Chapter Twenty/A Multitudinous Great Crowd - The Great Crowd Makes Its Appearance

 From the time of the apostle John and on into the Lord's day, anointed Christians were puzzled as to the identity of the great crowd. It is fitting, then, that one of the 24 elders, representing anointed ones already in heaven, should stir John's thinking by raising a pertinent question. "And in response of the elders said to me: 'Those who are dressed in white robes, who are they and where did they come from?' So right away I said to him: 'My lord, you are the one that knows.' " (Revelation 7:13, 14a) Yes, that elder could locate the answer and give it to John. This suggests that resurrected ones of the 24-elders group may be involved in the communicating of divine truths today. For their part those of the John class on earth got to learn the identity of the great crowd by closely observing what Jehovah was performing in their midst. They were quick to appreciate the dazzling flash of divine light that emblazoned the theocratic firmament in 1935, at Jehovah's due time. 

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Chapter Twenty/A Multitudinous Great Crowd - A Universal Shout of Praise

 The great crowd is praising Jehovah, but others are also singing his praises. John reports:  "And all the angels were standing around the throne and the elders and the four living creatures, and they fell upon their faces before the throne and worshiped God, saying: 'Amen! The blessing and the glory and the wisdom and the thanksgiving and the honor and the power and the strength be to our God forever and ever.  Amen.' " - REVELATION 7:11, 12.

When Jehovah created the earth, all of his holy angels "joyfully cried out together, and all the sons of God began shouting in applause." (Job 38:7) Each new revelation of Jehovah's purpose must have evoked similar angelic shouts of praise. When the 24 elders -the 144,000 in their heavenly glory-cry aloud in recognition of the Lamb, all others of God's heavenly creatures chime in with praises for Jesus and for Jehovah God. (Revelation 5:9-14) Already, these creatures have been overjoyed to observe the fulfillment of Jehovah's purpose in his resurrecting faithful and anointed humans to a glorious place in the spirit realm. Now, all of Jehovah's faithful heavenly creatures burst into melodious praise as the great crowd appears. Truly, for all of Jehovah's servants, the Lord's day is a thrilling time in which to be living. (Revelation 1:10) Here on earth, how privileged we are to share in the song of praise by witnessing to Jehovah's Kingdom. 

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Chapter Twenty/A Multitudinous Great Crowd - In Heaven or on Earth? -

 Additionally, we read: "When the Son of man arrives in his glory . . . all nations will be gathered before him." The whole human race is not in heaven when this prophecy is fulfilled. Certainly, those who "depart into everlasting cutting-off" are not in heaven. (Matthew 25:31-33, 41, 46) Instead, mankind stands on earth in Jesus' view, and he turns his attention to judging them. Similarly, the great crowd is "before the throne and before the Lamb" in that it stands in the view of Jehovah and his King Christ Jesus, from whom it receives a favorable judgment. 

The 24 elders and the anointed group of 144,000 are described as being "round about the throne" of Jehovah and "upon the [heavenly] Mount Zion." (Revelation 4:4; 14:1) The great crowd is not a priestly class and does not attain to that exalted position. True, it is later described in Revelation 7:15 as serving God "in his temple." But this temple does not refer to the inner sanctuary, the Most Holy. Rather, it is the earthly courtyard of God's spiritual temple. The Greek word na-os', here translated "temple" conveys the broad sense of the entire edifice erected for Jehovah's worship. Today, there is a spiritual structure that embraces both heaven and earth. - Compare MATTHEW 26:61; 27:5, 39, 40; MARK 15:29, 30; JOHN 2:19-21, New World Translation Reference Bible, footnote.

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Chapter Twenty/A Multitudinous Great Crowd - In Heaven or on Earth?

 How do we know that "standing before the throne" does not mean that the great crowd is in heaven. There is much clear evidence on this point. For example, the Greek word here translated "before" (e-no'pi-on) literally means "in [the] sight [of]" and is used several times of humans on earth who are "before" or "in the sight of" Jehovah. (1 Timoth5:21; 2 Timothy 2:4; Romans 14:22; Galatians 1:20.) On one occasion when the Israelites were in the wilderness, Moses said Aaron: "Say to the entire assembly of the sons of Israel, 'Come near before Jehovah, because he has heard y0ur murmurings.' " (Exodus 16:9) The Israelites did not have to be transported to heaven in order to stand before Jehovah on that occasion. (Compare Leviticus 24:8) Rather, right there in the wilderness they stood in Jehovah's view, and his attention was on them.

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Chapter Twenty/A Multitudinous Great Crowd - Confirming the Identity of the Great Crowd - Conclusion

 Modern technology has helped to make the loud voice of the united great crowd sound even louder. No other religious group on earth has need of publishing Bible study aids in more than 200 languages, since no other group is interested in reaching all people of earth with one united message. As further aid in this, under the supervision of the anointed Governing Body of Jehovah's Witnesses, a Multilanguage Electronic Phototype Setting System (MEPS) was developed. At the time of this writing, various forms of MEPS are used i more than 60 of the Watchtower Society's branches around the earth, and this has helped to make possible publication of their principle semi-monthly journal. The Watchtower, in 39 languages simultaneously. Jehovah's people also simultaneously publish books, such as this one, in a number of languages. Thus, Jehovah's Witnesses, of whom the great crowd make up the vast majority, are able yearly to distribute hundreds of millions of publications in all the better-known languages enabling additional throngs out of al tribes and tongues to study God's Word and joi8n their voices to the loud voice of the great crowd. - ISAIAH 42:10, 12. 

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Chapter Twenty/A Multitudinous Great Crowd - Confirming the Identity of the Great Crowd - Continue

 This great crowd is part of the only truly united multinational organization on earth today. They do not have different standards for different countries but apply the Bible's right principles consistently wherever they live. They are not involved in nationalistic, revolutionary movements but have truly 'beaten swords into plowshares." (Isaiah 2:4) They are not divided into sects or denominations, so they shout confused or mutually contradicted messages as do the religionists of Christendom, nor do they leave it to a profession clergy class to do their praising for them.  They do not cry out that they owe salvation to the holy spirit, for they are not servants of a trinitarian god. In some 200 geographical territories around the earth, they are at one in calling upon the name of Jehovah as they speak the one pure language of truth. (Zephaniah 3:9) Properly, they publicly acknowledge that their salvation, through Jesus Christ, His Chief Agent of salvation. -PSALM 3:8; HEBREWS 2:10. 

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Chapter Twenty/A Multitudinous Great Crowd -Confirming the Identity of the Great Crowd - Continue

 It is fitting, then, that the great crowd, though no part of spiritual Israel, should wave palm branches, since they joyfully and gratefully ascribe to the victor and salvation to God and to the Lamb, as John here observes: "And they keep crying out with a loud voice, saying: 'Salvation we owe to our God, who is seated on the throne, and to the Lamb." (Revelation 7:10) Although they have been separated out of all ethnic groups, the great crowd cry out with just one 'loud voice." How can they do this, despite their diversity of nations and languages? 

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Chapter Twenty/A Multitudinous Great Crowd - Confirming the Identity of the Great Crowd - Continue

 As he looks on in his vision, John's thoughts must be taking him back more than 60 years to Jesus' last week on earth. On Nisan 9, 33 C.E., when the crowds flocked to welcome Jesus into Jerusalem they "they took branches of palm trees and went out to meet him. And they began to shout: "Save, we pray you! Blessed is he that comes in Jehovah's name, even the king of Israel!" (John 12:12, 13) In like fashion, the waving of palm branches and crying out on the part of the great crowd shows their unbridled joy in accepting Jesus as Jehovah's appointed King. 

Doubtless, the palm branches ad exulting cries also remind John of the ancient Israelite Festival of Booths. For this festival Jehovah commanded: "And you must take for yourselves on the first day of splendid trees, the fronds of palm trees and the boughs of branchy trees and poplars of the torrent valley, and you must rejoice before Jehovah your God seven days. "The palm branches were used as a mark of rejoicing. The temporary booths were a reminder that Jehovah has saved his people out of Egypt, to live in the wilderness. "The alien resident and the fatherless by and the widow" share in this festival. All Israel were to "become nothing but joyful." - LEVITICUS 23:40; DEUTERONOMY 16:13-15.

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Chapter Twenty/A Multitudinous Great Crowd - Confirming the Identity of the Great Crowd

 How can we state so positively that the great crowd is this modern-day group of dedicated Christians who hope to live forever on God's earth? Previously, John had seen in vision the heavenly group "bought . . . for God out of every tribe and tongue and people and nation." (Revelation 5:9, 10) The great crowd have a similar origin but a different destiny. Unlike the Israel of God, their number is not predetermined.  No man can tell in advance how many there will be. Their robes are washed white in the blood of the Lamb, symbolizing that they have a righteous standing before Jehovah by virtue of their faith in Jesus' sacrifice. (Revelation 7:14) And they are waving palm branches hailing Messiah as their King.

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Chapter Twenty/A Multitudinous Great Crowd - Continue

 The understanding of Revelation 7:9-17 was now about to burst forth in all its sparkling brilliance! (Psalm 97:11) The Watchtower magazine had repeatedly expressed the hope of a convention scheduled for May 30, to June 3, 1935, in Washington D.C., U.S.A., would be "a real comfort and benefit " to those pictured by Jehonadab. That it proved to be! In a stirring talk on "The Great Multitude," delivered to about 20,000 conventioners, J. F. Rutherford, president of the Watch Tower Society, gave Scriptural proof that the modern-day other sheep are identical with the great crowd of Revelation 7:9. All the climax of this talk, speaker asked: "Will all those who have the hope of living forever on earth please stand?" As a large part of the audience stood up, the president declared: Behold! The great multitude!" There was a hush, followed by thunderous cheering. How elated was the John class- and the Jehonadab group! On the follow day, 840 new Witnesses were baptized, most of these professing to be that great crowd. 

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