ESOCS Devotional 16 May 2025 – The Glorious Multitude!
MEMORY VERSE: “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.” Revelation 7:9
TEXT: REVELATION 7:1-17
After these things I saw four angels standing at the four corners of the earth, holding the four winds of the earth, that the wind should not blow on the earth, on the sea, or on any tree. 2 Then I saw another angel ascending from the east, having the seal of the living God. And he cried with a loud voice to the four angels to whom it was granted to harm the earth and the sea, 3 saying, “Do not harm the earth, the sea, or the trees till we have sealed the servants of our God on their foreheads.” 4 And I heard the number of those who were sealed. One hundred and forty-four thousand of all the tribes of the children of Israel were sealed:
5 of the tribe of Judah twelve thousand were sealed;
of the tribe of Reuben twelve thousand were sealed;
of the tribe of Gad twelve thousand were sealed;
6 of the tribe of Asher twelve thousand were sealed;
of the tribe of Naphtali twelve thousand were sealed;
of the tribe of Manasseh twelve thousand were sealed;
7 of the tribe of Simeon twelve thousand were sealed;
of the tribe of Levi twelve thousand were sealed;
of the tribe of Issachar twelve thousand were sealed;
8 of the tribe of Zebulun twelve thousand were sealed;
of the tribe of Joseph twelve thousand were sealed;
of the tribe of Benjamin twelve thousand were sealed.
9 After these things I looked, and behold, a great multitude which no one could number, of all nations, tribes, peoples, and tongues, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed with white robes, with palm branches in their hands, 10 and crying out with a loud voice, saying, “Salvation belongs to our God who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb!” 11 All the angels stood around the throne and the elders and the four living creatures, and fell on their faces before the throne and worshiped God, 12 saying:
“Amen! Blessing and glory and wisdom,
Thanksgiving and honor and power and might,
Be to our God forever and ever.
Amen.”
13 Then one of the elders answered, saying to me, “Who are these arrayed in white robes, and where did they come from?”
14 And I said to him, “Sir, you know.”
So he said to me, “These are the ones who come out of the great tribulation, and washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb. 15 Therefore they are before the throne of God, and serve Him day and night in His temple. And He who sits on the throne will dwell among them. 16 They shall neither hunger anymore nor thirst anymore; the sun shall not strike them, nor any heat; 17 for the Lamb who is in the midst of the throne will shepherd them and lead them to living fountains of waters. And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes.”
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The term multitude is not seen in a positive light, that is why sometimes it comes as – mixed multitude, rowdy multitude etc. Here, we have great multitude, which no man could number and yet it was an interesting sight to behold. When the multitude cried out a praise to God and the Glorious and Victorious Lamb, it evoked worship in heaven from all the spiritual beings to our Great God. They were so glorious that one could not but notice them. Then, one of the elders asked who were they and where did they all come from?
These multitude has three noticeable things about them: (a) They are not from one place but had one destination. (b) They were clothed with white robes. (c). They had palms in their hands. These three things, among others made them so glorious and admirable. Let’s look at each.
- They are not from one place but had one destination: The destination is eternity with Jesus in the paradise of God. People of all races, tribes, nations, ethnicity and languages who accept Jesus as Lord and Saviour will have their sins forgive; and they will be acceptable and welcome before the throne of God and the precious Lamb, Jesus Christ the Lord. It is not for the Jews alone but for all peoples of the earth who believe – a universal purpose and redemption.
- They were clothed with white robes: Their robes were washed and made white in the blood of the Lamb. They lived their lives imitating Jesus. They had one straight ambition: to be like Him; and they became like Him in righteousness and holiness. They took on themselves the attributes of Jesus in thoughts, words, and actions. They disciplined themselves to kill the natural man in them and brought the spiritual man like Christ in them. They walked in love and charity, cherishing the things and ways of God. We are called in Chris Jesus to be like them so that we would be welcome in the paradise of God too.
- They had palms in their hands: The palms in their hands signified victory! That was why when they appeared before the throne and the Lamb and released praise, the whole heaven responded in worship to our God who kept them victorious through it all.
Believers everywhere should strive to be like them.
CHALLENGES
- Are you living daily on Jesus’ terms as contained in His word? Whose character do you have?
PRAYER POINT
- Father, give me grace to continue faithfully in Christ that I may be among the glorious multitude.
FURTHER READING: 1Samuel 7:1-end; 8:1-end; Revelation 8:1-end.
ESOCS Devotional 16 May 2025
