Why is the tribe of Dan missing from the 144,000 in Revelation chapter 7?

The total number of those sealed is 144,000, twelve thousand from each tribe of Israel (v. 4). Their sealing is a guarantee of their being preserved through the Great Tribulation, preserved not simply as individuals, but as specifically of Israel and therefore with earthly blessing as a nation in view. The tribes are mentioned by name (vv. 5-8), which would have no place if their destination was heaven. While Joseph is spoken of in verse 8, this evidently refers to Ephraim (Joseph's son), for Manasseh (Joseph's other son) also is included.

The tribe of Dan is totally omitted, while Levi (the tribe given no inheritance, but distributed among the other tribes — Num. 3:12-13) is added. The reason for Dan's omission appears to be indicated in Jacob's prophecy in Genesis 49:16-18, which is a prophetic history of the nation of Israel, each tribe indicating a distinct era of time. Dan signifies the time of the Tribulation, and is said to be “a serpent by the way, a viper by the path, that bites the horse's heels so that its rider shall fall backward.” This is spiteful satanic activity, and seems to refer to the advent of the False Prophet, the Antichrist with his Satanic doctrine. Apparently, therefore, the Antichrist will come from the tribe of Dan. Thus, the Spirit of God ignores that tribe in this chapter. Yet, Dan eventually will be restored, for Jacob says, “Dan shall judge his people as one of the tribes of Israel” (Gen. 49:16).

Another angel, having the seal of God, is heard. He cries that the earth (the ordered state if society), the sea (the masses without principle), the trees (prominent rulers and the like) shall not be hurt till the servants of God are sealed in their foreheads. These are described as one hundred and forty-four thousand of the tribes of Israel, twelve thousand for each tribe. It may be mentioned that Joseph's name is substituted for Ephraim's, and that Levi, who was not a territorial tribe, is given, and Dan's name left out. We cannot explain the reason for this omission, unless it be that the tribe of Dan was notorious for its idolatry.

Historically, Dan was noted for idolatry (Judges 18:30,31; 1 Kings 12:29,30; Amos 8:14), and idolatry of so grievous a character that it was apostasy.

Prophetically, “Dan shall be a serpent by the way, an adder in the path, that biteth the horse heels, so that his rider shall fall backward” (Gen.49:17). This prophecy of Jacob foretells the apostasy and the deceit that will, in the last days, mark those who follow the antichrist, which awakens the longing cry of the faithful, “Oh, that the salvation of Israel were come out of Zion” (Ps.14:7). “I have waited for Thy salvation, O Lord” (Gen.49:18). These characteristics of idolatry and apostasy will doubtless be found throughout the whole nation, but as they have been localized in the tribe of Dan, God would mark His judgment of that sin by omitting that tribe from mention in a place of honor, just as the descendants of Zadok were marked out for the honor of priestly service in the Lord's house, when others of the priestly family were excluded for apostasy from that privilege, though inheritors of blessing (Ezek.44:9-16).

The number of Israelites sealed is an hundred and forty and four thousand; twelve thousand out of each of the twelve tribes. They are marked and set apart for blessing in the earth, according to the election of grace, before the judgments are enacted. The fleshly order, therefore, is not observed; hence Judah, and not Reuben, heads the list; for blessing on the ground of mercy can only be by Him who is the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root and Offspring of David. Instead of Dan, we have Manasses. There have been many conjectures why Dan is omitted. Some have thought it is because the tribe of Dan has been so mixed up with idolatry; others, because they suppose that "the man of sin" will be a Danite; but as the hundred and forty and four thousand is an election from Israel, these reasons cannot be entertained for a moment; and we believe that the difficulty is only solved by "even so, Father, for so it seemed good in thy sight." Where the ten tribes are now, no man knows; but God's eye is upon them, and however they may be scattered, He is able to bring them forth again in His own time. (Matt. 24:31.) It is remarkable, that when the land is again divided, Dan's lot is mentioned first. (Ezek. 48:1.) We may notice also that the tribes are sealed with the seal of the living God, which intimates their security and preservation in time of judgment and death. Their standing before God is that of "servants," not "sons," or members of the body of Christ, as we are. Our blessings are in the heavenlies in Christ; Israel's portion is blessing in the earth.

A. Not because this tribe is not to have its share in the future partition and blessing; for Ezekiel 48 enumerates it as the first and most northerly of all. A tradition among the fathers prevailed, founded on Genesis 49:17, that it was because antichrist was to spring from this tribe. It is certain that it was the first to sanction idolatry: and evil reprobated the more solemnly in the Revelation, because it will revive as the judgment of the quick draws near. It seems also omitted among the genealogies of the early chapters of 1 Chronicles.

In chapter 7 we have, first, God sealing by a mighty angel a certain regularly numbered complement out of the twelve tribes of Israel. There is no doubt whatever in my mind that those twelve tribes, described as they are there, with their names given, cannot be applied to any but the literal twelve tribes of Israel. There may be a fair question raised why the tribe of Dan is omitted, though I am not going to attempt an answer, and, indeed, it is better to be perfectly plain — I have none satisfactory to give. But the indications that the tribes of Israel should be taken in their literal import are confirmed by the consideration of the vision that immediately follows. For the prophet sees another multitude which none could number, and which is said to be of all nations, and kindreds, and peoples, and tongues. That is, it is as expressly a Gentile body as the hundred and forty-four thousand were out of the tribes of Israel. Now it is of this Gentile multitude that Scripture declares, "These are they which come out of great tribulation." (v. 14.)

*It will be noticed that Dan is omitted, whereas in Deut. 33 Simeon is omitted. The reasons for these omissions are not known, but many conjectures are offered.

I believe the only basis for such a statement is the absence of any mention of Dan here, and in Genesis 49 where the time of antichrist corresponds to the time of Dan. But it is well beyond the Scripture to say that the antichrist springs from Dan.

In seven passages a list of the twelve tribes is given, but the order of the names varies in each, for which there is doubtless a divine reason. After Levi was separated for the priesthood, the number twelve was maintained by Ephraim and Manasseh being mentioned instead of Joseph. When Moses blessed the twelve tribes Simeon was omitted. The blessing there is not so much a prophecy of their historical future, as when Jacob blessed them, but according to their relationship with God in government and blessing. In Rev. 7, where the tribes are sealed for blessing, Dan is omitted, as being a type of Antichrist: Ephraim is also omitted, the number being made up by inserting Levi and by Joseph being mentioned as well as Manasseh. In the future division of the land Dan will have a portion, but will be the farthest from the temple. Ezek. 48:1-35. In the following table the names are numbered throughout according to birth. In Num. 1 there are two lists of the tribes: one, the heads of the tribes, as given in the following table; the other, when the tribes were numbered, the only difference in the order of the names being that in the latter Gad comes before Judah.

But it may be well to notice briefly the reasons alleged by one of the ablest advocates of the mystical class — Vitringa. First he argues that if the names were to be taken in the letter, so must the number. But does this follow? And if it were a necessity, what is to hinder? He who reserved 7,000 in Elijah's day may seal 144,000 of Israel in a future epoch. But I see no need for this. The people might be literal, the number symbolical, without difficulty save to one fascinated by the love of excessive simplification. It is not denied that symbols exist, nor that they yield a determinate sense; but to look for a sort of pictorial consistency in all the parts is contrary to the facts everywhere. Moreover what could be the meaning of a mystical Reuben, Gad, Asher, etc.? Nobody that I know pretends to assign a distinctive signification, unless persons in the last degree fanciful. Yet if they are to be so taken, one might expect each to have a meaning, which is looked for in vain in those who plead strenuously for the general idea. Next it is urged that by the sealed must be understood God's elect, who are to be preserved from an otherwise universal calamity; and who can assert these to be Jews only? But who affirms that none are elect save these? We shall see presently that the scope of the prophecy and the connection of the passage intimate the contrary. The false assumption therefore is, not that the sealed thousands are out of the actual tribes of Israel only, but that there will be no other saints than these. Thirdly the omission of Dan seems to be at least as great a difficulty on the mystical as on the literal hypothesis. In the blessing of Moses (Deut. 33) Simeon is left out. Is this list of the tribes, then, to be taken allegorically? Fourthly, the alleged parallel text, Rev. 14:1, by no means proves that the tribes are not literally of Israel. The 144,000 in Rev. 14 are saints on earth, not long before the final catastrophe, and in contrast with those defiled by Babylon and enslaved by the Beast. That they are not the church, but rather a godly remnant of Israelites associated in the Spirit's mind with the suffering but now exalted Christ, is what writers of this stamp have never even fairly weighed, much less have they decided on good grounds one way or the other.

On the other hand, I conceive that the specification of the tribes is inconsistent with any sense but the literal. Then again the contradistinction is as plain and positive as words can make it, between the sealed numbers out of Israel and the innumerable multitude from all nations and kindreds and peoples and tongues. So that the mystical theory, when closely examined, cannot escape the charge of absurdity; for it identifies the sealed Israelites with the palm-bearing Gentiles, spite of the evident and express contrast on the face of the chapter. This results from trying to make out that the Gentile crowd consists of all the aggregated generations of the elect from the tribes. As to the sealed ones, not a hint appears of a succession: indeed the command to suspend the action of the four winds till after the sealing implies the contrary. It was a precise limited hour, as it was a special class. But what clenches the matter is that the palm-bearing Gentiles (i.e., according to some, the Christian church in its heavenly completeness) are all described as coming out of the great tribulation — a tribulation which even they view as following the days of Constantine. Thus all seems to me strong and conclusive that the sealed here are literal Israelites — not only of Israel, but Israel, the Israel of God; as the mystical reading of the first part of the chapter, with the literal understanding of the rest, involves its advocates in consequences the more gross where it is most systematically pursued.

With regard to the tribes mentioned, there is a certain peculiarity on which I can say little. There are the sons of the various wives of Jacob: first, the two sons of Leah, Judah and Reuben; then of Zilpah, Leah's maid, Gad and Asher; then Naphtali, the son of the maid Bilhah, and instead of Dan her other son, Manasseh (Joseph's firstborn) is substituted. Then there are the four sons of Leah, Simeon, Levi, Issachar, and Zebulun; and finally, the sons of Rachel, Joseph, and Benjamin. Clearly we have the sons arranged according to the different mothers, the offspring of the bondwomen being intermingled with that of the free. Dan, who had been the most conspicuous for idolatry, is left out, and instead of Ephraim, the younger son of Joseph, Joseph himself appears. We find here the sealed of Israel, but the tribes numbered and arranged in a singular manner. They are no longer merely taken up in a natural way according to the order of birth, but God seems to intimate that He would make them a spiritual people also, stamped with His seal. They will then be Israelites indeed, in whom is no guile. Nor is Dan at last disinherited. (Ezek. 48:1, 32.)

Nor this only; God is also going to save a multitude of Gentiles, and here no numbering appears. This is a most refreshing thought from its largeness. For though from them God is now gathering a people to His name, yet when we think of the multitudes that are immersed in darkness, of the myriads on myriads of men in heathen countries, of a handful — yea, perhaps but one — among them here and there having the knowledge of God, it is an afflicting and humbling reflection. But is it not remarkable that when God is to show us the increasing wickedness of both Jew and Gentile, and when His judgments are about to fall, we find there is this multitude of Israel numbered with the greatest care, and God not forgetful of the poor Gentiles? They may not be put in the same high place as the Jews, yet God will bless them wonderfully notwithstanding. But the prophet, who had just known the election of Israel sealed and had heard the number of them, has to turn to one of the elders in order to learn who the countless company are. They were to John a new unknown crowd among the blessed. If they were sealed on their foreheads, is it reasonable that they should just after seem so strange?