Tag: washed robes
Heaven’s drama-the seven seals
Scripture reading for December 25th: Revelation 6-7
The drama in heaven continues with John watching the Lamb as He opens the scroll one seal at a time. With each seal, there is a revelation or picture that John saw and wrote down for us to experience. These visions represent judgments that are coming on the earth in the days to come. The Lamb opened the seals and one of the living creatures spoke to John explaining the vision.
The opening of the first seal brought a white horse and rider. The rider held a bow and rode out as a conqueror bent on conquest. The second seal brought a vision of a red horse and rider. This rider held a sword and would take peace from the earth by causing men to slay each other. The third seal brought a black horse and rider. That rider held a pair of scales and spoke of famine. The fourth seal brought a pale horse and it’s rider was named “Death” and Hades was close behind. This rider was given power to kill a fourth of the earth with the sword, famine and plague and by wild beasts of the earth.
It was plain that the seals revealed judgments coming on the earth in the future. The fifth seal changed the scene from earth to heaven and the altar. Under the altar were the souls of a multitude who had been slain for their testimony and the Word of God. They asked the Lord how long before judgment would come to the earth for their blood. They were told to be patient until those who would be killed would be complete. (Revelation 6:9-11)
The sixth seal brought a great earthquake. The sun turned black and the moon turned blood red. The stars in the sky fell to earth and the sky receded like a scroll being rolled up. With this destructive turmoil, the people left on the earth hid in caves and among the rocks of mountains. They asked the rocks to fall on them to hide them from the face of the One on the Throne and the wrath of the Lamb. They were in fear and distress, but not in faith!
Revelation 7 brought an interlude in the heavenly drama. Between the opening of the sixth and seventh seal, John described the marking of 144,000 from the tribes of Israel. These were sealed with the seal of God on their foreheads. John then saw a multitude in white robes from every nation, tongue and tribe. They were worshiping the Lamb. John asked who these were and was told that they came out of the great tribulation and had washed their robes in the Lamb’s blood. (Revelation 7:13-14)
These awesome events are scenes of things yet to come. We must have the seal of God to avoid the seals of judgment opened by the Lamb. Are you washed in His blood and sealed with His Holy Spirit?
The multitude of the Redeemed!
Scripture reading for December 10th: Revelation 7
Key Scriptures: Revelation 7:9-12 “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, 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 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, saying, “Amen! Blessing and glory and wisdom and thanksgiving and honor and power and might be to our God forever and ever! Amen.”
In Revelation 7:1-8 John recorded the sealing of the 12,000 from each of the twelve tribes of Israel with the seal of God. The seal reflects God’s ownership of those willingly sealed and they are set apart for the work of God during the great tribulation. God will at this time deal with the nation of Israel for their rejection of the Messiah. They will recognize Jesus Christ as the Son of God. The number 12 is the number of the church of the Old Testament–twelve tribes, and the New Testament–twelve Apostles. After this sealing, John looks again and beholds a great uncountable multitude from the nations of the earth who are clothed in white and worshipping before the throne. When John was asked by one of the elders where these had come from, he answered, “Sir, you know.” John was told that these had come out of the great tribulation and were saints washed by the blood of the Lamb.”
Revelation 7:13-14 “Then one of the elders addressed me, saying, “Who are these, clothed in white robes, and from where have they come?” I said to him, “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.”“
Faith confession and prayer: Father God, thank You for Your amazing grace to the nation of Israel and to the Gentiles, all of whom are sinners who have broken Your laws and gone against Your lordship. Thank You for the white robes of Your righteousness given by grace through faith to those who repent and believe. Give me grace today to stand true to You and proclaim the Good News of a merciful Savior! I will worship You forever and ever!
Revelation 17:17 “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 eyes.”