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 E shall next
notice a very natural conclusion that some draw from Re
7:9-14, that all nations have had the good news of Christ and of
redemption through his blood. Of a "multitude, which no man could
number, of all nations, and kindred’s, and people, and tongues," who
"stood before the throne, and before the Lamb," it is said, "These
are they which came out of great tribulation, and have washed their
robes, and made them white in the blood of the Lamb."
The general opinion of Commentators is, that this exhibition
represents the church, universal, glorified. Our friends, who are
opposed to our views of the age to come-or, kingdom of God
age—accept the view of the Commentators, and conclude this multitude
out of all nations, etc., precludes the idea that all nations have
not already been blessed in Abraham and his seed.
In dealing with the book of Revelation; or explaining its figures
and symbols, we have need to express ourselves cautiously. Let us
look at the idea that this multitude represents the church
universal, or all the saved at the end of this age. If it does, we
might ask the question once propounded to our Lord by his
disciples—"Who then can be saved?" out of those who now lived for
the last seventy years, or during the present century? How many
professed Christians, for these 70 years, can be numbered as those
"who came out of great tribulation?" If that is to be the test, we
think nearly all of us, who have lived in this nineteenth century,
will fail of salvation. What have any of us yet passed through that
would entitle us to say we came "out of great tribulation?" We must
look for some other construction of the language of Re 7:9-14
than that of the Commentators, or give up our hope of salvation
among that multitude which John saw there.
This idea may startle some of our friends: but we repeat it, if all
that are ever to be saved are from this, or any previous age of the
world’s history not only multitudes of those who call themselves
Christians in this century, but many of previous ages will fail of
being of the "great multitude" see in Rev. vii., no matter how great
their faith may have been; for very many true believers have died
without passing through "great tribulation."
We seek, therefore, an explanation of the text which shall harmonize
with the facts of history, and the general tenor of Scripture.
First: Let us see where the scene of Rev. vii. is laid. It is after
that scene of chap. vi., in which the sixth seal was opened, and
"the kings of the earth, and the great men, and the rich men, and
the chief captains, and the mighty men," etc., "said to the
mountains and rocks, Fall on us, and hide us from the face of him
that sitteth on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb: for the
great day of his wrath has come; and who shall be able to stand?"
This scene shows that the persons represented, upon whom this great
tribulation falls, were those who had the knowledge of "the Lamb,"
and had learned that there would be a "great day of His wrath:"
hence it is clear that they had previously had the gospel message
and despised or neglected it. A "great tribulation" now overtakes
them; corresponding with smiting the image and dashing it to pieces,
Da 7., and the destruction of the fourth beast, Dan. vii. That
"great tribulation" passed, "the kingdom of God" is established on
the earth—"the saints of the Most High shall take the kingdom, and
possess it forever and ever."
The "great tribulation," then, is on the wicked rejecters or
neglecters of the gospel message; and is the winding up scene of
this age, when the corrupters of the earth, and the corrupters of
God’s word, will find the "great day of the wrath of the Lamb," on
them, has come. That "great tribulation" being over, John is
presented with a new scene; he says, " After this I beheld, and lo,
a great multitude, which no man could number, of all nations, and
kindred’s, and people, and tongues, stood before the throne, and
before the Lamb, clothed with white robes and palms in their hands,"
etc. When John was asked by the angel, "What are these...and whence
came they?" he evidently did not understand the matter; he must have
been surprised at such a glorious multitude, in such a position, and
asked the angel an explanation. The angel replied, "These are they
which came ( ek) after the great tribulation, and have washed their
robes, and made them white in the blood of the Lamb."
But, says one, "you have altered the text; it reads out of, and not
after." Our translators have rendered the Greek word, ek, " out of,"
and it is generally so rendered in our Bibles; but in turning to our
Greek Concordance we find the first English word used, in defining
the Greek word ek, is " after," and it has also the sense of "
since." It will also be observed that we have inserted the definite
article [ tees, the] before "tribulation." The article is left out
of the text by our translators; but it is in the Greek, and clearly
refers to the tribulation described at the close of chapter vi.
Note: The following
editorial comments were inserted by a previous editior, not by that
of the Harvest Herald.
[Editor: Please forgive my interruption of Bro. Storrs discussion of
the Greek word (ek,) and the poor translation in the King James, and
other translations, of this word. Of interest to all Bible Students
I have included a remark taken from Thayer’s Greek English Lexicon
and introduced it here for your inspection: {1537}, before a vowel e
x, a preposition governing the genitive. Also, it denotes exit or
emission out of, as separation from, something with which there has
been close connection; opposed to the prepositions eiv into and en
in: "from out of, out from, forth from, from," (Latin e, e x) (cf.
Winer’s Grammar, 364, 366f (343f); Buttmann, 326f (281)). It is used
I. of place, and (660714) Re 7:14; metabainein ek tou qanatou
eiv thn zwh n,]
In the account of what John saw, in Re 7. -it is expressly
laid "after this" —"after this," what? clearly, after the "great day
of the wrath of the Lamb" spoken of in the previous chapter. After
this day of wrath, which winds up the present age, John saw the
fruit of the following age, or the age of the kingdom of God;
briefly stated, it is true, but sufficiently clear to be
unmistakable as a fulfillment of the promise and oath of God to
Abraham.
Let the text be read with the closing of chap. vi., in view, and the
fact that the scene of chap. vii., is expressly said to be "after
this," and see if the following is not evidently the true sense of
the text: "These are they which came [to Christ] after the great
tribulation on the kings of the earth, etc., and have washed their
robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb."
This construction agrees and harmonizes with a similar
representation in Rev. xv., where John saw those who had gotten the
victory over the beast "stand on the sea of glass, having the harp
of God: and they sing the song of Moses... and the song of the Lamb,
saying, Great and marvelous are thy works, Lord God Almighty; just
and true are thy ways, thou King of saints. Who shall not fear thee
O Lord, and glorify thy name? for thou only art holy: for all
nations shall come and worship before thee; for thy judgments are
made manifest."
Thus, we see, the saints on the sea of glass, glorified—take the
same view of the effect, on "all nations," of the judgments—"the
great tribulation" —on "the kings of the earth," etc., that we have
suggested on the texts in chapters vi. and vii., and the coming of
"all nations," or, the "great multitude of all nations," appear in
both cases to be after the judgments which wind up the present age,
and opens the age of the "kingdom of God," which immediately follows
the end of this; and "Then shall the righteous shine forth as the
sun in the kingdom of their Father. Who hath ears to hear, let him
hear." - Mt 13:43. Thus shining on the "left of the nations,"
the world—"all nations" —will be blessed in "Abraham and his seed,"
and the multitudes of the saved, in the dispensation of the kingdom
of God, will as much surprise many of our good brethren, who do not
as yet see the matter as we do, as it surprised John when he saw it
in vision. Then shall we truly see a multitude of redeemed ones, who
have washed their robes in the blood of the Lamb, "which no man can
number, out of all nations, kindred’s, people, and tongues." How
gloriously, then, will the promise and oath of God to Abraham shine
forth over the face of the whole earth, and His immortalized saints
rejoice that they are honored in having part with Christ in the
glorious work of earth’s redemption, and the salvation of such
untold multitudes.
Who desires a part in this work of God’s promise and oath is
blessing all the families of the earth, or all nations? O, how
blessed the thought that we, who may be among the redeemed of the
past ages, will have such glorious employment in "the ages to come."
What are all the earth’s present joys or glories, when compared with
the glory and honor of being "workers together with God" and His
dear Son in reducing the earth, so long cursed with sin, to order,
peace, universal love and good will; making "wars to cease to the
ends of the earth;" and every man "shall sit under his own vine and
fig tree, having none to molest or make him afraid." If you dear
reader, would share in that glory, come now to Christ, that you may
live in that blessed age.
The view we have taken of chapters vi. and vii., of Rev.(Re 6-7),
and of chap. Xv ( Re 15)., might be further urged as the true one
from many testimonies of the Old Testament. We will notice Isa
66., "Rejoice ye with Jerusalem, and be glad with her, all ye that
love her:.. that ye may milk out and be delighted with the abundance
of her glory: for thus saith the LORD, Behold I will extend peace to
her like a river, and the glory of the Gentiles like a flowing
stream... Ye shall be comforted in Jerusalem....The hand of the LORD
shall be known toward his servants, and his indignation toward his
enemies for behold, the LORD will come with fire, and with his
chariots like a whirlwind, to render his anger with fury, and his
rebuke with flames of fire: for by fire and by his sword will the
LORD plead with all flesh: and the slain of the LORD shall be many."
(This corresponds with Re 6:12-17; which please read.)... "For
I know their works and their thoughts: it shall come, that I will
gather all nations and tongues; and they shall come and see my
glory: and I will set a sign among them, and I will send those that
escape of them unto the nations... and to the isles afar off, that
have not heard my fame, neither have seen my glory; and they shall
declare my glory among the Gentiles," etc.
Observe, this proclamation is to those who had not heard the LORD’S
fame; and it was after the fearful judgment on "many," who were
"slain" in that judgment; and there were those who "escape," and
they are employed in making the proclamation to the "nations and the
isles afar off," who had "not heard’ of the LORD’S "fame," etc.
Here, also, we might introduce God’s oath, Isa 45:21, "I have
sworn by myself, the word has gone out of my mouth in righteousness,
and shall not return, That unto me every knee shall bow, every
tongue shall swear." Compare this with Paul’s language- Php
2:10,11, "That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven
and in earth: and every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is
Lord, to the glory of God the Father." Thus a universal proclamation
of Jesus Christ is to be made to all; and all are required to give
him honor to the glory of God. Here, then, is a proclamation of
God’s good-will to men which has never yet been made in the fullness
set forth to the word; but God has sworn by himself it shall be. Who
shall call in question His promise and oath? When that promise and
oath is carried into effect, we shall see the innumerable company
brought to the Revelator’s astonished view, Re 7., "of all
nations, and kindred’s, and people, and tongues."
No wonder Jesus said, "And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will
draw all men unto me." - ( Joh 12:32). We knew all the "families of
the earth" were to be "blessed" in him; and He hesitated not to
accept the cross in his work of blessing all men with the means of
securing eternal life. His faith in God’s promise and oath was not
shaken, though the awful death of the cross lay in his path to the
accomplishment of his work of blessing all the families of the
earth: and because He became "obedient unto the death of the cross,
God highly exalted Him," and gave "Him a Name which is above every
name; that at the Name of Jesus every knee should bow," etc.
Therefore, his Name is to be proclaimed to all "the families of the
earth;" else, how could they be required to bow to it?
Let us rejoice and be glad that God is not so restricted in the
means of carrying out his promise and oath as our finite minds might
be disposed to think: and let us remember, His thoughts are not as
our thoughts, nor His ways as our finite ways. His word will not
return void; but will surely be accomplished, every "jot and tittle"
of it. "So let it be."
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