In 7:9-17 we see the testimony of Jesus as the great multitude. According to the record of chapter seven, this great multitude is the whole Body of God’s redeemed ones, having been redeemed “out of every nation and all tribes and peoples and tongues” (7:9). All of them have passed through tribulation. This indicates that at no time nor at any place is there a church which has not passed through tribulation. The world always persecutes the churches (John 16:33). Wherever the church is, there will always be a certain amount of persecution. That the whole Body of the redeemed ones will pass through tribulation is indicated by 7:14, which says, “These are those who come out of the great tribulation.” This great multitude has come out of tribulation in a victorious way, for they all hold palm branches which signify their victory over tribulation (7:9). Eventually, in eternity, they will be overshadowed by God with His tabernacle. As 7:15 says, “He who sits upon the throne shall spread His tabernacle over them.” This is the destiny of God’s redeemed ones. How wonderful! Furthermore, they will also be shepherded by the Lamb at the springs of waters of life for eternity (7:17).
Revelation 7:9-17 does not portray a particular group of believers. Rather, it presents a general record of the whole Body of God’s redeemed ones and their state in eternity. In eternity, their state will be that of enjoying God’s overshadowing and Christ’s shepherding. This is our destiny. This portion of the Word reveals that while Christ is executing God’s judgment upon mankind, He will take care of God’s redeemed ones. All God’s redeemed ones eventually will be raptured to the throne of God and will stand there enjoying God’s overshadowing and the Lamb’s shepherding.
In 12:1-17 we see another symbol of the church: the woman with the man-child. The church is not only the lampstand and the great redeemed multitude; it is also the greater part of the woman with the man-child. No human mind would ever conceive of the church in this way. The woman in this chapter represents the whole Body of God’s people, and the man-child represents the stronger part of God’s people. As there is the man-child within the woman, so among God’s people there is a stronger part. This woman, who is bright with the sun, the moon, and twelve stars (12:1) and who is persecuted by Satan, the great red dragon, represents God’s people throughout all the generations. In every generation, a portion of God’s people has always been persecuted by Satan. Nevertheless, during the three and a half years of the great tribulation she will be protected by God from the attack of the serpent.
As we have seen, the man-child is the stronger part of the people of God. Among the people of God, even among us in the Lord’s recovery today, there is the stronger part. This stronger part will be raptured to the throne of God before the great tribulation. In other words, the woman will be left on earth to pass through the tribulation, but the stronger part, the man-child, will be raptured to the throne of God before the tribulation. Why will the man-child be raptured prior to the tribulation? Because God needs the man-child to fight Satan in the heavens and to cast him down. Although God has many angels who will fight against Satan, the final victory over the enemy will not be gained by the angels but by the man-child. God needs the man-child. God will shame Satan by using the very man Satan corrupted to defeat him. God may say, “Satan, you have corrupted the man I created. But I have got a man-child out of this corrupted man to defeat you. And he will not mainly defeat you on earth but in heaven.” The man-child will fight through and up, fighting up to the throne to cast Satan down from the heavens to the earth. This is a part of the testimony of Jesus. Although Jesus has defeated Satan on the cross, there is still the need for the church to execute His victory over the enemy. Because so many members of the Body have failed in this matter, only the stronger part of the Body, the man-child, will execute Christ’s victory over Satan. The man-child will be raptured to the heavens to accomplish this job.
The rapture is not merely for our blessing. We should not just say, “How good it is for me to be raptured to the heavens!” We must realize that God has a need for us to be raptured—we must be raptured to heaven that we might fight against the enemy. If when you hear this you say, “I don’t want to go there and be involved in a war,” this means that you are not qualified to be raptured before the tribulation. If you do not go to heaven to meet Satan and cast him down, then he will come down to the earth to meet you and overcome you. We must be the man-child. I earnestly desire to be a part of the man-child. I am not satisfied simply to be a part of the woman. I want to be included in that stronger part. This also is an aspect of the testimony of Jesus.