Big Idea: God and the Lamb receive praise for saving the people of God through the great tribulation and for comforting and protecting them afterward.

Understanding the Text

The Revelation 7 interlude features a single vision showing the situation of the people of God, but from two different perspectives. First, in 7:1–8 we see God’s people sealed or protected and prepared for spiritual battle. Second, in 7:9–17 we see God’s people celebrating in heaven following their victorious endurance through the great tribulation. Eugene Boring sums it up this way: “As 7:1–8 presents the church militant on earth, sealed and drawn up in battle formation before the coming struggle, 7:9–17 presents the church after the battle, triumphant in heaven.”1As chapter 7 comes to a close, we anticipate a clima…