Revelation 7:9-17 - Homiletics

The Church above, caught up out of the great tribulation.

We have before called attention to the fact that in this chapter we have, first, a part of the Church on earth, sealed in the tribulation; second, a part of the Church in heaven caught up out of it. £ The first and most natural inquiry concerning the second part of this chapter is, "At what point of time are we to fix the occurring of the glorious realities set forth in this vision?" And from the structure of the chapter the reply which is necessitated thereby is as obvious as the question itself is natural. It is evidently while the tribulation, the great one, is raging below that the blessed ones are seen in perfect calm. For this part of the vision comes, like the former part, not at the close of all things, but between the sixth and the seventh seals. Nor is this the only clue we have. In Revelation 7:14 we read, "These are they which are coming out of the tribulation, the great one;" not, "These are they which came," as if all were past; nor yet," These are they which will come," as if all were future; but, "These are they which are coming." There is a continuous pouring in of them from the world of care to the realm of peace; and this will go on till all be gathered home. At the same time, it will be well for us to observe that this passage is not necessarily a picture of the glorified state, for that will not be ushered in until the second coming of the Son of God. However true it may be that there is as real a continuity between it and the state here described as there is between the latter and their earthly life, still we need not confound the two stages of the development of being. Very much harm has been done to the revealed doctrine of the blessedness of the righteous after death by so speaking of it as to leave no apparent room for the distinction between it and the state of glory which will begin at the reappearing. As yet, however, the unfoldings of this book have not brought us so far on. We are still only at the sixth seal. The new heavens and the new earth are not yet in view. The great tribulation is not yet over. The Church of God is still a divided one, part on earth, and part in heaven. The first part shielded while in the midst of evil; the second part raised above it, caught up, while the tribulation is yet raging here, to the perfect calm that abides there. Hence the title of our present theme may be made even more specific, viz.— A look at our friends who are already in heaven. The paragraph before us suggests seven questions.

I. WHERE ARE THEY SEEN ? Revelation 7:9 , "Before the throne, and before the Lamb." These words give us no clue to the locality of heaven. This we do not need. Any part of "the Father's house" is home to his children. But they give us what is of far greater interest and moment. They represent rather a state than a place. "Before the throne." More conscious than when clad in fleshly garments here of the immediate, all-surrounding, and all-pervading presence of God. "Before the Lamb." More directly in view of that Saviour whom having not seen they loved. The veil of sense and the limitations of earth no longer obstruct their sight or cripple their service. They are forever with their God, where they have wished and longed to be.

II. WHAT IS THEIR APPEARANCE ? They are seen "standing." This word is not redundant. It is no pleonasm. They stand, in token of subjection and of service to him that sitteth upon the throne. They have "white robes." "The fine linen is the righteousness of saints." They are "without fault" before the throne of God. They have "palms in their hands"—tokens these at once of honour and of victory. The struggle is over. The conflict ended. The victory won.

III. WHENCE CAME THEY ? "Out of every nation;" they are "of all tribes and peoples and tongues." The separation brought about by the sin and confusion of earth is done away in Christ. In heaven its effects disappear. There the barrier caused by diversity of tongues will cease. And the final union of all tongues and tribes in the heavenly state will present the true solution of the long-vexed question of the unity of the human race. Every land will yield its tribute of souls to Jesus, and will thus prove, in the common destiny of men, that God made of one blood all nations of men. In the immediate presence of God and the Lamb, "life's poor distinctions" wilt disappear forever. It will be seen that Jew and Greek, bond and free, are all one in Christ Jesus.

IV. HOW CAME THEY THERE ? The answer to this question is twofold.

1 . They came through the pathway of a common experience. "Out of the great tribulation." One and all have had tribulation in some form or other. But they have left it all behind. They are freed from it now. [Note: The fact indicated here, that "the great tribulation" was one which touched "all nations, and kindreds, and peoples, and tongues," is of itself subversive of any theory which would limit it to a merely partial or local sorrow. The terms of the verse require us to regard the tribulation as widely extended both as to space and time.] However great the differences which mark the lot of men on earth, all who reach heaven will do so through "many tribulations."

2 . They reach heaven on the ground of a common redemption. The atoning sacrifice of the Lord Jesus availed for them all. The cleansing virtue of a Saviour's grace purified them all. "They washed their robes;" i.e. in their earthly life they experienced this sanctifying grace. [Note: Here is suggested a mighty theme for the preacher in connection with the death of Christ, viz.:

V. WHAT DO THEY MISS ? ( Revelation 7:16 .)

1 . "They shall hunger no more," etc. They have no more the incumbrance of a bodily frame like this, demanding incessant attention. How often, when in this state, is the activity of the spiritual life interrupted by the demands of the fleshly life! In this respect, as well as others, the flesh lusteth against the spirit. The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak. But on high, such clogs burden the blessed ones no more.

2 . They are free from unfavourable influences from without. Neither shall the sun smite them with its scorching blaze, nor any heat—the quotation is from Isaiah 49:10 , where the Greek word means the sirocco, or scorching blast, and the Hebrew word, the mirage. We may include both. They are subject to no influences to lower spiritual vitality; no illusion of a hollow and deceitful world will again appear to lure them away.

3 . No tear shall be shed. God shall wipe every tear away. "Perhaps this," said a great preacher, "is the tenderest little sentence in the whole Bible (one of the greatest geniuses born in these islands said. he could never read it without a tear in his eye), 'God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes.'" £ No more shall the mingled scenes of life and death agitate the soul. All dying shall be over. All sorrow have passed away. Blessed state, even if known mainly by such negatives as these!

VI. WHAT DO THEY ENJOY ?

1 . The real presence of God. Isaiah 49:15 ," He … shall dwell among them." It is not possible to give the sense of these glorious words except by a paraphrase. They include

2 . The Lamb … shall be their Shepherd. He who is in relation to God the sacrificial Lamb, will be in relation to his people their tender Shepherd. "He that hath mercy on them shall lead them."

3 . They stroll be led by "fountains of the water of life." Here they had droppings from the stream; there they have the fulness of the fountain. Here the water of life reached them through earthen channels; there they shall be at the fountainhead! Entire satisfaction. Perfect security and repose.

VII. How ARE THEY OCCUPIED ? But one aspect of their occupation is given here. "They serve him day and night in his temple." The details of this service we must die to understand. Here we have presented to us the service of praise. Their song is to God and the Lamb. Their theme, "the salvation." And all the glory of it is ascribed equally to the Father and to the Son! We gather, indeed, one feature of this service—it is unwearied: "day and night." Probably each believer has his favourite thoughts about the heavenly state. "My favourite conception of heaven," says one, "is rest." "Mine," says another, "is work." "Mine," says a third, "is love." "Mine," says a fourth, "is praise." What a mercy that they will all be realized; yea, all be infinitely surpassed!

We may gather up, in conclusion, several inferences from these glorious disclosures of the heavenly state.

1 . For the doctrine of continuity in its grandest form and in its highest application we must come to the Word. of God. The life in God, begun here, is destined to live on without a break, and to know nothing but eternal advance! The life above is the continuation of one which was redeemed and renovated below.

2 . Here, too, the true law of human progress is seen. It is not that the race shall advance while individuals become extinct, but that there shall be advance of the race by reason of and in the fact of the salvation of the individual.

3 . Let us be supremely thankful to our Lord Jesus Christ that we are permitted to believe, not only in the progress of humanity, but also in our own.

4 . It surely should be a great comfort to us to think of the blessed ones who are gone before, being thus caught up to this glorious life.

5 . Let us magnify the grace of God in putting such honour on this little globe of ours, as to make it his nursery ground on which he rears iris plants for heaven. Here, here, the great work is going on of training characters which are to thrive forever in more genial climes. The state of blessedness which is to ripen in another world is one which is began here; and, the thought of attaining to such blessedness may well have elevating power .