Revelation 7

1I saw four mighty angels standing at the earth's four corners. They held back the four destructive winds of the earth. They stopped any wind from blowing on land, sea, or trees!

2Then I saw another angel rising from the east. He carried the official signet seal of the living God! He shouted with a booming voice to the four judgment angels:

3Do not harm the land, sea, or trees yet! Wait until we stamp God's seal on His servants' foreheads!

4Then I heard the number of those who were sealed: 144,000 from all the tribes of Israel.

5From the tribe of Judah 12,000 were sealed, from the tribe of Reuben 12,000, from the tribe of Gad 12,000,

6from the tribe of Asher 12,000, from the tribe of Naphtali 12,000, from the tribe of Manasseh 12,000,

7from the tribe of Simeon 12,000, from the tribe of Levi 12,000, from the tribe of Issachar 12,000,

8from the tribe of Zebulun 12,000, from the tribe of Joseph 12,000, and from the tribe of Benjamin 12,000.

9After this, I looked, and there stood an enormous crowd! The multitude was so massive that no human could count them. They came from every nation, tribe, people group, and language. They stood before the royal throne and before the Lamb! They wore dazzling white robes and waved palm branches of victory.

10They shouted with a mighty, united roar: Salvation belongs to our God on the throne, and to the Lamb!

11All the angels stood around the throne, the elders, and the four living creatures. They fell down on their faces in front of the throne and worshiped God.

12They said: Amen! Praise, glory, wisdom, thanks, honor, power, and strength belong to our God forever and ever. Amen!

13Then one of the elders asked me: Who are these people dressed in white robes, and where did they come from?

14I answered: Sir, you know. The elder explained: These believers survived the Great Tribulation. They washed their stained robes in the blood of the Lamb. And His red blood made their robes brilliantly white!

15That is why they are in front of the throne of God and serve Him day and night in His temple. And the One who sits on the throne will shelter them with His presence.

16They will never suffer hunger or thirst again. Scorching sun and blistering heat will never beat down on them!

17For the Lamb at the center of the throne will shepherd them. He will guide them to bubbling springs of living water. And God will tenderly wipe every single tear from their eyes!