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I immediately said to him: “My lord,1 you must know.” The Presbyter said to me: “These are the ones2 who come out of the Great Oppression.3 [Daniel 12:1; Matthew 24:21] They washed and whitened their robes4 in the blood of the Lamb. [Genesis 49:11; Isaiah 53:7]
| 1 | My lord: Note John addresses the celestial Presbyter as “Lord” something like the Spanish seņor. |
| 2 | These are the ones: This represents the answer to the identity of the Large Crowd seen before God’s Throne. It is a clear allusion to Daniel 12:1 where these are Daniel’s “people who are written in the Book” (later called the Holy People at Daniel 12:7) who “escape” (or, are rescued) out of the Great Oppression and the Appearing of Michael. The Nazarene also quotes Daniel 12:1 at Matthew 24:21 (Mark 13:19) in which the Elect are “saved.” Is it fair to conclude that the Large Crowd is the same as “(Daniel’s) your people” (Jews) and the “chosen ones” of the Nazarene? |
| 3 | Out of the Great Oppression: The whole phrase is TES THLIPSEOS TES MEGALES and virtually identical to that of Daniel 12:1 LXX. The Greek THLIPSEOS is rooted in “pressure” and thus “oppression” is closer than tribulation. It is often used of persecution. (Matthew 24:9; 2 Thessalonians 1:6) Relief from oppression will come when the Master is revealed from heaven. (2 Thessalonians 1.7) The Great Oppression is three and a half years long and is a reign of persecution against the Saints alive at that moment. (Revelation 11:2; 12:17; 13:5, 7; Daniel 12:1, 7) So, it is variously rendered: TCNT: the Great Persecution; KNX: great affliction. Some incorrectly view the “great tribulation” as against the world, or Armageddon, when it is really an oppression against the Saints. (Daniel 7:21, 25) |
| 4 | They washed and whitened their robes: A conflate based on Genesis 49:11 and Isaiah 53:7. The same phrase occurs only one other time at Revelation 22:14 and are those who enter the Holy City New Jerusalem. No one else is ever identified as such. |
Dear Friends of the Nazarene,
We choose Revelation 7:14 as the theme verse of chapter seven – End-time Saints. Still continuing within the period of the sixth seal John describes four angels holding back the finale of the Day of Wrath. [1-8] The end-time symbolic number of the Saints is given as 144,000, chosen out of a greater body of the twelve tribes of Israel [the Christian Church].
After hearing the number 144,000 John now sees this body of end-time Saints who survive the great oppression. [9-17] They are all standing before the Throne as they cry, “Salvation!” One of the celestial presbyters as who these 144,000 sealed people are. The answer is given: “These are the persons who survive the Great Oppression.” They are pictured wearing white robes washed in the blood of the Lamb. They are seen in God’s heavenly Temple and so they are now safe in God’s Tent. The Lamb will shepherd and protect them as every tear is wiped from their eyes.
Abba our Father bless those will become end-time Saints.
[21 September 2002]
