Multitude Before the Throne (Rev. 7:9–17)
Multitude Before the Throne
(Rev. 7:9–17)
The previous
vision (Rev. 7:1-3) revealed God sealing seal the one hundred and forty-four
thousand, forming a new creation in Christ and demonstrating the
characteristics of this new creation.
Here is
another vision where God reveals the new creation appears as a great multitude
of people in their eternal blessedness. They are before the throne of God in
the full manifestation of His Kingdom.
Showing
them in heaven is intended to encourage the church toward its heavenly triumph,
a needed message for the church at all times, especially in the time of
spiritual decline and suffering.
Great Multitude
7:9 After these things I looked, and behold, a great
multitude which no one could number, of all nations, tribes, peoples, and
tongues, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed with white
robes, with palm branches in their hands,
John saw
a multitude, too large to count, before the throne. The four-word description “nation,
tribe, people, and language” indicates God’s plan to visit the Gentiles to take
out of them a people for His name (Acts 15:14).
The
Abrahamic Covenant in which God promised to bless Israel also promised
salvation to the Gentiles (Gen. 12:1–3). “Is God the God of Jews only? Is He
not the God of Gentiles also?” asked Paul. Then, answering his rhetorical
question, the apostle added, “Yes, of Gentiles also” (Rom. 3:29).
This
vast, uncountable crowd is standing before the throne of God in heaven (Rev.
4:2). They were also in the presence of the Lamb, whom John saw in his earlier
vision, standing near the throne (Rev. 5:6). They are “the spirits of the
righteous made perfect” (Heb. 12:23).
White Robes
The crowd
appeared “clothed with white robes” (Rev. 7:9). The white robes signify God’s
righteousness credited to them by washing away their sins in Christ’s blood (Rev.
3:4,5, 13–14).
Such
white robes, which also symbolize holiness, are reserved for Christ (Matt. 17:2;
Mark 9:3), angels (Matt. 28:3, Mark 16:5), and the glorified church
(19:8,14). People clothed themselves with dazzling, brilliant, shining,
white, long, full-length robes for festivals and celebrations in ancient times.
The white robes picture the believers’ exaltation, victory, and rejoicing.
Palm Branches
The
multitudes also appeared with “palm branches in their hands” (Rev. 7:9).
Scriptures associate palm branches with celebration, deliverance, and joy.
Palm
branches were prominent during the Feast of the Tabernacles (Lev. 23:40). The
Israelites used them to construct the booths and lived during that feast (Neh.
8:15–17).
During Christ’s
triumphal entry, the joyous crowd waved palm branches as they welcomed Him into
Jerusalem. They were shouting, “Hosanna! Blessed is He who comes in the name of
the Lord, even the King of Israel” (John 12:13).
The palm
branches show that the multitudes before God’s throne participate in the
festive praise to Him for His salvation through the Lord Jesus Christ. They
joyfully cry, “Salvation belongs to our God” (Rev. 7:10).
Cry of the Multitude
7:10 And crying out with a loud voice, saying, “Salvation
belongs to our God who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb!”
God
desires loud praise (Ps.66:1; 100:1). The saints before the throne constantly
cry out with a loud voice and joyfully worship God and ascribe salvation to Him
and the Lamb.
Salvation
is the theme of worship throughout Revelation. The believers praise God for all
He has performed and brought them salvation in Christ. When the believers say
praise “be to our God,” they acknowledge these things already belong to Him (Rev.
5:8–10, 7:10, 12:10, 19:1; Rom. 11:35).
The work
of those in heaven is continual, eternal praise of the Almighty God and the Lamb
of God. John heard something like a loud voice of a great multitude in heaven,
saying, “Hallelujah! Salvation and glory and power belong to our God” (Rev.
19:1).
Worship in Heaven
7:11 All the angels stood around the throne and the elders
and the four living creatures, and fell on their faces before the throne and
worshiped God,
All the
angels who were standing around the throne joined the praises of the saints.
Their number, too, was innumerable. In an earlier vision of God’s throne, John
could only describe the number of angels as “myriads of myriads, and thousands
of thousands” (Rev. 5:11).
Angels
rejoice at the salvation of humans (Luke 15:7,10). The wonder of God’s gracious
salvation displayed before the angels stimulates them to praise and worship (Eph.
3:8–10).
The
twenty-four priests and the four living creatures joined the saints and the
angels in worshipping God. The whole picture describes an incredible gathering
of millions of faithful voices from the earth and heaven. They are all focusing
on the one on the throne and the Lamb. That is where our focus must be, as
well. In (Rev. 5:8-10), the angels around the throne sang the redemption’s
song. And in (Rev. 7:11), they praised the God of redemption.
Overwhelmed
by God’s majesty, glory, and the splendor surrounding His throne, all those
present fell on their faces before the throne and worshipped Him. So it is the
appropriate reaction of all creatures to prostrate themselves in humble
adoration before the unequaled glorious and majestic presence of the only true
and holy God.[1]
7:12 saying: “Amen! Blessing and glory and wisdom,
Thanksgiving and honor and power and might,
Be to our God forever and ever. Amen.”
The
angels, elders, and living creatures say, “Amen,” that is, “This is certainly
true.” Their prayer is that blessing and glory and wisdom as well as
thanksgiving and honor and power. It might be attributed to our God forever and
ever (Rev. 4:11; 5:12).
The
phrase “forever and ever” (Rev. 7:12) indicates that this praise will continue
eternally. It is worship that will never cease.
Identity of the Multitude
7:13 Then one of the elders answered, saying to me, “Who are
these arrayed in white robes, and where did they come from?”
The
subject of the conversation between the elder and John was the identity of the
crowds standing before God’s throne and how they were able to reach such glory.
7:14 And I said to him, “Sir, you know.” So, he said to me, “These
are the ones who come out of the great tribulation, and washed their robes and
made them white in the blood of the Lamb.
Verses 13
through 17 reveals where the white-robed multitude came from and where they are
now. They have come out of the “great tribulation” and are now before the
throne of God.
Verse 14
in the NIV says, “These are they who have come out of the great tribulation.”
Here John uses a present-tense verb to describe the multitude in white as those
coming out of the great tribulation. The Lord Jesus Christ warned His
disciples, “In this world, you will have trouble” (John 16:33). Paul and
Barnabas encouraged the early Christians to “remain true to the faith” when
they said, “We must go through many hardships to enter the kingdom of God”
(Acts 14:22).
The Lord
Jesus Christ promised those who overcome would dress and walk with Him in white
clothes (Rev. 3:4–5). So the twenty-four elders, representing all the true worshippers
of God, were dressed in white, too (Rev. 4:4).
(Rev.
7:14) explains the symbolism of the white robes. The priest said to John, “They
have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.”
likewise, God cleanses our filthy rags. By the blood of Christ, God credits Christ’s
righteousness to us and clothes us in white robes.
Blessedness in Heaven
7:15 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 dwell among
them.
Revelation
provides many beautiful glimpses of living in fellowship with the Father and
the Son in heaven. The description of the saints, in (Rev. 7:15-17), is
gorgeous.
Appropriately,
John defined the first reason of the bliss of heaven by the dwelling of God
among the saints. David looked forward to this bliss when he wrote, “You will
fill me with joy in your presence, with eternal pleasures at your right hand” (Ps.16:11).
Those who
imagine heaven as a boring place with nothing to do but play harps are wrong.
Instead, they should be sure that the believers will find fulfilling service
day and night.
7:16 They shall neither hunger anymore nor thirst anymore;
the sun shall not strike them, nor any heat;
God’s
presence protects the saints from every evil power and shields us from every
sorrow that Satan and sin cause us.
7:17 for the Lamb who is in the midst of the throne will
shepherd them and lead them to living fountains of waters. And God will wipe
away every tear from their eyes.”
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[1] Rev. 4:10, 5:8,14, 11:16, 19:4; Gen.
17:3; Lev. 9:24; Josh. 5:14; Judg. 13:20; 1 Kings 18:39; 2 Chron. 20:18; Ezek.
1:28, 3:23; Matt. 17:6; Phil. 2:9–10
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