Revelation 7:9: 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.

In Revelation chapters 4 and 5, John saw a vision of heaven (celestial paradise) as it existed in 96 AD,¹ including symbolic images of exaltation-worthy saints (24 Elders)² and other celestial-worthy creations represented by the four beasts.³ In Revelation chapter 5, John also saw 100+ million angels (disembodied spirits) praising the Lamb of God from spirit prison in the postmortal spirit world.⁴ After John's first vision of heaven in Revelation chapters 4 and 5‒which showed the conditions as of 96 AD‒he then heard in Revelation 7:4-8 that 144,000 Servants were sealed primarily during the period of the sixth seal after the 1830's.⁵

After this–meaning after John heard that the 144,000 Servants were sealed during the sixth seal,⁶ he beheld a second vision of celestial paradise in Revelation 7:9. In this second vision, John saw images from celestial paradise only, and no images from spirit prison as before.⁷ And lo, John was surprised⁸ to see in paradise a great multitude, which no man could number.⁹ John was surprised because he did not see this great multitude during his first vision of paradise as of 96 AD.¹⁰ Scholars disagree about how to interpret this great multitude¹¹ primarily because they fail to recognize that John's second vision of paradise in Revelation 7:9 is separated in time from his first vision in Revelation chapters 4 and 5 by almost 2000 years.¹²

The great multitude in paradise from John's second vision included the 100+ million angels that he previously saw in spirit prison during his first vision of heaven. In other words, John saw that the 100+ million angels who were disembodied spirits in prison in 96 AD had entered paradise since the time of John's first vision. This change in their status occurred because many of the 144,000 Servants receive the seal of the living God during the sixth seal in Revelation 7:4-8.¹³ This allows them to cross the gulf in the postmortal spirit world and enter paradise. Their receipt of the seal of the living God includes the vicarious ordinances they receive primarily during the latter-day period of the sixth seal.¹⁴ These vicarious ordinances were and are performed in temples by mortal proxies called saviors on mount Zion.¹⁵ As disembodied spirits receive and continue to receive their vicarious ordinances, the 100+ million angels in spirit prison from every nation, kindred, tongue, and people cross the great gulf in the postmortal spirit world and become part of the great multitude in paradise to await their glorious resurrection at the time of the Second Coming.¹⁶

Several symbols from John's separate visions validate the timing of the foregoing imagery. For example, in John's first vision of celestial paradise in Revelation chapter 4, he saw 24 Elders before the throne of God.¹⁷ Doctrine and Covenants Section 77:5 identifies them as exaltation-worthy spirits from the seven churches in Asia.¹⁸ That imagery puts the timing of John's first vision in the context of the ancient church in 96 AD.¹⁹ The 24 Elders represent the spirits of exaltation-worthy saints that had or would overcome²⁰ tribulation²¹ in the period of the fifth seal.²² Therefore, John wrote his first vision of paradise to the seven churches in Asia as a message of hope for them in the time of their suffering.²³ John's second vision of paradise in Revelation chapter 7, by contrast, was given as of the end of the sixth seal and start of the seventh seal‒a timeframe very close to the Second Coming‒which gives hope and encouragement²⁴ to members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints who will suffer tribulation at the end of the sixth seal and into the seventh seal.²⁵ Thus, the near approach of the Second Coming is the time and context for John's second vision of paradise.²⁶

The symbols in John's second vision also confirm that John saw the great multitude in paradise just before the Second Coming.²⁷ This is clear because the Lamb is still in the midst of God's throne during the second vision,²⁸ rather than seated on his own throne.²⁹ If the imagery depicted conditions after the Second Coming, the Lamb would be seated on the throne.³⁰

The great multitude in paradise is symbolically innumerable³¹ at the approach of the Second Coming because the exaltation-worthy spirits that stand before the throne in celestial paradise³² will be from all prior ages of the earth.³³ Their number in paradise will peak just before the morning of the first resurrection resumes at the Second Coming.³⁴ When the resurrection resumes, a vast number of exaltation-worthy spirits³⁵ will leave celestial paradise in one massive group³⁶ from all nations,³⁷ kindreds,³⁸ people,³⁹ and tongues.⁴⁰ Their number will include converted gentiles that become Israelites by adoption.⁴¹ Once the great multitude is resurrected they will stand with Christ on mount Zion and will be numbered among the 144,000 Servants at the Second Coming.⁴²

The great multitude in paradise at the end of the sixth seal will not include any disembodied spirits of exaltation-worthy saints that lived before the time of Christ.⁴³ These saints received their gospel ordinances while living on earth before Christ⁴⁴ and they were resurrected with Christ⁴⁵ in approximately 34 AD.⁴⁶ This means they were not in the postmortal spirit world to be seen by John during his vision from 96 AD or during his second vision of celestial paradise at the end of the sixth seal and the near approach of the Second Coming.

In his second vision of celestial paradise, John saw the great multitude clothed in white robes of righteousness.⁴⁷ Their robes were made white in the blood of the Lamb.⁴⁸ This means they are redeemed in paradise even as they await their resurrection to exaltation in the celestial kingdom.⁴⁹ Those worthy of exaltation have emblematic crowns in addition to their white robes.⁵⁰

People in the great multitude also have palms in their hands, which they wave as a symbol of joyful triumph⁵¹ over Satan.⁵² This imagery comes from the annual Feast of the Tabernacles,⁵³ and also from Christ's triumphant entry into Jerusalem⁵⁴ on Palm Sunday before his crucifixion.⁵⁵ Believers waved palm branches to herald Christ's first coming to Jerusalem as a king.⁵⁶ In Revelation 7:9, the great multitude waves palm branches at the end of the sixth seal to herald the fast approach of Christ's Second Coming in glory as King of kings during the seventh seal.⁵⁷