Puzzled About Revelation, Part 35: The Mystery of Israel

Join me this week as we continue to unpack the mystery and message of Revelation 7.
John saw two distinct groups of people in his vision: "144,000 from all the tribes of Israel" (7:4) followed by "a great multitude that no one could count, from every nation, tribe, people and language" (7:9). Who are these two groups, what is their relationship to each other, and how do they fit into the epic conclusion to God's redemptive story?
The key to understanding these prophecies and what what the Apostle Paul called the "mystery of Israel" (Rom. 11:25) lies in understanding the promises God made some 4,000 years ago to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. And understanding these things is vital in knowing what God's role is for us in these last days!