The origin of this vast multitude is now explained. These are the
believers mentioned previously (Rev. 6:9-11) who have been killed for their
faith in Christ, in the great tribulation, and have been given white robes.
Their life is explained: a special provision by the Lamb for them to be with
Him and to be ministered to by Him. Some extraordinary promises:
• They serve Him day and night in His
temple.
• He spreads His tabernacle over them.
• They do not hunger or thirst.
• They do not feel the heat of the sun.
• The lamb will guide them to the
springs of living water.
• God will wipe every tear from their
eyes.
Evidently this
special group will receive these blessings separate from those of believers who
die before the great tribulation. Perhaps the emphasis on the number of them
communicates just how bloodthirsty the evil is, in that it attempts to
exterminate every single believer in Jesus on the face of the earth. Estimates
in 2010 suggest that such a multitude would number over 2 billion. However, one
possible suggestion is that the catching away of the church (1 Thess. 4:16-17)
precedes the great tribulation as the lawless one will not be revealed until
the one who restrains is taken out of the way. (2 Thessalonians 2:7-9) It is
possible that this catching away would remove the two billion plus Christians
from the world (roughly a third of the earth's population), so that this
special assembly of the multitude clothed in white is those who come to faith
after this catching-away, and face the wrath of the man of sin. Even in our
day, mass execution of Christians is being practiced in small areas that fall
under the control of certain terrorist extremists. This reveals the heart of
the devil in those who allow him full sway in their lives. The emphasis of this
passage is that this multitude has experienced severe hardship and therefore
receives a special measure of the compassion and tender care of Jesus.
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