Palm branches in heaven. That’s what I’m noodling on this morning.

In the latter portion of Revelation 7, John sees “a vast multitude” of people, “standing before the throne and before the Lamb” (7:9). They’re from “every nation, tribe, people, and language” and they have but one great objective, to give glory to the Author of salvation, “to our God who is seated on the throne, and to the Lamb!” (7:10).

Who are they? They are believers, of course. But not just any believers. They are those “coming out of the great tribulation” (7:14). During the carnage and world-wide suffering experienced during the unsealing of the six seals which John had before witnessed, these are souls who, by God’s grace, repented under God’s mighty hand; souls who were redeemed by the blood of the Lamb; souls who were, at the 11th hour of human history, rescued from sin and delivered from destruction. John sees them before the throne of God (7:15a). John sees God’s shelter over them (7:15b). And John sees the Lamb ready to shepherd them and lead them to “springs of the waters of life” (7:17). Lot to see here.

But what do I notice this morning? Palm branches.

After this I looked, and there was a vast multitude from every nation, tribe, people, and language, which no one could number, standing before the throne and before the Lamb. They were clothed in white robes with palm branches in their hands.

(Revelation 7:9 CSB)

Palm branches in their hands . . . before the throne of God . . . in heaven . . . as in, not on the earth. Hmm . . .

Literal or figurative? Frequently, the million-dollar question when trying to understand what was revealed to John. But even if they are literal, they are also symbolic. A symbol of victorious joy.

They are “the product of majestic trees”, first identified by God to be used as an instrument of celebration when He instituted the Feast of Booths, the seven-day festival celebrating Israel’s rescue from Egypt and the shelter God provided for them in the wilderness under the glory of His presence (Lev. 23:39-44). They were to rejoice. And they were to do it with palm branches in their hands.

They were to rejoice as did the crowd on that day Jesus entered Jerusalem (Jn. 12:12-16). On that day they also took palm branches and met the lowly Jesus riding on a donkey’s colt with shouts of “Hosanna! Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord, even the King of Israel!” The King was in their midst, the King who would be their deliverer, the King who would conquer their enemies. And so, in anticipation, the crowd that day raised the majestic fronds of triumph and celebration before Him.

Don’t know how palm branches end up in heaven, but I do know they are the victor-tree which celebrates His victory.

They were clothed in white robes with palm branches in their hands.

And they cried out in a loud voice:
Salvation belongs to our God,
who is seated on the throne,
and to the Lamb!

All the angels stood around the throne, and along with the elders and the four living creatures they fell facedown before the throne and worshiped God, saying,
Amen! Blessing and glory and wisdom
and thanksgiving and honor
and power and strength
be to our God forever and ever. Amen.

(Revelation 7:9b-12 CSB)

Victor-tree for Jesus!

God’s grace. God’s glory.