This passage has been debated over and over in the past century or so. Some believe it is the number of Jewish believers who will be saved during the Tribulation. Others believe it is the number of super-elite who will occupy the highest heaven (vs. the lower heavens). I subscribe to neither of these.
Two things. First of all, what is this passage about? It is written concerning those who will be “sealed” so that they are protected from the catastrophes that are about to take place. These will be safe during the apocalypse.
Secondly, these numbers are symbolic. Even the concept of the tribes of Israel is symbolic. Two numbers are prominent – the number 12 and the number 1000. And the multiplication of these numbers is also a significant symbol. As I mentioned earlier, there were twelve sons of Jacob, twelve tribes of Israel, and Jesus had twelve disciples whom he chose to pour his life into.
1000 is the complete number. 12 times 1000 is the complete number of the chosen ones. Israel was chosen to reveal God to the world. The 12 disciples were chosen to carry the life of Jesus to their world. 12 X 12 X 1000 signifies God’s complete revelation through his chosen ones on earth.
The twelve tribes of Israel painstakingly enumerated here are meant to remind us of the previous apocalyptic deliverance of Israelites from slavery in Egypt. In the last plague, each household of the Israelite slaves was marked, sealed, if you will. When the death angel saw the seal on the door of a house, he passed over it. Every other house in Egypt lost the first born. Death reigned all around those who were sealed, but they were not touched. Each of the twelve tribes lost no one. They remained complete.
And so, this passage lets us know that when the four angels release the winds of catastrophe, those sealed, chosen ones from every tribe of Israel, whether Jews or Gentiles, will be safe from destruction. Israel here speaks of all those whom God has chosen – all believers. Galatians 3:29 says, “If you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise.” John was sending this to the seven churches in Asia Minor, all of them made up of both Jew and Gentile believers. And this beautiful characterization of them as the complete congregation of God’s chosen ones, sealed with his protection, is awesome to behold.
Two things. First of all, what is this passage about? It is written concerning those who will be “sealed” so that they are protected from the catastrophes that are about to take place. These will be safe during the apocalypse.
Secondly, these numbers are symbolic. Even the concept of the tribes of Israel is symbolic. Two numbers are prominent – the number 12 and the number 1000. And the multiplication of these numbers is also a significant symbol. As I mentioned earlier, there were twelve sons of Jacob, twelve tribes of Israel, and Jesus had twelve disciples whom he chose to pour his life into.
1000 is the complete number. 12 times 1000 is the complete number of the chosen ones. Israel was chosen to reveal God to the world. The 12 disciples were chosen to carry the life of Jesus to their world. 12 X 12 X 1000 signifies God’s complete revelation through his chosen ones on earth.
The twelve tribes of Israel painstakingly enumerated here are meant to remind us of the previous apocalyptic deliverance of Israelites from slavery in Egypt. In the last plague, each household of the Israelite slaves was marked, sealed, if you will. When the death angel saw the seal on the door of a house, he passed over it. Every other house in Egypt lost the first born. Death reigned all around those who were sealed, but they were not touched. Each of the twelve tribes lost no one. They remained complete.
And so, this passage lets us know that when the four angels release the winds of catastrophe, those sealed, chosen ones from every tribe of Israel, whether Jews or Gentiles, will be safe from destruction. Israel here speaks of all those whom God has chosen – all believers. Galatians 3:29 says, “If you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise.” John was sending this to the seven churches in Asia Minor, all of them made up of both Jew and Gentile believers. And this beautiful characterization of them as the complete congregation of God’s chosen ones, sealed with his protection, is awesome to behold.
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