While I know that Christians throughout Canada will be
voting for any of the political parties, there are things that unite Jesus’
church not only in individual countries, but around the whole world, and
throughout every generation. God’s book describes it like this:
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!”[1]
While Christians may appear to be small (and diminishing) in
number, and powerless against the onslaught of the world, the flesh, and the
devil, the truth is that Jesus’ church is “a
great multitude that no one could number.” While they may look at political
parties, and religious movements, and wars and disasters, through a variety of
opinions and concerns, there is one thing Jesus’ church knows with absolute
confidence. It is that, “Salvation
belongs to our God who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb!” No country, or
religion, or season of history, will take this away from Jesus’ church, or stop
Jesus from bringing people into his salvation.
What referrals are available to bolster our faith in Jesus’
work of building his church? How about this:
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.”[2]
The angels have been watching God’s work since the beginning
of time. What do they think when the Great Multitude sings the praises of God’s
Salvation? They think, “Amen!” This
glorious little word announces full agreement with whatever was just stated.
This means that they are in full agreement with the declaration that, “Salvation belongs to our God who sits on
the throne, and to the Lamb!” They are in complete agreement that God has
provided one Savior to redeem people from every nation.[3]
They fully concur that, “there is
salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among
men by which we must be saved.”[4]
While the “Amen!”
of the angels is enough to spur the church on to hold high the shield of faith,[5]
the angels continue with a beautiful expression of praise. They cry out, “Blessing and glory and wisdom and
thanksgiving and honor and power and might be to our God forever and ever!”
These seven descriptive expressions encompass the glorious completeness of God’s
grace in providing such a perfect and complete salvation in our Lord Jesus Christ.
No matter how the world applauds anyone else, or any other name, or any
philosophy, belief, or religion, everyone will one day see that all the glory
goes to the God who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb of God who takes away
the sins of people throughout the world.[6]
This Canadian election, along with the soon coming American
election, in harmony with tragic and terrible events taking place around the
world, sing a lament of both the present and threatened dangers aimed against
the children of God. Some Christians will side with those who say that
addressing such tragedies and threats is fear-mongering, while others will side
with those who want to stand against all forms of terrorism.
Again, while Christians may not be able to unite in such
things on earth, the heavenly viewpoint is one of great agreement. And so, God’s
book continues with this clarification:
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.[7]
Why is it so important for God’s children on earth to see
this Great Multitude in heaven? Why do we need to see that there is such a
Great Multitude that no one can number, and that they are in full agreement
among themselves, and in fellowship with all the angels of heaven, that
salvation belongs to their God who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb of God
who takes away their sins? And, why do we need to see that this numberless
multitude “are the ones coming out of the
great tribulation”?
It is so that, at least in part, whenever God’s children go
through seasons of great tribulation, and they are isolated from the rest of
society, and lost in prisons and refugee camps, and treated with the world’s
hypocritical disdain, and feel very much alone, and struggle with thoughts of
whether God remembers them, they can bring to mind this picture.
What does the Church really look like when it is forced
through trials and tribulations? It looks like this great multitude that no one
can number, declaring their unified praises to God and the Lamb for the great
salvation that has enabled them to stand before the throne. It looks like this
numberless multitude from every nation, from every people-group, all with the
same distinction from the world, “They
have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.”
In other words, they have been washed clean by the blood of
the Lord Jesus Christ,[8]
and stand before the throne as the adopted children of God,[9] fully
accepted in the beloved Savior. Tribulation did not shut down the church. When Jesus
kept teaching his disciples that he would build his church, and that even the
gates of hell would not prevail against it,[10]
he included the clarification that, “I
have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you
will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.”[11]
The church has “been
justified by faith,” and so “we have
peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.”[12] These
people have unanimously obeyed the call of the gospel, “Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ
for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy
Spirit. For the promise is for you and for your children and for all who are
far off, everyone whom the Lord our God calls to himself.”[13]
The whole world is going to hell in a handbasket, as they say, but the whole
church has confessed their sins to God,[14]
put their faith in Jesus Christ and his salvation,[15]
and experienced the justification by faith that makes them fully righteous in
God’s sight.[16]
Even those presently going through, or soon facing, the greatest tribulation of
their lives, will stand as part of this glorious multitude that are just like Jesus.[17]
Now, what awaits this great multitude who have come through
their seasons of great tribulation with true and genuine faith in the Lord Jesus
Christ, and the salvation that belongs to the God who sits on the throne? God’s
book declares:
“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 shelter them with his presence.They shall hunger no more, neither thirst anymore; the sun shall not strike them, nor any 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 eyes.”[18]
After God’s children have experienced all manner of hardship and isolation because
of their faith in Jesus Christ, they will one day unite “before the throne of God.”
After the people of God have endured generation after
generation of tribulation and suffering under the direction of evil tyrants and
leaders, they will come to serve the living and true God “day and night in his temple,” the safest place ever.
After Jesus’ church has been attacked and beaten, they will
enter the presence of God where he will be their shelter forever.
After enduring all manner of hunger, and thirst, and
exposure to the elements through disowning and persecution, the whole
numberless multitude will hear their eternal Father declare, “No more!” They
came to Jesus for rest,[19]
and their heavenly home will be their rest forever.
After many experiences of isolation, and feelings of
loneliness, and souls hungering and thirsting for righteousness, and sorrows
spilling out in bottles full of tears,[20] Jesus’
church will feel what it is like to be in the constant, visible, presence of
their shepherd who will take care of them forever. They will see Jesus, that
great shepherd of the sheep,[21]
guide them to springs of living water,[22]
just as they sang repeatedly in fellowship with the saints of every generation.[23]
All this to say that, no matter what happens in today’s
election, or the American election, or the invasion of Europe, or the increase
of wickedness God’s book prophesies, [24]
the end of the story is written as though it has already taken place.
God’s book is clear. There is no vote required. There is one
God who sits on the throne, and one Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the
world. Everyone who believes in the Lord Jesus Christ shall be saved.[25]
It is fitting, no matter who gets into power in any
election, or what appears to be happening in this chapter of history, that God’s
children are “sure of this, that he who
began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus
Christ.”[26]
While everything on earth may appear to be against us, we can carry the picture
of the great multitude with us for our constant encouragement to faith, hope,
and love, in our Lord Jesus Christ.
And, in grand conclusion, I will let God’s book speak for
itself:
Now to him who is able to keep you from stumbling and to present you blameless before the presence of his glory with great joy, to the only God, our Savior, through Jesus Christ our Lord, be glory, majesty, dominion, and authority, before all time and now and forever. Amen.[27]
© 2015 Monte Vigh ~ Box 517,
Merritt, BC, V1K 1B8 ~ in2freedom@gmail.com
Unless otherwise noted,
Scriptures are from the English Standard Version (The Holy Bible, English
Standard Version Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a division of Good
News Publishers.)
[1]
Revelation 7:9-10
[2]
Revelation 7:11-12
[3]
John 14:6; cfMatthew 24:14; 28:18-20; Mark 13:10
[4]
Acts 4:12
[5]
Ephesians 6:16; context: Ephesians 6:10-20 describing the whole armor of God.
[6]
John 1:29
[7]
Revelation 7:13-14
[8]
Isaiah 1:18; I John 1:7
[10]
Matthew 16:18
[11]
John 16:33
[12]
Romans 5:1
[13]
Acts 2:38-39
[14]
I John 1:9
[15]
John 3:16
[16]
Romans 3:28; Romans 5:1; Romans 8:28-30; Galatians 2:16; Hebrews 2:10-11
[17]
I John 3:2
[18]
Revelation 7:15-17
[19]
Matthew 11:28-30; Hebrews 4:10-11
[20]
Psalm 56:8
[21]
Hebrews 13:20-21
[23]
Psalm 23:2; 23:1-6 is the whole Psalm
[24]
Proverbs 29:16; Romans 1:18-32; II Timothy 3:1-5
[25]
Mark 16:16; John 3:16; Acts 16:31; Romans 10:9-10
[26]
Philippians 1:6
[27]
Jude 1:24-25
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