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After these things I looked, and behold, a great multitude which no man could count, out of every nation and of all tribes, peoples, and languages, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, dressed in white robes, with palm branches in their hands.
They cried with a loud voice, saying, “Salvation be to our God, who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb!”
Verse 10. Salvation to our God; that is our salvation is from God, to whom be praise for ever, Amen, benediction, or blessings, thanksgiving. and so forth Witham.
All the angels were standing around the throne, the elders, and the four living creatures; and they fell on their faces before his throne, and worshiped God,
saying, “Amen! Blessing, glory, wisdom, thanksgiving, honor, power, and might, be to our God forever and ever! Amen.”
One of the elders answered, saying to me, “These who are arrayed in the white robes, who are they, and where did they come from?”
I told him, “My lord, you know.” He said to me, “These are those who came out of the great suffering. They washed their robes and made them white in the Lamb’s blood.
Verse 14. White in the blood of the Lamb. That is, they have been cleansed and purified from sin, by the death, merits, and grace of Christ crucified. Witham.—The whole of this verse must be understood in a mystical sense, for we are said to make our garments white in the blood of the Lamb, when we enter into his Church by baptism, or wash away our sins by penance or martyrdom. Calmet.
or, oppression
Therefore they are before the throne of God, and they serve him day and night in his temple. He who sits on the throne will spread his tabernacle over them.
Verse 15. Therefore they are before the throne of God … in his temple; that is therefore are they now happy in heaven, where the temple was represented to be, as observed before.—He that sitteth on the throne shall dwell, or dwelleth over them. Witham.
They will never be hungry or thirsty any more. The sun won’t beat on them, nor any heat;
for the Lamb who is in the middle of the throne shepherds them and leads them to springs of life-giving waters. And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes.”
Verse 17. The Lamb, which is in the midst of the throne, God and man, shall rule [1] them as a shepherd does his flock. By the Greek, And shall lead them unto fountains of living waters; [2] lit. to the fountains of life of waters; shall bless them with everlasting happiness. Witham.—He represents the happiness of the saints, under the idea of being exempt from all the wants and evils of this life. For we are not able, according to truth itself, to conceive the happiness that is prepared for us; wherefore we must content ourselves with considering what it is not, rather than what it is. He, nevertheless, seems to compare heaven to a temple or palace, in which we observe ministers and servants all in their proper order, his counsellors (if we may be allowed the expression) and friends seated in presence of their prince, and the souls of the just singing the praises of the Most High. Car.