"The Great Tribulation"

“These are they which came out of great tribulation, and have washed their robes, and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.” (Revelation 7:14)

Here is the only occurrence of the phrase “great tribulation” in the Bible. The scene portrayed is that of a numberless multitude of redeemed sinners from every segment of humanity, all standing in the presence of the sovereign God and before the Lamb, our Lord Jesus. All are clothed in white robes, symbolic of absolute righteousness. They each have palm branches and strong, loud voices with which they praise God for His free and priceless gift of salvation from sin, death, and hell (vv. 9-10). At the sight, the heavenly audience, composed of angels, elders, and living creatures, falls down joining in worship to the Lord (vv. 11-12).

This was part of the vision John saw. Then one of the twenty-four elders asked John to identify that sea of humanity dressed in pristine robes and to tell from where they came (v. 13). Correctly assuming the question to have been asked only so that the true answer might be given, John deferred to the knowledge of the elder who told him who they were and where they had been.

The people dressed in white, holding palm branches of peace, shouting glory for the salvation they had received through the cross-work of the Lamb—these are the ones who came out of “the great tribulation.” What was “the great tribulation” out of which they came? What did the elder mean; what did the Spirit of Jesus intend by this expression; what was meant by “the great tribulation?”

"Then one of the elders answered, saying to me, “Who are these arrayed in white robes, and where did they come from?” And I said to him, “Sir, you know.” So he said to me, “These are the ones who come out of the great tribulation, and washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb. Therefore they are before the throne of God, and serve Him day and night in His temple. And He who sits on the throne will dwell among them. They shall neither hunger anymore nor thirst anymore; the sun shall not strike them, nor any heat; for the Lamb who is in the midst of the throne will shepherd them and lead them to living fountains of waters. And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes.”" (Revelation 7:13-17 NKJV)

The Difficult Journey of the Redeemed
The people who “come out of the great tribulation” are born-again Christians from all the earth in all ages from the Apostle’s time until Jesus’ return. The vision portrays God’s church robed in white, enjoying peace and worshipping joyously in the presence of God, giving glory to God and to the Lamb. These are Christ’s churches all gathered together in one, who have entered heaven’s glory by way of “the great tribulation.” Our pilgrimage through this world is called by this sobering designation. Once dressed in defiled garments of sin and shame, John saw us all wearing clean clothes; once polluted by sin, we are now robed in the perfect, imputed righteousness of Jesus. By obedience to the gospel, we have washed our robes in His blood and they have become white. It doesn’t seem like something that could happen, but it has. Dirty robes washed in Lamb’s blood, now as white as snow.

Tribulation is trouble and stress and struggle; such is the life of the true child of God as he pursues the will of God in a hostile world. Those described as having “come out of the great tribulation” are all the redeemed purchased by Christ and forgiven through faith in Him. Although there are also joys and victories and delights along life’s journey, “great tribulation” still accurately describes a Christian’s life in this world. If there is a more apt description, one wonders what that would be. Truly, some believers suffer more than others. Some suffer unto death as martyrs, while other children of God seem to live in relative ease; but all of God’s people, in some sense, endure great tribulation through life.

Sin, Satan, and the world all oppose the believer. Remaining sin, sin not yet mortified (put to death), sin that still finds a place in our hearts and actions creates all manner of trouble (see Romans 8:12-14). God deals with His redeemed ones as with deeply loved sons and sometimes visits harsh discipline on them when they walk in disobedience. Temptation pursues us, and all the worse when we give the devil an opportunity by not faithfully obeying the Word of God. And while we still have much to learn, how can we plead ignorance? We already understand so much that we do not yet perfectly obey. How dishonest to plead ignorance, while we boldly sin against clearly revealed truth! God knows our hearts and even our imperfect conscience bears witness against us.

Satan, the devil, our adversary truly exists. He is real and evil. He opposes everything that is good and everything that glorifies God. He is against us if we are for God. Against him we must stand, wearing spiritual armor with bravery and resolve and faith (see Ephesians 6:10-18).

Further, worldly men who love neither God nor His truth often plague the people of God in many ways. They add trouble to tribulation as they undermine all that is good and worthy and noble. When we would attempt righteousness, there is always a worldly voice to shout us down or to criticize our failings. “Love not the world,” John wrote. Worldliness only adds grief and sorrow to the tribulations of true believers. Indeed, it is a difficult journey “from faith to faith” and “from glory to glory” (Romans 1:17, 2 Corinthians 3:18).

Heaven, At Last
Because of God’s grace, because of what the Lamb did in bearing away our sins, throughout the endlessness of eternity the redeemed people of God will always be in His presence, serving Him all the time—worshipping and exalting His Name and giving glory to the Lamb. The reality we will experience is God’s presence all the time, indicated by the expression, “day and night in His temple.” The living God will occupy our existence, filling our souls to the full with His own presence. We live by faith and will die in faith, and we all are more than conquerors through the Lamb who loved us. Then “great tribulation” will be no more.

Our everlasting home will be peace and comfort. Unlike the journey through this world in which God often permits His people to endure hardship, in that day there will be no hunger anymore. Never again will God’s people thirst or be drained of their vitality and sapped of their strength. No longer will we be exposed to the parching powers of the sun, beating down upon us until we are utterly spent and exhausted. No; for then we will follow the Lamb and He will guide us to rest alongside gushing fountains of perpetual refreshment. “The great tribulation” will then be past. God Himself will dry our tears; tears that often filled our eyes during the difficult journey through affliction. Never again will weeping be heard among the redeemed, for never again will sin or sorrow or disappointment come. Truly, in that moment heaven is begun.

“And He who sits on the throne will dwell among them. They shall neither hunger anymore nor thirst anymore; the sun shall not strike them, nor any heat; for the Lamb who is in the midst of the throne will shepherd them and lead them to living fountains of waters. And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes” (Revelation 7:15b-17).