Dwight L. Moody once said, “I am only one, but I am one. I cannot do everything, but I can do something. And that which I can do, by the grace of God, I will do.” With that simple commitment, God used him to bring revival to England and America. Revival is something God brings when we act in obedience to God’s word. John asks in verses 13-14 concerning the identity of this group and it is an innumerable multitude of martyred saints. This is possibly the greatest revival of all times. It is yet to come! It appears here that once the wrath of God comes men will obey…it seems that is what it will take.

Evangelist Gypsy Smith was once asked how to start a revival. He answered: “Go home, lock yourself in your room, and kneel down in the middle of your floor. Draw a chalk mark around yourself & ask God to start the revival inside that chalk mark. When He has answered your prayer, the revival will be on.”

Revival happens when men search their hearts and their lives and reject the “idols” which are leading them into iniquity.” When they do, the tribulation world will be on the way to the greatest revival of all times.

It is clear from this passage that God is not finished with the Jews; He has another divine mission for them during the Great Tribulation. It will take a special kind of believer during that time, and a Jew would be perfect for the job. The Jews are a determined and proud people willing to die for their beliefs. Israel’s existence today proves their determination.

These are the characteristics that will be needed in believers during the Great Tribulation. 12,000 from each of the 12 tribes comprise the 144,000.The sealing of the 144,000 in Revelation 7:4 is nothing new. A seal often refers to a signet ring used to press its image into wax melted on a document. The resulting imprint implied authenticity and ownership. A seal was a mark of ownership. We are the sealed of God. God has always sealed His own Ephesians 1:13-14, 4:30.
III. Innumerable Saved Multitude (7:9-12)

1. The people saved during the Great Tribulation will be from all over the world, including Jews and Gentiles, as verse 9 says…. 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. These will be converts to Christ. The Tribulation Revival that is yet to come and these will die for Christ.

2. J. Edward Orr, former professor at Fuller Theological Seminary recorded the history of 10 great revivals. The first on Dr. Orr’s list was the Welsh revival. This is possibly the greatest revival to this time. Dr. Orr’s list included the Pentecost Revival”, A.D. 30; the Reformation Revival, 1517; The Pre-Reformation Revivals, 1300-1500; The Baby Boomer Revival, 1965-1975s;

This revival is different from other revivals because there was no singular church or individual that stands out as being the face of the movement. Some have given Pastor Chuck Smith of Costa Mesa Calvary Chapel, California, he was given the title of “The Father of the Jesus Movement”. There is a new movie showing about this revival. There were many other individuals like Greg Laurie, Lonnie Frisbee. Jerry Falwell and ministries during this time like the moral majority.

The World War II Revival, 1935-1950; The Layman’s Prayer Revival, 1857-1861; The General Awakening, 1830-1840; The Second Great Awakening, 1780-1810; The Great Awakening, 1727-1750 and #1 on the list by Dr. Orr is the Welsh Revival of 1904. During the Welsh Revival, it changed the culture.

The culture was so transformed during the Welsh Revival that new mules had to be acquired to work in the coal mines. The old mules would not respond to miners because they no longer cursed and abused the animals. People during the Welsh Revival were led by the Holy spirit to make restitutions for wrongs. It unexpectedly created serious problems for the shipyards along the coast of Wales. Over the years workers had stolen all kinds of things, from wheelbarrows to hammers. They began returning what they had taken, resulting in the shipyards of Wales being overwhelmed with returned property.
The wonderful thing about these revivals with the exception of the first century revival is that new converts got to live for Christ, the last will die.

2. In verses 10-12, this redeemed multitude of martyred … cried with a loud voice … and gave praise to God and to the Lamb for their salvation. Also, all the angels around the throne of God, the elders and the four beasts fell before the throne of God on their faces and worshipped Him. It is very probable this innumerable multitude was saved through the evangelistic efforts of the 144,000 Jews during the tribulation period.

3. The fact that John did not know who these redeemed were indicates they are not the church. Here are the saints who have come out of the Tribulation, the great one. Notice that the verb here looks like “who come out,” in an instantaneous act, erchomai, (air ka my) literally means, who are coming out. It could be translated, “the ones coming out.”

It is present, continuous, durative participle. It shows a prolonged process, the ones who are coming out. This group keeps accumulating as people keep dying. These are a uniquely separate group of believers who are coming out of this time of Tribulation.

4. The innumerable multitude in Revelation 7 will serve God day and night in his temple … (7:15). These hosts of redeemed individuals are in the immediate presence of God in His temple, and yet they are without fear and are fully accepted by a holy God. Also, we see in this verse that we will not just sit around in heaven and strum on a harp, we will serve him as God’s Temple servants as described in Ezekiel chapters 40-48. This section also makes it clear that all racial distinctions will cease in heaven, and we will all simply be the people of God. However, as God is working out His plan on earth, distinctions will exist between Jews and Gentiles during the tribulation.

IV. Instinctive Worship

1. The phrase in verse 15, he that sitteth on the throne shall dwell = SKENOO among them, in Greek it says, “He will spread his tabernacle (skin not o) over them.” In other words, the Lamb will spread a divine canopy over them for their protection. They shall hunger no more, neither thirst any more… These conditions seem to describe the earthly experiences of those saved during the Great Tribulation, because of the lack of food and water and intense heat. Death will come mainly by martyrdom and the scriptures indicate the means will be beheading.

2. In verse 17 we find that the Lamb which is in the midst of the throne shall feed them. The word translated feed is literally “shepherd” in Greek. This is a beautiful picture of pastoral care and is a fulfillment of the promise of Jesus in John 10:14-16. This tells us that these people are going to experience Heaven because they were washed in the blood of the Lamb.

Conclusion: If the blood of the Lamb had not washed them, they would not be there. Are you washed in the blood of the Lamb? Will you serve as the Bride Christ?