1. A PARENTHESIS

 1. The “Great Tribulation” begins with the breaking of the first seal (6:1) and ends with the breaking of the 7th seal (8:1). The 7th chapter is a parenthesis (an explanatory passage) between the breaking of the 6th and the 7th seal.

2. This chapter explains the security of God’s people and the certainty of His carrying out of His plan and achieving His purpose in the midst of a universal catastrophe.

2. SEALING THE SERVANTS OF GOD (Vs. 1-3)

1. God withholds His wrath from the earth until his servants are sealed.

2. God will not permit any of the things mentioned before to happen on the earth until his own people are
sealed and secure… God ever cares for His Own.

3. THE PERSONS SEALED (vs. 4-8)

1. There are 144,000 sealed. They are all Jews. Each tribe is named and a like number from each tribe
is sealed.
2. These persons sealed are Jews that God has chosen for a special service….see Revelation 14:1-5.
3. It would seem that these are not only saved in the sense that we are redeemed and saved from sin and
hell, but they are also saved from death and come through the Great Tribulation alive.

4. THE MULTITUDE (VS. 9-17)

1. The multitude in V-9: these are Gentiles… “Of all nations.”

2. These were not sealed or the Jews were sealed.

3. The Jews were sealed while living on the earth. Those Gentiles are seen before the throne of God in heaven. In fact, John was in heaven and saw these Gentiles as they were coming into heaven. V-14 should read “… These are they which ARE COMING out of Great Tribulation.”

4. These are Gentiles who live during the Great Tribulation and will not receive the mark of the beast and will not be able to buy and sell. They will die of starvation, persecution, etc. Now, with this thought in mind, read Vs 16-17.

5. In this chapter, we see God’s mercy, goodness, and providential care of His own in the midst of His Great wrath on all others.

6. In Vs 14-17 we see those who suffer under the rule of the Beast coming through the blood of Christ, into the presence of God, and God dwelling among them, and keeping them from any
future pain and sorrow.

7. They have the privilege of serving God in a very special capacity.