Revelation 7:1-17 - All Our Tears Will be Wiped Away!

Revelation 7:1-17

The Sealed of Israel

1 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. 2 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, 3 saying, “Do not harm the earth, the sea, or the trees till we have sealed the servants of our God on their foreheads.” 4 And I heard the number of those who were sealed. One hundred and forty-four thousand of all the tribes of the children of Israel were sealed:

5 of the tribe of Judah twelve thousand were sealed;
of the tribe of Reuben twelve thousand were sealed;
of the tribe of Gad twelve thousand were sealed;
6 of the tribe of Asher twelve thousand were sealed;
of the tribe of Naphtali twelve thousand were sealed;
of the tribe of Manasseh twelve thousand were sealed;
7 of the tribe of Simeon twelve thousand were sealed;
of the tribe of Levi twelve thousand were sealed;
of the tribe of Issachar twelve thousand were sealed;
8 of the tribe of Zebulun twelve thousand were sealed;
of the tribe of Joseph twelve thousand were sealed;
of the tribe of Benjamin twelve thousand were sealed.

A Multitude from the Great Tribulation

9 After these things I looked, and behold, a great multitude which no one could number, of all nations, tribes, peoples, and tongues, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed with white robes, with palm branches in their hands, 10 and crying out with a loud voice, saying, “Salvation belongs to our God who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb!” 11 All the angels stood around the throne and the elders and the four living creatures, and fell on their faces before the throne and worshiped God, 12 saying:

“Amen! Blessing and glory and wisdom,
Thanksgiving and honor and power and might,
Be to our God forever and ever.
Amen.”

13 Then one of the elders answered, saying to me, “Who are these arrayed in white robes, and where did they come from?”

14 And I said to him, “Sir, you know.”

So he said to me, “These are the ones who come out of the great tribulation, and washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb. 15 Therefore they are before the throne of God, and serve Him day and night in His temple. And He who sits on the throne will dwell among them. 16 They shall neither hunger anymore nor thirst anymore; the sun shall not strike them, nor any heat; 17 for the Lamb who is in the midst of the throne will shepherd them and lead them to living fountains of waters. And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes.”

After John witnessed the sixth of seven seals broken on the scroll of the unfolding events to come in the final history of creation before judgment settles on there was a massive calm.  There were angels holding back the stormy winds after the cosmic disturbances shaking the earth (Hebrews 12:28) were held back at God’s command.  Another angel flew into view carrying the seal of God while telling the other four not to resume the winds until the people of the Lord, His servants, were sealed as His for protection past this terrible judgment day.  Twelve thousand of each tribe of Israel, the foundation of God’s chosen people in Christ, were so sealed as the Lord’s by this angel as named here.  Not only were these from Israel sealed, but afterwards as order dictated (Hosea 1:10, Romans 11:25, 32, Galatians 3:22-23, 1 Peter 2:9-10) they had been the channel of redemption to the nations, many uncountable people were added from all nations, tribes, peoples, and languages to their number as His people (Ephesians 2:13, 13-14, 19) through mutual faith in Christ.  The entire multitude of the redeemed people of God were shown to John as the future of mankind in the Lamb of God who redeemed them from all corners of creation by the faith of Abraham (Romans 4:16, Galatians 3:8-9, 14, Hebrews 11:12) as promised before there was a nation called Israel.  All this multitude will stand before the throne and the Lamb of God with praise and songs of thanksgiving for their salvation to honor their God and the Lamb who is the Son of God and Man while all other heavenly beings joined in falling down before Him in worship together.  These sang of the blessing, glory, wisdom, thanksgiving, honor, power, and might of all authority and sovereignty due to their Creator.  We will one day join this throng of worshippers because we are found in Christ and His righteousness of grace!  There were also seen those arrayed in purified white robes who had gone through the great tribulation (which some erroneously say believers will be taken out of) and who endured to the end by faith in the Lord and His sacrificial lifeblood in which they were bathed as they suffered.  These serve the Lord incessantly and live in the presence of God forever.  We will be among them before the throne of grace to gaze forever (Revelation 21:3-4, 22:3-4) upon His face!  We will no longer suffer want or trials of suffering because Jesus the Lamb is also our Great Shepherd (Hebrews 13:20) who will lead us to the living waters of healing and comfort after suffering trials and tribulations here in faith while awaiting this day.  He will wipe away all our tears of sorrow as it flies (Isaiah 51:11) away from our memories and presence forever.  How we will sing His praises then as all our tears will be wiped away at last.