The Revelation of Jesus Christ - The Herald

1. God predestinated that the number of the joint-heirs should be 144,000, but did not
predestinate who the individuals should be.
2. According to previous arrangements, God's own chosen people, Israel, should have the
first offer. While He knew that there would not be enough faithful ones among them to
make up the full number, He predetermined to leave the individual responsibility with
them, and granted them sufficient time so that all the "elect" could have been of that
nation, the quota of each tribe being 12,000.
3. When the period of special favor ended, the call or invitation had not secured the
requisite number to fill the quota of each tribe.
4. God still retained the original cultivated "olive tree," but the rejection of this chief favor,
except by a "remnant," left but few of these special branches on the olive tree.
5. The call was then extended to those who would believe of the Gentile nations (wild
olives), for a sufficient length of time to obtain the required number of special branches in
each tribe.
Arrayed in white robes bearing palm branches
"After this I beheld, and, lo, a great multitude, which no man could number, of all nations,
and kindreds, and people, and tongues, stood before the throne, and before the Lamb,
clothed with white robes, and palms in their hands; and cried with a loud voice, saying,
salvation to our God which sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb. And all the angels
stood round about the throne, and about the elders and the four beasts, and fell before the
throne on their faces, and worshiped God, saying, Amen: blessing, and glory, and
wisdom, and thanksgiving, and honor, and power, and might, be unto our God for ever
and ever. Amen. And one of the elders answered, saying unto me, What are these which
are arrayed in white robes? and whence came they? And I said unto him, Sir, thou
knowest. And he said to me, These are they which came out of great tribulation, and have
washed their robes, and made them white in the blood of the Lamb. Therefore are they
before the throne of God, and serve Him day and night in His temple: and He that sitteth
on the throne shall dwell among them. They shall hunger no more, neither thirst any
more; neither shall the sun light on them, nor any heat. For the Lamb which is in the midst
of the throne shall feed them, and shall lead them unto living fountains of waters: and God
shall wipe away all tears from their eyes."--Rev. 7:9-17.
Subsequent to the vision during which St. John heard the number of the elect, the sealed
ones, his attention was diverted for a time from earthly objects, to witness a marvelous
scene in the vast expanse, before the rainbow encircled throne. There he beheld an
immense throng an innumerable company standing, clothed in white robes, and he
recognized them as a band of saved ones from the earth--of all nations and tribes and
tongues and peoples. The white robes, representing personal purity, completeness,
perfection, shows their public acceptance before the Heavenly Court, in the presence of the
angels and of the Lamb. They have in their hands palm branches, symbolizing, no doubt,