Key Verse
These are the ones who come out of the great tribulation, and they have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb. Revelation 7:14
INTRODUCTION
How do you feel about being a servant?
Does it make a difference to you that believe in Jesus Christ to realize that you are going to be servants of God?
Does that comfort when you are distressed? Or do you simply focus on the good things that you would like to have in your expectation that eventually you will occupy a high social standing? Or is it that one day having a mansion that interests you?
When you look up into heaven and see what will happen in the future doesn’t it help you to find out how to live on earth?
Do you think that one day being among people from all kinds of tribes and nations, from different language groups, where there is no division between black, white, or yellow, the rich and the poor, people from one nation that might’ve been in bitter feuds against another, between aboriginal and non-aboriginal, between union and management, with not even an hint in this enormous crowd of racism, sexism, nationalism, unionism, or any kind of ism, can ever be achieved.
Can you imagine millions or trillions of people close together but with no pushing or shoving, nobody being rude to another, and nobody stepping on each other’s toes, understanding each other perfectly, everybody being friends, with nobody thinking that others are strange or are behaving strangely, with no thought of cliques, or special interest groups?
Imagine yourself and those whom you love or might even have hated and despised in that crowd face to face with Christ looking at the triumphant, smiling, living Lamb of God who has taken away the sins of the world. Then you realize that everyone in that crowd are displaying evidence that Jesus is an incredibly successful Savior of all people without any regard for race, nation, language, wealth, poverty, physical beauty, not great physical beauty, education or any other attribute.
He really had promised that anyone who lived and believed in Him would be saved and would never die. You sometimes might have had doubts about that promise but now when you see this scene before the throne of God this is the proof that Jesus had kept His promise, for the blood of the Lamb that had been sacrificed for all people had really cleansed this innumerable, vast, crowd.
But have you ever looked at yourself to see what your mind is focused on and what you think heaven is like? An amusing story will hopefully make you look at yourself seriously. One writer tells us:
“This 85 year-old couple died in a car crash after having been married almost 60 years. They had been in good health the last 10 years mainly due to her interest in health food and exercise. When they reached the pearly gates, St. Peter took them to their mansion which was decked out with a beautiful kitchen, a bathroom and spa. As they “oohed and aahed” the old man asked Peter how much all this was going to cost. “It’s free”, Peter replied, “This is heaven”.
Next they went out back to survey the championship golf course at the back of the home. They could play every day and each week the course changed to a new one representing the great golf courses on earth.
The old man asked: “What are the green fees?”
Peter’s reply: “This is heaven. You play for free”.
Next they went to the Club house and saw the lavish buffet lunch with the cuisine of the world laid out.
“How much to eat?” Asked the old man.
“Don’t you understand yet? This is heaven, it is free!” Peter replied with some exasperation.
“Well, where are the low-fat and low cholesterol tables?” the old man asked timidly. Peter lectured: “That’s the best part. You can eat as much as you like of whatever you like and you never put on weight and you never get sick. This is heaven”.
With that the old man went into a fit of anger, throwing down his hat and stomping on it, and shrieking wildly. Peter tried to calm him down, asking him what was wrong. The old man looked at his wife and said, “This is all your fault. If it weren’t for your blasted bran muffins and low-fat yogurt, I could have been here 10 years ago!”
Our Study Text hopefully will now lead you to look at what you like and what you have been spending your time doing, whether it is shopping, dreaming about exotic travel, planning to buy expensive clothing, and visiting expensive restaurants thinking that when you get those things you would really be in heaven. So what is it that impresses you? Where is your heart? What do you want God to do for you, or to be for you?
The book of Revelation brings all the threads of doctrines running through the Bible together in a crescendo of triumph and consummation of God’s glorious Kingdom. The message of the Book ends with a vision of the unimaginably marvellous city of God. Fittingly, the story of sin also finds its culmination in this Book as the Devil and all who reject Jesus Christ are consigned to the Lake of Fire.
Revelation confirms that the people of God have always sought solace and comfort in Him and they will realize the promised extraordinary blessings of no tears, pain, or sorrow when they have overcome and gone to be with the Lord. They then will appreciate the fullness of what it is to have the Lamb of God as their Shepherd.
So think about your heart and your mind carefully. In our Study we see an enormous crowd, a great multitude which no one could number out of every tribe, nation, peoples and languages. This mass of people are before the throne of God before the Almighty and they see around angels and other heavenly creatures.
Can you imagine the size and the nature of the Throne Room of God to accommodate this innumerable multitude of people? This scene is totally incredible. It is something that even when we stretch our minds only the Spirit of God can enable us to grasp a little portion of it.
The tender love of God will be showered on these special people that we call ‘over-comers’. He nurtures them. This scene is an incredible one. No wonder then there will be ‘Thankful Worship and Praise’ in Heaven. This thankful worship and praise will extend across angelic beings and redeemed men. We must look intensely at this Study Scripture to properly appreciate why this special kind of praise and worship is logical and most understandable.
The ‘Cross’ of Jesus Christ is the ultimate demonstration of the Judgement or Justice of God acting in concert with His gracious love and mercy. Certainly there is no clearer picture of God’s hatred of sin and love for mankind in the same frame. On a much less modest scale, individual believers often testify to God’s mercy on them even while they are going through the severest of tests and trials. Revelation Chapter 7 provides another display of God’s mercy and judgement acting at once and this on a grand scale.
In chapter 5 the Apostle John in vision saw One sitting on the throne holding a scroll sealed with seven seals so that the document could not be opened without breaking the seal. No one except one could break the seal. The scroll contained the secrets of the future and only the Lamb of God could act to open the seals one at a time, revealing events that the unopened seals had prevented any being from knowing what God had in mind for the future. Then the Apostle saw
“A Lamb standing as though it had been slain, having seven horns, and seven eyes, which are the seven spirits of God, sent out into all the earth”.
The Lamb took the scroll and the elders who sat before the throne of God and four living beings which were the cherubim who constantly worshipped day and night as they circled the throne singing Holy, Holy, Holy begun to sing a hymn praising the Lamb’s worthiness to open the scroll. 5:9-10.
All the angelic beings then broke out into a song of praise, falling down to worship the Lamb.
In chapter 6 of the book, the Lamb opened the first four seals and ‘The Four Horsemen’ of the ‘Tribulation’ galloped across the face of the earth wreaking worldwide war, famine, disease and death on the earth and its inhabitants as the Lamb opened the ‘seals’. The task of these riders was to kill and eliminate peace.
When the Lamb opened the fifth seal we see the “souls of those who had been killed up for the word of God” and they were crying out for justice. They were told to rest for a little while longer until others would join them.
The solar system experiences a cataclysmic breakdown after the opening of the sixth seal and it is a time of unimaginable terror, devastation, despair, calamity, death and suffering, as God’s unleashed His just wrath against sin. There were earthquakes, the sun became black, the moon became like blood, stars were falling, the sky was vanishing, mountains and islands were removed.
Not surprising comes a plaintive cry with this rhetorical question from those who have managed to survive but still face certain destruction: the great day of His wrath is come; and who shall be able to stand?
From the greatest kings to the lowliest slaves everyone cried out when they face the wrath of God.
Suddenly in chapter 7 the sequence of judgment is interrupted or suspended and we are taken into an interlude. There is a marked change of tone in the narrative, and the focus shifts to God’s gracious mercy and we get the answer to the crucial question at the end of chapter 6,
Who shall be able to stand?
This is a question that should be of interest to all, along with, How can a man be just before God? What must I do to be saved?
Thankfully the Scriptures provide the answer to all these questions. Chapter 7 is one such Scripture and it also demonstrates that even in the middle of this awesome display of God’s wrath, His mercy is still present and seeking to bring men to Himself; even here, God is providing an opportunity for men to be saved (Matt. 24:l4). Let us also be reminded that the Triune God is a ‘Savior’ God. (See 1Tim. 2:4-5; Tit.1:3-4; 2:10, 13).
Christians through the ages and those today pray for the salvation of souls worldwide. We have prayed for great revivals and great ‘movings’ of God’s Spirit, so that people, families, cities and nations would come to salvation in Jesus. Those prayers are being answered and those prayers will continue to be answered. Some however believe based on some statements in Chapter 7 that this is reference to a unique day and time, where there will be the greatest movement of God’s saving power in terms of sheer numbers, that the world has ever known. However, the evangelism that will reap this great harvest of souls for Christ will come from a most unexpected source, according to some interpretations.
Chapter 7 opens with the terrible judgments in a holding pattern, as a command is given that the servants of God must first be sealed’ before a resumption of the judgments. These ‘to be sealed servants’ turn out to be one hundred and forty-four thousand ethnic Jews; twelve thousand from each tribe of Israel. Though plainly stated in the Text, many interpretations regarding the identity of this ‘sealed’ throng have sprung up, each with its own presupposition. One writer gives us examples of this sad state of the human mind:
“I recently listened to a commentator on Revelation, teaching on the radio here in the Bay Area, who labored with diligent effort to prove that these people were the church, but when God says Israel he means Israel; he does not mean the church. He is talking about Jews. Teachers who twist Scripture like that man did can convince others that black is white, sugar is sour, and Adolph Hitler was one of the great saints of all time! There is much twisting of Scripture, but if one stays with the simplicity of the Scripture itself, all is clear.
These are, then, the well known 144,000 Jews of the last days.
In their earlier days, the group known as Jehovah’s Witnesses claimed they constituted this select band. They misappropriated the Scripture and applied it to themselves, though they are not Jews and never were. They ran into difficulty, however when the group grew beyond 144,000. They did not know what to do with the leftovers, so they started another category of 144,000. They taught there was an earthly band of 144,000 and a heavenly band, If you believe their doctrine in the early decades of the century you belonged to the heavenly band. But now, again, they have a problem because they number more than 288,000 so they have created still a third band called “the servant band”. If you join the Jehovah’s Witnesses today you must come in at the servant level. This is just one example of the many ways people can twist Scripture to make it fit a program of their own devising. What God clearly identifies these people for us here”.
In addition, some in one class of interpretation argue that this 144,000 individuals is simply a round number or a symbolic number. They then apply that to any group such as the church or some other group. The various cults like to do this.
One explanation for this plethora of different interpretations is the tendency among many to spiritualize the Book of Revelation, while others must make it fit into their idea of ‘the Rapture’, which though it certainly will happen, is clouded by very questionable interpretations of what it is and how it will occur. Of necessity many of these other interpretations get very complex, innovative and very surprising, particularly in light of the rest of Scripture leading up to Revelation.
The soundest means of biblical interpretation is to accept the plain sense and literal meaning of the text while recognizing the use of symbols and interpreting those symbols where possible consistent with their usage in other passages. Many who say they hold this position violate this practice.
Christians must bear in mind that ‘Israel’ is always mentioned in an ethnic sense in the Bible. The Scripture tells that salvation is of the Jews; this simply means that God chose Israel from among the nations of the world, to bring the message of salvation to the Gentiles. By and large the Jews rejected their Messiah and for this reason many Christians believe that God has cast-off the Jews (Rom 11:11).
God’s plan of salvation is revealed in the Gospel, (Eph.1:13; 2Tit.1:10). The Scripture tells us that the Jews are the ‘natural olive branch’ and that Gentiles have been grafted in, that is we are adopted by God. Thus, we along with the Jews have become heirs of salvation. Contrary to what man may think, salvation belongs to God, He is sovereign and will give salvation to whom He wants. Israel will be saved. (Isa. 35:4; Isa.45:17; Zec. 9:16; Rom.11:26). God’s plan to save the Gentiles is prophesied in Isa.45:22; Isa.49:6; Isa.52:10.
Immediately following the gracious ‘sealing’ at God’s command (vs. 1-8), we are taken to a vast and innumerable multitude of saints, from all nations, tribes, peoples and languages; significantly clothed in white before the throne of God and engaged in worship. Though not explicitly stated, the position in the Text of these two throngs and the context have led many interpreters to see the innumerable host before the Throne as Christians saved during the Tribulation, as a result of evangelism by the one hundred and forty-four thousand Jews mentioned above. Again, this interpretation is often part of a construct to accommodate ‘the Rapture’. There is no solid scriptural evidence to support this interpretation.
The Study Text will show that even in the midst of the ‘Great Tribulation’, God’s salvation comes to His people. One hundred and forty four thousand Jews are kept from the devastation of the judgments that are being poured out, and an innumerable host of redeemed Jews and Gentiles come to salvation. Importantly we also note the all the redeemed along with the heavenly host worship God. The end of our salvation is the worship and glory of God.
THE TEXT
THE CONTEXT
Immediately after the lament at the end of chapter 6 “who is able to stand,” John sees four angels standing at the ‘four corners’ of the earth. Angels are prominent in the book of Revelation as the instruments that God uses to execute (8:2) and temporarily suspend judgment on the earth, (7:1-3). Angels are associated with the forces of nature: the wind (Rev. 7:1), fire (Rev. 14:18), and water (Rev. 16:5). Stopping the winds implies a “lull before the storm.” God controls all of nature. During the day of His wrath, He will use the forces of nature to judge mankind.
Note the importance of the seals that were opened by the Lord Jesus Christ the Lamb of God. The seals on the scroll were a time protective lock on the judgments that would be poured out on the earth. Prior to chapter 7, six seals were opened and their devastating consequences were released on the earth. Chapter 6 details what happened as each seal was released, but note that as each seal was broken, the judgments on the earth got progressively worse. When Chapter 7 opens, we anticipate the opening of the seventh seal with consequences even worse than seen so far.
Surprisingly there was a lull and this is what causes John to make a shift in his subject from judgment to grace. Here in the next few verses some special servants of God (Mal. 3:16-17) were to be set apart, before more judgments fell on the earth.
The ‘four corners of the earth’ refer to the four cardinal direction points and speak to global authority and activity under God’s sovereignty and is no more “unscientific” here than it is in Isaiah 11:12 or the daily newspaper.
‘Holding back’ means “to grasp, seize, restrain.” It stresses power or ability in relation to a job to be done. The Apostle’s main reason for using this phrase is so we understand that he will encompass the entire earth in his future exposition. Readers would understand that all of what is happening is not going to be occurring in any isolated region. The wrath of God will be unleashed on the entire earth, due to the fact that it is completely pervaded by sin and God must act everywhere, because He is a holy and impartial.
Restraint is urged on four angels holding back the ‘four winds’ from damaging the earth, the sea and the trees but in chapter 8 these judgments will happen. A windless earth would have serious, harmful effects as well and is itself under judgment. In several places in Scripture “wind” is used as a symbol of divine judgment (Jer. 49:36; Jer. 51:1; 2 Sam. 22:11).
…another angel… this angel ascends from the east; John had his vision on the isle of Patmos in the Mediterranean toward the west, and to the east would be the land of Israel, the land of Messiah, God’s Promised Land, and the land of the one hundred and forty-four thousand, the twelve tribes.
‘…till we have seal … the verb “to seal” means “to make an imprint in wax” and it was often done with a signet ring. This was done in ancient times in various kinds of business transactions. It could signify a number of ideas: (a) It often showed a completed transaction had occurred. (b) It was often a mark of identification and ownership. (c) Finally, it was often a mark of protection or security. This is clearly the emphasis here. (See Gen. 41, Esther 3; 8, Dan. 6). (Ezek.9).
…servants of God… they are already saved but the sealing will guarantee their physical and spiritual protection. The seal is said to be on their foreheads and in 14:1 this is described as “His (the Lamb’s) name and the name of His Father.” They will become quickly identified as the servants of God, i.e., His agents and evangelists as against the servants of the ‘Beast’. They will not be ‘secret service’ believers!
The seal on their foreheadssymbolizes protection and ownership and God’s intention to protect the twelve tribes that are mentioned, much as He protected Noah from the Flood, Israel from the plagues of Egypt, and Rahab and her household in Jericho. Further, the seal may also point to their protection from the apostasy and deceptions of the ‘Beast’. It stresses their invulnerability to the ‘Beast’ and the false prophet both physically and spiritually. As the followers of the beast have his mark, so these have the mark of God.
The sealing on the forehead suggest that this mark was something that distinguished them and would be plainly visible, as the seal was in a prominent place. It could be however, that the distinguishing feature was the kind of life that they lived, which would be contrary to those of the servants of ‘the Beast’ and who would have his ‘mark’ of blasphemy on their foreheads.
We are not told specifically what this mark was, even though many believe that it was the possession of the Holy Spirit, for He is described as the ‘seal of God’.
It is interesting to note that when people are ‘sealed’ by God, He has in mind a specific and unique purpose for them. The specific purpose or service is not identified here, though many consider it to be worldwide evangelism.
There are other examples of a protective seal being given to the righteous. Ezekiel 9 describes that something similar was done for the righteous before Jerusalem was judged. In that case the translation of what the ‘seal’ meant is clear, as one writer says; “The seal is the Hebrew letter tau (“t,” as in the shape of a small cross). At that time the Divine messenger went throughout the apostate Jerusalem and put a mark on the foreheads of those who hated the faithless idolatry of the citizens of Jerusalem. Those that were marked were faithful and true servants of God that would be spared but God intended to destroy the idolaters.
What is undeniable is that the sealing by God is both a comfort and a challenge, for we are assured by the sealing that we belong to God, while at the same time being challenged to shun evil, depart from iniquity (2 Timothy 2:19) and not to grieve the Holy Spirit of God.
John heard the number of those sealed and we are told exactly who they were. There were one hundred and forty-four thousand people sealed from all the tribes of Israel and the Text emphasizes that only Israel is in view.
Note that the tribe of Dan is the first tribe listed in the Ezekiel 48 millennial roll-call of the tribes.
Hosea 4:17 tells us that the tribe of Ephraim was also associated with great idolatry. In this case they are not mentioned directly but the listing includes the tribe of Joseph (this could by the process of elimination only be Ephraim), since the tribe of Manasseh, the other son of Joseph is listed. In an unusual twist the tribe of Levi is listed, though this priestly tribe did not have an inheritance among the twelve tribes.
John does not tell us why he arranges the tribes in this way but remember that there is no normative list of the tribes of Israel in the Old Testament. There are about twenty different orders and lists of the tribes of Israel and only in Numbers 2:7 and 10:14-29 is the same list repeated. So John’s rather unique list was obviously designed for a purpose about which we can only speculate.
The tribal affiliations of the persons sealed from these tribes are clearly stated. They are said to be celibate in Revelation 14: 4 and have special integrity and faithfulness. They appear to be the beginning of the harvest of Israel referred to in Romans 11. Clearly God has not put away His people permanently and here they are referred to specially as being people of integrity, celibate, dedicated to God and are triumphant through the ‘Great Tribulation’.
A GLIMPSE OF HEAVEN
Verse 9. After this… meaning, the vision concerning the sealing and salvation of the one hundred and forty-four thousand Jews. John looked and saw another breath-taking sight, an innumerable multitude. Some see a cause / effect relationship here. The sequence of verses (1-8) to (9-17) suggests the hundred and forty-four thousand Jews become the instruments God uses to lead the innumerable multitudes to a saving faith in Christ. This particular view has some strings attached as many of its adherents also teach that the Holy Spirit was already been taken out of the earth. It is inconceivable that the one hundred and forty-four thousand would be converted without the Spirit and in addition be spirit-filled and able to convert this great multitude without the presence of the Holy Spirit. Such power these people would give to men! The truth is, men have no such power!
So imagine now this breathtaking vista of what is happening in heaven. Remember that the Apostle John is exiled on the Isle of Patmos and he’s certainly lonely and though an old man he is working hard in this penal colony. He has already written the letters to the seven churches and five of the seven certainly had serious problems (2:1-3:22). John would certainly not be happy at the developments in most of the churches.
Now John sees the other side of reality and this side of reality shows him a huge multitude of triumphant Christians and the numbers are so large that no man could number them. You can imagine that much of his loneliness would disappear for he knew where he would be one day.
So John has seen the extraordinary four creatures with wings circling around the throne of God. He heard 10,000×10,000 angels singing and he heard the songs of creatures in heaven and on earth and under the earth and in the sea praising God. The last multitude would have seen the same as the Apostle John.
They would have seen the magnificent throne of God surrounded by a rainbow. We are told in chapter 4:
“And from the throne proceeded lightnings, thunderings, and voices. Seven lamps of fire were burning before the throne, which are the seven Spirits of God.
Before the throne there was a sea of glass, like crystal.
And in the midst, and around the throne, were four living creatures, full of eyes in front and in back.
The first living creature was like a lion, the second living creature like a calf, this third living creature that if he is like a man, and the fourth living creature was like a flying eagle’s. The four living creatures, each having six wings, were full of eyes around and within. And they do not arrest they are night, saying:
“Holy, holy, holy
Lord God Almighty,
who was and is and is to come”.
Whenever the living creatures give glory and honor and thanks to Him who sits on the throne, who lives forever and ever, the 24 elders fall down before Him who sits on the throne and worship Him who lives forever and ever, and cast their crowns before the throne saying:
“You are worthy, O Lord,
To receive glory and honor and power;
For You created all things,
And by Your will they exist and were created”.
The Scripture is silent here as to who evangelized this vast multitude from every tribe and kindred that now join the angelic hosts. However, there is no reason why believing Jews or Gentiles who resist the Antichrist philosophy would not be witnessing to people through these difficult times and that God would not call many to Himself.
…lo… (behold, ‘to see’) ‘used when a thing is specified which is unexpected yet sure’. The surprise is that in such a time catastrophe and devastation, a time of God’s wrath, God’s mercy is equally on display.
…a great multitude … God’s grace is boundless; not only will men be saved, but in numbers that defy human computation. One writer notes: “Of course God numbers them and knows everyone that is His, (2 Tim. 2:19).
…all nation and kindreds and peoples…The prior group were Jews, this throng is composed of all nationalities, tribes and groups. Jews beyond the one hundred and forty-four thousand are included since this is the time of Jacob’s trouble when all Israel will be saved (Rom. 11:26). Every nation is represented here which must include Israel and from all tribes which would include the twelve tribes of Israel.
Spurgeon comments on this Text:
“I suppose as he looked at them he could tell where they come from. There is individuality in heaven, depend upon it. Every seed will have its own body. There will sit down in heaven not three unknown patriarchs, what Abraham-you will know him; Isaac, you will know him; and Jacob, you will know him. There will be in heaven not a company of persons, all struck off alike so that you cannot tell who is who; but they will be out of every nation, and kindred, and people, and tongue”.
…stood before the throne… This is the same throne John saw in chapters 4 and 5 and shows that this multitude is in Heaven in the presence of the Lamb of God, as saved people. Their station is before the Throne waiting on God. This is the place of privilege and honor where no sin or anything that defiles can enter.
…clothed with white robes… These are ‘over-comers’ (Rev. 3) and some see their garb symbolically of the imputed righteousness of Christ given to them at the point of salvation through faith in Jesus Christ. They are justified and so have access into the presence of God.
…and palms in their hands… speaks of joy, adoration and worship. Palm branches were used in some ancient traditions to symbolize festive joy, adoration and worship, as well as victory or triumph. “And this is the victory that has overcome the world, even our faith, and who is he that overcomes the world, but he who believes that Jesus is the Son of God” (1 John 5:4-5). “Thanks be to God who always leads us in His triumph in Christ” (2 Cor. 2:14).
These are they that are able to stand. They are those that God allows to stand! So they too sing.
Verses 10. …salvation to our God…not surprising in light of chapters 4 and 5, we find this vast multitude in worship; this is the ever present activity at the throne of God. The actions of the multitude are in the present tense and suggest an on-going and customary activity. One writer states:
“The word translated here as “salvation” is not some specialized theological term, or an airy abstraction. It means the total well-being of people. To be saved is to flourish.
Many in the ancient Roman empire claimed that the source of salvation was the Emperor. John’s heavenly vision subverts this claim. It insists that salvation has a different source.
Among the numerous marvels described in the Revelation to John, this is surely the most remarkable: that’s so large an assembly unanimously acclaim God and the Lamb cause people to flourish: that is what John hears as the song joyously sung in heaven”.
…with a loud voice…the worship is effusive and jubilant, reflection the victory through the lamb.
…Salvation to our God… means salvation belongs to God, since He alone is the source and means of salvation. Only God, the one sitting on the throne, and the Lamb can give salvation,
They do not take their salvation for granted, for they know that it is God and the Lamb that saved them. Spontaneously, they cry with joy and loud jubilation.
Their joy shows that it is a great lie to believe that salvation can be found anywhere else but in Jesus Christ. Your well-being cannot come from you or from money, or from what money can buy. One writer insists:
“Salvation does not come through the Roman empire or through American capitalism or through any other human system. In the end, there is only one place to turn: to our God seated on the throne and unto the Lamb.
The scenes of celestial worship found in the Book of Revelation are heavy with glory and grandeur. But that’s not all. In the best biblical tradition they also represent a parody, a mockery, of all those ways we believe we can save ourselves through what we are, what we have, and how we look to others”.
The innumerable multitude has much to teach us. They tell it like it is.
Heaven therefore is where everybody realizes that they cannot and do not save themselves but everybody there received the grace and mercy of God.
This event in heaven is not to be compared with anything that has ever happened or can ever come on the face of this earth. We can learn therefore from the situation of this innumerable multitude that they understand why they will not be headed for the Lake of Fire.
They have been washed by the blood of Christ on the Cross and they have therefore been purified and declared righteous. Because of that they have been given a white robe to celebrate their salvation. They would waive palm branches to show each other that they have found peace in God and in the Lamb.
Verses 11 – 12. Angels are always seen in attendance to God, obeying His will, or in the worship of God’s person and work as in creation (Job 38:1-7), or as in man’s salvation (Luke 2:13-14). More particularly, the angels rejoice over the salvation of sinners (Luke 15:8-10).
Here they react immediately when the great multitude jubilantly proclaim, “Salvation to our God who sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb.” The angels in heaven, around the throne, the elders and all the four living creatures all fall down before the throne and prostrate themselves in worship of God. They acknowledge the glorious attributes of God, His wisdom, His power, and His might. He is incomparable. The worshipping throng declare that for these His divine perfections God ought to be blessed, praised, and glorified to all eternity; and they confirm it by their Amen. They crescendo in chorus adding their truly, truly, or Amen, let it be so.
These angels seem to love every opportunity to praise God, worship Him and prostrate themselves before Him. Their worship cannot be separated from their praises. They seize on every opportunity to show their love for God. Just give them the slightest reason, and they will pour out their praises to God.
Note, those closest to God spiritually and physically know that the proper, logical and natural reaction to the Father and the Lamb is worship and praise.
The angelic hosts look at these innumerable people who were once enemies of God, who fought against God, who hated Him, but by the amazing grace, mercy, power, and wisdom of God, now are His children. They now learn a little bit more about the nature of salvation and the nature of their God.
They consider their God more amazing than ever to have done such a thing. Who would have dreamed that any being would be so forgiving, so condescending to reach down to beings such as these humans!
So the angels rejoiced over the salvation of these vast multitudes sinners. God, their God, did not simply save just a few, but many, many trillions. He was so overwhelmingly kind.
One writer describes for us the meaning of the words used in this particular doxology in Revelation.
“Blessing or Praise (Greek eulogia) is what God deserves because of what he will for the people. It is “that spontaneous act of thanks which men utter when they realize more vividly than ever before their happiness”.
Glory (doxa) is the honor due Him because of His good reputation, specifically for delivering them.
Wisdom (sophia) is God’s infinite knowledge displayed in His plan of deliverance.
Thanksgiving (eucharistia) literally means “well” and “to give freely”, but it denotes an expression of gratitude for a favour rendered.
Honor or esteem (time) is what God deserves because He has planned and provided this salvation.
Power (dynamis) reflects God’s omnipotence that enables Him to overcome all opposition.
Might or strength (ischys) refers to God’s inherent power that enabled Him to deliver this multitude from their enemies.
God is worthy of this worship throughout eternity. Amen underlines the truthfulness of this sevenfold ascription”.
Verse 13 – 14. … one of the elders answered… these words likely indicate that John might have shown some sort of puzzlement or bewilderment over the identity of this group and this led to the elder’s two part question. Then again John was brought to Heaven for the purpose of revelation and the elder is about to ensure that John knows the identity of the multitude. Either way, behind this the omniscient God knows all our thoughts and answers John’s question. Clearly the elder is not asking for his own information, rather he is asking to make sure John knows who these people were and from where they came.
The elder asked the question in order to start a conversation, to elicit a response, to see John’s level of knowledge about the situation. John deferred, a tacit acknowledgement of his own ignorance. He knew that these elders knew the mind of God certainly much better than he did.
Those who would gain knowledge must not be ashamed to own their ignorance, nor to desire instruction from any that are able to give it.
This is a most important question asked by the elder, “Who are these, and where do they come from?” Their former state was low and desolate: they were in great tribulation, persecuted by men, tempted by Satan, sometimes troubled in their own spirits; they suffered the loss of property and goods, imprisonment and martyrdom. They endured intense spiritual warfare, faced the wrath of the many antichrists and the final Antichrist and still emerged triumphant in Christ. They were committed to God and now are rewarded for their efforts.
There are disagreements sometimes about the language used and what the words really imply. One writer clarifies some issues for us as follows: “Positioned as this vision is just before the midpoint of the Tribulation, before the Great Tribulation begins, the elder must have meant that this multitude came out of the Great Tribulation before it began. The Greek preposition ek (“ out of”) primates such an interpretation.
Another possibility is that the elder meant that the Saints came out during the Great Tribulation, which the Greek preposition alone what the placement of this vision between the sixth and seventh Jesus does not favour”.
Actually, much of the disagreement rests on whether or not you accept the interpretation that God promised to keep Christians completely out of the Tribulation. Some believe that Christians will be taken completely out of the Tribulation, while others believe they will suffer during the Tribulation, and yet others believe that the saints will come out of the first part of it while it is in progress.
…washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb. Everyone is saved by the blood of the Lamb. There are no exceptions and no exclusions. The Bible makes it clear that the only way to be cleansed is to be washed in the blood of the Lamb.
More particular, this is a reference to the imputation of Christ’s righteousness to these saints. The point is they acted in faith, trusting in the person and work of Christ and God then justified them, imputing or crediting the righteousness of Christ to their account (Rom. 4-5).
One should recognize that this phrase with regard to washing their robes in the blood of the Lamb is a figure of speech for salvation. Depending on whether or not you believe that they word “robe” represents believer’s garment of salvation or his good works, it must be borne in mind that all the redeemed must go into the presence of God. As a result limiting this innumerable multitude to faithful saints that went through the whole or part of the Tribulation which meant that they were all martyrs who died for their testimony as believers does create some difficulty. It is the blood of Christ that makes their robes white. In this company there will most likely be saints with all different kinds of experiences.
Note, there is a sense here of the multitude’s active involvement in their salvation and this speaks to human responsibility to believe and act on the gospel message.
Verse 15. …before the throne… here is the second mention of them being before the throne (v.9), likely to emphasize the enormity of their transformation and the quantum leap from the Tribulation on earth to the very presence of God and the Lamb.
…therefore…the thrust of the verse is on the reason they are in the presence of God. It is through faith in Christ that they have access to the very throne of God; they are clothed in white robes, symbolic of the righteousness of Christ. Because ‘they washed their robes….in the blood of the Lamb’.
… in His temple… a reference to some kind of priestlyfunction in the temple. Undoubtedly, it refers to heaven and stresses that heaven is not only a rest from life’s pressures and toil, but it is especially a place of worship and privileged service. God’s throne is not in a palace but in a temple.
…night and day…stresses the idea of unbroken, continuous service. They are happy in their duties serving God continually, and that without weakness, drowsiness, or weariness. They have no need for rest or sleep or restoration from fatigue.
…shall dwell among them…literally shall tabernacle among them. They will enjoy the very presence of God, be under His canopy as it were. This could be an allusion to Isaiah four as well. One writer notes: “And He who sits on the throne will spread His tabernacle …” (7:15c-17). The verb is skhnow, “to live, dwell, have one’s tent, encamp.” It was used of setting up or spreading a tent over something. It comes from skhnh (a tent, booth, tabernacle) and was used of the Mosaic tabernacle (Heb. 8:5; 9:2, 3, 6, 8, 21), of its heavenly prototype (Heb. 8:2; 9:11; Rev. 13:6; 15:5), and of the dwelling of God in the New Jerusalem that comes down out of heaven (Rev. 21:3). In John’s writing, the only place where skhnow is used, this verb refers to God’s presence among men.
Verse 16. Here is listed some of the blessings and benefits that flow out from the previous verse, where God’s presence is pictured as a tent over the saints and He among them. The result is they enjoy and bask in His presence and have His protection, blessing and fellowship in an unlimited way.
The verse indicates that God will provide for our every need in magnanimous proportions. The limitations that plagued our bodies, hunger, pain, weariness will no longer affect us. The ‘elements’, or environment will no longer be a concern to us, for it will no longer affect the saints. Every need and desire to sustain and allow one to thrive, will be under the care and control of God. The imagery is like the promises to the exiles in Isaiah 49:10. They shall not hunger nor thirst; neither shall the heat nor sun smite them: for he that hath mercy on them shall lead them, even by the springs of water shall he guide them.
Thus all that can bring pain, suffering and sadness are absent; like the sinful nature, the hostile world system, and the attacks of Satan. Additionally, the saints will experience all that is needed for relief, joy and satisfaction to the ultimate degree.
Verse 17. The absolute sufficiency in all that is good and virtuous from verses 15 and 16, stems from the shepherding ministry and the presence of the Lamb who is seen in the center of the Throne. His position highlights the magnitude and centrality of the person and work of Christ to the Godhead and the pre-eminence He should always have to us. The believer will find comfort and rest from cares, anxiety, tension and stress.
…the Lamb… Jesus even in His heavenly glory remains the ‘Lamb’ that was slain from the foundation of the world and will remain so for all eternity and the saints will forever worship and adore Him for His sacrificial death on the cross in our place.
…living fountains of water… (literally life’s water springs) the plural suggests more than one. The saints move from fountain to fountain behind the Great Shepherd, (Psalm 23). There is an infinite progression of joys and felicities to those who belong to the Lamb. One writer notes: “The emphasis is strongly on the word “life” which serves to stress that from death onward, with our arrival into the presence of our Great Shepherd, we will drink of life on the highest level, both life eternal and life abundantly.”
…all tears… the emphasis of this verse is on tears of the past, because of the trials of life and those necessarily experienced in the Great Tribulation. All tears are removed, vanish when the saints arrive in heaven in the presence of the Lamb. There will be no place, time or occasion for tears. They will be enthralled and occupied with the beauty and wonder of heaven and the continual worship of the Savior.
CONCLUSION
The Apostle John needed encouragement and so do we. We should never forget that sometimes the ordeal is really heavy for believers for their enemy is very strong and their affliction sometimes feel overpowering. But it has to be remembered that that they have a Saviour and that it is through their Savior that they will become victorious. One day they will no longer live in fear or want.
One day all the redeemed will be under the visible and personal care of their Shepherd and will see His face directly. The awful days of judgment will be seen in every respect as the well-deserved punishment for those who love and stay in sin.
It is to be noted therefore that a Christian is one who values what they have. They actually value their experiences in their present life for they are unafraid of what lies ahead because in the present and in the future, in both, God is there.
We therefore pray that this little glimpse of heaven will strengthen you for it gives you an insight into a glorious new reality that God has planned, prepared, reserved and guaranteed for you.
This is not a psychological escape or something that you can only dream and fantasize about. There is a wonderful and glorious tomorrow for all of those who put their faith in Christ as their Savior. So believe until the time when you have your last breath for if you do not you shut the door to anything good beyond this life.
Those that suffered and died for the sake of Christ will be before the throne of God as victors over death. They will be in delightful service, incredible worship and magnificent company. The redeemed go into the direct presence of God when they die. Consideration of the bliss of those that have been glorified should certainly cure us of our worldliness and free us from the things that tie us to this earth.
We must also remember as we read the book of Revelation that it will be hard for people to hear and believe the Gospel, given the tremendous and concerted deception at the time of the end. We must therefore work hard and spread the gospel now and teach it to our children and grandchildren, equipping them and encouraging them to spread the Word throughout all generations.
Our Text is a great source of comfort and consolation, for we know that those who have died as believers have not really lost life, but have gained a richer, fuller life.
There will be no vestige of the negative effects of sin in heaven. The believers total environment will be one of eternal and tremendous joy in the presence of God. Those who will come out of the Great Tribulation
would have victoriously and faithfully endured and given a powerful testimony that our God is a Savior.
Let us remember that our God is always mindful of our sacrifices. He who calls us is faithful. So let us trust God now and forever. The 7th chapter of Revelation gives us many reasons to trust the Christ who protects us.
The story of mankind and his fall into sin that began in Genesis, is given the most magnificent ending, as Revelation brings together all the prophetic storylines – showing the judgment of the wicked, the restoration of the righteous, the salvation of the elect, and the beginning of the eternal state.
So who is this great multitude before the throne? You know the answer.
We can look with joy at what God has in store for His people, who have been adopted, and to whom great riches have been promised. The honour and happiness of those who have faithfully served Jesus Christ and suffered for Him are laid out for us to follow. So as we worship we must remember and never forget the old song:
“O when the saints go marchin’ in,
O when the saints go marchin’ in,
O I want to be in that number,
when the saints go marchin’ in.
O when the saints all gather round,
O when the saints all gather round,
O I want to be in that picture,
when the saints all gather round”.