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The four angels holding the winds - What does it mean-?
This text comes from Rev. 7:1-4 where four angels, standing at the four corners of the earth are holding the four winds of the earth. Winds in the OT symbolise destructive forces (Jer. 4:11-12, cf. 23:19-20; Isa 66:15-16) – so in this highly symbolic passage, it refers to divine agencies that hold back evil forces until the people of God are sealed on their foreheads. The Bible uses the words ‘seal’ and ‘sign’ interchangeably (see Rom. 4:11). The concept of sealing in Scripture has several aspects, such as character likeness (Rev. 14:1 cf. Ex. 34:5-7), ownership (Gen. 17:7-11), genuineness (Matt. 27:66), and protection (Eze. 9:4-5). The earth’s winds of strife will be unleashed during the Seven Last Plagues (Rev. 15-16). Thus in Rev. 7, sealing is God’s end-time ratification of His children (ownership) who reflect His character and stand for Him during the final crisis, a mark of their genuine spiritual experience, and an indication of His special protection over them during the Seven Last Plagues. After their sealing, the winds are strife are let loose on the earth.