The Great Crowd (Rev. 7:9-10)

Chapters 4–7 form a section in Revelation that deals with the seven seals. We noticed that chapter 4 opens with the heavenly host standing before God’s throne and praising him. In chapter 5, a problem arises because John becomes aware that there is no-one present who can take the seven-sealed book out of God’s hands. The book, we suggested, is the book of life containing the names of all God’s people. But John’s difficulty was removed by the arrival, in royal dignity, of the freshly-slain Lamb who has triumphed on Calvary and won the right to open the book.

Before he can open the book, he has to remove the seals, which turn out to represent tyranny, war, famine, death, martyrdom and final judgement (ch. 6). It is a terrible, but true, picture of human history between the two comings of Christ. This would cause two questions to be asked: what would happen to those named in the book and how many of them are there? The answer to the first question is given in the first section of chapter 7; in these verses John describes how God put a special seal on each of his people. In the ancient world, a seal marked ownership and authority; an unauthorised person would not open a box sealed with the emperor’s seal. The seal that God has given to each of his people to ensure they will survive all the difficulties of human history is the Holy Spirit, who not only regenerates, but sanctifies, and will eventually resurrect their bodies.

1. The size of the crowd

John then gives the answer to our second question, concerning the number of names in the book of life, and we discover it is a very large number, more than any human could count. John observes the crowd as it stretches off into the far distant horizon.

As we look at the size of the crowd, we can see in it a fulfilment of the promise that God gave to Abraham which declared that his spiritual seed would number as many as the stars in the sky and the grains of sand on the seashore. Or we can think of the words of Jesus after meeting the centurion and seeing his faith: Jesus then said that many would come from the east and from the west and sit down with Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. What we see here is the result of the spread of the gospel down the centuries. Many a preacher and evangelist, as well as lay people, will participate in this event with great gladness when they see the success of the gospel.

Not only do we see the great success of the gospel, but also we see the global blessing of the gospel in that there are converts from every people group. This is a reminder of the harmony that the gospel will bring, that ultimately the human race will again know unity. Nations that warred become friends under the gospel; this is the message of Psalm 87, with Babylon and Egypt, the enemies of Israel, joining with her and praising the God of heaven. It will be marvellous to observe the shalom that will exist on that day.

This vision of the size of the great crowd is a great encouragement. We live geographically in a country in which the church of Jesus seems to be making little progress. But that’s not true historically because we are living in days of great kingdom advance. Of course, the question that arises is, will you be there?

2. The situation of the crowd

John tells us that the crowd stand before the throne of God, and before the Lamb. To stand in this position is to be in a place of honour. We know that in ancient times those who stood in the king’s presence were his favourites, those he delighted to honour. Said Jesus in John 12:26: ‘If anyone serves me, he must follow me; and where I am, there will my servant be also. If anyone serves me, the Father will honour him.’

But their stance is also one of confidence. They have no reason to be afraid, although they are in the presence of the Judge of all the earth. They know that they are accepted in Christ, and will rejoice in that through the endless ages.

Their stance is also one of gratitude. It was common in ancient times for the populace to stand and cheer the one who had delivered them from some form of trouble. Here are the people of God standing together to give thanks to the God of salvation who sent his Son to be the Deliverer.

It is also a place of satisfaction. We know that people gather together to watch a great sight, be it in creation or an important person. When this great crowd gather in the presence of God at the end of human history, all of them will be satisfied with what they see as they feast their eyes and their souls on the beauty of God revealed in Jesus Christ. This is what Jesus prayed for in John 17:24: ‘Father, I desire that they also, whom you have given me, may be with me where I am, to see my glory that you have given me because you loved me before the foundation of the world.’ He and they will be satisfied.

3. The status of the crowd

John tells us that the great crowd are dressed in the same attire and are holding the same emblems: they are clothed with white robes, and have palm branches in their hands. If it were only white robes that were mentioned, then the reference would be to holiness and purity. But the inclusion of palm branches tells us that a prominent emphasis in the vision is that of victory.

Standing wearing palm branches was a common way for crowds to celebrate an important triumph (they would also wear white robes on such occasions). To get the point, we must recall that throughout history these people have been on the receiving end, with many of them martyred for their faith. Often the church has seemed to be on the verge of destruction by its enemies. But here is the church triumphant, sharing Christ’s victory.

4. The song of the crowd

John describes the homage of the crowd: they ‘cried with a loud voice, saying, Salvation to our God which sits upon the throne, and unto the Lamb.’ They sing with meaning, because they knew what it was to be unconverted. But Lord in his mercy saved them and brought them to heaven. And they sing with wonder, as they consider the place to where they have been brought. It is a song to God, about his wonderful grace.

Of course, there are two choirs here. One is made up of the redeemed, the other is composed of angels. The song of the redeemed is offered to the Father and to Jesus, whereas the song of the angels focuses on the Father. Further, there is a different theme to the two songs. The saints praise God for their experience of salvation and the angels praise God for his great wisdom and power in redeeming sinners. But the angels can only sing about redemption from observation and not from participation. Of course, they are very interested in the success of the gospel and delight in its progress; they rejoice each time a sinner repents of his sins. But no angel has ever tasted the joy of pardon. We have a song that holy angels cannot sing.

This glorious scene is being anticipated every day by those who have eyes to see beyond the visible. We read from Hebrews 12 the wonderful verses describing the current privileges of Christians. In verses 22-24 the writer explains that we ‘have come to Mount Zion and to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to innumerable angels in festal gathering, and to the assembly of the firstborn who are enrolled in heaven, and to God, the judge of all, and to the spirits of the righteous made perfect, and to Jesus, the mediator of a new covenant, and to the sprinkled blood that speaks a better word than the blood of Abel.’ The angels are celebrating as the enrolled believers are being gathered in to form the heavenly choir. At one time, there was only one redeemed voice there, that of the martyred Abel. Since then, millions have joined him, so that they far outnumber the angelic host.

So their song is a message to us. It is a word from the future world to us tonight, a reminder that the day is coming when the redeemed shall stand before the throne. It is being sung to us to cause us to plan to join the song.

5. The spotlessness of the crowd (vv. 13-14)

The angel explains to John that each person in the great crowd had washed their robes in the blood of Christ. It is a common biblical image to use clothing to depict a person’s behaviour. Also, it is clear that John is referring to Jesus’ death on the cross of Calvary when he took his perfect life and offered it up to God in the place of sinners. He was their substitute as there he paid the penalty of sin by enduring the wrath of God against it.

But notice, each person in the crowd took their robes and washed them in the blood of Christ. Each one responded individually to the message of the cross. Some of them were guilty of great sins; all of them deserved to be punished in hell for their sins; but they took all these sins to Jesus, to the fountain that has been opened for sinners to use to find cleansing. The question that comes to us is whether or not we have taken our sins to Jesus. There is only two possible options: either continue carrying all your sins and let that ever-increasing burden drag you down to hell or else take that personal burden of yours and give them to Jesus.

6. The sequel for the crowd (vv. 15-17)

The first detail to note concerning their ongoing experience is that the redeemed will be in a privileged place for they will be before the throne of God for ever, joining the angelic host in that place of honour. Obviously, they will be engaged in the worship of God. But what is the temple in which they are to serve? It is the whole universe transformed into the fit dwelling place of God. The new heavens and new earth in which righteousness will dwell. The redeemed will be priests in the worldwide temple, leading the praise of the restored universe. They will be the nearest to the throne, lifting their voices in the everlasting song that will reverberate throughout the new heavens and new earth for ever.

The second detail to note is that the Lord, who sits on the throne, guarantees their permanent safety and satisfaction. Note the contrast between their heavenly existence and what they had known on earth. In this life they had known times of deprivation; often life had seemed as if they were travelling through a desert, at least in the spiritual sense. But in heaven it will all be different. Instead of hunger and thirst, there will be satisfying provision; instead of sunburned deserts, there will be heavenly springs.

There is also a sense of continuation between what Jesus had done for them as the good shepherd in this life and what he will do for them as the eternal shepherd. In this life, he had given them times of spiritual refreshment, as described in Psalm 23. He made them lie down in green pastures beside the waters of rest, a picture of occasions when he fed their souls by various means on his wonderful acts and promises. But they had to get up and continue their journey through the valley of the shadow of death. The Jesus who fed them on earth will feed them in heaven, with the big difference that it will be a constant supply of heavenly provision.

The third detail to observe is that each of the great crowd will receive personal consolation from God: ‘God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes.’ Why will they have tears on this great occasion? Spurgeon suggests some causes of tears when the redeemed stand before the throne. First, when they see Jesus there will be tears of regret at having failed him many times; second, when they see the oneness of the great crowd, there will be tears at the disunity that their actions caused in the body of Christ; third, when they see who is not there, there will be tears.

Who can take these tears away? The gentle, tender touch of the heavenly Father will wipe away every tear. This suggests that God will take the time to deal with every tear that his people have had or will have on that day. Rutherford commented that ‘It is the sweeter, that no napkin, but his own immediate hand, shall wipe my sinful face’. None of the Lord’s people there can deal with my tears, any more than I would be able to deal with theirs. We don’t know how he will take them away. But he will.

The importance of the word ‘therefore’Verse 17 begins with ‘therefore’, pointing us back to what is said in the previous verse about each member of the large crowd washing their robes and making them white in the blood of the Lamb. This is a reminder that all the glories of heaven will come to the redeemed because Jesus became the Lamb who died on their behalf on the cross of shame.

As we close, it is worth pointing out that John saw some of us as he looked at this great crowd. But did he see all of us? The only way to become a member of the great crowd is by trusting in Jesus.