rtf1ansiansicpg1252deff0deflang1033fonttblf0fnilfcharset0 Georgia;f1fnilfprq2fcharset0 Padua; colortbl ;red0green128blue0; viewkind4uc1pardf0fs24 par b The Great Multitude.b0 par par cf11ulbf1fs22 Rev_7:9-10cf0ulnoneb0f0fs24. par par The vision of pent-up judgment begins this chapteru8212?then the sealing and the ingathering. Our text is the result of the ingathering, as seen in heaven. The process of taking out this people, this election, from Jew and Gentile, may be almost invisible, attended also with labor, and grief, and persecution; but the result is gloriousu8212?visible in heaven! The sower has been doing his work in weeping, but the sheaves are plenteous, and the harvest one of everlasting joy. Let us look at this heavenly vision. par par b I. The NUMBERS.b0 'A great multitude which no man could number.' The 3,000 at Pentecost were a large number, but this is greater. The hundreds and thousands, both in Judea and throughout the Gentile world, at Corinth, Rome, Ephesus, Philippi, and other places, were specimens of the great ingatheringu8212?but here we have the aggregate, the summing up of all. Like Israel, they cannot be numbered for multitude. They are like the stars of heaven, or the sand which is by the sea-shore. The 'little flock' shall have multiplied into the innumerable companyu8212?and the few drops shall become the mighty ocean. What a difference between the then, and the now! par par b II. The NATIONALITIES.b0 This is not the harvest of Israel, but of the world. The word has gone out from Jerusalem into all the earth. All nations hear the gospel, and some out of each of them obey it, and turn to the Lord. Every people furnishes its quota to this great assembly; every tribe has its representatives here; every region, every color, every language, every kingdom, every people, every age and century. It is the general assembly and Church of the First-born. How various the company in face, in speech, in manners, in dress, in habitation! Here all nationalities meet in one great heavenly nationalityu8212?without jealousy or distrustu8212?all one in Him who redeemed them by His blood! Now it is seen that God has made of one blood all nations of the earth, and that under the shadow of the one great Sacrifice all these find shelteru8212?sinners, yet pardonedu8212?lost, but savedu8212?vile, but washed white in the blood of the Lamb! par par b III. The POSTURE.b0 'Standing before the throne, and before the Lamb.' 'He who sits on the throne' and 'the Lamb' are distinguished the one from the other. This mighty multitude stands before both. They 'stand.' It is the posture of triumph and honor; 'having done all, they stand' (cf11ulbf1fs22 Eph_6:13cf0ulnoneb0f0fs24). Not bowed down, nor kneeling, nor prostrateu8212?the erect posture indicates the high position to which they have been brought; and especially is this honor apparent when we see them standing 'before the throne, and before the Lamb;' in the very presence of the eternal King! To stand before the throne is, next to sitting on it, the highest elevation. Both the sitting and the standing are connected with glory; and it would seem as if these 'redeemed' ones sometimes occupied the throne, and sometimes stood before it. Their shame and distance are at an endu8212?glory and nearness are now their portion forever. They stand before the King, and not before base men. par par b IV. The CLOTHING.b0 They are 'clothed with white robes.' Christ's transfiguration-clothing was white, shining as the sunu8212?so is theirs! They are like Him in this, as in all else. Their old earthly garments are gone; they have received the glorious clothing which assimilates them outwardly (as they are already inwardly) to their Lord. 'My beloved is white and ruddy' (cf11ulbf1fs22 Son_5:10cf0ulnoneb0f0fs24). par par (1) It is the clothing of b heaven.b0 Not only is it Christ's robe, but it is that of angels. When they come down to earth, they appear in white, shining garments (cf11ulbf1fs22 Mar_16:5cf0ulnoneb0f0fs24; cf11ulbf1fs22 Joh_20:12cf0ulnoneb0f0fs24; cf11ulbf1fs22 Act_1:12cf0ulnoneb0f0fs24); even the seven angels of vengeance are clothed in 'pure and white linen' (cf11ulbf1fs22 Rev_15:6cf0ulnoneb0f0fs24). When Christ appears to John, His 'head and hair are white like wool, as white as snow' (cf11ulbf1fs22 Rev_1:14cf0ulnoneb0f0fs24). The 'stone' is white (cf11ulbf1fs22 Rev_2:17cf0ulnoneb0f0fs24); the horses are white (cf11ulbf1fs22 Rev_19:14cf0ulnoneb0f0fs24); the cloud is white (cf11ulbf1fs22 Rev_14:14cf0ulnoneb0f0fs24); the throne is white (cf11ulbf1fs22 Rev_20:2cf0ulnoneb0f0fs24). b Whiteness,b0 as the combination of all that is beautiful and perfect in color, is the hue of heaven, and with this the redeemed are investedu8212?'clothed with white robes.'par par (2) It is the clothing of b purityb0 and b perfection.b0 It is the fitting clothing of those who are 'blameless' (cf11ulbf1fs22 Phi_2:15cf0ulnoneb0f0fs24); 'faultless' (cf11ulbf1fs22 Jud_1:24cf0ulnoneb0f0fs24); 'unblameable and unreproveable' (cf11ulbf1fs22 Col_1:22cf0ulnoneb0f0fs24); 'without spot or wrinkle, or any such thing' (cf11ulbf1fs22 Eph_5:27cf0ulnoneb0f0fs24). No other hue could express the perfect purity of the redeemed. The false Churchu8212?the 'mother of harlots,' has her scarlet, and purple, and gold, and gems (cf11ulbf1fs22 Rev_17:4cf0ulnoneb0f0fs24). But the true and pure Church has her 'fine linen, clean and white' (cf11ulbf1fs22 Rev_19:8cf0ulnoneb0f0fs24, cf11ulbf1fs22 Rev_19:14cf0ulnoneb0f0fs24). 'There is no spot in you!' (cf11ulbf1fs22 Son_4:7cf0ulnoneb0f0fs24). par par (3) It is the clothing of b triumph.b0 It is given to him who overcomes (cf11ulbf1fs22 Rev_3:5cf0ulnoneb0f0fs24). Purple might be the robe of the Roman victor, but Christ's victorious warriors are arrayed in white (cf11ulbf1fs22 Rev_19:14cf0ulnoneb0f0fs24)u8212?as their Captain goes forth on the white horse, 'conquering and to conquer' (cf11ulbf1fs22 Rev_6:2cf0ulnoneb0f0fs24). par par (4) It is the b bridal dress.b0 'White' is the invariable color used both by the bride and the bridesmaids. So we find it at the marriage of the Lamb. The clothing of the bride is whiteu8212?at her marriage she wears the robes washed white in the blood of the Lamb. Her dress is connected with the cross. She knows what it is to be 'justified by His blood' (cf11ulbf1fs22 Rom_5:9cf0ulnoneb0f0fs24). par par (5) It is the b festal dress.b0 At the marriage-supper this is the clothing providedu8212?the bride sits down at the table in the King's pavilion 'arrayed in fine linen, clean and white' (cf11ulbf1fs22 Rev_19:8cf0ulnoneb0f0fs24). How glad that marriage-day and marriage-feast! How glorious the Bridegroom and the bride! par par b V. The BADGE.b0 They had 'palms in their hands.' The palm is the symbol of gladness and of victory. Here it is specially used in reference to the feast of tabernacles, the gladdest of all Israel's festivals (cf11ulbf1fs22 Lev_23:40cf0ulnoneb0f0fs24). The true feast of the tabernacles, the memorial of our desert sojourn and earthly pilgrimage ended forever, the believers shall celebrate in the New Jerusalem. Their heavenly palms carried in their glorified hands shall have a meaning then and there unknown before. The days of their mourning shall be endedu8212?their everlasting joy begun! par par b VI. The SHOUT.b0 They 'cry with a loud voiceu8212?Salvation to our God who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb!' It is not a song they sing; no measured melody. No harp, nor flute, nor dulcimer are here. It is the irresponsible shout rising and bursting forth from rescued men, from conquerors on a hard-fought field, that have as yet no time to throw their feelings into elaborate song or harmony. What a thrilling shout! 'Salvation!' We are saved at last! We are landed on the shore at last! We are in the New Jerusalem, and before the throne at last! Who would not desire to be there, to join in that 'cry' that 'loud voice,' that multitudinous shout, that shall fill both earth and heaven! In that day, shall we not be 'satisfied' (cf11ulbf1fs22 Psa_17:15cf0ulnoneb0f0fs24); no, more than satisfied?