The Sealing of the 144,000 Jews

Immediately after the cry, “who is able to stand,” John sees four angels standing at the four corners of the earth. The indication is that judgment is about to be poured out. However, prior to this, before any of the judgments of the Tribulation ever get under way, God will save, set apart, and protect 144,000 servants. Remember, this chapter is not chronological from the standpoint of the sequence of events, but deals with the issue of salvation during the entire Tribulation. The suspension here is not a suspension between the seals and the trumpets, but looks at what will occur just before the judgments begin.

The “four corners of the earth” speak of global authority and activity under God’s sovereignty. “Holding back the four winds of the earth, so that no wind should blow on the earth,” points to the purpose of the restraint: to keep these four angels from executing judgment upon the earth.

Next, John sees another angel and he cries, “Do not harm the earth or the sea or the trees until we have sealed the bondservants of our God on their foreheads” (Revelation 7:3).

The sealing guaranteed their physical and spiritual protection. Two things suggest this. First, by the fact judgment is suspended until the sealing occurs which indicates the sealing was done as a means of protection. Second, as survivors of the Tribulation, the 144,000 are seen standing on Mount Zion with the Lamb in Revelation 14:1. The seal is on their foreheads and in Revelation 14:1 this is described as the Lamb’s name and the name of His Father.

In addition to the physical protection from death, the seal may also point to their protection from the apostasy and deceptions of the beast. It stresses their invulnerability to the beast and the false prophet both physically and spiritually. As the followers of the beast have his mark, so these have the mark of God. They are called “bond servants” because throughout the Tribulation they will be serving the Lord as evangelists.