December 20 / Revelation 7:1-8:13

Revelation 7:1-8:13

It’s a strange listing of the Israeli tribes in 7:5-8. Dan is missing while Levi is included. Joseph is included, as is his son, Manasseh, but his son Ephraim is not included. You may recall in the division of the Promised Land back in Joshua that twelve tribes were given land. Levi was excluded, having been given the priesthood, and the twelve tribes included the two sons of Joseph.

The angels and the elders and the four living creatures worshiping in verse 7:11 say, “Amen! Blessing and glory and wisdom and thanksgiving and honor and power and might be to our God forever and ever! Amen.” Back in Rev. 5:12 the myriads worshiping said, “Worthy is the Lamb who was slain, to receive power and wealth and wisdom and might and honor and glory and blessing!” In today’s reading “thanksgiving” replaces “wealth” in that earlier listing. Interestingly, Rev. 5:13 has a shorter listing: “To him who sits on the throne and to the Lamb be blessing and honor and glory and might forever and ever!” Compared to Rev. 5:12, “power and wealth and wisdom” are excluded. What makes this interesting is that Solomon asked for wisdom to guide the people and the Lord granted him his wish, giving him power and wealth also. (See I Kings 3:5-15.)

As I read 7:16-17 today I thought of stories I have read of prisoners of war in Japan in WWII and in Vietnam in the 1960s and 1970s: They shall hunger no more, neither thirst anymore, the sun shall not strike them, nor any scorching heat … and God will wipe away every tear from their eyes. As these POWs were released and brought back into American society their medical and physical needs were met, but I doubt that every tear was wiped away. Although comparisons can be made, the “rest” that comes with those who come out of the “great tribulation” is beyond anything we can imagine.

So today we’ve seen the seventh seal broken and four trumpets sounded. Three trumpets remain. We’ll do five and six tomorrow and number seven the day after.