Thursday 02 August 2012
"Do not damage the earth or the sea or the trees, until we have marked the servants of our God with a seal on their foreheads." (v. 3)
Background
The 144,000 of Revelation have givenrise to a great deal of speculation over the centuries. The numberoccurs in both chapters
Among those who read Revelationprimarily as describing future events there have been a number ofgroups identifying themselves with these mysterious 144,000.Perhaps best known are the Jehovah's Witnesses.
Revelation's mysterious 144,000 havealso entered popular consciousness. It is rumoured to haveinfluenced the popular American TV series, 4400.
The 144,000 are introduced after theopening of the sixth of seven seals on a scroll held in the hand ofGod (see Revelation 6:12-17). The opening of this sixthseal unleashes divine judgement on the earth amid scenes of humandesolation and despair.
It is in this context of desolationand judgement that we find our key verse for today. Judgement is tobe delayed until the servants of God can be marked with a seal.
In ancient Near Eastern culture a sealwas a symbol of authority and identity. Its function is similar tothat of a signature on the back of a credit card. Along with theimpression of one's name on the card, the signature serves toidentify and to authenticate the bearer of the card.
And so it is here; those servants ofGod marked with a divine seal bear an imprint which serves both toidentify and to authenticate them during a time of great trial anddesolation. God will not leave the faithful without hope in timesof despair.
I don't pretend fully to understandall that Revelation 7 is about. However, it is reminder that oursis a God who offers hope in despair; and this at least I dounderstand and value.
To Ponder
- What might it mean for you to bear God's imprint in a worldsearching for hope?
- Revelation leaves us with an unresolved dilemma. On the onehand God is presented as being in control of all things. On theother, it also presents scenes of desolation and devastation. Howdo we begin to reconcile our belief in a good and sovereign God inthe face of human despair?