From Tribulation to Eternal Praise

Revelation Lesson 064

AFTER THIS: The next thing John sees after witnessing the sealing of the 144,000 is the great multitude of people saved during Daniel's Seventieth Week gathered before the throne.
GREAT MULTITUDE … NO MAN COULD NUMBER: One of the elders asks John in verse 13, "What are these which are arrayed in white robes?" The answer is, "These are they which came out of great tribulation." This multitude is not the 144,000 in verses 1–8 because they can be numbered. The 144,000 were not a great multitude killed during Daniel's Seventieth Week. Yet, this great multitude in Heaven were likely the converts from the preaching taking place at that time. The souls under the altar in Revelation 6:9 asked concerning the length of time before the Lord would avenge the blood of those already killed. God would not avenge them until their "fellowservants also and their brethren" were killed (Revelation 6:11).
These people are the redeemed of Revelation 12:11 who loved not their lives unto "the death." Notice the point is made about them that they will not hunger or thirst any more (Revelation 7:16). In other words, they trusted in the Lord and were supernaturally protected from deception, so they did not take the Mark of the beast and were not able to buy or sell on earth. Therefore, they were hungry and thirsty but no more.
OF ALL NATIONS: This innumerable multitude retains its national identity, whereas the group mentioned in Revelation 5:9 loses its national identity. The group mentioned earlier was redeemed "out of every kindred …" that "came out of great tribulation" (Revelation 7:14).
PALMS: symbolizing an expression of joy for deliverance (Leviticus 23:40; John 12:1