Useful Bible Studies > Revelation Commentary > chapter 7
The numbers in the Book of Revelation usually have a meaning that is very simple, but important. The number 12 is a reference to God’s people; there were 12 tribes (family groups) in Israel. There were also 12 apostles (original leaders of the Christian church), of course. Here, however, the reference is to Jewish people, that is, people from the tribes of Israel.
The number 144 (as in 144,000 - see verse 4) is 12 times 12. That number emphasises that the 144,000 people are God’s people in a very special way. They are God’s people because they are Jewish people. They are also God’s people because they trust in Christ - in fact, their relationship with him is especially close (14:1-5).
This passage is the last list in the Bible of Israel’s tribes. However, that does not mean the end of their special relationship with God. That special relationship can never end. For that reason, the names of the tribes will always be on the gates of God’s city, the New Jerusalem (21:12-13).
Judah appears here in the place of honour at the beginning of the list. The tribe of Judah led Israel’s army, and Christ came from it. However, its numbers are not greater than the other tribes. Even the smallest tribe, Benjamin, has the same number.
In the history of Israel, the tribes mixed with each other, so most Jewish people today do not know the names of their tribes. However, God still knows, and he still cares about the 12 tribes.
Manasseh and Ephraim were the sons of Joseph whose families formed their own tribes. We do not know why the names of Ephraim and Dan do not appear in this list. Perhaps it is because those tribes led Israel’s people into the religions of false gods (Judges chapter 18; 1 Kings 12:29). However, people from Ephraim’s family do appear as the tribe of Ephraim’s father, Joseph, in this list. Perhaps people from Dan’s family also appear as part of the tribe of Dan’s closest brother, Naphtali (Genesis 35:25).
Next part: God’s people from every nation (Revelation 7:9)
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© 2016, Keith Simons.