SIGNED? SEALED? AND DELIVERED? 

by Tammy Phillips
October 27, 2021

In Revelation 7, there is a little break in the action from the Antichrist trying to establish himself.  God is still at work.  He did not exit the earth when the four horses came riding in.  In fact, in the first three verses of Revelation 7, we see four angels standing on the corners of the earth.  They are holding back the four winds of the earth.  They are not allowing the prince of the air, nor the winds to  blow on the earth, sea, nor on any trees until God’s servants can be “sealed” in the forehead.  

The Greek Lexicon defines “sealed” as:  to mark; to stamp; to confirm, authenticate, place beyond doubt; guarantee.  A seal also depicts ownership.  A seal states, “This belongs to me.  Don’t touch.”  Are you signed by your new name? Are you sealed?  Are you delivered?

Jesus was sealed by the Father. (John 6:27)
God has sealed us as believers. (2 Corinthians 1:21-22)
God sealed every believer with the Holy Spirit of promise. (Ephesians 1:13)

In Revelation 7:4-8,  144,000 of God’s servants are sealed.  They are Jews who come to Jesus after the church has exited the earth.  They are described as  144, 000 children of Israel,  12,000 from each tribe. They are protected and have a service to perform for God.  It appears they are sealed to lead Israel and some of the remaining Gentiles to the Lord during the Great Tribulation.   Are the 144, 000 alive now? Is the Lord preparing their hearts?  We will learn more about them in Revelation 14.

In the remaining verses of Revelation 7:9-17, John writes about seeing a multitude from the Great Tribulation. 

• They were innumerable from every nation, tribe, people, and language.
• They were standing before the throne and the Lamb.
• They were clothed in white robes with palm branches in their hands which signifies victory.
• They cried out in a loud voice:

“Salvation belongs to our God, who is seated on the throne, and to the Lamb!”

John also saw all the angels standing around the throne, with the elders and the four living creatures.   They fell facedown before the throne and worshiped God, saying,

“Amen! Blessing and glory and wisdom and thanksgiving and honor and power and strength be to our God forever and ever. Amen.”  (Rev. 7:12 KJV)

One of the elders asked John, “Who are these people in white robes, and where did they come from? ”   Note:  This is a different group than the Church/the bride of Christ that is spoken of in Chapter 4 and  5 of Revelation.

The elder told John, “These are the ones coming out of the great tribulation. They washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.  For this reason, they are before the throne of God, and they serve him day and night in his temple. The one seated on the throne will shelter them:  They will no longer hunger; they will no longer thirst; the sun will no longer strike them, nor will any scorching heat.  For the Lamb who is at the center of the throne will shepherd them; he will guide them to springs of the waters of life, and God will wipe away every tear from their eyes. “ (Revelation 7:14-17 CSB)

It seems this Great Multitude arrives at the throne from the evangelistic work of the 144,000. Jews and Gentiles both makeup the Great Multitude and are delivered from the grips of the Antichrist.   Will backsliders, lukewarm Christians, and those who were not prepared, nor looking for Jesus, who missed the first call to heaven, be given another chance during the Great Tribulation?  Oh my!  This is not a chance I want to take. I want nothing to do with the Great Tribulation and everything to do with Jesus, now.

God is still in the salvation business today and even in the Great Tribulation.   The heart of God is that all be saved and come to the knowledge of the truth.  (1 Timothy 2:3-7).  Choose and turn to  Him today. 

I enCOURAGE you not to miss one more minute of life without Jesus in it!   Choose whom you will serve today.  Invite Him to live in you.   Do not be caught asleep or trying to prepare when it is too late.  Read His word and do what He says. It is really simple.  His word leads to life more abundantly, here, and now.   Jesus is our salvation.  Are you signed, sealed, and delivered by Him?