PAROUSIA AND THE GREAT MULTITUDE IN REVELATION 7

Parousia is the Greek noun used to describe the event of the Lord’s presence or coming. This term is used in Mt. 24, 1 Th. 4, and 1 Cor. 15, just to name a few passages.

In 1 Th. 4 Paul gives the Thessalonians assurance that those who have fallen asleep in Jesus, God will bring with Him at the event of the Lord’s coming. To be absent from the body is to be present with the Lord - 2 Cor. 5:8. “…God will bring with Him those who have fallen asleep in Jesus” – 1 Th. 4:14.

Paul tells the Corinthians that at the event of the Lord’s coming we will receive our resurrection bodies, corruption will put on incorruption.

1 Cor. 15:20-23: "But now Christ has been raised from the dead, the first fruits of those who are asleep. For since by a man came death, by a man also came the resurrection of the dead. For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ all shall be made alive. But each in his own order: Christ the first fruits, after that those who are Christ's at His coming."

Jesus gave instruction to His disciples in His Olivet Discourse, recorded by Matthew, that the event of His coming will cut short the greatest persecution ever brought upon His elect and this persecution follows an event prophesied by Daniel, the abomination of desolation, when Antichrist stops the sacrifices and sets himself up as God in the temple.

In Mark’s account of the event of the Lord’s coming we learn God’s elect are gathered from the farthest end of the earth to the farthest end of heaven – Mk. 13:27

If at the event of the Lord’s coming God will bring with Jesus those who have fallen asleep, those who have died in Christ, wouldn’t these be the elect from the farthest end of heaven? And - if those who are alive and remain when the great tribulation is cut short and are caught up with the bodies of those who have fallen asleep, wouldn’t those be the elect from the farthest end of the earth?

The Lord tells us that just prior to the event of His coming and the gathering of the elect the natural lights will be extinguished. (Mt. 24:29, Mk. 13:24) John sees in the Revelation of Jesus, when the Lord opens the sixth seal, the natural lights being extinguished. (Rev. 6:12)

WHAT DOES HE SEE NEXT? (Rev. 7…)

One hundred and forty-four thousand from the twelve tribes of Israel being sealed on their foreheads…

…then…

“A GREAT MULTITUDE, WHICH NO ONE COULD COUNT, FROM EVERY NATION AND ALL TRIBES AND PEOPLES AND TONGUES, STANDING BEFORE THE THRONE AND BEFORE THE LAMB, CLOTHED IN WHITE ROBES, AND PALM BRANCHES IN THEIR HANDS…”

They are wearing robes and are holding palm branches…this great multitude is in bodies, resurrection bodies and they have come out of the great tribulation! (Rev. 7:14)

This great multitude can’t be anyone else other than the raptured church, those dear saints, both Jewish and Gentile believers, who throughout the centuries died in Christ, and also those who endured to the very end of the great tribulation, who were caught up with the bodies of the those who fell asleep in Jesus…and as the shells of these sleeping saints and the alive in Christ ascended, corruption put on incorruption…in the twinkling of an eye…

What do you think?