Author: Charlie Garrett

Saturday, 12 December 2020

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, Revelation 7:9

The servants of God from the children of Israel who were sealed is complete. With that done, John’s attention is drawn to a second scene that occurs between the loosing of the sixth and seventh seals. And so, John begins the description, saying, “After these things.”

This indicates a progression of time, but this does not necessarily mean from our viewpoint or within the stream of redemptive history. Rather, it can simply be from John’s perspective as he watches the scenes appear. What he sees as sequential may be overlapping within the stream of time to us. And this is certainly the case with what he will now describe, saying, “I looked, and behold, a great multitude which no one could number.”

Who are these people and at what point in history do they appear? The answer will be given in the verses ahead, saying that they are martyrs of the tribulation period – the final seven years before Christ’s return.

Because this is so, and because those who were just sealed in the previous vision were sealed during the tribulation, it shows that the events are only sequential as John views them, but they are overlapping within the stream of redemptive history. They are simply a categorical presentation of things that will occur.

Understanding this, John continues by saying that they are “of all nations, tribes, peoples, and tongues.” Because of this, they are not the same as the 144,000 Jews who were sealed in the first half of the vision. There may be (and indeed surely are) Jews included in the multitude, but the 144,000 are in a different category.

What is certain is that there will be an immense number of people saved out of the tribulation from around the earth, having realized too late for the rapture that Jesus really is who He claimed to be. Now they have proven their faith by being faithful even unto death. This is evident by the words that they are “standing before the throne and before the Lamb.”

They are portrayed in the vision as being in heaven. They have left the earthly behind. John next says that they are “clothed with white robes.” It is the same symbolism that has been seen several times already. The white robes signify the imputed righteousness of Jesus Christ. Their sins have been covered over, and they stand before God without fault or blemish because of their faith in the Lamb that was slain.

John next says they stand there before the throne “with palm branches in their hands.” The palm in Hebrew is tamar. This comes from an unused root meaning “to be erect.” Thus, the palm is figuratively a symbol of uprightness or righteousness. On Palm Sunday before His crucifixion, John records –

The next day a great multitude that had come to the feast, when they heard that Jesus was coming to Jerusalem, ¹³ took branches of palm trees and went out to meet Him, and cried out:
“Hosanna!
‘Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord!’
The King of Israel!” John 12:12, 13

The palms signify their faith that Jesus was the upright Savior who had come to save His people, and thus He is the King of Israel. But the symbolism goes further. In Leviticus 23, it says –

“Also on the fifteenth day of the seventh month, when you have gathered in the fruit of the land, you shall keep the feast of the Lord for seven days; on the first day there shall be a sabbath-rest, and on the eighth day a sabbath-rest. ⁴⁰ And you shall take for yourselves on the first day the fruit of beautiful trees, branches of palm trees, the boughs of leafy trees, and willows of the brook; and you shall rejoice before the Lord your God for seven days. ⁴¹ You shall keep it as a feast to the Lord for seven days in the year. It shall be a statute forever in your generations. You shall celebrate it in the seventh month. ⁴² You shall dwell in booths for seven days. All who are native Israelites shall dwell in booths, ⁴³ that your generations may know that I made the children of Israel dwell in booths when I brought them out of the land of Egypt: I am the Lord your God.” Leviticus 23:39-43

Palms were to be an integral part of the adornment of the booths constructed by the people of Israel during the Feast of Tabernacles. This was a pilgrim feast, one of the three feasts that anticipate the position of a believer in Christ. Each of the types of branches named carries its own significance, but the palm – as noted above – signifies being upright. This is the righteousness of Christ.

To understand the details of the feast (and indeed all of the Feasts of the Lord) in its entirety, it can be read or viewed at the Superior Word website. These people are now living out the more perfect fulfillment of their pilgrim feast for all eternity in the presence of the One who made that possible. This will be made more evident in the verses ahead.

Life application: Analyses of the events of Chapter 7 that try to align them as sequential, and literally occurring between the sixth and seventh seals in the overall chronology of the redemptive narrative, inevitably lead to a hopeless and confused timeline. The events are categorical, but not necessarily chronological. They are being placed at logical points within the narrative to teach essential truth, regardless as to the timeline in which they occur in actual human history. Holding fast to the dispensational model, without mixing the dispensational categories, will alleviate such problems.

Also, the feasts mentioned in the Old Testament – but which are carefully explained in the books of Moses, and in particular Leviticus – are Feasts of the Lord. They are not “Jewish Feasts,” nor are they “Feasts of Israel.” They were given to Israel to live out as typological representations of what the Lord Jesus would accomplish.

These feasts, all eight of them, are fulfilled in Christ. There is no future fulfillment of them. This is important to understand. If Christ Jesus did not fulfill these feasts, then He did not fulfill the law. If He did not fulfill the law, He is not the Messiah. To teach that the “fall feasts” are yet to be fulfilled in Israel is – therefore – heresy.

When reading up on these feasts, if they are called anything but the Feasts of the Lord, or if they are said to have a future fulfillment, you can give up on that analysis and move on. This is important to have sound theology. The feasts anticipate Christ Jesus, and they are fulfilled in His first advent.

To finish, the most important point to remember is that all of Scripture is ultimately about God’s dealings in redemptive history through His Son. It is this that brings all other things into proper focus. Someday, the redeemed of the Lord will stand before Him for all eternity, praising His glory and reveling in what God has done in and through Him. He is the Lamb of God. He is our King. He is JESUS.

Hallelujah and glory to God in the highest! Salvation has come to men in the Person and work of Jesus Christ our Lord. He has fulfilled the law, paid our sin debt, and prevailed over death – all the work of our Messiah who is our King. Praise You, O God, for the glorious work of Jesus Christ Your Son. Amen.

Friday, 11 December 2020

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. Revelation 7:8

The list of the servants of God who are of the children of Israel that are sealed in the future tribulation period is completed with this verse. To finish the list, John begins by saying, “of the tribe of Zebulun twelve thousand were sealed.” Zebulun was the youngest son of Leah and his name means “Glorious Dwelling Place.”

John next states, “of the tribe of Joseph twelve thousand were sealed.” Joseph is the first son of Jacob’s wife, Rachel. He became Pharaoh’s right-hand man in leading all of Egypt. His name means “He Will Add.”

John finishes the list saying, “of the tribe of Benjamin twelve thousand were sealed.” Benjamin is the second son of Rachel, and the last recorded of Jacob’s natural sons. His name means “Son of My Right Hand.”

Of note is that Joseph’s youngest son, Ephraim, isn’t mentioned in this sealing of the twelve tribes, but he was given the greater blessing by his grandfather Israel and therefore is certainly represented by Joseph. In other words, where Joseph is mentioned, we can infer that these 12,000 sealed include the tribe of Ephraim. Thus, all of the tribes, with the exception of Dan are mentioned and sealed.

As previously noted, many have tried to insert the church into these verses and claim that what is seen here is the church spiritually representing Israel. Other aberrant cults have claimed that they are the spiritual fulfillment of these sealed Israelites. Such claims are nonsense. Only an extremely poor interpretation, one biased against a literal reading of the Bible, or one that is possibly anti-Semitic, could hold this view.

Here are the blessings given by Israel to these three sons –

“Zebulun shall dwell by the haven of the sea;
He shall become a haven for ships,
And his border shall adjoin Sidon.” Genesis 49:13

“Joseph is a fruitful bough,
A fruitful bough by a well;
His branches run over the wall.
²³ The archers have bitterly grieved him,
Shot at him and hated him.
²⁴ But his bow remained in strength,
And the arms of his hands were made strong
By the hands of the Mighty God of Jacob
(From there is the Shepherd, the Stone of Israel),
²⁵ By the God of your father who will help you,
And by the Almighty who will bless you
With blessings of heaven above,
Blessings of the deep that lies beneath,
Blessings of the breasts and of the womb.
²⁶ The blessings of your father
Have excelled the blessings of my ancestors,
Up to the utmost bound of the everlasting hills.
They shall be on the head of Joseph,
And on the crown of the head of him who was separate from his brothers.” Genesis 49:22-26

“Benjamin is a ravenous wolf;
In the morning he shall devour the prey,
And at night he shall divide the spoil.” Genesis 49:27

Life application: It is obvious that there are literary tools used in the book of Revelation such as allegory, idiomatic expressions, and so on. These need to be interpreted as best as one can from the context of other such uses in Scripture. There are also things that are clearly not merely literary tools, but they are rather to be taken literally. At times, it may be hard to determine every instance of such things. However, there are some things that are presented that are obvious on the surface.

For example, when the Bible speaks of Israel, it is referring to Israel – not the church. What happened to Israel in the past can be used as examples for the church and its dealings with God through Christ (see 1 Corinthians 10:11), but this does not mean that Israel suddenly becomes the church.

Keeping the theological categories straight, and not mixing what is in those separate boxes, will keep us from great error. The only way to really be sure of such things is to read the word constantly, growing in understanding as what has been read is pondered and stored away for future reference.

Such an attitude should be a self-imposed obligation on each person who claims to follow Christ. The only way to know God personally is to know Jesus Christ. The only way to know Jesus Christ is to know the word of God. Read the word, cherish the word, and meditate on the word at all times. In it you will find peace and soundness of mind. In it you will find proper theology. And, in it you will find JESUS.

Heavenly Father, thank You for Your faithfulness to the sons of Israel, even in the midst of their unfaithfulness. Likewise, for those who have called to You through Jesus, You keep every promise and You are ever-faithful in Your dealings with your redeemed. We know that, despite ourselves, You will also keep us in Your grasp, and You will bring us to Your everlasting home. Great and faithful are you, O God. Hallelujah and Amen!

Thursday, 10 December 2020

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; Revelation 7:7

The list of the descendants of Israel who are sealed continues in this verse, starting with, “of the tribe of Simeon twelve thousand were sealed.”

Simeon was the second son of Israel’s wife, Leah. His name means “Heard.”

Next, John says, “of the tribe of Levi twelve thousand were sealed.”

Levi is the third son of Leah. His name means “Attached.”

John next continues with, “of the tribe of Issachar twelve thousand were sealed.”

Issachar means “Wages.”

An interesting note concerning this verse is the mentioning of Levi. Under the Law of Moses, the Old Covenant, Levi had no inheritance of land because they were the priests. Because of this, they were given cities within the land areas of the other tribes. But here in Revelation, they are sealed among the other tribes.

This means that one tribe, Dan, is left out of these verses. What this appears to indicate is that Levi is to no longer be singled out as a priestly class. Instead, it is on the same level as the other tribes. And considering the tenets of the New Covenant, this makes complete sense. Here are the blessings of these sons by Israel from Genesis 49 –

“Simeon and Levi are brothers;
Instruments of cruelty are in their dwelling place.
⁶ Let not my soul enter their council;
Let not my honor be united to their assembly;
For in their anger they slew a man,
And in their self-will they hamstrung an ox.
⁷ Cursed be their anger, for it is fierce;
And their wrath, for it is cruel!
I will divide them in Jacob
And scatter them in Israel.” Genesis 49:5-7

 “Issachar is a strong donkey,
Lying down between two burdens;
¹⁵ He saw that rest was good,
And that the land was pleasant;
He bowed his shoulder to bear a burden,
And became a band of slaves.” Genesis 49:14, 15

Israel noted that Simeon and Levi would be divided in Israel and this is what happened. Levi, as the priestly class, was disbursed among the tribes and Simeon received its land within the borders of Judah. The tribe not sealed in Revelation, Dan, never claimed its intended property inheritance (Joshua 19:40-48) when it was allotted. This may be why they aren’t mentioned here, but the variety of speculation on this goes on and on.

Life application: It has been noted that the listing of these twelve tribes in Revelation 7 is complicated, and the speculation on why they are listed as they are is extensive. What should not be in doubt, however, is that these are actual tribes of the people of Israel. They are not allegorical divisions of the church. Nor do they validate nutty cults who make ludicrous claims that they are the fulfillment of these divine promises.

The Lord faithfully promised to preserve Israel, and He has. He has promised that they, as a nation, will enter into the New Covenant. He has even said explicitly when this will happen in Luke 13:35. His unfailing faithfulness to this unfaithful group of people is because He has covenanted with them. In the New Covenant, believers are given the promise of eternal salvation. We are sealed with the Holy Spirit as a guarantee.

If you are struggling with the Lord’s faithfulness to you because you have committed some great and terrible sin, all you need to do is come back and look at Israel. They remain a people despite themselves, and you will remain saved despite your own failings. Just be sure to ignore any pastor, preacher, or teacher who says you can lose your salvation. That person does not understand what the word “grace” means. Cling to the unmerited favor you have been granted, and trust in the faithfulness of God in Christ to carry you through to His place of promised rest.

Lord, it is so precious to look into Your word and to contemplate the reasons for the mysteries it holds. Open our eyes and our understanding to ensure that what we conclude is proper and aligned with Your intent. Let us not deviate from sound and reasonable explanations of these hidden treasures. Thank You for Your precious word! Amen.

Wednesday, 9 December 2020

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; Revelation 7:6

The listing of the servants of God in relation to who their tribe is continues in this verse, beginning with John saying, “of the tribe of Asher twelve thousand were sealed.”

Asher was the second son born to Leah’s handmaid Zilpah. His name means “Happy.”

Next, John says, “of the tribe of Naphtali twelve thousand were sealed.”

Naphtali was the second son of Rachel’s handmaid Bilhah. His name means “My Wrestling.”

The verse then finishes with, “of the tribe of Manasseh twelve thousand were sealed.”

Manasseh was the firstborn son of Joseph, Rachel’s oldest son. His name means “Forgetting.”

When Israel moved to Egypt, he took Joseph’s two sons for his own, to be counted as a part of his clan. By doing this, they were elevated to the same level as his eleven other sons and this meant that the double portion which came with the birthright was given to Joseph. Although this may be a bit confusing, it was a way for Israel to honor Joseph. The blessings bestowed upon these three by Israel are:

To Asher –

“Bread from Asher shall be rich,
And he shall yield royal dainties.” Genesis 49:20

To Naphtali –

“Naphtali is a deer let loose;
He uses beautiful words.” Genesis 49:21

To Manasseh (and his brother Ephraim) –

“God, before whom my fathers Abraham and Isaac walked,
The God who has fed me all my life long to this day,
¹⁶ The Angel who has redeemed me from all evil,
Bless the lads;
Let my name be named upon them,
And the name of my fathers Abraham and Isaac;
And let them grow into a multitude in the midst of the earth.” Genesis 48:15, 16

Life application: The two sons of Joseph were elevated to the same status among Israel as the sons of Jacob, thus being entitled to the status as tribes of Israel. They had done nothing to merit this, but Jacob decided it would be so. And more, Jacob knowingly guided his hands in order to place his right hand upon the younger brother, Ephraim, elevating him above his brother Manasseh. And yet, it is Manasseh who is named in Revelation as a tribe, and Joseph stands in place of Ephraim.

In each of these actions, the sons received what they were given apart from any merit. Thus, what they received was grace. It is important for us to remember that Christ Jesus died for us while we were sinners. We had done nothing to merit the favor of God in Christ, and yet we – through a simple act of faith – are brought into the family of God and are made sons in His family. In fact, Scripture tells us that we are made “heirs of God and joint-heirs with Christ” in this relationship (Romans 8:17).

Such is the nature of God’s wonderful hand of grace. Believe the gospel, trust that it is sufficient to save your soul with an eternal salvation, and then be sure to contemplate the love of God in Christ. He is the Heir of all things and He has offered to share that with His people. Great and glorious is He. He is JESUS!

Lord, it is so wonderful to see how You have worked through real people in human history to unfold Your beautiful plan of redemption. Use each of us also, Lord, in the way that will bring You the most honor and glory. We thank You that we can be a small part of Your loving work in and through the people of the world. Amen.

Tuesday, 8 December 2020

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; Revelation 7:5

The instruction to withhold judgment on the earth until the sealing of God’s servants has been called out. The total number of them to be sealed is one hundred and forty-four thousand of all the tribes of the children of Israel. That number is now further refined.

The amount of analysis and of speculation on the order of the names is immense. Of particular note concerning the tribes is that Joseph is given instead of his son Ephraim, and that the tribe of Dan is also omitted.

Some other relevant facts are that the sons are not listed according to birth order. For example, Reuben was the firstborn. Judah is the fourth son, and yet he is mentioned first. They were both born to Leah.

Also, the twelve names specifically form six pairs. Placing Judah first seems reasonable because it became the prominent tribe, and it is also the tribe Christ Jesus came through. Reuben being second is paired with him.

The next pairings are Gad and Asher who were both born to the maidservant Zilpah and in that order. Next are Naphtali and Manasseh. Naphtali was born to Bilhah and Manasseh was born to Joseph and his wife in Egypt. Next, Simeon and Levi are mentioned. They were both born to Leah and in that order. They are followed by Issachar and Zebulun, they were the last two born to Leah, and they were born in that order. The last paring is Joseph and Benjamin, the two naturally born of Rachel.

In the list, then, six come through Leah, three come through Rachel (because Manasseh is from Joseph who is from Rachel), two come through Zilpah, and one comes through Bilhah.

As all of the four mothers of the children of Israel are represented, the main idea here is that the list does not neglect any of those four main branches. To come to the number of tribes as twelve varies in lists from the first in Genesis to those in Deuteronomy 33 and to those in Ezekiel. In these varied lists, different inclusions or exclusions are made. There are many speculations on why this is so, and none are without their own difficulties. In the end, a listing of twelve is given to retain the Bible’s standard of “perfection of government.”

With that as an all-too-brief accounting for the names, John begins the list, saying, “of the tribe of Judah twelve thousand were sealed.” The modern term “Jew” comes from the name Judah. Judah means “praise.”  It is therefore the prominent tribe even today. Here we have a lesson which is seen time and again throughout the Bible – “Let the Praise of God always go first.” This is a great spiritual application that we should apply to our own lives and our prayer time as well.

It next says, “of the tribe of Reuben twelve thousand were sealed.” Reuben was the firstborn of Israel, but he lost his right to the birthright because he slept with Bilhah, his father’s concubine. Reuben means “See, a Son.”

John next says, “of the tribe of Gad twelve thousand were sealed.” Gad was the firstborn of Zilpah, the handmaid of Leah – Jacob’s first wife. Gad means “A Troop” or “Fortune.”

These are the blessings for each of these sons of Israel as given by their father before his death –

 “Judah, you are he whom your brothers shall praise;
Your hand shall be on the neck of your enemies;
Your father’s children shall bow down before you.
⁹ Judah is a lion’s whelp;
From the prey, my son, you have gone up.
He bows down, he lies down as a lion;
And as a lion, who shall rouse him?
¹⁰ The scepter shall not depart from Judah,
Nor a lawgiver from between his feet,
Until Shiloh comes;
And to Him shall be the obedience of the people.
¹¹ Binding his donkey to the vine,
And his donkey’s colt to the choice vine,
He washed his garments in wine,
And his clothes in the blood of grapes.
¹² His eyes are darker than wine,
And his teeth whiter than milk.” Genesis 49:8-12

“Reuben, you are my firstborn,
My might and the beginning of my strength,
The excellency of dignity and the excellency of power.
⁴ Unstable as water, you shall not excel,
Because you went up to your father’s bed;
Then you defiled it—
He went up to my couch.” Genesis 49:3, 4

 “Gad, a troop shall tramp upon him,
But he shall triumph at last.” Genesis 49:19

Life application: The sealing of those of Israel is a record of the faithfulness of God to His covenant promises. Israel was (and to this day is) faithfully unfaithful to the Lord, and yet their unfaithfulness in no way negates His faithfulness.

We have in the sealing of these people of Israel a listing that demonstrates that the Lord is not through with this group of people, and they will be used in the future to meet His purposes. Over-analyzing the listing may cause us to miss the most important point, which is that Israel has been preserved, they stand today, and they will stand in the future. This is because the Lord is faithful and true to His word.

As this is true with Israel, it is certainly true with each person who has entered into the New Covenant through the precious shed blood of Christ.

You have ordained all things, O Lord, and You have safely protected what You have ordained, including the children of Israel. Thank You for Your everlasting faithfulness to those who have not always been faithful to You. We can know that because of this, we are equally secure in You. Amen.