Author: Wick

Ever had this situation happen?  The word “Tribulation” is mentioned, and instantly the people around you begin to categorize themselves according to whether they believe the “rapture” will happen before the “great tribulation”, or after it?  One word for those situations = awkward.

How to lovingly respond to people who genuinely want to be a part of what God has in store, but have been misled at some point by a mis-interpretation of scriptures?  I won’t focus on the “rapture” in this post, as I have in other places.  Hopefully by now, most of the church realizes the err of that myth, even if it did make for some great fiction sales.

There is more in Revelation 7:14 than some may realize.  The verse in Revelation that has been skewed and twisted to meet all sorts of rapture and dispensationalist (the belief that God’s gonna trash all of this, and start over) theology.  7:14 says, “…These (the ones in white robes) are they who have come out of the great ordeal; they have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.”

Generally throughout the New Testament, the form of this word for “Ordeal” that we find is similar to that of  John 16:33, “..In the world you face (persecution).”  We also see it often as “suffering”.  Even as “great suffering/affliction”.  But the only time this form of “great ordeal” is used, is here in verse 14.  And it does NOT refer to the verses of chapter 8 that follow.  What then, does it refer to?

For that we look at those who have “come out of the great ordeal”.  They’re a great multitude that no one can count, from EVERY tribe, people, and language.  They’re wearing white robes.  Where else have we seen a large group of people in white robes?

Revelation 6:9-11.  The martyrs.  Those who “had been slaughtered for the word of God and for the testimony they had given…”  The “great ordeal” then, becomes an event that crosses many thousands of generations.  A “happening” that was occurring in the days of Moses, through the early Church, and continues today all over the world.  Those who find themselves losing life (perhaps even suffering, collectively becoming a “great suffering”) for Gods’ sake, become the white robed multitudes we see here.

In reading Revelation 5:11-14, we find all of creation focusing on being thankful for the worthiness and existence of the One who is able to open the scroll. The Lamb that was slaughtered, Jesus Christ.

Looking at verses 11 and 12, we find a description of those who are gathered. “..many angels surrounding the throne and the living creatures and the elders; they numbered myriads of myriads and thousands of thousands.” That’s a lot of voices.

And yet, in both verses 11 AND 12, the word for voices is not used. In situations where crowds are gathered, we generally see the word “phonai” or “phonais”, referring to the many voices. Even in Luke 23:23, where the crowds are gathered and there were “shouts that he be crucified”. They were all shouting with the similar intent, but there were still many voices.

Yet in these verses of Revelation, we find the words “phonen” and “phone” (phone-ay). One voice. Millions upon millions of angels all singing in ONE voice. And the word used to describe that voice? “MEGALE”

This word, which comes from “mega”, is used all throughout the New Testament. But the book of the Bible it’s found in the most? Revelation. It’s used 75 times, in fact. The closest runner up? Acts (possibly Matthew) with 29 times each. This vision that John describes is so mind-blowingly grand, excellent, large, and full of majesty.

And yet, millions upon millions of angels sing their praises in ONE GREAT VOICE. Not simply shouting similar things.  Not just singing “together”, or “at the same time”.  May we live the song of our life in similar fashion…

May we join that voice and sing,

And here’s why it’s done.