Please explain Revelation 7:3.
To answer your good question, let’s read Revelation 7:1-4, “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. 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, Saying, Hurt not the earth, neither the sea, nor the trees, till we have sealed the servants of our God in their foreheads. 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.”
The scene spoken of occurs during the seven-year Tribulation period, after the church has been raptured to Heaven. Revelation 5:1 tells us, “And I saw in the right hand of him that sat on the throne a book written within and on the backside, sealed with seven seals.” This scroll contains the judgments of God that must take place before the Lord Jesus can return and set up His Millennial kingdom on the earth. The Apostle John began to weep as he realized there was no man worthy of opening this scroll with the seven seals. We then read in verse 5, “And one of the elders saith unto me, Weep not: behold, the Lion of the tribe of Juda, the Root of David, hath prevailed to open the book, and to loose the seven seals thereof.” It was Christ Himself who was worthy to break the seals and open the scroll. In chapter 6, the Lord opens 6 of the seals, bringing different and terrible judgments upon the earth.
Chapter 7 is a parenthesis, with the seventh seal being opened in chapter 8.
In chapter 7, we have two groups of people brought before us. In verses 1-8, we have a sealed remnant of Jewish people. There are 144,000 of these people “of all the tribes of the children of Israel.” In reading verses 5-8, we see there are 12,000 people from each of the twelve tribes of Israel. We see that four angels from the four corners of the world holding back the strong wind of God’s judgment. Another angel comes forward with instructions that the four angels should hold off and not hurt the earth until these servants of God can be sealed. What loving and meticulous care the Lord has for His people. To ensure their safety, the judgements of God are postponed until each one receives this seal in their foreheads. These people were known of by Christ and were sealed by His Spirit. They are called, “the servants of our God.” The seals in their foreheads show them to belong to the Lord and they are guaranteed that they will survive the seven years of the Tribulation.
Although it is not part of the question, it would be good for us to notice the other group of people mentioned in this chapter. In verses 9-17, we read of a different group of people. These are not Jewish people, but, according to verse 9, they are “a great multitude, which no man could number, of all nations, and kindreds, and people, and tongues.” These are Gentiles. Verse 14 tells us “These are they which came out of great tribulation, and have washed their robes, and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.” As I said at the outset, these things occur during the Tribulation period. However I want to ask you, dear reader, about what is going on in your life right now. Can it be said of you that you have been made white in the blood of the Lamb? We read the words of the Lord in Isaiah 1:18, “Come now, and let us reason together, saith the LORD: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool.” We can be washed as white as snow by the blood of the Lamb when we put our faith in the Lord Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior. 2 Corinthians 5:21 teaches us that it is by faith in Christ that we can be “made the righteousness of God in him.” (179.6)