Will any be saved during the tribulation?
April 21, 2021
Commentary
Chapter seven is a parenthesis. In this chapter there is a break between the sixth and seventh seals. This period of tribulation takes place after the church leaves the earth, after the church concludes its mission and is taken to be with the Lord. From our Scripture passage today I believe we will find the answer to the question that many ask: Will there be any saved during the tribulation? This is answered in this chapter, where two classes of the saved are mentioned specifically: 144,000 Jewish evangelists on earth (vv. 1-8), and their converts (vv. 9-17). It is very evident that God has a remnant that will be saved, sealed, and called out for the use of evangelism during the great tribulation. It seems that in the midst of wrath God reminds us of His mercy for His own.
The sealed Remnant of Israel (Jews) (vv. 1-8) – This refers to 144,000 Israelites made up of the 12 tribes with 12,000 from each tribe who will be sealed and protected during the Tribulation. It is obvious that Israel will be in the Tribulation, and though men do not know the identification of each tribe today, certainly God knows. It is interesting to note that in the list of tribes Dan is omitted and Manasseh is substituted. Speculation has it that Dan was omitted because it was one of the first tribes to go into idolatry.
Application
I am thankful that the same God who has been merciful to the Jews and will send out 144,000 Jewish evangelists during the tribulation was also merciful to save me.
Revelation 7:1– 8 (NET)
1 After this I saw four angels standing at the four corners of the earth, holding back the four winds of the earth so no wind could blow on the earth, on the sea, or on any tree. 2 Then I saw another angel ascending from the east, who had the seal of the living God. He shouted out with a loud voice to the four angels who had been given permission to damage the earth and the sea: 3 “Do not damage the earth or the sea or the trees until we have put a seal on the foreheads of the servants of our God.” 4 Now I heard the number of those who were marked with the seal, 144,000, sealed from all the tribes of the people of Israel:
5 From the tribe of Judah, twelve thousand were sealed, from the tribe of Reuben, twelve thousand, from the tribe of Gad, twelve thousand,
6 from the tribe of Asher, twelve thousand, from the tribe of Naphtali, twelve thousand, from the tribe of Manasseh, twelve thousand,
7 from the tribe of Simeon, twelve thousand, from the tribe of Levi, twelve thousand, from the tribe of Issachar, twelve thousand,
8 from the tribe of Zebulun, twelve thousand, from the tribe of Joseph, twelve thousand, from the tribe of Benjamin, twelve thousand were sealed.
Illustration: Misappropriated Scripture
In their earlier days, the group known as Jehovah’s Witnesses claimed they constituted the144,000. They misappropriated this Scripture and applied it to themselves, though they are not Jews and never were. They ran into difficulty, however, when the group grew beyond 144,000. They did not know what to do with the leftovers, so they started another category of 144,000. They taught there was an earthly band of 144,000 and a heavenly band, and if you believed their doctrines in the early decades of this century you could belong to the heavenly band. But now, again, they have a problem because they number more than 288,000 today, so they have created still a third band called “the servant band.” If you join the Jehovah’s Witnesses today you must come in at the servant level. That is just one example of the many ways people can twist Scripture to make it fit their own program. (Lou Nicholes, Author and Missionary).