Revelation 7:14
I said to him, “Sir, you know.” And he said to me, “These are the ones coming out of the great tribulation. They have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.
English Standard Version (ESV)
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The "great tribulation" these saints emerged from isn't just a future event, but the sum total of all suffering endured by believers throughout history. Their white robes aren't merely symbolic of Christ's righteousness, but represent a purity achieved through their faithful endurance and application of His blood to their lives.
This verse comes right after John is shown a vast, unnumbered multitude standing before God's throne. He asks an angel who these people are and where they came from, and this verse contains the angel's explanation. The angel reveals they are those who have come through immense suffering and found cleansing and purity through the sacrifice of Jesus, the Lamb.
What if the 'great tribulation' isn't just a future event, but a description of the entire Christian journey?
The angel clarifies that the great multitude aren't just survivors of a single, future crisis. Instead, they are those who have come 'out of' the great tribulation. The definite article 'the' suggests a specific, well-known period, but the context here, and the continuous present tense ('which come'), point to the ongoing reality of suffering and opposition faced by believers throughout history. This isn't limited to a final, catastrophic event, but encompasses the totality of trials, persecutions, and adversities that are inherent to following Christ in a fallen world. It’s the cumulative experience of faithfulness amidst opposition.
You're wearing white robes, but how did they get so clean in the first place?
The text states these individuals 'have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.' This is a powerful image, but it’s crucial to understand where the cleansing comes from. The commentaries rightly point out the paradox: how can blood 'make white'? It's not about our actions or even our willingness to suffer. Our righteousness, symbolized by white robes, isn't something we achieve; it's something we receive. The blood of Jesus, shed in His atoning sacrifice, is the sole means by which our sins are forgiven and we are declared righteous before God. It's a divine imputation, a transfer of His perfect righteousness to us, covering our defilements.
Understand the original words
thlipsis · Greek Noun
A period of intense suffering, distress, or persecution. In this context, it refers to a time of unparalleled hardship for God's people before the final consummation of His kingdom.
arnion · Greek Noun
The atoning sacrifice of Jesus Christ. It represents the shedding of His blood as the means of purification from sin, enabling believers to stand justified before God.
This vision in Revelation speaks to believers facing intense pressure and persecution, assuring them that those who have endured 'the great tribulation' are part of a vast multitude made pure not by their own efforts, but through the atoning blood of the Lamb.
c. 30-33 AD
Jesus' Ministry and Crucifixion
Jesus' life, teachings, death, and resurrection marked a pivotal moment, establishing the foundation of the Christian faith and the concept of atonement through his blood.
c. 40-60 AD
Early Church Expansion and Persecution
The early Christian church spread rapidly across the Roman Empire, facing increasing opposition and sporadic persecution from both Jewish authorities and Roman officials.
c. 64 AD
Nero's Persecution of Christians
Emperor Nero blamed Christians for the Great Fire of Rome, initiating a brutal and widespread persecution that served as a stark warning of potential state-sanctioned violence against believers.
c. 70 AD
Destruction of Jerusalem and the Temple
The Roman siege and destruction of Jerusalem, including the Temple, was a cataclysmic event for Judaism and profoundly impacted Jewish Christians, signaling a new era for God's people outside traditional structures.
This passage speaks of sins being made 'white as snow' through forgiveness, mirroring the imagery of washed robes in Revelation 7:14 and highlighting God's cleansing power.
John 1:29John the Baptist identifies Jesus as the 'Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world,' directly linking the Lamb to the atonement that cleanses believers, as seen in Revelation 7:14.
Hebrews 9:14This verse describes the 'blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without blemish to God, purges your conscience from dead works to serve the living God,' echoing the concept of cleansing through Christ's sacrifice.
1 John 1:7It states that 'the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin,' reinforcing the idea that the blood of the Lamb is the source of purity for those who have gone through tribulation.
Matthew 24:21Jesus speaks of 'a time of tribulation such as has not been from the beginning of the world until now, no, and never will be,' providing context for the 'great tribulation' that the redeemed in Revelation 7:14 have endured.
pulpitRevelation 7:14: "And I said unto him, Sir, thou knowest. And he said to me, These are they which came out of great tribulation, and have washed their robes, and made them white in the blood of the Lamb."
Verse 14. - And I said unto him, Sir, thou knowest; and I say unto him, My lord (Revised Version). The expression denotes the utmost respect and reverence, which afterwards induce the seer to worship the angel (see Revelation 19:10; Revelation 22:8). The structure of this part of the vision re…
ellicottRevelation 7:14: "And I said unto him, Sir, thou knowest. And he said to me, These are they which came out of great tribulation, and have washed their robes, and made them white in the blood of the Lamb."
(14) And I said unto him . . .—The form in which the answer of the seer is given shows how completely the elder had anticipated his thoughts; for he describes his reply as instantaneous. And I have said, My Lord —the language is that of reverent regard, but not of worship (see Revelation 19:10…
The "great tribulation" these saints emerged from isn't just a future event, but the sum total of all suffering endured by believers throughout history. Their white robes aren't merely symbolic of Christ's righteousness, but represent a purity achieved through their faithful endurance and application of His blood to their lives.
This verse comes right after John is shown a vast, unnumbered multitude standing before God's throne. He asks an angel who these people are and where they came from, and this verse contains the angel's explanation. The angel reveals they are those who have come through immense suffering and found cleansing and purity through the sacrifice of Jesus, the Lamb.
This verse comes right after John is shown a vast, unnumbered multitude standing before God's throne. He asks an angel who these people are and where they came from, and this verse contains the angel's explanation. The angel reveals they are those who have come through immense suffering and found cleansing and purity through the sacrifice of Jesus, the Lamb.
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c. 90-96 AD— this verse
Writing of Revelation during Domitian's Reign
The Apostle John likely wrote Revelation while exiled on the island of Patmos during the reign of Emperor Domitian, who intensified persecution and demanded divine honors, creating a context of intense pressure for Christians.
"I said to him, “Sir, you know.” And he said to me, “These are the ones coming out of the great tribulation. They have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb." — The "great tribulation" these saints emerged from isn't just a future event, but the sum total of all suffering endured by believers throughout history. Their white robes aren't merely symbolic of Ch…
