Revelation

Chapter 7

Ministers and teachers normally get part of this right.  The 144,000 of Gods' elect, 12,000 from each of the twelve tribes of Israel.  You have seen a devastating event in the 6th seal, and John then says, "after these things"  Now we have entered into the tribulation, the events of chapter 7 and the beginning of chapter eight are things John see' s at the beginning of this time of trouble. By following the sequence of events, just as Jesus is breaking the seals in sequence, you can see that the events of the 6th seal usher in the tribulation period, with the appearance of being the final battle of all time, the antichrist will come in looking like a savior.  He may not appear immediately after the events of the 6th seal, but rather he may displace the one who has the technological power to end the war decisively.  I will later discuss more of the possible details of the next world war in a page dedicated only to that.

1 And after these things I saw four angels standing on the four corners of the earth, holding the four winds of the earth, that the wind should not blow on the earth, nor on the sea, nor on any tree.
2 And I saw another angel ascending from the east, having the seal of the living God: and he cried with a loud voice to the four angels, to whom it was given to hurt the earth and the sea,
3 Saying, Hurt not the earth, neither the sea, nor the trees, till we have sealed the servants of our God in their foreheads. 4 And I heard the number of them which were sealed: and there were sealed an hundred and forty and four thousand of all the tribes of the children of Israel.
5 Of the tribe of Juda were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Reuben were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Gad were sealed twelve thousand.
6 Of the tribe of Aser were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Nepthalim were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Manasses were sealed twelve thousand.
7 Of the tribe of Simeon were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Levi were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Issachar were sealed twelve thousand.
8 Of the tribe of Zabulon were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Joseph were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Benjamin were sealed twelve thousand.

In this next set of verses shows the saints coming out of the tribulation. Notice in the sequence, the 6th seal broken, then the 144,000 are marked, the tribulation has already begun.  Now you will see the saints appearing after the beginning of the tribulation, the question here is, are these people raptured, or has the Antichrist already made war on the saints and prevailed?  The time period here is not identified, these could have been taken into heaven over a period of time after the beginning of the tribulation and before the pouring out of the wrath of God, leaving room for persecution. see next comment...

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