Revelation 7:9 After this I beheld, and, lo, a great multitude, which no man could number, of all the tribes, races, nations, and tongues, stood before the throne, and before the Lamb, clothed with white robes, and palms in their hands;
As this
verse does not mention the location, any belief as to where it takes place,
from just verse 7, is purely an assumption.
However,
from the context we see that chapter is telling about earthly events, the first
3 verses set the scene. The whole Book of Revelation is to tell us about God’s
plans for His people on earth.
How can
we be sure that standing before the Throne does not mean that this vast
multitude is in heaven?
1/ The
Greek word translated ‘before‘ – enopion; literally means in the
sight of and is used several times about humans on earth, who are before
or in the sight of the Lord. 1 Tim 2:14, Romans 14:22, Galatians 1:20, Acts
7:56
2/
Ezekiel 1:1, was standing by the river Kebar, when he saw the entire heavenly
host in the Throne room of God.
3/ The
Israelites in the desert came before the Lord, Exodus 16:9. They did not
go to heaven then.
4/
When the Son of man comes in all His glory, He will sit on His glorious Throne,
with all the nations gathered before Him….. Matthew 25:31-32 All the
nations don’t go to heaven!
5/
Revelation 14:1 plainly says that Jesus in on Mt Zion when He selects the
144,000 out of all the faithful Christians gathered in Jerusalem.
6/
Heaven, God’s dwelling place, is a Spiritual concept, in another dimension to
our physical existence. It is, therefore, anywhere and everywhere to us.
7/ Last
but not least, are the many prophesies that tell us how we Christians will be
gathered and settled into all of the holy Land. WE are the people referred to
in Ezekiel 38:8b That is our destiny and our great privilege, to be the people
God always wanted there, but has never had; His witnesses and His Light to the
nations. John 15:27, Matthew 5:14-16
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The Prophetic Word 