What does "these are the ones who have come out of the great tribulation" mean? Immediate Literary Setting John has just listed 144,000 from the twelve tribes (7:1-8). Verse 9 pivots to “a great multitude that no one could count, from every nation.” The elder’s question (v. 13) and answer (v. 14) identify that second company. The structure—question, confession of ignorance, revelatory answer—mirrors Daniel 7:15-16 and Zechariah 4:4-5, signaling divine interpretation within the vision itself. Old Testament Background • Daniel 12:1: “There will be a time of distress such as has not happened…” • Jeremiah 30:7: “That day is great, so that none is like it.” • Psalm 34:19: “Many are the afflictions of the righteous.” John’s language of “great tribulation” weaves these strands together, locating the suffering of God’s people in the prophetic expectation of a climactic end-time anguish. Definition of “The Great Tribulation” 1. Intensified, global distress (Matthew 24:21). 2. A discrete, future period anchored to Daniel’s 70th week (Daniel 9:27), lasting three-and-a-half prophetic years (Revelation 11:2-3; 13:5). 3. Marked by unprecedented persecution of saints, cosmic upheaval, and divine judgments. Identity of “These” 1. Not the sealed 144,000—those remain on earth (14:1). 2. “Every nation, tribe, people, and tongue” (7:9) indicates Gentiles and Jews together. 3. They stand before the throne (7:9), implying death or translational deliverance rather than mere survival. “Have Come Out”: The Verb Tense Present participle ἐρχόμενοι emphasizes a continual stream—believers are arriving in heaven throughout the tribulation. It portrays martyrdom and possibly rapture of those converted during that period (cf. Revelation 6:9-11). Cleansed Robes and the Blood of the Lamb Symbolism links to Isaiah 1:18; Zechariah 3:3-4. The cleansing is forensic (justification) and transformative (sanctification). The means is Christ’s atoning death, reinforcing soteriological exclusivity (John 14:6; Acts 4:12). Chronological Placement Within a young-earth, literal-futurist timeline, the church is taken prior to Daniel’s 70th week (1 Thessalonians 4:16-17; Revelation 3:10). The multitude, therefore, represents post-rapture converts—Tribulation Saints—who pay with their lives yet gain eternal victory. Historical Credibility of Revelation Papyrus 𝔓47 (c. AD 250) from Egypt demonstrates wide circulation; archaeological work at Patmos confirms a 1st-century exile community matching John’s environment. The seven Asiatic cities’ topography aligns with chapters 2-3. Theological Purposes 1. Vindication: God honors faithfulness under fire. 2. Evangelism: Martyrs’ testimony catalyzes further repentance (11:13). 3. Worship: The scene fuels heavenly doxology (7:10-12). Pastoral Implications Believers today prepare hearts for loyalty, trusting divine sovereignty over suffering (Romans 8:18). Unbelievers receive an implicit call: flee future wrath by accepting the Lamb now (John 3:36). Common Objections Addressed • “Symbolic, not future.” Yet predictive passages consistently move from literal Israel (7:4-8) to a literal multinational crowd (7:9); genre mixing argues for concrete fulfillment. • “Church endures entire tribulation.” Revelation distinguishes “churches” (chapters 2-3) from “saints” of later visions; promise of exemption (3:10) and absence of ecclesial language after chapter 3 suggest removal. Conclusion “Those who have come out of the great tribulation” are the redeemed multitude saved after the rapture, purified by Christ’s blood, martyred during Daniel’s climactic week, and now celebrating eternal communion with God. Their story certifies prophetic reliability, vindicates God’s justice, and beckons every reader to trust the Lamb before that day dawns. |
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