The Great Multitude: Who John Saw in Revelation 7

End Times series | Pastor Dwaine Johnson | Revelation 7:1-14

Four angels, and a pause before judgment

In Revelation 7, John sees four angels holding back the winds of the earth. Pastor Dwaine Johnson explained that these winds stand for judgment, including heat, drought, difficulty breathing and the death of ocean life. Before the winds are released, another angel cries out: "Saying, Hurt not the earth, neither the sea, nor the trees, till we have sealed the servants of our God in their foreheads" (Revelation 7:3).

The sealed servants of God are the 144,000. John makes it plain in the very next verse: "And I heard the number of them which were sealed: and there were sealed an hundred and forty and four thousand of all the tribes of the children of Israel" (Revelation 7:4). The servants of God and the 144,000 are one group, not two.

A multitude no man could number

Then John looks again. "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).

Pastor Dwaine Johnson gave four words for this multitude. It is innumerable, international, integrated and invited.

The 144,000 are distinct from this innumerable multitude. That answers the idea that only 144,000 will ever go to heaven. John saw far more than that.

Sealed by the Holy Spirit

Every born-again believer is sealed by the Holy Spirit as the earnest of the inheritance. "In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise" (Ephesians 1:13). And again: "And grieve not the holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption" (Ephesians 4:30).

This is not earned. "For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast" (Ephesians 2:8-9). As Pastor Dwaine Johnson put it, "There's some good moral people, good morals who keep you out of jail, but won't keep you out of hell."

If you're saved, John saw you

"John said, I saw this great multitude that no man can number. If you're saved today, John saw you. If you're not saved, he didn't see you."

The devil lost his place, and he works to keep others from being part of that multitude. Revelation 6:14-17 shows what is coming for those who are not.

An urgent call

"He came the first time offering grace. At this time there will be no grace." Nothing in this world is worth missing that multitude. And "It'll only take one second to leave this earth."

If you have never trusted Christ, do not put it off.

Watch the full message: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V3KnFZKDPjM