As previously stated, the seals storyline is the first in a series of four storylines. Additionally, this storyline has as its emphasis Chapter Seven.
Chapter Seven is where the 144,000 are sealed (Rev. 7:4-8). Notice in these verses that the tribe of Levi has been returned to the group of twelve tribes, and the tribe of Dan is removed.
Previously, in O.T. scripture, the tribe of Levi was removed from the group of the twelve tribes to be priests for the body of Israel (Num. 3:5-13). The replacement for Levi was Manassas, the son of Joseph.
Since Levi has been returned to the group of twelve tribes as shown in Rev. 7:4-8, then Manassas is now replacing Dan in these verses. Thus, Dan is the ministering tribe to the body of Israel. Not as priests but judges as per their birthright (Gen. 49:16-18), saying, “I have waited for thy salvation, O LORD.” Dan has waited a long time to fulfill this role for Israel (Rev. 20:4). And they do so here in the BOR, beginning with their appointment in Chapter Seven.
It follows that the sealing of the 144,000 (Rev. 7:4-8), having twelve thousand from each of the twelve tribes, with Dan ministering as stated above, represents that these 144,000 are judges having the birthright blessing of Dan. This is more clearly shown in Rev. 14:1 and Rev. 17:14 where the 144,000 are called and chosen to respond to the ten kings who destroy Babylon (Rev. 17:12-16).
That is, the 144,000 serve Israel in the capacity of judges. Not only responding to the wicked armies of the beast (Rev. 19:17-21), but also differentiating between those who qualify for the gathering for the rapture, from those who do not (Rev. 16:2-7). Not in the rapture proper mind you, but in the latter part of the seven years of tribulation and judgment of which they are judges.
Therefore, the seals storyline shows the avenue by which these 144,000 judges receive their authority to represent God the Father (Rev. 14:1) in the tribulation, judgment, and after (Rev. 20:4).
We begin with the Father, having power and authority (Rev. 5:1). Jesus had paid with his life to save the saints from eternal damnation (Rev. 5:6). As a consequence, God gave the book with the seven seals to Jesus (Rev. 5:7). The saints are listed in the book. The book is the book of life. Attached to the book of life are the seven seals, which are seven major events associated with the book of life coming to fruition. These seven seals are the Revelation (Rev. 1:1). The Father gave the seven seals to the Savior (Rev. 5:7), who then gave the Revelation to the angel, to show to John (Rev. 1:1).
It follows that when Chapter Six begins, the events of Chapter Five are repeated, but now in metaphor. Thus, the angel showing John the revelation is called a beast, the Father is the white horse, giving power and authority to the Savior as the rider. The Savior has a bow, which is a weapon of war. The Savior had gone forth previously, conquering death (Rev. 5:6), and now, with his bow, goes forth to conquer (Rev. 6:2).
Next, the Savior, as the red horse (Rev. 6:4), gives power and authority to the angel (Rev. 1:1). The Savior’s bow is now called a sword. And with this sword, the angel has the assignment “to take peace from the earth.” This is all shown in Chapter Ten of the trumpets storyline (Ch. 8-11).
Lastly, the black horse represents the angel giving power and authority to John. This was the little book in Rev. 10:8-11. John is now the rider of the black horse, having two balances (Rev. 6:5), which in Chatper Ten are the sweet in his mouth and the sour in his belly (Rev. 10:10).
John, as the pale horse (Rev. 6:8), gives power and authority to the beast and false prophet. This is the bitter part of his assignment. The sweet part is John giving power and authority to the 144,000 of Rev. 7:4-8.
Although there is much more to the seals storyline, the main emphasis of Chapter Seven is that John gives power and authority that was given to him to the 144,000. It is for this reason that the 144,000 have the seal of the Father in their foreheads in Rev. 14:1.
I should also mention that there are only three individuals in the BOR, namely the Savior, the angel, and John. These three individuals bring us the revelation. The angel shows the prophecy and interacts with John. And John writes the prophecy. So, in the revelation, when an individual shows or speaks to John, it is the angel of Rev. 1:1. Although there are also times in which the Savior interacts with John as well.
There are also groups of individuals, of which the 144,000 are one, and the larger group of saints is another.
On the dark side, there is the beast and his false prophet, as well as their groups of fallen individuals. Although none of these interact with the Savior, the angel, or John, they are referenced as the vine of the earth (Rev. 14:17-20), the army of the beast (Rev. 19:19-21), the two hundred thousand thousand horsemen (Rev. 9:16-19), etc. More precisely, however, they are called by the metaphorical names, earth, sea, and fountains of waters.
