The Great Crowd… ahh yes The Great Crowd. Actually I’m not sure where the witnesses get the term The Great Crowd. The bible simply calls it a great crowd. How did we go from a simple description to a proper name? But I digress.
Where does this great crowd live according to the bible? Witnesses say on earth, but their reasons are speculation at best and lies at worst. This is really one of the first doctrinal things I began to disagree with them on.
1. Rev 7:9- They are described as standing before the throne and in the presence of the son of man. Sounds like heaven to me. Now the witnesses say the Greek word enopion does not necessarily put them in heaven but merely in sight of the throne. Earth is in sight of the throne so there you have it. If you are a witness my question to you is this: Are the four living creatures on earth or in heaven? How about the angels? Read Rev 7:11. The angel and the living creatures fall down and worship where? Enopion (before) the throne. Sooo isnt it a little dishonest to use the that argument about enopion, and not tell us that in the same passage and context the angels and 4 living creatures worship before (enopion) the throne?
2. Rev 19:1, 2- Speaks of a great crowd on Earth, oops I mean in HEAVEN. Now the dubs never comment on this one. If you look in the RiGCaH book you will find a whole lot of info on the crowd mentioned in Rev 7, but nary a mention of the ones in 19. I brought this up to one witness once and he said, “well that must be the angels… there are a lot of angels in heaven you know” But if you read the two passages side by side it is not hard to conclude that both great crowds are the same groups. The both praise god and Jesus, and right after their words of praise guess who show up again? Yep the 24 elders and the four living creatures.
Things that make you go “HMMM”
Next, the divine habitation and the location of a great crowd.
Peace!
Matt