402 Rob Dalrymple least, the ascent of the witnesses figuratively affirms a final, decisive deliverance and vindication of God’s people at the end of time (36). The resurrection of the Two Witnesses in the presence of their enemies likely serves as an explicit indication of their vindication. Ladd affirms that it serves as a “sign to those whom they had been witnesses that they were truly prophets” (37). The righteous are encouraged that though the wicked appear to inflict the righteous with suffering, which brings them great joy (11,10), it is the righteous that eventually reap the eternal inheritance. 3. 7,1-17 The 144,000, the Great Multitude, and the Four Foci Of the four foci, the presence of the provision of divine protection for the righteous—the first focus—necessitates little defense. Less clarity is present in the second—that the righteous function in the capacity of witnesses. The third focus, that of their enduring persecution, is relatively obscure, though most scholars suggest the “great multitude” (7,9) represents the martyrs (38). In regards to the fourth focus, the latter half of this chapter proclaims their vindication as indicated by their presence in heaven (7,9-17), though this interpretation is fraught with difficulties. That this passage lacks the clarity in each of the four foci, compared, for example, with the Two Witnesses in chapter 11, may result from the Apocalypse’s tendency to recapitulate certain events/features with the latter accounts providing details (39). a) Focus #1: Divine Protection Though the sealing of the 144,000 from each of the tribes of Israel has fostered a great number of interpretations, our primary concern — in accordance with our first focus — is that they are righteous persons, which virtually all affirm, that are afforded divine protection (40). That God protects the 144,000 derives from the stated purpose of their being sealed. Namely, according to 7,3, the righteous are afforded protection from the plagues of (36) BEALE, Revelation, 596-97. (37) LADD, Revelation, 159. (38) E.g., BEASLEY-MURRAY, Revelation, 145; W. HENDRIKSEN, “More Than Conquerors” (Ph.D. diss., Pike’s Peak Bible Seminary 1939) 134-35; R.W. WALL, Revelation (New International Biblical Commentary; Peabody, MA 1991), 117. Though Mounce suggests that “The arguments for identifying the 144,000 with a select group of martyrs, however, is far from conclusive (R.H. MOUNCE, Revelation [NICNT; Grand Rapids 1998] 159). (39) For example, one may examine the depth of chapters 12-14 in recapitulating the events of chapter 11. Bauckham suggests that “We can begin to see that what chapters 12- 14 add to the account in 11,3-13 is primarily a much fuller exposition of the conflict between the forces of evil and the witnessing church, to which 11,7 briefly alludes”. 285. See discussion below. (40) Determining the nature of the protection exceeds our interests as well. Essentially, commentators view this protection (and in chapter 11): spiritually (BEALE, Revelation, 409- 410; HUGHES, Revelation, 93-94); protection from demons (R.H. CHARLES, A Critical and Exegetical Commentary on the Revelation of St. John with Introduction, Notes and Indices [ICC; Edinburgh 1963] 269); or, as some form of physical protection (MOUNCE, Revelation, 218-19; WALVOORD, Revelation, 140; H. LINDSAY, There’s a New World Coming [New York 1975] 107-08). On the other hand, G.B. Caird claims that it is “ambiguous, since it does not protect them from death” (Revelation, 97).