JMA Missions Mid-Month June 2026
The Great Commission in the New Testament
The Mighty Book of Revelation, part 4
Welcome back to our ongoing series. This is #4 on the Great Commission in the book of Revelation.
Disclaimer: This is not a study on end-times. We will not be producing charts, or lunar eclipse calendars, or forcing any certain end-times interpretation on the text which the context does not support. Let me briefly remind us all of the three main parts of the inductive method we use: observation, interpretation, application.
The Great Commission in Matthew 28:19a, "Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations." This month, we want to look at the use and reference of the word 'nations'. It can be found 18 times in Revelation in many different contexts. This month, we are narrowing our focus to one verse.
Revelation 7:9, "After these things I looked, and behold, a great multitude which no one could number, of all nations, tribes, peoples, and tongues, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed with white robes, with palm branches in their hands."
The Greek word translated 'nations' in this verse and in Matthew are the same, 'ethnos'. It is where we get the English word ethnic and ethnicity. So, 'all nations' is 'all ethnic groups'.
Now, this verse is very interesting because the context is this massive group of people, "which no one could number, of all ethnic groups", and they were "standing before the throne and before the Lamb." And we don't want to skip over all the other groups mentioned. We have people from all the ethnic groups, and from all the tribes and clans, and then just 'peoples' (the Greek word is just people!), and finally, we have all the different language groups. It can easily be said that there are representatives here in heaven from every group that can be called a group.
This multitude is in heaven. They have washed their robes in the blood of the Lamb. They are being comforted in the presence of the Lord. He is shepherding them and wiping away every tear. He is leading them to living fountains of waters. This is a reference to what we see in ch22, a '"pure river of water of life", and trees "whose leaves are for the healing of the nations.".
This multitude is the result of the Great Commission. The fruit of the labor of everyone who answered the call to minister, and to missions. This is all the people who have been saved since the church began and who have gone on.
All the outreaches ever made. All the open air crusades. All the church plants. All those in the Lord who have fallen asleep are there. You and I could name so many! Meshack Mwongela, a graduate from the very first class of BLLC is there. Douglas Mwadziwe is there. Hassan Kalobwa is there. My mom is there.
The population of heaven is increasing daily. All of us that are alive and remain have a commission to fulfill. There will come a day when we can no longer work. But until then, and as long as there is a day called today, we will go. We will make disciples of all the nations. We baptize them, and we teach them, and we train the next generation how to do the same.
And one day, God will bring with Him all who sleep in Jesus. And those of us who are alive and remain will be changed. In the twinkling of an eye.
"What a day that will be, when my Jesus I shall see, when I look upon His face, the One who saved me by His grace".
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