Each term that identifies the Great Crowd in Revelation 7:9-17 is elsewhere applied to scriptures the Watchtower claims is referring to Anointed ones in heaven. This must likewise place the Great Crowd in heaven.
1. "great crowd"
o
Revelation 19:1 - After these things I heard what was as a loud voice of a
great crowd in heaven…"
2. "out of all nations and tribes and peoples and tongues"
o
Revelation 5:9 - And they sing a new song, saying: "You are worthy to take the scroll and open its seals, because you were slaughtered and with your blood you bought persons for God
out of every tribe and tongue and people and nation,
10 and you made them to be a kingdom and priests to our God, and they are
to rule as kings over the earth."
3. "standing before (enopion) the throne"
o
Revelation 7:11 - And all the
angels were standing around the throne and the
elders and the four living creatures, and they fell upon their faces
before (
enopion)
the throne and worshiped God.
o
the 144 000 in Rev 14:3 are standing before the throne.
4. "before (enopion) the Lamb"
o
Revelation 5:8 - And when he took the scroll, the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders fell down
before (enopion) the Lamb, having each one a harp and golden bowls that were full of incense, and the [incense] means the prayers of the holy ones.
5. "dressed in white robes"
o
Revelation 6:11- And a
white robe was given to each of them; and they were told to rest a little while longer, until the number was filled also of their fellow slaves and their brothers who were about to be killed as they also had been.
6. "crying with a loud voice, saying: "Salvation [we owe] to our God, who is seated on the throne, and to the Lamb.""
o Revelation 19:1 - After these things I heard what was as a loud voice of a great crowd in heaven. They said: "Praise Jah, YOU people! The salvation and the glory and the power belong to our God (w81 1/15 p. 16 "The singing of those heavenly voices")
7. "come out of the great tribulation"
o Matthew 24:21-22 For then there will be great tribulation such as has not occurred since the world’s beginning until now, no, nor will occur again. 22 In fact, unless those days were cut short, no flesh would be saved; but on account of the chosen ones those days will be cut short.
o Mark 13:24-27 24 "But in those days, after that tribulation, the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light, 25 and the stars will be falling out of heaven, and the powers that are in the heavens will be shaken. 26 And then they will see the Son of man coming in clouds with great power and glory. 27 And then he will send forth the angels and will gather his chosen ones together from the four winds, from earth’s extremity to heaven’s extremity.
8. "washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.
o Rev 22:14 - Happy are those who wash their robes, that the authority [to go] to the trees of life may be theirs and that they may gain entrance into the city by its gates.
9. "rendering him sacred service day and night in his temple"
o Revelation 11:1-2 - And a reed like a rod was given me as he said: "Get up and measure the temple [sanctuary] of God and the altar and those worshiping in it. 2 But as for the courtyard that is outside the temple [sanctuary], cast it clear out and do not measure it, because it has been given to the nations,
10. "One seated on the throne will spread his tent over them"
o 2 Corinthians 6:16 - For we are a temple of a living God; just as God said: "I shall reside among them and walk among [them], and I shall be their God, and they will be my people.
