Episode 51: Understanding the Second Coming: The 144,00 and the Great Multitude

Understanding the Second Coming: The 144,000 and the Great Multitude
Understanding the Second Coming: The 144,000 and the Great Multitude
Who Shall be Able to Stand?
Revelation 7 can be seen as an interlude, an interruption of sorts,
to the seven seals. In this chapter John is answering the question put
forth in the last verse of chapter six, “who shall be able to stand?”
(Revelation 6:17). This being the case, the interpretation of Revelation
7 is bound up in the context of the sixth seal.
The Second Coming of Christ
The sixth seal describes the second coming of Christ. As He approaches
the earth there is tremendous commotion in sky, land and
sea. Stars fall and entire mountains and islands are moved out of place
(see Revelation 6:13-14; Matthew 24:29-30; Mark 13:24-26).
So awesome and terrifying is the sight that “the great men, . . . and
the mighty men” call for the “mountains and rocks” to fall on them
rather than face God, who sits on the “throne,” and the “Lamb,” who
is on His “right side” (Revelation 6:15-16; Matthew 24:30; Matthew
26:64; Mark 14:62). As “every eye” sees Christ coming, the lost who
have survived “the seven last plagues,” and who have just “blasphemed
the name of God,” now long to “hide” from “the wrath of the
Lamb” (Revelation 1:7; 15:1; 16:9; 6:15-16).
The Servants of God
In this context the question is asked, “who shall be able to stand?”
(Revelation 6:17). The question is answered twice in chapter 7, first by
the angel with the words, “the servants of our God” (Revelation 7:3), and
then when John says, “I beheld, and lo, a great multitude” who “stood
before the throne” and “before the Lamb” (Revelation 7:9).
Notice that the question is: “Who shall be able to stand” before “the
throne” and before “the Lamb?” (Revelation 6:16-17).
And it is answered twice: 1) “the servants of God,” “an hundred and
forty and four thousand” (Revelation 7:3-4). 2) “a great multitude, which
no man could number, of all nations and kindreds, and people, and tongues,
stood” “before the throne” “and before the Lamb” (Revelation 7:9).
Two Groups of Redeemed
John’s vision is consistent with the rest of the Bible which pictures two
groups of people who shall be able to stand before “Him that sitteth on the
throne,” and the “Lamb” at the Second Coming: (1) Those whose hope is
in Christ and are “alive” when He comes, (2) those who “sleep in Jesus”
and are resurrected at His second coming (see 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18; see
also 1 Corinthians 15:12-23, 51-52).
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[@CHRISTIAN-CONCAVERS]

I Am here. You have ZERO understanding.