Of the tribe of Judah, &c.— As the spiritual church of Christ was first formed out of the Jewish church and nation, so here the spiritual Israel is first mentioned; but the twelve tribes are not enumerated here in the same method and order as they are in other places of holy scripture. Judah has the precedence, becausefrom him descended the Messiah; Dan is entirely omitted, and Ephraim is not mentioned, because they were both the principal promoters of idolatry; and therefore Levi is substituted in the room of the one, and Joseph is mentioned instead of the other. The children too of the bond women, and of the free women, are confounded together, there being in Christ Jesus neither bond nor free. Besides some of all the tribes of Israel, there was an innumerable multitude of all nations and tongues, clothed with white robes, and having palms in their hands, Revelation 7:9-10 who received and embraced the gospel; and, as Sulpitius Severus remarks, it is wonderful how much the Christian religion prevailedat this time. The historians who have written of this reign, relate how even the most remote and barbarous nations embraced Christianity, Jews as well as Gentiles. One historian in particular affirms, that, at the time when Constantine took possession of Rome, after the death of Maxentius, there were baptized more than twelve thousand Jews and Heathens, besides women and children. (See on Revelation 7:10.) The angels also, Revelation 7:11-12 join in the celebration of God upon this occasion; for, if there is joy in the presence of God over one sinner that repenteth, much more may those heavenly spirits rejoice at the conversion of so many multitudes as were brought to God out of the countries and nations who embraced Christianity. One of the elders, after this, (Revelation 7:13-17.) explains to St. John some particulars relating to this inumerable multitudeof all nations. They have palms in their hands, as tokens of victory and triumph over tribulation and persecution: they are arrayedin white robes, as emblems of their sanctity and full acceptance with God, through the merits and death of Christ: they are, like the children of Israel, arrived at their Canaan, or land of rest; and they shall no more suffer hunger, or thirst, or heat, as they did in the wilderness of this world: they are now happily free from all their former troubles and molestations, and their Heathen adversaries shall no more prevail against them. This period we may suppose to have continued, with some little interruption, from the reign of Constantine the Great to the death of Theodosius the Great; that is, about seventy years.
Related Commentaries of Revelation 7:5
Revelation 7:5
5 Of the tribe of Juda were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Reuben were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Gad were sealed twelve thousand.