And cried with a loud voice, saying, Salvation to our God which sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb.
Revelation 7:10 pictures an innumerable multitude from every nation and kindred and people and tongue standing before the throne and before the Lamb in white robes with palms in their hands, crying with a loud voice that salvation belongs to God who sits on the throne and to the Lamb. Around that cry all heaven joins in worship, with angels and elders and the four living creatures falling on their faces in blessing and glory and thanksgiving to God forever. Those who sing are those who came out of great tribulation and washed their robes white in the blood of the Lamb, clothed in Christ's righteousness with palms of victory and triumph. The cry gives all credit for salvation to God and to the Lamb, claiming nothing for personal power or goodness or suffering, but wholly for Christ through His humiliation and sacrifice and blood. It comes after the holding of the four winds until the servants of God are sealed, and it calls believers now to wash their robes of character, overcome as Christ overcame, and take up that praise here below.
Vision Setting and Cry
The scene is an innumerable multitude that no one can number, drawn from all nations and kindreds and peoples and tongues, standing before the throne and before the Lamb clothed in white robes with palms in their hands and crying with a loud voice that salvation belongs to God who sits on the throne and to the Lamb. It is the triumphant gathering of the redeemed victorious for eternity in the earth made new, placed before God's throne in praise of Him and the Lamb as the source of salvation. Those who cry are those who came out of great tribulation and washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb, vindicated after being despised and persecuted by the world and now standing victorious before God. Their praise is joined by the angels' worship and blessing of God.
Around that cry all heaven joins in worship, with all the angels round about the throne and about the elders and the four living creatures falling on their faces before the throne and worshiping God. They answer Amen, with blessing and glory and wisdom and thanksgiving and honor and power and might unto God forever and ever. The song of the redeemed once persecuted and condemned on earth is thus answered by all the inhabitants of heaven with praise to God, their gratitude deepened by knowing the evil and cost of sin and the forgiveness received.
The cry belongs to a time when conflict and tribulation and strife are ended and songs of victory fill heaven as the redeemed stand around the throne. Therefore they are before the throne of God and serve Him day and night in His temple, with Him who sits on the throne dwelling among them. They hunger no more nor thirst any more, with neither sun nor heat falling on them, for the Lamb in the midst of the throne feeds them and leads them unto living fountains of waters, and God wipes away all tears from their eyes. There is no more death nor sorrow nor crying nor pain, and this future scene of heavenly glory gives hope to those who suffer for Christ. The vision was given to sustain and inspire the church, where the redeemed greet those who led them to the uplifted Saviour and unite in praising Him who died that human beings might have life that measures with the life of God.
It is the joy of the saints on the morning of the resurrection, when the broken links of the family chain are reunited and together they meet Jesus as the center and foundation of all hope. The gathering is a joyful reunion with no sorrow or separation, where the redeemed dwell together in peace and happiness and glory forever within the fold of the great Shepherd, living in the presence of Him who died to elevate and ennoble them and to give the overcomer a royal diadem. They are greeted by the Lamb seated in the midst of the throne and led to the tree of life and to the fountain of living waters, and made sharers of the Redeemer's throne. They gratefully remember those instrumental in their salvation through self-denying labor and persevering effort, making heaven especially precious to those faithful in saving others.
Redeemed and Their Victory
The singers are those who came out of great tribulation and washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb, and therefore they stand before the throne of God and serve Him day and night in His temple with Him who sits on the throne dwelling among them. They are a great multitude which no one can number, of all nations and kindreds and peoples and tongues, standing before the throne and before the Lamb clothed with white robes with palms in their hands and crying with a loud voice that salvation belongs to God and to the Lamb. They have been made clean through Jesus after overcoming by His blood and their testimony, and their praise is joined by angels round the throne with the elders and the four living creatures falling on their faces in worship and blessing. With them hunger and thirst no more, neither sun nor heat falls on them, for the Lamb in the midst of the throne feeds them and leads them to living fountains of waters, while God wipes away all tears from their eyes with no more death nor sorrow nor crying nor pain.
Their white robes represent Christ's righteousness and spotless character, made clean through the blood of the Lamb, with none claiming personal power, goodness, deeds, or suffering as the cause of conquest. Their palms signify victory and triumph, and with crowns and palm branches they picture everlasting honor and eternal triumph awaiting the faithful. Only Christian perfection wins the spotless robes of character that entitle a person to stand there, the unfading inward beauty of spirit, soul, heart and life, the adorning of a meek and quiet spirit and a virtuous and honest and true life such as angels wear. Useful hands that labor, help, bear burdens and do charity will bear the palm branch of victory, with faces carrying divine grace and voices of sympathy receiving the approval of God.
Those the world despised, hated, persecuted, condemned, and counted weak and defenseless are vindicated and stand victorious before God as crowned conquerors and more than conquerors. Their victory and everlasting life come through Christ's humiliation and sacrifice, who gave His life to redeem humanity from Satan's power, and their suffering, reproach, want, hunger, grief and ridicule are ended with glory given. Their gratitude is deepened by knowing the evil and cost of sin, the sacrifice made to save them, and the forgiveness they received, and their song after tribulation and conflict have ended is answered by all the inhabitants of heaven with praise to God.
They endured intense pressure to worship the beast and its image and to accept and revere an idol sabbath, refusing disloyalty to the God of heaven in the time of trouble amid anguish, mocking and threats. They came up through great tribulation in the fiery furnace of earthly affliction, through destitution, hunger, torture, deep self-denial and bitter disappointments, through mountains, rocks, dens and caves of the earth, dungeons, prisons, secret councils, torture chambers, hovels and garrets. Their filthy garments put on them by wicked men are removed and they are given a change of raiment, the white robes of righteousness richer than any kingly robe that earthly beings ever wore, with a fair mitre set upon their heads and jeweled crowns and diadems of glory. No longer poor, sorrowful, afflicted, hated, the sport and ridicule of wicked men, they stand as crowned conquerors with the beams of the Sun of righteousness reflected upon them, waving palm branches of victory and breaking forth in loud, clear, musical song with hosannas while righteousness receives the palm of victory and triumph.
Salvation Belongs to God
The loud cry ascribes salvation entirely to God seated on the throne and to the Lamb, giving them the credit for the redemption of the overcomers. None of the singers claim that their own power, goodness, deeds, or suffering made them conquerors, for the victory came through Christ's power and not their own strength. Salvation rests wholly on Christ and not partly on personal righteousness, since their robes were washed and made white in the blood of the Lamb after enduring great tribulation for Him. Their white robes signify Christ's righteousness and a character made clean through His blood, while the palms in their hands signify victory and triumph when warfare is ended and won. The redeemed come from every nation and age, praising God and the Lamb as the source of their salvation because Christ alone could make them conquerors.
That salvation came through Christ's humiliation, sacrifice, and blood, by which He loved humanity and gave His life to redeem them from Satan's power and to exalt them to His throne. He who is above all powers and to whom every soul is indebted is meek and lowly in disposition, holy, harmless and undefiled in life, and obedient to all His Father's commandments. The singers are the faithful who stood before God's throne after suffering persecution and great tribulation, and their victory declares that those who seemed weak, unworthy, defenseless, hated and despised by the world have become crowned conquerors and more than conquerors. They are the loyal and true who in the time of trouble would not worship the beast or his image nor accept and revere an idol sabbath, even after anguish, mocking, and threats. When heaven parts they look up and see the throne of God revealed with ten thousand times ten thousand and thousands upon thousands around it and the martyrs close about it, among them those lately in abject misery.
The time has then come when righteousness receives the palm of victory and triumph over an earth filled with wickedness and defiled under its inhabitants. Their everlasting life and future glory come through that sacrifice after conflict has ended, and their gratitude is deepened by knowing the evil and cost of sin, the sacrifice made to save them, and the forgiveness they received. Reaching the sea of glass with palms of victory and entering the city, they feel they have a perfect right there because they washed their robes in His blood and stood firmly for His truth.
Their salvation is the satisfied fruit of Christ's travail of soul, the justification of many by God's righteous servant bearing their iniquities, expressing God's satisfaction in the result of His mission in souls saved. The redeemed host standing around the throne, a great multitude that no one can number from all nations and kindreds and peoples and tongues in white robes with palms in their hands, is the joy of the Redeemer and the satisfaction and joy of the Father and the Son. In God's estimation this salvation is the highest service, the enterprise most dear to infinite love, won by Christ who gave Himself as a willing offering to save a guilty race and bring men the saving power of the gospel. It gives reason to rejoice and to work as never before, putting self aside, laying hold of Jesus Christ by faith, revealing Him as altogether lovely and chiefest among ten thousand, taking up that praise here below now and uniting with the heavenly company above so as to represent the truth as a power to all who believe. Those who cooperate with Him in that great enterprise of mercy, laboring with all the strength God has given them to save those nigh and afar off, after forming characters God can endorse through full self-denial and self-sacrifice and readiness for the final test and introduction into God's family, will share in the Redeemer's joy with that host.
The Lamb stands with God on the throne as joint recipient of this worship and thanksgiving, for in the heavenly courts all praise, honor, and glory for redemption will be given to God and to the Lamb. The multitude from every nation, people, and language praises them together as the source of salvation, joined by all heaven. Their loud song gives thanks for God's marvelous love and overcoming grace, which enabled them to conquer in the warfare against sin. Souls will understand the sympathetic, loving interest taken in their salvation and will feel gratitude when they meet in heaven, and expressing gratitude to the human instruments God employed to save perishing souls will not detract from the glory of God. Thanksgiving is the key-note of the heavenly song of the redemption of the human race, and Christians on earth should learn that song now by praising God and rejoicing in serving Christ.
End-Time Sealing Context
The cry comes after four angels holding the four winds are commanded to do no harm to earth nor sea nor trees until the servants of God are sealed in their foreheads, and after the sealing of the 144,000 a great multitude beyond numbering from all nations and kindreds and peoples and tongues stands before the throne and before the Lamb in white robes with palms in their hands ascribing salvation to God on the throne and to the Lamb. That command to hold the four winds until the sealing is done is given by Christ as the Angel of the covenant ascending from the east, the Dayspring from on high and Light of the world, superior to the hosts of angels, in whom divine and human are united as Restorer and Redeemer. The chapter is given for consideration, comfort, and encouragement while the angels are holding the winds that they shall not blow, showing mercy amid divine judgments because the Redeemer preserves a people who love Him and keep His commandments. It describes wonderful future things about to transpire, of intense interest to every soul who shall live on the earth.
Those sealed are a chosen few who keep all the commandments of God and have the faith of Jesus, sealed in their foreheads before the four angels commissioned to do a work upon the earth are released. They are God's preserved people, identified by keeping His commandments and having the faith of Jesus, who live forever and praise God and the Lamb for salvation. Their worldwide gathering from every nation, kindred, tongue, and people is the outcome of the gospel being carried to every country. When the judgments go forth to punish the inhabitants of the earth for iniquity, when the earth discloses her blood and no more covers her slain, seven angels stand before God to receive their commission and are given seven trumpets, and when the plagues come hail about the weight of a talent will fall upon the wicked who would not care for and obey God but insulted Him and despised all His mercies.
The scene brings to view two parties at the coming judgment of God upon the children of men on the earth. One is the saved multitude beyond numbering from all nations and kindreds and people and tongues, standing before the throne and before the Lamb clothed in white robes with palms in their hands, who came out of great tribulation and washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb, therefore before the throne serving God day and night in His temple with Him who sits on the throne dwelling among them, hungering and thirsting no more with neither sun nor heat falling on them, fed and led by the Lamb in the midst of the throne to living fountains of waters with God wiping away all tears. The other party permitted themselves to be deceived because their minds became beclouded about what constitutes sin, transgressed the law and broke the everlasting covenant, took sides with those with whom the Lord has a controversy, misinterpreted the messages sent them, clothed themselves in robes of self-righteousness, did not see sin as sinful, taught falsehood as truth and led many souls astray, taking sides against God. Unless they make a decided change they will be found wanting when God pronounces judgment and will receive according to their works, hiding from the face of Him on the throne and from the wrath of the Lamb.
The chapter gives a message for every nation, kindred, tongue, and people, pointing to the need to prepare for Christ's coming and to be among those sealed by having robes washed and made white in the blood of the Lamb. That worldwide gathering before God's throne and the Lamb is among the sealed, gathered through carrying the message of the renewing power of God's grace to every country and clime until truth belts the world as missionary work increases near Christ's coming. This requires first experiencing the work of the Holy Spirit upon the heart at home before that missionary work can be accomplished.
The vision was shown to John in exile on Patmos as a bright light on events of the last days stretching to the coming of Christ, and the victorious song of triumph heard before the throne in the heavenly home belongs to that future. It is a future event about to transpire, describing wonderful things of intense interest to every soul who shall live on the earth while the winds are held back, to be carefully read and studied. The singers are the white-robed redeemed who came out of great tribulation and washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb, having overcome by the blood of the Lamb and the word of their testimony, joined by the lofty song of angels falling on their faces in worship.
The 144,000 in white robes with palms stand before the throne and enter the city with a perfect right, welcomed because they washed their robes in His blood and stood firmly for His truth. Those who have taken refuge in the temple to be saved when time closes come before the mangled and bleeding Lamb, confess their sins and receive pardon, seated in glad expectation of a joyful event with heaven's light on happy faces, praising God and singing songs of glad thanksgiving like angel music. The holy church assembled before the throne worships in the beauty of holiness while observing the sacred hours of the seventh-day Sabbath rest appointed by God at creation after six days of work, looking upon companies all over the world who honor God by keeping the seventh day holy and letting light shine amid moral darkness following transgression of God's law. Around the throne there is a grand review examining the record of work in speaking to people, and the blood-washed redeemed gathered in God's city carry palms of victory and wear crowns of glory where they sing the song of Moses and the Lamb.
Faithful workers who sow beside all waters by sending missionary papers and books without seeing results in this life will then see and know just how much their instrumentality did in the great work of salvation of the souls standing before the throne. The redeemed host gathered around the great white throne when crowns of glory are given are those who came up through great tribulation having washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb, crowned with immortal glory and waving palms of victory through Christ, while gospel hope does not excuse continued transgression but those who understand God's requirements reform through strength from their Saviour and live new, purer lives. There they sing the song of Moses and the Lamb as the blood-washed redeemed gathered in God's city.
Living Toward That Day
God's people are charged not to draw apart but to be of one heart and of one mind, with one object before them, the salvation of souls, for there is a heaven to win. That oneness answers the Lord Jesus standing with arms extended to draw them together to speak most important things that will transpire before long to large numbers of intelligent people.
That loud cry of salvation is the main business of life, meaning life, eternal life in the kingdom of glory. Its assurance will verily be fulfilled for every soul whose heart is open to understand it while warring the good warfare for eternal life and for the crown of glory that fadeth not away.
Believers are to take up that praise here below now and unite with the heavenly company above, putting self aside, laying hold of Jesus Christ by faith, working as never before, and revealing Him as altogether lovely and chiefest among ten thousand, so that they represent the truth as a power to all who believe. The cry expresses God's satisfaction in the result of Christ's mission in souls saved and gives reason to rejoice, for their salvation is the satisfied fruit of Christ's travail of soul in justifying many by bearing their iniquities. Thanksgiving is the key-note of heaven's song of redemption of the human race, and Christians on earth should learn that song by praising God and rejoicing in serving Christ. That song of the heavenly choir around God's throne can be echoed in earthly homes, drawing hearts closer to the heavenly singers, for communion with heaven begins on earth. The sight of heaven's glory and the joyful anthems of the redeemed before God's throne awakens a longing to join them, and the hymn's hope of joining the sacred throng in its everlasting song is the fitting response to Christ's saving grace and rule.
To share in that inheritance among the sanctified in the heavenly Canaan, families must now wash their robes of character and make them white in the blood of the Lamb by earnest, self-possessed, firm, decided, persevering overcoming, putting on the white robe of Christ's righteousness that fits them for the society of heavenly angels and for the mansions prepared for those who love Him. Only Christian perfection wins the spotless robes of character that entitle a person to stand among the blood-washed throng before the throne, and bearing the palm branch means everlasting victory and eternal triumph. That readiness comes by waiting and watching and longing for Christ's appearing, by showing living faith by works, by serving God every day as though it were the last, by separating sin and iniquity, by purifying self, by searching the Scriptures, by keeping Jesus ever before the mind, and by doing faithfully the work given for eternity. Mingling with the blood-washed, glorified company requires overcoming as Christ overcame, by becoming acquainted with the life of the Redeemer, denying self as He denied self, meditating on self-denial and sacrifice and on the marked points in His history on which the plan of salvation rests, meeting temptations and overcoming obstacles, and through toil and suffering in His name gaining victory. God's people on earth are to represent that pure and holy company through Christlike lives, for those who love and obey God are counted pure and loyal, worthy to dwell with Him in heaven. Youth are to form that divine similitude by soul purification, putting away nonsense, trifling, careless, exaggerated and passionate words, since every word spoken is a seed producing good or bad fruit in self and others.
Their white robes are unfading beauty of spirit, soul, heart and life, the inward adorning of a meek and quiet spirit and a virtuous and honest and true life, the same beauty angels wear. Useful hands that labor, help a mother, bear burdens and do charity will bear the palm branch of victory, and faces of well-doers carry divine grace with sweet voices of sympathy, receiving the approval of God. Gospel hope does not excuse continued transgression, for those who understand God's requirements reform through strength from their Saviour and live new, purer lives as overcomers in Jesus' name crowned with immortal glory around the great white throne. Overcomers around the throne have made a decided reform in economy, self-denial, appetite, and family order, and without such reform neither parents nor children will be among them but will enter unimagined temptations and become a savor of death unto death rather than life unto life.
Students are to proclaim as they share the light and make God known the same salvation the white-clothed multitude with palms of victory loudly praises before God's throne and the Lamb. Youth who use their schooling to gain a knowledge of God and make Him known as the only true God, to present Christ as a sin-pardoning Savior, to gather light and spread it again, and to show the lovingkindness of the Lord and speak of His glory will be clothed with white robes, hold palms of victory, and stand in the heavenly courts before the throne and before the Lamb as part of the great multitude from all nations and kindreds and people and tongues that no man can number. Young people saved by Christ will stand around His throne in spotless robes of righteousness and join heaven's song of honor, glory, and majesty to God and the Lamb. In the heavenly courts all praise, honor, and glory for redemption will be given to God and to the Lamb, souls will understand the sympathetic, loving interest taken in their salvation and will feel gratitude when they meet in heaven, and expressing gratitude to the human instruments God employed to save perishing souls will not detract from the glory of God. The white-robed ransomed gathered within the fold of the great Shepherd will live in the presence of Him who died to elevate, ennoble, and give the overcomer a royal diadem, gratefully remembering those instrumental in their salvation through self-denying labor, persevering effort, patience, perseverance, and earnest yearning that saved them from being lost. They are greeted by the Lamb seated in the midst of the throne and led to the tree of life and the fountain of living waters as sharers of the Redeemer's throne, making heaven especially precious to those faithful in saving others, with joy to the worker beholding the redeemed and with rescued outcasts restored to God's moral image through loving service.
The vision belongs to John’s vision of the redeemed who have come through great tribulation and been made clean through the Lamb, and it offers comfort to the afflicted by pointing to those who endure suffering and are saved through Jesus. Their cry follows their passage through great tribulation and their cleansing in the Lamb's blood, and it points to the final deliverance and worship that can give hope to the afflicted. This future scene of heavenly glory gives hope to those who suffer for Christ, where the redeemed from every nation stand before God and serve Him, free from hunger, thirst, sorrow, and death. The vision of future glory was given to sustain and inspire the church, showing a great innumerable multitude from all nations and peoples in white robes with palms crying that salvation belongs to God and to the Lamb when conflict is over and all tribulation and strife are ended and songs of victory fill heaven. There the redeemed greet those who led them to the uplifted Saviour and unite in praising Him who died so human beings might have life that measures with the life of God, uniting with angels and casting their crowns at the Redeemer's feet. That blessedness of heaven is dear to the church, meant to sustain believers now and to move them to cooperate with Christ and count it a privilege and honor to suffer for His sake.
Those seeking the Lord are called to cherish faith, hope, and love as graces planted and cultivated in the garden of the soul, to face the light and talk faith rather than talk darkness, since talking faith gives faith and talking darkness gives darkness, so that by beholding they become changed into the same image and become bright, shining lights who grow in grace and in the knowledge of Jesus Christ. The closing section beginning at verse nine exposes the unprepared state of the people for the judgment and distinguishes genuine sanctification from the spurious sanctification that is common, pressing the solemn condition of unreadiness and the need for true holiness with a sweet, solemn power. Standing at last before the throne of God means everything, calling for opening heart and mind to the impressions of the Holy Spirit and determining to stand for truth and righteousness. That salvation comes from God on the throne and from the Lamb, who is the perfect Pattern, who was equal with God yet gave His precious life that people might live.
Revelation 7:10 pictures an innumerable multitude from every nation and kindred and people and tongue standing before the throne and before the Lamb in white robes with palms in their hands, crying with a loud voice that salvation belongs to God who sits on the throne and to the Lamb. Around that cry all heaven joins in worship, with angels and elders and the four living creatures falling on their faces in blessing and glory and thanksgiving to God forever. Those who sing are those who came out of great tribulation and washed their robes white in the blood of the Lamb, clothed in Christ's righteousness with palms of victory and triumph. The cry gives all credit for salvation to God and to the Lamb, claiming nothing for personal power or goodness or suffering, but wholly for Christ through His humiliation and sacrifice and blood. It comes after the holding of the four winds until the servants of God are sealed, and it calls believers now to wash their robes of character, overcome as Christ overcame, and take up that praise here below.
Vision Setting and Cry
The scene is an innumerable multitude that no one can number, drawn from all nations and kindreds and peoples and tongues, standing before the throne and before the Lamb clothed in white robes with palms in their hands and crying with a loud voice that salvation belongs to God who sits on the throne and to the Lamb. It is the triumphant gathering of the redeemed victorious for eternity in the earth made new, placed before God's throne in praise of Him and the Lamb as the source of salvation. Those who cry are those who came out of great tribulation and washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb, vindicated after being despised and persecuted by the world and now standing victorious before God. Their praise is joined by the angels' worship and blessing of God.
Around that cry all heaven joins in worship, with all the angels round about the throne and about the elders and the four living creatures falling on their faces before the throne and worshiping God. They answer Amen, with blessing and glory and wisdom and thanksgiving and honor and power and might unto God forever and ever. The song of the redeemed once persecuted and condemned on earth is thus answered by all the inhabitants of heaven with praise to God, their gratitude deepened by knowing the evil and cost of sin and the forgiveness received.
The cry belongs to a time when conflict and tribulation and strife are ended and songs of victory fill heaven as the redeemed stand around the throne. Therefore they are before the throne of God and serve Him day and night in His temple, with Him who sits on the throne dwelling among them. They hunger no more nor thirst any more, with neither sun nor heat falling on them, for the Lamb in the midst of the throne feeds them and leads them unto living fountains of waters, and God wipes away all tears from their eyes. There is no more death nor sorrow nor crying nor pain, and this future scene of heavenly glory gives hope to those who suffer for Christ. The vision was given to sustain and inspire the church, where the redeemed greet those who led them to the uplifted Saviour and unite in praising Him who died that human beings might have life that measures with the life of God.
It is the joy of the saints on the morning of the resurrection, when the broken links of the family chain are reunited and together they meet Jesus as the center and foundation of all hope. The gathering is a joyful reunion with no sorrow or separation, where the redeemed dwell together in peace and happiness and glory forever within the fold of the great Shepherd, living in the presence of Him who died to elevate and ennoble them and to give the overcomer a royal diadem. They are greeted by the Lamb seated in the midst of the throne and led to the tree of life and to the fountain of living waters, and made sharers of the Redeemer's throne. They gratefully remember those instrumental in their salvation through self-denying labor and persevering effort, making heaven especially precious to those faithful in saving others.
Redeemed and Their Victory
The singers are those who came out of great tribulation and washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb, and therefore they stand before the throne of God and serve Him day and night in His temple with Him who sits on the throne dwelling among them. They are a great multitude which no one can number, of all nations and kindreds and peoples and tongues, standing before the throne and before the Lamb clothed with white robes with palms in their hands and crying with a loud voice that salvation belongs to God and to the Lamb. They have been made clean through Jesus after overcoming by His blood and their testimony, and their praise is joined by angels round the throne with the elders and the four living creatures falling on their faces in worship and blessing. With them hunger and thirst no more, neither sun nor heat falls on them, for the Lamb in the midst of the throne feeds them and leads them to living fountains of waters, while God wipes away all tears from their eyes with no more death nor sorrow nor crying nor pain.
Their white robes represent Christ's righteousness and spotless character, made clean through the blood of the Lamb, with none claiming personal power, goodness, deeds, or suffering as the cause of conquest. Their palms signify victory and triumph, and with crowns and palm branches they picture everlasting honor and eternal triumph awaiting the faithful. Only Christian perfection wins the spotless robes of character that entitle a person to stand there, the unfading inward beauty of spirit, soul, heart and life, the adorning of a meek and quiet spirit and a virtuous and honest and true life such as angels wear. Useful hands that labor, help, bear burdens and do charity will bear the palm branch of victory, with faces carrying divine grace and voices of sympathy receiving the approval of God.
Those the world despised, hated, persecuted, condemned, and counted weak and defenseless are vindicated and stand victorious before God as crowned conquerors and more than conquerors. Their victory and everlasting life come through Christ's humiliation and sacrifice, who gave His life to redeem humanity from Satan's power, and their suffering, reproach, want, hunger, grief and ridicule are ended with glory given. Their gratitude is deepened by knowing the evil and cost of sin, the sacrifice made to save them, and the forgiveness they received, and their song after tribulation and conflict have ended is answered by all the inhabitants of heaven with praise to God.
They endured intense pressure to worship the beast and its image and to accept and revere an idol sabbath, refusing disloyalty to the God of heaven in the time of trouble amid anguish, mocking and threats. They came up through great tribulation in the fiery furnace of earthly affliction, through destitution, hunger, torture, deep self-denial and bitter disappointments, through mountains, rocks, dens and caves of the earth, dungeons, prisons, secret councils, torture chambers, hovels and garrets. Their filthy garments put on them by wicked men are removed and they are given a change of raiment, the white robes of righteousness richer than any kingly robe that earthly beings ever wore, with a fair mitre set upon their heads and jeweled crowns and diadems of glory. No longer poor, sorrowful, afflicted, hated, the sport and ridicule of wicked men, they stand as crowned conquerors with the beams of the Sun of righteousness reflected upon them, waving palm branches of victory and breaking forth in loud, clear, musical song with hosannas while righteousness receives the palm of victory and triumph.
Salvation Belongs to God
The loud cry ascribes salvation entirely to God seated on the throne and to the Lamb, giving them the credit for the redemption of the overcomers. None of the singers claim that their own power, goodness, deeds, or suffering made them conquerors, for the victory came through Christ's power and not their own strength. Salvation rests wholly on Christ and not partly on personal righteousness, since their robes were washed and made white in the blood of the Lamb after enduring great tribulation for Him. Their white robes signify Christ's righteousness and a character made clean through His blood, while the palms in their hands signify victory and triumph when warfare is ended and won. The redeemed come from every nation and age, praising God and the Lamb as the source of their salvation because Christ alone could make them conquerors.
That salvation came through Christ's humiliation, sacrifice, and blood, by which He loved humanity and gave His life to redeem them from Satan's power and to exalt them to His throne. He who is above all powers and to whom every soul is indebted is meek and lowly in disposition, holy, harmless and undefiled in life, and obedient to all His Father's commandments. The singers are the faithful who stood before God's throne after suffering persecution and great tribulation, and their victory declares that those who seemed weak, unworthy, defenseless, hated and despised by the world have become crowned conquerors and more than conquerors. They are the loyal and true who in the time of trouble would not worship the beast or his image nor accept and revere an idol sabbath, even after anguish, mocking, and threats. When heaven parts they look up and see the throne of God revealed with ten thousand times ten thousand and thousands upon thousands around it and the martyrs close about it, among them those lately in abject misery.
The time has then come when righteousness receives the palm of victory and triumph over an earth filled with wickedness and defiled under its inhabitants. Their everlasting life and future glory come through that sacrifice after conflict has ended, and their gratitude is deepened by knowing the evil and cost of sin, the sacrifice made to save them, and the forgiveness they received. Reaching the sea of glass with palms of victory and entering the city, they feel they have a perfect right there because they washed their robes in His blood and stood firmly for His truth.
Their salvation is the satisfied fruit of Christ's travail of soul, the justification of many by God's righteous servant bearing their iniquities, expressing God's satisfaction in the result of His mission in souls saved. The redeemed host standing around the throne, a great multitude that no one can number from all nations and kindreds and peoples and tongues in white robes with palms in their hands, is the joy of the Redeemer and the satisfaction and joy of the Father and the Son. In God's estimation this salvation is the highest service, the enterprise most dear to infinite love, won by Christ who gave Himself as a willing offering to save a guilty race and bring men the saving power of the gospel. It gives reason to rejoice and to work as never before, putting self aside, laying hold of Jesus Christ by faith, revealing Him as altogether lovely and chiefest among ten thousand, taking up that praise here below now and uniting with the heavenly company above so as to represent the truth as a power to all who believe. Those who cooperate with Him in that great enterprise of mercy, laboring with all the strength God has given them to save those nigh and afar off, after forming characters God can endorse through full self-denial and self-sacrifice and readiness for the final test and introduction into God's family, will share in the Redeemer's joy with that host.
The Lamb stands with God on the throne as joint recipient of this worship and thanksgiving, for in the heavenly courts all praise, honor, and glory for redemption will be given to God and to the Lamb. The multitude from every nation, people, and language praises them together as the source of salvation, joined by all heaven. Their loud song gives thanks for God's marvelous love and overcoming grace, which enabled them to conquer in the warfare against sin. Souls will understand the sympathetic, loving interest taken in their salvation and will feel gratitude when they meet in heaven, and expressing gratitude to the human instruments God employed to save perishing souls will not detract from the glory of God. Thanksgiving is the key-note of the heavenly song of the redemption of the human race, and Christians on earth should learn that song now by praising God and rejoicing in serving Christ.
End-Time Sealing Context
The cry comes after four angels holding the four winds are commanded to do no harm to earth nor sea nor trees until the servants of God are sealed in their foreheads, and after the sealing of the 144,000 a great multitude beyond numbering from all nations and kindreds and peoples and tongues stands before the throne and before the Lamb in white robes with palms in their hands ascribing salvation to God on the throne and to the Lamb. That command to hold the four winds until the sealing is done is given by Christ as the Angel of the covenant ascending from the east, the Dayspring from on high and Light of the world, superior to the hosts of angels, in whom divine and human are united as Restorer and Redeemer. The chapter is given for consideration, comfort, and encouragement while the angels are holding the winds that they shall not blow, showing mercy amid divine judgments because the Redeemer preserves a people who love Him and keep His commandments. It describes wonderful future things about to transpire, of intense interest to every soul who shall live on the earth.
Those sealed are a chosen few who keep all the commandments of God and have the faith of Jesus, sealed in their foreheads before the four angels commissioned to do a work upon the earth are released. They are God's preserved people, identified by keeping His commandments and having the faith of Jesus, who live forever and praise God and the Lamb for salvation. Their worldwide gathering from every nation, kindred, tongue, and people is the outcome of the gospel being carried to every country. When the judgments go forth to punish the inhabitants of the earth for iniquity, when the earth discloses her blood and no more covers her slain, seven angels stand before God to receive their commission and are given seven trumpets, and when the plagues come hail about the weight of a talent will fall upon the wicked who would not care for and obey God but insulted Him and despised all His mercies.
The scene brings to view two parties at the coming judgment of God upon the children of men on the earth. One is the saved multitude beyond numbering from all nations and kindreds and people and tongues, standing before the throne and before the Lamb clothed in white robes with palms in their hands, who came out of great tribulation and washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb, therefore before the throne serving God day and night in His temple with Him who sits on the throne dwelling among them, hungering and thirsting no more with neither sun nor heat falling on them, fed and led by the Lamb in the midst of the throne to living fountains of waters with God wiping away all tears. The other party permitted themselves to be deceived because their minds became beclouded about what constitutes sin, transgressed the law and broke the everlasting covenant, took sides with those with whom the Lord has a controversy, misinterpreted the messages sent them, clothed themselves in robes of self-righteousness, did not see sin as sinful, taught falsehood as truth and led many souls astray, taking sides against God. Unless they make a decided change they will be found wanting when God pronounces judgment and will receive according to their works, hiding from the face of Him on the throne and from the wrath of the Lamb.
The chapter gives a message for every nation, kindred, tongue, and people, pointing to the need to prepare for Christ's coming and to be among those sealed by having robes washed and made white in the blood of the Lamb. That worldwide gathering before God's throne and the Lamb is among the sealed, gathered through carrying the message of the renewing power of God's grace to every country and clime until truth belts the world as missionary work increases near Christ's coming. This requires first experiencing the work of the Holy Spirit upon the heart at home before that missionary work can be accomplished.
The vision was shown to John in exile on Patmos as a bright light on events of the last days stretching to the coming of Christ, and the victorious song of triumph heard before the throne in the heavenly home belongs to that future. It is a future event about to transpire, describing wonderful things of intense interest to every soul who shall live on the earth while the winds are held back, to be carefully read and studied. The singers are the white-robed redeemed who came out of great tribulation and washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb, having overcome by the blood of the Lamb and the word of their testimony, joined by the lofty song of angels falling on their faces in worship.
The 144,000 in white robes with palms stand before the throne and enter the city with a perfect right, welcomed because they washed their robes in His blood and stood firmly for His truth. Those who have taken refuge in the temple to be saved when time closes come before the mangled and bleeding Lamb, confess their sins and receive pardon, seated in glad expectation of a joyful event with heaven's light on happy faces, praising God and singing songs of glad thanksgiving like angel music. The holy church assembled before the throne worships in the beauty of holiness while observing the sacred hours of the seventh-day Sabbath rest appointed by God at creation after six days of work, looking upon companies all over the world who honor God by keeping the seventh day holy and letting light shine amid moral darkness following transgression of God's law. Around the throne there is a grand review examining the record of work in speaking to people, and the blood-washed redeemed gathered in God's city carry palms of victory and wear crowns of glory where they sing the song of Moses and the Lamb.
Faithful workers who sow beside all waters by sending missionary papers and books without seeing results in this life will then see and know just how much their instrumentality did in the great work of salvation of the souls standing before the throne. The redeemed host gathered around the great white throne when crowns of glory are given are those who came up through great tribulation having washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb, crowned with immortal glory and waving palms of victory through Christ, while gospel hope does not excuse continued transgression but those who understand God's requirements reform through strength from their Saviour and live new, purer lives. There they sing the song of Moses and the Lamb as the blood-washed redeemed gathered in God's city.
Living Toward That Day
God's people are charged not to draw apart but to be of one heart and of one mind, with one object before them, the salvation of souls, for there is a heaven to win. That oneness answers the Lord Jesus standing with arms extended to draw them together to speak most important things that will transpire before long to large numbers of intelligent people.
That loud cry of salvation is the main business of life, meaning life, eternal life in the kingdom of glory. Its assurance will verily be fulfilled for every soul whose heart is open to understand it while warring the good warfare for eternal life and for the crown of glory that fadeth not away.
Believers are to take up that praise here below now and unite with the heavenly company above, putting self aside, laying hold of Jesus Christ by faith, working as never before, and revealing Him as altogether lovely and chiefest among ten thousand, so that they represent the truth as a power to all who believe. The cry expresses God's satisfaction in the result of Christ's mission in souls saved and gives reason to rejoice, for their salvation is the satisfied fruit of Christ's travail of soul in justifying many by bearing their iniquities. Thanksgiving is the key-note of heaven's song of redemption of the human race, and Christians on earth should learn that song by praising God and rejoicing in serving Christ. That song of the heavenly choir around God's throne can be echoed in earthly homes, drawing hearts closer to the heavenly singers, for communion with heaven begins on earth. The sight of heaven's glory and the joyful anthems of the redeemed before God's throne awakens a longing to join them, and the hymn's hope of joining the sacred throng in its everlasting song is the fitting response to Christ's saving grace and rule.
To share in that inheritance among the sanctified in the heavenly Canaan, families must now wash their robes of character and make them white in the blood of the Lamb by earnest, self-possessed, firm, decided, persevering overcoming, putting on the white robe of Christ's righteousness that fits them for the society of heavenly angels and for the mansions prepared for those who love Him. Only Christian perfection wins the spotless robes of character that entitle a person to stand among the blood-washed throng before the throne, and bearing the palm branch means everlasting victory and eternal triumph. That readiness comes by waiting and watching and longing for Christ's appearing, by showing living faith by works, by serving God every day as though it were the last, by separating sin and iniquity, by purifying self, by searching the Scriptures, by keeping Jesus ever before the mind, and by doing faithfully the work given for eternity. Mingling with the blood-washed, glorified company requires overcoming as Christ overcame, by becoming acquainted with the life of the Redeemer, denying self as He denied self, meditating on self-denial and sacrifice and on the marked points in His history on which the plan of salvation rests, meeting temptations and overcoming obstacles, and through toil and suffering in His name gaining victory. God's people on earth are to represent that pure and holy company through Christlike lives, for those who love and obey God are counted pure and loyal, worthy to dwell with Him in heaven. Youth are to form that divine similitude by soul purification, putting away nonsense, trifling, careless, exaggerated and passionate words, since every word spoken is a seed producing good or bad fruit in self and others.
Their white robes are unfading beauty of spirit, soul, heart and life, the inward adorning of a meek and quiet spirit and a virtuous and honest and true life, the same beauty angels wear. Useful hands that labor, help a mother, bear burdens and do charity will bear the palm branch of victory, and faces of well-doers carry divine grace with sweet voices of sympathy, receiving the approval of God. Gospel hope does not excuse continued transgression, for those who understand God's requirements reform through strength from their Saviour and live new, purer lives as overcomers in Jesus' name crowned with immortal glory around the great white throne. Overcomers around the throne have made a decided reform in economy, self-denial, appetite, and family order, and without such reform neither parents nor children will be among them but will enter unimagined temptations and become a savor of death unto death rather than life unto life.
Students are to proclaim as they share the light and make God known the same salvation the white-clothed multitude with palms of victory loudly praises before God's throne and the Lamb. Youth who use their schooling to gain a knowledge of God and make Him known as the only true God, to present Christ as a sin-pardoning Savior, to gather light and spread it again, and to show the lovingkindness of the Lord and speak of His glory will be clothed with white robes, hold palms of victory, and stand in the heavenly courts before the throne and before the Lamb as part of the great multitude from all nations and kindreds and people and tongues that no man can number. Young people saved by Christ will stand around His throne in spotless robes of righteousness and join heaven's song of honor, glory, and majesty to God and the Lamb. In the heavenly courts all praise, honor, and glory for redemption will be given to God and to the Lamb, souls will understand the sympathetic, loving interest taken in their salvation and will feel gratitude when they meet in heaven, and expressing gratitude to the human instruments God employed to save perishing souls will not detract from the glory of God. The white-robed ransomed gathered within the fold of the great Shepherd will live in the presence of Him who died to elevate, ennoble, and give the overcomer a royal diadem, gratefully remembering those instrumental in their salvation through self-denying labor, persevering effort, patience, perseverance, and earnest yearning that saved them from being lost. They are greeted by the Lamb seated in the midst of the throne and led to the tree of life and the fountain of living waters as sharers of the Redeemer's throne, making heaven especially precious to those faithful in saving others, with joy to the worker beholding the redeemed and with rescued outcasts restored to God's moral image through loving service.
The vision belongs to John’s vision of the redeemed who have come through great tribulation and been made clean through the Lamb, and it offers comfort to the afflicted by pointing to those who endure suffering and are saved through Jesus. Their cry follows their passage through great tribulation and their cleansing in the Lamb's blood, and it points to the final deliverance and worship that can give hope to the afflicted. This future scene of heavenly glory gives hope to those who suffer for Christ, where the redeemed from every nation stand before God and serve Him, free from hunger, thirst, sorrow, and death. The vision of future glory was given to sustain and inspire the church, showing a great innumerable multitude from all nations and peoples in white robes with palms crying that salvation belongs to God and to the Lamb when conflict is over and all tribulation and strife are ended and songs of victory fill heaven. There the redeemed greet those who led them to the uplifted Saviour and unite in praising Him who died so human beings might have life that measures with the life of God, uniting with angels and casting their crowns at the Redeemer's feet. That blessedness of heaven is dear to the church, meant to sustain believers now and to move them to cooperate with Christ and count it a privilege and honor to suffer for His sake.
Those seeking the Lord are called to cherish faith, hope, and love as graces planted and cultivated in the garden of the soul, to face the light and talk faith rather than talk darkness, since talking faith gives faith and talking darkness gives darkness, so that by beholding they become changed into the same image and become bright, shining lights who grow in grace and in the knowledge of Jesus Christ. The closing section beginning at verse nine exposes the unprepared state of the people for the judgment and distinguishes genuine sanctification from the spurious sanctification that is common, pressing the solemn condition of unreadiness and the need for true holiness with a sweet, solemn power. Standing at last before the throne of God means everything, calling for opening heart and mind to the impressions of the Holy Spirit and determining to stand for truth and righteousness. That salvation comes from God on the throne and from the Lamb, who is the perfect Pattern, who was equal with God yet gave His precious life that people might live.