Revelation - Week 14

Day 1

Who Can Stand?

READ

Revelation 7:1-2

1 Then I saw four angels standing at the four corners of the earth, holding back the four winds so they did not blow on the earth or the sea, or even on any tree. 2 And I saw another angel coming up from the east, carrying the seal of the living God. And he shouted to those four angels, who had been given power to harm land and sea,

The winds of judgment are held back from the North, South, East and West. Revelation 6 had ended by saying, “And they cried to the mountains and the rocks, ‘Fall on us and hide us from the face of the one who sits on the throne and from the wrath of the Lamb. For the great day of their wrath has come, and who is able to survive?’” (vv. 16-17). This indicates that the severest part of the Tribulation period is about to begin. Something is to be done before that.

REFLECT

Revelation 7 will answer who will be able to stand during the severest time of the Tribulation period.

RESPOND

Times may be difficult in some places now, but in the future tough times will envelope the entire universe. Be sure your trust is in the Lord Jesus.

Day 2

The Seal of God

READ

Revelation 7:3-8

3 “Wait! Don’t harm the land or the sea or the trees until we have placed the seal of God on the foreheads of his servants.” 4 And I heard how many were marked with the seal of God—144,000 were sealed from all the tribes of Israel: 5 from Judah 12,000, from Reuben   12,000, from Gad 12,000, 6 from Asher 12,000, from Naphtali 12,000, from Manasseh 12,000, 7 from Simeon 12,000, from Levi 12,000, from Issachar 12,000, 8 from Zebulun 12,000, from Joseph 12,000, from Benjamin         12,000.

The angel commanded the four angels to wait on pouring out judgment. Yet to be done was marking the 12 tribes of Israel with the seal of God, 12,000 from each tribe. These 144,000 would be marked by God in contrast to unbelievers who would receive the mark of the beast, seen in Revelation 13:16-17. Likely this would assure that these would live through the last half of the seven-year Tribulation in spite of the horrible judgments to come.

REFLECT

Marvel at God’s plan to protect even in the midst of bringing judgment.

RESPOND

With a friend, read Matthew 24:21-22 that records the words of Jesus telling of the time in the future that will be worse than at any time before and will never be repeated after that.

Day 3

A Vast Crowd

READ

Revelation 7:9-10

9 After this I saw a vast crowd, too great to count, from every nation and tribe and people and language, standing in front of the throne and before the Lamb. They were clothed in white robes and held palm branches in their hands. 10 And they were shouting with a great roar, “Salvation comes from our God who sits on the throne and from the Lamb!”

Because the believers during the Church age are caught up to meet Jesus in the air (see 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18), only living unbelievers are left to enter the Tribulation. Some wonder if anyone will be saved during the Tribulation. Revelation 7:4-8 tells of 144,000 Jewish people who will be saved, and verse 9 tells of Gentiles from “every nation and tribe and people and language” who will be saved.

REFLECT

Thank the Lord that He has some who will trust Him as Savior in every age of time. Salvation has always been by grace through faith in believing God’s promises.

RESPOND

Some think there are different plans of salvation for different times. Even before the Mosaic law was given the Bible reveals in Genesis 15:6 that Abram (later known as Abraham), believed in God and it was counted as righteous because of his faith in God.

Day 4

Blessing and Glory

READ

Revelation 7:11-12

11 And all the angels were standing around the throne and around the elders and the four living beings. And they fell before the throne with their faces to the ground and worshiped God. 12 They sang, “Amen! Blessing and glory and wisdom and thanksgiving and honor and power and strength belong to our God forever and ever! Amen.”

What a magnificent scene of those who bowed down to worship the Lord. Although various Bible versions say they “sang,” the common word for “saying” was used. They were proclaiming the greatness and wonder of God and all that belongs to Him “forever and ever. Amen.” This serves as an example of pleasing God by our worship.

REFLECT

Think of various ways you can thank God for His worthiness, which is worshiping Him.

RESPOND

Talk with a friend about the various ways used to worship God. Which seems the most important to each of you?

Day 5

Robes Made White

READ

Revelation 7:13-14

13 Then one of the twenty-four elders asked me, “Who are these who are clothed in white? Where did they come from?” 14 And I said to him, “Sir, you are the one who knows.” Then he said to me, “These are the ones who died in the great tribulation. They have washed their robes in the blood of the Lamb and made them white.”

The apostle John was asked a question he did not know how to answer. He realized that the one who asked the question knew the answer so he asked him. The answer came that these were ones who were martyred during the great tribulation. It is a scene at the end of the seven years of Tribulation looking back over those who had been killed for their faith during this time.

REFLECT

It is wonderful that those who have given their lives for Jesus will be rewarded someday. The people in this passage had given the ultimate sacrifice for the Lord Jesus who sacrificed all for them.

RESPOND

Encourage others with the words of Jesus, “I am the resurrection and the life. Anyone who believes in me will live, even after dying.” Those martyred during the Tribulation would benefit from that promise. Even people today can have that same assurance when a loved one dies who has believed in Jesus for salvation.