That No One Can Number

 

After this I looked, and behold, a great multitude that no one could number, from every nation, from all tribes and peoples and languages, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed in white robes, with palm branches in their hands, and crying out with a loud voice, “Salvation belongs to our God who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb!” And all the angels were standing around the throne and around the elders and the four living creatures, and they fell on their faces before the throne and worshiped God, saying, “Amen! Blessing and glory and wisdom and thanksgiving and honor and power and might be to our God forever and ever! Amen.” (Revelation 7:9-12 ESV).

 

Picture this scene. John sees a great multitude of people wearing white and holding palm branches and singing before the throne of God with all the angels and elders and other living creatures in heaven. They all sing great praise to God and bow down to worship him. The sheer size of this group is amazing. There are so many people in this multitude that “no one could count” them. It would be like trying to count the stars in the night sky or the grains of sand on a seashore (cf. Genesis 22:17). God’s gift of salvation is indeed given to a great multitude.

 

Even more amazing than the size of the choir is the composition of the crowd that the Lord has gathered. This gigantic crowd is made up “from every nation, tribe, people and language.” It is amazing how God’s gift of salvation creates a bond of unity that reaches to the ends of the earth and breaks down the walls and divisions that we have set up in our societies and cultures around the world. No one is debating the points of theology, or the systems of interpretation. Everyone is gathered for one great purpose. They are singing the praise of the One on the throne!

 

This is a powerful picture of what God’s salvation looks like in the lives of real people. It is more than a picture of the unity God will create in the new heaven and earth. This is a call for the church today as well—to be faithful in welcoming God’s servants “from every nation, tribe, people and language.” God’s amazing grace brings us together from every people and nation.