Revelation 7  We get another glimpse of heaven in this interlude between the 6th and 7th seal.  On earth there are 4 angels preparing for something that will harm the earth and the seas.  There is also another angel that is setting God's seal on 144,000  men from the 12 tribes of Israel.  But, John's attention is drawn back to the throne, where multitudes of people  "from every nation and all tribes and people and tongues"  are worshipping the Lord God and the Lamb.
All the angels join in this worship around the throne.  Their song is " Amen, blessing and glory and wisdom and thanksgiving, and honor, and power and might be to our God forever and ever. Amen"

One of the elders prompts John to find out about the multitude in white robes.  He explains that these are those who will come out of the tribulation, "and they have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb."  They serve God.  They receive His covering. They are protected from hunger and thirst and heat..  They are placed in the care of the Great Shepherd, Jesus, who will tenderly lead them to "springs of the water of life; and God shall wipe every tear from their eyes."

Charles Spurgeon writes about  those who were persecuted in the early church and the sorrows they have known, " My blood runs cold as I read of what the saints of God have suffered. I have often set Foxes' Book of Martyrs upon the shelf and thought that I could not read it any longer, because it is such an accurate account of what human nature can bear when faith in Christ sustains it.
Yet, friends, you should not grieve the the martyrs suffered as they did . Or, if you are sorrowful, that very sorrow is turned to joy at the remembrance of how Christ has been glorified through the sufferings of His saints.... When I think of the honor of being a martyr for the truth I confess that I would sooner be in that position than be the angel Gabriel.  I think it would be better to go to heaven from the stakes than to have always been in heaven. What honor it has brought to Christ that poor, feeble men could love Him so much that they could bleed and die for Him!" ( From The Fullness of Joy)

Yet, the persecution to come in the last days will be just as bad or  worse than those of the early church.  I cannot fathom it.  I know that there are many that are suffering now, and it breaks my heart when I read their stories or see the pictures... but it is so far off from my daily experiences that I don't know what it is really like.  Perhaps there is a day coming for us here in America, for we see the way the wind is blowing, when we also will need to wash our robes in His blood.  If and when that happens, I pray that I will bring honor to my Savior.

Father in heaven, it is for the joy that is set before us, the joy of standing before Your throne with people from all nations, tribes, tongues, and peoples, singing praises to You and falling before You in worship, that I choose to believe and to follow Christ Jesus with all my heart.  May I honor You with my life and in my death, however that will happen.  For I ask this in the Name of Jesus. Amen.