Revelation 7:1

Translations

Modern

After this I saw four angels standing at the four corners of the earth, holding back its four winds so that no wind would blow on land or sea or on any tree.

Traditional

And after these things I saw four angels standing on the four corners of the earth, holding the four winds of the earth, that the wind should not blow on the earth, nor on the sea, nor on any tree.

Literal

After these things I saw four angels standing upon the four corners of the earth, holding the four winds of the earth so that no wind would blow on the earth, nor on the sea, nor on any tree.

Latin

Post hæc vidi quatuor angelos stantes super quatuor angulos terræ, tenentes quatuor ventos terræ, ne flarent super terram, neque super mare, neque in ullam arborem.

Original

Greek

English

After this I saw four angels standing at the four corners of the earth, holding back its four winds so that no wind would blow on land or sea or on any tree.

Notes

Revelation 7:1–3

Do not … until: God commands the four angels to hold back the winds for a short time. They must not harm the earth, the sea, or the trees until the servants of God receive his seal on their foreheads.
The seal of the living God signifies belonging to God's family; God owns and protects his people (2 Corinthians 1:22; Ephesians 1:13–14). In ancient times, sealing or tattooing showed ownership.
The angel carrying the seal identified God's people, answering who would survive God's wrath (Revelation 6:17; see Ezekiel 9:3–8; John 17:14–15) and furthering the promise of protection (Revelation 3:10; see also 11:1–2).

Revelation 7:1–8

The first vision in the interlude shows how God protects his faithful followers from any ultimate harm.

Revelation 7:1–17

Three interludes occur in Revelation 6–14 (Revelation 7; 10:1–11:14; 12:1–14:20). These interludes explain the place of God’s holy people and help readers understand the scenes that came before them. In this first interlude, which appears before the seventh seal is opened, two visions show how God protects his people and confirms his calling on them.

Revelation 6:1–8:1

The Lamb breaks the seven seals to reveal the significance of history from God’s point of view.

Theme notes and profiles

Angels Symbolic Numbers Visions

Related verses

Matthew 24:31
And He will send out His angels with a loud trumpet call, and they will gather His elect from the four winds, from one end of the heavens to the other.
Daniel 7:2
Daniel declared: “In my vision in the night I looked, and suddenly the four winds of heaven were churning up the great sea.
Jeremiah 49:36
I will bring the four winds against Elam from the four corners of the heavens, and I will scatter them to all these winds. There will not be a nation to which Elam’s exiles will not go.
Mark 13:27
And He will send out the angels to gather His elect from the four winds, from the ends of the earth to the ends of heaven.
Daniel 8:8
Thus the goat became very great, but at the height of his power, his large horn was broken off, and four prominent horns came up in its place, pointing toward the four winds of heaven.
Ezekiel 7:2
“O son of man, this is what the Lord GOD says to the land of Israel: ‘The end! The end has come upon the four corners of the land.
Ezekiel 37:9
Then He said to me, “Prophesy to the breath; prophesy, son of man, and tell the breath that this is what the Lord GOD says: Come from the four winds, O breath, and breathe into these slain, so that they may live!”
Isaiah 27:8
By warfare and exile You contended with her and removed her with a fierce wind, as on the day the east wind blows.
Revelation 9:14
…saying to the sixth angel with the trumpet, “Release the four angels who are bound at the great river Euphrates.”
Isaiah 11:12
He will raise a banner for the nations and gather the exiles of Israel; He will collect the scattered of Judah from the four corners of the earth.
Revelation 7:3
“Do not harm the land or sea or trees until we have placed a seal on the foreheads of the servants of our God.”
Matthew 8:26–27
“You of little faith,” Jesus replied, “why are you so afraid?” Then He got up and rebuked the winds and the sea, and it was perfectly calm.

Glossary

Book of Esther Book of Revelation Cherub, Cherubim Corners of the Earth, Ends of the Earth Mark of God, Mark of the Beast

Topics

Angel (A Spirit): Execute Judgments Upon the Wicked Angel (A Spirit): Functions of Medium of Revelation to Prophets Earth: Ancient Notions Concerning Israel: Number of, in John's Apocalyptic Vision Meteorology and Celestial Phenomena: General Scriptures Concerning Meteorology and Celestial Phenomena: Symbolical used in the Revelation of John The End of the Earth Vision of John on the Island of Patmos: The Four Angels

Revelation 7:1

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