Rev. 7; Psalm 42:1-2

Rev. 7
We have seen the opening of the first 6 seals. Chapter 7 is a sort of parentheses before we will look at the opening of the 7th seal in Chapter 8.

God controls all of nature, and He asks for calm for a time before He uses the forces of nature as a judgment. vv. 1-3  The calm before the storm is for the purpose of placing a seal on the foreheads of 144,00 Jewish people who will be special servants of God. vv. 3-8  Perhaps they are the ones who witnessed about Jesus to the great multitude of Gentiles mentioned in v. 9.

These 144,000 Jews are placed in contrast to a great unnumbered multitude of Gentiles "from every nation, tribe, people and language, standing before the throne and in front of the Lamb. They were wearing white robes and were holding palm branches in their hands. And they cried out in a loud voice: 'Salvation belongs to our God, who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb.'" These are saved people, and they come from every place on earth! Jesus offers the gift of salvation to the whole world though some will receive it and some will not. John tells us in vv. 13 and 14 that these particular believers are Gentiles who will be saved through faith in Christ during the Tribulation. Their sins were covered by the blood of Jesus Christ, the Lamb!

John tells us about them:

• They are before the throne of God.
• They serve Him day and night.
• God protects them.
• Apparently their testimony for God came at a great cost of suffering and hunger, v. 16
• Jesus is their shepherd, and He will care for them.
• God will comfort them. v. 17

We can make application from this picture to all of God's people who are or will be in heaven. We will be able to praise and serve God perfectly. Jesus will be our Shepherd, and we will lack nothing!

Psalm 42:1-2
One of the greatest needs we have is the need for water. We can't go very long without it! When a person or an animal is deprived of water, they become desperate to find it. This is how we should feel about our fellowship with God. I'm afraid that we fall far short of feeling our need for God!

"As the deer pants for streams of water, so my soul pants for you, O God. My soul thirsts for God, for the living God. When can I go and meet with God?"