Read or listen The Book of Revelation, chapter 7 online (ESV, YouVersion)

The 144,000 - Who are they? 7:1-8

When the sixth seal was broken, John saw the world shake. God's wrath came upon the earth, the stars of heaven fell to the ground, and people prayed for death under the pressure of tribulation. Who wouldn't be shaken by the sight? Even those who trust in Christ will likely read it with fear.

In chapter eight the vision continues. The last days are at hand and unprecedented plagues are shaking the world. Before a new and more detailed description of the end, John is shown something that will encourage, comfort, and strengthen God’s people.

First, John sees four angels at the four corners of the earth, i.e. one in each direction. Their job is to hold back the winds so that they do not harm the earth. The winds—or rather, storms—represent the forces that will be unleashed in the world in the last days. Their power will shake the world and cause great distress on earth. From this again we see that the events of this world are not the result of random chance. God's angels hold back the forces that harm nature and humanity. Only when God decides to do so are they released. God has all power and nothing happens in the world without his knowledge and permission.

Then John sees an angel ascending from the sunrise, that is, from the east, and bearing the seal of the living God. A seal was used to mark property. If the item had the image of a seal on it, it belonged to the owner of the seal. The angel marks God’s servants with God’s seal before the forces of evil are released. Those who are marked are therefore God’s property. John does not see those marked with the seal, but he hears how many there are: 144,000.

There are difficult passages in the book of Revelation, and this is one of them. What does the vision mean and who are the 144,000 marked? At the beginning of the seventh chapter, John follows what is happening on earth. Therefore, it should be clear that the vision is not about those who have gone to heaven, but about God’s own who are living and struggling on earth. They will be marked before the end of the world begins.

Bible commentators have disagreed about who these marked ones are. Many think that this is a specific and limited group of God's own - perhaps martyrs or Jewish Christians. This idea is not completely impossible. However, I think a better explanation is that the 144,000 marked ones are not a specific group of the Church of Christ, but rather describe all of God's own, the entire people of God who are struggling on earth before Jesus returns.

The vision is intended to encourage every believer in Jesus: You are God's property and God takes care of His property. God has marked you with a seal. You belong to the Lord of heaven and earth, and therefore there is no reason to fear. Even though the world is in turmoil, God will not let His own be destroyed. After the frightening seal visions, these promises are good to hear.

There is another passage in the book of Revelation that speaks of the 144,000 being sealed. In chapter 14, Jesus is on Mount Zion with the 144,000 who are sealed. The explanation given above fits well with this vision as well.

Chapter 13 speaks of a beast that rages and fights against the church of God on earth. The vision of Jesus and the 144,000 sealed ones assures God’s people that Jesus will not abandon his flock and will not allow the beast to destroy God’s people. Jesus is in the midst of His church and guards God's property. This is great to know when reading about the storms that the Book of Revelation describes. Jesus himself promised the same thing:

..."And behold, I am with you always,
to the end of the age.”
(Matthew 28:20, ESV)

On the basis of the Bible, it is difficult to justify the idea that there is a smaller group among God's own that is in a better position than others. All who are baptized and believe in Jesus are children of God and no one is better or worse than others. The Epistle to the Galatians says:

"There is neither Jew nor Greek,
there is neither slave nor free,
there is no male and female,
for you are all one in Christ Jesus."
(Galatians 3:28, ESV)

This also speaks against the idea that the 144,000 sealed ones are some limited group among God's own.

The book of Revelation seems to teach that all people—at least in the storms of the end times—are marked. The book of Revelation speaks not only of the seal of God but also of the mark of the beast, meaning that every person is either the property of God or the Devil. No one belongs to both.

Those who are baptized into Jesus and believe in him belong to God. Those who ignore Jesus belong to the Devil. This does not mean that everyone's lot is sealed and nothing can be done. God calls to Himself those who are now the Devil's property. And there is a danger that he who belongs to God will abandon the faith and become the property of the Devil.

Why then does this passage speak of 144,000 sealed ones, if it does refer to the entire church of Christ, which certainly includes more than 144,000? In the book of Revelation, the purpose of numbers is not so much to tell how many there are. Most often, they have some other message. The number 144,000 tells us that God knows his people so well that he can say how many there are. We don't know, but he who looks into the heart knows.

The exact number also reminds us that there is order and harmony in God’s plans. This is also proclaimed by the list of the tribes of Israel. From each tribe there are the same number of those marked with the seal. This means that God’s saving action takes place exactly as God has planned. It is precisely those whom God has chosen and called to be his own who are among the saved (see Romans 8:30).

It would be impossible to explain that the list literally refers to the tribes of Israel. Not all the tribes mentioned in the list exist anymore, and did not exist at the time of the writing of the Book of Revelation. Some of them have been lost in the "sea of ​​nations." Therefore, it would seem that the list has a message other than telling the tribe and number of the Jews marked with the seal.

There are Bible commentators who say that God’s people will not have to experience the last and worst plagues of the end times. Before they are allowed to come, God’s people will be raptured to heaven. But this is not what the Bible promises. God’s people will live and struggle to the end in the midst of an evil world. But God promises that he will be with us, protect us, and help us. Knowing this, we can be secure in our minds, no matter what lies ahead.

A great multitude that no one could number 7:9-17

The church of God, struggling in this world, has already been encouraged by the fact that God takes care of His property. Then John sees another vision that also encourages God's people to endure the storms of the world.

John has seen the struggling church on earth, and now he is shown the triumphant church in heaven. John sees the time when the wickedness of this world is over and God’s own, the last of them, have arrived in heaven. This crowd includes people from all nations, lands, tribes, and tongues. They are described as having long white robes and palm branches in their hands.

The white garment represents the righteousness of those who believe in Jesus. Verse 14 tells how to obtain that righteousness. White robes are on those who have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb. Only the blood of Jesus washes a sinful person clean, and without it no one can stand before a holy God.

The palm branch was given to the victors as a sign of victory. The same meaning is here. Those who have made it to heaven have won. They have not fallen away from the faith and are now where there is no more pain or sorrow. However, victory is not their achievement. Because Jesus has conquered, his people will also gain victory.

John has already seen the worship of God in heaven once before (Revelation 4 and 5). Now he sees how God is worshipped when all his own are in heaven and eternal life has begun. The saved, together with the angels, sing praises to God. To Him alone belongs the honor that each of the saved is in heaven. No one goes there on their own. But when God takes care of us and carries us, there is a huge crowd in heaven from all nations.