Synopsis: Revelation 7 pulls back the curtain to reveal the identity and destiny of God’s people. In this sermon, we see the Church Militant, believers on earth engaged in real spiritual warfare, sealed by the Holy Spirit, and called to resist sin, Satan, and the world. We also behold the Church Triumphant, a countless multitude from every nation, now in the presence of Christ, free from suffering and clothed in His righteousness. Their victory is not earned, but secured through the blood of the Lamb. This message calls us to live faithfully in the battle, confident that glory awaits all who belong to Christ.
Text: Revelation 7
Date: April 19, 2026
Introduction
Opening Illustration – Noah: A while back we were at my Father in Law’s house which is out in southern Indiana. And my wife’s siblings and their kids were all over. And one of my nephews, Noah, he was just a little boy at the time, walked from the backyard up to the grown ups and said “Papa look what I found.” And in his hand was a set mole trap. Of course, Sara’s father tried not to startle him and calmly walked over and removed the mole trap from Noah’s hands. Little Noah had no idea that danger he was playing with. Had he known, he would have handled that trap far differently.
Personal: Many Christians unfortunately treat their faith the way Noah treated that mole-trap. They have no idea the intensity of what God is up to in this world, of what it means to be a Christians. They have neglected Hebrews 12:28-29 which tell us
Hebrews 12:28–29 “… let us offer to God acceptable worship, with reverence and awe, for our God is a consuming fire.”
I wonder this morning if there is anyone in this room that perhaps has been coasting in their faith, and have forgotten that our God is a consuming fire.
Context: Today we open up Revelation 7 which serves as a bit of interlude. If you recall, last week in chapter 6, Christ opened the first six seals of the scroll, and we saw all kinds of deep symbols that spoke of difficulties on earth. Today, there is pause in the opening of the seals. It is almost as if Christ is giving John a breather after last week, to just behold something. It’s almost as if the terrors of this world would overwhelm a man, if he didn’t remember what it was all about. In this interlude, John is given a vision of the Church. And its divided into two sections. In verses 1-8, we see the Church Militant. And verses 9-17 we see the Church Triumphant.
Main Idea: The Church is marked for battle and secured for glory!
Revelation 7:1–8 “After this I saw four angels standing at the four corners of the earth, holding back the four winds of the earth, that no wind might blow on earth or sea or against any tree. Then I saw another angel ascending from the rising of the sun, with the seal of the living God, and he called with a loud voice to the four angels who had been given power to harm earth and sea, saying, “Do not harm the earth or the sea or the trees, until we have sealed the servants of our God on their foreheads.” And I heard the number of the sealed, 144,000, sealed from every tribe of the sons of Israel: 12,000 from the tribe of Judah were sealed, 12,000 from the tribe of Reuben, 12,000 from the tribe of Gad, 12,000 from the tribe of Asher, 12,000 from the tribe of Naphtali, 12,000 from the tribe of Manasseh, 12,000 from the tribe of Simeon, 12,000 from the tribe of Levi, 12,000 from the tribe of Issachar, 12,000 from the tribe of Zebulun, 12,000 from the tribe of Joseph, 12,000 from the tribe of Benjamin were sealed.”
The Church Militant
Main Idea: The Church is marked for battle and secured for glory! In these first eight verses we see the Church that is marked for battle. Historically, that is what we call the Church Militant. And I want to show you from this passage where theat comes from. So two questions to answer from these eight verses. First, who is beingn described here. Second, what is the seal placed on their foreheads.
WHO ARE THEY?
First, who are these saints? The text gives us some very important clues.
Alive: First, the saints being described are alive, on this Earth. They have not yet died. If you recall back in chapter 6, we saw a group of martyred saints who had already died, who were underneath the altar in heaven, and who were being comforted by Christ there. These saints are not in heaven. The way we know that is because God says that he is about to unleash his angels to bring devastation on the Earth, and the angels must first mark these saints on their forehead the seal of the living God, in order to protect them. These are living Christians.
Tribes: John then says that they came from “every tribe of the sons of Israel.” If you recall your Old Testaments, there were 12 tribes of Israel.
Jewish Believers: This has led some folks to believe that this 144,000 represents ethnically Jewish believers in Christ, 12,000 from each of the 12 tribes. That is an interesting take, but its a little problematic because this is a strange list. Joseph is listed instead of Ephraim. And the tribe Dan is altogether absent. There are all kinds of interesting reasons why the list is the way it is, but for our purposes, it simply doesn’t make sense that we are to read this literally as only referring to ethnically Jewish believers.
Christians: Rather, the Apostle is using wonderful language to speak about the Church as the fulfilment of Old Testament Israel. The Apostle believed that the Church, all those who had confessed that Jesus was their Lord and Savior, throughout every generation, constituted true Israel. Whether you were ethnically Jewish (as many in the early church were) or you were from any of the other nations around the world, if you were in Christ, you belong to the New Israel, the Full Israel, or as the Apostle Paul called it “The Israel of God.”
Roman Legion: If you have 12,000 from 12 tribes, that equals 144,000. But as readers we should ask, what is the meaning of this number, 12x12x1000. The 12×12 makes some symbolic sense. It’s 12 perfected. It’s the full Israel, the people of God, Christians! The 1,000 I think is a very specific number that refers to the number of men in a Roman legion. It’s a military number. And so, we have the basis of what Church history has called “The Church Militant.” Who are these precious saints who are marked by God and protected from the wrath of the lamb, and the destruction of judgment on this earth, it’s every true follower of Christ, who has been saved by Christ, and now drafted into the Church Militant.
The Church Militant: The term “the Church Militant” is not en vogue any more. And I’d like to change that! Once upon a time it was the common language to refer to Christians and their roles and responsibilities. If you are an average, everyday, ordinary Christian, you have been drafted by God into his Church Militant.
Three Fronts: The term “militant” simply signifies that the Church so long as it survives on this earth is engaged in ongoing spiritual warfare against the dreaded three-headed monster of sin, Satan, and the world.
Weapons: Our weapons are not physical like other militaries, but they are spiritual. We wield the sword of truth, God’s Word. We love our enemies and pray for those who persecute us. We carry the shield of faith and the breastplate of righteousness. This is not a call to physical war. Rather it is an identity as those whose lives are caught up in Christ and his defeat all that stands against his glory.
Applications: There are a few very important applications of this.
The Church Comfortable: This pushes back agains the modern notion of what it means to be a Christian. The modern Christian is much more identified as The Church Comfortable as opposed the The Church Militant. We want our Christianity to cost us very little. The negative fruit of that is that the armies of God are sitting on their hands while the enemies make great gains in society and culture. But we are not the Church Comfortable. We must make war.
We must make war against sin that still pervades our life.
We must make war against the Devil and not let him a foot into our homes or our communities.
We must make war against the false ideologies of the world.
Not Surprised: Second, we should not be surprised that there are often casualties on the front lines of war. Warfare is never clean and easy. You have a plan, and then you need to adjust. And along the way, people can get hurt, people can be misunderstood, egos can be trampled upon, bad decisions can be made. It’s war! Don’t be surprised this. We don’t need to be radically surprised when we learn from time to time that the enemy has a double-agent in our midst. It’s war! Don’t let the reality of the challenge of the Church Militant cause you to lose faith in the purpose it all.
Every Rank Matters: Lastly, every rank matters in a military. In the upper eschelons of the US military are high ranking officers who basically serve as “servants” of the four star generals. They get their coffee, they manage their appointment book. Do not conclude from the fact that you’re changing diapers or teaching five year olds how to spell that you are insignificant. Do not conclude if you are waiting tables or stuck in a position that feels less significant, that your participation is not vital.
WHAT IS THE SEAL?
The second question from these verses is in regards to the seal. What is this seal? The text gives us some important clues, and informs us why this seal is so important. I believe that this “seal” is none other than the Holy Spirit, which is given to genuine believers the moment they believe in Christ.
Ephesians 1:13 “In him you also, when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and believed in him, were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit,”
The Holy Spirit is our seal. This text gives us some wonderful clues about what that really means.
Ownership/Belong: First, as a seal, the Holy Spirit reveals who we belong to. It marks our ownership. We read in verse 3 that the seal is placed on the forehead of the believer. This little detail ends up being more important a bit later on in Revelation.
Revelation 13:16 “Also it causes all, both small and great, both rich and poor, both free and slave, to be marked on the right hand or the forehead,”
In the book of Revelation, there is no neutrality. One either belongs to Christ, is marked by Christ, and is in allegiance to Christ, or one belongs to the satanic forces of this world, is marked by those satanic forces, and is in allegiance to them. There is no middle ground. Everyone’s forehead is marked in one way or the other. Before I move on, let me ask you, to whom do you belong? What mark is over your life? If it isn’t Christ, then by default it is the great enemy of your soul.
Security/Burial: Second, as a seal, the Holy Spirit functions as your security. This is why in our text the saints of the Lord are given the seal before the destructive forces of judgment come on the world. It’s a securing measure, meant to protect them, to function like a shield. What does this mean? Obviously, it doesn’t mean that the Holy Spirit will protect us from having any evil befall us in our life. Rather, the seal is our security, that when God unleashes the “four winds” of judgment that will come upon this earth, we won’t be swept away in that judgment.
Confirmation/Benefits: Third, as a seal, the Holy Spirit serves as your confirmation of your right to a heavenly inheritance stored in heaven for you. Earlier I read Ephesians 1:3, but listen to the very next verse.
Ephesians 1:13–14 “In him you also, when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and believed in him, were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit, who is the guarantee of our inheritance until we acquire possession of it, to the praise of his glory.”
The Holy Spirit is the down payment of our salvation. In a sense, it is a foretaste of the glory that we will have in heaven. Through the Holy Spirit we commune now with God the Father. We enjoy God. We speak with God through prayer. We are led by God through the turbelence of this life. We might say that the Holy Spirit is the “first installment of your life in heaven.” What a precious gift the seal of the Holy Spirit is!
CONCLUDE: CHURCH MILITANT
In these first eight verses we have learned of the Church Militant. That was John’s readers in the first century. And it is us. We are the true Israel, the sons of Abraham. As we are alive, in this body, we are engaged in a spiritual battle. The victory has already been won by Christ on the cross. Our salvation is radically and totally complete. The war we fight now will persist until the end, until Christ has rescued every saint that he has called for His Church.
The Church Militant.
The Church Triumphant
In the second half of this passage we read of the Church Triumphant. The Chuch triumphant is how we describe every saint that currently lives in heaven who has already passed through the time in the Church Militant and are now basking in the peace of the presence of Christ.
Revelation 7:9–17 “After this I looked, and behold, a great multitude that no one could number, from every nation, from all tribes and peoples and languages, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed in white robes, with palm branches in their hands, and crying out with a loud voice, “Salvation belongs to our God who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb!” And all the angels were standing around the throne and around the elders and the four living creatures, and they fell on their faces before the throne and worshiped God, saying, “Amen! Blessing and glory and wisdom and thanksgiving and honor and power and might be to our God forever and ever! Amen.” Then one of the elders addressed me, saying, “Who are these, clothed in white robes, and from where have they come?” I said to him, “Sir, you know.” And he said to me, “These are the ones coming out of the great tribulation. They have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb. “Therefore they are before the throne of God, and serve him day and night in his temple; and he who sits on the throne will shelter them with his presence. They shall hunger no more, neither thirst anymore; the sun shall not strike them, nor any scorching heat. For the Lamb in the midst of the throne will be their shepherd, and he will guide them to springs of living water, and God will wipe away every tear from their eyes.””
WHO ARE THEY?
Clues: This text is clearly referring to a different group than the first half of the passage. This is the Church Triumphant. We know this from what is written.
Great Multitude: The first group was 144,000 and represent the living Christians on this Earth at any given point in time. This group is clearly much larger. It is called a “great multitude that no one could number.” This represents the numberless throng of believers across every age as they are gathered together in glory.
Before the Throne: And the text tell sus in verse 11 that indeed they are in the presence of God, before hte throne and before the angelic creatures that stand in heaven before the throne. The saints in the Church Triumphant are ever and always in the full presence of Christ their King. That which our souls most hunger for in this life, they experience in the presence of God. In fact the end of verse 15 says that Christ “shelters them with his presence.” These precious saints, experience the presence of Christ in such a way that all fear, or worry, or concern is washed away. It would be like a man who had been lost at sea on a raft wondering if he will survive, to suddenly open his eyes and see the US Coast Guard with a big ship pulling up next to his little raft, with helicopters out. The presence of that Coast Guard is enought to quell every fear he had only moments before. So it is in the presence of Christ, only infinitely greater.
The Great Tribulation: Further, the elder declares to John that these are those saints who have come out of the Great Tribulation. That language can be very confusing. Some people the Great Tribulation is some future time period where there will be terrors on Earth. That is not what is meant here. The Great Tribulation is this life. With all of its hardships. All of its suffering. All of its tears. All of its sickness. All of its persecution. Friends, you and are in the Great Tribulation right now, as the Church Militant. But this text says, that these saints have come through. There is no more tribulation. Verses 15-17 are a hymn of a praise celebrating the full life in Christ among the Church Triumphant.
Every Nation: There is a phrase in verse 9 that I have passed over, and I want to see it clearly. The Church Triumphant is described this way:
Revelation 7:9 “After this I looked, and behold, a great multitude that no one could number, from every nation, from all tribes and peoples and languages, standing before the throne and before the Lamb…”
This is one of those themes that comes regularly in the book of Revelation, and we will do well to not rush over it. There is a wonderful culminating moment in this chapter to those who are familiar with the great storyline of Scripture.
God’s Plan: Since the earliest chapters of Genesis, God has had a plan to bless the nations. The problem was that until Christ’s victory on the cross, the scriptures say the nations were largely bound. Satanic powers had bound the pagan nations of the world in spiritual darkness. They worshiped false gods. They practiced false religions with sick and twisted religous practices. But when Christ rose from the grave, the binding power that Satan had over the nations, was destroyed. Satan is still very powerful and still wages war. But the permission he had to bind the nations, has been broken. Under the Old Covenant, very little headway was made into making converts of the nations. There was some, but not much. Now under the Gospel Age, Satan has been bound, and Christ our rider on the white horse if going forward with the gospel of peace, and he is winning for himself a people from every tongue, tribe, nation, and language.
Illustration – Dog: We might compare this to a vicious dog that lives in a yard. Before, that dog would roam freely. Anyone who came near, he would attack. But one day the owner of the dog puts a stake in the ground and a short chain as a leash on that dog. Still the same vicious dog, but he’s now bound to a post. If you go in that yard, he’ll still bark and he’ll bite if you get close, but his reach is limited. He’s not free to roam as once was. Satan still prowls, and threatens, and attacks. But he is restrained. He cannot decieve the nations wholesale like he once did. The gospel can now enter territory that was once completely cut off.
Confession: I want to confess to you as your pastor that over the last few years I have slowly drifted from an earlier passion of mine that was God’s heart for the nations. As I’ve settled into Chicago I have had my primary concern, and rightfully so, here on our doorstep, and how we reach Chicago with the gospel. But I have been a bit negligent in preaching God’s heart for the nations, and prioritizing the nations as part of our vision of what it means to be a Christian.
Grapevine: I think the Lord convicted me of this, this very week. As I was drafting this section of my sermon, I received an email from the ministry I served with outside of Bangkok Thailand when I was 21 years old. I haven’t received an email from them in nearly 20 years. And as I was writing a section on confessing to you my failure, I received this email inviting me to connect with them again. God’s timing is always impeccable!
Practical: In this confession I simply want to invite you into something God is restoring in my own heart. God’s heart is for the nations. Heaven, will be filled with folks from the nations (of which we are a part). I want to us truly be a missional church, that beats and bleeds for the nations to know Christ. I read a quote this week, and the author said,
“We talk of the Second Coming of Christ; but half the world has never heard of the first.”
This week I went out evangelizing, and God opened doors to share the gospel with many many muslim students who were curious and asking questions of which there are simple and good and easy answers to.
And its true! Out little Church has a wonderful history of missions. We have sent off some of our most near and dear brothers to the nations. We support them financially, prayerfully. We have them call into members meetings. I want to cherish that history with you. But I’m asking God to grow my heart again! If we as a Church, get to taste of heaven here in this life, then let us rightly set our hearts to the mission of the Church.
Summary: Who are these saints in the Church Triumphant? They are God’s chosen, from among the nations, who have passed through the great tribulation of this life, and are now comforted in the presence of Christ.
HOW DID THEY GET THERE?
If that is who they are. How did they get there? In verse 13, one of the elders before the throne asks a similar questions rhetorically to John. And the answer to the question is in verse 14, “They have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the lamb.”
These precious saints are not in glory, in the Church Triumphant, because they went through a great tribulation on this Earth and endured. Heaven is not some kind of compensation for their endurance of difficulty in this life. They are there because they washed their robes in the blood of Christ. This is symbolic language that speaks of one’s standing before a Holy God.
Isaiah 64:6 “We have all become like one who is unclean, and all our righteous deeds are like a polluted garment…”
Illustration – Filthy Rags: I want to share just one more quick story from my evangelism this week. So many wonderful conversations. But one sticks out to me on this topic. A young man just couldn’t wrap his head around why he couldn’t simply do enough good to make it to heaven. And so we walked through the nature of sin together, and we established that both he and I were indeed far more sinful than we could care to admit. He said something like this, “But what if I commit my life to prayer and go away into the wilderness and spend my whole praying in the woods?” My response was not as elegant as I’ll say right now, but it was something like this.
If you should from this moment on determine that you will live a spiritual life.
If you say farewell to the world’s pleasures and joys.
If you say farewell to all your secular affairs
If you busy yourself for the rest of your life with nothing but the salvation of other people’s souls.
If you should carve lenthy seasons of fasting until you appear skeletol
And isolating yourself deep in the woods to weep vehemently over your sins until you weep yourself blind
If you should confess to your sins with your mouth until your tongue sticks to the roof of your mouth
If you should pray until your knees bleed
And if after all this, you should give your life over as a martyr to be burned at the stake
But you do not wash your filthy rags in the blood of the lamb, then you will perish forever. But Christ’s blood is the bleach that washes us white as snow! And what freedom there is in Christ. No longer to see to set our face to earn God’s favor through spiritual exercises that nobody can live up to. But fully known, fully forgiven, simply by grace through faith, free to know God and walk with God!
How did they get there? By the blood of the lamb!
Conclusion
Today we have seen the Church Militant and the Church Triumphant. If you are a Christian, and you are alive, you are in the Church Militant. You have been guaranteed, because of Christ, a home within the Church Triumphant. And that will be sweeter and more glorious then any human words can ever convey. But right now, your charge is to wage the good warfare. To take every thought captive. To lead to the glory of God. To set goals and achieve them, in the name of Jesus. To go forth as ambassadors, with the name of Christ your king on your lips. May God get the glory!
