16.
Who
is the "great multitude, which
no man can number"? (Revelation 7:9-15)
The Great Multitude—unlike
the church who fill a predestined number of 144,000—are not a specified
number. Also, unlike the church which is small, this is a
"great multitude"
who go through "great tribulation" (Revelation. 7:14). Also, instead of
sitting "on the throne" with Jesus (Revelation. 3:21), they serve
"before
the throne" (Revelation. 7:15).
All through the Christian Age there have been
Christians who have built on the "foundation" of Jesus with "wood, hay,
stubble"—instead of "gold, silver, precious stones" (1 Corinthians
3:11-15). They were good people who loved Christ...perhaps a little worldly...perhaps
a little indulgent in the flesh.
Since they promised to sacrifice all,
God still gives them an opportunity to make good their commitment.
They go through
fiery experiences which "try every man's work" (1 Corinthians 3:13-15).
And then they are "saved; yet so as by fire"—that is, "great
tribulation." Like the sinner in Corinth,
they are delivered to Satan
"for the destruction of the flesh, that the spirit may be saved in the day of the
Lord Jesus" (1 Corinthians 5:5).
During
this climax of the "time of trouble," they as a class of people left in
Babylon repent of their negligence and clean up the "spots" collected on
their robes (Ephesians 5:27; Isaiah 61:10). There will be many in this
"great multitude" of tribulation saints.
Because
they have left spots to accumulate on their robes, they are the ones who need to
wash their robes and make them white in the blood of the Lamb
(Revelation 7:14).
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