, or Zechariah — to name a few — without wondering if the prophecies in these books will remain unfilled. If so, these prophets spoke falsely and therefore do not qualify as true prophets. The only alternative is that God has either fulfilled these prophecies in symbolic ways or will do so in later years.

Personally, I have great difficulty believing that God would promise significant blessings to a nation He chose millennia ago and then “renege” on those promises. One cannot read the Prophets without realizing that God made literal prophecies that require literal fulfillments.

Regardless of which view one takes on the 144,000, the next verses remind us of other occasions of worship in heaven. St. John saw a group far too numerous to count praising God and Jesus Christ. These worshipers are all clothed in white robes, reminding us of the believers who received white robes at the breaking of the fifth seal in Revelation chapter 6. Their cry reverberates through heaven: “Salvation belongs to our God who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb!” Again, Jesus’ divinity clearly appears in this book. These saints are immediately joined by the creatures around the throne and the elders singing, “Amen! Blessing and glory and wisdom and thanksgiving and honor and power and might be to our God forever and ever! Amen.” This song reminds us of the worship of chapter 5. Again, we cannot read the book of Revelation without comprehending the eternal worship that continually echoes throughout heaven.

St. John, however, wants to know the identity of the worshippers. When the elder asked him their identity, and St. John admitted his ignorance, the elder told him a great truth. These believers did not enter heaven lightly; they suffered “great tribulation” in their lives; they died for their faith. They understood suffering in life because they suffered for the sake of Christ. Therefore, they receive the privilege of serving God continually (“day and night”) as well as the protection of God. Regardless of what they suffered in life, these believers will suffer no more for all eternity. Nor will they ever mourn again, for God Himself “will wipe away every tear from their eyes.”

This chapter may lead us to the question, “what is the great tribulation?” At this point in the book — and in this series — we should realize that the Church has always suffered tribulation. Jesus prophesied this Himself, reminding His disciples that the world hated Him and would therefore hate them as well. This hatred has continued throughout our existence. Therefore, while the “great tribulation” may appear later in this book — as I believe it does — we should realize that we are called to persevere in whatever tribulation we suffer in this life. Others suffered far more for their faith than we can imagine. Who are we to believe we should be spared when others have suffered martyrdom?

Keep in mind that St. John wanted his readers to persevere in their faith. We, too, must persevere in our faith. We, too, must remember that we are called to serve God in this life in the hope of serving God for all eternity. We will remain in God’s presence forever, cared for and guided by the Shepherd worthy of our praise. If Jesus is worthy of our praise in eternity, He is worthy of your service in this life.