Revelation moves to activities in heaven with seals 5 and 6.
Seal 5 – The White Robed
9And when he had opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of them that were slain for the word of God, and for the testimony which they held: 10And they cried with a loud voice, saying, How long, O Lord, holy and true, dost thou not judge and avenge our blood on them that dwell on the earth? 11And white robes were given unto every one of them; and it was said unto them, that they should rest yet for a little season, until their fellowservants also and their brethren, that should be killed as they were, should be fulfilled. – Revelation 6:9-11 KJV
We are given the beautiful visual of God’s hope, being made white as spoken of throughout scripture. These souls in heaven were slain for the Word of God and their testimony for Jesus Christ. They are rewarded by being in God’s temple, under His altar. As their cries are heard by God, they are blessed with white robes and told to wait a season until the group is complete. This is the introduction of the group that will continue to grow throughout the times of persecution and suffering.
Seal 6 – Greater Earthly Destruction, Kings Hide, Wrath, 4 Angels at 4 Corners of Earth
12And I beheld when he had opened the sixth seal, and, lo, there was a great earthquake; and the sun became black as sackcloth of hair, and the moon became as blood; 13And the stars of heaven fell unto the earth, even as a fig tree casteth her untimely figs, when she is shaken of a mighty wind. 14And the heaven departed as a scroll when it is rolled together; and every mountain and island were moved out of their places. 15And the kings of the earth, and the great men, and the rich men, and the chief captains, and the mighty men, and every bondman, and every free man, hid themselves in the dens and in the rocks of the mountains; 16And said to the mountains and rocks, Fall on us, and hide us from the face of him that sitteth on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb: 17For the great day of his wrath is come; and who shall be able to stand? – Revelation 6:12-17 KJV
1And 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. – Revelation 7:1 KJV
Seal 6 continues the great destruction of the earth we know. It describes a transition from warnings to wake up those who have been blindly going through life on earth, ignoring the need to have Christ as their Lord and Savior to events reflecting Christ’s wrath. Christ has been seeing His elect on earth martyred for their faith. The “wrath of the Lamb” in Revelation 6:16 KJV is against those who crucified Him, those who still reject Him. Our human selves will be overwhelmed by the power and force happening before our eyes and to our physical bodies, but we do not need to fear. We just need to accept the new understanding of the power of God we are going to experience and believe in His will for each of us.
The earth will be flattened with an angel assigned to each of the 4 corners. Men will fear the seismic shaking, but those of Christ’s Ekklesia, God’s children, we will know what is happening. The amount we feel shaken will be a direct correlation to our closeness with God the Father and our allowance of Holy Spirit to take control of our life. We will be completely intimidated by the power of God in this moment and will seek His protection. But I believe we will receive it at this time in supernatural ways. Through this shaking and divine protection, we will receive confirmation we are His!
This is the point the elite of the earth, the kings of the earth will seek cover in their caves. God’s power will be displayed in the great shakings of the earth, with heaven rolling up like a scroll and mountains and islands being displaced. The great power of God will be unmistakeable!
144K from the 12 Tribes of Israel
2And 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, 3Saying, Hurt not the earth, neither the sea, nor the trees, till we have sealed the servants of our God in their foreheads.
4And 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. – Revelation 7:2-4 KJV
More details regarding the 144K sealed is provided later in Revelation.
1And I looked, and, lo, a Lamb stood on the mount Sion, and with him an hundred forty and four thousand, having his Father’s name written in their foreheads. 2And I heard a voice from heaven, as the voice of many waters, and as the voice of a great thunder: and I heard the voice of harpers harping with their harps: 3And they sung as it were a new song before the throne, and before the four beasts, and the elders: and no man could learn that song but the hundred and forty and four thousand, which were redeemed from the earth. 4These are they which were not defiled with women; for they are virgins. These are they which follow the Lamb whithersoever he goeth. These were redeemed from among men, being the firstfruits unto God and to the Lamb. 5And in their mouth was found no guile: for they are without fault before the throne of God. – Revelation 14:1-5 KJV
The Lamb, Jesus Christ, stands on Mt. Sion in heaven with the 144K sealed servants. A voice in heaven is heard by John, along with singing of the 4 beasts, elders and the 144K servants.
The servants are those who were redeemed from earth, not defiled by women, implying they are male. They are virgins, follow the Lamb everywhere and are the “first fruits of Christ.” No guile is in their mouths and they are without fault. All of these qualities would parallel those of innocent children sacrificed for Christ on earth. They would have a unique purity only children have.
White Robed Group Revisited
9After 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; 10And cried with a loud voice, saying, Salvation to our God which sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb. 11And 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, 12Saying, Amen: Blessing, and glory, and wisdom, and thanksgiving, and honour, and power, and might, be unto our God for ever and ever. Amen.
13And one of the elders answered, saying unto me, What are these which are arrayed in white robes? and whence came they? 14And 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. – Revelation 7:9-14 KJV
The multitude of those persecuted for their testimony of Christ, the White Robed, moves out from under the altar of God to in front of the altar and are given palms. Remember, people laid palms at the feet of Christ a week before His crucifixion. These palms are symbolic of the period leading up to the return of Christ starting.
Reward for the White Robed
15Therefore 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. 16They shall hunger no more, neither thirst any more; neither shall the sun light on them, nor any heat. 17For 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. The closing of seal 6 presents “the Lamb which is in the midst of the throne”. Christ is still on the throne in heaven, with God and the great multitude in white, persecuted for their testimony of Jesus Christ. – Revelation 7:15-17 KJV
The closing of seal 6 presents “the Lamb which is in the midst of the throne”. Christ is still on the throne in heaven, with God and the great multitude in white, persecuted for their testimony of Jesus Christ.