Chapter VII.
(Vers. 1.)
(Verse 1) After this, I saw four angels standing at the four corners of the earth. After the rejection of the Jews, it begins to narrate how the Church from the Gentiles was gathered. For indeed, through the four angels, four kingdoms are designated, namely the Assyrians, Persians, Macedonians, and Romans. But since the power of the four kingdoms had passed to the Romans alone, the Romans alone are understood through the four angels who had claimed power for themselves over the four kingdoms. But indeed, by the four corners, all the nations that are contained within the four regions of the world are designated, which the Romans had subjected to themselves. Holding the four winds of the earth, so that they would not blow on the land, nor on the sea, nor on any tree. Through the winds that stir up clouds, so that they may bring rain to water the earth, and make its face joyful and fruitful, peace desired by all mortals is signified, which both gladdens the minds of people, and grants them the ability to serve their own interests: all nations are represented by the land and sea: but those who held power among them are represented by the trees. Therefore, four angels were holding back the four winds, so that they would not blow over the earth; because the Romans, who are represented by the four angels, were filling the entire earth with killings, and robberies, and human deaths, and they did not allow the human race to be peaceful and calm.
(Vers. 2.)
(Verse 2) And I saw another angel descending from the rising of the sun, having the sign of the living God. This other angel is Christ, of whom it is written: And his name shall be called the Angel of great counsel (Isaiah 9:6). He is the sun, of whom it is written: But unto you that fear my name shall the Sun of righteousness arise with healing in his wings (Malachi 4:2). Christ descended from the rising of the sun, that is, from Himself; for He did not assume flesh from the union of man and woman, but from Himself, who indeed created for Himself a spotless flesh from the flesh of the Virgin. But the sign of the living God is divinity: for being in the flesh, he had the sign of the living God; for he did works that showed him to be the only Son of God, as he himself says: The works that I do bear witness to me (John 10:25).
(Vers. 3.)
(Verse 3) And he cried out with a loud voice to the four angels to whom it was given to harm the earth and the sea, saying: Do not harm the earth and the sea or the trees until we seal the servants of our God on their foreheads. God's command was to cry out, and indeed by his coming he made it so that the Romans would cease from their infestation of the human race, and peace would be established throughout the world, as the Psalmist says: In his days shall righteousness flourish, and abundance of peace. (Psalm 72:7) This would continue until the seeds of faith were spread throughout all nations, and those predestined to eternal life would be sealed with the mark of faith.
(Vers. 4.)
(Verse 4.) And I heard the number of those who were sealed, one hundred and forty-four thousand sealed from every tribe of the sons of Israel. One hundred and forty-four thousand chosen from the present Church are designated; for twelve times twelve make one hundred and forty-four. Therefore, all who keep the faith of the twelve apostles and imitate their actions belong to this number. But we must ask ourselves why they are said to have been gathered from every tribe of the sons of Israel, when many more from the Gentiles believed than from the Jews. But if we consider the meanings of the names, we will find all the chosen ones in the names of the twelve tribes; for the names of the twelve tribes pertain to all the chosen ones.
(Vers. 5-8.)
(Verse 5-8) From the tribe of Judah, twelve thousand were sealed. From the tribe of Reuben, twelve thousand were sealed. From the tribe of Gad, twelve thousand were sealed. From the tribe of Asher, twelve thousand were sealed. From the tribe of Naphtali, twelve thousand were sealed. From the tribe of Manasseh, twelve thousand were sealed. From the tribe of Simeon, twelve thousand were sealed. From the tribe of Levi, twelve thousand were sealed. From the tribe of Issachar, twelve thousand were sealed. From the tribe of Zebulun, twelve thousand were sealed. From the tribe of Joseph, twelve thousand were sealed. From the tribe of Benjamin, twelve thousand were sealed. Judah is placed first, but Benjamin is placed last; and if we want to examine the interpretations of the names, we find that Judah is the inferior, but Benjamin is the superior; for whoever desires to ascend to God, starts with the lesser things, so that they may gradually progress to the greater things, as the Psalmist says: 'They will go from strength to strength' (Psalm 83:8). And because the saints ascend to God through the path of virtues, he adds: 'God of gods will be seen in Zion' (Ibid.). The word 'confession' is translated as 'Juda confessio'. Therefore, Judah is placed first, because whoever desires to turn to God after sins, it is necessary that he first confess his sins, as the Apostle James says: Confess your sins to one another, and pray for one another, so that you may be saved (James 5:16), namely, that through the confession of sins and repentance he may make God, whom he has offended, appeasable. And because whoever repents healthily and laments the evils he has done, he brings joy in heaven, turns the eyes of God's mercy towards himself, as the Lord says: Return to me, and I will return to you (Zechariah 1:3). Ruben is placed second, who is interpreted as the son of vision; because through repentance he became a son of vision, who was previously a son of destruction. After Ruben comes Gad, who is interpreted as girded; because it is necessary that whoever repents of having done wrong and asks not to fall back into the same, should be armed against all vices and should cut off carnal pleasures from himself: because it is not possible for one to abstain from sins who rests in carnal pleasures.
And because he who fights against vices manfully begins to be blessed; Asher is placed in order, who is interpreted as blessed. After Asher, Naphtali is placed, which is interpreted as my enlargement. For everyone who knows that he has offended God, and desires divine mercy to help him, must himself have pity on whoever he can, and in whatever way he can, as the Lord says: Blessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy (Matthew 5:7). For indeed the mind of that person is expanded everywhere, who, through the love that he ought to show to his neighbors, pities all whomsoever he can. After Naphtali comes Manasseh, who is interpreted as forgetful; because it is expedient that he who laments his sins, who bestows alms upon the poor, in order that his sins may be forgiven, should so abandon the same sins that he seems to have completely forgotten them.
And thus Simeon follows, which is interpreted as hearing; for he, praying for forgiveness for the evils he has done, is heard by God, who completely forsakes all vices. Then Levi follows, which is interpreted as added or assumed; because he, having already exercised repentance for the sins he has committed, has fought against vices and conquered them, has shown mercy towards the needy, and has deserved by these works that his sins be forgiven. Now secure in forgiveness, he casts away the fear of eternal fire from his mind, and is completely devoted to the love of God and the heavenly homeland, and to those who are called and are the children of God. Next comes Issachar, which means wages: but we will see the clearer interpretation of this name if we consider what Leah, his mother, said at his birth; for she said: God hath given me a reward, because I have given my handmaid to my husband (Gen. 30:18). And therefore she called his name Issachar, that is, wages. Our flesh ought to be our handmaid; our husband is our God. But we give our handmaid to our husband, if we dedicate our flesh to the service of God, if we compel it to keep watch, to fast, and to abstain, and if we subdue its desires. Therefore, Issachar was given to Leah as a reward from God; because to those who control their flesh, who extinguish vices, such reward is given by God, so that they may be enriched with virtues.
And therefore, after Issachar, Zebulun is placed, which is interpreted as the dwelling place of strength. For who is strong if not God? About whom the Psalmist says: The Lord is strong and mighty, the Lord is mighty in battle (Psalm. 23:8). And what is the dwelling place of strength if not the dwelling place of God? For God dwells in that place where faith, patience, chastity, humility, charity, and other virtues abide. And because the rewards of merits are increased through the operation of virtues, Joseph follows, which is interpreted as increase. Benjamin is the last, or rather the highest, who is interpreted as the son of the right hand. For the Son is called the right hand of the Father: and the Gospel speaks, because the saints of God are placed at the right hand of God. Therefore, the chosen sons of the right hand are made, when they are taken from this life, they are placed in heavenly seats; where there is nothing left, but everything is right (Matthew 25:33). Therefore, because we have brought the interpretations of the names of the twelve tribes up to that end, where they are placed in heavenly seats, it is fitting that we transfer what follows for the glorification of holy souls.
(Vers. 9, 10.)
(Verse 9, 10.) After this, I saw a great multitude, which no one could count, from every nation, tribe, people, and language, standing before the throne and before the Lamb . . . And they cried out with a loud voice, saying: Salvation to our God, who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb. By the higher multitude, which is comprehended by number, the chosen ones who labor in the Church of God in every age are designated, as we have already said. And because many are called, but few are chosen (Matthew 20:16), and in comparison to the reprobate, the number of the elect is small, it is not unjustly designated as one hundred forty-four thousand, the elect who labor in the Church of God in each time period; but in the heavenly blessedness, where they are gathered from all nations, tribes, and languages in each time period, their multitude becomes so great that it cannot be comprehended by any number. But white robes signify the cleanliness of souls; palms, however, are set as the sign of victory. Therefore, palms are not only assigned to the holy martyrs, to whom victory is specially ascribed, but also to all the elect, who in this world fought bravely against visible and invisible enemies, possess heavenly blessedness. Palms, then, are the rewards of the saints' victories; and they who are said to have cried with a loud voice, saying, Salvation to our God who sits upon the throne, and unto the Lamb, never cease from praising God, and yet, in praising Him, they have no weariness; because, as the sight of God is sweet to the saints, so also is His praise.
(Vers. 11, 12.)
(Verses 11, 12.) And all the angels stood around the throne and the elders and the four living creatures, and they fell on their faces before the throne and worshiped God, saying: Amen, blessing and glory and wisdom and thanksgiving and honor and power and might be to our God forever and ever, Amen. Above, thousands of thousands of angels are said to praise God around the throne: here, however, they are said to be beyond number, but all are said to stand around the throne. We can understand through the higher angels, who are comprehended in number, those who are destined for different duties in the world: and those who are placed without number, those who dwell in the heavens with the Lord. But here too, seven blessings are mentioned, as mentioned above, to show that in the same way, these also bless God, who guard the world by their governance, just as those who dwell in the heavens with the Lord.
(Vers. 13, 14.)
(Versed 13, 14) And one of the elders answered me: Those who are dressed in white robes, who are they and where did they come from? And I said to him: My Lord, you know. He asks in order to teach; for by elder the doctors of the Church are meant: but by John the hearers are understood. For the holy preachers declare to their hearers, in all ways possible, the glory of holy souls; in order to raise their minds to the love of the heavenly fatherland. And he said to me: “These are the ones who have come out of the great tribulation; they have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb. This passage does not refer to the chosen ones who struggle in this earthly life, but rather to those who rest in heavenly life with the Lord. For the saints do not come out of the great tribulation, but rather they come into the world to endure great tribulations, as Solomon says: A man is born to trouble, as sparks fly upward (Job 5:7). And the Lord says in the Gospel: Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness' sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven (Matthew 5:10). And Paul says: Through many tribulations we must enter the kingdom of heaven (Acts 14:21); for here is the time of tribulation, there is the time of peace. Therefore, the saints come from great tribulation, for they are taken away from this life, where the time of tribulation is, and are placed in eternal rest. But they washed their robes, because they, having placed their souls in this life, purified themselves from all the filth of sins: first indeed through baptism, afterwards through repentance and tears, and the works of mercy, and in other good works. They are also said to have been whitened in the blood of the Lamb; because the souls of the chosen, which were previously wrapped in the darkness of sins, assumed the whiteness of purity through the redemption of the blood of Christ.
(Vers. 15.)
(Verse 15.) Therefore, they are before the throne of God and serve Him day and night in His temple. For they stand in the presence of the holy God and continually enjoy the vision of Him. The heavenly temple of God is truly our homeland, and serving God is called the love of God. For what service is so pleasing to God as to be loved with all one's heart and all one's strength? And who loves God so ardently as those who constantly contemplate His face? And He who sits on the throne, dwells upon them. The throne of God is the holy throne of God, as we said above. Therefore, those who are designated by the throne of God are the ones upon whom God dwells: but God dwells upon His saints, illuminating them with His light, surrounding and protecting them.
(Vers. 16.)
(Verse 16) They will no longer be hungry or thirsty. As the Lord says in the Gospel: Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled (Matthew 5:6); why then are the saints of God never said to be hungry here? But as we said above, this is to be believed to pertain not to the elect who dwell in this life, but to those who exult with God in heavenly bliss. For the just, placed in this life, hunger and thirst for righteousness, desiring all people to be just as they are, when they see the injustices of men. They hunger and thirst still, so that their righteousness may daily increase; they hunger and thirst for eternal life. But the souls of the saints will never hunger or thirst again; because what they hungered for, they have now received. And the sun will not fall upon them, nor any heat. Through the sun, we can understand the trials that the saints endure from men: through the heat, the temptations of demons or carnal pleasures. And because the saints, in this life, have overcome the persecutions of wicked men, endured the temptations of demons, extinguished carnal desires within themselves, and have been placed in heavenly bliss, they feel no eternal labor.
(Vers. 17.)
(Verse 17) For the Lamb, who is in the midst of the throne, will govern them. God governs His saints, arranging their wills in such a way that they can desire nothing except what God wills. And He will lead them to the springs of living water. Christ is the spring of life, who says: I am the life (John 14:6). For what is without Him is dead, but what is in Him is life. Christ leads His saints to the spring of life because He leads them to Himself, so that they may be one with Him. Through the waters, we can understand the same holy ones; for he is both the source and the fountain of waters, because from him proceeds all the sanctity of the chosen ones, as he himself said: Without me you can do nothing (John 15:5).
And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes. For this was the time to weep, the time to laugh will be in that blessedness, as the Lord says: Blessed are those who weep now, for they will be comforted (Matthew 5:5).