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Revelation 7:14: All my trials, soon be over.

¹⁴ I answered, ‘Sir, you know.’ And he said, ‘These are they who have come out of the great tribulation; they have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.NIV

This morning, as I read a part of this chapter out loud, at a prayer meeting, I realised that the last book in the Bible is given to us to wash in, to bathe in, to soak in. We are to breathe in its atmosphere; move to its music and enter into its exuberant worship – join in with that numberless multitude, even now.

We may not be able to understand all its details; and some things we fail to grasp now may become clearer as history moves forward towards the return of Christ. But even without full understanding, ‘Revelation’ can sink into our pores and change us.

Since the turn of the year, I have been spending regular time in this book, and I realise that the other world (just through ‘Narnia’s door, as I keep saying) has become more real to me than ever. This is the effect it is having on me. It has not come about, however, because I understand everything, but just by allowing ‘Revelation’ to wash over me. I’m not saying we shouldn’t seek to understand, but the Apocalypse is likely to affect you in ways beyond understanding. Seek to live in its realities. There is a blessing for those who read it, hear it and take it to heart (1:3)

The other side of the wardrobe door will see an end to all our troubles:

‘’These are they who have come out of the great tribulation…’’ (14a).

Jesus could not have been clearer in stating that in this world His disciples will have trouble. Whether we face the last great tribulation in human history, or smaller days of tribulation on route, we can be sure we will come out the other side. Jesus has overcome the world.

Someone said that John was writing to prepare the churches to go through a nightmare time. But the assurance is that one day they will wake up in the very presence of God. God’s people on earth, though sealed by Him, are not necessarily safe from suffering; but they will come safely through, and find themselves in a wonderful place – a prepared place (John 14) we’ll consider in more detail over the next few days.

Revelation 7:9: Prevailing church

^“After this I looked, and there before me was a great multitude that no one could count, from every nation, tribe, people and language, standing before the throne and before the Lamb. They were wearing white robes and were holding palm branches in their hands.”

We have seen that in both sections of Revelation 7 we are probably looking at the church. Verses 1-8 deal with the church on earth, but from verse 9 it’s the church in ‘heaven’ we are seeing – in that other realm, just beyond the doorway of death.

Jesus declared to Peter that He would build His church, and the gates of hell would not prevail against it. The context for this book of Revelation is that the gates of hell are battling hard against the church and trying to win. But they cannot.

This ninth verse encourages us in our missionary endeavour. In spite of all the opposition that comes our way; even if the enemy does his very worst, there will be people in heaven ‘’from every nation, tribe, people and language’’.

PRAYER: Lord, help us to trust your Word and not, at times, our own defeatist feelings.

Revelation 7:1-8: Sealed.

This is a helpful quote from ‘Search the Scriptures’:

‘Before the revelation of further judgments, two visions are interposed for the comfort of believers. In all that has been shown so far, nothing has been said of the church, except with regard to those who have been martyred. The passage shows the church first in this life, on earth, and so always limited in number (verses 1-8), and then, numberless, in heaven, having life for evermore.’

So it seems like we are looking at the church in both halves of this chapter. The sealing (2,3) it would seem, is with the Names of God and the Lamb (14:1). The seal is the mark of ownership. The church belongs to God, and will be protected from the power of Satan. Paul writes in a number of places about believers being sealed with the Holy Spirit. We have the seal of the whole Trinity upon us.

Tom Hale explains: ‘This sealing will not save them from suffering and death, but it will give them the right to enter heaven.’ ‘The Applied New Testament Commentary’, p.974.

It is not helpful to take the 144,000 literally. In the Bible this number speaks of completeness, as does the number 7. Here it stands for the whole church, the ‘’Israel of God’’ (see Matthew 19:28; Romans 2:28, 29; Galatians 3:29; 6:16; Philippians 3:3; 1 Peter 2:9).

Remember, God is in control of nature ( v.1; see 14:18; 16:5; Hebrews 1:7). No harm can come to God’s people unless (or until) He permits it. God knows His own and can protect them (Ezekiel 9:3-6; John 6:27; 10:27-29; Revelation 9:4).

‘God’s people are not always saved from trial, but they are kept safe in it.’ F.B. Meyer: ‘Devotional Commentary’, p.639.

Let this thought encourage you!