What does Revelation 7:4 mean?
This verse reports that John heard the number of those who were sealed. It was 144,000, and all 144,000 were from the tribes of Israel. They comprise a remnant of Jews who become believers in the tribulation and proclaim the gospel of the kingdom throughout the world. The gospel of the kingdom is the good news that Jesus' kingdom is imminent. The term gospel literally means "good news." In this specific context, the "good news of the kingdom" differs from the gospel of God's grace. They are intertwined, however, so all who believe the gospel of the kingdom and open their hearts to Jesus, the Messiah, will be saved by grace through faith.John the Baptist preached the gospel of the kingdom, but proclaimed Jesus as the Lamb of God, who would take away their sins and qualify them for kingdom citizenship. John urged those who heard him preach to "repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand" (Matthew 3:2). Jesus told Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews, that entrance into the kingdom is limited to those who are born again (John 3:3, 5). He also said emphatically, "I must preach the good news of the kingdom of God" (Luke 4:43). Once again, in the tribulation, the good news of the kingdom of God will be preached.