Then I saw in the right hand of God, who sat on His throne, a book with writing on the inside and on the back, and sealed with seven seals.

saying, "Do not harm the land, or the ocean, or the trees, until we have sealed the servants of our God [with a mark] on their foreheads."

Then I heard the number of those who were sealed. [It was] one hundred forty-four thousand [in all] from every tribe of the Israelites [Note: This could refer to Christians of Jewish descent].

There were twelve thousand sealed from the tribe of Judah, twelve thousand from Reuben, twelve thousand from Gad,

He threw him into the pit, and closed it and sealed it over him, to keep him from deceiving the nations anymore until the thousand years were ended. After that time, he must be released for a short while.