The seventh chapter of Revelation is an interlude between the opening of the sixth and seventh seals. There are two groups of people described in this chapter, one totaling 144,000 people and the other an enormous uncountable crowd. There are a variety of opinions as to just who they are and their relationship with each other. What I share here is what makes the most sense to me.
Now I heard the number of those who were marked with the seal, 144,000, sealed from all the tribes of the people of Israel:
Revelation 7:4 NET
The first group is described as twelve thousand from each of the twelve tribes of Israel, a total of 144,000. They are sealed on their foreheads, seemingly before the events described elsewhere in Revelation.
After these things I looked, and here was an enormous crowd that no one could count, made up of persons from every nation, tribe, people, and language, standing before the throne and before the Lamb dressed in long white robes, and with palm branches in their hands.
Revelation 7:9 NET
The second group is described as an enormous crowd, composed of people from around the world, standing before the throne and dressed in long white robes (Rev. 6:9-11). They are later described as those coming out of great tribulation and who had washed their robes white in the blood of the Lamb.
Who Are They?
One group was counted and sealed before the tribulation. A second, uncountable group was coming out of the tribulation. Are these two distinct groups? Or essentially the same but from different ends of the journey?
And is the tribulation referenced here a specific period just before Christ’s return? Or does it represent the span of redemptive history and the ongoing persecution of God’s people?
Given that Revelation was written to encourage churches of the first century to remain faithful despite severe opposition, I am partial to seeing the tribulation referenced here as the ongoing opposition of the world to God’s people. We are in the great tribulation throughout our walk with the Lord.
I also understand that these two groups represent the same people. The first group represents new believers who are marked with a seal (Eph. 1:13), the name of God, and the Lamb (Rev. 14:1). The second group represents us at the other end of our walk with the Lord. We have completed our journey and have been victorious. And now we are before the throne of God. And he will wipe away every tear (Rev. 7:17).
What do you think?
