Sermon Tone Analysis

Revelation 7:1-17

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Stephen Caswell © 2004

 

Revelation 6 reveals the horror of the reign of Anti-Christ.

Like a */wild beast/* he destroys the world and its people.

Revelation 7 is a wonderful contrast of God’s grace.

We will see how God in His love saves a great multitude, an innumerable company from destruction.

*/The Great Tribulation highlights the battle of the ages for the souls of men./* /People will be forced to make a choice between Satan’s Anti-Christ or Jesus Christ./

Satan is constantly seeking to destroy whilst God seeks and saves lost sheep.

We will see the truth of what the saint’s say; */Salvation belongs to our God./*

This is why we must take evangelism very seriously.

Nothing is more important.

/D L. Moody:/* /The monument I want after I am dead is a monument with two legs going around the world — a saved sinner telling about the salvation of Jesus Christ./*/

/We will see 2 groups.

144,000 Jews, and innumerable Gentiles.

/Firstly,/ 144,000 Jews

/ /

*Revelation 7:1-4:* /After these things I saw four angels standing at the four corners of the earth, holding the four winds of the earth, that the wind should not blow on the earth, on the sea, or on any tree.

Then 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 granted to harm the earth and the sea, saying, Do not harm the earth, the sea, or the trees till we have sealed the servants of our God on their foreheads.

And I heard the number of those who were sealed.

144,000 of all the tribes of the children of Israel were sealed: /

 

/a.

Sealed/

/ /

To seal something speaks of */ownership./*

Because they belong to God they are sealed as His servants.

In *Revelation 14:1 *we read*:* /Then I looked, and behold, a Lamb standing on Mount Zion, and with Him one hundred and forty-four thousand, having His Father’s name written on their foreheads./

In Revelation 13:17 we find that the Anti-Christ marks his worshippers with a number in their forehead or on their hand.

In doing this he will  counterfeit what God has already done.

Satan longs to be worshipped.

He longs to have servants that belong to him and follow him.

He has always wanted to be like God.

This sealing also speaks of */protection/*.

In this case, the seal guarantees their preservation during the tribulation.

In *Ezekiel 9:1-7* God assigns angels to mark his servants before others destroy the wicked.

These 4 angels are given authority to harm the earth and the sea.

The */four winds/* represent destructive forces from every direction.

Angels will also punish those who take the mark of the beast.

Much of this will happen through the plagues detailed in the judgments of the 7 trumpets and 7 bowls.

*/Before God begins to judge the wicked, he first seals and protects His people./*

/Stating that there is no wind shows this is the quiet before the storms of judgment./

The 144,000 sealed servants are Israelites; 12,000 from each of the 12 tribes.

The number 144,000 speaks of completeness 12 x 12,000.

/ /

/b.

Saved/

/ /

*Revelation 14:3: */They sang as it were a new song before the throne, before the four living creatures, and the elders; and no one could learn that song except the hundred and forty-four thousand who were redeemed from the earth./

*Revelation 14:3* says that the 144,000 Jewish servants have been */redeemed./*

This refers to the fact that they have believed in the Lord Jesus Christ, the Lamb of God.

They are said to follow the Lamb wherever He goes.

These 144,000 servants have been saved through Jesus Christ, just like we were.

*1 Peter 1:18-19:* /knowing that you were not *redeemed* with corruptible things, like silver or gold, from your aimless conduct received by tradition from your fathers, *but with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb* without blemish and without spot.

/

/ /

After the rapture of the Church there will be no believers on the earth.

God will start again to call out saints to serve Him.

These 144,000 will be called out at the beginning of Tribulation.

They are the start of a much larger group called the Tribulation saints.

I believe they will be saved miraculously like the Apostle Paul.

He had a blinding vision of Christ on the Damascus Road.

I think that the 144,000 servants of God will be saved in the same way.

*1 Corinthians 15:7-8:* /After that He was seen by James, then by all the apostles.

Then last of all He was seen by me also, *as by one born out of due time.*/

Paul indicates that his salvation experience was not the normal.

It was the kind of experience that will happen in another time.

Many evangelical theologians believe that the 144,000 witnesses will be saved in the same way that Paul was.

 

/c.

Sanctified/

/ /

*Revelation 14:4-5:* /These are the ones who were not defiled with women, for they are virgins.

These are the ones who follow the Lamb wherever He goes.

These were redeemed from among men, being firstfruits to God and to the Lamb.

And in their mouth was found no deceit, for they are without fault before the throne of God./

/ /

*/Firstly,/* the Lord saved these men by the blood of the Lamb.

They have been */redeemed /*out of a sinful, corrupt world.

*/Secondly,/* these men will be */virgins./*

Like the apostle Paul these men will be single.

They will choose to serve God fully and lay aside their rights to marriage and family life.

The */firstfruits/* were always given completely to God.

These men have been given to God for His service.

They follow the Lamb wherever He leads them even though this will mean suffering and hardship.

The Anti-Christ won’t take kindly to their ministry.

They have devoted their lives unreservedly to the Lamb.

*/Thirdly, /*God called them into full time evangelistic ministry.

/There is *no deceit* in their mouth, only truth./

*/They have no time for gossip only the Gospel./*

When we gossip we do the devils work since He has accused the saints from the beginning.

*/When Christians don’t concentrate on fishing for men it isn’t long before we fight each other/*.

/Their ministry is fruitful because of their purity in word and deed./

John says they stand */faultless/* before God’s throne.

*/Is deceit in our mouth?

Are we faultless/* They are totally committed to preaching the Gospel.

The 144,000 speak the truth even though it won’t be popular.

They preach the truth about salvation, the Anti-Christ and God’s approaching judgment.

/ /

/d.

Serving/

/ /

*Revelation 7:3:* /saying, Do not harm the earth, the sea, or the trees till we have sealed the servants of our God on their foreheads./

Vacational Bible School

 

I have been involved in a number of Vacational Bible Schools.

Each one required a great deal of prayer, planning and preparation.

We started about 6 months beforehand.

A team was assembled, tasks assigned, a program was arranged and materials acquired.

The message we shared was centered in Jesus Christ.

*/Evangelism is preaching the cross of Christ and blood of Christ/*.

Praise God that He saved about 30% of the kids who came each year.

/But, ministry like this doesn’t just happen./