Mercy in the Midst of Wrath

After this. (Revelation 7:1a, NIV 1984)

My Musings – After the sixth seal, and before discussing the opening of the seventh seal (Revelation 8:1), John pauses to relate two other visions.  These two visions are the sealing of the servants of God (Revelation 7:1–8), and the great multitude before the throne (Revelation 7:9–17). “After this” may mean that this vision follows the vision of the sixth seal, not necessarily that the events described in this vision follow the sixth seal.

Why the pause? Even though God’s people are not appointed to suffer God’s wrath (see Romans 8:35, 39; 1 Thessalonians 5:9), the description of the judgments corresponding to the first six seals would likely be overwhelming to John’s Christian audience. This might partly explain why the sequence of judgments leading up to the seventh seal is interrupted by the visions in the seventh chapter of Revelation.  They provide a reminder to John’s readers that the people of God need not despair, because “the servants of our God” (Revelation 7:3) have God’s seal.  In this “lull” in the storm, between the opening of the sixth and seventh seals, John describes how the mercy of God is extended to two groups of people – Jews and Gentiles.

Apparently, during this unprecedented time of Great Tribulation that is to fall upon the earth, there will be a vast company of repentant Israelites that will be sealed for preservation, and a great multitude of the Gentiles, that will be moved to repentance toward Christ.  These two groups appear to be separate and distinct from the Church, which may have been already raptured by this time.  These two groups of people are depicted in Figure 14.1.

My Advice – Even in the midst of God’s wrath we catch glimpses of His mercy. But not for those who ultimately and finally reject His Son, and in so doing reject His mercy. The mercy is still available but will not be one day. Don’t delay, for no one knows when that day will be.

Sources:

Robertson, A. T. (1933). Word Pictures in the New Testament (Re 7:1). Nashville, TN: Broadman Press.

Keener, C. S. (1993). The IVP Bible background commentary: New Testament (Re 7:1–8). Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press.

Sloan, R. B. (1998). The Revelation. In D. S. Dockery (Ed.), Holman concise Bible commentary (p. 672). Nashville, TN: Broadman & Holman Publishers.

Wiersbe, W. W. (1992). Wiersbe’s expository outlines on the New Testament (p. 815). Wheaton, IL: Victor Books.

Brooks, K. (2009). Summarized Bible: Complete Summary of the New Testament (p. 91). Bellingham, WA: Logos Bible Software.