Verses 1/3
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These verses describe 4 angels holding the 4 winds of heaven and stopping the earth, the sea and the trees being hurt. The winds represent the first 2 trumpets which hurt the earth, the sea and the trees (see Revelation 8 v 7 - 9). Before this happens the servants of God need to be sealed.

The idea of sealing the servants of God is drawn from Ezekiel 9 v 4, where those who "sigh and ... cry for all the abominations" are spared from the destruction that comes on the rest of the inhabitants of Jerusalem. Similarly in Revelation chapter 7, once the process of sealing the faithful in Israel has been accomplished, the final time of punishment on ungodly Israel prior to the return of Christ (described in the 7 trumpets) can begin.

Verses 4/8

The 144,000 are sealed. Revelation 14 v 4 identifies the 144,000 as being the firstfruits to God. James 1 v 18 talks about a group of people called firstfruits, which 1 v 1 identifies as the "twelve tribes". The 144,000 represent faithful Israelites.

�Of the 12 tribes listed, there is no Dan and there is a double portion for Joseph (the list includes Joseph and Mannaseh, but not Ephraim).

The omission of Dan and Ephraim is probably due to their links with idolatry. One of the golden calves that Jeroboam set up for Israel to worship was in Dan (1 Kings 12 v 29, 30). Also when Dan inherited their portion of the land they set up a graven image (Judges 18 v 30, 31). The other of the golden calves set up by Jereboam was at Bethel, and the likelihood is that this was part of Ephraim�s inheritance (Joshua 16 v 1, 2). Amos chapter 5 contains a prophecy for the house of Israel and includes the statement �seek not Bethel ... lest he (Yahweh) break out like a fire in the house of Joseph and devour it, and there be none to quench it in Bethel� (v 5). It is significant that Amos chapter 5 is quoted in Revelation chapter 8 when describing the third and fourth trumpets. The omission of Dan and Ephraim emphasizes the point made in Revelation 21 v 8 that there is no inheritance for idolators.

Verse 9

This multitude can be considered to be gentiles responding to the gospel in the time up to the return of Christ (they are "of all nations, and kindreds, and people and tongues").

Verses 10/17

The passage describes the multitude of verse 9 (as those in verses 9 and 13 are described as being in white robes). They came out of "great tribulation" (v 14), which is something that the 7 ekklesias in Revelation chapters 2 and 3 suffer (e.g. Revelation 2 v 9, 10).

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