REVELATION - CHAPTER 7 - THE FOUR WINDS
REVELATION – Chapter 7
THE FOUR WINDS
Pastor Carolyn Sissom
Tuesday, July 3, 2012, the Year of Our Lord
From Chapter 7 on to the end of Chapter 11, John describes visions of the end, “things which must be hereafter” (4:1). This is unfulfilled prophecy yet to be fulfilled at the time of the end.
1:19:
(1) “Write the things which you have seen” (the vision of the Glorified Christ).
(2) “The things which are now” (the letters to the seven churches).
(3) “Shortly to come pass” (the persecution of the church 100-225 A.D.).
(4) “Things which must be hereafter” (visions of the end).
The year 2012 may be known as the year of cataclysmic wind storms. There have been violent, record breaking wind storms all over the U.S.A., Turkey, Canada, Argentina, Japan, Europe, Quadra Island; a solar wind storm, Jan 12, 2012 and now another Solar wind storm projected for today, July 4-5th from the coronal sun’s hole.
Rev. 7: 1-2: “And after these things (the opening of the six seals) 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. And 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.
Throughout the Bible, God is pictured as the Master of the winds whether natural or spiritual. He keeps them in his “storehouse” and only by his “authority do they emerge and blow where he sends them. Ps. 104:3 “Who lays the beams of his chambers in the waters; who makes the clouds his chariot; who walks upon the wings of the wind.”
The Holy Spirit is also described as a Wind. The four winds, East, West, North and South are all used figuratively in the Bible of the judgments of God; of the Holy Spirit and of heresy.
The East wind is the wind of the wilderness. This is metaphorical of the operation of God’s Spirit in trials, tribulations, and testing’s. Every house---life, family, ministry or nation---is tested by the wind of the Spirit. (Luke 6: 46-49). All that is founded upon the Rock (Jesus Christ) will still be standing when the work of the wind is accomplished. The east wind will break us, but it will also deliver us.
I had a vision of this Holy Wind and know that it is a powerful, supernatural presence of Holiness. I have no qualms about declaring that the winds of God are His supernatural power and presence to do His work, His strange work in our lives and the universe. This I know!!!
I have also experienced what I perceived to be the south Wind, a Holy Wind of God penetrating and blowing through my whole body. This I know!!!
Psalm 78:26: “He caused an east wind to blow in the heaven; and by his power he brought in the south wind.”
West wind: Strength, forgiveness, blessings, prosperity, a gentle breeze (Ez. 10:19).
North wind: Brings forth rain, harsh cold conditions (Prov. 25:23; Songs. 4:16).
South wind: Quiets the earth, soft warm or hot wind, whirlwind, comfort, growth, increase.
Matt. 24: 29-30:When the Lord comes again in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory, He shall send his angels with a great sound of a trumpet and they shall gather together his elect from the four winds from one end of heaven to the other.”
The Second Coming of Christ has cosmic significance. The four winds will be released to gather together his elect from the four corners of heaven.
Here in Revelation 7:3, the four angels holding back the four winds of the earth are restrained by the voice of the fifth angel from harming earth, sea and trees until God’s elect are sealed. “Saying, hurt not the earth, neither the sea, nor the trees, till we have sealed the servants of God in their foreheads.”
The fifth angel has the seal of the living God. Scripture speaks of three sealing’s:
(1) Baptism by water
(2) Baptism of the Holy Spirit
(3) The Mind of Christ
The seal here with which God’s servants are to be sealed is elsewhere called His name. Rev. 14:1: “I looked, and, lo, a Lamb stood on the Mount Zion, and with him a 144,000 having his Father’s name written in their foreheads.”
The Lord spoke to me in 1989, that wherever I went, I was to “seal” the foreheads of His people. I know that I carry that anointing of the “we” who are called to seal the servants of God. Why and how I do not know? However, this I know!!! It does not matter to me whether anyone knows or understands. By faith, I do that which the Lord commissioned me to do. The faithful are sealed against the great day of divine wrath.
Rev. 7:4: “And I heard the number of them which were sealed; and there were sealed 144,000 of all the tribes of the children of Israel”
As one would expect, this is one of those controversial scriptures with as many interpretations as there are commentaries. It is my faith statement that the followers of Christ are here viewed as the true ‘Israel of God’; and the number indicates the sum total of the faithful. I believe this to be a firstfruits company. This is emphasized by the breaking down of the number among the twelve tribes.
There are many who passionately believe the 144,000 are Jews who have received Christ as their Savior and the ‘great multitude’ (Vs. 9) is the Church. I believe the ‘great multitude’ described in verse 9 are the martyrs who have been through the great tribulation. These are defintely Christians.
It is my faith statement that here the twelve tribes, like the twelve gates to the city (Rev. 21: 12-13) are metaphorical of twelve experiences which progressively unfold from the Christ (the God or divine) nature within us. (Col. 1:26-29; 11 Pet. 1: 1-4; gal. 4: 19; 11 Th. 1: 10-12). I have an in depth teaching on the anointings of the Twelve Gates of Pearl 12/2/07 on the website, www.eastgateministries.com
When the Lord blew his breathe into the earth and raised up this ministry, Heaven was showing up in our gatherings. We didn’t have a name. I said to the Lord, ‘What is our name? Heaven shows up in our meetings, so we must have a name.” Immediately the Lord answered, “The East Gate”.
This, of course, prompted an in depth study of the gates of the city. When Jesus walked on earth, He was the fulfillment of the “Temple”, “the sacrifices”, “the feast days”, “the Jubilee”, and “the Priesthood”. We are now “the Temple”. Therefore, within us is the anointing of the gates of the city. The glory of God will return through the East Gate.
“Carolyn teach New Jerusalem as purity”. The city = A people – The abode for the fullness of God = Body of Christ = the Lamb’s wife – The church in Glory and Perfection. The city has God’s Glory = God’s nature = He is glory land.
144,000: God’s ultimate in creation and redemption exponentially.
This conviction in no way takes away from the place of honor due the 12-tribes of Israel in their redemptive purposes in the Kingdom of God.
The order of the tribal names here are different than in Gen. 49; Numbers 2; and Ezekiel 48. I am sure the order here has a special significance, but at this time that significance escapes me. Judah, however, is doubtless placed first because Christ belonged to it (Heb. 7:14); (Gen. 49:10).
See Detailed Study “Twelve Gates of Pearl, 12/2/07; The Blessing of the House of Jacob, 11/25/07; www.eastgateministries.com
Judah 12,000 = Praise.
Reuben 12,000 = Behold a son.
Gad 12,000 = A troop.
Asher 12,000 = Happy, Blessed.
Naphtali 12,000 = my struggle or wrestling.
Manasseh 12,000 = Causing to forget.
Simeon 12,000 = Hearing.
Levi 12,000 = Union, twined, joined.
Issachar 12,000 = Reward, hired.
Zebulum 12,000 = Dwelling, habitation.
Joseph 12,000 = May he add or gather.
Benjamin 12,000 = Son of the right hand.
There is much conversation because the Tribe of Dan is omitted here where Manasseh now stands. As I was studying this, I was somewhat intimidated by the teachings of Saint Irenaeus, Bishop of Gael (France), 125-202. He was a student of Polycarp who was discipled by St. John. It was Ireneaus’ belief that Dan was omitted here based of Jeremiah 8:16 that the anti-Christ is to come from this tribe. “The snorting of his horses was heard from Dan: the whole land trembled at the sound of the neighing of his strong ones; for they are come, and have devoured the land, and all that is in it; the city, and those that dwell therein. For behold, I will send serpents, cockatices, among you, which will not be charmed, and they shall bite you, says the Lord."KJV)
This surmising became the subsequent interpretation by others. This is probably the origin of the idea that the anti-christ will be a Jew. This is why this would be very important. I have done extensive study on the anti-Christ and the spirit of anti-Christ, but had not connected this scripture to him.
Without deeper study, I cannot see in this scripture any indication of the anti-Christ. However, who am I to make that determination? Like I said, if Saint Ireneaus came to this conclusion either by revelation or through John's interpretation, this is to be taken as an important interpretation. His source was the LXX Version of the Bible.
LXX Version Jeremiah 8:14-16: Why do we sit still? Assemble yourselves, and let us enter into the strong cities, and let us be cast out there: for God has cast us out, and made us drink water of gall, because we have sinned before him. 15 We assembled for peace, but there was no prosperity; for a time of healing, but behold anxiety.
16 We shall hear the neighing of his swift horses out of Dan: the whole land quaked at the sound of the neighing of his horses; and he shall come, and devour the land and the fullness of it; the city, and them that dwell in it. 17 For, behold, I send forth against you deadly serpents, which cannot be charmed, and they shall bite you 18 mortally with the pain of your distressed heart.”
Rev. 7: 9-14: “After 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; and cried with a loud voice, saying, Salvation to our God which sits upon the throne, and unto the Lamb. And 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, saying, Amen: Blessing, and glory, and wisdom, and thanksgiving, and honor, and power, and might be unto our God for ever and ever. Amen. And one of the elders answered, saying unto me, what are these which are arrayed in white robes? And whence came they? And 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.”
The Christian Clement of Rome and the pagan Tacitus both describe the victims of Nero’s persecution as ‘a great multitude'. How much greater, then, must be the full complement of Christian martyrs from every nation, tribe, people and language. John emphatically does not confine his vision to Jewish Christians. These martyrs, having already glorified God in death, have no need to be sealed against the eschatological judgment like the ‘servants of our God’ in verse 3. Yet in either case we are reminded that the Israel of God knows no national frontiers. These came from all nations, kindreds, people and tongues.
Included in this “great multitude” will be the martyrs revealed after the breaking of the fifth seal whose souls are under the altar. “These were slain for the word of God, and for the testimony which they held; and they cried with a loud voice, saying, How long, O Lord, holy and true, will you not judge and avenge our blood on them that dwell on the earth…white robes were given them…but they must rest until their fellow-servants and brethren should be killed.” (Rev. 6:9-11)
When their number is complete, they will no longer remain ‘under the altar’, but stand in the presence of God; to the white robes of blessedness carrying the palm branches of victory. They ascribe their victory to God and to Christ (7:10). The Lamb’s conquest is also theirs. “Salvation” in verse 10 has the fuller sense of victory.
Psa. 98: 1-3: “The Lord has made known His salvation: his righteousness has he openly shown in the sight of the heathen…”
They fell down on their faces before the throne and worshipped God. The triumph of the martyrs elicits similar praise to that which hailed the triumph of the Lamb in 5: 8-14; and rightly so, because their triumph is His, and won in the same way. One of the elders asked John who and what they are? John answered him by calling him “Sir”. Even the great apostle, spoke respectfully and reverently to the celestial elder.
“These are they which came” may be timeless. It is plain that they are not still in process of arriving; their number is complete. This great tribulation is different from that of 2:22; from the “hour of trial” of 3:10; and from the wrath against which the elect were sealed in 7:3-8. In all those verses it is divine judgment against the wicked that is in view. This great tribulation must also be distinguished from the tribulation predicted in Mark 13:19, which fell on Judea and Jerusalem in A.D. 70.
The tribulation of the 'great multitude' of our present passage is the persecution of the followers of Christ which broke in such intense malignity in John’s day and continues until the ultimate triumph and return of Christ.
We western Christians may forget too easily that the present day is one of intense and large-scale persecution of the church.
They have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb. This is a vivid way of saying that their present blessedness and their fitness to appear in the presence of God have been won for them by the sacrifice of Christ.
Rev. 7: 15-17: ‘Therefore are they before the throne of God, and serve him day and night in his temple; and he that sits on the throne shall dwell among them. They shall hunger no more, neither thirst any more; neither shall the sun light on them, nor any heat. For the lamb which is in the midst of the throne shall feed them, and shall lead them into living fountains of waters; and God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes.”
The blessedness of the glorified martyrs is elaborated in language derived from Isa. 49:10, where Yahweh guides the liberated exiles home. The Lamb at the center of the throne will be their shepherd. In Isa. 49:10, it is Yahweh who takes pity on His people and leads them. Here it is Christ who acts as shepherd. Plainly ‘the Lamb’ is here used as an established title of Christ. He will lead them to springs of living water. God will wipe away every tear from their eyes.
Isa. 49:10: “They shall not hunger nor thirst; neither shall the heat nor sun smite them; for he that has mercy on them shall lead them, even by the springs of water shall he guide them.”
Isa. 25:8 “He shall swallow up death in victory; and the Lord God will wipe away tears from off all faces; and the rebuke of his people shall he take away from off all the earth; for the Lord has spoken it.”
I continue to teach the Book of Revelation in five dimensions as the Holy Spirit leads. One can teach this Book using either/or of these dimensions and be correct. The depth and layers of the Book of Revelation are not limited to these dimensions, but simply the ones revealed to me at the time of this teaching:
- What it meant to those to whom it was written.
- What it means to the individual Christian today.
- What it means for the future.
- What it means for the natural forces of earth and the heavens.
- What it means metaphorically.
The Book of Revelation is "timeless" and will continue speaking through all eternity.
Carolyn Sissom, Pastor
Eastgate Ministries, Inc.
Scripture from K.J.V.; LXX Version of the Bible; I entered into the labors of F. F. Bruce, F. F. Bruce Bible Commentary; the visions, comments and conclusions are my own and do not reflect the views of those who I entered into their labors.