Глава VII

Imposing a seal on the elect: the appearance of an Angel with the seal of the living God, which was imposed on 144 thousand of the sons of Israel (1-8 art.). A vision of those glorified before the throne, who in countless numbers in white robes and with palm branches stood before the throne and, together with other inhabitants of heaven, glorified God and His Lamb (9-15); an explanation of the source of their bliss (16–17). Rev.7:1. And after this I saw four angels standing at the four corners of the earth, holding the four winds of the earth, so that the wind would not blow on the earth, nor on the sea, nor on any tree. The first vision of the second order speaks of the separation of the righteous from among the wicked during the global disasters of the approaching end of the world. – First, before the prophetic gaze of John, a picture of the calm historical development of the Christian world is revealed under the image of four Angels holding back the winds from their destructive actions. In any case, these are good Angels, and not evil, as Andrew of Caesarea believes, and their image indicates that Christianity represents in history an incomparably greater guarantee of peace and tranquility than pagan religions. Rev.7:2. And I saw another angel rising from the east of the sun and having the seal of the living God. And he cried with a loud voice to the four Angels, to whom it was given to harm the earth and the sea, saying: In time, however, this calm and peace will cease. – A new Angel appears, who has the seal of the living God in his hand. This seal was brought by an Angel for the chosen servants of God and should be, first of all, the distinction and advantage of the chosen servants of God, an indication of their closeness to the Lord God and the protection of God. Therefore, it must be said that this seal is a reflection on the best and most chosen members of the Christian Church of that Divine grace, which, transforming their soul, will transform their appearance - the forehead (Genesis 4:15). But it is difficult to say whether this condition will be marked by any external sign. Rev.7:3. Do not harm the earth, nor the sea, nor the trees, until we put a seal on the foreheads of the servants of our God. The words of the Angel contain a command that must be understood as a command from God, transmitted by the ranks of one Angel to another. The depiction here of good Angels, as leaders of the harmful actions of the elements, is in complete agreement with the priest. Scripture (Ps. 103:4). In this case, good Angels must restrain the harmful actions of the winds until the appearing Angel, together with his fellow servants, puts a seal on the servants of God. Rev.7:4. And I heard the number of those who were sealed: those who were sealed were one hundred and forty-four thousand from all the tribes of the children of Israel. Rev.7:5. Of the tribe of Judah twelve thousand were sealed; of the tribe of Reuben twelve thousand were sealed; of the tribe of Gad twelve thousand were sealed; Rev.7:6. of the tribe of Asher twelve thousand were sealed; of the tribe of Naphtali twelve thousand were sealed; of the tribe of Manasseh twelve thousand were sealed; Rev.7:7. from the tribe of Simeon twelve thousand were sealed; of the tribe of Levi twelve thousand were sealed; of the tribe of Issachar twelve thousand were sealed; Rev.7:8. of the tribe of Zebulun twelve thousand were sealed; of the tribe of Joseph twelve thousand were sealed; Of the tribe of Benjamin twelve thousand were sealed. These sealed from all the tribes of Israel turned out to be 144 thousand. The number itself, 144 tons, according to the consensus of interpreters, is obviously symbolic and should mean the full number of the chosen ones (12 x 12 x 1000). They are called Israelis and, moreover, directly indicating the 12 tribes of the people of Israel. But neither one nor the other circumstance forces us to necessarily conclude that the Israelis by carnal origin are meant here. And the Christians who make up the New Testament church, which is a continuation and replacement of the Old Testament church, can be called true Israelites, if not in the flesh, then in the spirit 39. This understanding is fully consistent with the Apocalypse (Rev. 2:9, 3:9). By sealing we cannot here mean the conversion of Jews to Christianity en masse in recent times (Rom. 11:25–26). This seal cannot be equated with the adoption of Christianity, for the seal is imposed on those who are already servants of God (Rev. 7:3). It is best to understand the sealed as the perfect believers of the last time, who will achieve the highest perfection and spirituality after the general conversion of the Israelis to Christianity - when both Israel in the flesh and Israel in the spirit will form the one flock of Christ. Those sealed by the Angel are the most perfect of the Christians of the last time, the chosen people of God - the same ones that the Savior mentioned in His eschatological speech (Matthew 24:22). Rev.7:9. After this I looked, and behold, a great multitude that no one could number, from all nations and tribes and peoples and languages, stood before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed in white robes and with palm branches in their hands. This new vision speaks of how those Christians who complete their earthly career amid the sorrows of the world and especially among the horrors of the last times are rewarded in heaven. John sees a great multitude of people, that is, the souls of people who were clothed in human images (cf. Rev. 6:9). – The innumerability here is not absolute, taken in contrast to the 144 thousand captured, but the innumerability is relative. The composition of the large crowd indicates its universal character; and, undoubtedly, she, like the souls of Rev. 6:9, is in heaven before the throne of God, and not in earth, like those sealed 144 thousand. So, obviously, this means all the dead Christians who achieved perfection and pleased God with one or another deed of faith and piety. Consequently, to the question whether perfect Christians who died before the time of general judgment and retribution have consolation, the vision being analyzed answers that the souls of perfect Christians after their death move to heaven and stand before the Throne and before the Lamb as a sign of closeness to the Lord as the source of bliss. This is indicated by both white clothes and palm branches, like branches of festive joy. Rev.7:10. And they cried out with a loud voice, saying, “Salvation belongs to our God who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb!” The words of exclamation of the entire multitude, in accordance with the indicated meaning of the palm branches and in accordance with the content of the praise of v. 12, are an expression of the feeling of delight before God and the Lamb, who are saving the world through manifold destinies. The great multitude of saved Christians were not alone before the throne in glorifying the Lord. Here John contemplates Angels, and elders, and animals. All of them, in response to the glorification of the saved saints, confirming it with the word Amen, worshiped before Him who sat on the throne and the Lamb and, for their part, sent them praise (Rev. 5:12) for their seven virtues and perfections 40. Rev.7:11. And all the angels stood around the throne and the elders and the four living creatures, and fell on their faces before the throne and worshiped God, Rev.7:12. saying: Amen! blessing and glory, and wisdom and thanksgiving, and honor and strength and strength to our God forever and ever! Amen. Rev.7:13. And, having begun his speech, one of the elders asked me: who are these dressed in white robes, and where did they come from? Rev.7:14. I told him: you know, sir. And he said to me: these are they who came out of great tribulation; they washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb. The use of the address: master does not mean the worship of John before the elder, but is an expression of the ordinary respect of the questioner to the answerer - the humble John to the elder glorified by God 41. Those who came from the great tribulation are those who endured the tribulation, but did not escape it. And the expression “great tribulation” says (Matthew 24:21-29) that these saved ones are all Christians in general, who both before and in the future (and especially under the Antichrist) will endure suffering and sorrow. By washing clothes it is most natural to understand the removal, by the grace of God, of all sinful filth from the soul of the righteous, and by whitening - the achievement of purity and virtuous perfection. They, the saved ones, are before the throne of God and serve Him day and night, taking advantage of His direct protection. This state of perfect Christians after their death, due to the fact that it is called service, is not complete bliss, but only its predestination. The source and cause of their bliss will be their immediate proximity to the Lamb - a proximity likened to the closeness of a caring shepherd to his sheep. And there will be no tears in their eyes, for they will not have any grief, no sadness. Hengstenberg, Suller, Kliefoth and others. 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