Ver. 4-8. For the understanding of these five verses several things are to be noted.
1. That the whole number is one hundred and forty-four thousand, which is the product of twelve, as the original number, (setting aside the ciphers), for twelve times twelve make one hundred and forty-four. The number of one hundred and forty-four, Revelation 21:17, was the measure of the wall of the new Jerusalem. Twelve, which is the root of this number one hundred and forty-four, seemeth to be God's number, and used in Scripture about one hundred and forty-four times, and almost generally in things belonging to the church; which had twelve patriarchs, twelve tribes under the Old Testament, twelves apostles (as its head) under the New Testament: and the new Jerusalem from heaven, Revelation 21:12, is said to have twelve gates, and at the gates twelve angels; Revelation 7:14, the wall had twelve foundations; the length of it, Revelation 7:16, twelve thousand furlongs.
2. That we must not by one hundred and forty-four thousand understand a certain, but an uncertain number, which yet was very great.
3. That by the tribes of Israel mentioned here, are to be understood the several gospel churches of the Gentiles, who are now God's Israel ingrafted into the true olive.
4. That the tribe of Dan is here left out, and Ephraim is not named, though included in Joseph. Of the tribe of Dan there were none sealed. Dan was a great ringleader to idolatry, so was Ephraim; see Judges 17:1-18:31; and at Dan it was that Jeroboam set up his calves. Levi is put in instead of Dan, and Joseph instead of Ephraim, by which means here are yet twelve tribes; which teacheth us this: That Christians, if idolaters, must not look for any special protection or favour from God in a day of evil.
5. These tribes are not set in order, according to their birthright. Juda was Leah's fourth son, Genesis 29:35, put first, because Christ descended from him. Reuben, her eldest son, is put next, giving place only to the Messiah's tribe. Gad, Jacob's son by Zilpah, Genesis 30:11, is put next. Aser, Jacob's son by Zilpah, in the fourth place, Genesis 30:13. Nepthalim is put next, who was Jacob's son by Bilhah, Rachel's maid, Genesis 30:8. Manasses is put next, who was Joseph's son. Simeon, Jacob's second son by Leah, Genesis 29:33, is put in the seventh place. Levi, Leah's third son, Genesis 29:34, in the eighth place. Issachar, Leah's fifth son, Genesis 30:18, is put in the ninth place. Zabulon, Leah's sixth son, is put in the tenth place, Genesis 30:20. Joseph is put in the eleventh place, for Ephraim his son. Benjamin, Rachel's second son, is put in the last place. If there be any mystery in this order, differing from all other scriptures where there is a mention made of the twelve patriarchs, it is probable that Mr. Mede hath hit upon it, in regard of the, good or ill deserts of these tribes, some of which are mentioned by him; all may be learned from the history of the Jews recorded in holy writ. Hence we may learn, that the summary sense of all these verses is this: That although within that period of time which is signified under the seventh seal, there should be great persecutions of the church, yet God would preserve unto himself a great number in all his churches, which should not apostatize, and who in the persecutions should not be hurt; so as his church should not fail, though the archers should shoot sore at it; for though men raged, yet it was by God's permission; and his angels overruled it, who should take notice of those numbers that he had sealed, and marked in their foreheads.