1. There is a consistent literary interlude (excursus, parenthesis) between the 6th and 7th Judgments in Revelation.

• Revelation 6:1-17 – The 6 Seal Judgments
  • INTERLUDE (7:1—17)
• Revelation 8:1-6 – The 7th Seal Judgment

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• Revelation 8:7—9:21 – The 6 Trumpet Judgments
  • INTERLUDE (10:1—11:14)
• Revelation 11:15-19 – The 7th Trumpet Judgment

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• Revelation 16:1-14 – The 6 Bowl Judgments
  • INTERLUDE (16:15)
• Revelation 16:16-21 – The 7th Bowl Judgment

2. Revelation 7 chronologically occurs prior to Revelation 6 (“the 7 Seal Judgments”).  

• Rev. 7:1, the angels are still holding “the 4 winds” (judgments) that harm the earth/people.
• Rev. 6:17 – “For the Great Day of His wrath has come, and who is able to stand?”
• Rev. 7:3, “Do not harm the earth/people until the servants of our God have been sealed.”
• Sealing of the servants of God occurs before the chapter 6 Judgments.  

3. Revelation 7:3 refers to the “servants of our God.” This phrase is only used in Isaiah 61:6, referring to all peoples from all nations who get saved.  The term, “servants”, used in Revelation always pertain to believers, not solely Jews or Gentiles.

• Rev. 1:1. The Revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave Him to show His servants—things which must shortly take place. And He sent and signified it by His angel to His servant John…”
• Rev. 2:20. “…You allow that woman Jezebel, who calls herself a prophetess, to teach and seduce My servants to commit sexual immorality.”
• Rev. 6:11. The Parenthetical statement by those in heaven, “Then a white robe was given to each of them; and it was said to them that they should rest a little while longer, until both the number of their fellow servants and their brethren, who would be killed as they were, was completed.”

4. There are many NT references tying Israel and the Church as one people of God. Two entire NT Books address this (Galatians and Ephesians), with many verses from Romans, Colossians, Philippians, 1 Peter, and Hebrews. The true Israel of God, the true descendants of Abraham, are those who have trusted Jesus for their salvation. Those physically born of Abraham are not necessarily his spiritual heirs (Rom 9:6–8). Instead, those who have put on Christ—whether Jew or Greek, slave or free, male or female—are Abraham’s seed, heirs according to promise (Gal 3:27–29).

• Gal. 3:29. “If you are Christ’s, then you are Abraham’s seed and heirs according to the promise.”
• Gal. 6:16. “Peace and mercy be upon the Israel of God.”
• Rom. 2:28-29. “²⁸ For he is not a Jew who is one outwardly, nor is circumcision that which is outward in the flesh; ²⁹ but he is a Jew who is one inwardly; and circumcision is that of the heart, in the Spirit, not in the letter; whose praise is not from men but from God.
• Phil. 3:2-3. “² Beware of dogs, beware of evil workers, beware of the mutilation! ³ For we are the circumcision, who worship God in the Spirit, rejoice in Christ Jesus, and have no confidence in the flesh.”
• 1 Pet. 2:5, 9-10. “⁵ You also as living stone, are being built up a spiritual house, a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. [vss7-8, THEY stumble and are offended]  9 But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light; 10 who once were not a people but are now the people of God, who had not obtained mercy but now have obtained mercy.”

5. The “tribes of Israel” listed are not all literal tribes.

• Joseph and Levi are not tribes. They are “sons”, but not “tribes.  
• Dan and Ephraim are tribes, but not listed here.  
• Judah, Benjamin, and Levi are the only 3 “sons” of Israel at the Captivity. The remaining Tribes were abolished during the Assyrian Empire. You can read all about that in 2 Kings. The only “tribes” that survived were the Southern Kingdom of Israel (aka, “Judah”). These three “tribes” went into captivity in Babylon in which they lived for 70 years until God brought them back under Zerubbabel and Ezra/Nehemiah. So, there are only 2 of the tribes remaining (plus Levi).
• The order listed is strange. The list in Rev. 7 describes the “tribes” in an order that has never been duplicated in all NT or OT. Strange that if it were literal, then why not utilize some list in the OT to substantiate it? 

6. The only places the 144,000 is mentioned are in the Interlude (parenthetical) places in Revelation (7, 14), where the author takes us back to see a panorama, a prior history, of the ministry of the saints on the earth prior to the Coming of Christ. The 144,000 are only mentioned in these historical-past narratives, not future events.

• Chapter 7 events occur prior to the Chapter 6 Seal Judgments. The 144,000 occur prior to the Judgement.
• In Rev. 14:3, the 144,000 are called “virgins” (literal or metaphorical). If chronological, these were unsaved people who experience some of the Judgments of God, missed the rapture due to their unbelief, but are called “virgins” nonetheless. This name doesn’t fit the scenario.  
• In Rev. 14:3-4, the 144,000 are called “firstfruits.” The NT never uses this term for Israel only (Rom. 8:23; 1 Cor. 15:2-3; James 1:18), nor would they be called firstfruits if they were saved during the Judgments of God.

7. In Revelation we have already seen metaphors (symbols, examples) of OT characters as depictions.

• Jezebel in Rev. 2:20 is clearly not literally Jezebel. Rather, a symbol of evil, sexually-depraved people.
• Rev. 2:14 is Balaam, clearly not literally Balaam. Rather, a symbol of evil, greed, idolatry.
• Rev. 2:9 and 3:9 are people who “say they are Jews but are not.” These people weren’t literally Jews, as it is a picture of believing people who claim belief but do not have it (like the Jewish Pharisees, who claimed to be spiritual, but in reality were not).

These are all OT pictures that help us understand the characteristic or behavior of such.


8. The 144,000 are “sealed.” This is a standard way that the NT after Acts 2 talks about the believers relationship with the Holy Spirit. This is a word that depicts protection, spiritual identification, approval.

• Used in the NT as a way of talking about what the Holy Spirit does for the believer. 2 Cor. 1:22. Eph. 1:13. Eph. 4:30.
• 2 Tim. 2:19, The solid foundation of God stands, having this seal: “The Lord knows those who are His,” and, “Let everyone who names the name of Christ depart from iniquity.”