R
E V E L A T I O N
CHAP. VII.
The
things contained in this chapter came in after the opening of the six seals,
which foretold great calamities in the world; and before the sound of the
seven trumpets, which gave notice of great corruptions arising in the church:
between these comes in this comfortable chapter, which secures the graces and
comforts of the people of God in times of common calamity. We have, I. An
account of the restraint laid upon the winds, ver. 1-3. II. The sealing of the
servants of God, ver. 4-8. III. The songs of angels and saints on this
occasion, ver. 9-12. IV. A description of the honour and happiness of those
who had faithfully served Christ, and suffered for him, ver. 13, &c.
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The
Vision of Heaven.
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A. D. 95.
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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 a 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.
9 After this I beheld, and, lo, a great multitude, which no man could number,
of all nations, and kindreds, and people, and tongues, stood before the
throne, and before the Lamb, clothed with white robes, and palms in their
hands; 10 And cried with a loud voice, saying, Salvation to our
God which sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb. 11 And all
the angels stood round about the throne, and about the elders and the
four beasts, and fell before the throne on their faces, and worshipped
God, 12 Saying, Amen: Blessing, and glory, and wisdom, and
thanksgiving, and honour, and power, and might, be unto our God for
ever and ever. Amen.
Here we have, I. An account of the restraint laid upon the winds. By these
winds we suppose are meant those errors and corruptions in religion which
would occasion a great deal of trouble and mischief to the church of God.
Sometimes the Holy Spirit is compared to the wind: here the spirits of error
are compared to the four winds, contrary one to another, but doing much
hurt to the church, the garden and vineyard of God, breaking the branches and
blasting the fruits of his plantation. The devil is called the prince of
the power of the air; he, by a great wind, overthrew the house of Job's
eldest son. Errors are as wind, by which those who are unstable are shaken,
and carried to and fro, Eph. iv. 14. Observe, 1. These are called the
winds of the earth, because they blow only in these lower regions near the
earth; heaven is always clear and free from them. 2. They are restrained by
the ministry of angels, standing on the four corners of the earth,
intimating that the spirit of error cannot go forth till God permits it, and
that the angels minister to the good of the church by restraining its enemies.
3. Their restraint was only for a season, and that was till the servants of
God were sealed in their foreheads. God has a particular care and concern
for his own servants in times of temptation and corruption, and he has a way
to secure them from the common infection; he first establishes them, and then
he tries them; he has the timing of their trials in his own hand.
II. An account of the sealing of the servants of God, where observe, 1. To
whom this work was committed--to an angel, another angel. While some of
the angels were employed to restrain Satan and his agents, another angel was
employed to mark out and distinguish the faithful servants of God. 2. How they
were distinguished--the seal of God was set upon their foreheads, a seal known
to him, and as plain as if it appeared in their foreheads; by this mark they
were set apart for mercy and safety in the worst of times. 3. The number of
those that were sealed, where observe, (1.) A particular account of those that
were sealed of the twelve tribes of Israel--twelve thousand out of every
tribe, the whole sum amounting to a hundred and forty-four thousand. In
this list the tribe of Dan is omitted, perhaps because they were greatly
addicted to idolatry; and the order of the tribes is altered, perhaps
according as they had been more or less faithful to God. Some take these to be
a select number of the Jews who were reserved for mercy at the destruction of
Jerusalem; others think that time was past, and therefore it is to be more
generally applied to God's chosen remnant in the world; but, if the
destruction of Jerusalem was not yet over (and I think it is hard to prove
that it was), it seems more proper to understand this of the remnant of that
people which God had reserved according to the election of grace, only here we
have a definite number for an indefinite. (2.) A general account of those who
were saved out of other nations (v. 9): A great multitude, which no
man could number, of all nations, and kindreds, and people, and tongues.
Though these are not said to be sealed, yet they were selected by God out of
all nations, and brought into his church, and there stood before the throne.
Observe, [1.] God will have a greater harvest of souls among the Gentiles than
he had among the Jews. More are the children of the desolate than of the
married woman. [2.] The Lord knows who are his, and he will keep them safe
in times of dangerous temptation. [3.] Though the church of God is but a
little flock, in comparison of the wicked world, yet it is no contemptible
society, but really large and to be still more enlarged.
III. We have the songs of saints and angels on this occasion, v. 9-12,
where observe,
1. The praises offered up by the saints (and, as it seems to me, by the
Gentile believers) for the care of God in reserving so large a remnant of the
Jews, and saving them from infidelity and destruction. The Jewish church
prayed for the Gentiles before their conversion, and the Gentile churches have
reason to bless God for his distinguishing mercy to so many of the Jews, when
the rest were cut off. Here observe, (1.) The posture of these praising
saints: they stood before the throne, and before the Lamb, before the
Creator and the Mediator. In acts of religious worship we come nigh to God,
and are to conceive ourselves as in his special presence; and we must come to
God by Christ. The throne of God would be inaccessible to sinners were it not
for a Mediator. (2.) Their habit: they were clothed with white robes, and
had palms in their hands; they were invested with the robes of
justification, holiness, and victory, and had palms in their hands, as
conquerors used to appear in their triumphs: such a glorious appearance will
the faithful servants of God make at last, when they have fought the good
fight of faith and finished their course. (3.) Their employment: they cried
with a loud voice, saying, Salvation to our God who sitteth upon the throne,
and to the Lamb. This may be understood either as a hosannah,
wishing well to the interest of God and Christ in the church and in the world,
or as a hallelujah, giving to God and the Lamb the praise of the great
salvation; both the Father and the Son are joined together in these praises;
the Father contrived this salvation, the Son purchased it, and those who enjoy
it must and will bless the Lord and the Lamb, and they will do it publicly,
and with becoming fervour.
2. Here is the song of the angels (v. 11, 12), where observe, (1.)
Their station--before the throne of God, attending on him, and about
the saints, ready to serve them. (2.) Their posture, which is very humble, and
expressive of the greatest reverence: They fell before the throne on their
faces, and worshipped God. Behold the most excellent of all the creatures,
who never sinned, who are before him continually, not only covering their
faces, but falling down on their faces before the Lord! What humility then,
and what profound reverence, become us vile frail creatures, when we come into
the presence of God! We should fall down before him; there should be both a
reverential frame of spirit and a humble behaviour in all our addresses to God
(3.) Their praises. They consented to the praises of the saints, said their Amen
thereto; there is in heaven a perfect harmony between the angels and saints;
and then they added more of their own, saying, Blessing, and glory, and
wisdom, and thanksgiving, and honour, and power, and might, be unto our God
for ever and ever. Amen. Here, [1.] They acknowledge the glorious
attributes of God--his wisdom, his power, and his might. [2.] They declare
that for these his divine perfections he ought to be blessed, and praised, and
glorified, to all eternity; and they confirm it by their Amen. We see
what is the work of heaven, and we ought to begin it now, to get our hearts
tuned for it, to be much in it, and to long for that world where our praises,
as well as happiness, will be perfected.
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Honour
and Happiness of the Saints.
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A. D. 95.
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13 And one of the elders answered, saying unto
me, What are these which are arrayed in white robes? and whence came
they? 14 And I said unto him, Sir, thou knowest. And he said to
me, These are they which came out of great tribulation, and have washed their
robes, and made them white in the blood of the Lamb. 15 Therefore
are they before the throne of God, and serve him day and night in his temple:
and he that sitteth on the throne shall dwell among them. 16 They
shall hunger no more, neither thirst any more; neither shall the sun light on
them, nor any heat. 17 For the Lamb which is in the midst of the
throne shall feed them, and shall lead them unto living fountains of waters:
and God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes.
Here we have a description of the honour and happiness of those who have
faithfully served the Lord Jesus Christ, and suffered for him. Observe,
I. A question asked by one of the elders, not for his own information, but for
John's instruction: ministers may learn from the people, especially from aged
and experienced Christians; the lowest saint in heaven knows more than the
greatest apostle in the world. Now the question has two parts:-- 1. What
are these that are arrayed in white robes? 2. Whence came they? It
seems to be spoken by way of admiration, as Cant. iii. 6, Who is this that
cometh out of the wilderness! Faithful Christians deserve our notice and
respect; we should mark the upright.
II. The answer returned by the apostle, in which he tacitly acknowledges his
own ignorance, and sues to this elder for information: Thou knowest.
Those who would gain knowledge must not be ashamed to own their ignorance, nor
to desire instruction from any that are able to give it.
III. The account given to the apostle concerning that noble army of martyrs
who stood before the throne of God in white robes, with palms of
victory in their hands: and notice is taken here of, 1. The low and desolate
state they had formerly been in; they had been in great tribulation,
persecuted by men, tempted by Satan, sometimes troubled in their own spirits;
they had suffered the spoiling of their goods, the imprisonment of their
persons, yea, the loss of life itself. The way to heaven lies through many
tribulations; but tribulation, how great soever, shall not separate us from
the love of God. Tribulation, when gone through well, will make heaven
more welcome and more glorious. 2. The means by which they had been prepared
for the great honour and happiness they now enjoyed: they had washed their
robes, and made them white in the blood of the Lamb, v. 14. It is
not the blood of the martyrs themselves, but the blood of the Lamb, that can
wash away sin, and make the soul pure and clean in the sight of God. Other
blood stains; this is the only blood that makes the robes of the saints white
and clean. 3. The blessedness to which they are now advanced, being thus
prepared for it. (1.) They are happy in their station, for they are before
the throne of God night and day; and he dwells among them; they are
in that presence where there is fulness of joy. (2.) They are happy in their
employment, for they serve God continually, and that without weakness,
drowsiness, or weariness. Heaven is a state of service, though not of
suffering; it is a state of rest, but not of sloth; it is a praising
delightful rest. (3.) They are happy in their freedom from all the
inconveniences of this present life. [1.] From all want and sense of want: They
hunger and thirst no more; all their wants are supplied, and all the
uneasiness caused thereby is removed. [2.] From all sickness and pain: they
shall never be scorched by the heat of the sun any more. (4.) They are
happy in the love and guidance of the Lord Jesus: He shall feed them, he
shall lead them to living fountains of waters, he shall put them into the
possession of every thing that is pleasant and refreshing to their souls, and
therefore they shall hunger and thirst no more. (5.) They are happy in
being delivered from all sorrow or occasion of it: God shall wipe away all
tears from their eyes. They have formerly had their sorrows, and shed many
tears, both upon the account of sin and affliction; but God himself, with his
own gentle and gracious hand, will wipe those tears away, and they shall
return no more for ever; and they would not have been without those tears,
when God comes to wipe them away. In this he deals with them as a tender
father who finds his beloved child in tears, he comforts him, he wipes his
eyes, and turns his sorrow into rejoicing. This should moderate the
Christian's sorrow in his present state, and support him under all the
troubles of it; for those that sow in tears shall reap in joy; and those
that now go forth weeping, bearing precious seed, shall doubtless come again
rejoicing, bringing their sheaves with them.
Contents
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