,, And after these things I saw four angels standing on the four corners of the earth, holding the four winds of the earth, that the wind should not blow on the earth, nor on the sea, nor on any tree. And 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 given to hurt the earth and the sea, Saying, Hurt not the earth, neither the sea, nor the trees, till we have sealed the servants of our God in their foreheads. And I heard the number of them which were sealed: [and there were] sealed an hundred [and] forty [and] four thousand of all the tribes of the children of Israel. Of the tribe of Juda [were] sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Reuben [were] sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Gad [were] sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Aser [were] sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Nepthalim [were] sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Manasses [were] sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Simeon [were] sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Levi [were] sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Issachar [were] sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Zabulon [were] sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Joseph [were] sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Benjamin [were] sealed twelve thousand.”
Rev. 7: 1-8
The sixth seal is open and it is logical that the opening of the seventh will follow, but now we have an event that John saw, and that is the sealing of one hundred and forty-four thousand missionaries.
But before that, John sees:
"And then I saw four angels standing on the four corners of the earth, holding the four winds of the earth, lest the wind blow on the earth, nor on the sea, nor on any tree." This is our world and the environment in which we live and everything else in our hands is a God who takes care of everything and controls everything, that's why he survives, and that's why all the laws according to which the world functions unmistakably take place for thousands of years. If it were a blind case or something like that, everything would fall apart and this world as we know it wouldn't was able to function.
In this text we see that God controls some natural processes through this angel, in this case the wind. . ”four angels stand in four places or four sides so that they can control we can tell the weather on the whole surface of the earth and we see that the wind no longer blows on the earth.
In Revelation we also find an angel who controls or rules over fire.
,, And another angel came out from the altar, which had power over fire;…”
Rev. 14:18
and in the sixteenth chapter is an angel who has power over the waters
,, And I heard the angel of the waters say,..."
Rev. 16: 5
Apart from this, many other angels have different ministries so that God controls events, processes and events on earth and outside the earth through them.
In the next scene we see another angel.
"And I saw another angel ascend from the east of the sun, having the seal of the living God; And he cried with a loud voice to the four angels who were given to corrupt the earth and the sea, saying:
Do not corrupt the land, nor the sea, nor the trees, until I have sealed the servants of our God on their foreheads. "
Here we see what we just said, we see that an angel stops the judgment on earth according to God's instructions because we see that he has the "seal of the living God" and advises the other angels not to corrupt the earth
"Do not corrupt the land, nor the sea, nor the trees, until I have sealed the servants of our God on their foreheads." So it is necessary to stop the judgment until the chosen people of God are secured.
This is a principle that has worked to this day, we will mention a few examples from the Bible. and Gomorrah and the surrounding cities, and right now the same principle works because the judgment on earth is postponed until the number of newborn people is completed and the Holy Spirit who is in the Church keeps the appearance of the Antichrist and the beginning of great troubles.
,, And now ye know what withholdeth that he might be revealed in his time. For the mystery of iniquity doth already work: only he who now letteth [will let], until he be taken out of the way.”
2 Thess.2: 6-7
The prophet Isaiah writes about this protection in the book of the prophet Isaiah.
,, Come, my people, enter thou into thy chambers, and shut thy doors about thee: hide thyself as it were for a little moment, until the indignation be overpast. For, behold, the Lord cometh out of his place to punish the inhabitants of the earth for their iniquity: the earth also shall disclose her blood, and shall no more cover her slain.”
Isa.26: 20-21
Only when the Church is taken will the great troubles and events that John saw and that we are talking about begin. We said that the angel said to end the judgment on earth and that happened and from this scene we can see and conclude that there is order in the work of angels and these angels are greater in service and that is why these four angels listen and interrupt their activity until the time comes to continue with it.
And below we read about the sealing of one hundred and forty-four thousand servants of God sealed by an angel with the "seal of the living God" who will go through great tribulation unharmed as well as God's elect from the example we have mentioned.
Throughout human history, God has sealed his so that we had in the time of Abraham - circumcision, when God punished Egypt the sign of security was the blood on the door, and then when God judged Jericho the sign of security for Rava was a scarlet ribbon on the window and in the time of the prophets Ezekiel God chose a man with a pen in his hand to mark the foreheads of his people before God destroyed the wicked.
,, And the Lord said unto him, Go through the midst of the city, through the midst of Jerusalem, and set a mark upon the foreheads of the men that sigh and that cry for all the abominations that be done in the midst thereof. And to the others he said in mine hearing, Go ye after him through the city, and smite: let not your eye spare, neither have ye pity: Slay utterly old [and] young, both maids, and little children, and women: but come not near any man upon whom [is] the mark; and begin at my sanctuary. Then they began at the ancient men which [were] before the house. "
Ezekiel 9: 4-6
In our time today, all newborns are sealed, it says:
,, And grieve not the holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption.”
Eph.4: 30
On the day when we believed, God sealed us and we see that this seal is the Holy Spirit and He was given to us for the day of deliverance and he testifies that we are children of God:
,, The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God:”
Rom.8: 16
"as long as I seal the servants of our God on their foreheads" saved through all ages are "servants of our God" and even Revelation itself begins with the words:
,, The Revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave unto him, to shew unto his servants things which must shortly come to pass; …
Rev. 1: 1
and in this text the "servants of our God" are the missionaries of the kingdom of God in the last week of Daniel's prophecy. For them the prophet Daniel wrote:
,, And they that be wise shall shine as the brightness of the firmament; and they that turn many to righteousness as the stars for ever and ever.”
Daniel 12: 3
They are called "reasonable" in the book of the prophet Daniel, and with the help of the Holy Spirit they will understand the prophecies and understand Revelation, and as a result of their work and ministry, many will be saved. all over the world because the Jews are displaced all over the world.
,, And I looked, and, lo, a Lamb stood on the mount Sion, and with him an hundred forty [and] four thousand, having his Father's name written in their foreheads.”
Rev. 14: 1
These missionaries in great tribulation will be fully consecrated to the service of God, and they will make up for the emptiness that will arise when the Church is taken. Here is what the prophet Isaiah writes about their work:
,, And I will set a sign among them, and I will send those that escape of them unto the nations, [to] Tarshish, Pul, and Lud, that draw the bow, [to] Tubal, and Javan, [to] the isles afar off, that have not heard my fame, neither have seen my glory; and they shall declare my glory among the Gentiles.”
Isa.66: 19
And this is what Matthew says, what they will preach:
,, And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations; and then shall the end come.”
Matthew 24:14
Today we preach the gospel in the light of grace and these missionaries will preach the gospel in the light of the kingdom because the time of grace and grace is over with the taking of the Church and they are now at a time when judgment has already begun on earth and they are waiting others who survive the great tribulations:
,, But he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved.”
Mt.24: 13
and everyone who helps these missionaries will be richly rewarded because Jesus said:
,, When the Son of man shall come in his glory, and all the holy angels with him, then shall he sit upon the throne of his glory: And before him shall be gathered all nations: and he shall separate them one from another, as a shepherd divideth [his] sheep from the goats: And he shall set the sheep on his right hand, but the goats on the left. Then shall the King say unto them on his right hand, Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world: For I was an hungred, and ye gave me meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me in: Naked, and ye clothed me: I was sick, and ye visited me: I was in prison, and ye came unto me. Then shall the righteous answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, and fed [thee]? or thirsty, and gave [thee] drink?When saw we thee a stranger, and took [thee] in? or naked, and clothed [thee] Or when saw we thee sick, or in prison, and came unto thee? And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done [it] unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done [it] unto me. Then shall he say also unto them on the left hand, Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels: For I was an hungred, and ye gave me no meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me no drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me not in: naked, and ye clothed me not: sick, and in prison, and ye visited me not. Then shall they also answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, or athirst, or a stranger, or naked, or sick, or in prison, and did not minister unto thee?Then shall he answer them, saying, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye did [it] not to one of the least of these, ye did [it] not to me. And these shall go away into everlasting punishment: but the righteous into life eternal.”
Matthew 25: 31-46
These one hundred and forty-four thousand missionaries are Israelites because it says:
"one hundred and forty-four thousand sealed from all the tribes of the children of Israel;" and we can read even from which tribe they are:
“Of the tribe of Judah were sealed twelve thousand. of the tribe of Reuben were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Gad were sealed twelve thousand.
Of the tribe of Asher were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Naphtali were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Manasseh were sealed twelve thousand.
Of the tribe of Simeon were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Levi were sealed twelve thousand. of the tribe of Issachar were sealed twelve thousand.
Of the tribe of Zebulun were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Joseph were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Benjamin were sealed twelve thousand.
Here in the enumeration of the tribe there are some differences from the enumeration found in Genesis chapter 49.
The tribe of Levi was included here, which was a priestly tribe and it did not have an inheritance like other tribes, but with the coming of the Lord Jesus Christ, the priestly order ceased and they were counted.
Secondly, instead of Ephraim, Joseph was inserted. Joseph's sons Manasseh and Ephraim received the same inheritance, but Ephraim was left out because it caused a war that led to the division of Israel into ten northern tribes and two southern ones. the list because he took Israel to idolatry and Joseph comes on the list instead.
Dan's tribe is excluded, but we read that it will be included in the list again when the millennial kingdom is established, but it will be the furthest from the temple, yet God keeps the promise given to Abraham.
,, Now these [are] the names of the tribes. From the north end to the coast of the way of Hethlon, as one goeth to Hamath, Hazarenan, the border of Damascus northward, to the coast of Hamath; for these are his sides east [and] west; a [portion for] Dan. And by the border of Dan, from the east side unto the west side, a [portion for] Asher.”
Ezekiel 48: 1-2
as for the tribe of Dan it should be said that it can be concluded that the Antichrist will come from the tribe of Dan.
,, Dan shall judge his people, as one of the tribes of Israel. Dan shall be a serpent by the way, an adder in the path, that biteth the horse heels, so that his rider shall fall backward. I have waited for thy salvation, O Lord.”
Gen. 49: 16-18
In the third chapter of Genesis it is written that Christ will stand on the head of the serpent:
,, And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel.”
Gen. 3:15
and this prophecy was fulfilled on Golgotha, but Satan, although defeated, continues to fight and the last attempt will be in the form of the Antichrist.
,, I have waited for thy salvation, o Lord.”
Gen. 49:18
And then it can be concluded that the Antichrist will come from the tribe of Dan if we read also:
,, The snorting of his horses was heard from Dan: the whole land trembled at the sound of the neighing of his strong ones; for they are come, and have devoured the land, and all that is in it; the city, and those that dwell therein.”
Jeremiah 8:16
Here is what else is written about these missionaries:
,, These are they which were not defiled with women; for they are virgins. These are they which follow the Lamb whithersoever he goeth. These were redeemed from among men, [being] the firstfruits unto God and to the Lamb. And in their mouth was found no guile: for they are without fault before the throne of God.“
Rev. 14: 4-5
"These are those who do not defile themselves with women" on the one hand, logically, they should be those who did not have a premarital or extramarital affair with women, because today is the moment and as the time approaches, this trend will only intensify. and it is one of the paths to sin that Satan promotes a lot and the effect of such a trend will only be intensified so at that time it will be difficult to find such people because everyone loves and will love to keep up with the times and on the other hand this can apply to moral purity, therefore, to approach God with a pure heart as a young girl who marries the boy she only loves does.
Apostle James also warned of something like this:
,, Ye adulterers and adulteresses, know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God? whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God."
James 4: 4
These missionaries do not belong to this group, but we read that they live according to God's principles and that they are the firstborn.
"These were bought from men, the firstfruits of God and the Lamb," meaning that they are the firstfruits of the saved in great tribulation because we know that the Jews did not receive Christ and we know that they will receive him in great tribulation when "the number of the Gentiles is over." in other words after taking the Church.
,, For I would not, brethren, that ye should be ignorant of this mystery, lest ye should be wise in your own conceits; that blindness in part is happened to Israel, until the fulness of the Gentiles be come in. And so all Israel shall be saved: as it is written, There shall come out of Sion the Deliverer, and shall turn away ungodliness from Jacob:”.
Rom.11: 25-26