The Great Multitude
Immediately following the sealing of the 144,000 Jews, the scene changes to the celebration of the saints on earth as the Kingdom of God is set up. "These are they which came out of great tribulation," [Rev. 7:14]. The great multitude celebrating before the throne of God in Revelation seven must take place at the beginning of the Millennium if our chronology of the sixth seal is correct. There is plenty of evidence to support this conclusion from the text itself. In Revelation seven there are several clear allusions to Old Testament passages which are indisputably "Millennial."

1. The saints are holding "palm branches." This is a reference to the "Feast of Tabernacles." Throughout this feast, which occurs from the fifteenth to the twenty-first of the seventh month, God's people were commanded to cut off palm branches and celebrate before the Lord, [Lev. 23:34,40]. The Feast of Tabernacles will also be celebrated every year during the Millennium as a memorial to God's bringing us through our "wilderness" into the promised land, His Kingdom, [Zech. 14:16-19].

2. They are wearing their white robes, [Rev. 7:9]. According to Rev. 19:7,8 the Bride is granted permission to wear white robes immediately before the second coming. Therefore this scene takes place some time after the scene in Rev. 19.

3. They are worshipping before the Throne in the Temple, [Rev. 7:15]. This is the Millennial Temple described by Ezekiel in chapters 40-44. Ezekiel specifically states that God's Throne, (which is portable, complete with living creatures, with wings and retractable landing gear, who carry the Throne, [Ezek. 1:1-28] ) will be moved to the Millennial Temple, [Ezek. 43:1-9]. Daniel also describes the Throne of the "Ancient of Days" moving to earth at the time when the "Son of man came with the clouds of heaven," [Dan. 7:9,13,14,21,22, see also Jer. 3:16,17]. This appearance of Jehovah coming on His Throne, (as in Ezekiel's vision of chapter 1, [cf. Ezek. 43:3 & Ezek. 1:1] ) and the appearance of Christ on the white horse beside Him, is what strikes fear in the hearts of men at the sixth seal. "...hide us from the face of Him that sitteth on the Throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb: For the great day of His [Their] wrath is come; and who shall be able to stand?" [Rev. 6:16,17]. Jesus said to those who were about to crucify Him; "ye shall see the Son of man sitting on the right hand of power, and coming in the clouds of heaven." [Mark 14:62]. No doubt He was referring to the Day of the Lord. The armies gathered around Jerusalem to wipe out the Jewish remnant, and defeat the "Messiah," will suddenly find their arrogance turned to terror when the sun turns black, the moon turns blood red, meteors begin raining down, the earth begins to quake violently, and they see a brilliant light engulfing the clouds over the Mount of Olives, [Matt. 24:29-31]. As the clouds roll back like a scroll, and they see Jehovah sitting on the Throne, and the Warrior on the white horse at His side, with millions of saints and angels in their wake, no wonder they call for the rocks to fall on them to hide from the face of the Almighty. [Read: Psalm 2:1-12, Isaiah 13:3-13, Isaiah 26:21, Joel 2:1-11, Micah 1:3.]

4. God has come to dwell among His people, not the other way around, [Rev. 7:15]. Compare this to: Ezek. 43:7,9, Joel 3:17, Zech. 2:10-13, all Millennial settings.

5. Rev. 7:16,17 is a clear quote from Isa. 49:10 and Isa. 25:8 which are describing the Millennium.

Revelation 7
16 They shall hunger no more, neither thirst any more; neither shall the sun light on them, nor any heat.
17 For the Lamb which is in the midst of the throne shall feed them, and shall lead them unto living fountains of waters: and God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes.

Isaiah 49
10 They shall not hunger nor thirst; neither shall the heat nor sun smite them: for he that hath mercy on them shall lead them, even by the springs of water shall he guide them.
25:8 He will swallow up death in victory; and the Lord GOD will wipe away tears from off all faces; ...

When Revelation quotes passages from Isaiah, which are clearly Millennial, applying them to the scene following the cosmic sign, we can be certain that Revelation is describing the Millennium in chapter seven.

6. Rev. 7:17- "Living waters" come from Millennial passages. David, Ezekiel, and Zechariah, all describe a river of living water flowing from the Millennial Temple, [Psalm 46:6, Ezek. 47:1-10, Zech. 14:8].

7. Rev. 7:17- "God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes." This is a very important quote from Isaiah 25:8 "He will swallow up death in victory; and the Lord God will wipe away tears from off all faces;" Not only is this promise in a Millennial setting, but Paul quoted the first sentence, claiming its fulfillment at the rapture, when the "last trumpet" sounds. "So when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory" [1 Cor. 15:54]. The fact that Paul quoted Isaiah 25:8, and clearly said that it would be fulfilled at the rapture, and John also quoted from the same verse, placing its fulfillment immediately after the sun and moon signs, is powerful evidence that these events are the same.

8. The Seventh Seal, in Rev. 8:1, brings total silence in heaven. Based on what we have learned so far, heaven is empty during the entire Millennium. Before heaven moves to earth on the Day of the Lord, heaven has experienced the sounds of continuous praise.

Revelation 4
8 And the four beasts had each of them six wings about him; and they were full of eyes within: and they rest not day and night, saying, Holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty, which was, and is, and is to come.

The fact that there is silence in heaven indicates the perpetual praise of Jehovah no longer rings out there. The thirty minutes of silence represents the fact that all worship of Jehovah has transferred to earth for the Millennial Kingdom, just as Revelation 7:9-12 indicates.

Go to: The Seven Trumpets
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