In one of the biggest about-faces in Watchtower history, in a 2002 Question from Readers it was admitted that the great crowd is indeed in the temple itself (naos) in Revelation 7.
But notice the statement bolded below from that article comparing the great crowd to the proselytes in ancient Israel. The statement is made that the proselytes "submitted to the Law covenant."
The Insight on the Scriptures volume 1, p.72 on 'Alien Resident' makes the same point, that these proselytes were effectively the same as any other member of 'the congregation of Israel':
“The terms of the Law covenant allowed for persons of all national backgrounds to come into membership of the congregation of Israel by accepting the true worship of Jehovah and becoming circumcised … The alien resident who had become a circumcised worshiper was bound to one law with the Israelites, that is, to obey all the terms of the Law covenant.” Insight on the Scriptures, Volume 1 p.72, ‘Alien Resident’.
The logical conclusion is that the great crowd must likewise be in the new covenant, as spiritual members the same Christian 'congregation', just as those ancient alien residents became actual members of the congregation of Israel and were literally included in the old covenant.
great crowd and 144k = both in the naos, the temple
great crowd and 144k = all 'domestics'.
great crowd and 144k = both in the new covenant, as both the Israelites and alien residents were in the old covenant.
NEW LIGHT to this effect is all the Society needs to announce to solve the worsening dilemma of increasing numbers of partakers at each memorial. They can announce that all those who believe they are prospective members of the great crowd may also now take the emblems to signify they are also in the new covenant, BUT only in the sense of being like an alien resident or proselyte also in the old law covenant, and ONLY in the sense of standing in the earthly courtyard of the temple not in the inner sanctuary reserved only for the 144k. Such new light would also make sense since they recently announced that both the anointed and other sheep are all domestics .
Members of the great crowd exercise faith in Jesus' ransom sacrifice. They are spiritually clean, having "washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb." Hence, they are declared righteous with a view to becoming friends of God and of surviving the great tribulation. (James 2:23, 25) In many ways, they are like proselytes in Israel who submitted to the Law covenant and worshiped along with the Israelites.
Of course, those proselytes did not serve in the inner courtyard, where the priests performed their duties. And members of the great crowd are not in the inner courtyard of Jehovah's great spiritual temple, which courtyard represents the condition of perfect, righteous human sonship of the members of Jehovah's "holy priesthood" while they are on earth. (1 Peter 2:5) But as the heavenly elder said to John, the great crowd really is in the temple, not outside the temple area in a kind of spiritual Court of the Gentiles . What a privilege that is! And how it highlights the need for each one to maintain spiritual and moral purity at all times!" Watchtower 2002 May 1 pp.30-31