A Multitudinous Great Crowd - The Blessings of the Great Crowd -Conclusion

The elder continues:  "They will hunger no more nor thirst anymore, neither will the sin beat down upon them nor any scorching heat, because the Lamb, who is in the midst of the throne, will shepherd them, and will guide them to fountains of waters of life.  And God will wipe out every tear from their eyes."  (Revelation 7:16, 17)   Yes, Jehovah is truly hospitable!  But what depth of meaning is there to these words? 

Let us consider a smiliarly worded prophecy: "This is what Jehovah has said:  'In a time of goodwill I have answered you, and in a day of salvation I have helped you . . . They will not go hungry, neither will they go thirsty, nor will parching heat or sun strike them.   For the One who is having pity upon them will lead them, and by the springs of the waters he will conduct them." (Isaiah 49:8, 10; see also Psalm 121:5, 6)   The apostle Paul quoted part of this prophecy and applied it to the "day of salvation" that began  at Pentecost 33 C.E.  He wrote: "For he [Jehovah] says: 'In an applicable time I heard you, and in a day of salvation I helped you.' Look!  Now is the especially acceptable time.  Look! now is the day of salvation." - 2 CORINTHIANS 6:2.

What  application did the promise about not getting hungry or thirsty or suffering parching heat have back then?  Certainly, Christians in the first century did  suffere literal hunger and thirst at times.  (2 Corinthians 11:23-27)   In  spiritual way, though, they had an abundance.  They were richly provided for, so that they did not go hungry or thirsty for spiritual things. Moreover, Jehovah did not cause the heat of his anger to blaze against them when he destroyed the Jewish system of things in  70 C.E.  The words of  Revelation 7:16 have  a similar spiritual fulfillment for the great crowd today.  Along with anointed Christians, they enjoy bounteous spiritual provisions. - ISAIAH 65:13:  Nahum 1:6, 7.

If you are one of that great crowd, your good condition of heart will make you "cry out joyfully,"  no matter  what you have to endure in the way of privations  and pressures during the twilight years of Satan's  system.  (Isaiah 65:14)  In that sense, even now, Jehovah can 'wipe out every tear from your eyes.'  No longer does God's torrid "sun" of adverse judgment threaten you, and when the four winds of destruction are unleashed, you may be spared  the "scorching heat" of Jehovah's displeasure.  After that destruction is over, the Lamb will guide you to benefit fully  from the revitalizing  "fountains of waters of life,"  these representing all the provisions that Jehovah makes for your gaining everlasting life.  Your faith in the blood of the Lamb will be vindicated  in that you will gradually   be raised to human perfection. You of the great crowd will be unique  among mankind as the "millions" that did not even have to die! In the fullest sense, every teat will have been wiped from your eyes. - REVELATION 21:4. 

Next time: A Multitudinious Great Crowd - Make the Calling Sure

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