"REV. 7:1-4
And after these things I saw four messengers standing on the four quarters
of the earth, holding the four winds of the earth, that a wind might not blow on the
earth, nor on the sea, nor on any tree. And I saw another messenger ascending
from the rising of the sun having a seal of the living God: and he cried with a loud voice to the four messengers to whom it was given to injure the earth and the
sea: Saying, injure not the earth, nor the sea, nor the trees till we have sealed the servants of our God in their foreheads! And I heard the number of those sealed.
A hundred and forty and four thousand were sealed of all the tribes of the
children of Israel.
of the earth, holding the four winds of the earth, that a wind might not blow on the
earth, nor on the sea, nor on any tree. And I saw another messenger ascending
from the rising of the sun having a seal of the living God: and he cried with a loud voice to the four messengers to whom it was given to injure the earth and the
sea: Saying, injure not the earth, nor the sea, nor the trees till we have sealed the servants of our God in their foreheads! And I heard the number of those sealed.
A hundred and forty and four thousand were sealed of all the tribes of the
children of Israel.
I have given Professor Whiting's translation of the above verses in preference to king James's because I perceive wherein he has differed from the latter in several words; it has made the vision more clear and distinct.
For instance, four quarters of the earth is more proper than four 
corners, because the earth has no corners.
2nd. A wind, is clear, and admits of a choice of the different kinds of winds spoken of in the Bible, whereas the definite article, the wind, as in king James's translation, confines us to one kind of wind only.
3rd. A seal is clear, the seal is not, because there is more than one sealing spoken of in the Bible, viz: seal the Gospel, 2nd Timothy; seal of God; seal of the living God.
4th. From the rising of the sun, instead of the east.......
It must be very evident to the Bible reader that John in his vision saw the servants of God sealed with a seal of the living God, just before the four messengers let go.....The earth and sea is here personified, meaning the living people that are on the earth and sea.....A WIND, which they seem to have the power to hold, is something that will injure the inhabitants of the earth, and sea, as soon as they let go; hence the cry of the sealing angel for them to injure not the earth,
sea or trees, until we have sealed the servants of our God in their foreheads.....When Michael stands up, this trouble will be all over the earth.
2nd. A wind, is clear, and admits of a choice of the different kinds of winds spoken of in the Bible, whereas the definite article, the wind, as in king James's translation, confines us to one kind of wind only.
3rd. A seal is clear, the seal is not, because there is more than one sealing spoken of in the Bible, viz: seal the Gospel, 2nd Timothy; seal of God; seal of the living God.
4th. From the rising of the sun, instead of the east.......
It must be very evident to the Bible reader that John in his vision saw the servants of God sealed with a seal of the living God, just before the four messengers let go.....The earth and sea is here personified, meaning the living people that are on the earth and sea.....A WIND, which they seem to have the power to hold, is something that will injure the inhabitants of the earth, and sea, as soon as they let go; hence the cry of the sealing angel for them to injure not the earth,
sea or trees, until we have sealed the servants of our God in their foreheads.....When Michael stands up, this trouble will be all over the earth.
signification of a sign, it is the same as seal. God says that he gave the Sabbath for a perpetual covenant and "a sign (or seal) between him and the children of Israel forever. (His reasons for it are,) for, (or because) in six days the Lord made heaven and earth, and on the seventh day he rested and was refreshed." - Exo. 31:17.
---How evident it is to any person of sane mind, that God gave this sign at the same time that he made the Sabbath, viz: on the seventh day of creation; not for the tribes of Israel only that lived in the days of Moses, but for the whole Israel of God, from Adam to the resurrection of the righteous dead.
This sign then was given twenty-five hundred years before there was a descendant of Jacob on the earth.
One thing more! ... Q: who has relaxed that fourth commandment? O thou foolish man! thou shalt feel the weight of this commandment when you cannot keep it." Joseph Bates
