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.
angels
(See Scofield "") .
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,
angel
(See Scofield "")
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 an 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.
salvation
(See Scofield "") .
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,
angels (See Scofield "") .
beasts living creatures. (See Scofield "") .
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.
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.
tribulation
The great tribulation is the period of unexampled trouble predicted in the passages cited under that head from Psalms 2:5 to Revelation 7:14 and described in Re 11.-18. Involving in a measure the whole earth Revelation 3:10 it is yet distinctly "the time of Jacob's trouble" Jeremiah 30:7 and its vortex Jerusalem and the Holy Land. It involves the people of God who will have returned to Palestine in unbelief. Its duration is three and a half years, or the last half of the seventieth week of Daniel. (See Scofield "Jeremiah 30:7") . Revelation 11:2; Revelation 11:3 The elements of the tribulation are:
(1) The cruel reign of the "beast out of the sea" Revelation 13:1 who at the beginning of the three and a half years, will break his covenant with the Jews (by virtue of which they will have re-established the temple worship, Daniel 9:27 and show himself in the temple, demanding that he be worshipped as God ; Matthew 24:15; 2 Thessalonians 2:4.
(2) The active interposition of Satan "having great wrath" Revelation 12:12 who gives his power to the Beast Revelation 13:4; Revelation 13:5.
(3) The unprecedented activity of demons Revelation 9:2; Revelation 9:11 and
(4) the terrible "bowl" judgments of Revelation 16.
The great tribulation will be, however, a period of salvation. An election out of Israel is seen as sealed for God Revelation 7:4-8 and, with an innumerable multitude of Gentiles Revelation 7:9 are said to have come "out of the great tribulation" Revelation 7:14. They are not of the priesthood, the church, to which they seem to stand somewhat in the relation of the Levites to the priests under the Mosaic Covenant. The great tribulation is immediately followed by the return of Christ in glory, and the events associated therewith Matthew 24:29; Matthew 24:30.
See "Remnant" Isaiah 1:9.
(See Scofield "Isaiah 1:9") . "Beast" See Scofield "Isaiah 1:9" See Scofield "Isaiah 1:9" "Armageddon" Revelation 16:14. See Scofield "Revelation 16:14".
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.
God
Adonai Jehovah. Isaiah 25:8.