A Great Multitude from Around the World Revelation 7:9

After the worship scene in heaven where “the Lamb” of God received the “scroll” in God's right hand, the beginning of the tribulation to come upon the earth began and John the apostle saw the first, second, third, fourth, fifth and the sixth seals were opened and great troubles came upon the earth with each of them. He wrote, “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.” John saw, “Of the tribe of Judah were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Reuben were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Gad were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Asher were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Nepthalim were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Manasseh were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Simeon were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Levi were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Issachar were sealed twelve thousand.”, and in chapter seven and verse nine of Revelation John saw “a great multitude” from around the world where we read:

After this I beheld, and, lo, a great multitude, which no man could number, of all nations, and kindreds, and people, and tongues, stood before the throne, and before the Lamb, clothed with white robes, and palms in their hands;

The verse reads, “After this I beheld, and, lo, a great multitude, which no man could number, of all nations, and kindreds, and people, and tongues, stood before the throne, ...” John began with the word, “after this” which means “after the numbering of the one hundred and forty four thousand from the nation of Israel” “I beheld” which means “John saw, perceived, noticed, discerned and discovered”, “and lo” or “and behold and see”, “a great multitude” which means “a huge, large, massive and abundant collection of populace and people”, “which no man” or “that no person whether male or female” “could number” which means “was able, capable and knowledgeable enough to count or enumerate”, “of all nations” which refers to “from each, every, the whole and every one of the tribes, people groups and companies”, “and kindreds” or “tribes, offshoots, races and clans”, “and people” which means “people groups who are of the same stock and language”, “and tongues” or “languages and dialects”, “stood before the throne” which refers to “were standing, fixed, established and made firm in front and in the presence of the chair of state having a footstool which was assigned to kings and therefore showing kingly power or royalty”. After the angel “sealed” the “twelve thousand people” from the “twelve tribes of Israel”, he saw and innumerable mass of people gathered from all the “nations, kindreds, peoples and tongues” around the world before God's “throne”.

The verse goes on to say, “... and before the Lamb, clothed with white robes, and palms in their hands;” John added the words, “and before” which means “and in front and in the presence of” “the Lamb” which means “a little sheep or lamb which represented Jesus”, and was “the great multitude was” “clothed” or “dressed and arrayed” “with white robes” or “with bright, shining and brilliant white outer garments”, “and palms” which refers to “date palm branches” “in their hands” or “within the multitude's hands”. John saw this crowd of people dressed in “brilliant white outer garments”, and they were holding “palm branches” in their hands.

When we consider John's words in this verse, we see this massive multitude dressed “shining and bright clothing” while holding “palm branches” standing in front of God's throne and ready to worship like the people did when Jesus entered into Jerusalem. (See Mark 11:6-11) This “Triumphal entry” while Jesus was upon the earth was only a precursor to the worship which shall be enjoyed by this international multitude before God's throne, and those who have accepted Jesus Christ as “Savior and Lord” shall be a part of this wonderful time. Let all who read these words consider the joy that shall be when the “great multitude from around the world” joins together to worship the Lord Jesus.

Next time we John sees how the great multitude, “cried with a loud voice”, so read ahead, and we shall join together then.

Until tomorrow…there is more…

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