Thinking Thursday

[Rev 7:1-8 ESV] 1 After this I saw four angels standing at the four corners of the earth, holding back the four winds of the earth, that no wind might blow on earth or sea or against any tree. 

No wind, no breeze and absolute stillness.  Something is about to happen.

2 Then I saw another angel ascending from the rising of the sun, with the seal of the living God, and he called with a loud voice to the four angels who had been given power to harm earth and sea, 

This 5th angel is going to give the other four a command.

3 saying, "Do not harm the earth or the sea or the trees, until we have sealed the servants of our God on their foreheads." 

The four angels can't act until God's servants have been sealed; marked as belonging to God.

4 And I heard the number of the sealed, 144,000, sealed from every tribe of the sons of Israel: 

As a multiple of 12, this represents completeness.  I think back to when Israel was scoping out the promised land and 12 spies were sent.

5 12,000 from the tribe of Judah were sealed, 12,000 from the tribe of Reuben, 12,000 from the tribe of Gad, 6 12,000 from the tribe of Asher, 12,000 from the tribe of Naphtali, 12,000 from the tribe of Manasseh, 7 12,000 from the tribe of Simeon, 12,000 from the tribe of Levi, 12,000 from the tribe of Issachar, 8 12,000 from the tribe of Zebulun, 12,000 from the tribe of Joseph, 12,000 from the tribe of Benjamin were sealed.

This list differs the OT listing of the 12 tribes:  1) there is no Dan because of their rebellion; 2) Joseph's name is included instead of Ephraim's because of their rebellion and 3)Levi is added.  This is done to represent the true and committed followers of God.

But what about the Church??? (to be continued. . . )