Revelation 7:9-17

The Great Crowd before the Throne

9 After these [things] I looked, and behold, a great crowd that no one was able to number, from every nation and tribe and people and language, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, dressed [in] white robes and [with] palm branches in their hands.

10 And they were crying out with a loud voice, saying, "Salvation to our God who is seated on the throne, and to the Lamb!"

11 And all the angels stood around the throne and the elders and the four living creatures, and they fell down on their faces before the throne and worshiped God,

12 saying, "Amen! Praise and glory, and wisdom and thanksgiving, and honor and power and strength [be] to our God {forever and ever}. Amen!"

13 And one of the elders answered, saying to me, "These who are dressed [in] the white robes--who are [they], and from where have they come?"

14 And I said to him, "My lord, you know." And he said to me, "These are the ones who have come out of the great tribulation, and have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.

15 Because of this, they are before the throne of God, and they serve him day and night in his temple, and the one who is seated on the throne {will shelter} them.

16 They will not be hungry [any] longer or be thirsty [any] longer, nor will the sun ever beat down on them, nor any heat,

17 because the Lamb [who is] in the midst of the throne will shepherd them and will lead them to springs of living waters, and God will wipe away every tear from their eyes."

Revelation 7:9-17 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO REVELATION 7

This chapter contains a vision seen at the end of the sixth, and at the opening of the seventh seal, which expresses the security of the saints in all ages following, the praises of angels and men on that account, and the happiness of all the people of God in the millennium state. First, a vision of four angels is seen restraining the winds from blowing on the earth, sea, and trees, Re 7:1; then of another angel, described by the place from whence he came, the east; by what he had, the seal of the living God, and by his cry to the four angels not to hurt the earth, sea, and trees, until the servants of God were sealed, Re 7:2,3, and then follows the number of the sealed ones in general, Re 7:4, and the particular number of them out of each tribe of Israel, Re 7:5-8. After which is another vision of all the elect of God together, described by the numberless multitude of them; by their descent from all nations; by their position and situation before the throne, and the Lamb; by their habit and attire, and by their loud cry, ascribing salvation to God, and to the Lamb, Re 7:9,10, who are joined by all the angels around them, worshipping God, and ascribing glory to him, Re 7:11,12. And next is described the happiness of this numerous company, in the thousand years' reign, introduced by some discourse which passed between John, and one of the elders, Re 7:13,14, who are said to be before the throne, to serve God continually, and to have his presence, Re 7:15, to be free from everything troublesome and distressing, Re 7:16, and to be fed by the Lamb, and to be led by him to fountains of living water, and to have all their tears wiped away from them, Re 7:17.

Footnotes

• [a]. Or "worship"
• [b]. Literally "will take up residence over"
• [c]. An allusion to Isa 49:10
• [d]. An allusion to Isa 25:8