Chapter 7

At the end of the previous chapter we saw the gospel introduced into the world. There are, of course, only two responses one can make to it; he can either accept it or reject it. This chapter is a portrayal of all those who accept the gospel, and is inserted here before the seventh seal.

Looking at the flowchart, we see for the first time a long box for chapter seven. Notice that the box right after it is the Ch 20:11-15 box, which describes the final judgment. Since the chapter seven box stretches from the end of chapter six, which described the gospel, to chapter 20:11-15, that means that the time frame encompassed by chapter seven stretches from the cross up to the final judgment, already almost 2000 years. But not everything that has happened will be discussed in chapter seven. This chapter only looks at those who accept the gospel.

V2 and 3 mention a seal that will be described more fully in chapter 14:1.

The twelve tribes of Israel are mentioned in v4, and the following verses show 12,000 saints from each tribe, making 144,000 in all. Who are these people? They seem to be all those saved before the cross, the Old Testament saints, those who were looking forward to the Messiah but died before He came. This is the first vision.

From v9 on we see another vision, this one including people from every nation, tribe, people and language, so this one includes gentiles, which are all those who are not Jewish.

So what we have here is a picture, in two visions, of all the saved, with the two songs giving God the glory for that salvation.

V14 can be a source of problems. The NIV reads it, "...These are they who have come out of the great tribulation..." What does this mean? Should the word the be in the text?

There is some confusion about this, with some translations saying "great tribulation" and others saying "the great tribulation." The reason for that variation is because some of the Greek manuscripts, like the Wescott/Hort, upon which the NIV is based, include the article while others, like the Textus Receptus, upon which the KJV is based, do not.

The difference is whether or not a specific event is in mind. Some are looking for a specific event to yet occur. But the question is, what would the original readers be looking for? Since the statement of the text is in past tense, that indicates that maybe they would understand it of some event that happened in their recent past. If that is the case, then the destruction of Jerusalem in 70 AD, foretold by Jesus in Mt 24:1-35, less than 30 years earlier, could be applicable here.

On the other hand, if the word the should not be in the text, then passages such as Revelation 2:26 and Hebrews 3:14; 6:11 come into play, passages that encourage us to endure to the end. Endure what? Persecution, or tribulation, brought about because of embracing the gospel. Paul told the Philippians in 1:29 that it was granted to them on behalf of Christ "not only to believe on him, but also to suffer for him," and I think to some extent that is true for all of us.

So, either way you look at it, we don't have an indication here of a special tribulation coming that we have to look out for. The context shows that those in the chapter have already endured it, probably referring to opposition while they were alive, due to their being Christians.

One other interesting thought concerning the last part of this verse. Notice that they have washed their robes and made them white "in the blood of the Lamb." What an interesting paradox! Normally, as everyone knows, blood stains clothing. But not the blood of Jesus. It cleanses!

So the main thing to remember about chapter seven is that it is a picture of all those who accept the gospel, including all those before the fact who were looking forward to it. That acceptance is expressed in portraying them in heavenly garb doing heavenly things. That portrayal is not meant to be taken as a future scene so much as it is to be taken as a heavenly description of their current salvation, a salvation that now exists but cannot be realized in its fullness until the day we all get to heaven.