The Identity of The 144,000 | Revelation 7:1-8 | Pastor Daniel Batarseh

Let's come together now to the book of Revelation in chapter seven. I am thrilled to walk through this chapter with you today for many reasons, but the main one is because revelation seven holds the answer to the closing question of revelation chapter six. Now hopefully you remember that at the breaking of the sixth seal, the people realize that this is something coming directly from God. The global disturbance, the the cosmic shakings was undoubtedly the outcome of God's direct wrath. And so humanity will flee, and they will try to find refuge.

And when it dawned upon them that this is indeed God's justice, God's doing, John hears them in their panicked voices cry out, who can stand? Who can escape the fury of God's wrath? Who can hide from the blazing holiness that he has manifested? Who can shield themselves from his judgments? And before John is given insight into what will happen at the breaking of the seventh and final seal of the scroll, God gives him the answer to that question.

Let's read it together in Revelation seven beginning in verse one down to verse eight. 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. Then I saw another angel ascending from the rising of the sun with the seal of the living God, And he called it with a loud voice to the four angels who had been given power to harm earth and sea saying, do not harm the earth or the sea or the trees until we have sealed the servants of our God on their foreheads. And I heard the number of the seal, the 144,000 sealed from every tribe of the sons of Israel. 12,000 from the tribe of Judah were sealed.

12,000 from the tribe of Reuben. 12,000 from the tribe of Gad. 12,000 from the tribe of Asher. 12,000 from the tribe of Naphtali. 12,000 from the tribe of Manasseh.

12,000 from the tribe of Simeon, 12,000 from the tribe of Levi, 12,000 from the tribe of Issachar, 12,000 from the tribe of Zebulun, 12,000 from the tribe of Joseph, 12,000 from the tribe of Benjamin were sealed. Father, we we need your wisdom. We need your help. We need your guidance, and we rest in the truth that you promised to give us the answers in your word. And so we come now, Lord, hungry and thirsty, and we believe we will be filled because you are a gracious God.

We thank you in advance for this message. May it be given in clarity. May it deal with any confusion or contradiction and may it produce consecration in Jesus name. We pray. Amen.

So there are two companies of people who will be untouched by the disasters that will follow this moment. The things that are yet to be unfolded, the things that are yet to be realized in the book of revelation. The first group is described in the section that we just read. They are defined by their Jewish heritage and they are numbered precisely a 144,000. The second group we will touch on next week, if the Lord wills, and they are different than the first.

But I think it's worth looking at it very briefly. Just take a peek at them in verse nine to see how this second group is identified. Look at verse nine. After this, I looked and behold a great multitude that no one could number from every nation, from all tribes and peoples and languages standing before the throne and before the lamb clothed in white robes with palm branches in their hands. So you see there's a division here.

Unlike the first group, the second group is not limited to one ethnicity. They are drawn from all nations. They are drawn from all tribes. They are defined by a variety of peoples. Also, we find that unlike the first group, there is no number to the second.

There is no count. There is no exact record. It's actually beyond a number. And finally, another difference to consider is that unlike the first group, the second group that John sees is in heaven while the 144,000 are still on earth at this point. Now there's a lot to discuss.

That's why we're gonna take our time by investigating the first group today, famously known as the 144,000. And so I want us to go back to verse one now, and let me just say this from the beginning. You're gonna need your Bibles. You're, you're always gonna need your Bibles, but especially with this text, I want us to travel to different portions of scripture because it will help us make sense of what seems to be mysterious and cryptic, and it will be a reward. So hold onto your Bible and let's go together now and see what God has to say to us through this.

There is an obvious contrast between the chaos and the previous chapter and what we find here in the opening text. What we find in the last scene of chapter six is utter chaos, and then suddenly we are faced with strange calm, very unusual atmosphere in this book. That what you find here is the source of the the troubles and the turbulences that we've studied so far is the very same cause for the tranquility here. It's the Lord. God is the one who brings about this peace, this temporary repose.

We read a four angels who are standing at the four corners of the earth, holding back the four winds of the earth. What is that? Well, the four corners of the earth is a scriptural metaphor that speaks of the earth as a whole. You find that in the book of Isaiah, especially. So it's not talking about the actual landscape of our planet necessarily.

It just speaking about the entirety of our world. And what about these four winds? Are they literal winds? Likely not. Again, this is another phrase that is familiar in the Bible that refers to an unusual act of God on a massive scale.

It speaks about this remarkable manifestation that will take place in a way that cannot be ignored by the masses. And so in some context, whenever you see these four winds defined, it actually speaks of a great miracle that is about to take place. In other instances, it's actually speaking about a significant act of judgment. So you don't have to turn there, but if you're a note taker, you'll appreciate these two references from the old Testament. You remember the Valley Of Dry Bones when the prophet Ezekiel was brought there by God.

And it was a vision, but it spoke about the hopelessness of the nation of Israel. And God gives Ezekiel instructions of how to speak to this valley and how they can be revived. And let me read to you what he says in Ezekiel 37 verse nine. Ezekiel says, then he said to me, prophesy to the breath. Prophesy, son of man, and say to the breath, thus says the Lord God, come from the four winds.

Oh, breath, and breathe on these slain that they may live. So here's a positive reality to these four winds that it's a call for this force, this power to bring about something good and redemptive. But here's an example of it leading to judgment. It's an obscure passage, but again, you don't have to turn there. Just listen carefully and write down the reference for later.

In Jeremiah 49 verse 36, listen to what God says. And I will bring upon Elam the four winds from the four quarters of heaven, and I will scatter them to all those winds, and there shall be no nation to which those driven out of Elam shall not come. So there is this call for the four winds to scatter a certain people group, which is obviously an act of discipline and chastisement. In Revelation seven, when the four winds are mentioned, it's clear that judgment is in view, And that the Lord calls his servants, his heavenly angels to hold back further punishment, to put it on pause. And I can't help but recognize something before we move on.

And it is how precise God's protection is. Notice again here at the last part of verse one. Look there in Revelation seven. That no wind might blow on earth or sea or against any tree. Not one tree can be affected.

Not one tree can be cut down. Not one tree can blow over or be uprooted unless God permits it. Beyond that, not one leaf can be broken off any shrub or tree unless God wishes it. And in case you think that this is just a text to prove just how much God cares about the environment. Oh, if he cares about trees this much, how much more you and I I'll never forget it.

Sometime ago, sitting in my living room, going through the book of job, and I've read that book many times, but something so simple yet profound touched me, and it still ministers to me today. And I hope it ministers to you. Do you remember what Satan said to God when he brings up his observation of the detailed care that Job had because of his relationship with God? This is worth turning to in Job one and highlight it, maybe print it and put it somewhere in your house because it is a wonderful insight into the great compassion and supervision that God has for his servants. In Job one verse nine and ten, then Satan answered the Lord and said, does Job fear God for no reason?

Have you not put a hedge around him? Highlight that around Job himself and his house and all that he has. That's pretty descriptive. Wouldn't you say? And he doesn't even end it there.

Notice what he says at the last part on every side, not just one side. So I was in my living room, I was reading this, and I thought I paused. Lord, you don't just keep watch of my front door. You're in the backyard. And you're in the side door going to the garage.

And any and everything that I own, you protect because it's yours ultimately. Every part of your life is guarded and watched over by your God. What are you anxious about? What are you fearful about? Every part of you.

The sole of your foot up to the crown of your head is taken into consideration. So here is the Lord showing even in Revelation seven just how meticulous he is, just how caring he is. Things that you don't even think about, God thinks about. Or maybe things that you obsessively watch over and are worried about. God is already there.

And it's not just Job in view here. Job is not just a special character. What you find in Revelation seven is that the reason why God holds back further judgment is because there's another group of people that he is watching over and wants to do something with. And this is what we wanna look at. Come back to verse two of Revelation seven.

Verse two and three reads, do not harm the earth or the sea or the trees until we have sealed the servants of our God on their foreheads. We gotta talk about this seal. In the ancient world, this practice of sealing something was very familiar. If you were a ruler or an owner of some kind of property or an estate, you probably had a signet ring, a ring that had an autograph of some sorts or initials or some kind of emblem that was undoubtedly tied to you. And someone would take that ring and they would press it into wax and it would seal a document, a contract, or even a significant item to mark ownership, to authorize it and to say this belongs to someone.

And so what you have here is God borrowing that practice in order to communicate that he is looking to identify a certain group of people in order to authenticate his ownership and to protect them. And so he tells these angels, let's stop here because we still have to seal the servants of our God. And listen, this should not be unfamiliar to the Old Testament student because we find this practice in Ezekiel chapter nine. This is when God was about to pass judgment on Jerusalem. And before judgment is unleashed, listen to what he says.

It's incredible. In verse four of Ezekiel nine, and the Lord said to him, pass through the city. He's speaking to a divine messenger, pass through the city, through Jerusalem and put a mark on the foreheads of the men who sigh and groan over all the abominations that are committed in it. Do you see that? So he speaks to contextually an angel He's about to unleash punishment upon his own.

He's about to discipline the holy city. And he says, before we move forward, I'm asking you to mark a certain group of people on their forehead. Sound familiar? Do you see just how saturated revelation is with the old Testament? But notice the people who are marked.

I want you to mark those who sigh and groan over all the abominations that are being practiced in this place. One of the evidences of somebody's relationship with God being true and genuine and sincere is how you and I not only respond to our own sin, but the sin around us. What was it that God was looking for at this time? I want you to find those who are broken over the abominations that are being practiced. I want you to find those who are, who are shattered by the idolatry that is being committed.

God looks for how we view sin. That's important to God. But then he goes on to say this in verse six of Ezekiel nine. Kill old men outright, young men and maidens, little children and women, but touch no one whom is the mark on whom is the mark. And begin at my sanctuary.

So they began with the elders who are before the house. So again, this mark is a protective thing. And both in Ezekiel and Revelation, we we see that the Lord has his own seal, which is spiritually applied to those who belong to him so that when judgment does go forth, they would be spared. They would not experience wrath. So we see consistent reality to the seal.

Now if you're sitting here wondering, okay, there's a seal obviously available in the old Testament. It's there in Ezekiel and there will be seal that will be known in the tribulation period. What about now? Well, I'm here to remind you that if you do belong to Christ, you are sealed. What did Paul tell the Ephesians?

You know this very well in Ephesians one thirteen. In him, you also, when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and believed in him were sealed with the promised holy spirit. I'm sealed. So are you. And this is this is incredible if you truly grasp it because it's one of the many ways that God assures us that because of our faith in the gospel, we are securely owned by God.

We belong to him. We are his eternal possession because he has placed his signature on your soul and mine. The savior's name is there, and no one can change that. Listen very carefully. It doesn't matter how intense the doubts are relating to your standing with God.

It doesn't alter this reality. And it doesn't matter how convincing Satan's arguments are against you. You are promised a seal. You are sealed. And the significance of this seal is that it not only protects us from dangers in this life, but it promises us eternal life.

The same word sealed in revelation seven three is in that verse, Ephesians one thirteen. And in Ephesians four thirty, we're told, do not grieve the holy spirit by whom you were sealed until the day or to the day of redemption. What's the purpose of that seal? It's meant to mark me and keep me until I am totally redeemed. He's not going anywhere and there's no one who can pry him away.

This is speaking about just how safe we are in Christ sealed until the day of redemption. And that beauty, that inheritance, that down payment that was made should move you to the degree where you say, I don't wanna grieve him. He's chosen to take it up residence in me. He's chosen to hold me and to keep me until the end. And so between now and that day of redemption, oh, may I please him?

May I honor him? May he not be broken though committed to keeping me because of that precious blood may be pleased to take up his home in my heart. Now, I find something quite fascinating about this seal in Revelation seven, many things. And the one that comes to mind is this, that this seal in Revelation seven appears before another mark that will be placed on the foreheads of others. You guys know where we're going with this.

Right? The mark of the beast. The mark of the beast that will show up in revelation chapter 13. And in revelation thirteen sixteen, we learned that those who had pledged their allegiance to the antichrist will be marked with his name or the number of his name on their foreheads or on their hand. And we'll talk about why that is the case when we come to that chapter.

But what does it tell you about Satan that he has his own mark? I'll tell you what it means. It means that he is so envious of God, so covetous that he seeks to imitate him in every way possible. He so wants to be God that even with God's mark, he tries to have his own version of it. If God marks his people with his seal, I'll mark my people with my own seal.

This is how demented and twisted the enemy is. So you have to understand that the mark of the beast is a demonic counterfeit. It's a dark parody of the wonderful gift that we have in God through the Holy Spirit. But here's the difference between God's seal and Satan's seal. The seal of God comes upon those who willingly and humbly receive Jesus Christ as Lord.

Being sealed and owned by the Lord is something that you do because you recognize his great love, and how expensive your salvation is, and how sweet and loving your God is. And so you surrender to that seal. Satan, on the other hand, makes no such offer. Satan will set up this system through the Antichrist to coerce and to bully you into taking this seal. Yes.

There will be many who will freely pledge their loyalty to the Antichrist because they're deceived. But the system will be set up so that it forces the masses. Because in that same chapter in Revelation 13, you can't buy or sell without that seal. You can't live normally. And so recognize just how pathetic the devil is as a master.

There is nothing about him that is love or mercy. He has to twist your arm. He has to threaten you in order for you to bend your knee. And yet we as blood bought Christians, we bend our knee because we're overwhelmed by the love of Christ. We give ourselves freely.

Oh, you are worthy of 10,000 lives to be lived, but I'll give you my one seal me, mark me. And now that we've identified the nature and the purpose of this seal to protect this group in order to help them stand and what's to follow in these judgments on the earth, we now have to turn our attention to the group that will receive it at this point in God's story. So let's come back again to verse four of Revelation seven. There are two main perspectives regarding this numbered group. There are some who see it as a symbolic picture of the universal church, while there are others who understand it as a literal count of Jews who will put their faith in the Lord Jesus Christ during the tribulation period.

So I want to speak on the symbolic view for a moment. Why is it that there are some believers who do not see this as actual Jews being saved and instead, a picture of the church? Well, they will argue that numbers in apocalyptic literature are often symbolic, and they will continue to add that since we are in the new covenant, there is no reason to distinguish the Jewish people since in Christ, there is a new man com comprised of both Jew and Gentile. So, so why are we making a, a highlight here of the Jewish people when God's main program here at this point is the church? And they would go on to explain that the number 144,000 when broken down makes this case.

12 times 12 times a thousand equals this number. So you have the 12 tribes of Israel. You have the 12 apostles, and then you have the number 1,000 which speaks of completion or fullness. And so that equation essentially means this, that what we have in view here is the fullness of God's people, both from old and new covenants who together make up the new spiritual Israel. Interesting take.

Additionally, this view argues that the innumerable multitude from every tribe and tongue that John sees following the 144. Remember, we peaked at them in verse nine. Those who are proponents of this view will say, those aren't two distinct groups, they're actually one and the same from two different perspectives. And in order to back that up, they will go to an interesting part of revelation to show how it parallels. Do you remember in Revelation five five, when John was told about the line of the tribe of Judah?

He was told about the line of the tribe of Judah, But when he looked more carefully, he didn't see a lion. What did he see? A lamb standing. So two different descriptions of the same person. He heard the lion, but he saw the lamb.

And people who hold to this perspective will also argue that John is experiencing something similar here. He hears about the 144 if you look at the language carefully. But when you go to verse nine down, he sees an innumerable amount of people from different tribes and tongues. Two different descriptions of the same identity, of the same entity. So the argument is essentially that the 144 is just an artistic, descriptive, symbolic way of speaking about the universal church.

Finally, they'll kinda get into the details and point out how the tribes that are listed here are never to be found listed in the Old Testament, the way it's listed. Primarily because who's omitted? Did you notice it? Dan is omitted. The tribe of Dan is not there.

And you can make a case that E frame also is not there by name. Levi is there for whatever reason as well. Joseph is included. And so they'll say, listen, this can't be about Israel because you don't find this kind of catalog, this kind of record in the Hebrew scriptures. There are more arguments that they make.

That's just an overview, but how do we make a case for the literal view? And here's what I wanna say to begin with. Revelation makes it clear in other places in this book, how the Jewish people and their land plays a distinctive and imperative role in God's work in the last days. It's found in other places in Revelation. May I give you two examples?

And listen, listen, listen. Pay attention, my dear brother and sister. There's a lot of talk about Israel today. And I'm not concerned what the world has to say about Israel. I'm concerned about theology.

I'm concerned what the Bible has to say about it. You and I need to be informed. You and I need to know what the Bible says. You and I need to be equipped. So this is where you really wanna lean in and take notes.

Let's look at a couple of examples here. Go to Revelation 11. We talked about this a few services ago briefly, where you have the two witnesses here who will play a very important evangelistic role in the tribulation period. But I want you to see something interesting in verse seven and verse eight. Revelation 11 verse seven and verse eight.

And when they have finished their testimony, the beast that rises from the bottomless pit will make war on them and conquer them and kill them. Oh, I've said this before. Can I say it again? Don't you love it that they could not be killed until their testimony was done? You and I are not going anywhere until our testimony is over.

Verse eight. And their dead bodies will lie in the street of the great city. Pause. A city. We're talking about an actual city that symbolically is called Sodom and Egypt.

I really appreciate that the book of Revelation tells us when something is symbolic. There are times when it's obviously symbolic, but we see here that the spirit tells us that the city is symbolically called Sodom and Egypt. Now now we know where the city is. Where their Lord was crucified. Where's the where's the city?

Good. Jerusalem. If that wasn't clear enough, look at verse 13. And at that hour, there was a great earthquake, and a tenth of the city fell. Seven thousand people were killed in the earthquake and the rest were terrified and gave glory to the God of heaven.

Highlight the fact that this is speaking about a literal city in an actual Jerusalem and a nation actually called Israel. Be mindful of that. Go to chapter 16. Let's look at verse 14. This is a description of the preparation of the battle of Armageddon.

Notice what it said here in Revelation 16 verse 14. For they are demonic spirits performing signs who go abroad to the kings of the whole world to assemble them for battle on the great day of God the almighty. Verse 15. Behold, I am coming like a thief. Blessed is the one who stays awake, keeping his garments on, that he may not go about naked and be seen exposed.

And they assemble them at the place that in Hebrew is called Armageddon. Harmageddon in Hebrew means Mount Megiddo. It's two words. I confirmed this with one of our pastors. Mount Megiddo.

And here's what's interesting, there is no specific mountain called Megiddo in that region. But it can also mean hill country. So, it's very likely that this is speaking about the hill country surrounding the Plain Of Megiddo, which is mentioned more than once in the Old Testament. I personally have seen the Plain Of Megiddo. We we cross, we're traveling through Israel, the northern part, and we we stop somewhere for lunch.

And in passing, the tour guide said, oh, by the way, that's Megiddo. And then we just went out with lunch. I'm like, woah, that's where that's where the final thing is going to take place. Why are we and people just, I'm staying here. I'm taking pictures.

You guys go ahead. And I looked at it, and this is the thought that dawned on me. It's this flat, like perfectly flat. And I thought to myself, that's a perfect terrain for war. It's incredible.

So I grabbed somebody and says, hey look, take a picture. I want Megiddo behind me. I said, this is where it's gonna all go down. Now, it's a plane located 60 to 70 miles north of Jerusalem, and it's a site where many battles have been fought in biblical history, and even in human history. And it's the very piece of real estate that God will choose to execute the nations upon Christ's return.

Why am I bringing all of this up? If the 144,000 are symbolic, should these Jewish geographical references be symbolic as well? And if they are symbolic, what do they represent? What? What do they speak about?

We're talking about actual real estate, actual Jews, an actual nation, different parts of that nation. You either take it literally or you do spiritual origami with the Bible. I see it plain. It's too detailed to be allegorical. It's so obvious.

It's so clear. And unlike those who see no value or relevance in the 144,000 being ethnic Jews, their literal identity actually aligns perfectly with prophecies and promises throughout the scriptures, including those who are found in the New Testament. As I mentioned earlier, there's a lot of conversation regarding God's relationship with ethnic Israel today. And interestingly, it was something that the early church was wrestling with in Paul's day. And that's why the Holy Spirit inspired Paul to give answers.

And so he helps him, inspires him, and guides him to pen Romans nine to 11. And in those chapters, we learn about Israel's past and the relationship with God. Israel's present, and in Romans 11, Israel's future. Let's turn to Romans 11. And let's skip over to verse 25.

Listen, if you struggle and try to make sense of God's relationship with Israel, go to Romans 11. Go to Romans 11. And I want you to see what he says here in verse 25. This is brilliant. Paul speaking to many Gentiles, and he says this, lest you be wise in your own sight.

Pause. In other words, I don't want you to come up with your own idea of how this all works. I don't want you to come to your own conclusions separate from what God's word has to say. So don't let politics influence your theology. Don't let what's popular influence what's true.

I'm not concerned with what people have to say. I'm concerned with what God has to say. Lest you be wise in your own sight, I do not want you to be unaware of this mystery. Pause again, forgive me. How many people are unaware of what God's word has to say from Genesis to Revelation about his relationship with Israel?

How many? So many. You have people who have come to conclusions about this who haven't even read through the Bible once. Who don't know the Old Testament, the foundation of the new, and they come out confidently saying, well, this is what you heard that. You didn't even investigate it.

You're regurgitating what somebody said from the pulpit. Are you a brand? Did you examine the scriptures for yourself? Have you come to that conclusion by your own study? Says, I don't want you to be unaware.

Okay. I understand it's not a salvific issue, but the Holy Spirit wants Christians to know. I don't know. No. I want you to know.

I don't want you to be unaware of this mystery. Brothers, a partial hardening has come upon Israel. What hardening are we talking about here? We're talking about a partial, which speaks of the timing of it. It's not a permanent hardening, and it's not a complete hardening in the sense that every single Jew is hardened.

The early church was filled with Jews. Your Messiah is Jewish, and there are Jews today who are coming to Christ. A partial hardening has come upon Israel until the fullness of the Gentiles has come in. So there is a limit to this hardening. There is debate around what does this mean the fullness of the Gentiles has come in.

The most likely interpretation is that God is going to do something with the Gentiles, which he is now in this church age. And when the last Gentile comes to Christ, there's gonna be a shift. There's gonna be a change of focus. Verse 26. And in this way, all Israel will be saved.

That is not saying every single Jewish person will come to Christ. What it is saying is that the nation will identify Jesus Christ of Nazareth as their official Messiah. And in this way, all Israel will be saved as it is written, the deliverer will come from Zion. He will banish ungodliness from Jacob. And this will be my covenant with them when I take away their sins.

Look at verse 28. As regards the gospel, they are enemies for your sake. But as regards election, they are beloved for the sake of their forefathers. Honestly, yes. Go through Romans 11 if you struggle with this.

But if you don't even want to go through Romans 11, what do you do with verse 28? Just verse 28. Because what do people say? Well, the reason why Israel is no longer relevant. No longer will receive special attention from God is because they've denied the Messiah.

And Paul understands that they are enemies regarding the gospel, but that does not nullify their election. As unthinkable and as brutal as that denial of their Messiah is, Paul says, you have to understand. God made a promise to their forefathers. And even their current rejection of the gospel does not cancel those promises. It's clear as day.

It's clear as day. And here's why this all matters. God is saving Gentiles. And when the final Gentile comes into the fold, he will once again turn his attention to the people of Israel on a much larger scale. And it makes perfect sense to understand the tribulation period as fulfilling that mission.

A time when the Jewish people amid great turmoil will be awakened to the folly of denying the Lord Jesus Christ as a messiah, leading to a spiritual revival as the hardening of their hearts is lifted. So when we're studying revelation, we're looking at what? Yes. Judgments and catastrophe catastrophes being unleashed upon the world, But it's not just to judge the world and give them a final wake up call, it's also to awaken Israel. And we should recognize the 144,000 as representing the first fruits of Israel's salvation.

The very same thing that Paul speaking about in verse 26, all Israel will be saved. When is that gonna happen? Well, we're seeing the beginnings of it in chapter seven of the book of Revelation. And we have good reason to believe that that same number of people will serve God in a unique way. Remember, they are identified as servants of our God.

And I believe that they will be spreading the gospel to the world. Remember in Matthew 24 that Jesus, in the middle of all those descriptions of what will happen in the final period of human history, the gospel will also go to what? The entire world. I'm persuaded that the 144,000 will play a major role of evangelizing the nations. Can you imagine that?

A 144,000 Jews will be preaching the gospel in the most dangerous and trying time of human history. And they will also be preaching to their own brothers and sisters of the Jewish race. So if you are someone again who is struggling to accept this, I want you to go back to Romans 11, the passage we just read, and see how Paul quotes the old testament. He goes to Isaiah 59. He goes to Isaiah 27 in verse 26 and verse 27 of Romans 11 to show what?

That the basis of his argument is grounded in the Hebrew scriptures. He, he takes two portions. You can argue, maybe even three, combines them together, and he's showing his Gentile readers. Look, I'm telling you this because the Bible predicted it. The Bible speaks about it.

The prophets foretold it. Why is that important? Because those who believe that the church has replaced Israel will also say that every promise made to Israel in the old is given to the church. Well, hold on. Paul quotes an old testament promise and ascribes it to Israel.

Ethnic Israel. And what I found about those who believe every single promise in the old testament now goes to the church, is that they don't want to take any of the curses that are warned against Israel. Give us the promises, keep the curses. This serves as many proofs that not every promise made to Israel in the old testament is fulfilled in the church despite what many people claim. Contrary to that distortion, Paul is testifying that the spiritual salvation of Israel has been promised from of old and the current rejection of the gospel does not cancel those promises.

Let's come back to Revelation seven. We're talking about actual Jews, a real revival, and we're seeing the budding of the promise that all Israel shall be saved. Now, all of what we just said as we're ready to close is just an overview. And I'm sure you can see how there can be a debate about this and people can go back and forth. So, maybe you're less interested in the conversation of whether or not this is speaking about real Jews or this is speaking about the church, and you have more intricate inquiries like, alright, yeah, I I already am convinced that this is speaking about actual Israel, actual tribes, actual people, actual numbers, but, preacher, where's Dan?

And why is this an unusual list of tribes? I'm not going to answer every single question, but I think that's the most common one when it comes to this text. When it comes to Q and As and people love the book of Revelation, they will ask, hey where's Dan in Revelation seven? There are some who say, well, Revelation seven omits Dan because the Antichrist will come from the tribe of Dan. Where did you get that from?

That's pure speculation. There are some who just wanna explain it away by saying, well, Dan is omitted because he has gone extinct. That specific tribe just dried out, and they're they're no longer present at this point. We can't say for certain why. But if there is any argument we can make from scripture, is by looking at the history of the tribe of Dan, and seeing if that can provide any light to why they are not included in the sealing, and in the service in the tribulation period.

Again, if you know the Old Testament well, you will remember that Dan is associated with great idolatry throughout the Old Testament. You find it in Judges 18. Even in the early stages of the conquest and the settling of the people of Israel in the promised land, Dan rushed into apostasy. Dan adopted false gods and promoted it. False priesthood.

It's very concerning. Then you fast forward at the division of the kingdom. When Rehoboam took over his father, Solomon, and Jeroboam caused the split, he took 10 tribes from the North, and in fear of those tribes going down to Jerusalem to worship at the temple and losing their allegiance, he sets up false worship. And he resurrects the golden calf, and he places one in Bethel and another one where? In the region of Dan.

It became a hub of idolatry. There are other things, other narratives and other clues, even prophecies that indicate that Dan did not have the greatest future. And Dan, they have caused much suffering in terms of the spiritual strength of their brethren. So if we go with that, then we have a practical truth here. That sin disqualifies us from service.

If God is sealing this group of Jews, this remnant in order to serve a purpose, an amazing purpose at a very critical time in human history, and doesn't include Dan, I argue that this is just one of many illustrations showing us one of the costs of sin. That's why you knowing your gifts, and you knowing your ministry is important for your sanctification. Although not the primary motive, it is a motive nonetheless. I want to be used maximally by God. I don't want to miss out opportunities in my life to serve God because of silly sin.

Because of anything that would compromise my testimony. I don't want to miss out. If you want to learn anything from this is, Lord, please let there be nothing in my life that causes you to overlook me when you're ready to use your people. I want to be used. I want to be fit for the master's use.

And so I want to cleanse myself, and I'm praying that you cleanse me. And in this day and hour, that's so relevant for us. We heard it in the announcements. The laborers are few. And I believe the laborers are few for many reasons.

And one of the reasons why there are no no laborers today as much as there could be is because people are caught in iniquity, caught in worldliness and compromise and and sins and secret. Just get rid of all of it and let God use you. Let him recruit you. At the same time, there's a message of hope here even for Dan. Even if you are here today and you are in sin, and you've been in sin since we even started Revelation.

You're interested, you're curious, you're stimulated intellectually, but you haven't developed this hunger to break free from these shackles. Yes, sin disqualifies us. But it never removes you from grace. Never. Grace is always available.

Here's what's so interesting. Some people believe that Dan again has just kind of been swallowed up in obscurity. Or has so damaged their relationship with God as a people group within this nation that they are no longer, they are no longer relevant to God. So, we preach a literal millennial reign of Christ that when Jesus Christ does come back, he will physically rule and reign on the earth. And when you look at the book of Ezekiel, you actually get a blueprint of how some of the the actual geography will look like when Christ does come back.

Again, you're either left with that option or the choice to say, what you find in Ezekiel 40 to 48 is all allegorical. All of those details. The details of the temple, the details of the parameters, and the allotted periods of land, all of that is just spiritual speaking about the abundance of the blessings that we have in the gospel in Christ. I choose a literal approach. And when you look at the very last chapter of Ezekiel, where God gives Ezekiel an actual insight into what will take place around the headquarters of the Messiah in Jerusalem, in Israel, you discover something as the tribes are brought up yet once again and are given different portions of that region.

Go to Ezekiel 48. This will be worth it. This is where we're ending. Ezekiel 48. And speaking about that future time, that actual kingdom, that literal reign with real land in view, Ezekiel 48, verse one.

These are the names of the tribes beginning at the northern extreme beside the way of Hethlon Of Libo Hamath, as far as Hazar Inan, which is on the northern border of Damascus over against Hamath and extending to the east side to the West, Dan. One portion. Do you see what's happening here? The very same tribe that's omitted. And people say, well, where's Ephraim?

Well, you can make a case that he's attached to Joseph. Ephraim is also associated with idolatry, but what's really, really concerning to people is Dan. The same Dan in Revelation seven, who is not mentioned as being under the protection of God during the tribulation period and being sent out to serve God with the gospel, is the first tribe mentioned in the millennial reign. At the end of the tribulation period when Christ comes back and is given a portion of land. The first one out of all the 12.

What are we supposed to take from that? The grace of God. The grace of God. Yes, they were disciplined. Yes, they were removed from this group.

But oh, when the prince of peace comes, when the Messiah arrives, who's on his mind first as he establishes his rule and reign? Dan. Dan. Where's Dan? Dan, this is yours.

Is he worthy of it? No. None of us are. Does he deserve this according to his history? Absolutely not.

But that's what grace is. Do you see that you can even find the character of God in the tribes of Israel in their mention and their omission and prophecies to come? Oh, what a glorious God we have. So when you and I leave this place and somebody asks, who are the 144,000? You can say, well, there's a tribulation period coming and God made promises to the nation of Israel that they shall all be saved.

And God will select a group from every tribe. Well, the lost tribes of Israel. What do you mean? They don't even know where they come from. God knows where they come from.

And he will recruit them and he will use them because he will fulfill his promises to them. And he will show the world that he is a faithful God. And what you find in revelation seven is just the first fruits of what Paul said in Romans 11 that all Israel shall be saved. What an amazing book this is. Lord, we thank you for this word.

We thank you for your promises. We thank you for prophecy. We thank you for the plain reading of these truths. We thank you that although there is an element of mystery to it, when we interpret scripture with scripture, we can have clarification. Lord, we thank you that this issue of your relationship with the people of Israel is not separate from your character.

It ties in to who you are. And Lord, we pray that you give us wisdom and grace even around this conversation. We pray that you equip us further. We pray that we would not operate in our own wisdom, in our own presuppositions or ideas. Lord, help us just submit to the word of God and to the word of God alone.

Lord, we also, in light of this future truth that we're studying, ask for this present time. Oh, use us. Thank you for the ceiling of the holy spirit. Thank you that we're protected from all danger. Thank you that we're not getting out of here until our testimony is over.

But oh, Lord, we don't want anything in our lives to hinder us from your service. So all idols and all sin and all filth, Lord, we pray that you get rid of it and use us, Lord. Not because we are worthy, but because you are. And we long to serve you, and there's no other way we wanna live. So Lord, we pray continue to guide us through this book, and for now we pause to rejoice in the God of this book.

In Jesus' name we pray. Amen. Let's stand. Let's worship the living God.