After this I looked and there before me was a great
multitude that no one could count, from every nation, tribe, people and
language, standing before the throne and in front of the Lamb. They were wearing
white robes and were holding palm branches in their hands. And they cried out
in a loud voice:
"Salvation
belongs to our God,
who sits on the
throne,
and to the
Lamb." All the angels were standing around the throne and around the
elders and the four living creatures. They fell down on their faces before the
throne and worshiped God, saying:
"Amen!
Praise and glory
and wisdom and
thanks and honor
and power and
strength
be to our God for
ever and ever.
Amen!"
Revelation 7:9-12
·
The great multitude is
a motley crew of believers, from every race and tribe who are standing before
the throne in heaven.
·
They are wearing white
robes, so they are righteously pure
·
They are holding palm
branches meaning they are praising God for their salvation from the king.
·
There is no specific
number, so it is huge (larger than 144,000)
Then one of the elders asked me, "These in white
robes—who are they, and where did they come from?"
I answered, "Sir, you know."
And he said, "These are they who have come out of the
great tribulation; they have washed their robes and made them white in the
blood of the Lamb. Therefore,
"they are
before the throne of God
and serve him
day and night in his temple;
and he who sits on
the throne will spread his tent over them.
Never again will
they hunger;
never again
will they thirst.
The sun will not
beat upon them,
nor any
scorching heat.
For the Lamb at the center of the throne will be their
shepherd;
he will lead
them to springs of living water.
And
God will wipe away every tear from their eyes." Revelation 7:12-17
·
They are praising God
and serving Him
·
They are there for eternity
·
They have come out of
the Great Tribulation
Some possibilities as to their identity:
·
If the 144,000
represents Old Testament Jews, the Great Multitude could be NEW TESTAMENT
BELIEVERS from all over the world saved after Jesus was on earth. Maybe they were the Believers who endured
Rome's persecution?
·
If the 144,000
represents all Believers on EARTH (an earthly number), the Great Multitude
could be all believers in HEAVEN (an infinite number).
No matter who they are, they are
safe under God’s care in heaven. No
hunger. No thirst. No tears.
PRAISE GOD! God takes care of
those who die for him.