The Gospel Will Be Proclaimed...

Revelation 7

When the storm starts to get worse, John sees two groups of people and takes courage. Why? Because he realizes that God is at work even in the midst of tribulation.

The 144,000 individuals in Revelation 7 are Jewish evangelists who will be God’s witnesses during the tribulation. A reliance on the witness of Jewish evangelists is in keeping with Isaiah 49:6, in which Isaiah prophesied the Jews would become “a light for the nations” so that people “to the ends of the earth” might be saved.

According to Dr. Tony Evans, “That promise remains largely unfulfilled during the church age because most Jews have rejected Jesus’s claim to be the Messiah and have failed to become the light of the world.”

“After this I saw four angels standing at the four corners of the earth, holding back the four winds of the earth, that no wind might blow on earth or sea or against any tree. 2 Then I saw another angel ascending from the rising of the sun, with the seal of the living God, and he called with a loud voice to the four angels who had been given power to harm earth and sea, 3 saying, “Do not harm the earth or the sea or the trees, until we have sealed the servants of our God on their foreheads.” 4 And I heard the number of the sealed, 144,000, sealed from every tribe of the sons of Israel: 5 12,000 from the tribe of Judah were sealed, 12,000 from the tribe of Reuben, 12,000 from the tribe of Gad, 6 12,000 from the tribe of Asher, 12,000 from the tribe of Naphtali, 12,000 from the tribe of Manasseh, 7 12,000 from the tribe of Simeon, 12,000 from the tribe of Levi, 12,000 from the tribe of Issachar,8 12,000 from the tribe of Zebulun, 12,000 from the tribe of Joseph, 12,000 from the tribe of Benjamin were sealed.” Revelation 7:1–8 (ESV)

In these beginning verses of chapter 7, God has His servants who will proclaim His message and honor His name. We are not specifically told what these sealed Jews will do, but we assume they will point people to Jesus. Like most difficult times, these times of tribulation give opportunities for witness.

“And this gospel of the kingdom will be proclaimed throughout the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come.” Matthew 24:14 (ESV)

Apparently the 144,000 Jews will be sealed at the beginning of the Tribulation; and at the end, a great multitude of saved Gentiles will be seen.

“After this I looked, and behold, a great multitude that no one could number, from every nation, from all tribes and peoples and languages, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed in white robes, with palm branches in their hands, 10 and crying out with a loud voice, “Salvation belongs to our God who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb!” 11 And all the angels were standing around the throne and around the elders and the four living creatures, and they fell on their faces before the throne and worshiped God, 12 saying, “Amen! Blessing and glory and wisdom and thanksgiving and honor and power and might be to our God forever and ever! Amen.” 13 Then one of the elders addressed me, saying, “Who are these, clothed in white robes, and from where have they come?” 14 I said to him, “Sir, you know.” And he said to me, “These are the ones coming out of the great tribulation. They have 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 shelter them with his presence. 16 They shall hunger no more, neither thirst anymore; the sun shall not strike them, nor any scorching heat. 17 For the Lamb in the midst of the throne will be their shepherd, and he will guide them to springs of living water, and God will wipe away every tear from their eyes.” Revelation 7:9–17 (ESV)

The day of the Lord will bring judgment and destruction, and it will also result in the saving of people. In wrath, God remembers mercy. When you experience trials, ask God to use you to win others to the Savior even in the midst of troubles.

Today, know that trials do not last forever. One day, you will come out of tribulation and experience the gracious comforts of God. Wait and be faithful, and He will see you through the most difficult of times. Pray and be faithful to His Word.

What is it that God is asking you to do to be prepared for the end times? How is your prayer life? Are you discipling and being discipled? Who was the last person in which you shared the Gospel? Will you be faithful despite the difficulties of today and tomorrow?

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