Revelation 7:2

Ascend

(αναβαινοντα). Present active participle of αναβαινω, "ascending," "going up," picturing the process.From the sun-rising

(απο ανατολης ηλιου). Same phrase in Revelation 16:12. From the east, though why is not told. Swete suggests it is because Palestine is east of Patmos. The plural απο ανατολων occurs in Matthew 2:1 without ηλιου (sun).The seal of the living God

(σφραγιδα θεου ζωντος). Here the signet ring, like that used by an Oriental monarch, to give validity to the official documents. The use of ζωντος with θεου accents the eternal life of God (Revelation 1:18; Revelation 10:6; Revelation 15:7) as opposed to the ephemeral pagan gods.To whom it was given

(οις εδοθη αυτοις). For εδοθη see on Revelation 6:2; Revelation 6:4, etc. The repetition of αυτοις in addition to οις (both dative) is a redundant Hebraism (in vernacular Koine to some extent) often in the Apocalypse (Revelation 3:8). The angels are here identified with the winds as the angels of the churches with the churches (Revelation 1:20).To hurt

(αδικησα). First aorist active infinitive of αδικεω, subject of εδοθη, common use of αδικεω in this sense of to hurt in the Apocalypse (Revelation 2:11; Revelation 6:6 already), in Luke 10:19 also. The injury is to come by letting loose the winds, not by withholding them.