The Sixth Seal, the Latter Rain
and the Sealing of the 144000
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Artwork Used By Permission © Pat Marvenko Smith
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12 When He [the Lamb] broke open the sixth seal, I looked, and there was a great earthquake; and the sun grew black as sackcloth of hair, [the full disc of] the moon became like blood. 13And the stars of the sky dropped to the earth like a fig tree shedding its unripe fruit out of season when shaken by a strong wind. 14And the sky rolled up like a scroll and vanished, and every mountain and island was dislodged from its place. 15Then the kings of the earth and their noblemen and their magnates and their military chiefs and the wealthy and the strong and [everyone, whether] slave or free hid themselves in the caves and among the rocks of the mountains, 16And they called to the mountains and the rocks, Fall on (before) us and hide us from the face of Him Who sits on the throne and from the deep-seated indignation and wrath of the Lamb. 17For the great day of His wrath (vengeance, retribution, indignation) has come, and who is able to stand before it?
Revelation 6:12-17 Amplified Bible
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After the disclosure of the sixth divine mystery, God begins to shake both things in the heavens and on the earth, and mankind begins to realize that the deep-seated indignation and wrath of the Lamb of God is upon them. During this period two very important events take place; the first is the outpouring of the latter rain and the spirit of prophecy (Joel 2) and secondly, a plumbline is drawn across the Household of God and the 144,000 are sealed (Revelation 7:1-17).
(If you have entered the site at this page, please read this article from the beginning so that you may understand all that is actually taking place as Christ removes each seal.)
The Outpouring of the Latter Rain and the Spirit of Prophecy
If we look closely at the events that are taking place at the sixth seal judgment we notice that the sun grows black as sackcloth and the moon turns blood red.
12 When He [the Lamb] broke open the sixth seal, I looked, and there was a great earthquake; and the sun grew black as sackcloth of hair, [the full disc of] the moon became like blood.
These two events of the sun turning black and the moon blood red are the two events that are prophesied by Joel at the time of the outpouring of the latter rain (the outpouring of the Spirit of God) and the gift of prophecy comes to the forefront.
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A Plumbline is Drawn and the 144,000 are Sealed
Also during this time frame of the manifestation of the sixth seal judgment and the outpouring of the spirit of prophecy, a plumbline is drawn across the Household of God by the sealing of the 144,000.
1 AFTER THIS I saw four angels stationed at the four corners of the earth, firmly holding back the four winds of the earth so that no wind should blow on the earth or sea or upon any tree. 2 Then I saw a second angel coming up from the east (the rising of the sun) and carrying the seal of the living God. And with a loud voice he called out to the four angels who had been given authority and power to injure earth and sea, 3 Saying, Harm neither the earth nor the sea nor the trees, until we have sealed the bond servants of our God upon their foreheads. 4 And [then] I heard how many were sealed (marked) out of every tribe of the sons of Israel: there were 144,000.
12,000 of the tribe of Reuben,
12,000 of the tribe of Gad,
6Twelve thousand of the tribe of Asher,
12,000 of the tribe of Naphtali,
12,000 of the tribe of Manasseh,
7Twelve thousand of the tribe of Simeon,
12,000 of the tribe of Levi,
12,000 of the tribe of Issachar,
8Twelve thousand of the tribe of Zebulun,
12,000 of the tribe of Joseph,
12,000 of the tribe of Benjamin.
This particular portion of Scripture deals with those that are still alive on the face of the earth during this time (it does not deal with those who have already died in Christ), and as we can see, this vision given to the Apostle John deals with a group of people that are divided into those that are sealed and those that will go through the Great Tribulation:
Those that are sealed,
1 AFTER THIS I saw four angels stationed at the four corners of the earth, firmly holding back the four winds of the earth so that no wind should blow on the earth or sea or upon any tree. 2 Then I saw a second angel coming up from the east (the rising of the sun) and carrying the seal of the living God. And with a loud voice he called out to the four angels who had been given authority and power to injure earth and sea, 3 Saying, Harm neither the earth nor the sea nor the trees, until we have sealed the bond servants of our God upon their foreheads. 4 And [then] I heard how many were sealed (marked) out of every tribe of the sons of Israel: there were 144,000.12,000 of the tribe of Reuben,
12,000 of the tribe of Gad,
6Twelve thousand of the tribe of Asher,
12,000 of the tribe of Naphtali,
12,000 of the tribe of Manasseh,
7Twelve thousand of the tribe of Simeon,
12,000 of the tribe of Levi,
12,000 of the tribe of Issachar,
8Twelve thousand of the tribe of Zebulun,
12,000 of the tribe of Joseph,
12,000 of the tribe of Benjamin.
And those that are to go through the Great Tribulation,
9 After this I looked and a vast host appeared which no one could count, [gathered out] of every nation, from all tribes and peoples and languages. These stood before the throne and before the Lamb; they were attired in white robes, with palm branches in their hands. 10 In loud voice they cried, saying, [Our] salvation is due to our God, Who is seated on the throne, and to the Lamb [to Them we owe our deliverance]! 11 And all the angels were standing round the throne and round the elders [of the heavenly Sanhedrin] and the four living creatures, and they fell prostrate before the throne and worshiped God. 12 Amen! (So be it!) they cried. Blessing and glory and majesty and splendor and wisdom and thanks and honor and power and might [be ascribed] to our God to the ages and ages (forever and ever, throughout the eternities of the eternities)! Amen! (So be it!) 13 Then, addressing me, one of the elders [of the heavenly Sanhedrin] said, Who are these [people] clothed in the long white robes? And from where have they come? 14 I replied, Sir, you know. And he said to me, These are they who have come out of the great tribulation (persecution), and have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb. 15 For this reason they are [now] before the [very] throne of God and serve Him day and night in His sanctuary (temple); and He Who is sitting upon the throne will protect and spread His tabernacle over and shelter them with His presence. 16 They shall hunger no more, neither thirst any more; neither shall the sun smite them, nor any scorching heat. 17 For the Lamb Who is in the midst of the throne will be their Shepherd, and He will guide them to the springs of the waters of life; and God will wipe away every tear from their eyes.
In other words, at this time, a plumbline is drawn across the entire Household of God (those that profess the Name of Jesus).
7 Thus He showed me, and behold, the Lord stood upon a wall with a plumb line, with a plumb line in His hand. 8 And the Lord said to me, Amos, what do you see? And I said, A plumb line. Then said the Lord, Behold, I am setting a plumb line as a standard in the midst of My people Israel. I will not pass by and spare them any more [the door of mercy is shut]. 9 And the [idolatrous] high places of Isaac (Israel) shall be desolate and the sanctuaries of Israel shall be laid waste, and I will rise with the sword against the house of King Jeroboam [who set up the golden calf shrines].
So the question is, "Who are the 144,000 that are sealed?"
