Episode Transcript
[00:00:00] If I'm being honest, there were times on the mission field where I was so depressed that it was hard to get out of bed in the morning.
[00:00:09] At other points in my life, my body has been so wracked by anxiety that it almost felt like I was paralyzed.
[00:00:19] At other points, I've had illnesses and injuries where I was so weak that I couldn't physically stand on my own.
[00:00:27] There have even been a few times in my life where I've been so overcome by grief that I've crumbled to the floor.
[00:00:36] Life in this sinful, fallen world has a way of knocking us all down at various times and in various ways.
[00:00:47] I'm sure you've experienced your fair share of days where it felt like you couldn't stand under the weight of trials.
[00:00:54] As a matter of fact, today might be one of those days.
[00:01:00] Suffering has a way of making us feel isolated and alone, as if we're the only ones who've ever experienced such things.
[00:01:08] But the truth is, the church has experienced trials and suffering from the very start.
[00:01:15] Last Sunday, Pastor Jeremy did a good job of reminding us of the historical background of of this book of Revelation. This book was written to seven churches, many of whom were experiencing intense persecution.
[00:01:30] No doubt some of those early Christians had to be asking themselves, how are we going to make it?
[00:01:37] Who can stand up under all these trials, under all this suffering?
[00:01:44] This book was written in part to encourage them back back then and to encourage us today to stand firm, to keep going, to not give up.
[00:01:56] The New Testament is filled with exhortations to churches to stand firm.
[00:02:04] The letters to the church in Corinth, Galatia, Ephesus, Philippi, and Thessalonica all contain the specific command to stand for firm.
[00:02:15] Actually, in the original language, it's just a one word command, stand.
[00:02:21] That same word occurs multiple times in this chapter, which shouldn't surprise us, given how chapter six ends. If you were here last week, you'll remember that chapter six is about the opening of the seven seals. These seals represent God's purposes and plans for for all of human history. They include suffering and even persecution.
[00:02:46] By the time the sixth seal is opened, we've reached Judgment Day. And the chapter ends with those who've rejected Christ desperately trying to hide themselves in caves and crying out with loud voices fall on us and hide us from the face of him who is seated on the throne and and from the wrath of the Lamb. For the great day of their wrath has come. And who can stand before the seventh and final seal is opened? There's this break in the story and this interlude appears to be very intentionally designed to answer the question that's left ringing in our ears at the end of of chapter six.
[00:03:39] Who can stand?
[00:03:41] God's judgment is coming.
[00:03:43] Who can stand?
[00:03:48] What's interesting is this is not the first time that that question has been asked in the Bible. It's a question that keeps coming up in the Psalms and the prophets. Psalm 130, verse 3 asks if you, O Lord, should mark iniquities.
[00:04:03] O Lord, who could stand?
[00:04:06] The prophet Nahum begins his book by asking, who can stand before his indignation? Who can endure the heat of his anger?
[00:04:16] The prophet Malachi also asks that question, but who can endure the day of his coming? And who can stand when he appears?
[00:04:26] That's the question. Revelation chapter six.
[00:04:30] And really all the Bible is asking, with so much suffering in the world and so much sin in our hearts, who can possibly stand before God?
[00:04:45] Revelation chapter 7 gives us the answer to that question.
[00:04:50] What we'll see from this text this morning is who can stand, how they can stand, and why they will stand.
[00:05:01] Look with me at verses 1 to 8 where we'll see who can stand.
[00:05:06] Verse 1 says, after this, I saw four angels standing at the four corners of the earth, holding back the four winds of the earth that no wind might blow on earth or sea or against any tree.
[00:05:20] Now these four angels are standing, but that's not quite the answer we're looking for. Angelic beings are in a separate camp category from mankind. They're powerful, they're holy, they do God's bidding. We would expect them to be able to stand before God. So the question being asked at the end of chapter six is, who among mankind can stand? Or another way of putting it, who can withstand God's judgment?
[00:05:48] These four winds from the four corners of the earth represent God's final judgment.
[00:05:54] There are multiple examples of God's judgment coming in the form of four winds in the prophets. Like Jeremiah and Zechariah. These angels are temporarily restraining the final judgment. And the next verses tell us why. Look at verses two and three.
[00:06:12] Then I saw another angel ascending from the rising of the sun with the seal of the living God. And he called with a loud voice to the four angels who had been given power to harm earth and sea, saying, do not harm the earth or the sea or the trees until we have sealed the servants of our God on their foreheads.
[00:06:33] So the angels are holding back God's final judgment until God's servants have been sealed, until they've been sealed with the seal of the living God.
[00:06:47] Later In Revelation chapter 14, we find out that this symbolic seal is the name of God written on their foreheads. This is in contrast to the mark of the beast that appears in Revelation 13, what I believe is another symbolic seal. The beast marks those who belong to him, that is to Satan, with his name and number on their foreheads and right hand.
[00:07:13] That means everyone on earth is symbolically marked out into two groups, those who belong to God and those who belong to Satan.
[00:07:25] Look at how John continues in verse four and I heard, circle that word if you've got one of those scripture journals. John heard the number of the sealed. 144,000 sealed from every tribe of the sons of Israel. He then goes on to record that there are 12,000 sealed from each of the 12 tribes. And in this list, 12 tribes times 12,000 gives us the 144,000, a symbolic number of completion. We'll see that number again in Revelation 21 when the new Jerusalem is measured.
[00:08:05] John's list here is unique. There are 25 lists of the tribes of Israel in the Bible and not a single one of them is like this list right here.
[00:08:16] The most unusual features of this list are that the tribe of Dan is not included at all and that one of the sons of Joseph is included, but not the other.
[00:08:27] There's only one of them included in this list. And so these changes seem to suggest that this list is symbolic of all those who will be sealed rather than literal.
[00:08:40] What this sealing shows us is who can withstand God's judgment. It shows us who will be protected from God's wrath, or in other words, who can stand before God.
[00:08:54] Those who can stand before God are those who've been sealed by God. They have been marked out from the world as those who belong to God as God's people, so they don't have to fear God's judgment.
[00:09:08] But that begs the follow up question, who is sealed?
[00:09:12] Or in other words, who are these people?
[00:09:16] That's probably the most common question that people ask when they come to Revelation chapter 7. They see all these different groups and they're wondering, who are all these people?
[00:09:26] John is asked that very same question later in the chapter, and One of the 24 elders answers it for him.
[00:09:33] Even still, there are a lot of wise and godly people who have reached different views on on who these people are, and there's room for disagreement.
[00:09:44] You may reach a different conclusion than me. And that's okay, as long as we all agree on the main points and we agree not to be divisive about any point of disagreement for several reasons. I understand the 144,000 of verses 4 to 8 to be the same group as the great multitude from every tribe, tongue and Nation. In verses 9:10.
[00:10:08] We don't have time to go through all of those reasons, but I will give you just a few of them. Since the number 144,000 is a symbolic number of completion in the Bible, then it would be consistent to say that the group itself is also a symbolic group, a symbolic of completion. That means these aren't literal Jews from the twelve literal tribes of Israel, which makes sense given the unique features of of this list.
[00:10:37] Another reason why I believe this is the same group of people is because of an important parallel between Revelation 5 and Revelation 7. In Revelation chapter 5, verses 5 through 6, John says he heard about a lion, but when he looked, he saw a lamb.
[00:10:59] Both refer to the same person, Jesus.
[00:11:03] And so here in Revelation 7:4, John hears about the 144,000. But if you look down at verse nine, he sees a great multitude of people.
[00:11:16] So it seems likely that they refer to the same group. And if that's the case, then what we have here are two different angles on the same group of people. Just as calling Jesus the lion and the Lamb emphasize different aspects of his character, the so these two descriptions emphasize different aspects of the Church's character. The first description is of the 144,000. It's a countable group. This emphasizes the fact that there is a specific number of people that God will save.
[00:11:52] God knows those who are his, and he knows how many are his. He is the good Shepherd. He will leave the 99 for the 1. Because he knows he has 100 sheep, he will not lose any of the souls who belong to him. He will save them all.
[00:12:13] So the 144,000 refers to the Church as the new spiritual Israel.
[00:12:20] The second description is of the great multitude from every tribe, tongue and nation. It's an uncountable group. No one can number it other than God, of course, which emphasizes the vastness of God's mercy. He has fulfilled his promise to Abraham that he would become the father of a multitude of nations and that his descendants would be as numerous as the stars in the sky.
[00:12:49] So the great multitude refers to the Church as the spiritual offspring of Abraham, the made up of all the believers from all the nations.
[00:12:59] What emerges from these two different perspectives is a beautiful picture of the Church.
[00:13:05] The Church has been marked out from the world as those who belong to God.
[00:13:12] Since they are sealed by God, they can stand in God's judgment. The winds of God's judgment will not blow them away.
[00:13:22] They won't even touch them.
[00:13:25] So what that means is if you're one of God's people, if you are part of his church, then you have nothing to be afraid of.
[00:13:35] You can stand firm even when it feels like your knees are buckling.
[00:13:41] Think about it this way.
[00:13:43] You may be a new believer with lots of excitement about Jesus, but also some hesitancy about telling others about your new faith.
[00:13:54] Maybe you've got a lot of friends or family who are unbelievers or who come from a different religious background.
[00:14:01] And so you wonder what they will say or what they'll think, what they might even do if you tell them that you've become a Christian.
[00:14:09] You may have some hesitancy, some fear about how you'll be able to face them if you go through with baptism.
[00:14:17] But listen to what this text is saying.
[00:14:21] One day you will confidently stand before God and be able to face Him.
[00:14:30] If you can stand before God, then you can certainly stand for your faith and face your unbelieving friends and family.
[00:14:39] Or you might find yourself in a different situation.
[00:14:42] You might have been a believer for a long time, but you're ensnared in some kind of secret sin.
[00:14:48] You're living a lie on the outside. You look like a good Christian, but you have some kind of secret addiction.
[00:14:55] It could be to gambling or to some kind of substance, or to pornography or to something else. It could be a sinful lifestyle choice or sinful relationship that you've kept hidden.
[00:15:08] You know it's wrong. You know you need to confess.
[00:15:12] But you're scared to death to face your spouse or your parents or your boss and tell them what's going on.
[00:15:21] But if you know that one day you will stand face to face with God and be protected from his judgment, then you don't have to fear what their judgment. You can face your spouse or parents or boss and tell them the truth and ask for their forgiveness and for their help.
[00:15:42] No amount of suffering or sin can knock you down forever because you will stand before God forever with the Church from every tribe, tongue and nation.
[00:15:56] The church will stand because the church has been sealed by God.
[00:16:04] But how can they stand?
[00:16:06] How did they get sealed?
[00:16:08] That answer is in the next section, verses 9 through 14.
[00:16:12] Let's start by taking a closer look at this second description of the church. In verses 9 and 10, John writes, After this I looked and behold a great multitude that no One could number from every nation, from all tribes and peoples and languages.
[00:16:29] One day, the great commission to make disciples from all nations will be fulfilled.
[00:16:37] God's glory is magnified when it is recognized not just by one people group, from one place at one point in time, but rather when it is recognized by the Church from all people groups, from all places, from all of history.
[00:16:55] Notice they are standing before the throne and before the Lamb. Just in case we missed it. John makes it crystal clear that it's the Church who can stand here. We see them standing clothed in white robes, which symbolize their purity. They are clothed in the righteousness of Jesus.
[00:17:15] This particular type of garment referred to here would have been the same kind of clothing or worn by priests or kings.
[00:17:23] In their hands are palm branches which symbolize victory.
[00:17:28] We see the Jewish people celebrating this way at the Feast of Booths or at the triumphal entry of Jesus.
[00:17:34] To this day, there are tribes around the world that celebrate special occasions by holding palm branches.
[00:17:41] This joyful celebration of the Church is a sharp contrast to to the fearful desperation of the lost. At the end of chapter six, the lost are crying out in panic for the rocks to fall on them and hide them from the face of God. But the church is standing face to face with God and crying out in joy, as verse 10 says, crying out with a loud voice, salvation belongs to our God, whose Son throne and to the Lamb.
[00:18:17] The church knows where their salvation comes from, not from them.
[00:18:22] They don't praise themselves for being good enough or smart enough or rich enough or religious enough.
[00:18:30] No. Instead they give all the credit to God. They praise God alone for saving them.
[00:18:38] And as they worship God, look how the angels respond in verses 11 and 12.
[00:18:44] And all the angels were standing around the throne and around the elders and the four living creatures. And they fell on their faces before the throne and worshiped God. It's a call and response. The church calls out in praise and the angels respond with praise and pay attention to what they say in verse 12, saying amen.
[00:19:07] They start with a strong affirmation that what the Church has just declared is true. They agree that salvation belongs to God alone.
[00:19:17] And then the angels continue their praise this way, saying blessing and glory and wisdom and thanksgiving and honor and power and might be to our God forever and ever. Amen.
[00:19:30] Notice that there are seven attributes listed here.
[00:19:35] Seven is another symbolic number of completion in the Bible, whereas today we might say it's 10 out of 10. Back then they would say a 7 out of 7. So the angels respond with complete praise for our Perfect God.
[00:19:52] In the following verses, John tells us about his conversation with one of the 24 elders. We go from this wide angle lens zoomed in on this one conversation.
[00:20:03] John is asked the same question that we were all wondering, who are all these people?
[00:20:08] The elder asks it this way in verse 13.
[00:20:11] Then one of the elders addressed me, saying, who are these clothed in white robes and from where have they come?
[00:20:18] He actually asked John two questions. He asked them for the identity and for the origin of this group. John plays it safe with his reply, very humbly says, I said to him, sir, you know?
[00:20:32] And he said to me, these are the ones coming out of the Great Tribulation.
[00:20:36] That's the answer to the question about their origin, where they came from.
[00:20:41] And once again, there are a lot of wise, godly people who have different opinions on the nature and extent of what this elder means by the Great Tribulation.
[00:20:52] And once again, I will remind you it's okay if you disagree with me as long as we are not disagreeable.
[00:21:00] Some people see the Great Tribulation as a period of intense suffering at the end of human history.
[00:21:08] Others see it as a description of all the suffering of the Church throughout all of history.
[00:21:15] I lean toward that second opinion because I understand the great multitude here to be the entire Church, not just the Christians that endured some kind of intense suffering at the very end of history.
[00:21:28] If you reach a different conclusion, that's okay, because it's not the point anyway. The point is not when the Tribulation happened. The point is that they remained faithful through it. They endured to the end. They kept the faith, they finished the race.
[00:21:48] That's what the Book of Revelation is trying to encourage all of us to do.
[00:21:53] Even more important than where they're coming from is how they got there, how they can stand before God. The elder tells us how at the end of verse 14, he says, they have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.
[00:22:12] Our sins have stained our souls.
[00:22:16] But as we just sang not that long ago, there is a fountain filled with blood drawn from Emmanuel's veins.
[00:22:26] And sinners plunged beneath that flood lose all their guilty stains, all of them.
[00:22:37] By faith in Jesus Christ we are washed clean by his blood that was shed on our behalf.
[00:22:46] The cross.
[00:22:48] On the cross Jesus stood in our place and let the winds of God's judgment blow him away.
[00:22:59] And after he died, they laid his dead body in a tomb.
[00:23:04] Until on the third day, he stood up and walked right out of that grave.
[00:23:11] And right now he is standing in Heaven alive and well.
[00:23:18] That's the good news of the gospel. Jesus stood in our place and took the wrath of God for our sins so that by faith in him we can stand before God's throne, covered with his righteousness forever.
[00:23:38] And do you know what the Bible says happens when you repent and believe in Jesus as your Lord and Savior?
[00:23:48] Do you know what happens?
[00:23:50] Listen to this. Ephesians 1:13, 14 says, in him that is in Christ, you also, when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and believed in Him.
[00:24:06] We're sealed with the promised Holy Spirit who is the guarantee of our inheritance until we acquire possession of it to the praise of his glory. Paul uses the same original word there for sealing that John uses here in Revelation 7. Do you know what that means? It means if you repent and believe in Jesus, then you will be sealed. You will be sealed with the Holy Spirit by the blood of the Lamb.
[00:24:40] No wonder the church is crying out that salvation belongs to our God who sits on the throne and to the Lamb. How could they not? But here's the thing that salvation doesn't start when we get to heaven. It starts the very moment you repent and believe.
[00:24:59] So we don't have to wait until we get to heaven to start praising God with our brothers and sisters in Christ from all over the world. We can do that every Sunday morning with our brothers and sisters in Christ from all over Madison County. We don't have to wait until we're surrounded by angels to declare that salvation comes from the Lamb that was slain.
[00:25:23] We can declare that good news to the unbelievers that surround us at work or at school or in the neighborhood.
[00:25:32] That's how you can stand and sing praises to God even when you are going through intense suffering.
[00:25:43] That's how you can stand and sing praises on Sunday morning even when you don't feel like it, even when it's hard.
[00:25:52] Because you know that no matter what comes your way, you are sealed by the blood of the Lamb.
[00:26:02] And that's how you can stand up for Jesus. When your friends or co workers or family make fun of you for trying to be a faithful Christian and making decisions that honor Christ, let them hurl their insults at you. Because you don't talk a certain way or act a certain way or dress a certain way or watch certain shows or read certain books, they may be able to convince others to think less of you.
[00:26:29] But they can't convince God to think less of you because you are sealed by the blood of the Lamb.
[00:26:39] And that's how you can stand firm even when sinful temptations come your way to lie on your taxes, or to envy your neighbors, or to gossip with your friends. When the temptation comes, you remind yourself that you are sealed by the blood of the Lamb, and you turn away from the fleeting pleasures of sin to the eternal joys that are yours in Christ.
[00:27:07] We get a glimpse of those eternal joys in the final verses of chapter seven, and it's there that we see why the Church will stand.
[00:27:18] The elder ends the previous section by saying that the Church has washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb. And then comes this all important word to start verse 15.
[00:27:29] Therefore, that word could be translated for that reason, or that is how they are before the throne of God. The word standing is implied here, so we could even say that is how they are standing before the throne of God. It's by the blood of the Lamb.
[00:27:50] The rest of these verses tell us why they will stand before God. One reason why is so they will, the text says, serve him day and night in his temple.
[00:28:02] That's why we'll be wearing the white robes instead of suits and ties, or instead of carhartts and boots, or instead of scrubs and stethoscopes.
[00:28:13] What you wear says something about who you are and what you do. In the past, the only people who wore robes like these were either priests or kings.
[00:28:26] So if you were wearing a robe like this, that meant you were part of the priesthood or part of the royalty.
[00:28:34] And for all eternity, because of Jesus, we will be part of both.
[00:28:41] First Peter, chapter 2, verse 9 says, but you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, marked out that you might proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light.
[00:29:01] Now and into eternity. We will serve God as royal priests, clothed with the perfect righteousness of Christ. And together with the church from all the nations, we will proclaim the excellencies of Jesus.
[00:29:17] It's only because we've been sealed by the blood of Jesus that we can be there and serve him forever.
[00:29:25] Think about it this way. In the ancient Jewish temple, the high priest, who was one Jewish man from one specific tribe, could once a year momentarily enter into the partial presence of God before the Ark of God by sprinkling the blood of a spotless goat.
[00:29:46] But by the blood of the spotless Lamb of God, by the blood of Jesus, all Christians, male and female, from all nations, from all tribes, will be in the full presence of God before the throne of God, day and night forever.
[00:30:09] That is the power of the blood of the Lamb of God.
[00:30:16] But the focus of these verses isn't so much on how we will serve God as much as it is on how God will serve us.
[00:30:26] Look at the rest of verse 15.
[00:30:28] And he who sits on the throne will shelter them with his presence, because God will shelter us. Verse 16 can say, they shall hunger no more, neither thirst anymore. The sun shall not strike them, nor any scorching heat.
[00:30:48] We will be in our forever home with our Heavenly Father.
[00:30:53] He will take care of us. That means no more hunger pains, no more parched mouths, no more heat exhaustion, no more sunburns, no more skin cancer.
[00:31:05] Verse 17 says for, or could say, because the Lamb in the midst of the throne will be there.
[00:31:14] Shepherd.
[00:31:15] Remember what Jesus said in John chapter 10.
[00:31:19] He said that he is the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep.
[00:31:27] Jesus is both the Lamb of God who takes away our sins and the shepherd of God who cares for our souls.
[00:31:39] The verse continues. He will guide them to springs of living water.
[00:31:44] Remember what Jesus said in John chapter four.
[00:31:47] He said that he is the source of living water, that whoever drinks of the water he gives will never be thirsty again.
[00:31:58] Jesus will take care of us and satisfy us forever.
[00:32:04] And as if it couldn't get any better, verse 17 ends with these incredible words.
[00:32:11] And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes.
[00:32:19] Have you shed any tears this past week?
[00:32:23] Have you ever cried beside the grave of a loved one?
[00:32:28] Have you ever been so sad or in so much pain that all you could do was cry like a good Father wipes away the tears from his child's eyes.
[00:32:41] Your Heavenly Father is going to wipe away your tears in the new heavens and new earth for all eternity. There will be no more tears because there will be no more crying, no more sadness, no more pain, no more sorrow, no more suffering.
[00:33:01] Psalm 16:11 says, in your presence there is fullness of joy, and at your right hand are pleasures forevermore.
[00:33:13] And that's what these verses are describing for us. They are describing the fullness of joy that the Church will experience because they will stand in God's presence.
[00:33:24] And at the right hand of the throne of God are pleasures forevermore in Christ.
[00:33:32] So why will the Church stand before God? So they can serve God. Yes. But even greater than that, it is so they can stand with fullness of joy in the presence of God and glorify him forever. That's why. For God's global glory and. And your Eternal joy.
[00:33:55] This glimpse of tomorrow is meant to fill us with hope for today.
[00:34:00] If you're here this morning and you're not a Christian, I pity you.
[00:34:06] Especially if you've adopted a secular view of the world.
[00:34:11] This sinful, fallen world is full of so much sorrow and suffering, I don't know how you can even get out of bed in the morning.
[00:34:21] I really don't. Because the modern secular worldview has zero hope.
[00:34:28] In the end, you die and that's it. It's all over.
[00:34:33] If that's the case, then what's the point of life in the end? Scientists tell us millions of years from now, the sun will expand and blast away our atmosphere, and all the collective achievements of all of human history will go up in smoke.
[00:34:49] And if that's the case, then what was the point of it all?
[00:34:54] The modern secular worldview has no answer. Because in their view of the world, we're all headed nowhere.
[00:35:03] But that is not what the Bible says.
[00:35:07] The Christian worldview based on God's Word says that we are all going somewhere.
[00:35:17] It says our lives have deep meaning and purpose because this life is not all that there is.
[00:35:25] If we are sealed with the Holy Spirit by faith in Jesus, then we are on our way to eternal joy with God.
[00:35:35] And every day until that day comes is filled with deep meaning and purpose because he has given us good works to do for his glory and the good of others.
[00:35:47] He has given us neighbors to bless, jobs to work, gifts to enjoy, families to love, institutions to build, communities to improve, churches to serve. And above all else. And a mission to complete.
[00:36:07] Our mission is to join in Christ's mission, to make disciples of Jesus from every tribe and tongue and nation. This passage gives us hope that not only will the church successfully complete that mission, but that every single sacrifice we make along the way will be worth it every day.
[00:36:32] We can lay down our lives for the sake of others because we know that we will stand with Jesus forever.
[00:36:45] Because Jesus stood in our place on the cross and is standing in heaven right now.
[00:36:52] There is strength for today and bright hope for tomorrow.
[00:36:58] That's the whole point of Revelation chapter 7.
[00:37:02] The point is, the church from every tribe and tongue and nation can and will stand before the throne of God in everlasting joy because we have been sealed by the blood of the Lamb.
[00:37:19] Or if you want a simpler version of that, you can stick in your pocket and take home with you.
[00:37:23] The point of Revelation 7 is this.
[00:37:26] The church will stand because Jesus stands.
[00:37:33] So if you are here today and you are in Christ then no matter how bad it gets, no matter how hard it is, you can stand for Jesus today because you will stand with Jesus forever.
