This parenthetical chapter shows us what God will accomplish in spite of man and Satan. “He is the Living God and steadfast forever” (Dan. 6:26). “The counsel of the Lord standeth forever, the thoughts of His heart to all generations” (Psa. 33:11).
We have here an “election of grace” (Rom. 11:5)—from both the nation of Israel and the Gentiles, both intended for the kingdom—“God’s mighty masterpiece of fair creation, light of the Messianic dispensation.”
Only the tribes of Judah and Benjamin will be in the land during the days of the Antichrist, but from Ezekiel 20 we learn that the ten tribes will also join them, after the rebels have been purged out, and God “will make them one nation in the land upon the mountains of Israel” (Ezek. 37:22; see Note 4).
Twelve thousand (figuratively) were sealed from each of the twelve tribes of Israel which are named. The figure twelve stands for administration by man. There are many examples of this. First there are the twelve loaves of showbread in the holy place in the tabernacle in the wilderness. Then we have the twelve Apostles of the Lamb, whose names are in the twelve foundations of the holy city Jerusalem, where also there are twelve gates, picture of administration by the church, associated with Christ, in a thousand year rule over the earth.
Dan is omitted from the names of the twelve tribes, and to make up the gap, Manasseh, a son of Joseph, has been inserted. Now Dan as a tribe will have his portion of land, along with the other tribes in the millennium—see Ezekiel 48:1—“a portion for Dan.” We do well then to inquire what is meant by his omission in our chapter. Going back to Genesis 49 we find Jacob foretelling what would befall his sons in the last days. Of Dan he said “Dan shall be a serpent by the way, an adder in the path.” Teachers and students of Scripture have long felt that the Antichrist will come out of Dan, and if so this more than explains his not being mentioned in Revelation 7. Since only Judah and Benjamin will be in the land during the days of the Antichrist, one might wonder how the latter could come of Dan. But it is clear there were some of the ten tribes remaining in the land even in the days of the Lord Jesus while on earth, as witness Luke 2:36—“Anna, a prophetess, . . . of the tribe of Aser.”
In Psalm 22, also in Chapters 1, 2, 20 and 21 of John’s gospel, we have the death of Christ presented, and the consequent blessing flowing first to the church, then to the nation of Israel, then to the Gentile nations. These latter now come into view from verse 9 to the end of the chapter. It is the fulfillment of Psalm 2:8—“ask of Me, and I shall give Thee the nations for Thine inheritance.” This “great multitude which no man could number, of all nations” were those who had believed “the everlasting gospel,” preached to “every nation, and kindred, and tongue, and people” (Rev. 14:6-7). They are the “sheep” of Matthew 25:31-46. Of them Jesus said “come, ye blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you before the foundation of the world.” They stand before the throne, which indicates their position as on earth. Beautiful to see them in white robes, their faith honored, and palms of victory in their hands. Even more beautiful it is to learn of their knowledge of the Lamb, as it is before Him they stand while ascribing salvation to the God who sits upon the throne. The angels, living creatures, and elders, are seen in complete harmony with this joyful scene, as usual rendering worship, blessing, and thanksgiving to God. Further, we learn that the white robed multitude came out of the great tribulation, “the hour of temptation which shall come upon all the world” (Rev. 3:10) and the basis of their blessing is “the blood of the Lamb.” They are to serve God day and night in His temple. They will be among those spoken of in Micah 4:2, “and many nations shall come, and say, come, and let us go up to the mountain of the Lord, and to the house of the God of Jacob, and He will teach us of His ways, and we will walk in His paths, for the law shall go forth of Zion and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem.” The Lamb Himself will shepherd them, God will dwell among them, and wipe away all tears from their eyes. This supposes their faith produced persecution from their fellow countrymen, the goats of Matthew 25:46, who “go away into everlasting punishment.” Nothing can exceed the expressions of grace, tenderness, and care of the Gentile overcomers, on the part of God and the Lamb, as given in verses 15-17. At the very moment when man and Satan were disputing God’s title to His own earth, these victorious ones had heeded the call to “fear God, and give glory to Him.” They maintained His title.
In the twenty first chapter of Revelation we have a picture of the church above during the millennial reign of Christ. We read “the glory of God has enlightened it, and the lamp thereof is the Lamb. And the nations shall walk by its light.” “They shall bring the glory and honor of the nations to it.” Better than all else is the word in Romans 15:12—“and again, Esaias saith, there shall be a root of Jesse and He shall rise to reign over the Gentiles—in Him shall the Gentiles trust.” Well might Paul, the Apostle to the Gentiles, say at Antioch in Pisidia—“for so hath the Lord commanded us . . . , I have set Thee to be a light of the Gentiles that Thou shouldest be for Salvation unto the ends of the earth” (Acts 13:47; also Isa. 49:6).