What is the true source of the unnumbered great crowd?
Does it make any sense, to believe that a great unnumbered crowd that no man could number, could come out of the great tribulation predicted by the Son of God, Jesus Christ? Now, I myself, when it comes to mathematics, am certainly no rocket-scientist, but how intelligent do you have to be, to know that kind of number, could never possibly come out of a numbered population, of say, some, eight Billion. Which is approximately the population of our earth today. But, double that amount, or even triple it; that is still a number the Census Takers could track, is it not? Was there the time enough left to build this Worlds population to that extent. Happily, there is not enough time left to do that. Or, one would certainly hope that there wasn't.
As I consider this particular Bible subject, it would pay to remember the words of Paul at 2 Corinthians 10:4 which tell us, the following: "For the weapons of our warfare are not fleshly, but powerful by God for overturning strongly entrenched things."
So, in this instance, if anything taught from the pages of the Bible, is in actuality the truth of the Bible, then you, nor I, nor anyone else for that matter, could expose the teaching as a lie, or a falsehood. But conversely, if the teaching is a lie, then the scriptural information will be there to overturn it, as we use these weapons of our warfare. With that in mind, let me continue on te see if we can overturn this teaching of a great unnumbered crowd, coming out of the great tribulation that Jesus predicted.
We might begin this discussion by focusing on the words of Jesus, who will tell us about this great tribulation, next: ..."for then there will be great tribulation such as has not occurred since the world's beginning until now, no, nor will occur again. 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." [Matthew 24: 21,22] Think about these words of Jesus! Did he say, that it was on account of a great unnumbered crowd, that no man could number, those days would be cut short to save the lives of? No! He didn't, did he? It was, as seen, on account of the remaining chosen ones, who themselves never constituted any great crowd, that no man could number. According to the words of John, in his Revelation there is only a few remaining ones of the seed of the Heavenly Woman, that satan goes off to wage war against when he is thrown down to our earth. [Revelation 12:17]
Would, not, the very Son of God, know, himself, since he spoke his Father's words exactly how many would survive the great tribulation that he foretold? If, that is, any survival is possible. [John 7:16; 15:15] Did Jesus have anything at all to say about that possible survival, if there was to be such? Consider, now, what he did say: "Go in through the narrow gate; because broad and spacious is the road leading off into destruction, and many are the ones going in through it; whereas narrow is the gate and cramped the road leading off into life, and few are the ones finding it." [Matthew 7:13,14] Then, he follows up by telling us this: "Exert yourselves vigourously to get in through the narrow door, because many, I tell you, will seek to get in but will not be able." [Luke 13:24] So, the Son of God, put the large crowd on the broad road that led to their destruction. Then he tells us that a large crowd would seek to get in but would not be able to. So, Jesus is teaching to the converse of these ones teaching that a great unnumbered crowd that no man could number, would come out of the great tribulation that he foretold; and just who would know better than the one who predicted the great tribulation? Here, Jesus makes liars out of all of them.
Look, now, from where these false teachers gather their information at Revelation 7: 9 that tells us, this: "Afterthese things I saw, and Look! a great crowd, which no man was able to number, out of all Nations and Tribes and Peoples and Tongues, standing before the Throne and before the lamb, dressed in whites robes; and there were palm branches in their hands. And they keep on crying with a loud voice, saying: "Salvation we owe to our God, who is seated on the Throne, and to the lamb." Skipping down now to verse 13 we read: "And in response one of the elders said to me: "These who are dressed in the 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." And he said to me: "These are the ones that come out of the great tribulation, and they have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the lamb."
At this point, the natural assumption is to tie John's great tribulation with that of the one Jesus foretold, but that would be a wrong assumption; because of the questions put forward: "Those who are dressed in the white robes, who are they and where did they come from?" It will be the answer to these questions, that will actually show the true source of exactly where this unnumbered great crowd, at least had their beginning; and it was definitely not out of the great tribulation foretold by Jesus, as we will learn, as I continue with this Bible subject; of great interest to us.
I would wish, now to supply a quote from the Watchtower Societies publication, Insight on the scriptures Volume 2, page 1127 under the subheading, "The Great Tribulation!" which states: "Biblical evidence indicates that the tribulation upon Jerusalem in 70 AD pointed forward to a far greater tribulation. About three decades after Jerusalems destruction, the Apostle John, with reference to a great crowd of persons from all nations, tribes, and peoples, was told: "These are the ones that come out of the great tribulation." Then they cite Revelation 7: 13,14 but very conveniently leaving out the full context of that scripture. For which if applied in the full context, shows that the Apostle John is not even talking about the same time period that Jesus was making reference to. Jesus was making reference to the complete end of our World system of things, while John, if you look very closely, was talking about the end of the thousand year reign of the Christ, with His Father, Jehovah God doing the final judging of the inhabited earth in righteousness. [Acts 17:31]
At this point satan and his demon's have been thrown into the lake of fire, and those who have proven faithful to the final test put upon them by satan, have at this point everlasting life imputed to them, causing this joyful cry, by this, unnumbered great crowd of resurrected ones: "Salvation we owe to our God, who is seated on the Throne, and to the Lamb." Consider, now, this report taken from John's Revelation concerning this final judgment, and exactly why this joyfull cry. "And I saw another angel flying in mid-heaven, and he had everlasting good news to declare as glad tidings to those who dwell on the earth, and to every nation and tribe and tongue and people, saying in a loud voice: "Fear God and give Him glory,because the hour of the judgment by Him has arrived, and so worship the One who made the Heaven and the earth and the sea and the fountains of waters." [Revelation 14:6,7]
Look again, now, at Revelation 7:9 -12, and notice how the scenario has changed. For the entire thousand year period, the Christ has occupied the Throne with all of Jehovah's Angels bowing in worship to him, but notice, now, it is God who is said to be seated back on his throne with all of his angels back bowing in worship to him. [Revelation 20:4] [Hebrews 1:6] Look at what is said, now, "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 worshipped 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." So, in this scenario, The King of Eternity, the very sovereign ruler of the universe, is back in his rightful position, there to remain forever and ever. At this time, the words of Paul find their final fulfillment at 1 Corinthians 15:24-28 a must to read through, now.
I made mention of a great crowd of resurrected ones, and it is very interesting to note what the Apostle John will have to tell us about all of these ones. We will recall that this great unnumbered crowd out of all nations and tribes, and peoples and tongues, that was seen standing before the Throne dressed in white robes, making this grand cry: "Salvation we owe to our God, who is seated on the Throne, and to the lamb." It was asked about them: "These who are dressed in the white robes, who are they, and where did they come from?"
The answer to this question, will reveal exactly who and where these ones dressed in these white robes really came from; and it was not out of the great tribulation that Jesus foretold. It will also reveal how it was they came to be in possession of those white robes that they was all wearing. Listen now, to these following words of John: "And when he opened the fifth seal, I saw underneath the Alter the souls of those slaughtered because of the word of God, and because of the witness work that they used to have, And they cried with a loud voice, saying: "Until when Sovereign Lord holy and true, are you refraining from judging and avenging our blood upon those who dwell on the earth? And a White Robe was given to each one 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." [Revelation 6:9-11] [Matthew 24:9] [Hebrews Chapter Eleven! A must to read through, now verses 32-40 -
Here, John reveals something that those who teach this unnumbered great crowd, seem to miss entirely. These ones who are told to, 'rest a little while longer,' would have to be, of necessity, those killed in the first century, begetting the question: "How could they, then, come out of the great tribulation foretold by Jesus? They was all laying dead under that Alter, as those ones will be, who will be killed as they had been killed. Notice what Jesus had to say about that: "Then people will deliver you up to tribulation and will kill you, and you will be objects of hatred by all the nations on account of my name." [Matthew 24:9]
The Apostle John continues in these following words: "And I saw Thrones, and there were those who sat down on them, and power of judging was given them. Yes, I saw the souls executed with the ax for the witness they bore to Jesus and for speaking about God, and those who had worshipped neither the wild beast nor its image and who had not received the mark upon their forehead and upon their hand. And they came to life and ruled as kings with the Christ for a thousand years. [The rest of the dead did not come to life until the thousand years were ended."] [Revelation 20:4,5]
This expression, 'until the number was filled,' should tell us, that it is those of the heavenly calling, who number 144,000 that lie under this alter made mention of, by John. But all, are not said to be under that alter, for others of their number must be killed as they also, had been killed; but even then all are not under that alter, and the Apostle Paul will explain why they are not, next: "Look! I tell you a sacred secret: We shall not all fall asleep [în death] , but we shall all be changed. For this which is corruptible must put on incorruption, and this which is mortal must put on immortality. But when [this which is corruptible puts on incorruption and] this which is mortal puts on immortality, then the saying will take place that is written: "Death, is swallowed up forever." "Death, where is your victory? Death, where is your sting?" The sting producing death is sin, but the power for sin is the Law." But thanks to God, for he gives us the victory through our lord Jesus Christ." [1Corinthians 15:51-57]
Paul continues: "For this is what we tell you by Jehovah's word, that we, the living who survive to the coming of the lord shall in no way precede those who have fallen asleep [in death]; because the lord himself will descend from heaven with a commanding call, and with an archangels voice and with God's trumpet, and those who are dead in union with Christ will rise first. Afterward we the living who are surviving will, together with them, be caught away in clouds to meet the lord in the air; and thus we shall always be with the lord." [1Thessalonians 4:15-17]
Only prior to the outbreak of the great tribulation, John tells us about 'four angels holding tight the four winds, [of world destruction,' until the last of the heavenly calling is sealed in their foreheads, but un-be-knowns to mankind a war is being fought in heaven, and as soon as the last one is sealed, satan and his demons are thrown down to our earth, with the cry, 'Woe for the earth and for the sea, because the devil has come down to you having great anger, knowing he has a short period of time." [Revelation 7:1-4;12:7-12] This is the time period that the great tribulation breaks out in all its fury; the time period that must be cut short, to save the lives of the remaining chosen ones. [Matthew 24:21,22]` These are those of the first resurrection, as for all others to be resurrected, these, John tells us, 'do not come to life until the thousand years has ended.'
These ones receiving mention by John, next, as he tells us about the resurrection of all the human dead, mentioned at Revelation 20: 11-15] "And I saw a great white Throne and the one seated on it. From before Him the earth and the heaven fled away, and no place was found for them. And I saw the dead, the great and the small, standing before the throne, and scrolls were opened. But another scroll was opened; it is the scroll of life. And the dead were judged out of those things written in the scrolls according to their deeds. And the sea gave up those dead in it, and death and ha'des gave up those dead in them and they were judged individually according to their deeds. And death and ha'des were hurled into the lake of fire. This means the second death, the lake of fire. Furthermore, whoever was not found written in the Book of Life was hurled into the lake of fire." [Revelation 20: 11-15] At the end of the Thousand year reign, when these ones come fully to life, as John stated, it would naturally be at that time, each one would receive their white robe, and take their place among that great unnumbered crowd.
Is it so difficult, to see now, exactly from where this unnumbered great crowd, that no man could number, actually comes from? Simply stated, it is from the common grave of all dead mankind, who have ever died as a result of the fall of Adam in the garden of Eden. No Man could ever put a number to that unnumbered great crowd, because no man would, or could, ever possibly know that number, of those suffering sin and death, inherited because of the sin of the first fallen - man, Adam. [Romans 5:12]
Keep in mind, it will take the thousand year reign of Christ to bring all of these dead resurrected ones to perfection; so this particular great unnumbered crowd, that no man could number, will not even be in evidence until the thousand year reign has begun, because it will be all down through those thousand years, that this great crowd is resurrected. So, they wouldn't even be on the scene when the great tribulation that Jesus foretold breaks out. They would still be lying in the common grave of all dead mankind, awaiting their resurrection.
As seen, 'the rest of the dead did not come to life until the thousand years were ended.' so they would not be pictured wearing those white robes until they come to life, at the end of the thousand year period, as it says. That being the case, then, they could not have come out of the great tribulation foretold by Jesus; obviously John had another great tribulation in mind; one that began when Jehovah passed sentence on satan the devil. With these words: "And I shall put enmity between you and the woman and between your seed and her seed. He will bruise you in the head and you will bruise him in the heel." [Genesis 3:15]
This foretold enmity, or hatred, first manifested itself, at the murder of righteous Able, by his brother Cain, the seed of satan the devil. [Genesis 4:8-16] With this first murder of one of Jehovah's righteous ones, began the great tribulation as mentioned by the Apostle John. Keep in mind, the roll that satan plays in this great tribulation inflicted on Jehovah's faithful name people; for it is a manifestation of the hatred satan holds for our grand king, Jehovah God. Think, too, about the power and influence satan holds over all mankind; for he was able to sway the entire Israellte Nation over to his side, they, then, becoming the seed of satan the devil.
All down throughout the centuries, the Nation of Israel persecuted and murdered Jehovah's Holy Ones and Prophets who they despised for delivering Jehovah's judgment messages. About that, we read: "And Jehovah the God of their forefathers kept sending against them by means of his messengers, sending again and again, because he felt compassion for his people and for his dwelling. But they were continually making jest at the messengers of the [true God] and despising his words and mocking at his Prophets, until the rage of Jehovah came up against his people, until there was no healing." 2Chronicles 36:15,16] Hear, now, the words of E-li'jah concerning this: ... "I have been absoutely jealous for Jehovah the God of Armies; for the Sons of Israel have left your covenant, your alters they have torn down, and your prophets they have killed with the sword, so that I only am left; and they begin looking for my soul to take it away." 1 Kings 19:9,10]
These hate-filled, demon-inspired Jews continued on down, even spilling into the first century, when they crucified Jesus receiving as he did, at that time, the foretold heel wound, putting James to death by the sword, and notice what the Apostle Stephen told those murdering Jews just prior to them stoning him to death: "Obstinate men and uncircumcised in hearts and ears, you are always resisting the holy spirit; as your forefathers did, so you do. Which one of the prophets did your forefathers not persecute? Yes, they killed those who made announcement in advance concerning the coming of the righteous one, whose betrayers and murderers you have now become, you who received the law as transmitted by angels but have not kept it." At that, the record tells us they stoned him to death. [Acts 7:51-60] This record also tells us, that great persecution arose against the Christian Congregation. All because of that foretold enmity, or violent hatred, satan has for the grand king Jehovah God, and all of his righteous ones. [Acts 8:1,2;12:1,2]
Jesus also laid a scathing denunciation against those first century Jews, identifying them for what they really were, in these words: "Serpents, offspring of vipers, how are you to flee from the judgment of Ge-hen'na? For this reason, here I am sending forth to you prophets and wise men and public instructors. Some of them you will kill and impale, and some of them you will scourge in your synagogues and persecute from city to city; that there may come upon you all the righteous blood spilled on earth, from the blood of righteous Abel to the blood of Zech-a-ri'ah son of Bar-a-chi'ah, whom you murdered between the sanctuary and the alter. Truly I say to you, All these things will come upon this generation." [Matthew 23:33-36]
Jesus never minced words with those murdering Jews, for he went on to tell them: "You are from your father the devil, and you wish to do the desires of your father. That one was a manslayer when he began, and he did not stand fast in the truth, because truth is not in him. When he speaks the lie, he speaks according to his own disposition, because he is a liar and the father of the lie." [John 8:44] [Genesis 3:4,5]
Would the Apostle John, not know, himself, the tribulation that his anointed Brothers was put though, the one who penned these following words: "And I saw Thrones, and there were those who sat down on them, and power of judging was given them. Yes, I saw the souls executed with the ax for the witness they bore to Jesus and for speaking about God, and those who had worshipped neither the wild beast nor its image and who had not received the mark upon their forehead and upon their hand. And they came to life and ruled as kings with the Christ for the thousand years. [The rest of the dead did not come to life until the thousand years were ended} Also, would he not have known, that when the rest of the dead came to life, that they,too, would receive their white Robes? Would not the one, who himself was a prisoner on the Island of Patmos, know all about the tribulation that he himself was put through? To add to that, would he not have known well the sufferings the Apostle Paul experienced; as reported on by Paul himself at 2 Corinthians 11:23-28? He would have known well the words of Jesus at John 16:33 which was: "I have said these things to you that by means of me you may have peace. In the World you are having tribulation, but take courage! I have conquered the World."
Not too forget too, his own inspired words: "Do not be afraid of the things you are about to suffer. Look! The devil will keep on throwing some of you into prison that you may be fully put to the test, and that you may have tribulation Ten Days. Prove yourself faithful even to death, and I will give you the crown of life." [Revelation 2:10] Ten Days, in this case, could well be, a true Christian's entire life span. Another point surfaces here. We know that the tribulation that Jesus predicted was to be cut short, but not so with the tribulation suffered by Jehovah's ancient people. That tribulation lasted from the killing of Abel, right on down to the first century, and as I've already stated, spilling over into the first century, when the Christ was crucified, Stephen was stoned to death, and James was put to death by the sword. With great persecution breaking out against the Christian Congregation. Lasting until the Christ comes into kingdom power, with the killing at that time still going on; as Jesus prophesied it would be at Matthew 24:9!
Let us not forget, too, that the Apostle John knew well, the Law, The Prophets, and the Psalms, and would have known, and believed, the words of Zephaniah the Prophet, who wrote these very frightening words about Jehovah's Fiery Day of Anger: "The great Day of Jehovah is near. It is near, and there is a hurrying of it very much. The sound of the day of Jehovah is bitter. There a mighty man is letting out a cry. [in great fear] That day is a day of fury, a day of distress and of anguish, a day of storm and of desolation, a day of darkness and of gloominess, a day of clouds and of thick gloom, a day of horn and alarm signal, against the fortified cities and against the high corner towers. And I will cause distress to mankind, and they will certainly walk like blind men; because it is against Jehovah that they have sinned. And their blood will actually be poured out like dust, and their bowels like the dung. Neither their silver nor their gold will be able to deliver them in the day of Jehovah's fury; but by the fire of his zeal the whole earth will be devoured, because he will make an extermination, indeed a terrible one, of all the inhabitants of the earth." [Zephaniah 1:14-18]
From those very words, John would have known, that a great crowd that no man could number, could never come out of the great tribulation foretold by Jesus. With the entire population of earth wiped from the surface of the earth.
The Governing Body of the Watchtower Society, as well, all of their followers, Jehovah's Witnesses, so called, will try to convince us, that it is they, who are gathering this great crowd that no man could number, out of all nations, tribes, peoples, and tongues, through their preaching activity of this Good News of the Kingdom, just before the end comes. All I can say to that, is, unless they can come up with the power to resurrect all of the human dead, since the fall of the first Man, Adam; then they are all in very serious trouble; and their preaching activity as it turns out, is the greatest act of futility anyone could ever involve themselves in. Bar-None! Because I have clearly shown, that, they are definitely not the true source of this unnumbered great crowd, and, I believe, I have shown you all exactly where that true source is.
Writer -William James Parker
E-Mail [email protected]