Revelation 7:9-17

Last week we saw God protect the remnant of Jews he has kept for himself, sealing them on their foreheads — his fulfillment of his own promise. After John is shown the 12,000 from each tribe being sealed on earth, he is shown another group entirely.¶

After this I looked, and behold, a great multitude that no one could number, from every nation, from all tribes and peoples and languages, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed in white robes, with palm branches in their hands,

Revelation 7:9 (ESV)¶

The church in heaven¶

He sees the 144,000 on earth, and then a great multitude standing before the throne and before the Lamb. This is the church — the bride of Christ, the believers. A cross-reference for "a great multitude" led me right to Romans 11:¶

Lest you be wise in your own sight, I do not want you to be unaware of this mystery, brothers: a partial hardening has come upon Israel, until the fullness of the Gentiles has come in.

Romans 11:25 (ESV)¶

In verse 9 we are seeing this fullness of the Gentiles come in — but this great multitude is not only Gentiles; it is everyone who has believed in the name above every name, Jesus. These are the true sons of Abraham, sons of promise by faith. This is the very section that talks about how God will save the Jews (Romans 11:26-33) — coming to completion right here in John's vision.¶

Another evidence that this great multitude is the church, not the 144,000, is that no explanation is necessary for John to know the sealed Jews — but in verse 13 an elder asks John who this multitude is.¶

I said to him, "Sir, you know." And he said to me, "These are the ones coming out of the great tribulation. They have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb."

Revelation 7:14 (ESV)¶

So the 144,000 are sealed to protect them from the great tribulation, and these are the ones coming out of it. Jesus speaks of the great tribulation in Matthew 24:21-22 — proving this is not a symbol for tribulations throughout history, but a specific time like no other; and those days will be cut short for the sake of the elect (the sealed 144,000). The believers are the ones coming out of the tribulation — they have washed their robes in the blood of the Lamb, and because they are made clean, they are saved from God's wrath.¶

But since we belong to the day, let us be sober, having put on the breastplate of faith and love, and for a helmet the hope of salvation. For God has not destined us for wrath, but to obtain salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ, who died for us so that whether we are awake or asleep we might live with him.

1 Thessalonians 5:8-11 (ESV)¶

This is what the believer hopes for — the day we stand before the throne and the Lamb to worship him for the salvation he freely gave. For a helmet we put on the hope of salvation, which guards our minds and keeps us steadfast (Philippians 4:4-9: "The Lord is at hand; do not be anxious"). Believers do not look forward to a day of judgment and wrath; we are saved and look forward to our salvation in the one who saves.¶

"Therefore they are before the throne of God, and serve him day and night in his temple... They shall hunger no more, neither thirst anymore... For the Lamb in the midst of the throne will be their shepherd, and he will guide them to springs of living water, and God will wipe away every tear from their eyes."

Revelation 7:15-17 (ESV)¶

Since, therefore, we have now been justified by his blood, much more shall we be saved by him from the wrath of God.

Romans 5:9 (ESV)¶

It is in the blood of the Lamb alone that we are saved from the wrath of God. We are by nature children of wrath — but just as Noah entered the ark and was saved from the flood, so those who enter Christ are saved from the wrath of God. We are no longer children of wrath but children of God, and one day we are going to stand before his throne and say, "Salvation belongs to our God!"¶