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(Rev 7:1~3)
1. The work of the four angels (Revelation 7:1) - War ban
Revelation 7:1 says, “After these things I saw four angels standing at the four corners of the earth, holding back the four winds of the earth, so that they did not blow on the earth or on the sea or on any tree.”
1) The active realms of the four angels stand at the four corners of the earth (Rev 7:1).
The number 4 refers to the land, which means that their area of activity is related to all areas of the east, west, north, and south. Then, it shows that the activities of the four angels mobilized for the preparation of the seal are spreading all over the world.
2) The authority of the four angels is to control the wind (Rev 7:1).
They were given the authority to hold onto and control the winds in the four directions of the earth. This is to act on behalf of a part of God's judgment authority.
In the Bible, there are angels in charge of fire (Revelation 14:18) and angels in charge of water (Revelation 16:15). These are all agents and servants of God's righteous judgment.
So what does wind mean? In the Bible, wind meant global war (Jer. 49:36-37) or the calamity of global great tribulation (1 Kings 19:11, Job 1:19, 21:18, 30:15, Psalm 1:4). , 147:18, Jeremiah 22:22, Dan 2:35, 7:7). Then these four angels are the angels in charge of the global war that will take place on earth.
God claims rain and wind, thunder and lightning. He mobilizes this and uses it as an instrument of punishment for the wicked for the salvation of the elect, and as an instrument of judgment. God also uses them as tools for the protection and salvation of the saints.
3) The object of the exercise of authority
(1) It is the earth (Revelation 7:1).
The earth, in Revelation and elsewhere in the Bible, refers to the world of sin, which is generally the realm of unbelief. Revelation 12:12 says, “Therefore, rejoice in the heavens and those who dwell in them, but woe to the earth and the sea, for the devil knows that his time is short, for he has come down to you in great anger.” said In this case, the earth means the entire realm of evil that Satan rules.
(2) It is the sea (Revelation 7:1).
What does 'sea' mean? It means the countries of this world. Daniel 7:2 says, "Daniel spoke and said, "I saw a vision in the night, and the four winds of heaven blew and blew against the great sea." If so, this angel is exercising its influence over all the nations of the world.
(3) Various trees (Rev 7:1).
These ‘various trees’ meant all classes of human beings in this world (Isaiah 10:18-19, Ezekiel 31:3, 4, 5, 15, 17, 19). Then the four angels are concerned with all the peoples of all the nations of the world who have settled on this earth.
(4) War ban (Rev 7:1)
These angels “… He took hold of the four winds of the earth, so that the wind did not blow on the earth or on the sea or on any tree” (Revelation 7:1). Then there will be final devastation and ruin in this world in the future. For this ruin awaits the wind, the war. Before the devastation of this horror comes, God's people must be sealed with the seal of God in order to be saved from that ruin.
The work of the four angels that appeared before is those who have been entrusted with the work of putting on hold the cosmic and apocalyptic wars. However, their active work, the deterrence of war, or the order of suspension, had a probation of execution until a seal was put on the foreheads of the servants of God (Rev 7:3).
2. The work of other angels (Revelation 7:2~3)
1) An angel with the seal of the living God.
Revelation 7:2 says, “And I saw another angel, having the seal of the living God… ' he said.
(1) He is said to be the living God.
① This means that he is a personal god compared to a dead foreign god.
Matthew 16:16 says, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” In Matthew 26:63, when the high priest was questioning Jesus, he said, “I make you swear by the living God, tell us if you are the Christ, the Son of God.” Hebrews 3:12 also says, “Brothers, take heed, lest any of you have an evil heart in unbelief and fall from the living God.” “He who lives forever and ever” (Rev 4:9-10), God who has been for ever (Rev 15:7).
② It means God of power.
In particular, this means that God does not fail in fighting the enemies of the saints. Joshua 3:10 says, “The living God is among you.” That God is the God who saved us from Egypt, who saved us with power in the wilderness, and who has power in driving out the Canaanites.
③ There is also the meaning of being a God who satisfies (Psalm 90:14).
④ There is also the meaning of being a personal God who makes promises and answers (2 Kings 19:35).
⑤ It means the eternal God (Genesis 21:33).
(2) It is said to be the seal of the living God (Revelation 7:2).
'Seal' (sfragi/da) means seal, seal, ring, mark, evidence, mark of guarantee, etc. It is a sign of one's personality and rights. Especially the seal of the king is great. In ancient times, the kings of the East wore jade-chain rings.
What does “the seal of the living God” mean?
① It is a sign of the absolute sovereign authority of the living God.
② It is a sign that shows the living God as the absolute owner.
③ It is a sign indicating the absolute protection of the living God.
④ It is a sign of the absolute and unchanging truthfulness of the living God. It represents the inexhaustible effect of the seal power.
This other angel was said to have 'had' these seals of the living God. This represents the fact of professional handling of the seal of God.
2) It is an angel that comes up from the rising of the sun.
“And I saw another angel coming up from the rising of the sun, having the seal of the living God, and he cried with a loud voice to the four angels, who had been given power to harm the earth and the sea” (Revelation 7:2). Here, ‘the sunrise’ means the East in a feminine way. However, this does not imply any particular place or country geopolitically. In fact, this is where the light of God's glory and grace appears. “From the rising of the sun” in the text means “from the rising of the sun”. Ezekiel 43:2 says, “The glory of the God of Israel is coming from the east, and the voice of God is like the sound of many waters, and the earth shines with his glory.” Malachi 4:2 says, “For those of you who fear my name, the sun of righteousness will rise with a healing beam, and you will go out and leap like calves out of the stall.” In Psalm 84:11, David said, “The Lord God is Yahweh, and He is a shield.” Matthew 4:16 says, “The people who sat in darkness have seen a great light, and to those who sat in the land and shadow of death a light has shone.”
Judging from these Bibles, the ‘at the rising of the sun’ here means the place where the gospel of salvation of Jesus Christ is preached. The place where the gospel of salvation of Jesus Christ is revealed to anyone, anytime, anywhere is the place where the sun rises and the time. For him, now the night has passed and the light has come. The old is passed away and the new is, the morning life.
3) It is an angel that temporarily suspends the activity of the wind angel.
“He said, ‘Do not harm the earth or the sea or the trees until we have sealed the servants of our God on their foreheads’” (Revelation 7:3).
From this, it is clear that the world of angels, which is the spirit realm, also has organization, order, and order. There is an angel who rules the wind (Revelation 7:1), and there is an angel who controls the seal of the living God (Revelation 7:2). Their work is clearly different. Angels with the seal of God are forming an orderly society that commands the angels who control the wind.
The wind angel receives the command of the seal angel and puts a temporary hold on its activity until it puts a seal on the foreheads of God's servants.