Dan and Ephraim are deliberately left out of the twelve tribes listed in Revelation 7, with Les Feldick attributing Dan’s exclusion to idolatry.
Les Feldick points out the omission in Revelation 7:4 and works through the confusion about which tribe is missing. He first says Ephraim isn’t listed, then identifies Dan—not Gad—as the tribe he means. Dan was the first tribe to go into idolatry, and consequently Dan is left out of the twelve tribes.
Revelation 7:4-8 — This passage lists the twelve tribes from which 12,000 each are sealed, and it is the list in which Dan and Ephraim do not appear.
Revelation 7:9 — After the sealing, John sees a great multitude from every nation, which Les connects to the ministry of the 144,000.
In Revelation 7:4 John hears the number of those sealed: “And I heard the number of them which were sealed: and there were sealed an hundred and forty and four thousand of all the tribes of the children of Israel.” Verses 5–8 then name twelve tribes, with 12,000 sealed from each. Dan and Ephraim are not included among the twelve named. In Revelation 7:9, after the sealing, John sees “a great multitude, which no man could number, of all nations, and kindreds, and people, and tongues,” standing before the throne and before the Lamb. The passage itself does not give a reason for the omissions; it simply records the list.
Les Feldick points out that the tribal list in Revelation 7 is not an accident. In his discussion of Revelation 7:4, he notes that the tribes are “all listed except one” and works through the confusion about which tribe is missing. He first says Ephraim isn’t listed, then identifies Dan—not Gad—as the tribe he means. Les explains that Dan moved north because his original allotment was too small, and the tribe of Dan was the first to go into idolatry. That, he says, is why Dan is left out of these twelve tribes. Les also emphasizes that these are 12,000 from each of the named tribes—all young Jewish men—who are sealed or commissioned shortly after the tribulation begins. He says they will go around the globe preaching “the gospel, not of grace,” and the result is the great multitude of Revelation 7:9.
Les initially raises the question about Gad, then immediately corrects himself: “It’s Ephraim. Ephraim isn’t listed.” Continuing the same discussion, he clarifies, “I knew it was Dan, not Gad.” Taken together, Les points to Dan and Ephraim as the omissions in the twelve-tribe list.
Les explains that Dan had moved up into the northern area of Israel because they did not have enough space in their designated territory. More importantly, he says the tribe of Dan was “the first ones to go into idolatry,” and consequently Dan is left out of these twelve tribes.
Les teaches that 12,000 from each of the named tribes are sealed and commissioned shortly after the tribulation begins. These young Jewish men, he says, will encircle the globe with the preaching of “the gospel, not of grace,” and as a result John sees the great multitude in Revelation 7:9—people from every nation, kindred, people, and tongue who have washed their robes in the blood of the Lamb.
What Happens to the 144,000 Jews in the Tribulation?
You have to learn how to just sort of skip around and find the events that take place in the opening, and then find the events that take place at the midpoint, and then find the events that take place at the end of it, and then you can kind of fill in the two gaps.
Identifying the Omitted Tribe
Les reads Revelation 7:4 and works through the question of which tribe is missing, saying Ephraim isn’t listed; this directly addresses the omission.
Dan’s Exclusion Because of Idolatry
Les identifies Dan—not Gad—as the omitted tribe and explains that Dan was the first to go into idolatry, which is why Dan is left out.
The 144,000 Are Young Jewish Men
Les explains that God has preserved tribal bloodlines so that 12,000 from each named tribe can be identified, and these Jews will preach the gospel, not of grace.
What Saves You? Head Knowledge vs. Heart Belief
Reuben was the eldest. He should have been here. But he was, again, an immoral person. You remember, he was the one who had a relationship with his father's wife or concubine or something. But anyway, Judah now takes the place of leadership, and of course the other reason, who comes out of the tribe of Judah? Christ does.
Global Ministry and the Great Multitude
Les says the 144,000 will encircle the globe, and the result is the great multitude of tribulation saints described in Revelation 7:9-14.
Sealing at the Start of the Tribulation
Les places the sealing of the 144,000 shortly after the tribulation begins and insists they are literal Jews from the tribes of Israel.
God's Divine Appointments in Scripture – Ruth, John 4 & The Tabernacle Explained | Bible Study
And as I pointed out the last time we were together, you see the 12 tribes were all encamped in their order around the tabernacle. And of course the tribe of Levi is left out here, and I didn't put in the two sons of Joseph, Manasseh and Ephraim, who make up then the 12, even though Levi is left out. But the 12 tribes are all encamped in order around the perimeter then of the tabernacle.
Revelation 7:4: And I heard the number of them which were sealed: and there were sealed an hundred and forty and four thousand of all the tribes of the children of Israel.
This verse introduces the 144,000 and shows they come from the tribes of Israel.
Revelation 7:9: After this I beheld, and, lo, a great multitude, which no man could number, of all nations, and kindreds, and people, and tongues, stood before the throne, and before the Lamb, clothed with white robes, and palms in their hands;
John sees the vast harvest that follows the sealing and ministry of the 144,000.
Revelation 7:14: And I said unto him, Sir, thou knowest. And he said to me, These are they which came out of great tribulation, and have washed their robes, and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.
Les quotes this verse to describe the tribulation saints who are the result of the 144,000's ministry.
Les Feldick teaches that Dan was the first tribe to go into idolatry, and consequently Dan is left out of the twelve tribes in Revelation 7.
Yes. In his discussion of Revelation 7:4, Les first says Ephraim isn’t listed before clarifying that the tribe he means is Dan, not Gad.
Les says yes. They are 144,000 young Jewish men, 12,000 from each of the named tribes of Israel, sealed and commissioned after the tribulation begins.
Watch the Teaching: What Happens to the 144,000 Jews in the Tribulation?