The Vision of the Lamb opening the Seals is interrupted because the final seal on the scroll will usher in a great woe and there is a need for a few actions to take place first. Nothing is to be harmed until the chosen of God are sealed.
The next thing that happens is the sealing of 144,000 Jews -- note to you Jehovah's witnesses it says those of the tribes of Israel not of the Jehovah's witnesses. One weird thing -- the half tribe of Manasseh (part of the line of Joseph) is listed but Ephraim is not but replaced with the tribe of Joseph. I wonder if John considered them the same. The other weird thing -- the tribe of Dan is completely missing. The purpose of the sealing of these Jews is protection from the wrath of God to follow.
To the original readers it would have indicated that god has not forgotten his people and that he would protect them.
Next: The Great Multitude
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