Revelation 7:9-17
Bible Verses. Also called Revelation 7:9-17, Rev 7:9-17, The Great Multitude, The Great Multitude in White Robes.
9 After this I beheld, and, lo, a great multitude, which no man could number, of all nations, and kindreds, and people, and tongues, stood before the throne, and before the Lamb, clothed with white robes, and palms in their hands;
10 And cried with a loud voice, saying, Salvation to our God which sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb.
11 And all the angels stood round about the throne, and about the elders and the four beasts, and fell before the throne on their faces, and worshipped God,
12 Saying, Amen: Blessing, and glory, and wisdom, and thanksgiving, and honour, and power, and might, be unto our God for ever and ever. Amen.
13 And one of the elders answered, saying unto me, What are these which are arrayed in white robes? and whence came they?
14 And I said unto him, Sir, thou knowest. And he said to me, These are they which came out of great tribulation, and have washed their robes, and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.
15 Therefore are they before the throne of God, and serve him day and night in his temple: and he that sitteth on the throne shall dwell among them.
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.
Scripture quotation from the King James Version (KJV). Read this chapter
Revelation 7:9-17 is a vision of a countless multitude from every nation, clothed in white robes, praising God for salvation before his throne. Interpreters differ over the multitude's relationship to the 144,000 and over the meaning of "great tribulation." The passage is frequently read as a word of comfort at funeral services.
About this articleAI draft from a Korean source. Notes on Korean Protestant practice. No sources listed. Not yet reviewed by a person.
- Origin
Drafted by AI from the Korean church.wiki article, then translated and adapted for English readers on 5 November 2026.
- Perspective
Includes notes on Korean Protestant practice; other traditions are noted where they differ.
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None listed yet. The article draws on the biblical text and general reference works. Add a source
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Not yet reviewed by a person. Last edited by a person: never. Translation updated 5 November 2026. Edit history
Context
In Revelation 6 the Lamb opens the sixth seal, and in 8:1 the seventh seal is opened. This scene falls between the two and is often called an "interlude." In 7:1-8 John "hears" the number of those sealed from each tribe of Israel: 144,000. Then in verse 9 he "sees" a great multitude that no one could number.
This multitude ascribes salvation to God and to the Lamb, and the angels respond in worship. One of the heavenly elders then asks John who those clothed in white robes are and answers the question himself. The promises of verses 15-17 are understood to draw on the language of Old Testament prophecies such as Isaiah 49:10 and 25:8. Many interpreters hold that the words "shall dwell among them" (literally, "shall spread his tent over them") recall the tabernacle in the wilderness, and that the palm branches recall Israel's Feast of Tabernacles.
Interpretation
- The two groups as one people: This is the reading of Reformed amillennial interpreters (who regard the millennium not as a literal thousand years but as a symbol of the entire church age) and of many evangelical commentators. They see the 144,000 and the great multitude as two descriptions of the same people of God, namely the church. They argue that the structure parallels Revelation 5, where John hears of a "Lion" and turns to see a "Lamb." On this reading, the "great tribulation" refers to the whole of the suffering the church endures throughout history.
- The dispensational reading: Dispensationalism generally identifies the 144,000 as Jewish believers who come to faith during the end-time tribulation. It identifies the great multitude as believers from many nations who are saved during the seven-year tribulation following the Rapture.
- The martyrs reading: Some interpreters connect the white robes and "the blood of the Lamb" with the martyrs of 6:9-11. This interpretation narrows the great multitude to those who kept the faith under persecution even unto death.
All of these readings share the confession that salvation belongs "to our God which sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb." All likewise understand the paradoxical statement that they "washed their robes, and made them white in the blood of the Lamb" as referring to Christ's atonement.
Debates and Issues
In verse 14, "great tribulation" carries the definite article in the Greek original, and the verb rendered "came out" is a present participle. Futurist interpreters point to the definite article as evidence that "the great tribulation" is a specific period at the end of history. Other interpreters point to the present tense to emphasize suffering that continues even now.
Jehovah's Witnesses teach a distinction between the 144,000, a group who will rule in heaven, and the great multitude, those who will survive Armageddon and live forever on earth. In South Korea, Shincheonji is known to teach that the "144,000" and the "white-robed multitude" refer to members of its own organization. Researchers of heretical movements from various denominations criticize this as an interpretation that forces the symbols onto a particular group.
Perspective: Korean Protestant practiceHow this idea is used in Korean churches, kept from the original Korean article.
In Korean churches, verses 16-17, especially the promise that "God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes," are frequently read as words of comfort at funeral services and memorial services. The phrase in verse 9, "of all nations, and kindreds, and people, and tongues," is often quoted in sermons presenting a vision for missions.
Related Passages
See also 8
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