Obvious Mistake in Revelation 7:7-8 – Why?

In the listing of the 12 tribes of Israel, two tribes are missing, Ephraim and Dan. The two names to take their place are Levi and Joseph. Joseph received the first born status, a double portion, since Reuben threw his away by sleeping with his father Jacob’s concubine.  So Joseph is out and his two sons now become tribes, Ephraim and Manasseh, they replace Joseph and Levi. Levi becomes priesthood, taken from the tribes for his actions with Simeon for killing all the men in Schechem.

This is an obvious mistake that no Jew would ever make, including John who wrote the Revelation. So why the mistake? Because Revelation was never to be understood literally but symbolically. In Revelation 1:1; the word translated ‘communicated’ is better translated ‘signified’ it is the Greek word SAMAINO – to give a sign. John 12:33; 18:32; 21:19; Acts 11:28; 25:27; In the KJV it is always translated signifying. (to make known by signs). Revelation teaches us Truth by using signs for us to interpret and we do so by referring to the Old Testament apocalyptic language.

Many in this day and age try to interpret this number as a literal number of those who are the only ones going to heaven. The number is symbolic coming from 12 x 12 x 1,000 = 144,000  12 tribes, 12 apostles, God’s people, 1,000 an absolute number, with beginning and end, only God knows. The number represents those who die as martyrs during the Roman persecution, answering the question asked in Revelation 6:9-11;  a number John can’t count. Revelation 7:9ff  Having washed their robes in the blood of the Lamb. Christians, not Jews.

So the mistake in the list of the tribes to show us not to look at this picture literally but purely symbolic. For those who see it literally have not understood Revelation 1:1; and flounder in their understanding. Similar to those who do not believe that baptism is essential for salvation, they flounder in everything else they try to understand concerning the scriptures. If one doesn’t get it right in the beginning, ie Genesis 1-11; how can they get anything else right, if they start off track.

Is it really a mistake, not at all, it is placed in the text to catch your attention and make you think deeper into what God is really trying to say to you. To him who has an ear to hear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.