Matthew Poole and continuators on Revelation 7:8

8 Of the tribe of Zebulon were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Joseph▪ were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Benjamin were sealed twelve thousand .

For the understanding of these five Verses, several things are to be noted. 1. That the whole number is 144000, which is the Product of 12, as the original Number, (setting aside the Cyphers) for 12 times 12 makes 144. The Number of 144, chap. 21.17. was the measure of the Wall of the new Hierusalem: Twelve, which is the root of this Number 144, seemeth to be God's Number, and used in Scripture about 144 times, and almost generally in things belonging to the Church, which had 12 Patriarchs, 12 Tribes under the Old-Testament, 12 Apostles (as its Head) under the New-Testament, and the new Hierusalem from Heaven, ch. 21.12. is said to have 12 Gates, and at the Gates 12 Angels, v. 14. the Wall had 12 Foundations, the length of it, v. 16. twelve thousand Furlongs. 2. That we must not by 144000 understand a certain, but an uncertain Number, which yet was very great. 3. That by the Tribes of Israel mentioned here, are to be understood the several Gospel-Churches of the [illegible: 1 letter]entiles, who are now God's Israel ingrafted into the true Olive. 4. That the Tribe of Dan is here left out, and Ephraim is not named, (tho included in Ioseph) of the Tribe of Dan there were none sealed. Dan was a great Ring-leader to Idolatry, so was Ephraim; See the 17, and 18 Chap. of Iudges; and at Dan it was that Ieroboam set up his Calves. Levi is put in instead of Dan, and Ioseph instead Ephraim, by which means here are yet twelve Tribes, which teacheth us this, That Christians, if Idolaters, must not look for any special Protection or Favour from God in a day of evil. 5. These Tribes are not set in order, according to their Birth-right. 1. Iudah was Leah's fourth Son, Gen. 29.35. put first, because Christ descended from him. 2. Reuben her eldest Son is put next, giving place only to the Messiah's Tribe. 3. Gad, Iacob's Son by Zilpah, Gen. 30.11. is put next. 4. Ashur Jacob's Son by Zilpah, in the fourth place, Gen. 30.13. 5. Nephthalim is put next, who was Jacob's Son by Bilhah, Rachel's Maid, Gen. 30.8. 6. Manasses is put next, who was Joseph's Son. 7 Simeon, Iacob's second Son by Lea[illegible: 1 letter], Gen. 29.33. is put in the seventh place. 8. Levi, Leah's third Son, in the eighth place, Gen. 29.34. 9. Issachar, Leah's fifth Son, Gen. 30.18. is put in the ninth place. 10. Zebulon, Leah's sixth Son, is put in the tenth place, Gen. 30.20. 11. Joseph is put in the eleventh place, for Ephraim his Son. 12. Benjamin, Rachel's second Son, is put in the last place. If there be any Mystery in this Order, differing from all other Scriptures, where there is a mention made of the twelve Patriarchs, it is probable that Mr. Mede hath hi[illegible: 1 letter] upon it, in regard of the good or ill Deserts of these Tribes, some of which are mentioned by him; all may be learned from the History of the Jews recorded in holy Writ. Hence we may learn, that the summary Sense of all these Verses, is this, That altho within that Period of time, which is signified under the seventh Seal, there should be great Persecutions of the Church, yet God would preserve unto himself a great Number in all his Churches, which should not apostatize, and who in the Persecutions should not be hurt, so as his Church should not fail, tho the Archers should shoot sore at it; for tho Men raged, yet it was by Gods Permission; and his Angels over-ruled it, who should take notice of those Numbers that he had sealed, and marked in their Foreheads.