Preparation for Judgment: 144,000

We continue to prepare for the actual judgment of God to begin in chapter 8. Six of the seven seals have been broken so far. The sixth seal was broken from earth's viewpoint with great signs of God's authority over creation being displayed and unbelievers seeing the sign of the Son of Man appearing as He began to come in the sky in power and great glory (Matthew 24:30). But before the breaking of the seventh seal and the harming of the earth by four angels, one angel cries out with a loud voice to not harm the earth until God's Jewish bond-servants have been clearly marked on their foreheads. The number of those who will be sealed will be exactly 144,000 - 12, 000 are specified from each of the twelve tribes of Israel.