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I want to invite you to Revelation chapter seven is where we’re at together today. Revelation chapter seven. When, as we get ready to engage a a rather interesting chapter of the Bible. And, you know, I have jokingly said this, but it’s a little bit serious that I think there’s going to be a point probably in eternity, or there should be, at least, I think, where we all gather together before the throne of the Lord, and we just collectively apologize for what we’ve done to the book of Revelation. Like this. Some some people get really fixated on this book in a way that God never intended. They they take some of this imagery and just go off on some weird trail that is, is some of the strangest things. And, and there’s even, I think, been religious groups that have like developed that I would not even say are Christian groups. They just kind of grabbed ahold of Revelation, came up with some wild concepts and created their own little group out of that. And and that’s what they’ve become. And, and I think the book of Revelation is the most beautiful book in all of all of the Bible. It is an incredible book. When you begin to understand what apocalyptic literature is and what John is doing in this story. And I’ve encouraged you that if you’ve ever read the Book of Revelation and your take away from it was the world’s coming to an end. Let’s let’s live in doomsday, build a bunker and hunker down till it’s over.
Your interpretation of Revelation, though I’m glad you’ve read the book, might need some encouragement, because what Revelation is, is this is a book written to a persecuted church, and John has written this book to encourage them in worship and hope. They’re certainly warning here, as if you if you don’t belong to Jesus, God’s judgment is coming, which we’re going to look at a little bit more of that today. And so there’s certainly a sobering reality of considering where you are in relationship to Jesus. But if you belong to the Lord, this is a book of tremendous hope for his people, seeing how God culminates his redemptive story for all of history, right? This is really the faithfulness of God, fulfilling everything that he promised to us. And so this is an incredibly powerful book that has been rich for God’s people throughout the centuries to encourage us in worship, no matter the adversity we might face. And so when you come to this book, I feel like, you know, there’s there’s a bit of an apology. God’s people might owe for some of the things that we’ve done in this book. And I would say one of the chapters, when I give that kind of comment, one of those, one of the chapters that that I feel like brings that to the surface more than any other is chapter seven, which is where we find ourselves together today.
Revelation chapter seven. So we’re going to talk about a very interesting section of Scripture and get to discover what it means. But when we go through this book as a way of reminder, if you remember in chapter four and five, we sort of pulled back the curtain of heaven. It’s like John’s writing to us, exposing to us what’s happening in heaven in light of what’s happening here on earth. And what you see in Revelation chapter four and five Is God ruling and reigning on his throne? You see this lamb that was victorious? He was he was killed, but he is alive. He was resurrected and now he’s ruling from his throne. And it’s incredibly important for God’s people to understand the power of the resurrection in their life. But, but, but it then begs the question, If God is ruling and reigning, then. Then why is the world the way it is today? All of the brokenness and sinfulness that’s happening? Why, why, why do all these terrible things continue to happen if God is on his throne? And in Revelation chapter six, we were reminded of of this, this empire, that is, this world representation of the brokenness of humanity through really a picture John paints of Babylon, that Babylon has become this story told over and over throughout the Bible of a a fallen world, that when we we have two kingdoms that we can live for, it’s God’s kingdom, or the kingdom of this world.
And the way this kingdom of this world operates is that human beings living for their own glory rather than God’s glory. And you see this beginning from the very beginning of Genesis with Adam and Eve and throughout all of Scripture, that when we live for our glory, it’s to the detriment of each other that we tend to treat one another as tools to serve our purposes because of what we want being more important than those around us. And we look for the purpose of life within ourselves, and we become sort of the focus of life, and therefore we worship our own glory. And the result of that is, is it’s detrimental to really God’s design for everything and even our own soul. But it’s not until we we look beyond ourselves to the reason we’re created in a creator, and we find our identity in him and what he has done for us, that we find the real freedom for which we have been created. And so John’s got this picture of, we live in a fallen Babylon, and this fallen Babylon, though, hasn’t thwarted God from fulfilling his plan and promises for us. And so we come to the end of Revelation four and five and we’re thinking, okay, God’s on his throne. But why is still this brokenness existing today? And then we find out in Revelation chapter six that it’s still there, but God is still in control. And you saw this at the beginning of Revelation when, when when Jesus breaks the seals of the scroll.
If you remember in Revelation five, there comes this scroll with seven seals on it. And John, he sees this scroll, but no one can open the scroll. And John is weeping. He’s in a place of despair because he realizes this scroll is the end of history. This is how God culminates and fulfills all of his promises. And if no one can open the scroll, the story can’t end. And therefore God’s promises are void. And so he’s in this place of despair. But suddenly then, the Lamb of God opens the seal. And it’s a it’s a reminder that though we live in a broken world, God is still in control to the point that he’s going to bring his judgment. He’s going to deliver his justice, the wrath of God. And that’s where Revelation chapter six ends, is dealing with the wrath of God, in fact, the wrath of God. So much in Revelation six declares God’s authority and power that the ending question to Revelation chapter six is this for the great day of their wrath has come, and who can stand? It’s a very sobering question to consider, and we’ve talked about the wrath of God and and very clearly have said, God’s God’s wrath is important to his goodness, that if anyone’s ever brought an injustice against you and and you were to go to to court over it, and the judge would look at the the person that has made you a victim and say to that person, I know that you’re guilty, but I’m going to do nothing about it.
You would look at that judge and say, that judge is not good because there’s no justice executed. And the same is true for God. When you look at the brokenness of this world, if he does not execute justice in his holiness against the against the sinfulness of this world, then he cannot be good. But when he finally comes to deliver his wrath, the response and seeing his overwhelming authority is who? Who can stand? And this is an important question for all of us to consider in light of our own relationship with the Lord. Because oftentimes the way we as human beings reach some sort of answer to this is to sort of evaluate ourselves from a, from a horizontal level. And what I mean by that is we look at people around us and we say, well, you know, I’m not as bad as them. So since I’m not as bad as them and I’m on the better side of living life, then I’m probably okay. In fact, we’ll even create our own religious rules related to that. Sort of like this box of checking things off to to demonstrate just how good I am. And sometimes we’ll carry this thought well, as long as I’m more than half good. Meaning most of my deeds are are more good than bad, then I’m over that sort of that 50% mark.
Whatever, whatever that is, then I’m probably going to be okay enough to continue on. But those guys over there, you know, and so we compare ourselves on this sort of horizontal plane. But but in reality that that comparison is not what God is judging his standard of holiness. Rather, God’s call for us is to look vertically and understand who we are in light of who he is. And in comparison to a holy and perfect God, we are sinful people under his wrath and judgment. In fact, the Bible talks about this over and over. Knowing the the typical response of man is to react to a question like this from a religious framework, right? As long as you do good, that’s all that really matters, right? And I like to remind us in that sort of response, that we’re undermining and diminishing the significance of what Christ has done for us. Like, if that’s all that Matters, then why in the world would Jesus have to die for you? It seems like a pretty urgent response to your need, if that all that really mattered anyway was just that you were good. It would only make sense if that were the case. That Jesus, if he, if he chose to show up, would just show up and be like, we’re all my religious people. You know, like, just keep being good at religion, right? That’s what you would expect Jesus’s response to be, right.
But that’s not what he does. In fact, if you if you read the Gospels at all, what you understand is Jesus was most critical of the religious leaders. In fact, for those that might think it’s simply a performance of religion, if you just read, I don’t know any book of the Bible, you’ll find that peppered within Scripture. It’s a reminder that religion doesn’t bring you liberation, but rather it brings you judgment. In fact, in Isaiah chapter 64, verse six, it says, all of your righteous deeds are filthy rags before God. In Romans chapter three, verse ten, there is none righteous, no not one. In James chapter two, verse ten, it says, he who has fulfilled all the law, but is guilty of breaking one law. Just one law is guilty of all of it. And so it begs the question then, if religion doesn’t free me, what does? And what is pointing to the fact is saying, look, law, the law, the religious law was never intended to bring your freedom. It was only intended to show you how much you need the Lord to rescue you. You need grace. You need forgiveness. And no matter how good you do, you’re never going to undo the wrong that you’ve done. You need something outside of you to free you. And that’s the whole point of what Christ has done for us. Jesus didn’t come because I.
I found myself proving my worthiness to him. The Bible says he demonstrates himself to us. And while we were sinners, Christ died for us. In Romans five eight, I didn’t avail to him to the point where he was like, oh, I cannot resist, Nathaniel. He is so lovable. Right, here I come. You know, that’s not that’s not what Scripture says about Jesus. It’s not because of me. It’s despite me. I mean, the Bible tells you in first John chapter four, God is love. And the whole point of love is that love gives itself away. The nature of God is sacrificial towards us in our brokenness. And so this question of who can stand is. It’s an important one for all of us to reflect on in seriousness over, over the fact that God’s God’s wrath and judgment must take place for God to be good, but to also consider, where am I? In light of who he is? Am I am I free, or do I need to have concern over my state of my relationship before the Lord. In Revelation chapter seven today, then in light of that, we’re going to talk about what do I do when I’m worried about my future? Because this is where Romans, Revelation chapter six ends, right? What what do I do when I’m worried about my future? Let me give you a point. Number one in your notes. This is kind of a weird one to start with, but I want to explain it.
Point number one is be sealed. Be sealed. Now, that is strange. And so we want to understand it from a biblical terminology. And some of us and, and maybe some upbringing or religious context, we might have, might have some baggage with that. So I want you to know, in, in terms of being sealed in Scripture, there’s only there’s only one place for the life of the believer that we should find this word. And it begins for us in in Revelation chapter one, chapter seven, verse 1 to 9. As he starts to lay out for us what, what this means as, as God’s people. And so Revelation seven one it 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. So if you remember, we in Revelation six talking about judgment, but but wandering that question, who can stand then before the holiness of God? He then takes this step back and he says, okay, let me explain. He talks about these four angels at the four corners of the earth. And we’ve we’ve discussed together what four means multiple times now. But by way of reminder, for the Jews, this number four represents a number of completeness. And he’s talking about the four corners of the earth. He’s talking about all of the earth.
So this is an all encompassing statement for all of the earth. And these angels here are are holding back the wind. Right. And this wind is symbolic of judgment for for just a moment, they’ve put the pause on judgment. And these angels are withholding it because they want you to understand something about answering this question. Who can stand before the Lord? And if you want any verses, these aren’t in your notes. But if you want some verses on how wind represents judgment and give you a couple here. Jeremiah 49, verse 36. Daniel seven, verse two. Hosea 13, verse 15. All verses related to wind, representing judgment. But, but these angels and these moments are holding it back. And and then it goes on in verse two and it says this. Then I saw another angel ascending from the rising of the sun with the seal of the living God. There’s the word right seal. 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. Now that’s a that’s a weird place to get a sealing, isn’t it? Um, you’re going to get not only just a sealing, but it’s particularly going to be where everyone’s going to see it all the time. It’s just it’s just there. Area. But. But when it talks to the ceiling, the idea of of its location is significant for for all of us to understand.
In fact, it will become even more relevant when you read Revelation chapter 13, because in Revelation 13 you’re going to read about the mark of the beast. You know, the mark of the beast. Six, six, six. I’ve watched people get really obsessive about even what this mark could be. They they think it’s a they start immediately thinking materialistically about what this could look like. And I’ve even over the last couple of decades, heard people get very fearful over the idea of computer chips and what they can mean for us. You know, if you’ve ever been a part of groups where they talk about, you know, you get a computer chip implanted in you and then the beast can track you wherever you go. And that’s the only way you’re going to buy things. I don’t know if you’ve ever heard people talk about this, but they talk about that being a mark. And so they’re like, never get a chip. You know, you never want that to happen to you. Um, I happen to think the mark of the beast is different than that. Um, only because there is a history to the idea of marking for the Jewish people. And what I mean by that is it was it’s customary for the Jewish people, especially during this time, to wear something called phylacteries. And in so doing they would wear.
They would wear this, this little container on their forehead and on their wrist, and they would bind it on their wrist. And inside of that phylactery would be it was the Word of God written there, and it was a reminder of what controlled them, who really owned them. It’s demonstrating the Word of God to say what you believe. You ultimately obey. And so. So it’s this picture of your life given over to the Lord. And in so doing, you are sealed to him. Now, in terms of understanding the sealing, we should ask the question, okay, what what exactly does that mean to be sealed then in belonging to the Lord, having having my my mind giving over to him that my my life would be surrendered to him? What does that sealing? What does it entail? And there’s several verses you could turn to in the Bible that talk about sealing, but I think some of the most powerful ones are in the book of Ephesians in Ephesians chapter one, verse 13, it says this in him talking about the Lord you also when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and believed in him. So this trusting in him. So it’s saying this, you recognize that question, who can? Who can stand before the Lord you need rescued? And then when you heard that message, that declaration, the gospel of deliverance that rescues you and you put your trust in what Jesus has done on your behalf, he he bore your sin on the cross, that you can find freedom in him when you when you understood that, and then you trusted in that, it says this you were sealed by by the Holy Spirit.
The promise of God came into you, and the Holy Spirit now indwells you. You have been sealed. You belong to him. He goes on further then in Ephesians 430 and it says this, do not grieve. Then the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. So now it’s saying to you that you’ve been sealed by God, that that the Spirit of God wants to work in your life. And rather than live contrary to that, rather than live for the Babylonian kingdom, you live for God’s kingdom, right? Don’t grieve the Holy Spirit. Don’t deny the work that he wants to do in your life, because one day you will come face to face with your King of Kings. You will see Jesus. And so therefore live like you already belong to him. That’s that’s what it’s encouraging you to in this passage. And so. So then it begs the question a little bit further. Okay. So, so help me understand sealing a little bit more. And the idea of sealing is, is important. We even practice a form of it today in terms of if you ever mail a letter, if you ever mail a letter to someone you know, you write their name on the envelope and you put a stamp on it, you seal it and you send it off.
And then legally, the only one that should be allowed to open that letter is the one to whom the letter is addressed, the one to whom the letter belongs. So the only one that should be able to break that seal is the one that should have possession of it. It’s been declared. And you’ve seen a picture of this. And even in Revelation chapter six, right? Jesus is brought the scroll with the seven seals, and the only one with the authority over that seal is God himself. In fact, John is weeping over this because no one has the authority. He thinks at all until he sees the lamb open the seal. And so this picture of of sealing and in the New Testament is more likened to a king. In Jesus’s day, when kings would reign and they would write a new law, they would put their seal upon it. And their seal was a way of demonstrating no one can undo or break this law, lest they be more powerful than the King. And so what? This the sealing becomes a a picture for all of us is is a a picture of of the security that you have in your relationship with God because of his authority. Who he is and what this means for you because of what he has accomplished on your behalf.
Your salvation is not about what he’s what you’ve done, but rather about what he has done for you. That when Jesus was hanging on the cross, he said, it is finished. Paid in full. There is nothing that you can add to what Christ has already accomplished on your behalf. Jesus is more than enough. And this this sealing is that declaration of you then being securely placed in him to recognize there is nothing. There is nothing that can take you away from the Lord, that once you belong to him, you always belong to him. For for many of us, this then becomes this place of of learning to become confident in who we are. If we have embraced what Christ has done on our behalf. Now, sometimes I get to have conversations with people that that might be struggling with their salvation. As if. Man, am I the exception to this. Like I know God says he seals me and no one then can break that seal. But but where am I in light of that? And I like to encourage us the way that we build our confidence in what it means to be saved in Christ. Get this is to stop looking at you, but rather look to the greatness of who he is. Become more confident in the authority and power of who the Lord is. I mean, there’s there’s a lot of Bible verses that encourage us in our faith in the Lord.
But one of one of my favorites is when Jesus said, faith, like a mustard seed, can move mountains. And if you know anything about seeds, especially in the region in which Jesus lives, the most underwhelming seed that existed in Israel was the mustard seed. It’s what we would call dinky, right? I mean, there’s there’s really nothing to it, but but but what he that’s the whole point of what he’s trying to identify for us is, look, it’s not about the size of your faith, but the size of your God. And when you take just a little bit of faith in the greatness of who God is, what God does with your faith is he grows it not because of you. You don’t have greater faith by looking more into your faith. You have greater faith by looking at him and what he’s accomplished on your behalf. And so this this idea of ceiling is this, this place for us to to begin to recognize how powerful it is that I’m held in the hand of God. And so the question then becomes, we should ask who then is really sealed? Who is this? Because in verse four he goes on a little further and he explains it to us. Right? And I have heard the number of the sealed. Alright, who is this? And he says it like this 144,000 sealed from every tribe of the sons of Israel. And that’s it.
Just 144,000, right? So we better work hard to make sure. No, I’m kidding. So but here’s the important question. Who is this 144,000? Because this is one of those passages that I will tell you. I think people get it wrong because many people take this, this number to be very literal, as if God’s like, could you imagine this? If you’re like and he says 144,000 from Israel. And then in chapter 14 of Revelation, he goes on and says 144,000 male Virgin Jews. So so that even cuts it down further. Like ladies, you’re done. But only 144,000 male virgin Jews. So? So what does that mean? Like, could you could you imagine you’re coming before God and you’re like, okay, here I am, Lord 144,001. He’s like, I’m sorry, we’re closed. Right. You cannot come in. This is this was it. I was only planning for this many. No room for you in heaven, you know, or or whatever he’s talking about here. So? So 144,000. Some people think this is very a very literal number. Um, in fact, there was a time recently, sometime within when I say recent in the last decade. I don’t know when exactly, but I was at the Legacy Center playing basketball with a group of people. I had no idea who they were. And about, I don’t know, halfway through the second game, I’m asking them a little bit about themselves and who they were, and come to find out, I’m everyone else on the two teams is Jehovah’s Witness but me and.
And as soon as they tell me that I my immediate response was, oh really? I’m one of the 144,000 like that. And I had a I had some family members that were Jehovah’s Witnesses. So I know a little bit about it, but but, um, I know something about the hundred and 44,000. If I thought about it, I probably shouldn’t have led with that. But the most naive person in the group looked back at back at me. And just as serious as could be goes. How did you know? Like this. And and then my response is, is because I read Revelation seven, right? Like, I know what it’s saying here. And the whole point of that is Jehovah’s Witness. If you don’t know, take this as a very literal number. And they think that for the good Jehovah’s Witness, they’re going to kind of rule the earth, and the really good ones get to rule with God in heaven. And that’s only 144,000 and that’s it. And so when I came in and said I was one of those, they were like, whoa, you know, that’s amazing. Can I touch you? Um, but so so what does this mean? Is this a is this a literal number? Um, what how do we interpret this? And he goes on and lists the children of Israel, and I’m thankful he does this because he’s saying to us, look, God’s still got a plan for his chosen people, Israel, for certain ethnic Israel particularly.
But but even more than that, we’re going to see in a minute. But here he is listing the numbers, and he says a 12,000 equaling 144,000, which is 12 times 12 times 1000 or 12. What was it, 12. I’m forgetting the math. 12 times. 12 times a thousand. There you go. There you go. It gets the point. But here’s here’s here’s what he’s saying is, is this is a really big number in a in a world like today where we play more with like monopoly money in your country, just prints in more dollars when they need it. A thousand a thousand back then is a significant number. And so this is what he’s saying. This is this is a whole lot of people. Right. But but the question is but who really who really is sealed. And one of the things I think is important for interpreting this passage is understanding how John is communicating here and in Revelation chapter five. He already helped us understand how to interpret Revelation seven. If you remember Revelation five. He’s describing for us the throne room of God and one of the elders, one of the 24 elders around the throne comes to John and says, this. One of the elders said to me, weep no more. Behold, the lion of the tribe of Judah has conquered, right? So one of the elders says, is the key word here to John.
The lion of the tribe of Judah has been victorious. So don’t worry. Right. You’re going to be victorious because he’s been victorious. So this is what he’s saying to John. John’s like, yeah, a lion. I mean, everybody’s afraid of a lion. He wins. And then when John turns to actually look at the lion, verse six, it goes and says, and between the throne and the four living creatures and among the elders, I saw a lamb standing as though it had been slain. Now that is way different than a lion, isn’t it? Like you hear a lion, you’re like, yeah, nobody’s going to beat my animal. And you turn around and look, you’re like, except for this is a lamb, right? That’s that is a bizarre thing to have, like one person say lamb and you turn and see a lion. What in the world? Who is correct in that? And the answer is both of them. Jesus is both of those things. He is an incredibly powerful lion, and the way he was victorious is by being humbled like a lamb to give his life for you and for me and overcame the grave. Jesus is both of those things. But here’s what’s important to see in Revelation five. He hears. He hears lion, but he sees lamb. And when you look at Revelation chapter seven, verse four, and you look at Revelation chapter seven, verse nine, you see the same thing.
John says, I heard the number of 144,000 Jewish people. But then after this I looked, and behold, a great multitude that no one could number from every nation, from all tribes and peoples and languages, standing before the throne and before the lamb, clothed in white robes. And here’s the question again whose correct is it? 144,000. Or is it every tribe, tongue and language? And the answer is yes. It’s both of those. And this is precisely what John wants us to understand, is that God has been working his story of redemption and the fallenness of Babylon from the beginning, and he has been faithful to fulfill what he has promised, and no one in him is lost. The Jewish people from which the Messiah would come blessing all tribes, tongues and languages. In fact, that’s exactly what God said to Abraham in Genesis chapter 17, verse 4 to 6 that Abraham through you will come one and every nation, people, group on earth will be blessed because of him. And so God is saying in this story that he is fulfilling his promises, that all of his people belong, sealed, redeemed in him. No one is lost. And the encouragement that in this passage is, as we consider the question, who can stand? Is to recognize that that our position in Jesus is essential, and that sealing is that picture of belonging to him and belonging to him forever, that I cannot be lost when I’m in Christ, because Christ is more than enough.
Galatians chapter three, verse 28 says it like this. There is neither Jew nor Greek. There is neither slave nor free. There is neither male nor female. For we, you are all one in Christ. And if you are Christ’s, then you are Abraham’s offspring, heirs according to his promise. So? So here’s what’s important to understand. There is ethnic Israel, certainly. And God cares about ethnic Israel. And there’s also spiritual Israel declaring to us, God also cares about every tribe, tongue, and language. And God, God, God’s desire is for the gospel to bring salvation to all of our life, that we could be secure, sealed in him. So? So if we’re we’re struggling with our position before God number one, be sealed. Let me give you point number two then. And these next two points will go much quicker. Is worship securely. Worship securely. And it goes on in Revelation chapter seven, verse nine. The second half of the verse, it says, with palm branches in their hands and crying out with a loud voice, salvation belongs to our God, who sits on the throne, and to the lamb, and the angels who 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, saying, Amen, Blessing and glory and wisdom and thanksgiving and honor and power, and might be to our God forever and ever. Amen.
In this story, this this section, what what I think is so, so important, especially when you think in terms of worshiping securely, is is this it begins with this, this position of God’s people in heaven worshiping with palm branches. And I love that imagery, because when you study in the Gospels, and you remember when Jesus walked into Jerusalem for the last time as the Passover lamb, John chapter 12, it tells us he’s journeying into Jerusalem with the Jewish people. The Jewish people would have been singing the Psalms of Ascent as they go into Jerusalem, which includes the psalm that says, Hosanna! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord. Only this time, as they’re singing those Psalms of ascent and they’re singing Hosanna! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord. They’re literally doing it with Jesus among them. And as they’re worshiping and praising Jesus, who’s coming into Jerusalem as that Passover lamb. It tells us they have palm branches in their hands in celebration. The palm branches are that that sign of joy and celebration. But we discover in the Gospels the same people who who praised him as he came into Jerusalem were the same people who denied him and cursed him. Just a few days later, they abandoned him. But here, finally, we see God’s people getting it right. Coming before the Lord with jubilation because of what Christ has done for us. They’re worshiping him. And and I love the way that they describe it in this passage.
It says that salvation. Look at this belongs to our God. So the reason I can worship securely, and the reason you should be able to worship securely is not because of who I am, but because of who he is. I mean, Hebrews chapter four encourages this this way as God’s people to come boldly to the throne of grace. And so when you come in on a Sunday morning, you may have come in here thinking, man, you’ve been blowing it a lot lately. You’ve done a lot of things wrong, and you really need Jesus today. And you hope God’s not mad at you and and you’re kind of stressed out and you got a little bit of guilt and shame because of it. And you’re just thinking about those things and you’re wondering, how is God going to receive me? And the response for all of us, again, is to stop looking at yourself and start looking at him, because what God is most interested in is, is your heart. He’s interested in your life. And when you understand the significance of what Jesus has done for you, he bore your guilt and sin and shame on the cross so that you wouldn’t have to carry it. So more than anything, is what God desires for you is to connect with him. And so we can worship securely, not because our salvation is on our hands and trying to avail ourselves to the grace of God, but it rests in his hands.
Salvation belongs to our God. And one of the things that I think communicates this most beautifully in this passage is the way it describes God’s posture in heaven. Anytime you ever read about God’s posture in heaven. It’s it’s communicating something God is doing or has already done for you. Meaning if you read about the Lord in heaven and he’s standing, it’s saying God is actively doing something. But if God is sitting, it’s saying God has already accomplished something. And look what it says about God in the story, who sits on the throne and to the lamb. This idea of God’s sitting on the throne is saying he’s already fulfilled your salvation, which is kind of interesting, knowing that the opening question here is who can stand? And my answer is God stands on your behalf. But he’s not really standing. He’s actually sitting because he’s already stood, right? The the idea of God’s sitting for you and for me, is this place of comfort to recognize that Jesus has this under control. I’m not here this morning to prove anything, but to freely embrace what he’s already given to me, and therefore I can worship securely, because I have been sealed by his mercy and grace washing over me. And so Revelation seven, that understanding becomes this, this, this powerful passage in our lives. So that in point number three, let me give you the last one.
We can serve joyfully. We can serve joyfully. I’m not trying to do things to make up for anything in my life, because Jesus has already done it on my behalf, but rather because he has done this for me. I get to then live for him freely in this world because. Because of God’s grace as he has lavished his love on me, then I get to respond by loving him in return, knowing I am, I am already confidently held in what Christ has done. And so in Revelation chapter seven, verse 13, it says, then one of the elders addressed me, saying, who are these clothed in white robes? And from where have they come? And I said to them, sir, you know. And he said to me, these are the ones coming out of the great tribulation. They have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the lamb. You know, God’s people have have certainly endured tribulation. The Lord promises there will be tribulation for his people. But we’re also seeing in this passage that it hasn’t thwarted God’s promises and plans for us, that he’s made us clean in the blood of the lamb. Which is kind of a double entendre, right? It’s like, um, we know blood doesn’t really literally clean anything, but it’s it’s representative of what Jesus’s blood is ultimately done. It was a substitute for your life and mine. Leviticus 17 tells you there is life in the blood.
Meaning when when something loses blood, it loses life. And Jesus ultimately willingly gave his life to take your place and mine. And so it’s this blood received in our in our lives that that cleanses us and gives us new life in him. And then he goes and describes this, this what God’s people have gone through as great tribulation. And I’ll let you know. There’s there’s a little bit of debate of what this great tribulation represents. Some people argue that, well, it’s not really talking about a specific time period, but the fact that God’s people have gone through tribulation and the duration of that tribulation is just a great duration. And so there’s that that way of looking at it. And then some say, well, it’s actually true. God’s people are going to go through tribulation, right? Because of our faith in Jesus. And as we get closer to the return of Christ, that tribulation is going to intensify and those that hold that view will turn to passages like Daniel chapter 12, verse one, or Matthew chapter 24, verse 21. In fact, Matthew 24, verse 22 goes on and says, If Jesus hadn’t cut short the tribulation, all of God’s people will be martyred. And that’s that’s the Nathaniel Commentary version of that. But but you get the idea. Is this, this intense persecution increasing for God’s people? In fact, when you study the history of God’s church throughout time, no more martyrs Martyrdoms happened in the the 20th century than in any other century.
That for for the church. And so you’re seeing this increase of martyrdom taking place. But but through it all, what we’re seeing is the faithfulness of God, and therefore our security moving forward confidently in him gives us the opportunity to respond freely. And and because of that, then God’s people continue to worship. And that’s what goes on in verse 15. On it says, therefore they have they are before the throne of God, and serve him day and night in his temple. And he who sits on the throne will shelter them with with his presence they shall hunger no more, and nor any thirst. The sun shall not strike them, nor a scorching heat. For the lamb in the midst of the throne will be their shepherd, and he will guide them to springs of living water. And God will wipe away every tear from their eye. Let me let me just give us some concluding thoughts here, and I’ll close with an illustration. But we need to understand the power of God and what it means for our lives. We need to understand that we’re we’re free to live, and we’re free to love, and we’re free to die in the gospel because of God’s power. It’s greater than death itself. In fact, the power of God is greater than all the power of hell. The gospel, therefore, is always been able to go forward because of the willingness of sacrifice, knowing that we we are secure, that what we have in Jesus is never truly lost.
And therefore, because of sacrifice, the the message of the gospel is continue to go forward from the sacrifice of Jesus on our behalf, and knowing what we have in Jesus is not lost. You see the from the first century church and on God’s people over and over again, laying down their lives for the sake of the gospel to the glory of God, knowing that what they have in him will never be taken away. In fact, when you look at American history, the the beginning of America starts with people coming over from persecution across the ocean to our land, with the hope of being able to have a Bible in, in our language to to know God and people like William Tyndale, John Huss, John Wycliffe, martyred because they believed every Christian should be able to hold a Bible in their hand and know this God and know they are secure. Uh, one person in church history that’s always stood out to me is one who was willing to lay his life down for the Lord because he was confident in what he had. In Jesus was a man by the name of Adoniram Judson. If you’ve ever studied Adoniram Judson, he was born right after the Revolutionary War. He died just before the Civil War, but he ended up going as a as a missionary overseas.
Originally he thought he was going to go to India, but because of a of a conflict in India, he ended up going to Myanmar or Burma. And in, in Burma he preached the gospel, but not without sacrifice. It took him three years to learn the language. It took him six years before he saw his first convert. He was tortured. He faced disease. He was thrown in prison. In fact, he was thrown. At one point in prison for 17 months, his wife Anne would walk to prison every day to to advocate for his release and to also provide food for him. So he didn’t starve to death when he was put in his cell to go to bed at night, they would suspend him upside down. The year he was finally released from prison was also the year that his first wife died. Uh, as many of his children died. In fact, he was remarried, his second wife died, and and his his children from many of his children to his second wife passed away. He spiraled into a pit of depression because of all the loss that he experienced, to the point that he became secluded for a while and in seclusion, he dug his own grave to remind himself of the brevity of life. He understood Sacrifice is what it takes for the gospel to go forward. In fact, he said that he would not quit until there was a cross permanently placed in Burma.
He went on to say this in his in his own writings he said, there is no success without sacrifice. If you succeed without sacrifice, it is because someone has sacrificed before you. If you sacrifice without success, it is because someone will succeed after. And I think about us, even in our own time and place, and what we have in Jesus can never be taken away. And therefore, before us is this beautiful opportunity to be able to lay it all down for him, to give others the blessing of of knowing him. As a church, I think about the the privilege. It is in a place like Utah to to establish and see the the power of the church made known as God’s people surrender themselves. And the only way that happens for us is to find ourselves secure in what it means to truly be sealed in the power of the lamb who has given everything that we could be free in him. And because of that, today we worship with this, this confidence, and we serve with this joy. So much so that in his own struggles said this. If I had not felt certain that every trial, additional trial was ordered by infinite love and mercy, I could not have survived my accumulated sufferings. I am not ashamed to own that. When for some time after my arrival at Amherst, I scarcely saw a ship leave the river without going to the landing place, and with a heart almost bursting with conflict of desire to leave a scene of so much sorrow, and the conviction of duty to remain and labor on alone for God.
He wrote these words right after his second wife passed away, but he’s acknowledging what it is to represent the kingdom of God in a broken and fallen Babylon, that we’re in the in between these two kingdoms, and there’s the struggle of where we are, but there’s the glory of what’s to come. And can I tell you, through the faithfulness of Adoniram Judson today in Burma. He he ended up translating what is still a translation that’s used in the Burmese language that they could know God. And not only that, by the end of his life there were over 100 churches with with more than 8000 believers in them. In fact, there’s a church even in Salt Lake County today that was planted from a group of Adoniram converts in in Burma that came here to the United States to plant a church in Utah. And it was incredible to see the fruit of that, because that only happens when we understand the gift that God has given us in him, the fact that we are sealed and belong, and therefore we can worship securely and serve him joyfully because of what Christ has done.