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Matthew Henry

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Revelation 7:1-12

Here we have, I. An account of the restraint laid upon the winds. By these winds we suppose are meant those errors and corruptions in religion which would occasion a great deal of trouble and mischief to the church of God. Sometimes the Holy Spirit is compared to the wind: here the spirits of error are compared to the four winds, contrary one to another, but doing much hurt to the church, the garden and vineyard of God, breaking the branches and blasting the fruits of his plantation. The devil... read more

Matthew Henry

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Revelation 7:13-17

Here we have a description of the honour and happiness of those who have faithfully served the Lord Jesus Christ, and suffered for him. Observe, I. A question asked by one of the elders, not for his own information, but for John's instruction: ministers may learn from the people, especially from aged and experienced Christians; the lowest saint in heaven knows more than the greatest apostle in the world. Now the question has two parts:?1. What are these that are arrayed in white robes? 2.... read more

William Barclay

William Barclay's Daily Study Bible - Revelation 7:11-12

7:11-12 And all the angels stood in a circle round the throne and the elders and the four living creatures, and they fell upon their faces before the throne, and worshipped God, saying: "So let it be. Blessing and glory and wisdom and thanksgiving and honour and power and strength belong to our God for ever and for ever. Amen." The picture is of a series of great concentric circles of the inhabitants of heaven. On the outer ring stand all the angels. Nearer the throne are the... read more

William Barclay

William Barclay's Daily Study Bible - Revelation 7:13-14

7:13,14 And one of the elders said to me: "Do you know who these are who are clothed in white robes and where they came from?" I said to him: "Sir, you know." He said to me: "These are they who are coming out of the great tribulation, and who have washed their robes, and have made them white through the power of the blood of the Lamb." One thing is to be noted before we go on to deal with this passage in detail. The King James Version generalizes the meaning by translating: "These are they... read more

William Barclay

William Barclay's Daily Study Bible - Revelation 7:13-14

This passage speaks of the blood of the Lamb. The New Testament has much to say about the blood of Jesus Christ. We must be careful to give this phrase its full meaning. To us blood indicates death, and certainly the blood of Jesus Christ speaks of his death. But to the Hebrews the blood stood for the life. That was why the orthodox Jew never would--and still will not--eat anything which had blood in it ( Genesis 9:4 ). The blood is the life and the life belongs to God; and the blood must... read more

William Barclay

William Barclay's Daily Study Bible - Revelation 7:13-14

Let us now unite the two ideas of which we have been thinking. The blessed ones have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb. Let us try to express as simply as possible what that means. The white robes always stand for two things. They stand for purity, for the life cleansed from the taint of past sin, the infection of present sin and the attack of future sin. They stand for victory, for the life which has found the secret of victorious living. Put at its very... read more

William Barclay

William Barclay's Daily Study Bible - Revelation 7:13-14

One thing in this passage remains to be noted, and it is of the first importance. It is said of the blessed ones that "they washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb." Here is symbolically laid down man's part in his own salvation; the blessed ones washed their own robes. That is to say, the act of man's redemption is Christ's, but the effect is not passive and man has to appropriate it. There might be available to a man all the apparatus to cleanse his garments, but it... read more

William Barclay

William Barclay's Daily Study Bible - Revelation 7:15

7:15 That is why they are before the throne of God, and serve him day and night in his temple; and he who sits upon the throne will spread the covering of his glory over them. Those who have been faithful will have the entry into the very presence of God. Jesus said: "Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God" ( Matthew 5:8 ). There is a very significant fact hidden here. Serving God day and night was part of the task of the Levites and the priests ( 1 Chronicles 9:33 ).... read more

William Barclay

William Barclay's Daily Study Bible - Revelation 7:16-17

7:16,17 They will not hunger any more, nor will they thirst any more; the sun will not fall on them, nor any heat; because the Lamb who is in the midst of the throne will be their shepherd, and will lead them to springs of living water; and God will wipe away every tear from their eyes. It would be impossible to number the people who have found comfort in this passage in the house of mourning and in the hour of death. There is spiritual promise here, the promise of the ultimate... read more

William Barclay

William Barclay's Daily Study Bible - Revelation 7:16-17

Here is the promise of the loving care of the Divine Shepherd for his flock. The picture of the shepherd is something in which both the Old and New Testament delight. "The Lord is my shepherd," begins the best loved of all the psalms ( Psalms 23:1 ). "O Shepherd of Israel," begins another ( Psalms 80:1 ). Isaiah pictures God feeding his flock like a shepherd, holding the lambs in his arms and carrying them in his bosom ( Isaiah 40:11 ). The greatest title that the prophet can give to... read more

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