The Four Winds of Revelation 7

Rev 7:1 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. 2 AndI saw another angel ascending from the east, having the seal of the living God: and he cried with a loud voice to the four angels, to whom it was given to hurt the earth and the sea, 3 Saying, Hurt not the earth, neither the sea, nor the trees, till we have sealed the servants of our God in their foreheads.

Some try to symbolize these verses or claim that they have happened in the past. When the 144,000 are sealed the 4 winds will let go and they will harm the land, sea and trees. The destruction that comes pertains to the sealing of the 144,000. We are not left to guess what will happen. These are literally 144,000 Elijah like people and the 4 winds will be let go after they have been sealed. The 144,000 servants of God have to understand what God is doing.

John describes the judgments that will fall upon the earth when the 144,000 are ready to do their work. These are 144,000 literal people and there are four literal events.

The four winds is a metaphor. A metaphor is a figure of speech in which a term or phrase is applied to something to which it is not literally applicable, in order to suggest a resemblance, as in "A mighty fortress is our God".

These are literal events. If they are symbolic then there must be scripture to tell us what they mean.

Rules of Interpretation

1. All apocalyptic prophecies are identified by the presence of both, a beginning and ending point in time, and elements

within each prophecy are given in chronological order.

2. A fulfillment of apocalyptic prophecy, or progression towards fulfillment, only occurs when all specifications of the

prophecy or its elements are met - including chronological order.

3. Symbols can only be interpreted with relevant scripture.

The four winds are contained in the 4th seal.

Rev 6:7 And when he had opened the fourth seal, I heard the voice of the fourth beast say, Come and see. 8 And I looked, and behold a pale horse: and his name that sat on him was Death, and Hell followed with him. And power was given unto them over the fourth part of the earth, to kill with sword, and with hunger, and with death, and with the beasts of the earth. (KJV) The NAS

translates And I looked, and behold an ashen horse; and he who sat on it had the name Death; and Hades (grave) was following with him. And authority was given to them over a fourth of the earth, to kill with sword and famine and with pestilence and by the wild beasts.

The four winds are the four judgments of God. Notice that they will affect 25% of the world's population. We have left God with no other choice than to send His judgments upon the earth to reach people with the message of salvation and His coming. Have you ever noticed how people will turn to God in adversity whether it is in their personal lives or as a nation? God has been holding back His judgments until the 144,000 are ready to go to work. These judgments are not symbolic and they have not yet occurred.

There are more than 100 references in the Bible of these judgments and not once are they symbolic. There is no scripture to explain if they are symbolic. If the events John describes are literal in chapter 16 then they are literal in chapter 6.

Rev 6:12 And I beheld when he had opened the sixth seal, and, lo, there was a great earthquake; and the sun became black as sackcloth of hair, and the moon became as blood; 13 And the stars of heaven fell unto the earth, even as a fig tree casteth her untimely figs, when she is shaken of a mighty wind. The sixth seal takes place at the Second Coming. Are the things that John describes symbolic or are they literal?

Rev 16:8 And the fourth angel poured out his vial upon the sun; and power was given unto him to scorch men with fire. This is the 4th plague. Is it symbolic?

Rev 21:23 And the city had no need of the sun, neither of the moon, to shine in it: for the glory of God did lighten it, and the

Lamb is the light thereof. 25 And the gates of it shall not be shut at all by day: for there shall be no night there. Having no need of a sun, is this symbolic?

The first time these judgments are recorded is in Deuteronomy. Deu 32:24 They shall be burnt with hunger, and devoured with burning heat, and with bitter destruction: I will also send the teeth of beasts upon them, with the poison of serpents of the dust.

25 The sword without, and terror within, shall destroy both the young man and the virgin, the suckling also with the man of gray hairs. Are these symbolic or are they literal judgments of God?

Eze 14:21 For thus saith the Lord GOD; How much more when I send my four sore judgments upon Jerusalem, the sword, and the famine, and the noisome beast, and the pestilence, to cut off from it man and beast? Are these symbolic or literal?

The seven trumpets will sound and they are the effects of the four winds or judgments. Look at the first four trumpets. Are these symbolic or are they literal events. When in history have these events taken place?

Rev 8:7 The first angel sounded, and there followed hail and fire mingled with blood, and they were cast upon the earth: and the

third part of trees was burnt up, and all green grass was burnt up. 8 And the second angelsounded, and as it were a great mountain burning with fire was cast into the sea: and the third part of the sea became blood; 9 And the third part of the creatures which were

in the sea, and had life, died; and the third part of the ships were destroyed. 10 And the third angel sounded, and there fell a greatstar from heaven, burning as it were a lamp, and it fell upon the third part of the rivers, and upon the fountains of waters; 11 And

the name of the star is called Wormwood: and the third part of the waters became wormwood; and many men died of the waters,

because they were made bitter. 12 And the fourth angelsounded, and the third part of the sun was smitten, and the third part of the moon, and the third part of the stars; so as the third part of them was darkened, and the day shone not for a third part of it, and the night likewise.

The trumpets are literal. There is no Scripture to explain if the are symbolic. The first four trumpets will be global manifestations

of God's wrath and nowhere in recorded history have they happened. The rules must be followed to have an accurate interpretation.

Each must have occurred in chronological order and every specification of each must be met.

The book of Luke tells us what will happen in the last days.

Luk 21:23 But woe unto them that are with child, and to them that give suck, in those days! for there shall be great distress in the land, and wrath upon this people.Luk 21:25 And there shall be signs in the sun, and in the moon, and

in the stars; and upon the earth distress of nations, with perplexity; the sea and the waves roaring; This is the result of the 4 judgments and their effects upon the earth and its people. It means exactly what it says and is not written in symbolic language. The trumpets will cause disease and sickness, food shortages because of the lack of sun and because of the many fires that are started with the asteroids. The water will become contaminated because of the earth shifting and wild beasts are anything that is pestiferous. Think of even your family pet when it has nothing to eat. Volcanoes will erupt and the earth will be in darknessin many places.

2Ti 3:1 This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come.

Saints we are headed for times that your faith will be tested as never before. Are you ready? Have you truly given your life to Jesus?

Are you willing to Go Be and Do all that He asks of you? It is easy to say you have faith now but when the going gets rough it will be

all that you have is your faith! Trust Him now for He loves you beyond anything you can imagine. It will be your time to prove your

love for Him. Your reward will be great.

1Pe 1:7 That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ.