Washed White in Blood

Sam Williamson

Revelation • Sermon • Submitted 5 years ago

Revelation 7

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Claim (of the passage) - Those washed white by the blood of the lamb are sealed (secured) to stand firm in this life and on the day of judgement to receive eternity, praising the Lamb their shepherd.

Focus (of the sermon)- We are washed clean by the Jesus to praise him now and forever, do not fear this world of turmoil or the final judgement, for we are sealed as His.

Function (for the congregation) - to give a stoic heart that stands strong and gives praise to the Lamb

Rev 13v6 - Satan’s mark - a counterfeit sign - But God’s is seal (secure)

Pray

If you’ve been following Revelation so far

then you’ll know that we are mid way through watching Jesus,

the Lion who is also the Lamb,

opening up the 7 seals that are sealing up the scroll.

The scroll we know to contain the purpose and plan of God almighty,

And Last week in chapter 6 we saw the first 6 seals removed.

The scroll is nearly opened..

The first 4 seals were different horses and their riders let loose across the earth.

Representing the turmoil we see across the earth today.

Conquests,

dictators,

wars,

famine,

economic failure,

the greed of the wealth

and compounded poverty of the poor,

disease

and death.

The surprise if you like, was to realise that God is in sovereign control of all these things.

Not responsible for the evil actions of mankind that are influenced by Satan - that are so often mixed up with these,

But these things are authorising and being sent out as a foretaste

of the judgement that God will rightly bring upon all of humanity.

Seal 5 saw those, in this age who have and will die for faith in Jesus,

cry out to God, how long,

before final judgement comes and justice is brought to pass?

The answer was, that they will need to wait a little longer

- God is being patient and loving is awaiting all those that he loves to come to him - before judgement comes.

But final judgement will come he promises

- and the 6th seal gave a vision of that terrible and terrifying day.

Revelation 6:15–17 NIV - Anglicised

Then the kings of the earth, the princes, the generals, the rich, the mighty, and every slave and every free man hid in caves and among the rocks of the mountains. They called to the mountains and the rocks, “Fall on us and hide us from the face of him who sits on the throne and from the wrath of the Lamb! For the great day of their wrath has come, and who can stand?”

rev 6 15-

Who can stand?

It’s a good question.

And one we need to be reassured of if we are God’s people today - can we stand?

That day sounds so terrifying, so terrible,

and yet so ‘just’, for humanity has clearly rebelled heavily against God,

So who can stand?

Can we not only peresevr thorugh this turmultious world with horses running wild, but can we stand against God’s righteouness?

And that is what this chapter is here for - to answer that question.

It is to utterly convince us that,

some WILL stand?

And as some will stand - we’re going to want to make sure we are one of them.

We’ll look at 3 aspects as we answer this question of who can stand.

1 - Who can stand?

And we’ll spend most our time on this point as it’s the question that needs the most work in the text to understand.

2 - How can we stand?

How do we qualify to stand if you like?

3 - For what do we stand?

What are we standing for? What’s the life of someone who will stand like now and after judgement?

1 - Who can stand?

The Lamb Is All the Glory: The Book of Revelation Who Are They?

verses 2–3, 4, 9 and 14.

The answer is in

Mostly though are more as a referance to answer the ‘how can we stand’ (point 2) rather than who.

So v3, we need to be sealed by God, given a sign on our heads, and they are servants of God.

In v9 they are wearing white robes.

So we’ll look at all that in a minute: But for now,

v4-9 - and at first seem a little odd to us I suspect:

Revelation 7:4 NIV - Anglicised

Then I heard the number of those who were sealed: 144,000 from all the tribes of Israel.

There then follows a breakdown of that number, 12,000 from 12 tribes.

This is the passage that the JW’s base their idea that there are a special and literal 144,000 Christians who will spend eternity with God in heaven,

while the rest of us will remain on earth,

part of a second level of worshipper.

But this passage,

Firstly,

ThSealed by God, an exact number, but not exactly that number, every tribe, nation etc.

far from giveing us cause for concern that we probably wont qualify for the greatest of positions, actually shows us of the massively inclusive and generous provision of the Lamb for all his people.

There are 2 ways we know this.

Firstly, there is are a couple of anomalies with the 12 tribes that are mentioned here:

The first significant difference between this list and the typical list in (or anywhere else in the OT) is the order.

You can look up if you’re listeening online - or Here is the order on the screen in

Perhaps unsurprisingly - in revelation the tribe of Judah has been promoted to the top,

for this is the tribe of Jesus the Lion of Judah.

Rueben, the eldest, the main heir, remains prominent as we’d expected,

But now comes some real surprises.

But now comes some real suprises.

Normally the sons of Jacob’s first wife, Leah, are listed first,

Rueben to Zebulun

then the sons of His second wife, Rachel,

Jospeh and Benjamin,

and then the sons of Jacob’s 2 concubines - the servant girls to Leah and Rachel:

Bilhah and Zilphah.

A far from godly and healthy family situation in the first place,

but this isn’t the time to discuss how God uses the failures of humanity to bring himself glory.

But what is important here is that the tribes/sons have been moved about.

Now, the sons of the concubines

- women who were outside of the covenant family of God,

have ALL been promoted above the pure blood Israelites!

Show on screen

apporiate

And one more odd amendment has been made.

Dan has been removed and replaced by Jospeh’s son Manasseh.

Probably becasue the tribe of Dan is notorious for being idolatrous within the OT

(; )

Dennis E. Johnson. Triumph of the Lamb: A Commentary on Revelation (Kindle Location 1455). Kindle Edition. for idolatary against God. and in Jewish literature becase a tribe associated with the ‘anti-christ’.

and in Jewish literature became a tribe associated with the ‘anti-christ’.

Show on Screen

This new order is clearly symbolising the message

we know so well in the NT and especially in Revelation:.

Jesus reigns, (Judah at the Top,)

But then that God’s eternal kingdom belongs to all people of all nations and backgrounds. Perhaps even with an emphasis towards the outcast and vulnerable.

Outcasts, non-Israelites are welcome in God’s family;

Outcasts, non-Israelites are welcome in God’s family; BUT idolaters, those who in their hearts live for themselves or another God (even if they look or pretend to be part of God’s family, well they will be excluded - they will not stand.

BUT idolaters, (Those symbolised by the tribe of Dan)

those who in their hearts live for themselves or another God

(even if they look or pretend to be part of God’s family,)

well they will be excluded - they will not stand.

These changes and symbolic numbers 12 and 1000 thousand do not lead us to expect a specific 12000 people form each of the tribes of Israel to stand alone on the day of judgement.

No they lead us to see that God has a far more significant, inclusive, generous, loving and patient plan.

and

v9 is going to confirm this view, -

YOu see John hears the list of tribes - just like he heard that the ‘Lion’ was worthy to open the scrolls seals.

But when he turns to ‘see’ - he sees something far more extraordinary. Something that totally fulfills the pormises he’s heard - but does so in a far more marvalous and wonderful way.

When he turned to see the Lion - the ion of judgement and justice - he saw a slain lamb - who will bring justice - but brought it on himslef ot save his people!

Wow

Now as he turns expecting perhaps to just see the 144 000 people belonging to a slightly mixed up 12 tribes of Israel, he ‘sees’ something far more wonderful, generous and yet perfect fulfilling of the promises in scripture.

v9 -

After this I looked and there before me was a great multitude that no-one could count,

The 144,000 is a symbolic number - or at least a first taste of the innumerable gathering of people.

like the promise to Abraham - he will have too many decedents to count - as numerous as there are grains of sand!

still in v9

from every nation, tribe, people and language,

Outcasts, foreigners, people from messed up families, complicated pasts - in-fact every tribe and nation will be represented in God’s eternal and final family.

standing before the throne and in front of the Lamb

All before the ultimate king - the lion of Judah.

So, that is ‘who’ will stand on the day of judgement,

Men and women of every tribe, nation and toungue,

the British, French, Polish, Ukrainian, Albanian, Maltese, Nigerian, Afrikaans, Dutch, German, Australian, Basotho, Masai, Ik, Kiwi’s, even the Scottish. and so on and on and on.

Revelation 7:9 NIV - Anglicised

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 in front of the Lamb. They were wearing white robes and were holding palm branches in their hands.

Now we know who - we need to ask ‘how’.

2 - How can we stand?

Sealed by God, an exact number, but not exactly that number, every tribe, nation etc.

Heard - like heard about the lion - turned and saw something tht appears wuite different - but is actually a magnificant fulfilment in an epic way fo the promise - 12 tribes saved, inumerabel as promise, but so much better. A Lion who should judge - but we find a lamb who will love.

2 - How can we stand?

How can they avoid the righteous judgement of God?

We deserve his judgement - No-one is worthy, we all fall short of his wonderful and glourious standard.

Only the Lion of Judah is worthy,

So how did the great multitude qualify?

Well there are a few descriptions of how in this passage.

Revelation 7:3 NIV - Anglicised

“Do not harm the land or the sea or the trees until we put a seal on the foreheads of the servants of our God.”

So firstly we need to be sealed - marked symbolically on the forehead by God.

The sense is that God is at work in finding and protecting this great multitude.

But how does it work - how did this great multitude get these ‘white robes’ of v9?

Why aren’t they dirty and stained by sin, evil and rebelion like the rest of humanity… How does it work..

And then in v13 and 14, we are supposed to ask this very question -

Revelation 7:13 NIV - Anglicised

Then one of the elders asked me, “These in white robes—who are they, and where did they come from?”

The elders that sit around the throne of God ask a semi-retorical question - wanting John to ask the same thing back, which he does:

Revelation 7:14 NIV - Anglicised

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.

It all comes back to the lamb!

Revelation 7:13–14 NIV - Anglicised

Then one of the elders asked me, “These in white robes—who are they, and where did they come from?” 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.

Only the lamb is worthy, so only the lamb can make others worthy as well.

The great tribulation is the life and world we live in right now.

You’ll remmeber rev 1v9

Revelation 1:9 NIV - Anglicised

I, John, your brother and companion in the suffering and kingdom and patient endurance that are ours in Jesus, was on the island of Patmos because of the word of God and the testimony of Jesus.

This great multitude, are normal people like you and me, who have taken their soiled and dirty and sinful lives to the foot of the cross of the slain lamb.

The lamb who took the judgement and punishment that we should have received.

At the foot of the cross we find a ‘vat’ full of the lambs blood, shed for us,

and so we plunge our soiled robes and start to scrub and wash.

And as we raise our soiled robes out of the blood, expecting them to be worse than ever,

they come out as white as snow.

For there is no judgement left to face, no more blood to be shed, for those that wash themslevs in the lambs blood.

The washing of our soiled robes that is symbolisning the a genuine, humble repentance beofre God, trusting that Jesus, who is worthy, has made us pure in God’s sight.

No wonder the multitude is crying out: v10

Revelation 7:10 NIV - Anglicised

And they cried out in a loud voice: “Salvation belongs to our God, who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb.”

How are they saved?

By the blood of the lamb, washing them clean.

Every person here who has repented before the lamb,

accepted his great love, and put on his righteousness,

the pure white robe, washed clean by his blood -

well then we belong to that great multitude.

We have been sealed by the mark of God, Which the NT (eph 1v13-14) reveals to be the indwelling of God’s HS in us.

We have been sealed by the mark of God,

We will persevere in faith this world whatever we face, even with the horses of judgement affecting us,

We will stand on the day of judgement.

For we have washed our robes in the blood of the lamb,

And We will cry;

The Holy Bible: New International Version—Anglicised (1984) The Great Multitude in White Robes

“Salvation belongs to our God,

who sits on the throne,

and to the Lamb.”

If you haven’t repented before the worthy lamb, today is the day to join the great multitude. So that you too can stand.

Then in the middle of v9 there is another clue.

‘they will be wearing white robes’.

Which raises our final question

Sealed and washed.

3 - For what do we stand?

We know know we are able to stand, we are part of the great multitude,

so what are we standing for.

What’s the purpose,

We know we have escaped terrible judgement and justice - for we have been saved by the lamb.

But saved into what?

Well it’s all here in v15 onwards

The horses of judgement will not ultimately harm those sealed. We may walk through trubulation,

Rev 13v6 - Satan’s mark - a counterfeit sign - But God’s is seal (secure)

Sealed to stand and not be taken into decetion like the world betrayed by Satan the beast.

Romans 2:28–29 NIV - Anglicised

A man is not a Jew if he is only one outwardly, nor is circumcision merely outward and physical. No, a man is a Jew if he is one inwardly; and circumcision is circumcision of the heart, by the Spirit, not by the written code. Such a man’s praise is not from men, but from God.

Romans 4:11 NIV - Anglicised

And he received the sign of circumcision, a seal of the righteousness that he had by faith while he was still uncircumcised. So then, he is the father of all who believe but have not been circumcised, in order that righteousness might be credited to them.

Ephesians 1:13–14 NIV - Anglicised

And you also were included in Christ when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation. Having believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit, who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God’s possession—to the praise of his glory.

Revelation 7:15–17 NIV - Anglicised

Therefore, “they are before the throne of God and serve him day and night in his temple; and he who sits on the throne will spread his tent over them. Never again will they hunger; never again will they thirst. The sun will not beat upon them, nor any scorching heat. For the Lamb at the centre of the throne will be their shepherd; he will lead them to springs of living water. And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes.”

144000

Revelation 14:3–4 NIV - Anglicised

And they sang a new song before the throne and before the four living creatures and the elders. No-one could learn the song except the 144,000 who had been redeemed from the earth. These are those who did not defile themselves with women, for they kept themselves pure. They follow the Lamb wherever he goes. They were purchased from among men and offered as firstfruits to God and the Lamb.

Revelation 7:9 NIV - Anglicised

Revelation 5:6 NIV - Anglicised

Then I saw a Lamb, looking as if it had been slain, standing in the centre of the throne, encircled by the four living creatures and the elders. He had seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven spirits of God sent out into all the earth.

rev 7 15-

theology of Revelation as a whole. Judah is promoted from fourth position sition to first as the tribe of the Messiah, Jesus. The sons of the concubines cubines (technically slaves of the competing wives Leah and Rachel, pressed by their mistresses into service as surrogate mothers) are pro- tnoted from the end of the line to positions three through six, above six of the sons of the wives, Leah and Rachel. The elevation of these descendants of women who were outsiders to the covenant family signifies nifies the inclusion of the Gentiles among "the bond-servants of our God" (). Dan, however, is replaced by Joseph's son Manasseh because the tribe of Dan became notorious in Israel's history for leading ing the northern kingdom into idolatrous apostasy (; ) and in intertestamental Jewish literature was associated with the antichrist." Thus the order of the tribes in symbolizes izes the reign of Jesus, from the tribe of Judah; the incorporation of outcasts; and the exclusion of idolaters from the covenant community that God shields from his terrible wrath. The rearrangement can be visualized as in the chart on page 133.

Dennis E. Johnson. Triumph of the Lamb: A Commentary on Revelation (Kindle Locations 1445-1451). Kindle Edition.

Dennis E. Johnson. Triumph of the Lamb: A Commentary on Revelation (Kindle Locations 1451-1457). Kindle Edition.

Dennis E. Johnson. Triumph of the Lamb: A Commentary on Revelation (Kindle Locations 1445-1451). Kindle Edition.

Revelation 11:12 NIV - Anglicised

Then they heard a loud voice from heaven saying to them, “Come up here.” And they went up to heaven in a cloud, while their enemies looked on.

JUST like the LION and the LAMB has 2 perspectives

The promises of the OT, the imagaery of the Psalms, the hope set before us throughout scripture will all come to be.

The church has 2 in this chapter -

WHITE ROBES BATTLE ALREADY WON - CHURCH IN PERSECUTION AND TURMOIL

We, the great multitude saved by the blood of the lamb will exist to

serve the wonderfual God who saved us,

We will without tiering, or boring,

enjoy working and serving and praising God.

No floating around on clouds, playing harps -

No,

A real work todo that satisfies and gives us joy every moment.

And the King we worship:

He will protect and sade us with his tent of cmapassion,

He will feed us and give us drink

- never again will we be hungry, or eat badly, or feel unhealthy,

Feasts and banquets

- The sun will not beat down on us - or if we’re British perhaps the image of the rain not drenching and freezing us is better,

- We’ll be warm and comfortable,

- No more disease, pain, suffering,

Every tear wiped away by his love and care and intamacy.

Every prayer you’ve prayed against trials and suffering in this life,

answered perfectly, gouriously, eternally,

The Lamb, Jesus, will walk with us, leading us, shepherding us, careing, protecting us.

Living water, eternal life, refreshing us second by second,

Enjoying the creator who is just and righteous,

Enjoying the leadership of the Lion, king of all kings, who is to us as gentle as a lamb,

White robes, purity, love, gentleness,

enjoy working and serving and praising God.

The life are hopefully striving for now: of enjoying Jesus and living for him - will be a reality for ever and ever.

Ask yourself - what am I living for?

ant as Christian

Isaiah 49:10 NIV - Anglicised

They will neither hunger nor thirst, nor will the desert heat or the sun beat upon them. He who has compassion on them will guide them and lead them beside springs of water.

Do I want to stand on the day of terible judgement?

If so,

Live for the lamb now,

wash your soiled life in His blood everyday.

Enjoy his forgiveness and enjoying living for him now.

For we will preserver through this life of great tribulation

Who will stand?

Those sealed by God

In Isaiah's prophecy God is the Shepherd who leads his flock to springs of water (cf. ; ). In Revelation the Lamb is "their shepherd" (cf. John M; ; ). This is fitting, ting, since he is "in the center of the throne" and with the Father receives ceives worship from all creatures everywhere ().J0 To shelter his flock from sun and heat their Protector "will spread His tabernacle Jske,nooj over them" (5:15; cf. ), and he "will wipe every tear from their eyes" (Rev. 5:17; cf. ). 't'hese victors tors already taste the joys of the new Jenusalen), where God will "dwell" (slavto(~ among his people, wipe every tear from their eyes, and cause them to drink of the water of life (; ).

The Holy Bible: New International Version—Anglicised (1984) The Great Multitude in White Robes

a great multitude that no-one could count, from every nation, tribe, people and language, standing before the throne and in front of the Lamb.

Dennis E. Johnson. Triumph of the Lamb: A Commentary on Revelation (Kindle Locations 1483-1487). Kindle Edition.