Chapter Eleven – The “Great Multitude”
Back to The Work of God
The subject of the Israelite Remnant introduces another very large number of people that suddenly appears on the world scene at the same time. This is the well-known, but not well understood, “Great Multitude,” often referred to as the “Innumerable Multitude.” This suddenly appearing group is described in Revelation 7:9-17. You will learn that these enormous masses of people are linked in a fascinating way.
Strangely, even though the prophecy about the Israelite Remnant returning from captivity is mentioned in many more passages than is the Great “Innumerable” Multitude, and is seen to be a centerpiece within God’s plan at the end of the age, most brethren in the Church have generally been more aware of this latter prophecy. This is because the Great Multitude is described just after the 144,000 are first introduced.
The Great Multitude is, in fact, a tremendously important prophecy. Sadly, and this acknowledgment is becoming a broken record within the book, this understanding has been largely neglected within the preaching of almost all of the splinters and slivers. They can no longer see much or any of its connection to God’s Work. In fact, you may soon find yourself admitting to having forgotten most or even all of what the Church once understood to be an absolutely vital—and inspiring—prophecy in regard to the final Work of God’s Church!
A variety of questions arise about the Great Multitude: Who are they? Where could so many people come from? How could such a large number arise so suddenly? Could they be the same as the Remnant? If not, how are they different? And, since the Great Multitude is seen to “come out of tribulation” right as the Great Tribulation ends, is this group in any way related to the returning Remnant of Israel? Recall that the Remnant appears at the exact same juncture in God’s carefully prophesied timeline, which is just before the Day of the Lord begins. Is this an accident? And why would two such similar groups be different?
The answers to these questions must be understood before going on to the other prophecies previously mentioned about God’s Work. I repeat: You will find that the identity of this huge throng of people is vastly more important than most now realize. And again, you will also learn that it is directly connected to the very final phase of the Work of God. Mr. Armstrong is about to make that clear.
But first we must be briefly refamiliarized with the prophecy.
A Look at the Prophecy
The Great Multitude is actually referenced in several Bible passages. But this has been generally unrealized by almost all of God’s people. It becomes one of the surprising things you will learn in this chapter. You will see that most have simply not known how to find these verses. We will later examine two.
The prophecy is best introduced by its most familiar passage, Revelation 7:9-17. While we will later examine the specifics of this longer passage in more detail, first, simply take the time to read all that John recorded:
“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; and cried with a loud voice, saying, Salvation to our God which sits upon the throne, and unto the Lamb.
“And all the angels stood round about the throne, and about the elders and the four beasts, and fell before the throne on their faces, and worshipped God, saying, Amen: Blessing, and glory, and wisdom, and thanksgiving, and honor, and power, and might, be unto our God for ever and ever. Amen. And one of the elders answered, saying unto me, What are these which are arrayed in white robes? And whence came they? And I said unto him, Sir, you know. And he said to me, These are they which came out of great tribulation, and have washed their robes, and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.
“Therefore are they before the throne of God, and serve Him day and night in His temple: and He that sits on the throne shall dwell among them. They shall hunger no more, neither thirst any more; neither shall the sun light on them, nor any heat. For the Lamb which is in the midst of the throne shall feed them, and shall lead them unto living fountains of waters: and God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes.”
Understand that there are many points to examine within this extensive prophecy. There is a lot more here than meets the eye. But, this discussion can be simplified if we first look at an overview.
Remembering What Mr. Armstrong Taught
The best way to summarize the prophecy, with its setting, was written by Mr. Armstrong. This fairly lengthy statement comes from his booklet The Book of Revelation—Unveiled at last!, and the first paragraphs appear under the subhead “Who Constitute the Innumerable Multitude?” The other two subheads are his.
As you read, take careful note of the timing of prophetic events described. Also, notice how Mr. Armstrong explains that God always warns those facing punishment, and how in this case the first and greatest warning is issued by His Church before the Tribulation:
“Now how about this innumerable multitude? They have come through THE Great Tribulation. God will not send His frightful PLAGUES to punish the world, until He has first sent a great supernatural warning. God has warned the world through all His prophets—through His Son Jesus Christ—He is warning the world right now through this very work. But God is a God of mercy and compassion. He will yet warn this world once again—by supernatural signs, in the sun, the moon, and the stars. God will leave men no excuse.
“And after the Great Tribulation, when men are seized with stark terror at these supernatural heavenly signs, multiplied thousands will at last recognize that it is really GOD warning them! Yes, multiplied thousands who now hear this warning from God will not heed it now. They are deceived. They still believe and follow their various human leaders, or groups. Their minds are not fully opened to recognize this as God’s last warning to this world! They are not repenting or turning to God, now! Oh, how well I know that! But when they see these things actually occur which they heard from no others—when they have seen how the world was deceived and misled about the Great Tribulation, and they have gone through it—when they see these terrifying supernatural SIGNS in the heavens, then, at last, hundreds of thousands of them—perhaps even some of you—will at last recognize the TRUTH, and at last turn to God in complete submission, fully repenting, and coming through Jesus Christ the Saviour of the world! We of this ministry well know that our real reward in the harvest of precious lives will mostly come after our labors are finished!” [Author’s note: Before continuing, consider the powerful parallel of whether the last several sobering sentences also apply to you today, particularly if you are no longer even participating in the ongoing warning Mr. Armstrong describes. If you say there is no parallel to you, think carefully why not!]
What Do the Trumpets Symbolize?
“A trumpet is an instrument into which one blows. A trumpet sounds by blowing wind through it. These seven trumpets, which compose the seventh seal, follow immediately after the sixth seal. At the time of the sixth seal, described in the last of the 6th chapter of Revelation, it was announced that ‘the GREAT DAY OF GOD’S WRATH was come.’ These symbolic TRUMPETS portray, then, THE DAY OF THE LORD—the day of GOD’S WRATH! The day God intervenes in world affairs to PUNISH this world for its EVIL—the day God pleads with all flesh in the physical language it can UNDERSTAND!—and, as Zephaniah 1:16 says: ‘A day of THE TRUMPET and alarm against the fenced [that is, fortified or defended] cities, and against the high towers [that is, military fortifications].’
“The TRUMPET was always blown as a warning of war, or approaching armies. It signifies war and destruction. When ISRAEL turned a deaf ear to all God’s prophets—rejected God’s loving pleading through preaching—God punished ancient Israel by sending the armies of Assyria to conquer them. When Judah disobeyed worse than Israel, God Almighty sent the armies of the CHALDEANS to conquer them. As God steps in to punish the whole world—yes, ALL NATIONS, for their evil, which is destroying them and bringing such suffering and unhappiness on all their peoples, the TRUMPETS, or alarms of WAR, are sounded. Trumpets are blown by wind. Now again notice: ‘And after these things I saw four angels standing on the four corners of the earth, holding the four winds of the earth, that the wind should not blow on the earth, nor on the sea, nor on any tree’ (Rev. 7:1).
Back to The Work of God