"And after these things I saw four angels
standing on the four corners of the earth,
holding the four winds of the earth, that
the wind should not blow on the earth,
nor on the sea, nor on any tree.
And I saw another angel ascending from
the east, having the seal of the living God:
and he cried with a loud voice to the four
angels, to whom it was given to hurt the
earth and the sea,
Saying, Hurt not the earth, neither the
sea, nor the trees, till we have sealed the
servants of our God in their foreheads.
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."
Revelation 7:1-4