Scofield Reference Bible Notes
Revelation 7

Rev 7:1 And after these things I saw four angels standing on the four corners of the earth, holding the the four winds of the earth, that the wind should not blow on the earth, nor on the sea, nor on any tree.

angels [See also Rev 7:2.]

Scofield Hebrews 1:4, note.

the four winds of the earth

Cf. Dan 7:2; cf. Eph 2:2

Rev 7:2 And I saw another angel ascending from the east, having the seal of the living God: and he cried with a loud voice to the four angels, to whom it was given to hurt the earth and the sea,

the seal of the living God

Contra, Eph 1:13.

Rev 7:3 Saying, Hurt not the earth, neither the sea, nor the trees, till we have sealed the servants of our God in their foreheads.

till we have sealed the servants of our God

Cf. 2Th 2:7.

Rev 7:4 And I heard the number of them which were sealed: and there were sealed an hundred and forty and four thousand of all the tribes of the children of Israel.

there were sealed an hundred and forty and four thousand

Israel (prophecies). Rev 21:12. (Gen 12:2, 3; Rom 11:26.)

of all the tribes

Gen 49:3, 27; cf. Deu 33:6-25; cf. Eze 48:1-7, 23-28.

Rev 7:9 After this I beheld, and, lo, a great multitude, which no man could number, of all nations, and kindreds, and people, and tongues, stood before the throne, and before the Lamb, clothed with white robes, and palms in their hands;

a great multitude

Cf. Rom 11:25; cf. Isa 60:5.

Rev 7:10 And cried with a loud voice, saying, Salvation to our God which sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb.

Salvation

Scofield Romans 1:16, note.

Rev 7:11 And all the angels stood round about the throne, and about the elders and the four beasts, and fell before the throne on their faces, and worshipped God,

beasts

living creatures. See Scofield Ezekiel 1:5, note.

Rev 7:13 And one of the elders answered, saying unto me, What are these which are arrayed in white robes? and whence came they?

elders

Elders. Rev 7:11, 13-14; 11:16. (Act 11:30; Tit 1:5-9.)

What

Who.

Rev 7:14 And I said unto him, Sir, thou knowest. And he said to me, These are they which came out of great tribulation, and have washed their robes, and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.

Sir

My Lord.

These are they

Remnant. Rev 7:4-8, 12, 17; 12:17. (Isa 1:9; Rom 11:5).

out of great tribulation

Literally out of the great tribulation.

tribulation

Tribulation, (the great). Rev 7:13-14. (Psa 2:5; Rev 7:14).

The great tribulation is the period of unexampled trouble predicted in the passages cited under that head from Psa 2:5 to Rev 7:14 and described in Rev 11-18. Involving in a measure the whole earth (Rev 3:10), it is yet distinctly "the time of Jacob's trouble" (Jer 30:7), and its vortex Jerusalem and the Holy Land. It involves the people of God who will have returned to Palestine in unbelief. Its duration is three and a half years, or the last half of the seventieth week of Daniel. (Scofield Daniel 9:24-27, note; Rev 11:2-3). The elements of the tribulation are:

1. The cruel reign of the "beast out of the sea" (Rev 13:1), who, at the beginning of the three and a half years, will break his covenant with the Jews (by virtue of which they will have re-established the temple worship, Dan 9:27), and show himself in the temple, demanding that he be worshipped as God (Mat 24:15; 2Th 2:4).
2. The active interposition of Satan "having great wrath" (Rev 12:12), who gives his power to the Beast (Rev 13:4-5).
3. The unprecedented activity of demons (Rev 9:2, 11); and
4. the terrible "bowl" judgments of Rev 16.

The great tribulation will be, however, a period of salvation. An election out of Israel is seen as sealed for God (Rev 7:4-8), and, with an innumerable multitude of Gentiles (Rev 7:9), are said to have come "out of the great tribulation" (Rev 7:14). They are not of the priesthood, the church, to which they seem to stand somewhat in the relation of the Levites to the priests under the Mosaic Covenant. The great tribulation is immediately followed by the return of Christ in glory, and the events associated therewith (Mat 24:29-30). See "Remnant" (Scofield Isaiah 1:9; Romans 11:5, note); "Beast" (Scofield Daniel 7:8; Revelation 19:20, note); "Armageddon" (Scofield Rev 16:14; Revelation 19:17, note).

made them white in the blood

1Jo 1:7; cf. Zec 3:3-5.

Rev 7:15 Therefore are they before the throne of God, and serve him day and night in his temple: and he that sitteth on the throne shall dwell among them.

before the throne

Rev 7:9.

Rev 7:16 They shall hunger no more, neither thirst any more; neither shall the sun light on them, nor any heat.

light on

strike upon.

heat

burning heat.

Rev 7:17 For the Lamb which is in the midst of the throne shall feed them, and shall lead them unto living fountains of waters: and God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes.

Lamb

Shepherd. Eze 34:23.

living fountains of waters

fountains of waters of life.

God

Adonai Jehovah. Isa 25:8.