THE HUNDRED AND FORTY AND FOUR THOUSAND AND THE PROPHETIC CHAINS.
By John G. Matteson
BY ELD. JOHN G. MATTESON. Text. Rev. 7:1: “And after these things I saw four angels standing on the four corners of the earth, holding the four winds of the earth, that the wind should not blow on the earth, nor on the sea, nor on any tree.” Revelation 7 shows how the servants of God are sealed before Christ comes to gather his elect out of all nations, and kindreds, and peoples, and tongues. It is not difficult to understand when this sealing takes place, if we consider this chapter in its proper connection. Waters are a prophetic symbol of nations. Rev. 17:15. The four winds, which put the sea in motion, denote, consequently, wars and commotions among the nations. Dan. 7:2. The four angels, holding the four winds of the earth, may represent heavenly beings, whom God has appointed to restrain the warring elements on earth, that they may not hinder the work of salvation. To prepare the children of God for the glorious revelation and eternal kingdom of our Lord is a work of the greatest importance. In the last days we find a remnant on the earth of the Israel of God, and the last message of mercy is sounding to prepare them for the great day. But at the same time the nations of the earth are swayed to and fro by restless party-spirits, like the great deep of the ocean, the waves of which never cease entirely. The political and social elements are burning under the ashes, and move the masses. They may be compared to the subterranean fire which shakes the surface of the earth here and there, and then again rolls back to its hidden fountains, governed by unseen powers, until at last it will break loose and roll forth with general destruction in the great day of the Lord. The monarchs of earth fortify themselves with vast armies and navies and with terrible weapons, exceeding everything hitherto known in the world. At the same time the leaven of socialism is at work from one end of the earth to the other, among the many millions who are groaning under the tyranny of aristocracy. The angels of God restrain these unruly elements until the mystery of the gospel is finished, and the wrath of the nations breaks loose without restraint. Rev. 11:18. Then shall the wrath of God also be poured out, and the slain of the Lord shall be from one end of the earth even unto the other end of the earth. Jer. 25:33. Another strong proof that this sealing takes place in the time of the end is found in the connection in which it stands. The prophet presents many times and in various ways the great struggle between light and darkness, truth and error, good and evil, the people of God and earthly powers. He presents clearly the terrible vengeance that falls upon the wicked. He paints the outer darkness in strong colors. But he never closes the prophetic chains with these. He shows also how the people of God gain a glorious victory in the struggle, and how they rejoice as they gather around the throne of God in Heaven. The division of chapters by the translators in Revelation is not a consistent one. They have in many instances cut off the last glorious, closing link of the prophetic chains, and the errors in the interpretation of the book of Revelation are chiefly based on this mistake. No one would be satisfied to read a book that leads us step by step through mysteries and finally leaves them unsolved, presenting no closing chapter to the story. No more can we be satisfied unless the last link of every prophetic chain is united with the former links. And all those theories which sever from the prophetic chains the last crowning link, are theories of error. Every chain is perfect in itself. It is a prophetic history of successive events. Every link is a chapter, and chapter after chapter is opened up before us for the purpose of bringing us to the grand consummation. Think ye that those many beasts representing kingdoms are delineated so particularly for the purpose of merely making us acquainted with their character? No, indeed! They serve as waymarks to lead us to the city of God; and for this reason they are interesting to us. Therefore, we insist upon uniting the last golden link of every prophetic chain in Revelation to its predecessors. And we declare that no one has a right to sever them. If this point can be made clear, it is a strong point for Seventh-day Adventists, and is worthy of our special attention. We will now notice some of these prophetic lines:— The Lord will remove the candlestick of those who do not repent, but he that overcometh shall “eat of the tree of life, which is in the midst of the paradise of God.” Rev. 2:5–7. The Lamb was slain and his blood spilt on the earth, but countless throngs of “every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation,” shall praise God and the Lamb, and “shall reign on the earth.” And every creature in Heaven, and on the earth, and under the earth shall finally say, “Blessing, and honor, and glory, and power, be unto Him that sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb forever and ever.” Rev. 5:13. The seven trumpets (chapters 8, 9, 10, 11) bring terror and destruction upon the earth; but at last it is announced, “The kingdoms of this world are become the kingdoms of our Lord, and of his Christ; and he shall reign forever and ever.” Chap. 11:15. Pagan and Papal Rome wear out the saints of the Most High with terrible persecutions and cast down the truth of God to the ground. The two-horned beast, or the last mighty government in the earth—the United States of America—establishes an image to the first beast, and will at last compel its subjects to worship the image and receive the mark of the first government (papacy). Chapters 12, 13. But does the story end here? No, indeed! It would leave us in gross darkness if it did. The one hundred and forty-four thousand are God’s servants, who refuse to worship the image and receive the mark. Their Father’s name is written in their foreheads, and they are not defiled with women. They have hearkened to the voice of God which called them out from Babylon and her harlot daughters. Chap. 17:5; 18:1–4. They are caught up into Heaven, where they praise God upon celestial harps, and with a voice “as the voice of many waters, and as the voice of a great thunder.” Chap. 14:1–5. How wild and meaningless the theories of those who sever this golden link from the prophetic chain to which it justly belongs! It looks to them like some huge rock, cut loose from its original mountain chain by volcanic action and hurled down upon the level prairie, many miles from kindred rocks. No wonder that some, looking upon it from such a stand-point, apply it to the babes in the time of Herod, and others to the Jews. How beautiful and harmonious, on the other hand, is the truth, which through preceding chapters leads us to this glorious termination. Well may it encourage our souls and lead us on to battle and to victory in the name of Jesus. The warning messages of the three angels are now sounding before men. Most of the people reject them, and are cast into the great wine-press of the wrath of God, from which blood flows like rivers. Rev. 14:7–20. But those who obey the messages, keeping the commandments of God and the faith of Jesus, and thus gain the victory over the beast, and over his image, and over his mark, stand on the sea of glass, having the harps of God. And they sing the song of Moses and of the Lamb. Chap. 15. The seven last plagues are poured out upon the earth, and “great Babylon” comes in “remembrance before God, to give unto her the cup of the wine of the fierceness of his wrath.” She is burned with fire. Death, mourning, and famine come upon her. Merchants and sailors, who were made rich by her, wail and cry at the smoke of her burning. The voice of musicians and singers is hushed. The sound of the mill is heard no more. The light of the candle is gone out in thick darkness. The voice of the bridegroom and of the bride has ceased. Her sins and iniquities have reached unto Heaven, and God rewards her double according to her works. Her mirth and glee are silent. The stillness of hades reigns. Outer darkness has veiled the earth like a pall. Life with its busy scenes has passed away. Rev. 16; 17; 18. Does the prophet leave us in this terrible darkness? No! The next chapter presents a living picture of the eternal joys which the people of God obtain in Heaven. And the “great voice of much people in Heaven” comes from those who have been persecuted and tormented by the great whore, and who therefore rejoice over her judgments. They are the servants of God, who fear him, both small and great. And as they sing Alleluia, their voice is like the voice of many waters, and as the voice of mighty thunderings. They have come to the marriage of the Lamb, and rejoice at his marriage supper. Rev. 19:1–9. Jesus comes with his heavenly host to smite the nations with the sharp sword that goes out of his mouth. Kings and captains, free and bond, small and great, perish, and the fowls of heaven eat their flesh. Rev. 19:11–21. “For wheresoever the carcass is, there will the eagles be gathered together.” Matt. 24:28. But the people of God shall sit upon thrones, and reign with Christ a thousand years. Rev. 20:4. They are blessed and holy; for they have a part in the first resurrection. Verse 6. And finally “the kingdom under the whole heaven shall be given to the people of the saints of the Most High, whose kingdom is an everlasting kingdom.” Dan. 7:27. The wicked dead, small and great, whose names are not written in the book of life, come forth from hades. They are cast into the lake of fire. They die the second death. Rev. 20:12–14. But God shall wipe away all tears from the eyes of his children, and give them an incorruptible inheritance in the earth made new. Then “there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain; for the former things are passed away.” Rev. 21:1–4. The New Jerusalem shall glorify the earth, and the glory of God shall remain with men forever. These considerations show clearly that when in Revelation the victory and glory of the people of God are delineated, those individuals who come out of that tribulation, and are saved from those plagues which have been previously presented, are always represented as enjoying the triumph. And every line of prophecy, delineating the great conflict between truth and error, and the terrible fate of those who reject the warning of God, shows also the great salvation of those who believe and obey the word of God. Every one must acknowledge that the tribulation spoken of in Rev. 6:14–17, is the tribulation of the last great day. And that which is next presented is the sealing of the one hundred and forty-four thousand, and their final salvation. Rev. 7. Therefore, if it is the wicked and unbelieving who live in the last generation that cry unto mountains and rocks, “Fall on us, and hide us from the face of Him that sitteth on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb; for the great day of his wrath is come, and who shall be able to stand?” then it is also the righteous who live in the last generation that are sealed, and saved from the wrath of the Lamb. Does the prophetic line, commenced in Rev. 6, present a picture of corruption in the nominal church, growing darker and darker until the saints of God are slain like victims on a bloody altar, and, finally, of the removal of rocks and mountains, and of the wrath of the Lamb hurled against the wicked with terrible destruction, and then drop the curtain, leaving us in thick darkness? Who can believe it? Our hearts cry out, What is there on the other shore? What becomes of those who do give heed to the signs of the times? Where is the relief we expected as we patiently followed down link after link in the mysterious chain? Is the Bible written specially for believers? And are these prophetic lines waymarks for weary pilgrims on the thorny path to the kingdom? Then tell us the end of the story! Show us the great object for which you introduced these painful revelations! Show us the special work among the people of God in the last days, that we may share in it, be sealed with the seal of God, receive the Father’s name in our foreheads, and escape the wrath of the Lamb! Yes, we will show you all this. Here it is. It follows right along in beautiful connection. Rev. 7 makes it all clear; and Rev. 8:1–5 opens the seventh seal and reveals additional circumstances in connection with this great work. Oh, what a grand relief! A flood of light and glory breaks forth from this one beautiful picture, as we look from the company of the wicked and their destruction, and see the redeemed of the last generation joined with the great multitude which no man can number of all nations, and kindreds, and peoples, crying, “Salvation to our God which sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb.” The Lord has spoken. His word is being fulfilled. The servants of God are sealed, as they keep the commandments of God and the faith of Jesus. They refuse the mark of an earthly government, and accept of the sign which God has established between him and his people, Eze. 20, and with longing hearts they look for the day when they shall “see the King in his beauty.”