1 After this I saw four angels standing at the four corners of the earth, holding back the four winds of the earth, so that no wind would blow on the earth or on the sea or on any tree. 2 And I saw another angel ascending from the rising of the sun, having the seal of the living God; and he cried out with a loud voice to the four angels to whom it was granted to harm the earth and the sea, 3 saying, “Do not harm the earth or the sea or the trees until we have sealed the bond-servants of our God on their foreheads.” (Revelation 7:1–3)
One final cogitation on the sealing of 144,000 men to spread the gospel during the tribulation.
Let’s say for the moment that there is no rapture of the church, and the seven-year tribulation commences. It would appear that the 144,000 witnesses would be redundant and unnecessary, since the true Christians on earth would be every bit as capable of performing this role, and would already be endowed with the Holy Spirit, and by definition already washed in the blood of the Lamb. They’d not have to be sealed as well, just called. On the other hand, if the planet is spiritually desolate by the absence of the Holy Spirit in bodily form, these men would be direly necessary to guide people to the truth. There’d also be no need for the brief respite from the suffocating effects of the harnessed wind and unfiltered sun as described here.
A tribulation period devoid of true Christians at the start is in and of itself a terrifying thought. Today we as Christians “restrain evil” by virtue of what we will not do and what we do. We offer the “cool cup of water” to the thirsty, both figuratively and literally, and how much more so if the world plunges into chaos and darkness, struck from all sides with calamity. No wonder why the hold is placed on the actions of the four angels at the four corners of the earth. It also follows that once the 144,000 are sealed, the suffocation begins.
But there is a ray of hope in the blazing sun. If there is indeed a hard stop to this tribulation for the converted, whether by starvation, a sharp blade, or the passage of time, an oasis awaits.
16 “They will hunger no longer, nor thirst anymore; nor will the sun beat down on them, nor any heat;
17 for the Lamb in the center of the throne will be their shepherd, and will guide them to springs of the water of life; and God will wipe every tear from their eyes.” (Revelation 7:16–17)
Reading on, the Almighty God has some other tricks up his sleeve to draw the people of earth to himself.
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