7:1-3 The suspension of God=s judgment
7:4-8 The sealing of the Jews
7:9-17 The salvation of the Gentiles
Suspension of the judgment between the 6th and 7th seals / Without chapter 7 you would have a narrative of the 7 seals - this chapter is parenthetical. This seems to be a prayer of the prophet Habakkuk in 3:2. God=s mercy stayed before a great judgment.
God remembered mercy on the Passover in Egypt, before the flood of Noah, and at Calvary when He shook the earth and brought it into darkness. In that hour of Christ=s death God might have closed the books on man in judgment, but rather He remembered mercy, and salvation was revealed to the world.
7:1 Afour angels@/ God=s ministers: Heb. 1:7,14
Afour corners@/ Isa. 11:12; Jer. 49:36; Matt. 24:31
7:3 Atill@/ temporary restraint
7:4 - 144,000 are the not the church, because the Church is neither strictly Jewish or Gentile: Eph. 2:11-18; Gal. 3:27-28;
Rev. 7:9 / and the church is already in Heaven.
*The full representative number is always 12. Jacob had 13 sons, one or the other is always omitted from the lists. Levi is generally omitted. In Revelation Dan and Ephraim are omitted. Both of these tribes accused of being in idolatry in Israel, the probable reason for blotting out their names in Deut. 29:18-21. But in the end grace triumphs: Dan is named first in the future distribution of the land in Ezek. 48:2, but is the furthest removed from the temple in the extreme north.
*The fact that the 12 tribes of Israel are singled out for special reference is another evidence that the term AIsrael@ is invariably a reference to the descendants of Jacob. Gal. 6:16 is no exception to this rule. The idea that the church is the true Israel is never used of Gentiles and refers only to those who are only descendants of Jacob or Israel.
7:9-10 The saved during the tribulation. 2 Thess. 2:10-12
Their position: before the throne
Their purity: clothed in white robes
Their protection: Palms - picture and symbol of joy and victory: John 12:12-13; Neh. 8:15-17
Their praise: salvation to our God and unto the lamb.
7:11-15 Their privilege
7:16 Their provision