In the seventh chapter of Revelation , we find a group of people who are 'sealed'. Before we get bogged down in other details relating to this group (in particular, the number 144,000), I want to focus on what it means to be sealed' because there are wonderful lessons for us to learn for our encouragement if we have committed our lives to Jesus Christ. But we need to think about the context first of all.
Remember that this last book in the Bible serves many purposes and fits into more than one genre of writing. However, it is first and foremost a letter written to seven actual churches in Asia (a province of the Roman empire). These churches needed this letter. Two of them, in particular, were facing persecution because it was not easy to be a Christian church in the first century pagan world where the multitude of gods affected every aspect of their lives. Even going for a meal could have all sorts of associations with idolatry - the worship of pagan gods on which they had turned their backs when they decided 'to follow' Jesus the Messiah. In addition, they were expected to worship the Roman Emperor and there was a whole cult of emperor veneration which conflicted with their loyalty to Jesus Christ. Some churches were loyal to Jesus (Smyrna and Philadelphia) and were experiencing opposition and persecution, while others were compromising with the pagan world. One church at Sardis had become lethargic - they had 'fallen asleep' and needed to wake up to the spiritual dangers they were facing. The church at Laodicea had become lukewarm and complacent and were relying on their orthodox adherence to ritual. The church at Ephesus were doing all the right things but they had lost the real motivation - they had 'lost their first love' for Jesus Christ.
But there is a question asked at the end of chapter 6 of Revelation which provides the immediate context to help us to grasp the significance of what it means to be 'sealed.' The question is, 'Who can stand?' Chapter 6 of Revelation shows a catalogue of disasters which increases in intensity as each of the seven seals is opened ; conquest and warfare resulting in bloodshed; famine resulting in severe inflation; death produced by famine, warfare and wild beasts; persecution resulting in martyrdom; the sixth seal produced an earthquake which was so intense that it resulted in the moon and the sun being affected and there was darkness and stars plummeted to the earth. The language is richly metaphorical. The sky vanished like a scroll that is being rolled up (like a spring-loaded roller shutter) and every mountain and hill being removed from its place. This produces great consternation and panic - the powerful and the mighty (kings of the earth, great ones, generals and the rich) instigate a general rush to hide from the devastation - they call on the mountains and the rocks to fall on them and hide them from the face of the throne-sitter (a reference to God) and from the wrath of the Lamb. In their total despair and helplessness, they utter this desperate question, "Who can stand?
In the next chapter, we see divine intervention. There are four angels standing at the four corners of the earth and they are holding back the four winds of the earth to preserve the earth from further devastation. Here is the statement made by another angel and it is significant - "Do not harm the earth or the sea or the trees until we have sealed the servants of our God on their foreheads." [Revelation 7:3 ESV]. This angel is going to seal a group of people who are described 'the servants of God.' They are described in two ways - firstly as the representatives of the tribes of Israel (144,000) and this is a controversial description) but secondly, as a great multitude that no one could number from all tribes and peoples and languages, standing before the throne, clothed in white robes. This group are rejoicing in salvation which they attribute to God and to the Lamb.
What is the significance of being sealed? What does it mean to be sealed? This is a term which is used for all believers in the Lord Jesus Christ. In the immediate context for those who received this letter from John, they would immediately connect this idea of being sealed with slavery. In the first century secular world, slaves were sealed on their foreheads. This way everyone knew who owned them and for whom they were working. Notice that verse 3 says "Do not harm the earth etc. until we have sealed the servants (or slaves) of God." We are slaves or bond-servants of Jesus Christ and we have been sealed. He has bought us for himself. And no one can take us away from him.
See Ezekiel 9:3-6 where a man dressed in linen is commanded to 'put a mark on the foreheads' of the faithful remnant before God's judgement. The seal provides us with a wonderful spiritual lesson. It speaks of -
1. Identification or ownership - My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me. [John 10:27 ESV]
2. Security and protection - I give them eternal life, and they will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of my hand. My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all, and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father's hand. [John 10:28 -29 ESV] See also 1 Corinthians 10:13.
3. Confirmation of Promised Inheritance - In whom you also, when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of our salvation, and believed in him, were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit, who is the guarantee of our inheritance until we acquire possession of it, to the praise of his glory. [Ephesians 1:13-14 ESV]
Darrell Johnson adds that the seal of the living God enables faith. He wants to reassure those believers who are going through tribulation (thlypsis) which is crushing and demoralising that they are in God's hands.
The seal “enables them to respond in faith to the trials through which they pass, so that these trials become the very instruments by which they can even be strengthened in their faith.” The seal strengthens faith and protects the servants of God from responding to the havoc and horror of history in unbelief. [Darrell Johnson: Discipleship on the Edge page 196]
Maybe we need to be reminded today that we are sealed and we are secure in God's hands. The answer to the question, 'Who can stand the awful wrath of the Lamb?' resounds clearly and distinctly from the pages of Revelation. Those servants of God who have the seal of God on their foreheads are sealed - they are secure and protected from coming wrath. Are you a servant of God? Have you committed your life to Jesus Christ and your future into His hands. Then your future is secure. We might have to pass through tribulation but the wrath of God will never affect those who have the Holy Spirit as the guarantee of their future inheritance.
Rev 7 on earth/in heaven, same group. 7:1 'four corners of earth', then 7:9 'before the throne' = in heaven, as the throne is in heaven Rev 4. Ephraim may not be included as in OT as it was a poetic prophetic name for Israel, it was also a typological term for church, as Joseph's preferred younger son. And Dan may be omitted as a collective type of person Judas Iscariot, for its practices or bordering with Philistines
Why the two images of Israel/Church? I always saw 12 tribes as those who died in Christ before the Atonement in time (Fall - 1st Advent) and the Great Multitude as the many more, the Church, who died in Christ after Atonement in time (between 1st-2nd Advents), but this could also be all of Israel/Church across all time. I have never figured out why Dan is omitted and Joseph is mentioned (Manasseh/Joseph) and even then why not as Manasseh/Ephraim.