We weren't discussing those in Rev 7:9. We were discussing those who Jesus was discussing in Mat 24:9-14. Sounds like we are in agreement then regarding Mat 24:9-14, that Jesus was directly telling the 4 Jews He was speaking to what would happen to them. More broadly, we could say He was speaking about all of His disciples, save Judas? Yes, the early church also suffered similar treatment but it isn't clear to me His statements here were more broadly directed at the future church although I do think He says so in John when He talks about them, "not being of the world, so the world hates them." I am open to Jesus speaking more broadly about the first century church up to 70 AD but not beyond that because the "great tribulation" was the siege and destruction of Jerusalem and all of Judea which ended in 70 AD. Jesus makes clear this is the region to flee His coming 70 AD wrath.
If you want to discuss Rev 7:9, we can. There are two groups mentioned in Rev 7, 1) the 144K and 2) the great multitude. Let's discuss them both because it's important.
The 144,000: were saved Jews who were sealed and protected from the BEAST (Rome) and the wrath that was about to come. The 144K was the Jerusalem church which was located on Mount Zion at the time, the place where David lived. They were the believers who the Jews in Jerusalem hated and persecuted and often killed. This church was massive and it was led by James, the half-brother of Christ, whom the priests murdered and on the same day Vespasian arrived. These are the ones who fled to the mountains, over them, and eventually settled in Pella (the place prepared for them) which was previously destroyed by Rome and they helped rebuild the city. Since the city had already been defeated, Rome did not return. I believe Christ preached in Pella (Mat 4:25) so that there would be a base of support for the 144K, whom He protected. These were strictly Jewish believers, the pilgrims of the dispersion, as Peter calls them in 1 Peter 1:1. They are from all 12 tribes, including the "10 lost tribes," which scattered when Babylon fell. They settled throughout the Roman Empire. They were then saved through the work of the disciples who went out and "preached in all the creation that [is] under the heaven, of which I became -- I Paul -- a ministrant (Col 1:23)."
It is important to remember that all devout Jews, including Christian Jews, would return to Jerusalem for the important Jewish festivals. This return was called a pilgrimage. Rather than going to the temple as non-believing Jews would, they went to the Church on Mount Zion. They were safe there. If you've ever been to Mount Zion, you'd understand why. This is also were the place of the last supper was and where David's tomb is to this day. Christian Jews stayed together for safety from the unbelieving Jews who hated them and tried to kill them as often as they could. These 144K did NOT receive the Mark of the Beast. They were NOT in an unholy alliance with Rome as the rest of Jerusalem was. The population of the Jerusalem church would swell to 5X (from these pilgrims) during important feasts including the Feast of Passover, this according to Eusebius who cites Hegesippus, who is in agreement with Clement and Josephus. Notice Eusebius notes that at the time, the return of Christ was imminent?
12. The aforesaid Scribes and Pharisees therefore placed James upon the pinnacle of the temple, and cried out to him and said: ‘Thou just one, in whom we ought all to have confidence, forasmuch as the people are led astray after Jesus, the crucified one, declare to us, what is the gate of Jesus.’
13. And he answered with a loud voice, ‘Why do ye ask me concerning Jesus, the Son of Man? He himself sitteth in heaven at the right hand of the great Power, and is about to come upon the clouds of heaven.’
16. So they went up and threw down the just man, and said to each other, ‘Let us stone James the Just.’ And they began to stone him, for he was not killed by the fall; but he turned and knelt down and said, ‘I entreat thee, Lord God our Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.’
17. And while they were thus stoning him one of the priests of the sons of Rechab, the son of the Rechabites, who are mentioned by Jeremiah the prophet, cried out, saying, ‘Cease, what do ye? The just one prayeth for you.’
18. And one of them, who was a fuller, took the club with which he beat out clothes and struck the just man on the head. And thus he suffered martyrdom. And they buried him on the spot, by the temple, and his monument still remains by the temple. He became a true witness, both to Jews and Greeks, that Jesus is the Christ. And immediately Vespasian besieged them.”
When Vespasian left, the 144K fled before Titus arrived in early 70 AD.
THE GREAT MULTITUDE:
This group was, "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." This group, from all over the known world (Roman Empire), "are the ones who come out of the great tribulation" to be before the throne of God in Heaven. This group is made up of all those who were trapped in the city and came to Christ during the great tribulation. They finally realized they were wrong and recognized what was happening to them. They died by the hundreds of thousands but repented before they died. Among them could also be all martyrs, Jew and Gentile, including those killed in Rome by Nero from the time of Christ to His return. It's interesting that the language here is eerily similar to the language used by Isaiah in Isa 65.
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