Revelation 7:11, commentary and pictures

All the angels stand round about the throne, and about the elders and the four living creatures, and fall before the throne on their faces to worship God. Their worship answers the loud cry of salvation to God and to the Lamb from the innumerable great multitude from all nations in white robes with palms, echoing it back with Amen. In that worship they ascribe blessing and glory and wisdom and thanksgiving and honour and power and might to God for ever and ever, honoring the Lamb that was slain to redeem the human race. Those they surround are they who came out of great tribulation and washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb, and therefore are before the throne to serve Him day and night while He dwells among them and the Lamb feeds them and wipes away all tears. The white robe is Christ's righteousness in a washed character of inward purity, meekness, honesty and usefulness, and only those who learn the angels' song of thanksgiving on earth and make their robes white now will stand at last among the blood-washed overcomers around the throne.

Scene Around Throne

All the angels stand round about the throne, and about the elders and the four beasts or living creatures, and fall before the throne on their faces to worship God. That falling down in worship belongs to the heavenly scene surrounding the redeemed multitude and gives glory to God for their salvation. The angelic company is angels and archangels, covering cherub and glorious seraph, standing round the throne and joining the worship of the redeemed. Angels are also seen surrounding the redeemed as they cross the sea of glass toward the city and as they approach the city and the throne of God.

The verse belongs to the closing section of Revelation 7 beginning at verse 9, together with Revelation 7:9-17 and Revelation 6:12-17, presenting the worship around the throne with the redeemed multitude. That solemn close bears on the judgment and the unprepared state of the people and sets forth genuine sanctification in contrast to the common spurious sanctification. Within the chapter the scene follows the holding of the four winds until the servants of God are sealed and the sealing of the 144,000, and leads to the explanation of those in white robes who came out of great tribulation. The chapter reveals most important things that will transpire before long, wonderful things about to transpire full of intense interest to every soul who shall live on the earth, to be carefully read and studied and heeded, given when the angels of God have been holding the four winds that they shall not blow.

The chapter shows God's judgments tempered with mercy: four angels hold back the winds until God's people are sealed, while the Lord preserves those who love Him and keep His commandments. The Angel of the covenant, identified as the Dayspring and Light of the world, commands the four angels to hold back harm until God's servants are sealed, for Christ, who gave Himself to ransom the world, has a chosen people who keep all God's commandments and have the faith of Jesus. The elements of nature remain under God's rule and are restrained or released at His command through His angels. The chapter is full of meaning and reveals the terrible judgments of God in which the Lord goes forth to punish the inhabitants of the earth for iniquity, the earth disclosing her blood and no more covering her slain. Seven angels stand before God to receive their commission and to them are given seven trumpets, and when the plagues of God come upon the earth hail about the weight of a talent will fall upon the wicked who would not obey God but insulted Him and despised His mercies.

What Jesus revealed to John as an exile on Patmos about events to transpire in the last days and the attractive glories of the heavenly home included looking upon the throne of God with all the angels standing round about it singing their lofty song of worship. John was also permitted to behold the white-robed redeemed ones who had come out of great tribulation and washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb, hearing also their victorious songs of triumph as those who had overcome by the blood of the Lamb and the word of their testimony.

Worship of Heaven

The falling of all the angels on their faces before the throne is an answer to the loud cry of salvation to God and to the Lamb raised by the innumerable great multitude from all nations and kindreds and people and tongues, from all classes, standing before the throne and before the Lamb in white robes with palms and palm branches of victory, and the angelic host, including angels and archangels, covering cherub and glorious seraph, echo back that joyous triumphant song with Amen. The redeemed sing salvation to God and the Lamb and Worthy is the Lamb that was slain and rose again, and the angels join that worship around the throne with the elders and the four living creatures, or four beasts. Their answering worship ascribes blessing and glory and wisdom and thanksgiving and honour and power and might to God for ever and ever.

Heaven resounds with praise for the One who made a great sacrifice to redeem the human race, honoring Christ as the one who gave his life to redeem the faithful and exalt them, and honoring the Lamb that was slain and rose again and the One seated on the throne. The redeemed join the angels in that honor, as a countless multitude from every nation made clean through the Lamb after coming through great tribulation. The worship belongs to a triumph in which the faithful who suffered under the cruelty of the world stand before God beyond further harm. It is a victory in which Christ will teach the pure principles of heavenly love.

The scene shows heaven as a place of harmonious communion among holy beings, where angels and the redeemed share in the worship of God, the angels surrounding the victorious multitude and giving glory and honor to God for their salvation. The redeemed join the angels in honoring God for salvation, and the heavenly praise surrounds the redeemed multitude with triumphant songs before the throne. That heavenly worship includes praise and thanksgiving whose themes can be learned on earth through song and draw hearts toward communion with heaven. Joyful anthems fill the heavenly courts around God's throne where the redeemed stand in God's presence.

Those who would join the angelic choir in heaven must learn its song on earth, whose keynote is thanksgiving. Angels unite their voices with redeemed people in sweet melody and expressions of gratitude from recipients of the grace of Christ, with countenances aglow with the light of God's love. That praise acknowledges daily obligations to Jesus, who makes a happy life possible even in this world of sin and holds out hope of being continually in His presence in the kingdom He is preparing. The same scene is reflected in the hymn's call for angels to bow before Jesus and join the redeemed and all peoples in honoring him as Lord.

Redeemed Multitude

The redeemed whom the angels surround are a great multitude which no man can number, from all nations and kindreds and people and tongues, from all classes, standing before the throne and before the Lamb in white robes with palms in their hands declaring salvation to God and to the Lamb. Their worship joins the loud cry of that innumerable company, and the angelic host echo back the joyous triumphant song with Amen. They sing Worthy is the Lamb that was slain and rose again, and join the angels in honoring the Lamb and the One seated on the throne. They are those who came out of great tribulation and washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb, made clean through the Lamb. That company has come up through great tribulation and has washed their robes of character in the blood of the Lamb.

The white robe is Christ's righteousness, the washed robe of character, beauty of spirit, soul, heart and life. It is the inward adorning of a meek and quiet spirit and a virtuous, honest, true life of usefulness, charity and sympathy, appreciated in high heaven though not appreciated by the fashionable. It wears a beauty that never perishes like the angels round the throne, sitting with divine grace upon the countenance, hands and voice of every well-doer and never dying. Therefore they are before the throne of God and serve Him day and night in His temple, and He that sits on the throne dwells among them and shelters them. They hunger no more nor thirst any 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, and God wipes away all tears from their eyes, ending suffering and death.

The overcomers are pictured with white robes, crowns, and palm branches of victory and everlasting triumph as they share in victory before God around the great white throne. They bear palms of victory and sing triumph and victory and praise to God and to the Lamb with no more sorrow and no more separation, dwelling in peace and happiness and glory throughout the ceaseless ages of eternity. The blood-washed throng stand before the throne of God bearing palm branches of everlasting victory and eternal triumph. The white-robed ones are gathered within the fold of the great Shepherd to live in the presence of Him who died to elevate, ennoble, and give the overcomer a royal diadem. The Lamb seated in the midst of the throne greets them, leads them to the tree of life and to the fountain of living waters, and makes them sharers of the Redeemer's throne and glory.

They appear just as grace has made them, with wealth, fame, renown and selfish exaltation extinguished to be forever in the dust. Kept by the life-giving power from Christ in the human agent that will not die, they live forever through the ceaseless ages of eternity. The scene is also connected with the blood-washed throng entering the city with palms of victory and singing the song of Moses and the Lamb. Christ, who gave Himself to ransom the world, has a chosen people who keep all God's commandments and have the faith of Jesus.

Future Hope Realized

This scene belongs to the restoration of Israel in the earth made new, when all the angels are around God's throne with the elders and the four living creatures falling face down in worship. It belongs to the resurrection morning, when the redeemed saints meet Jesus together with a joy such as never before has been known. Then sorrow over loved ones lost in death is mingled with hope, the broken links of the family chain are reunited, and all together meet Jesus as the center and foundation of all hope. It shows the worship of God around the throne by angels with the redeemed multitude, giving comfort in death with assurance of resurrection, unfailing divine love, rest for the faithful dead, and the end of sorrow and tears.

It pictures the grand final meeting in the city of God around the great white throne, where the redeemed are gathered round about the throne clothed in the white robes of the righteousness of Christ. There they sing triumph and victory and praise to God and to the Lamb, with no more sorrow and no more separation, dwelling in peace and happiness and glory throughout the ceaseless ages of eternity. It is John's vision of heaven where worship surrounds God's throne and joyful anthems fill the heavenly courts, showing the glory of heaven and the redeemed standing in God's presence. That glory awakens a longing to be there.

The vision was revealed to the faithful during their distress, to turn their attention away from the mockery and threats of their persecutors and toward the heavenly company surrounding the throne. Revelation 7:9-17 together with Revelation 6:12-17 brings to view two parties in what is coming on the earth when God pronounces judgment upon the children of men. One party permitted themselves to be deceived and 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 count sin as sinful, taught falsehood as truth, and by them many souls were led astray. In contrast stands the party brought to view in Revelation 7:9-17, while those whose minds are beclouded in regard to what constitutes sin have transgressed the law and broken the everlasting covenant, are fearfully deceived, and unless they make a decided change will be found wanting and will receive according to their works.

Preparation to Stand There

The scene around the throne is part of the message to be carried to every nation and kindred and tongue and people, showing why to prepare for Christ's coming and to be among those who are sealed. That worship is the main business of life, and it means life, eternal life in the kingdom of glory, and the scene will be verily fulfilled for every soul whose heart is open to understand while warring the good warfare for eternal life and for the crown of glory that fadeth not away. In view of it God's people are called not to draw apart but to be drawn together by Christ, to be of one heart and of one mind with one object before them, the salvation of souls, because there is a heaven to win.

It does not profit to bury talents in worldly business or commercialism or to become so engrossed in the things of this world as to have no time or thought for preparation, and the important work now is to make sure robes are washed and made white in the blood of the Lamb. The closing section bears on the judgment and the unprepared state of the people and sets forth genuine sanctification in contrast to the common spurious sanctification, exposing the need for genuine sanctification at the solemn close. Only Christian perfection wins the spotless robes of character that entitle a person to stand there among the blood-washed throng bearing palm branches of everlasting victory and eternal triumph. That place is gained by holy discontent with self, by being anxious and earnest to grow in grace, by seeking a more distinct and intelligent understanding of God's will, and by striving earnestly for the mark of the prize unto broader usefulness.

Being clothed with the white-robed ones requires being refined and softened and more humble in spirit, with conformity of character to Christ Jesus as the Pattern, dying to self and warring against self in and through Jesus, in truthfulness and honesty and faithfulness and with a correct example to children. This is a work between God and the soul to be done now, with no time to pet self or to complain or murmur. The white-robed ones standing around the throne are people who are ready with spotless character when Christ comes, becoming ready by waiting and watching and longing for His appearing, keeping Jesus ever before them, searching the Scriptures until faith grows, separating sin and iniquity from themselves, serving God every day as though it were their last, and doing their work faithfully as for eternity. The redeemed who will dwell in the heavenly courts are a pure and holy people, and those who love and obey God on earth are accounted true and pure and loyal, worthy to join that company. They are overcomers who prosper in right doing and are blessed with physical and moral and spiritual health by God's grace, having washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.

Mingling with the blood-washed, glorified company requires overcoming as Christ overcame, by becoming acquainted with the Redeemer's life, studying its design carefully to copy the pattern correctly, especially the marked points in Christ's history on which the plan of salvation rests. It requires denying self as Christ denied self, meeting temptations and overcoming obstacles, and through toil and suffering in the name of Jesus gaining victory. Professed followers who indulge in gaiety and feasting have no sense of Christ's sufferings, take little interest in those marked points, imitate ancient Israel who ate and drank and rose up to play, and cannot be partakers with Christ of His sufferings, and so are unfit for that company. Being among the overcomers around the throne requires decided reform from extravagant spending and selfish gratification and indulged appetite and wasteful domestic habits, toward economy and self-denial and practical faithfulness in home life, without which neither parents nor children will be among them.

Standing at last as overcomers before the throne means everything, calling for opening heart and mind to the impressions of the Holy Spirit and determining to stand for truth and righteousness, looking to Christ the perfect Pattern who was equal with God yet gave His precious life that people might live. The white robe of character is gained by being earnest and self-possessed and firm and decided and persevering as overcomers, giving fitness for the society of heavenly angels and for the mansions prepared for those who love Him. It is the inheritance among the sanctified in the heavenly Canaan, enjoyed all the more for being pilgrims and strangers here, the rest that remains for the people of God where Jesus is seen face to face. The vision with the angels worshipping God gives light to the face and reason to talk faith so as to have faith, calling believers to cherish and cultivate faith and hope and love planted in the garden of the soul so they become bright, shining lights and grow in grace and in the knowledge of Jesus Christ, for by beholding they are changed into the same image while talking darkness only brings darkness.

Heaven is more precious to those faithful in saving others, and the glorified ransomed gratefully remember those instrumental in their salvation and their self-denying labors and persevering efforts and patience and perseverance and earnest yearning that kept souls from being lost. It is the time when results of disinterested missionary labor with papers and tracts and books, unseen in this world, are made known, when each one sees and knows just how much their own instrumentality has done in the great work of salvation of the souls standing before the throne. The rescue of one person from Satan's power brings joy among the angels, and people once degraded can be restored through human service joined with divine power and stand next to God's throne as His precious elect near God's throne.