Annotations Upon the New Testament, Revelation · Chapter 7
CHAP. VII.
Vers. 3. TIll wee have sealed the servants of our God in their forebads] Amoris & singularis curae symbolum sigillum Glossius. See Ezek. 9.4.Sealing was a signe of speciall care.
Vers. 4. An hundred and fourty and foure thousand of all the tribes of the children of Israel] The people of Israel was no Church long afore;Quaerunt Papista ubi erat ecclesia ante Lutherum & quinam fuerint? Audiant Johannem, cum antichristus videbitur omnia pessundedisse, erunt tamen 144000. signatorum. Pareus. the Gentile Church is called Israel, because they were graffed in instead of the Jewes that were broken off.
Cartwright in his Annotations on Rhem. Testament.That a greater number of the Gentiles shall be saved than of the Jews, is truly gathered out of this place. But that the elect of the Jews are in a certaine number, because their number is set downe, and the other of the Gentiles is not, is more than the Scripture doth warrant; in the enumeration of the Tribes there is no respect had of order, to shew that there is no regard had by God of carnall privileges in the matter of salvation.
This ought to be taken for an indefinite number, as well as the 7000. which had not bowed the knee to Baal. The holy Ghost is not contented to have named the totall …um of them that were sealed in Israel,Despagne his new observations upon the Creed. p. 172. but also divideth it into twelve times twelve thousand, distributed by equall portions among the twelve Tribes, every one of which is mentioned the one after the other, with the expression of its particular number: this sheweth that the number of the Elect, and multitude of Beleevers, are measured by certaine proportions which are known to him who is the Author.
Vers. 5. Judah is first reckoned of all Leahs children, because our Lord sprang out of Judah, Gen. 49.10. Heb. 7.14. and Nephthali of all those of Rachels side, because Christ dwelt at Capernaum belonging to that tribe, that Christs prerogative (saith Mr Mede) might still excell.
Vers. 7. He omits Dan *Dan praetermittitur, non quod Antichristus ex illa tribu naciturus esset, quod Scriptores Pontificii contendunt sine ullo fundamento; sed quia tribus illa à cultu Dei ad idola jam olim defecerat, & se cum gentibus permiscuerat, Iud. 1.13. Vide Amos 8.14. Spanhem. Dub. Evang. parre prima. Dub. 4 Down of Antich. l. 2. c. 12. Mede & Pareus in loc. Ephraim is not spoken of neither as being with Dan a Ringleader of the Israelitish Apostasie (Jud. 17. c & 18.) but that the number of 12. notwithstanding may be filled, Levi is set for Dan, and the name of Joseph tacitly supplies Ephraims., and reckons up the tribe of Levi, not because Anti-Christ was to come of the Tribe of Dan, (as the Papists say) for which opinion those places, Gen. 49.17. and Ier. 8.16. are quoted, rather (as Spanhemius, Mede, Downame and Pareu… say) because that was the first tribe which fell from the true worship of God to idolatry, and mingled themselves with the Gentiles: and for the same cause (as some thinke) the genealogie of that Tribe is omitted in the 1 Chron. 7.
Vers. 9. Cloathed with white Robes] In signe of their innocencie and purity.
And palms in their hands] In token of victory over the world, the flesh,Palmae erant antiquitus signae victoriae. The Palme here mentioned is the Date tree, and not that which wee call palme. Cartw. on Rhem. Test. and the Devill. For palmes in ancient time were ensignes and badges of victory. Therefore palmes were engraven in Solomons and Ezekiels Temple, as declaring victory to those that entred in, if they would contend stoutly for God and overcome.
Vers. 14. These are they which came out of great tribulation] There is a double article in the Greek, out of that tribulation, that great one. Matth. 24.21.
Have washed their robes, and made them white in the blood of the lambe] Pareus acutely notes that it is not here said, that the Saints do wash,Mir… haec … est sangui… Christi non rubefacientis vel inquinantis, sed dealbantis ac mundantis. Gerh. but have or had washed their garments, for there is no washing in heaven foreign.
Many take whitenesse for an embleme of cleannesse or of glory, but bloud defileth instead of cleansing, and taketh away whitenesse in stead of giving it. Some Interpreters say well, that this passage alludeth to the habit of the Priests of the Law, who entred not into the Temple but in white robes, but it was not permitted the Priests to approach to the Altar, or to exercise any office in the Tabernacle,Despagne his new observations upon the Creed. 166.167. till they were first sprinkled with bloud, both they and their garments, Exod. 29.21. Levit. 8.30. As therefore the ancient Priests were consecrated by bloud, and made capable to weare the Priestly habit in the house of God; so in the vertue of the bloud of Christ, we are reinvested of the quality of Priests, represented by the white garment.
Vers. 15. Therefore are they before the throne of God] Causall particles sometimes signifie any argument or reason whatsoever.Alludit ad thronum Dei in templo, hoc enim mox nominabit, in eo enim Deus sedebat in sancto sanctorum super propitiatorium & Cherubim. à Lapide. The rendring of any reason is called foreign a rendring of the cause, though perhaps it is from the effect.
And serve him day and night in his Temple] He alludes to the daily and nightly ministeries of the Levites, otherwise there is no night in Heaven. Day and Night, that is,Beza. Serviunt ei sine intermissione in Coelo, cujus typus fuit templum Hierosolymita…um. Heb. 9.24. Gerh alwayes, or the whole day; He mentions the night, because the Priests did watch the whole night by turnes in the Temple, and did by course lay the parts of the continuall sacrifice, viz. the evening Lambe, on the Altar, for this was burned all the night. See Levit. 6.9. à Lapide.
Metaph. à matre filioli lachrymas ab stergente. Esai. 66.13. Ribera. Gerh. à Lapide. Alsted.Vers. 17. And God shall wipe away all teares from their eyes] A metaphore from tender Mothers which deale so with their little ones. See 21.4.