The 144,000 Sealed and the Triumph of the Elect (Rev. 7:1-17)

After this I saw four angels standing at the four corners of the earth, holding back the four winds of the earth so that no wind could blow on land or sea or against any tree. 2 Then I saw another angel come up from the East, holding the seal of the living God. He cried out in a loud voice to the four angels who were given power to damage the land and the sea, 3 “Do not damage the land or the sea or the trees until we put the seal on the foreheads of the servants of our God.” 4 I heard the number of those who had been marked with the seal, one hundred and forty-four thousand marked from every tribe of the Israelites: 5 twelve thousand were marked from the tribe of Judah, twelve thousand from the tribe of Reuben, twelve thousand from the tribe of Gad, 6 twelve thousand from the tribe of Asher, twelve thousand from the tribe of Naphtali, twelve thousand from the tribe of Manasseh, 7 twelve thousand from the tribe of Simeon, twelve thousand from the tribe of Levi, twelve thousand from the tribe of Issachar, 8 twelve thousand from the tribe of Zebulun, twelve thousand from the tribe of Joseph, and twelve thousand were marked from the tribe of Benjamin.

9 After this I had a vision of a great multitude, which no one could count, from every nation, race, people, and tongue. They stood before the throne and before the Lamb, wearing white robes and holding palm branches in their hands. 10 They cried out in a loud voice: “Salvation comes from our God, who is seated on the throne, and from the Lamb.” 11 All the angels stood around the throne and around the elders and the four living creatures. They prostrated themselves before the throne, worshiped God, 12 and exclaimed: “Amen. Blessing and glory, wisdom and thanksgiving, honor, power, and might be to our God forever and ever. Amen.” 13 Then one of the elders spoke up and said to me, “Who are these wearing white robes, and where did they come from?” 14 I said to him, “My lord, you are the one who knows.” He said to me, “These are the ones who have survived the time of great distress; they have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb. 15 “For this reason they stand before God’s throne and worship him day and night in his temple. The one who sits on the throne will shelter them. 16 They will not hunger or thirst anymore, nor will the sun or any heat strike them. 17 For the Lamb who is in the center of the throne will shepherd them and lead them to springs of life-giving water, and God will wipe away every tear from their eyes.”

The Book of Revelation is rich in symbolism and has been interpreted in various ways throughout Christian history.  It is apocalyptic literature, a genre that was often used during times of crisis or persecution.  It is characterized by vivid imagery, symbolic language, and a focus on themes related to the end times, judgment, and the ultimate triumph of good over evil.  Symbols such as beasts, dragons, stars, and trumpets are used to represent various powers, events, and forces at work in the world.  Apocalyptic texts try to convey divine revelations about the future or the heavenly realm in the form of visions received through supernatural encounters, dreams, or angelic messengers.  Usually, the purpose of the revelations is to inspire hope, encourage perseverance in times of trial, and reaffirm faith in God's ultimate victory.

The imagery of four angels standing at the four corners of the earth symbolizes the fullness of divine power and protection over creation. The "four winds" symbolize the complete and universal nature of the trials and tribulations that will come upon the earth.  The angels' action of holding back the winds suggests a temporary divine pause from the trials.  Wind in this context represents chaos and destruction.  A seal in ancient times was the mark of ownership so the angel coming from the East holding the seal of the living God was a symbol of God’s ownership and protection.  That angel made an urgent cry to the other angels telling them to withhold judgment until the faithful have dedicated their minds and wills to God.  In Biblical times, the forehead was often associated with the seat of intelligence, will, and identity (Deut. 6:6-8).  

The 144,000 marked with the seal is a symbolic number that represents the fullness and completeness of God's protected chosen people.  The list of tribes differs slightly from the traditional listings found in the Old Testament. Some scholars suggest that the omission of Dan from the tribes of Israel may be due to its association with idolatry (Judges 18:30-31), while Levi, traditionally not listed among the tribes in apocalyptic contexts, may have been included to indicate the priestly nature of the sealed community.  Standing before God and Jesus Christ was a great multitude of God's covenant people from both Old and New Testament times shouting that deliverance from sin and death comes from God and Jesus Christ.  God is on His heavenly throne and Jesus Christ is the Lamb who was slain for the redemption of humanity.  

The angels, elders, and living creatures prostrate themselves and join in adoration of God in heavenly worship expressing the divine attributes and majesty of God.  One of the elders began a dialogue with John and explained the vision to him.  The multitude in white robes are those who have come through the great tribulation, purified and redeemed by the blood of the Lamb. Their robes symbolize the righteousness and purity granted to them by Christ's sacrifice.  They stand in God’s presence in perpetual worship and God provides protection, care, and provision for them.  They are n the heavenly realm so they will no longer hunger or thirst but experience complete satisfaction and fulfillment.  There will be no suffering, pain, or hardship in the heavenly realm and Jesus Christ will shepherd the redeemed and lead them to abundant spiritual nourishment.  God will bring joy and comfort to the redeemed.  

Almighty God, through your grace and the blood of the Lamb we will stand before your heavenly throne worshipping you day and night in your temple.  Grant us the strength to persevere in your commandments until that glorious day when we join the heavenly chorus in eternal praise.  This we pray through Christ our Lord. Amen!

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References
Chiu, José Enrique Aguilar, et al. The Paulist Biblical Commentary. Paulist Press, 2018.
Brown, Raymond Edward, et al. The New Jerome Biblical Commentary. Upper Saddle River, NJ, United States, Prentice Hall, 1990.

                Orchard, Bernard, et al. A Catholic Commentary on Holy Scripture. Feb. 1953.