Revelation 7:1

An Understandable Version (2005 edition)

After this I saw four angels standing at the four corners of the earth. They were holding back the four winds of the earth so that no wind would blow on the earth, on the ocean or on any tree.

Cross References

Matthew 24:31

And He will send out His angels [i.e., as messengers] with the sound of a great trumpet [See I Thess. 4:16] to gather His elect [i.e., God’s people] from all directions, [even] from throughout the whole world. [Note: See Mark 13:27, which suggests this thought by its use of ‘earth’ and ‘sky’]

Mark 13:27

And He will send out His angels and gather His elect [i.e., God’s people] from all directions, from the farthest part of the earth to the farthest part of the sky [i.e., from throughout the whole world].

Revelation 9:14

It said to the sixth angel with the trumpet, “Release the four angels who are tied up at the great Euphrates River.”

Revelation 7:3

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.”

Revelation 9:4

And they were told not to harm the grass on earth, or any greenery, or any tree, but only those people who did not have God’s seal on their foreheads.

Revelation 6:6

And I heard what sounded like a voice coming from among the four living beings, saying, “A quart [measure] of wheat sells for a day’s pay [Note: This amount would be about $108 in 2005, based on one twelve-hour day of a farm laborer’s wages. See Matt. 20:2]; three quart measures of barley sell for a day’s pay; but do not damage the [olive] oil and wine [i.e., the orchards and vineyards].

Revelation 8:7

[When] the first trumpet sounded [I saw] hail and fire, mingled with blood, being hurled down onto the earth. And one third of it was burned up, and one third of the trees were burned up and all the green grass was [also] burned up.

Revelation 20:8

and he will [again] go out to deceive the nations which are [located] throughout the whole world --- Gog and Magog. [Note: Based on Eze. 35-40, it appears that these names are used here figuratively for all the forces of wickedness which are enemies of God]. Satan will assemble them together for battle and they will be as numberless as the sand on the seashore.