Tribulation Saints, Part 1 (Revelation 7:9–12)

Focus Keywords: Great Tribulation Revival, Gentile Salvation, Revelation 7 Multitude, John MacArthur, God’s Saving Power, Palm Branches, White Robes, End Times Worship

This comprehensive summary and rewrite draws on John MacArthur’s exposition of Revelation 7:9–17, focusing on the dramatic vision of a “great multitude which no one could count”—a massive, worldwide revival of Gentile believers who come to Christ during the terrifying period known as the Great Tribulation. The message highlights God’s plan to execute His “most massive saving work” during the “worst of times” in human history.

I. The Promise of a Worldwide Revival

The vision presented in Revelation 7:9–17 answers the centuries-long prayers of Christians for a sweeping, worldwide revival. God plans and desires to save sinners, which is His nature and purpose for sending Christ.

God’s Saving Nature

Scripture consistently identifies God and Christ as Savior.

• Universal Desire: God desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth. He is patient, “not wishing for any to perish but for all to come to repentance”.
• Saving Power: God’s saving power shows up on behalf of all men in a temporal way (common grace) and on behalf of believers in a spiritual and eternal way.
• The Best Time in the Worst Time: This future revival will be the greatest movement of God’s saving power in terms of sheer numbers that the world has ever known. This massive work will take place during a brief period of years, which is paradoxically the worst time in human history. This era is characterized by Satan’s full fury, unchecked sin due to the restraining influence of the Holy Spirit being removed, the terrorizing dictatorship of Antichrist, murderous reign, and God’s unrestrained fury through devastating judgments. Yet, in the midst of this wrath, God remembers mercy and grace.

The Twofold Scope of Salvation

God’s saving work during the Tribulation will involve two main groups: Israel and the nations (Gentiles).

1. Israel’s Redemption: God has promised to save all Israel. Revelation 7:1–8 introduces 144,000 redeemed Jews from the 12 tribes who will be sealed and protected to become evangelists and preachers. Their preaching will lead Israel to look on the one whom they pierced and be redeemed.
2. Gentile Salvation (The Focus): The promise of salvation also extends to the Gentile world. This promise began with God’s covenant with Abraham in Genesis 12, stating that “in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed”. God always intended Israel to be a witness nation to reach the nations. This massive Gentile salvation will come through the testimony of a converted Israel, especially the 144,000 evangelists.

II. Description and Location of the Multitude

John the Apostle receives a new, shocking vision that exceeds what he could have imagined, given the small and persecuted nature of the existing Gentile churches.

The Indefinite and Universal Crowd

The vision in Revelation 7:9 is distinct from the 144,000 sealed Jews.

• Description: John sees “a great multitude which no one could count”. The crowd is too large to be counted humanly.
• Origin: This multitude comes “from every nation and all tribes and peoples and tongues”. This fourfold description (descent, language, race, and political association) comprehensively designates all the people of the world.
• The Source of the Revival: This massive conversion is the result of the flying angel preaching the everlasting gospel, the two witnesses, the persecuted believers fleeing and preaching, and primarily the ministry of the 144,000 Jewish evangelists, who will “ignite a revival”. The source suggests that the Church may not succeed in reaching every nation, but the Tribulation saints will. The greatest revival will occur when the price for Christianity is the highest it has ever been.

Condition: White Robes and Palm Branches

The multitude is further described by their clothing and emblems:

1. White Robes: They are “clothed in white robes”. This “brilliant, dazzling, shining light” kind of white identifies them with the martyred souls seen under the altar in Revelation 6. They are the believers martyred not just in the first half of the Tribulation, but across the entire period, swelling to a mass that cannot be counted. The robes are symbolic of righteousness, victory, exaltation, and celebration. The martyrs are still “just souls” because they have not yet received their resurrected bodies, which happens at the initiation of the Millennial Kingdom.
2. Palm Branches: They have “palm branches were in their hands”. Palm branches were associated with celebration, joy, triumph, and deliverance. Waving palms signaled the arrival of a Deliverer, as seen during Jesus’s triumphal entry. Here, the branches symbolize their celebration for having been delivered from the world, Satan, Antichrist, death, and hell.

Location: Standing Before the Throne

The multitude is seen “standing before the throne and before the Lamb”.

• Heavenly Position: They are not on Earth; they are in heaven. They are no longer under the altar interceding for vengeance, but standing triumphantly before the throne.
• The Reason: They arrived there because they died—many were martyred, having been killed because of the Word of God and the testimony of Jesus, and because they refused to worship the Beast or take his mark.